II. The Statement of the Case

           MissMorstanenteredtheroomwithafirmstepandanoutwardcomposureofmanner.Shewasablondeyounglady,small,dainty,wellgloved,anddressedinthemostperfecttaste.Therewas,however,aplainnessandsimplicityabouthercostumewhichborewithitasuggestionoflimitedmeans.Thedresswasasombregreyishbeige,untrimmedandunbraided,andsheworeasmallturbanofthesamedullhue,relievedonlybyasuspicionofwhitefeatherintheside.Herfacehadneitherregularityoffeaturenorbeautyofcomplexion,butherexpressionwassweetandamiable,andherlargeblueeyesweresingularlyspiritualandsympathetic.Inanexperienceofwomenwhichextendsovermanynationsandthreeseparatecontinents,Ihaveneverlookeduponafacewhichgaveaclearerpromiseofarefinedandsensitivenature.IcouldnotbutobservethatasshetooktheseatwhichSherlockHolmesplacedforher,herliptrembled,herhandquivered,andsheshowedeverysignofintenseinwardagitation.

           “Ihavecometoyou,Mr.Holmes,”shesaid,“becauseyouonceenabledmyemployer,Mrs.CecilForrester,tounravelalittledomesticcomplication.Shewasmuchimpressedbyyourkindnessandskill.”

           “Mrs.CecilForrester,”herepeatedthoughtfully.“IbelievethatIwasofsomeslightservicetoher.Thecase,however,asIrememberit,wasaverysimpleone.”

           “Shedidnotthinkso.Butatleastyoucannotsaythesameofmine.Icanhardlyimagineanythingmorestrange,moreutterlyinexplicable,thanthesituationinwhichIfindmyself.”

           Holmesrubbedhishands,andhiseyesglistened.