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1"'Tut, tut!' he cried. 'This is all quite beside the question. The point is, have you or have you not the bearing and
2deportment of a lady? There it is in a nutshell. If you have not, you are not fitted for the rearing of a child who may
3some day play a considerable part in the history of the country. But if you have, why, then, how could any gentleman ask
4you to condescend to accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me, madam, would commence at £ 100 a
5year.' "You may imagine, Mr. Holmes, that to me, destitute as I was, such an offer seemed almost too good to be true.
6The gentleman, however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, opened a pocket-book and took out a note.
7"'It is also my custom,' said he, smiling in the most pleasant fashion until his eyes were just two little shining slits
8amid the white creases of his face, 'to advance to my young ladies half their salary beforehand, so that they may meet
9any little expenses of their journey and their wardrobe.' "It seemed to me that I had never met so fascinating and so
10thoughtful a man. As I was already in debt to my tradesmen, the advance was a great convenience, and yet there was
11something unnatural about the whole transaction which made me wish to know a little more before I quite committed
12myself. "'May I ask where you live, sir?' said I. "'Hampshire. Charming rural place. The Copper Beeches, five miles on
13the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my dear young lady, and the dearest old country-house.' "'And
14my duties, sir? I should be glad to know what they would be.' "'One child--one dear little romper just six years old.
15Oh, if you could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper! Smack! smack! smack! Three gone before you could wink!' He
16leaned back in his chair and laughed his eyes into his head again. "I was a little startled at the nature of the child's
17amusement, but the father's laughter made me think that perhaps he was joking. "'My sole duties, then,' I asked, 'are to
18take charge of a single child?' "'No, no, not the sole, not the sole, my dear young lady,' he cried. 'Your duty would
19be, as I am sure your good sense would suggest, to obey any little commands my wife might give, provided always that
20they were such commands as a lady might with propriety obey. You see no difficulty, heh?' "'I should be happy to make
21myself useful.' "'Quite so. In dress now, for example. We are faddy people, you know--faddy but kind-hearted. If you
22were asked to wear any dress which we might give you, you would not object to our little whim. Heh?' "'No,' said I,
23considerably astonished at his words. "'Or to sit here, or sit there, that would not be offensive to you?' "'Oh, no.'
24"'Or to cut your hair quite short before you come to us?' "I could hardly believe my ears. As you may observe, Mr.
25Holmes, my hair is somewhat luxuriant, and of a rather peculiar tint of chestnut. It has been considered artistic. I
26could not dream of sacrificing it in this offhand fashion. "'I am afraid that that is quite impossible,' said I. He had
27been watching me eagerly out of his small eyes, and I could see a shadow pass over his face as I spoke. "'I am afraid
28that it is quite essential,' said he. 'It is a little fancy of my wife's, and ladies' fancies, you know, madam, ladies'
29fancies must be consulted. And so you won't cut your hair?' "'No, sir, I really could not,' I answered firmly. "'Ah,
30very well; then that quite settles the matter. It is a pity, because in other respects you would really have done very
31nicely. In that case, Miss Stoper, I had best inspect a few more of your young ladies.' "The manageress had sat all this
32while busy with her papers without a word to either of us, but she glanced at me now with so much annoyance upon her
33face that I could not help suspecting that she had lost a handsome commission through my refusal. "'Do you desire your
34name to be kept upon the books?' she asked. "'If you please, Miss Stoper.' "'Well, really, it seems rather useless,
35since you refuse the most excellent offers in this fashion,' said she sharply. 'You can hardly expect us to exert
36ourselves to find another such opening for you. Good-day to you, Miss Hunter.' She struck a gong upon the table, and I
37was shown out by the page. "Well, Mr. Holmes, when I got back to my lodgings and found little enough in the cupboard,
38and two or three bills upon the table, I began to ask myself whether I had not done a very foolish thing. After all, if
39these people had strange fads and expected obedience on the most extraordinary matters, they were at least ready to pay
40for their eccentricity. Very few governesses in England are getting £ 100 a year. Besides, what use was my hair to me?
41Many people are improved by wearing it short and perhaps I should be among the number. Next day I was inclined to think
42that I had made a mistake, and by the day after I was sure of it. I had almost overcome my pride so far as to go back to
43the agency and inquire whether the place was still open when I received this letter from the gentleman himself. I have
44it here and I will read it to you: "'The Copper Beeches, near Winchester. "'DEAR MISS HUNTER,--Miss Stoper has very
45kindly given me your address, and I write from here to ask you whether you have reconsidered your decision. My wife is
46very anxious that you should come, for she has been much attracted by my description of you. We are willing to give £ 30
47a quarter, or £ 120 a year, so as to recompense you for any little inconvenience which our fads may cause you. They are
48not very exacting, after all. My wife is fond of a particular shade of electric blue and would like you to wear such a
49dress indoors in the morning. You need not, however, go to the expense of purchasing one, as we have one belonging to my
50dear daughter Alice (now in Philadelphia), which would, I should think, fit you very well. Then, as to sitting here or
51there, or amusing yourself in any manner indicated, that need cause you no inconvenience. As regards your hair, it is no
52doubt a pity, especially as I could not help remarking its beauty during our short interview, but I am afraid that I
53must remain firm upon this point, and I only hope that the increased salary may recompense you for the loss. Your
54duties, as far as the child is concerned, are very light. Now do try to come, and I shall meet you with the dog-cart at
55Winchester. Let me know your train. Yours faithfully, "'JEPHRO RUCASTLE.' "That is the letter which I have just
56received, Mr. Holmes, and my mind is made up that I will accept it. I thought, however, that before taking the final
57step I should like to submit the whole matter to your consideration." "Well, Miss Hunter, if your mind is made up, that
58settles the question," said Holmes, smiling. "But you would not advise me to refuse?" "I confess that it is not the
59situation which I should like to see a sister of mine apply for." "What is the meaning of it all, Mr. Holmes?" "Ah, I
60have no data. I cannot tell. Perhaps you have yourself formed some opinion?" "Well, there seems to me to be only one
61possible solution. Mr. Rucastle seemed to be a very kind, good-natured man. Is it not possible that his wife is a
62lunatic, that he desires to keep the matter quiet for fear she should be taken to an asylum, and that he humours her
63fancies in every way in order to prevent an outbreak?" "That is a possible solution--in fact, as matters stand, it is
64the most probable one. But in any case it does not seem to be a nice household for a young lady." "But the money, Mr.
65Holmes, the money!" "Well, yes, of course the pay is good--too good. That is what makes me uneasy. Why should they give
66you £ 120 a year, when they could have their pick for £ 40? There must be some strong reason behind." "I thought that if
67I told you the circumstances you would understand afterwards if I wanted your help. I should feel so much stronger if I
68felt that you were at the back of me."
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