The Adventure of the Empty House

           Itwasinthespringoftheyear1894thatallLondonwasinterested,andthefashionableworlddismayed,bythemurderoftheHonourableRonaldAdairundermostunusualandinexplicablecircumstances.Thepublichasalreadylearnedthoseparticularsofthecrimewhichcameoutinthepoliceinvestigation,butagooddealwassuppresseduponthatoccasion,sincethecasefortheprosecutionwassooverwhelminglystrongthatitwasnotnecessarytobringforwardallthefacts.Onlynow,attheendofnearlytenyears,amIallowedtosupplythosemissinglinkswhichmakeupthewholeofthatremarkablechain.Thecrimewasofinterestinitself,butthatinterestwasasnothingtomecomparedtotheinconceivablesequel,whichaffordedmethegreatestshockandsurpriseofanyeventinmyadventurouslife.Evennow,afterthislonginterval,IfindmyselfthrillingasIthinkofit,andfeelingoncemorethatsuddenfloodofjoy,amazement,andincredulitywhichutterlysubmergedmymind.Letmesaytothatpublic,whichhasshownsomeinterestinthoseglimpseswhichIhaveoccasionallygiventhemofthethoughtsandactionsofaveryremarkableman,thattheyarenottoblamemeifIhavenotsharedmyknowledgewiththem,forIshouldhaveconsidereditmyfirstdutytodoso,hadInotbeenbarredbyapositiveprohibitionfromhisownlips,whichwasonlywithdrawnuponthethirdoflastmonth.

           ItcanbeimaginedthatmycloseintimacywithSherlockHolmeshadinterestedmedeeplyincrime,andthatafterhisdisappearanceIneverfailedtoreadwithcarethevariousproblemswhichcamebeforethepublic.