Місіс Деллоуей

           Staggeringhesawhermounttheappallingstaircase,ladenwithHolmesandBradshaw,menwhoneverweighedlessthanelevenstonesix,whosenttheirwivestoCourt,menwhomadetenthousandayearandtalkedofproportion;whodifferentintheirverdicts(forHolmessaidonething,Bradshawanother),yetjudgestheywere;whomixedthevisionandthesideboard;sawnothingclear,yetruled,yetinflicted.“Must”theysaid.Overthemshetriumphed.

           “There!”shesaid.Thepapersweretiedup.Nooneshouldgetatthem.Shewouldputthemaway.

           And,shesaid,nothingshouldseparatethem.Shesatdownbesidehimandcalledhimbythenameofthathawkorcrowwhichbeingmaliciousandagreatdestroyerofcropswaspreciselylikehim.Noonecouldseparatethem,shesaid.

           Thenshegotuptogointothebedroomtopacktheirthings,buthearingvoicesdownstairsandthinkingthatDr.Holmeshadperhapscalled,randowntopreventhimcomingup.

           SeptimuscouldhearhertalkingtoHolmesonthestaircase.

           “Mydearlady,Ihavecomeasafriend,”Holmeswassaying.

           “No.Iwillnotallowyoutoseemyhusband,”shesaid.

           Hecouldseeher,likealittlehen,withherwingsspreadbarringhispassage.ButHolmespersevered.

           “Mydearlady,allowme...”Holmessaid,puttingheraside(Holmeswasapowerfullybuiltman).

           Holmeswascomingupstairs.Holmeswouldburstopenthedoor.