"It is half-past ten now."
"Yes, and I have no doubt that is her ring."
"It may turn out to be of more interest than you think. Youremember that the affair of the blue carbuncle, which appeared tobe a mere whim at first, developed into a serious investigation.It may be so in this case, also."
"Well, let us hope so. But our doubts will very soon be solved,for here, unless I am much mistaken, is the person in question."
As he spoke the door opened and a young lady entered the room.She was plainly but neatly dressed, with a bright, quick face,freckled like a plover's egg, and with the brisk manner of awoman who has had her own way to make in the world.
"You will excuse my troubling you, I am sure," said she, as mycompanion rose to greet her, "but I have had a very strangeexperience, and as I have no parents or relations of any sortfrom whom I could ask advice, I thought that perhaps you would bekind enough to tell me what I should do."
"Pray take a seat, Miss Hunter. I shall be happy to do anythingthat I can to serve you."
I could see that Holmes was favourably impressed by the mannerand speech of his new client. He looked her over in his searchingfashion, and then composed himself, with his lids drooping andhis finger-tips together, to listen to her story.
"I have been a governess for five years," said she, "in thefamily of Colonel Spence Munro, but two months ago the colonelreceived an appointment at Halifax, in Nova Scotia, and took hischildren over to America with him, so that I found myself withouta situation. I advertised, and I answered advertisements, butwithout success. At last the little money which I had saved beganto run short, and I was at my wit's end as to what I should do.
"There is a well-known agency for governesses in the West Endcalled Westaway's, and there I used to call about once a week inorder to see whether anything had turned up which might suit me.Westaway was the name of the founder of the business, but it isreally managed by Miss Stoper. She sits in her own little office,and the ladies who are seeking employment wait in an anteroom,and are then shown in one by one, when she consults her ledgersand sees whether she has anything which would suit them.
"Well, when I called last week I was shown into the little officeas usual, but I found that Miss Stoper was not alone. Aprodigiously stout man with a very smiling face and a great heavychin which rolled down in fold upon fold over his throat sat ather elbow with a pair of glasses on his nose, looking veryearnestly at the ladies who entered. As I came in he gave quite ajump in his chair and turned quickly to Miss Stoper.
"'That will do,' said he; 'I could not ask for anything better.Capital! capital!' He seemed quite enthusiastic and rubbed hishands together in the most genial fashion. He was such acomfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look athim.
"'You are looking for a situation, miss?' he asked.
"'Yes, sir.'
"'As governess?'
"'Yes, sir.'
"'And what salary do you ask?'
"'I had 4 pounds a month in my last place with Colonel SpenceMunro.'
"'Oh, tut, tut! sweating--rank sweating!' he cried, throwing hisfat hands out into the air like a man who is in a boilingpassion. 'How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady withsuch attractions and accomplishments?'
"'My accomplishments, sir, may be less than you imagine,' said I.'A little French, a little German, music, and drawing--'
r />
"'Tut, tut!' he cried. 'This is all quite beside the question.The point is, have you or have you not the bearing and deportmentof a lady? There it is in a nutshell. If you have not, you arenot fitted for the rearing of a child who may some day play aconsiderable part in the history of the country. But if you havewhy, then, how could any gentleman ask you to condescend toaccept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me,madam, would commence at 100 pounds a year.'
"You may imagine, Mr. Holmes, that to me, destitute as I was,such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman,however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face,opened a pocket-book and took out a note.
"'It is also my custom,' said he, smiling in the most pleasantfashion until his eyes were just two little shining slits amidthe white creases of his face, 'to advance to my young ladieshalf their salary beforehand, so that they may meet any littleexpenses of their journey and their wardrobe.'
"It seemed to me that I had never met so fascinating and sothoughtful a man. As I was already in debt to my tradesmen, theadvance was a great convenience, and yet there was somethingunnatural about the whole transaction which made me wish to knowa little more before I quite committed myself.
"'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I.
"'Hampshire. Charming rural place. The Copper Beeches, five mileson the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, mydear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.'
"'And my duties, sir? I should be glad to know what they wouldbe.'
"'One child--one dear little romper just six years old. Oh, ifyou could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper! Smack!smack! smack! Three gone before you could wink!' He leaned backin his chair and laughed his eyes into his head again.
"I was a little startled at the nature of the child's amusement,but the father's laughter made me think that perhaps he wasjoking.