Vụ Scandal

(221bakerstreet.org)

 

To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman. I have
seldom
heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes
she
eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex. It was not that
he

felt any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler. All emotions,
and that one
particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise but
admirably .....

 

balanced mind. He was, I take it, the most perfectreasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but asa lover he would have placed himself in a false position. Henever spoke of the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer.They were admirable things for the observer -- excellent for draw-ing the veil from men's motives and actions. But for the trainedteasoner to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finelyadjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor whichmight throw a doubt upon all his mental results. Grit in asensitive instrument, or a crack in one of his own high-powerlenses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in anature such as his. And yet there was but one woman to him, and that woman was the late Irene Adler, of dubious and ques-tionable memory. I had seen little of Holmes lately. My marriage had drifted usaway from each other. My own complete happiness, and thehome-centred interests which rise up around the man who firstfinds himself master of his own establishment, were sufficient toabsorb all my attention, while Holmes, who loathed every formof society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodg-ings in Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternatingfrom week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsi-ness of the drug, and the fierce energy of his own keen nature.He was still, as ever, deeply attracted by the study of crime, and occupied his immense faculties and extraordinary powers ofobservation in following out those clues, and clearing up thosemysteries which had been abandoned as hopeless by the officialpolice. From time to time I heard some vague account of hisdoings: of his summons to Odessa in the case of the Trepoff murder, of his clearing up of the singular tragedy of the Atkinsonbrothers at Trincomalee, and finally of the mission which he hadaccomplished so delicately and successfully for the reigningfamily of Holland. Beyond these signs of his activity, however,which I merely shared with all the readers of the daily press, Iknew little of my former friend and companion. One night -- it was on the twentieth of March, 1888 -- I wasreturning from a journey to a patient (for I had now returned tocivil practice), when my way led me through Baker Street. As Ipassed the well-remembered door, which must always be associ-ated in my mind with my wooing, and with the dark incidents ofthe Study in Scarlet, I was seized with a keen desire to seeHolmes again, and to know how he was employing his extraordi-nary powers. His rooms were brilliantly lit, and, even as Ilooked up, I saw his tall, spare figure pass twice in a darksilhouette against the blind. He was pacing the room swiftly,eagerly, with his head sunk upon his chest and his hands claspedbehind him. To me, who knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their own story. He was at work again.He had risen out of his drug-created dreams and was hot uponthe scent of some new problem. I rang the bell and was shownup to the chamber which had formerly been in part my own. His manner was not effusive. It seldom was; but he was glad,I think, to see me. With hardly a word spoken, but with a kindlyeye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case ofcigars, and indicated a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner.Then he stood before the fire and looked me over in his singular introspective fashion. "Wedlock suits you," he remarked. "I think, Watson, that you have put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you." "Seven!" I answered. "Indeed, I should have thought a little more. Just a triflemore, I fancy, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. Youdid not tell me that you intended to go into harness." "Then, how do you know?" "I see it, I deduce it. How do I know that you have beengetting yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsyand careless servant girl?" "My dear Holmes," said I, "this is too much. You wouldcertainly have been burned, had you lived a few centuries ago. It is true that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in adreadful mess, but as I have changed my clothes I can't imaginehow you deduce it. As to Mary Jane, she is incorrigible, and mywife has given her notice, but there, again, I fail to see how youwork it out." He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long, nervous handstogether. "It is simplicity itself," said he; "my eyes tell me that on theinside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they havebeen caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped roundthe edges of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it.Hence, you see, my double deduction that you had been out invile weather, and that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting specimen of the London slavey. As to your practice, if agentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with ablack mark of nitrate of silver upon his right forefinger, and abulge on the right side of his top-hat to show where he has secreted his stethoscope, I must be dull, indeed, if I do notpronounce him to be an active member of the medical profession." I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explainedhis process of deduction. "When I hear you give your reasons,"I remarked, "the thing always appears to me to be so ridicu-lously simple that I could easily do it myself, though at eachsuccessive instance of your reasoning I am baffled until youexplain your process. And yet I believe that my eyes are as goodas yours." "Quite so," he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwinghimself down into an armchair. "You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. For example, you have fre-quently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room." "Frequently." "How often?" "Well, some hundreds of times." "Then how many are there?" "How many? I don't know." "Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen.That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeensteps, because I have both seen and observed. By the way,since you are interested in these little problems, and since youare good enough to chronicle one or two of my trifling experi-ences, you may be interested in this." He threw over a sheet ofthick, pink-tinted note-paper which had been lying open uponthe table. "It came by the last post," said he. "Read it aloud." The note was undated, and without either signature or address. "There will call upon you to-night, at a quarter to eight o'clock [it said], a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of the very deepest moment. Your recent services to one of the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exagger- ated. This account of you we have from all quarters re- ceived. Be in your chamber then at that hour, and do not take it amiss if your visitor wear a mask. "This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do youimagine that it means?" "I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize beforeone has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories,instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. What do youdeduce from it?" I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which itwas written. "The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," Iremarked, endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes."Such paper could not be bought under half a crown a packet. Itis peculiarly strong and stiff." "Peculiar -- that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an English paper at all. Hold it up to the light." I did so, and saw a large "E" with a small "g," a "P," and alarge "G" with a small "f" woven into the texture of the paper. "What do you make of that?" asked Holmes. "The name of the maker, no doubt; or his monogram, rather." "Not at all. The 'G' with the small 't' stands for 'Gesell-schaft,' which is the German for 'Company.' It is a customarycontraction like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for 'Papier.'Now for the 'Eg.' Let us glance at our Continental Gazetteer."He took down a heavy brown volume from his shelves. "Eglow,Eglonitz -- here we are, Egria. It is in a German-speakingcountry -- in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad. 'Remarkable asbeing the scene of the death of Wallenstein, and for its numerousglass-factories and paper-mills.' Ha, ha, my boy, what do youmake of that?" His eyes sparkled, and he sent up a great bluetriumphant cloud from his cigarette. "The paper was made in Bohemia," I said. "Precisely. And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you note the peculiar construction of the sentence -- 'This ac-count of you we have from all quarters received.' A Frenchmanor Russian could not have written that. It is the German who isso uncourteous to his verbs. It only remains, therefore, to dis-cover what is wanted by this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and prefers wearing a mask to showing his face. And herehe comes, if I am not mistaken, to resolve all our doubts." As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs andgrating wheels against the curb, followed by a sharp pull at thebell. Holmes whistled. "A pair, by the sound," said he. "Yes," he continued, glancing out of the window. "A nice little brougham and a pairof beauties. A hundred and fifty guineas apiece. There's moneyin this case, Watson, if there is nothing else." "I think that I had better go, Holmes." "Not a bit, Doctor. Stay where you are. I am lost without myBoswell. And this promises to be interesting. It would be a pityto miss it." "But your client --" "Never mind him. I may want your help, and so may he.Here he comes. Sit down in that armchair, Doctor, and give usyour best attention." A slow and heavy step, which had been heard upon the stairsand in the passage, paused immediately outside the door. Thenthere was a loud and authoritative tap. "Come in!" said Holmes. A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feetsix inches in height, with the chest and limbs of a Hercules. Hisdress was rich with a richness which would, in England, belooked upon as akin to bad taste. Heavy bands of astrakhan wereslashed across the sleeves and fronts of his double-breasted coat,while the deep blue cloak which was thrown over his shoulderswas lined with flame-coloured silk and secured at the neck with abrooch which consisted of a single flaming beryl. Boots whichextended halfway up his calves, and which were trimmed at the tops with rich brown fur, completed the impression of barbaricopulence which was suggested by his whole appearance. Hecarried a broad-brimmed hat in his hand, while he wore acrossthe upper part of his face, extending down past the cheekbones,a black vizard mask, which he had apparently adjusted that very moment, for his hand was still raised to it as he entered. Fromthe lower part of the face he appeared to be a man of strongcharacter, with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chinsuggestive of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy. "You had my note?" he asked with a deep harsh voice and astrongly marked German accent. "I told you that I would call."He looked from one to the other of us, as if uncertain which toaddress. "Pray take a seat," said Holmes. "This is my friend andcolleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to helpme in my cases. Whom have I the honour to address?" "You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemiannobleman. I understand that this gentleman, your friend, is aman of honour and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter ofthe most extreme importance. If not, I should much prefer tocommunicate with you alone." I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushedme back into my chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "Youmay say before this gentleman anything which you may say tome." The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must be-gin," said he, "by binding you both to absolute secrecy for twoyears; at the end of that time the matter will be of no importance.At present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight itmay have an influence upon European history." "I promise," said Holmes. "And I." "You will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor."The august person who employs me wishes his agent to beunknown to you, and I may confess at once that the title bywhich I have just called myself is not exactly my own." "I was aware of it," said Holmes drily. "The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precau-tion has to be taken to quench what might grow to be animmense scandal and seriously compromise one of the reigningfamilies of Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates thegreat House of Ormstein, hereditary kings of Bohemia." "I was also aware of that," murmured Holmes, settling him-self down in his armchair and closing his eyes. Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid,lounging figure of the man who had been no doubt depicted tohim as the most incisive reasoner and most energetic agent inEurope. Holmes slowly reopened his eyes and looked impa-tiently at his gigantic client. "If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," heremarked, "I should be better able to advise you." The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down theroom in uncontrollable agitation. Then, with a gesture of desper-ation, he tore the mask from his face and hurled it upon theground. "You are right," he cried; "I am the King. Why shouldI attempt to conceal it?" "Why, indeed?" murmured Holmes. "Your Majesty had notspoken before I was aware that I was addressing WilhelmGottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and hereditary King of Bohemia." "But you can understand," said our strange visitor, sittingdown once more and passing his hand over his high whiteforehead, "you can understand that I am not accustomed todoing such business in my own person. Yet the matter was sodelicate that I could not confide it to an agent without puttingmyself in his power. I have come incognito from Prague for thepurpose of consulting you." "Then, pray consult," said Holmes, shutting his eyes oncemore. "The facts are briefly these: Some five years ago, during alengthy visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the well-known adventuress, Irene Adler. The name is no doubt farmiliarto you." "Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor," murmured Holmes without opening his eyes. For many years he had adopted asystem of docketing all paragraphs concerning men and things,so that it was difficult to name a subject or a person on which hecould not at once furnish information. In this case I found herbiography sandwiched in between that of a Hebrew rabbi andthat of a staff-commander who had written a monograph uponthe deep-sea fishes. "Let me see!" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey inthe year 1858. Contralto -- hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donnaImperial Opera of Warsaw -- yes! Retired from operatic stage -- ha!Living in London -- quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand,became entangled with this young person, wrote her somecompromising letters, and is now desirous of getting those lettersback." "Precisely so. But how --" "Was there a secret marriage?" "None." "No legal papers or certificates?" "None." "Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young personshould produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes,how is she to prove their authenticity?" "There is the writing." "Pooh, pooh! Forgery." "My private note-paper." "Stolen." "My own seal." "Imitated." "My photograph." "Bought." "We were both in the photograph." "Oh, dear! That is very bad! Your Majesty has indeed com-mitted an indiscretion." "I was mad -- insane." "You have compromised yourself seriously." "I was only Crown Prince then. I was young. I am but thirtynow." "It must be recovered." "We have tried and failed." "Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought." "She will not sell." "Stolen, then." "Five attempts have been made. Twice burglars in my payransacked her house. Once we diverted her luggage when shetravelled. Twice she has been waylaid. There has been no result." "No sign of it?" "Absolutely none." Holmes laughed. "It is quite a pretty little problem," said he. "But a very serious one to me," returned the King reproachfully. "Very, indeed. And what does she propose to do with thephotograph?" "To ruin me." "But how?" "I am about to be married." "So I have heard." "To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughterof the King of Scandinavia. You may know the stnct principlesof her family. She is herself the very soul of delicacy. A shadowof a doubt as to my conduct would bring the matter to an end." "And Irene Adler?" "Threatens to send them the photograph. And she will do it. Iknow that she will do it. You do not know her, but she has asoul of steel. She has the face of the most beautiful of women,and the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather than I shouldmarry another woman, there are no lengths to which she wouldnot go -- none." "You are sure that she has not sent it yet?" "I am sure." "And why?" "Because she has said that she would send it on the day whenthe betrothal was publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday." "Oh, then we have three days yet," said Holmes with ayawn. "That is very fortunate, as I have one or two matters ofimportance to look into just at present. Your Majesty will, ofcourse, stay in London for the present?" "Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the nameof the Count Von Kramm." "Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how weprogress." "Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety." "Then, as to money?" "You have carte blanche." "Absolutely?" "I tell you that I would give one of the provinces of mykingdom to have that photograph." "And for present expenses?" The King took a heavy chamois leather bag from under hiscloak and laid it on the table. "There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred innotes," he said. Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a sheet of his note-book andhanded it to him. "And Mademoiselle's address?" he asked. "Is Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John's Wood." Holmes took a note of it. "One other question," said he."Was the photograph a cabinet?" "It was." "Then, good-night, your Majesty, and I trust that we shallsoon have some good news for you. And good-night, Watson," headded, as the wheels of the royal brougham rolled down the street."If you wlll be good enough to call to-morrow afternoon at threeo'clock I should like to chat this little matter over with you." At three o'clock precisely I was at Baker Street, but Holmeshad not yet returned. The landlady informed me that he had leftthe house shortly after eight o'clock in the morning. I sat downbeside the fire, however, with the intention of awaiting him,however long he might be. I was already deeply interested in hisinquiry, for, though it was surrounded by none of the grim andstrange features which were associated with the two crimeswhich I have already recorded, still, the nature of the case andthe exalted station of his client gave it a character of its own.Indeed, apart from the nature of the investigation which myfriend had on hand, there was something in his masterly grasp ofa situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which made it apleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow thequick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most inextri-cable mysteries. So accustomed was I to his invariable successthat the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter into myhead. It was close upon four before the door opened, and a drunken-looking groom, ill-kempt and side-whiskered, with an inflamedface and disreputable clothes, walked into the room. Accustomedas I was to my friend's amazing powers in the use of disguises, Ihad to look three times before I was certain that it was indeed he.With a nod he vanished into the bedroom, whence he emerged infive minutes tweed-suited and respectable, as of old. Putting hishands into his pockets, he stretched out his legs in front of thefire and laughed heartily for some minutes. "Well, really!" he cried, and then he choked and laughedagain until he was obliged to lie back, limp and helpless, in thechair. "What is it?" "It's quite too funny. I am sure you could never guess how I employed my morning, or what I ended by doing." "I can't imagine. I suppose that you have been watching thehabits, and perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler." "Quite so; but the sequel was rather unusual. I will tell you,however. I left the house a little after eight o'clock this morningin the character of a groom out of work. There is a wonderfulsympathy and freemasonry among horsy men. Be one of them,and you will know all that there is to know. I soon foundBriony Lodge. It is a bijou villa, with a garden at the back.but built out in front right up to the road, two stories. Chubblock to the door. Large sitting-room on the right side, wellfurnished, with long windows almost to the floor, and those preposterous English window fasteners which a child could open.Behind there was nothing remarkable, save that the passagewindow could be reached from the top of the coach-house. Iwalked round it and examined it closely from every point of view, but without noting anything else of interest. "I then lounged down the street and found, as I expected, thatthere was a mews in a lane which runs down by one wall of thegarden. I lent the ostlers a hand in rubbing down their horses,and received in exchange twopence, a glass of half and half, twofills of shag tobacco, and as much information as I could desireabout Miss Adler, to say nothing of half a dozen other people inthe neighbourhood in whom I was not in the least interested, butwhose biographies I was compelled to listen to." "And what of Irene Adler?" I asked. "Oh, she has turned all the men's heads down in that part.She is the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet. So saythe Serpentine-mews, to a man. She lives quietly, sings atconcerts, drives out at five every day, and returns at seven sharpfor dinner. Seldom goes out at other times, except when shesings. Has only one male visitor, but a good deal of him. He isdark, handsome, and dashing, never calls less than once a day,and often twice. He is a Mr. Godfrey Norton, of the InnerTemple. See the advantages of a cabman as a confidant. Theyhad driven him home a dozen times from Serpentine-mews, andknew all about him. When I had listened to all they had to tell, Ibegan to walk up and down near Briony Lodge once more, andto think over my plan of campaign. "This Godfrey Norton was evidently an important factor in the matter. He was a lawyer. That sounded ominous. What wasthe relation between them, and what the object of his repeatedvisits? Was she his client, his friend, or his mistress? If theformer, she had probably transferred the photograph to his keep-ing. If the latter, it was less likely. On the issue of this question depended whether I should continue my work at Briony Lodge,or turn my attention to the gentleman's chambers in the Temple.It was a delicate point. and it widened the field of my inquiry.I fear that I bore you with these details, but I have to let yousee my little difficulties. if you are to understand the situation." "I am following you closely," I answered. "I was still balancing the matter in my mind when a hansomcab drove up to Briony Lodge, and a gentleman sprang out. Hewas a remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached-- evidently the man of whom I had heard. He appeared to be ina great hurry, shouted to the cabman to wait, and brushed pastthe maid who opened the door with the air of a man who wasthoroughly at home. "He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catchglimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing upand down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her Icould see nothing. Presently he emerged, looking even moreflurried than before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled agold watch from his pocket and looked at it earnestly, 'Drive likethe devil,' he shouted, 'first to Gross & Hankey's in RegentStreet, and then to the Church of St. Monica in the EdgewareRoad. Half a guinea if you do it in twenty minutes!' "Away they went, and I was just wondering whether I shouldnot do well to follow them when up the lane came a neat littlelandau, the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and histie under his ear, while all the tags of his harness were stickingout of the buckles. It hadn't pulled up before she shot out of thehall door and into it. I only caught a glimpse of her at themoment, but she was a lovely woman, with a face that a manmight die for. " 'The Church of St. Monica, John,' she cried, 'and half asovereign if you reach it in twenty minutes.' "This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balanc-ing whether I should run for it, or whether I should perch behindher landau when a cab came through the street. The driverlooked twice at such a shabby fare, but I jumped in before hecould object. 'The Church of St. Monica,' said I, 'and half asovereign if you reach it in twenty minutes.' It was twenty-fiveminutes to twelve, and of course it was clear enough what was inthe wind. "My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, butthe others were there before us. The cab and the landau withtheir steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. Ipaid the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soulthere save the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergy-man, who seemed to be expostulating with them. They were allthree standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side aisle like any other idler who has dropped into a church.Suddenly, to my surprise, the three at the altar faced round tome, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he couldtowards me. " 'Thank God,' he cried. 'You'll do. Come! Come!' " 'What then?' I asked. " 'Come, man, come, only three minutes, or it won't belegal.' "I was half-dragged up to the altar, and before I knew where Iwas I found myself mumbling responses which were whisperedin my ear. and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, andgenerally assisting in the secure tying up of Irene Adler, spinster,to Godfrey Norton, bachelor. It was all done in an instant, andthere was the gentleman thanking me on the one side and thelady on the other, while the clergyman beamed on me in front. Itwas the most preposterous position in which I ever found myselfin my life, and it was the thought of it that started me laughingjust now. It seems that there had been some informality abouttheir license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marrythem without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appear-ance saved the bridegroom from having to sally out into thestreets in search of a best man. The bride gave me a sovereign,and I mean to wear it on my watch-chain in memory of theoccasion." "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said l; "and what then?" "Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked asif the pair might take an immediate departure, and so necessitatevery prompt and energetic measures on my part. At the churchdoor, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple,and she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five asusual,' she said as she left him. I heard no more. They droveaway in different directions, and I went off to make my ownarrangements." "Which are?" "Some cold beef and a glass of beer," he answered, ringingthe bell. "I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likelyto be busier still this evening. By the way, Doctor, I shall wantyour cooperation." "I shall be delighted." "You don't mind breaking the law?" "Not in the least." "Nor running a chance of arrest?" "Not in a good cause." "Oh, the cause is excellent!" "Then I am your man." "I was sure that I might rely on you." "But what is it you wish?" "When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make itclear to you. Now," he said as he turned hungrily on the simplefare that our landlady had provided, "I must discuss it while Ieat, for I have not much time. It is nearly five now. In two hourswe must be on the scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame,rather, returns from her drive at seven. We must be at BrionyLodge to meet her." "And what then?" "You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what isto occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. Youmust not interfere, come what may. You understand?" "I am to be neutral?" "To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some smallunpleasantness. Do not join in it. It will end in my beingconveyed into the house. Four or five minutes afterwards thesitting-room window will open. You are to station yourself closeto that open window." "Yes." "You are to watch me, for I will be visible to you." "Yes." "And when I raise my hand -- so -- you will throw into theroom what I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raisethe cry of fire. You quite follow me?" "Entirely." "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped roll from his pocket. "It is an ordinary plumber's smoke-rocket, fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting.Your task is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire,it will be taken up by quite a number of people. You may thenwalk to the end of the street, and I will rejoin you in ten minutes.I hope that I have made myself clear?" "I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watch you, and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cryof fire, and to wait you at the comer of the street." "Precisely." "Then you may entirely rely on me." "That is excellent. I think, perhaps, it is almost time that Iprepare for the new role I have to play." He disappeared into his bedroom and returned in a few min-utes in the character of an amiable and simple-minded Noncon-formist clergyman. His broad black hat, his baggy trousers. hiswhite tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering andbenevolent curiosity were such as Mr. John Hare alone couldhave equalled. It was not merely that Holmes changed his cos-tume. His expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor,even as science lost an acute reasoner, when he became aspecialist in crime. It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it stillwanted ten minutes to the hour when we found ourselves inSerpentine Avenue. It was already dusk, and the lamps were justbeing lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, waiting for the coming of its occupant. The house wasjust such as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes's succinctdescription, but the locality appeared to be less private than Iexpected. On the contrary, for a small street in a quietneighbourhood, it was remarkably animated. There was a groupof shabbily dressed men smoking and laughing in a corner, ascissors-grinder with his wheel, two guardsmen who were flirt-ing with a nurse-girl, and several well-dressed young men whowere lounging up and down with cigars in their mouths. "You see," remarked Holmes, as we paced to and fro in frontof the house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters. The pho-tograph becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances arethat she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. GodfreyNorton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his princess.Now the question is, Where are we to find the photograph?" "Where, indeed?" "It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her. It iscabinet size. Too large for easy concealment about a woman'sdress. She knows that the King is capable of having her waylaidand searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We may take it, then, that she does not carry it about with her." "Where, then?" "Her banker or her lawyer. There is that double possibility.But I am inclined to think neither. Women are naturally secre-tive, and they like to do their own secreting. Why should shehand it over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardian-ship, but she could not tell what indirect or political influencemight be brought to bear upon a business man. Besides, remem-ber that she had resolved to use it within a few days. It must bewhere she can lay her hands upon it. It must be in her ownhouse." "But it has twice been burgled." "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." "But how will you look?" "I will not look." "What then?" "I will get her to show me." "But she will refuse." "She will not be able to. But I hear the rumble of wheels. It ishcr carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter." As he spoke the gleam of the side-lights of a carriage cameround the curve of the avenue. It was a smart little landau which rattled up to the door of Briony Lodge. As it pulled up, one ofthe loafing men at the corner dashed forward to open the door inthe hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by anotherloafer, who had rushed up with the same intention. A fiercequarrel broke out, which was increased by the two guardsmen, who took sides with one of the loungers, and by the scissors-grinder, who was equally hot upon the other side. A blow wasstruck, and in an instant the lady, who had stepped from hercarriage, was the centre of a little knot of flushed and strugglingmen, who struck savagely at each other with their fists andsticks. Holmes dashed into the crowd to protect the lady; but justas he reached her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, withthe blood running freely down his face. At his fall the guardsmentook to their heels in one direction and the loungers in the other,while a number of better-dressed people, who had watched thescuffle without taking part in it, crowded in to help the lady andto attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call her,had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her superbfigure outlined against the lights of the hall, looking back intothe street. "Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked. "He is dead," cried several voices. "No, no, there's life in him!" shouted another. "But he'll begone before you can get him to hospital." "He's a brave fellow," said a woman. "They would have hadthe lady's purse and watch if it hadn't been for him. They were agang, and a rough one, too. Ah, he's breathing now." "He can't lie in the street. May we bring him in, marm?" "Surely. Bring him into the sitting room. There is a comfort-able sofa. This way, please!" Slowly and solemnly he was borne into Briony Lodge and laidout in the principal room, while I still observed the proceedingsfrom my post by the window. The lamps had been lit, but theblinds had not been drawn, so that I could see Holmes as he layupon the couch. I do not know whether he was seized withcompunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but Iknow that I never felt more heartily ashamed of myself in my lifethan when I saw the beautiful creature against whom I wasconspiring, or the grace and kindliness with which she waitedupon the injured man. And yet it would be the blackest treacheryto Holmes to draw back now from the part which he hadintrusted to me. I hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocketfrom under my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuringher. We are but preventing her from injuring another. Holmes had sat up upon the couch, and I saw him motion likea man who is in need of air. A maid rushed across and threwopen the window. At the same instant I saw him raise his handand at the signal I tossed my rocket into the room with a cry of"Fire!" The word was no sooner out of my mouth than the whole crowd of spectators, well dressed and ill -- gentlemen, ostlers,and servant-maids -- joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thickclouds of smoke curled through the room and out at the openwindow. I caught a glimpse of rushing figures, and a momentlater the voice of Holmes from within assuring them that it was afalse alarm. Slipping through the shouting crowd I made my wayto the corner of the street, and in ten minutes was rejoiced to findmy friend's arm in mine, and to get away from the scene ofuproar. He walked swiftly and in silence for some few minutesuntil we had turned down one of the quiet streets which lead towards the Edgeware Road. "You did it very nicely, Doctor," he remarked. "Nothingcould have been better. It is all right." "You have the photograph?" "I know where it is." "And how did you find out?" "She showed me, as I told you she would." "I am still in the dark." "I do not wish to make a mystery," said he, laughing. "Thematter was perfectly simple. You, of course, saw that everyonein the street was an accomplice. They were all engaged for theevening." "I guessed as much." "Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paintin the palm of my hand. I rushed forward, fell down. clapped myhand to my face, and became a piteous spectacle. It is an oldtrick." "That also I could fathom." "Then they carried me in. She was bound to have me in.What else could she do? And into her sitting-room. which wasthe very room which I suspected. It lay between that and herbedroom, and I was determined to see which. They laid me on acouch, I motioned for air, they were compelled to open thewindow. and you had your chance." "How did that help you?" "It was all-important. When a woman thinks that her house ison fire, her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which shevalues most. It is a perfectly overpowering impulse, and I havemore than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the Darling-ton substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in theArnsworth Castle business. A married woman grabs at her baby;an unmarried one reaches for her jewel-box. Now it was clear tome that our lady of to-day had nothing in the house moreprecious to her than what we are in quest of. She would rush tosecure it. The alarm of fire was admirably done. The smoke andshouting were enough to shake nerves of steel. She respondedbeautifully. The photograph is in a recess behind a sliding paneljust above the right bell-pull. She was there in an instant, and Icaught a glimpse of it as she half-drew it out. When I cried outthat it was a false alarm, she replaced it, glanced at the rocket,rushed from the room, and I have not seen her since. I rose, and,making my excuses, escaped from the house. I hesitated whetherto attempt to secure the photograph at once; but the coachmanhad come in, and as he was watching me narrowly it seemedsafer to wait. A little over-precipitance may ruin all." "And now?" I asked. "Our quest is practically finished. I shall call with the Kingto-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us. We willbe shown into the sitting-room to wait for the lady; but it is probable that when she comes she may find neither us nor thephotograph. It might be a satisfaction to his Majesty to regain itwith his own hands." "And when will you call?" "At eight in the morning. She will not be up, so that we shall have a clear field. Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriagemay mean a complete change in her life and habits. I must wireto the King without delay." We had reached Baker Street and had stopped at the door. Hewas searching his pockets for the key when someone passingsaid: "Good-night, Mister Sherlock Holmes." There were several people on the pavement at the time, but thegreeting appeared to come from a slim youth in an ulster whohad hurried by. "I've heard that voice before," said Holmes, staring down thedimly lit street. "Now, I wonder who the deuce that could havebeen." I slept at Baker Street that night, and we were engaged uponour toast and coffee in the morning when the King of Bohemiarushed into the room. "You have really got it!" he cried, grasping Sherlock Holmesby either shoulder and looking eagerly into his face. "Not yet." "But you have hopes?" "I have hopes." "Then, come. I am all impatience to be gone." "We must have a cab." "No, my brougham is waiting." "Then that will simplify matters." We descended and startedoff once more for Briony Lodge. "Irene Adler is married," remarked Holmes. "Married! When?" "Yesterday." "But to whom?" "To an English lawyer named Norton." "But she could not love him." "I am in hopes that she does." "And why in hopes?" "Because it would spare your Majesty all fear of future an-noyance. If the lady loves her husband, she does not love yourMajesty. If she does not love your Majesty, there is no reason why she should interfere with your Majesty's plan." "It is true. And yet Well! I wish she had been of my ownstation! What a queen she would have made!" He relapsed into amoody silence, which was not broken until we drew up inSerpentine Avenue. The door of Briony Lodge was open, and an elderly womanstood upon the steps. She watched us with a sardonic eye as westepped from the brougham. "Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I believe?" said she. "I am Mr. Holmes," answered my companion, looking at herwith a questioning and rather startled gaze. "Indeed! My mistress told me that you were likely to call. Sheleft this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Char-ing Cross for the Continent." "What!" Sherlock Holmes staggered back, white with chagrinand surprise. "Do you mean that she has left England?" "Never to return." "And the papers?" asked the King hoarsely. "All is lost." "We shall see." He pushed past the servant and rushed intothe drawing-room, followed by the King and myself. The furni-ture was scattered about in every direction, with dismantledshelves and open drawers, as if the lady had hurriedly ransackedthem before her flight. Holmes rushed at the bell-pull, tore backa small sliding shutter, and, plunging in his hand, pulled out aphotograph and a letter. The photograph was of Irene Adlerherself in evening dress, the letter was superscribed to "SherlockHolmes, Esq. To be left till called for." My friend tore it openand we all three read it together. It was dated at midnight of thepreceding night and ran in this way: MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES: You really did it very well. You took me in completely. Until after the alarm of fire, I had not a suspicion. But then, when I found how I had betrayed myself, I began to think. I had been warned against you months ago. I had been told that if the King employed an agent it would certainly be you. And your address had been given me. Yet, with all this, you made me reveal what you wanted to know. Even after I became suspicious, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind old clergyman. But, you know, I have been trained as an actress myself. Male costume is nothing new to me. I often take advantage of the freedom which it gives. I sent John, the coachman, to watch you, ran up- stairs, got into my walking-clothes, as I call them, and came down just as you departed. Well, I followed you to your door, and so made sure that I was really an object of interest to the celebrated Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Then I, rather imprudently, wished you good-night, and started for the Temple to see my husband. We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by so formidable an antagonist; so you will find the nest empty when you call to-morrow. As to the photograph, your client may rest in peace. I love and am loved by a better man than he. The King may do what he will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly wronged. I keep it only to safeguard myself, and to preserve a weapon which will always secure me from any steps which he might take in the future. I leave a photograph which he might care to possess; and I remain, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes, Very truly yours, Irene Norton, nee ADLER. "What a woman -- oh, what a woman!" cried the King of Bohemia, when we had all three read this epistle. "Did I not tellyou how quick and resolute she was? Would she not have madean admirable queen? Is it not a pity that she was not on mylevel?" "From what I have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be ona very different level to your Majesty," said Holmes coldly. "Iam sorry that I have not been able to bring your Majesty'sbusiness to a more successful conclusion." "On the contrary, my dear sir," cried the King; "nothingcould be more successful. I know that her word is inviolate. The photograph is now as safe as if it were in the fire." "I am glad to hear your Majesty say so." "I am immensely indebted to you. Pray tell me in what way Ican reward you. This ring " He slipped an emerald snake ringfrom his finger and held it out upon the palm of his hand. "Your Majesty has something which I should value even morehighly,'' said Holmes. ''You have but to name it." ''This photograph!'' The King stared at him in amazement. "Irene's photogMph!" he cried. "Certainly, if you wish it.'' "I thank your Majesty. Then there is no more to be done inthe matter. I have the honour to wish you a very good-morning."He bowed, and, turning away without observing the hand whichthe King had stretched out to him, he set off in my company forhis chambers. And that was how a great scandal threatened to affect thekingdom of Bohemia, and how the best plans of Mr. SherlockHolmes were beaten by a woman's wit. He used to make merryover the cleverness of women, but I have not heard him do it oflate. And when he speaks of Irene Adler, or when he refers toher photograph, it is always under the honourable title of thewoman..