‘ “That will do,” said he; “I could not ask for anything better. Capital! capital!” He seemed quite enthusiastic, and rubbed his hands together in the most genial fashion. He was such a comfortable-looking man that it was quite a pleasure to look at him.

‘ “You are looking for a situation, miss?” he asked.

‘ “Yes, sir.”

‘ “As governess?”

‘ “Yes, sir.”

‘ “And what salary do you ask?”

‘ “I had four pounds a month in my last place with Colonel Spence Munro.”

‘ “Oh, tut, tut! sweating—rank sweating!” he cried, throwing his fat hands out into the air like a man who is in a boiling passion. “How could anyone offer so pitiful a sum to a lady with such attractions and accomplishments?”

‘ “My accomplishments, sir, may be less than you imagine,” said I. “A little French, a little German, music and drawing—”

‘ “Tut, tut!” he cried. “This is all quite beside the question. The point is, have you or have you not the bearing and deportment 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 some day play a considerable part in the history of the country. But if you have, why, then how could any gentleman ask you to condescend to accept anything under the three figures? Your salary with me, madam, would commence at a hundred pounds a year.”

‘You may imagine, Mr Holmes, that to me, destitute as I was, such an offer seemed almost too good to be true. The gentleman, however, seeing perhaps the look of incredulity upon my face, opened a pocket-book and took out a note.

‘ “It is also my custom,” said he, smiling in the most pleasant fashion until his eyes were just two shining slits, amid the white creases of his face, “to advance to my young ladies half their salary beforehand, so that they may meet any little expenses of their journey and their wardrobe.”

‘It seemed to me that I had never met so fascinating and so thoughtful a man. As I was already in debt to my tradesmen, the advance was a great convenience, and yet there was something unnatural about the whole transaction which made me wish to know a little more before I quite committed myself.

‘ “May I ask where you live, sir?” said I.

‘ “Hampshire. Charming rural place. The Copper Beeches, five miles on the far side of Winchester. It is the most lovely country, my dear young lady, and the dearest old country house.”

‘ “And my duties, sir? I should be glad to know what they would be.”

‘ “One child—one dear little romper just six years old. Oh, if you could see him killing cockroaches with a slipper! Smack! smack! smack! Three gone before you could wink!” He leaned back in his chair and laughed his eyes into his head again.

‘I was a little startled at the nature of the child’s amusement, but the father’s laughter made me think that perhaps he was joking.

‘ “My sole duties, then,” I asked, “are to take charge of a single child?”