The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton

           ItisyearssincetheincidentsofwhichIspeaktookplace,andyetitiswithdiffidencethatIalludetothem.Foralongtime,evenwiththeutmostdiscretionandreticence,itwouldhavebeenimpossibletomakethefactspublic,butnowtheprincipalpersonconcernedisbeyondthereachofhumanlaw,andwithduesuppressionthestorymaybetoldinsuchfashionastoinjurenoone.ItrecordsanabsolutelyuniqueexperienceinthecareerbothofMr.SherlockHolmesandofmyself.ThereaderwillexcusemeifIconcealthedateoranyotherfactbywhichhemighttracetheactualoccurrence.

           Wehadbeenoutforoneofoureveningrambles,HolmesandI,andhadreturnedaboutsixo’clockonacold,frostywinter’sevening.AsHolmesturnedupthelampthelightfelluponacardonthetable.Heglancedatit,andthen,withanejaculationofdisgust,threwitonthefloor.Ipickeditupandread:

           CHARLESAUGUSTUSMILVERTON,

           AppledoreTowers,

           Hampstead.

           Agent.

           “Whoishe?”Iasked.

           “TheworstmaninLondon,”Holmesanswered,ashesatdownandstretchedhislegsbeforethefire.“Isanythingonthebackofthecard?”

           Iturneditover.

           “Willcallat6:30—C.A.M.,”Iread.

           “Hum!He’saboutdue.Doyoufeelacreeping,shrinkingsensation,Watson,whenyoustandbeforetheserpentsintheZoo,andseetheslithery,gliding,venomouscreatures,withtheirdeadlyeyesandwicked,flattenedfaces?Well,that’showMilvertonimpressesme.I’vehadtodowithfiftymurderersinmycareer,buttheworstofthemnevergavemetherepulsionwhichIhaveforthisfellow.