“What shall I tell you?” Stephen asked with a slightly embarrassed air.

“Well, begin with his personal appearance.”

“That is rather difficult to describe,” said Stephen. “He was a medium-sized man and about five feet seven⁠—fair, slightly grey, clean-shaved, rather spare and slight, had grey eyes, wore spectacles and stooped a little as he walked. He was quiet and gentle in manner, rather yielding and irresolute in character, and his health was not at all robust though he had no infirmity or disease excepting his bad eyesight. His age was about fifty-five.”

“How came he to be a civil-service pensioner at fifty-five?” asked Thorndyke.