A Retrospection

           ItwastheendofNovemberandHolmesandIsat,uponarawandfoggynight,oneithersideofablazingfireinoursitting-roominBakerStreet. SincethetragicupshotofourvisittoDevonshirehehadbeenengagedintwoaffairsoftheutmostimportance, inthefirstofwhichhehadexposedtheatrociousconductofColonelUpwoodinconnectionwiththefamouscardscandaloftheNonpareilClub, whileinthesecondhehaddefendedtheunfortunateMme.Montpensierfromthechargeofmurderwhichhungoverherinconnectionwiththedeathofherstep-daughter,Mlle.Carere, theyoungladywho,asitwillberemembered,wasfoundsixmonthslateraliveandmarriedinNewYork. Myfriendwasinexcellentspiritsoverthesuccesswhichhadattendedasuccessionofdifficultandimportantcases,sothatIwasabletoinducehimtodiscussthedetailsoftheBaskervillemystery. Ihadwaitedpatientlyfortheopportunity,forIwasawarethathewouldneverpermitcasestooverlap,andthathisclearandlogicalmindwouldnotbedrawnfromitspresentworktodwelluponmemoriesofthepast. SirHenryandDr.Mortimerwere,however,inLondon,ontheirwaytothatlongvoyagewhichhadbeenrecommendedfortherestorationofhisshatterednerves. Theyhadcalleduponusthatveryafternoon,sothatitwasnaturalthatthesubjectshouldcomeupfordiscussion. 

           "Thewholecourseofevents,"saidHolmes,"fromthepointofviewofthemanwhocalledhimselfStapletonwassimpleanddirect, althoughtous,whohadnomeansinthebeginningofknowingthemotivesofhisactionsandcouldonlylearnpartofthefacts,itallappearedexceedinglycomplex. IhavehadtheadvantageoftwoconversationswithMrs.Stapleton,andthecasehasnowbeensoentirelyclearedup thatIamnotawarethatthereisanythingwhichhasremainedasecrettous. YouwillfindafewnotesuponthematterundertheheadingBinmyindexedlistofcases."