A Case of Identity PDF


 🧵 The Story:

Mary Sutherland, a typist who lives with her mother and stepfather (Mr. Windibank), seeks Holmes's help. She was engaged to a quiet, respectful man named Hosmer Angel, who mysteriously disappeared on the day of their wedding.

Hosmer had peculiar habits:

  • He only met Mary when her stepfather was away.
  • He insisted on secrecy and wrote her only typewritten letters—even his signature was typed.
  • On the wedding day, he got into a cab… and never returned.

🔍 Holmes’s Investigation:

Holmes listens carefully, makes no immediate accusations, but suspects deception. He compares Hosmer’s letters to those written by Mary's stepfather and deduces the truth:

Hosmer Angel is actually Mr. Windibank in disguise.

Windibank created a fake identity to keep Mary emotionally attached and unmarried—so he could continue benefiting from her income. The disguise included glasses, a fake voice, and using a typewriter to avoid handwriting detection.


⚖️ The Outcome:

Holmes confronts Windibank, who confesses but faces no legal consequences—though Holmes ominously predicts he’ll commit worse crimes and eventually end up in jail.

Holmes chooses not to tell Mary, believing she wouldn’t accept the truth.


🧠 Themes:

  • Deception vs. Truth
  • Women’s vulnerability in Victorian society
  • Holmes’s genius in logic and observation


 

Hiç yorum yok:

Yorum Gönder