The Adventure of the Second Stain

           Ihadintended“TheAdventureoftheAbbeyGrange”tobethelastofthoseexploitsofmyfriend,Mr.SherlockHolmes,whichIshouldevercommunicatetothepublic.Thisresolutionofminewasnotduetoanylackofmaterial,sinceIhavenotesofmanyhundredsofcasestowhichIhaveneveralluded,norwasitcausedbyanywaninginterestonthepartofmyreadersinthesingularpersonalityanduniquemethodsofthisremarkableman.TherealreasonlayinthereluctancewhichMr.Holmeshasshowntothecontinuedpublicationofhisexperiences.Solongashewasinactualprofessionalpracticetherecordsofhissuccesseswereofsomepracticalvaluetohim,butsincehehasdefinitelyretiredfromLondonandbetakenhimselftostudyandbee-farmingontheSussexDowns,notorietyhasbecomehatefultohim,andhehasperemptorilyrequestedthathiswishesinthismattershouldbestrictlyobserved.ItwasonlyuponmyrepresentingtohimthatIhadgivenapromisethat“TheAdventureoftheSecondStain”shouldbepublishedwhenthetimeswereripe,andpointingouttohimthatitisonlyappropriatethatthislongseriesofepisodesshouldculminateinthemostimportantinternationalcasewhichhehaseverbeencalledupontohandle,thatIatlastsucceededinobtaininghisconsentthatacarefullyguardedaccountoftheincidentshouldatlastbelaidbeforethepublic.IfintellingthestoryIseemtobesomewhatvagueincertaindetails,thepublicwillreadilyunderstandthatthereisanexcellentreasonformyreticence.