The Sign of the Four

Miss Morstan entered the room with a firm step and an outward composure of manner.She was a blonde young lady, small, dainty, well gloved, and dressed in the most perfecttaste. There was, however, a plainness and simplicity about her costume which bore with ita suggestion of limited means. The dress was a sombre greyish beige, untrimmed andunbraided, and she wore a small turban of the same dull hue, relieved only by a suspicionof white feather in the side. Her face had neither regularity of feature nor beauty ofcomplexion, but her expression was sweet and amiable, and her large blue eyes weresingularly spiritual and sympathetic. In an experience of women which extends over manynations and three separate continents, I have never looked upon a face which gave a clearerpromise of a refined and sensitive nature. I could not but observe that as she took the seatwhich Sherlock Holmes placed for her, her lip trembled, her hand quivered, and sheshowed every sign of intense inward agitation."I have come to you, Mr. Holmes," she said, "because you once enabled my employer, Mrs.Cecil Forrester, to unravel a little domestic complication. She was much impressed by yourkindness and skill.""Mrs. Cecil Forrester," he repeated thoughtfully. "I believe that I was of some slightservice to her. The case, however, as I remember it, was a very simple one.""She did not think so. But at least you cannot say the same of mine. I can hardly imagineanything more strange, more utterly inexplicable, than the situation in which I find myself."Holmes rubbed his hands, and his eyes glistened. He leaned forward in his chair with anexpression of extraordinary concentration upon his clear-cut, hawklike features. "Stateyour case," said he, in brisk, business tones.I felt that my position was an embarrassing one. "You will, I am sure, excuse me," I said, rising from my chair.To my surprise, the young lady held up her gloved hand to detain me. "If your friend," shesaid, "would be good enough to stop, he might be of inestimable service to me."I relapsed into my chair