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〃I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle；〃 said she。
〃Here is the slip and here are four letters from him。〃
〃Thank you。 And your address？〃
〃No。 31 Lyon Place； Camberwell。〃
〃Mr。 Angel's address you never had； I understand。 Where is
your father's place of business？〃
〃He travels for Westhouse & Marbank； the great claret
importers of Fenchurch Street。〃
〃Thank you。 You have made your statement very clearly。 You
will leave the papers here； and remember the advice which I have
given you。 Let the whole incident be a sealed book； and do not
allow it to affect your life。〃
〃You are very kind； Mr。 Holmes； but I cannot do that。 I shall
be true to Hosmer。 He shall find me ready when he comes back。〃
For all the preposterous hat and the vacuous face； there was
something noble in the simple faith of our visitor which compelled
our respect。 She laid her little bundle of papers upon the table
and went her way； with a promise to come again whenever she might
be summoned。
Sherlock Holmes sat silent for a few minutes with his
finger…tips still pressed together； his legs stretched out in
front of him； and his gaze directed upward to the ceiling。 Then
he took down from the rack the old and oily clay pipe； which was
to him as a counsellor； and； having lit it； he leaned back in his
chair； with the thick blue cloud…wreaths spinning up from him； and
a look of infinite languor in his face。
〃Quite an interesting study； that maiden；〃 he observed。 〃I
found her more interesting than her little problem； which； by the
way； is rather a trite one。 You will find parallel cases； if you
consult my index； in Andover in ‘77； and there was something of
the sort at The Hague last year。 Old as is the idea； however；
there were one or two details which were new to me。 But the
maiden herself was most instructive。〃
〃You appeared to read a good deal upon her which was quite
invisible to me；〃 I remarked。
〃Not invisible but unnoticed； Watson。 You did not know where
to look； and so you missed all that was important。 I can never
bring you to realize the importance of sleeves； the suggestiveness
of thumails； or the great issues that may hang from a boot…lace。
Now； what did you gather from that woman's appearance？ Describe
it。〃
〃Well； she had a slate…coloured； broad…brimmed straw hat； with
a feather of a brickish red。 Her jacket was black； with black
beads sewn upon it； and a fringe of little black jet ornaments。
Her dress was brown； rather darker than coffee colour； with a
little purple plush at the neck and sleeves。 Her gloves were
grayish and were worn through at the right forefinger。 Her boots
I didn't observe。 She had small round； hanging gold earrings； and
a general air of being fairly well…to…do in a vulgar； comfortable；
easy…going way。〃
Sherlock Holmes clapped his hands softly together and
chuckled。
〃'Pon my word； Watson； you are coming along wonderfully。 You
have really done very well indeed。 It is true that you have
missed everything of importance； but you have hit upon the method；
and you have a quick eye for colour。 Never trust to general
impressions； my boy； but concentrate yourself upon details。 My
first glance is always at a woman's sleeve。 In a man it is
perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser。 As you
observe； this woman had plush upon her sleeves； which is a most
useful material for showing traces。 The double line a little
above the wrist； where the typewritist presses against the table；
was beautifully defined。 The sewing…machine； of the hand type；
leaves a similar mark； but only on the left arm； and on the side
of it farthest from the thumb； instead of being right across the
broadest part； as this was。 I then glanced at her face； and；
observing the dint of a pince…nez at either side of her nose； I
ventured a remark upon short sight and typewriting； which seemed
to surprise her。〃
〃It surprised me。〃
〃But； surely； it was obvious。 I was then much surprised and
interested on glancing down to observe that； though the boots
which she was wearing were not unlike each other； they were really
odd ones； the one having a slightly decorated toe…cap； and the
other a plain one。 One was buttoned only in the two lower buttons
out of five； and the other at the first； third； and fifth。 Now；
when you see that a young lady； otherwise neatly dressed； has come
away from home with odd boots； half…buttoned； it is no great
deduction to say that she came away in a hurry。〃
〃And what else？〃 I asked； keenly interested； as I always was；
by my friend's incisive reasoning。
〃I noted； in passing； that she had written a note before
leaving home but after being fully dressed。 You observed that her
right glove was torn at the forefinger； but you did not apparently
see that both glove and finger were stained with violet ink。 She
had written in a hurry and dipped her pen too deep。 It must have
been this morning； or the mark would not remain clear upon the
finger。 All this is amusing； though rather elementary； but I must
go back to business； Watson。 Would you mind reading me the
advertised description of Mr。 Hosmer Angel？〃
I held the little printed slip to the light。
〃Missing ＇it said＇ on the morning of the fourteenth； a
gentleman named Hosmer Angel。 About five feet seven inches in
height； strongly built； sallow complexion； black hair； a
little bald in the centre； bushy； black side…whiskers and
moustache； tinted glasses； slight infirmity of speech。 Was
dressed； when last seen； in black frock…coat faced with silk；
black waistcoat； gold Albert chain； and gray Harris tweed
trousers； with brown gaiters over elastic…sided boots。 Known
to have been employed in an office in Leadenhall Street。
Anybody bringing〃
〃That will do；〃 said Holmes。 〃As to the letters；〃 he
continued； glancing over them； 〃they are very commonplace。
Absolutely no clue in them to Mr。 Angel； save that he quotes
Balzac once。 There is one remarkable point； however； which will
no doubt strike you。〃
〃They are typewritten；〃 I remarked。
〃Not only that； but the signature is typewritten。 Look at the