The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez

           WhenIlookatthethreemassivemanuscriptvolumeswhichcontainourworkfortheyear1894,Iconfessthatitisverydifficultforme,outofsuchawealthofmaterial,toselectthecaseswhicharemostinterestinginthemselves,andatthesametimemostconducivetoadisplayofthosepeculiarpowersforwhichmyfriendwasfamous.AsIturnoverthepages,IseemynotesupontherepulsivestoryoftheredleechandtheterribledeathofCrosby,thebanker.HerealsoIfindanaccountoftheAddletontragedy,andthesingularcontentsoftheancientBritishbarrow.ThefamousSmith-Mortimersuccessioncasecomesalsowithinthisperiod,andsodoesthetrackingandarrestofHuret,theBoulevardassassin—anexploitwhichwonforHolmesanautographletterofthanksfromtheFrenchPresidentandtheOrderoftheLegionofHonour.Eachofthesewouldfurnishanarrative,butonthewholeIamofopinionthatnoneofthemunitessomanysingularpointsofinterestastheepisodeofYoxleyOldPlace,whichincludesnotonlythelamentabledeathofyoungWilloughbySmith,butalsothosesubsequentdevelopmentswhichthrewsocuriousalightuponthecausesofthecrime.

           Itwasawild,tempestuousnight,towardsthecloseofNovember.HolmesandIsattogetherinsilencealltheevening,heengagedwithapowerfullensdecipheringtheremainsoftheoriginalinscriptionuponapalimpsest,Ideepinarecenttreatiseuponsurgery.OutsidethewindhowleddownBakerStreet,whiletherainbeatfiercelyagainstthewindows.