Pagina 336 de 657

"This hat has not been brushed for weeks. When I see you, my dear

Watson, with a week's accumulation of dust upon your hat, and

when your wife allows you to go out in such a state, I shall fear

that you also have been unfortunate enough to lose your wife's

affection."

"But he might be a bachelor."

"Nay, he was bringing home the goose as a peace-offering to his

wife. Remember the card upon the bird's leg."

"You have an answer to everything. But how on earth do you deduce

that the gas is not laid on in his house?"

"One tallow stain, or even two, might come by chance; but when I

see no less than five, I think that there can be little doubt

that the individual must be brought into frequent contact with

burning tallow-walks upstairs at night probably with his hat in

one hand and a guttering candle in the other. Anyhow, he never

got tallow-stains from a gas-jet. Are you satisfied?"