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TheDisappearanceofLadyFrancesCarfax1TheDisappearanceofLadyFrancesCarfaxBySirArthurConanDoyleTheDisappearanceofLadyFrancesCarfax2ButwhyTurkish?askedMr.SherlockHolmes,gazingfixedlyatmyboots.Iwasreclininginacane-backedchairatthemoment,andmyprotrudedfeethadattractedhisever-activeattention.English,Iansweredinsomesurprise.IgotthematLatimer's,inOxfordStreet.Holmessmiledwithanexpressionofwearypatience.Thebath!hesaid;thebath!WhytherelaxingandexpensiveTurkishratherthantheinvigoratinghome-madearticle?BecauseforthelastfewdaysIhavebeenfeelingrheumaticandold.ATurkishbathiswhatwecallanalterativeinmedicine--afreshstarting-point,acleanserofthesystem.Bytheway,Holmes,Iadded,IhavenodoubttheconnectionbetweenmybootsandaTurkishbathisaperfectlyself-evidentonetoalogicalmind,andyetIshouldbeobligedtoyouifyouwouldindicateit.Thetrainofreasoningisnotveryobscure,Watson,saidHolmeswithamischievoustwinkle.ItbelongstothesameelementaryclassofdeductionwhichIshouldillustrateifIweretoaskyouwhosharedyourcabinyourdrivethismorning.Idon'tadmitthatafreshillustrationisanexplanation,saidIwithsomeasperity.Bravo,Watson!Averydignifiedandlogicalremonstrance.Letmesee,whatwerethepoints?Takethelastonefirst--thecab.Youobservethatyouhavesomesplashesontheleftsleeveandshoulderofyourcoat.Hadyousatinthecentreofahansomyouwouldprobablyhavehadnosplashes,andifyouhadtheywouldcertainlyhavebeensymmetrical.Thereforeitisclearthatyousatattheside.Thereforeitisequallyclearthatyouhadacompanion.Thatisveryevident.Absurdlycommonplace,isitnot?Butthebootsandthebath?Equallychildish.Youareinthehabitofdoingupyourbootsinacertainway.Iseethemonthisoccasionfastenedwithanelaboratedoublebow,whichisnotyourusualmethodoftyingthem.Youhave,TheDisappearanceofLadyFrancesCarfax3therefore,hadthemoff.Whohastiedthem?Abootmaker--ortheboyatthebath.Itisunlikelythatitisthebootmaker,sinceyourbootsarenearlynew.Well,whatremains?Thebath.Absurd,isitnot?But,forallthat,theTurkishbathhasservedapurpose.Whatisthat?Yousaythatyouhavehaditbecauseyouneedachange.Letmesuggestthatyoutakeone.HowwouldLausannedo,mydearWatson--first-classticketsandallexpensespaidonaprincelyscale?Splendid!Butwhy?Holmesleanedbackinhisarmchairandtookhisnotebookfromhispocket.Oneofthemostdangerousclassesintheworld,saidhe,isthedriftingandfriendlesswoman.Sheisthemostharmlessandoftenthemostusefulofmortals,butsheistheinevitableinciterofcrimeinothers.Sheishelpless.Sheismigratory.Shehassufficientmeanstotakeherfromcountrytocountryandfromhoteltohotel.Sheislost,asoftenasnot,inamazeofobscurepensionsandboardinghouses.Sheisastraychickeninaworldoffoxes.Whensheisgobbledupsheishardlymissed.ImuchfearthatsomeevilhascometotheLadyFrancesCarfax.Iwasrelievedatthissuddendescentfromthegeneraltotheparticular.Holmesconsultedhisnotes.LadyFrances,hecontinued,isthesolesurvivorofthedirectfamilyofthelateEarlofRufton.Theestateswent,asyoumayremember,inthemaleline.Shewasleftwithlimitedmeans,butwithsomeveryremarkableoldSpanishjewelleryofsilverandcuriouslycutdiamondstowhichshewasfondlyattached--tooattached,forsherefusedtoleavethemwithherbankerandalwayscarriedthemaboutwithher.Aratherpatheticfigure,theLadyFrances,abeautifulwoman,stillinfreshmiddleage,andyet,byastrangechange,thelastderelictofwhatonlytwentyyearsagowasagoodlyfleet.Whathashappenedtoher,then?Ah,whathashappenedtotheLadyFrances?Isshealiveordead?Thereisourproblem.Sheisaladyofprecisehabits,andforfouryearsithasbeenherinvariablecustomtowriteeverysecondweektoMissTheDisappearanceofLadyFrancesCarfax4Dobney,heroldgoverness,whohaslongretiredandlivesinCamberwell.ItisthisMissDobneywhohasconsultedme.Nearlyfiveweekshavepassedwithoutaword.ThelastletterwasfromtheHotelNationalatLausanne.LadyFrancesseemstohaveleftthereandgivennoaddress.Thefamilyareanxious,andastheyareexceedinglywealthynosumwillbesparedifwecanclearthematterup.IsMissDobneytheonlysourceofinformation?Surelyshehadothercorrespondents?Thereisonecorrespondentwhoisasuredraw,Watson.Thatisthebank.Singleladiesmustlive,andtheirpassbooksarecompresseddiaries.ShebanksatSilvester's.Ihaveglancedoverheraccount.ThelastcheckbutonepaidherbillatLausanne,butitwasalargeoneandprobablyleftherwithcashinhand.Onlyonecheckhasbeendrawnsince.Towhom,andwhere?ToMissMarieDevine.Thereisnothingtoshowwherethecheckwasdrawn.ItwascashedattheCreditLyonnaisatMontpellierlessthanthreeweeksago.Thesumwasfiftypounds.AndwhoisMissMarieDevine?ThatalsoIhavebeenabletodiscover.MissMarieDevinewasthemaidofLadyFrancesCarfax.Whysheshouldhavepaidherthischeckwehavenotyetdetermined.Ihavenodoubt,however,thatyourresearcheswillsoonclearthematterup.MYresearches!Hencethehealth-givingexpeditiontoLausanne.YouknowthatIcannotpossiblyleaveLondonwhileoldAbrahamsisinsuchmortalterrorofhislife.Besides,ongeneralprinciplesitisbestthatIshouldnotleavethecountry.ScotlandYardfeelslonelywithoutme,anditcausesanunhealthyexcitementamongthecriminalclasses.Go,then,mydearWatson,andifmyhumblecounselcaneverbevaluedatsoextravagantarateastwopenceaword,itwaitsyourdisposalnightanddayattheendoftheContinentalwire.TwodayslaterfoundmeattheHotelNationalatLausanne,whereIrec