[00:01.08]Chapter one, a dangerous offer.
[00:07.41]It was a cold morning in early spring.
[00:11.42]Holmes and I were sitting each side of a cheery fire in the old room in Baker Street.
[00:19.34]Holmes was not in a good mood and puffed irritably on his pipe.
[00:25.92]Crime is common, logic is rare, he said, and who cares for logic anymore?
[00:36.31]My work seems to be nothing more than an agency for recovering lost pencils and giving advice to young ladies from boarding schools.
[00:49.45]I stayed silent.
[00:51.70]Holmes was best left alone in this mood.
[00:57.46]This note, he continued, marks the lowest point of my career.
[01:03.56]Read it.
[01:05.83]He tossed a crumpled letter to me.
[01:09.32]It said, Dear Mr. Holmes, I am very anxious to consult you as to whether I should or should not accept a post as governess.
[01:23.48]I shall call at half past 10 tomorrow, if that is convenient to you.
[01:29.52]Yours faithfully, Violet Hunter.
[01:36.90]At that moment, the bell rang, and shortly after, a young woman, plainly but neatly dressed, entered the room.
[01:49.34]She had a bright face and a brisk, business-like manner.
[01:55.92]I am sorry to trouble you, she said, but I have had a very strange experience.
[02:06.31]I have no parents or anyone else to ask for advice.
[02:11.51]Do take a seat, Miss Hunter, said Holmes.
[02:17.07]I shall be happy to help you if I can.
[02:22.93]Miss Hunter began.
[02:27.60]I have been a governess for five years.
[02:32.49]Two months ago, my employer went to Canada, and I found myself without a job.
[02:42.48]I use an agency in London called Westerways, which is managed by a Miss Stoper.
[02:51.35]I call once a week to see if there's a job to suit me.
[02:56.98]You will understand that I have very few savings, and I need to find a post very soon.
[03:06.63]Last week, when I called, Miss Stoper was not alone in her office.
[03:13.03]There was a man with her, a very stout man with a smiling, ruddy face.
[03:24.17]When I came in, he said, that will do.
[03:29.71]I could not ask for better.
[03:34.97]Then he spoke to me with a most engaging smile.
[03:41.87]What salary do you ask?
[03:47.59]£4 a month.
[03:51.90]Pitiful, he cried.
[03:57.66]Your salary with me would start at £100 a year.
[04:04.88]This seemed too good to be true.
[04:08.93]I felt that I needed to know more, so I asked, may I inquire where you live, sir?
[04:20.67]Hampshire, a place called Copper Beaches near Winchester.
[04:29.15]And what would my duties be?
[04:33.41]One child of six, that's all.
[04:37.70]You should see him killing cockroaches with a slipper.
[04:43.45]Smack, smack, smack.
[04:49.50]My only duties are to look after the one child, I asked, wanting to be sure.
[04:59.16]Your duty would be to obey any little commands which my wife might give.
[05:07.22]Nothing out of the ordinary, I assure you.
[05:12.90]I should be happy to make myself useful.
[05:17.82]Quite so.
[05:21.35]Now, about the matter of dress, we are faddy people, but kind.
[05:34.47]If we asked you to wear a special dress, for example, would you object?
[05:43.40]No, I said, though I was surprised.
[05:49.81]And to cut your hair short?
[05:55.51]I could hardly believe my ears.
[05:59.59]My hair is my pride and joy.
[06:05.86]Oh, I said, without thinking what I was saying, I'm afraid that is impossible.
[06:17.14]But it must be done, said the man.
[06:20.81]My wife has these fancies, and you know how such fancies must be obeyed.
[06:29.64]I'm sorry, I said, it really is impossible.
[06:39.19]His smile disappeared.
[06:42.31]He looked disappointed.
[06:46.40]What a shame.
[06:49.40]In all other ways, you are quite perfect.
[06:56.67]Miss Stoper looked upset and cross.
[07:02.62]As I left the room, I thought that I would now be unlikely to get a job through her agency.
[07:12.69]When I got home and saw more bills to be paid, I thought I had been foolish.
[07:21.88]I had lost a good job just by refusing to cut my hair.
[07:29.68]The next day, however, there was a letter from the man, who was called Jero Rucastle.
[07:42.46]He offered to raise the salary to £120 a year, and asked me again to take the post.
[07:55.21]She passed the letter to Sherlock Holmes.
[07:59.20]He read it with interest.
[08:03.30]Should I take the job, Mr. Holmes?
[08:09.64]Holmes sighed.
[08:13.27]I think your mind is already made up.
[08:21.36]Should I refuse?
[08:24.75]I do need the money, and the salary is good.
[08:35.39]It is too good.
[08:38.71]Why should he pay £120 when he could get someone for £40?
[08:47.88]I would not like a sister of mine to take such a job.
[08:54.28]She looked downcast.
[08:57.95]I thought if I told you all about it, I might be able to ask your help if I needed it.
[09:06.40]You may rely on my support.
[09:10.51]If you find yourself in danger.
[09:14.78]Danger?
[09:16.79]She cried.
[09:18.61]What danger do you foresee?
[09:25.87]It would cease to be a danger if we knew what it was.
[09:31.70]Send me a telegram anytime, day or night, and we shall be there.
[09:42.59]Violet stood up.
[09:47.38]Thank you.
[09:51.70]I shall go down to Copper Beaches easy in my mind.
[09:58.00]Tonight I shall cut my hair, and tomorrow I shall travel to Winchester.
[10:06.13]She thanked us and left.
[10:10.74]We will hear from her before many days have passed, said Holmes.
[10:18.06]He sighed, but he already seemed to be more cheerful.