The story begins with the narrator, Doctor John Watson, explaining that his friend Sherlock Holmes always refers to Irene Adler as "THE woman," because he believes she is the best woman he has ever met in every regard. Watson declares that Sherlock Holmes is too analytical to ever feel romantic love for someone because that would invite distractions that could disrupt his thinking about cases. Watson explains that he hasn't seen much of Holmes because he's gotten married and moved into a new home with his wife, leaving Holmes to live alone in the home the two men used to share. Now that he lives with his wife, Watson tracks Holmes by reading about his cases in the newspaper. One night when he is walking home from a patient's house, Watson finds himself in front of Holmes's apartment on Baker Street. He looks through the window and sees Holmes pacing, which he recognizes as a sign that Holmes is thinking excitedly about a case. Watson decides to ring the bell for a visit.