The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle

           IhadcalleduponmyfriendSherlockHolmesuponthesecondmorningafterChristmas,withtheintentionofwishinghimthecomplimentsoftheseason. Hewaslounginguponthesofainapurpledressing-gown,apipe-rackwithinhisreachupontheright,andapileofcrumpledmorningpapers,evidentlynewlystudied,nearathand. Besidethecouchwasawoodenchair,andontheangleofthebackhungaveryseedyanddisreputablehard-felthat,muchtheworseforwear,andcrackedinseveralplaces. Alensandaforcepslyingupontheseatofthechairsuggestedthatthehathadbeensuspendedinthismannerforthepurposeofexamination. 

           "Youareengaged,"saidl;"perhapsIinterruptyou." 

           "Notatall. IamgladtohaveafriendwithwhomIcandiscussmyresults. Thematterisaperfectlytrivialone"—hejerkedhisthumbinthedirectionoftheoldhat—"buttherearepointsinconnectionwithitwhicharenotentirelydevoidofinterestandevenofinstruction." 

           Iseatedmyselfinhisarmchairandwarmedmyhandsbeforehiscracklingfire,forasharpfrosthadsetin,andthewindowswerethickwiththeicecrystals. "Isuppose,"Iremarked,"that,homelyasitlooks,thisthinghassomedeadlystorylinkedontoit —thatitisthecluewhichwillguideyouinthesolutionofsomemysteryandthepunishmentofsomecrime." 

           "No,no.Nocrime,"saidSherlockHolmes,laughing."Onlyoneofthosewhimsicallittleincidentswhichwillhappenwhenyouhavefourmillionhumanbeingsalljostlingeachotherwithinthespaceofafewsquaremiles. Amidtheactionandreactionofsodenseaswarmofhumanity,everypossiblecombinationofeventsmaybeexpectedtotakeplace,andmanyalittleproblemwillbepresentedwhichmaybestrikingandbizarrewithoutbeingcriminal. Wehavealreadyhadexperienceofsuch."