I.ASCANDALINBOHEMIA
Jeg
I.ToSherlockHolmessheis
altid
alwaysthewoman.Ihaveseldom
hørt
heardhimmentionherunderanyandet
othername.Inhiseyessheeclipses
og
andpredominatesthewholeofherkøn
sex.Itwasnotthathe
følte
feltanyemotionakintokærlighed
loveforIreneAdler.Allemotions,
og
andthatoneparticularly,wereabhorrenttohiskolde
cold,precisebutadmirablybalancedsind
mind.Hewas,Itakeit,the
mest
mostperfectreasoningandobservingmachineat
thattheworldhasseen,men
butasaloverheville
wouldhaveplacedhimselfinen
afalseposition.Henever
talte
spokeofthesofterpassions,savemed
withagibeandasneer.Theywereadmirablethingsfortheobserver—excellentfordrawingtheveilfrommen’smotives
og
andactions.Butforthetrainedreasonertoadmitsuchintrusionsintohis
eget
owndelicateandfinelyadjustedtemperamentwastointroduceen
adistractingfactorwhichmightthrowen
adoubtuponallhismentalresults.Gritinasensitiveinstrument,
eller
oracrackinoneofhisegne
ownhigh-powerlenses,wouldnotbemere
moredisturbingthanastrongemotioninanaturesuchashans
his.Andyettherewasbutone
kvinde
womantohim,andthatkvinde
womanwasthelateIreneAdler,ofdubiousog
andquestionablememory.Ihadseen
lidt
littleofHolmeslately.Mymarriage
havde
haddriftedusawayfromeachother.My
egen
owncompletehappiness,andthehome-centredinterestswhichriseop
uparoundthemanwhoførst
firstfindshimselfmasterofhisegen
ownestablishment,weresufficienttoabsorbal
allmyattention,whileHolmes,wholoathedeveryformofsocietymed
withhiswholeBohemiansoul,remainedinourlodgingsinBakerStreet
Street,buriedamonghisoldbooks,og
andalternatingfromweektouge
weekbetweencocaineandambition,thedrowsinessofthedrug,og
andthefierceenergyofhisegen
ownkeennature.Hewas
stadig
still,asever,deeplyattractedbyden
thestudyofcrime,andoccupiedhisimmensefacultiesog
andextraordinarypowersofobservationinfølge
followingoutthoseclues,andclearingupdisse
thosemysterieswhichhadbeenabandonedashopelessbyden
theofficialpolice.Fromtimeto
tid
timeIheardsomevagueaccountofhisdoings:ofhissummonstoOdessain
den
thecaseoftheTrepoffmurder,ofhisclearingupofden
thesingulartragedyoftheAtkinsonbrothersatTrincomalee,og
andfinallyofthemissionsom
whichhehadaccomplishedsodelicatelyog
andsuccessfullyforthereigningfamilie
familyofHolland.Beyondthesesignsofhisactivity,however,
som
whichImerelysharedwithalle
allthereadersofthedailypress,Ividste
knewlittleofmyformerven
friendandcompanion.Onenight—itwasonthetwentiethofMarch,1888—Iwasreturningfromajourneytoapatient(forIhad
nu
nowreturnedtocivilpractice),da
whenmywayledmegennem
throughBakerStreet.AsIpassedthewell-remembered
dør
door,whichmustalwaysbeassociatedinmysind
mindwithmywooing,andmed
withthedarkincidentsoftheStudyinScarlet,Iwasseizedmed
withakeendesiretose
seeHolmesagain,andtovide
knowhowhewasemployinghisextraordinarypowers.Hisroomswerebrilliantlylit,
og
and,evenasIlookedop
up,Isawhistall,sparefigurepasstwiceinen
adarksilhouetteagainsttheblind.Hewaspacingtheroomswiftly,eagerly,
med
withhisheadsunkuponhischestog
andhishandsclaspedbehindhim.To
mig
me,whoknewhiseverymoodog
andhabit,hisattitudeandmannerfortalte
toldtheirownstory.Hewasat
arbejde
workagain.Hehadrisen
ud
outofhisdrug-createddreamsog
andwashotuponthescentofsomenyt
newproblem.Irangthebell
og
andwasshownuptothechambersom
whichhadformerlybeeninpartmyegen
own.Hismannerwasnoteffusive.
Itseldomwas;
men
buthewasglad,Itror
think,toseeme.Withhardlya
ord
wordspoken,butwithakindlyeye,hewavedmetoanarmchair,threwacrosshissag
caseofcigars,andindicatedaspiritsag
caseandagasogeneinthecorner.Thenhe
stod
stoodbeforethefireandlookedmeoverinhissingularintrospectivefashion.“Wedlocksuitsyou,”heremarked.
“I
tror
think,Watson,thatyouhaveputonsevenog
andahalfpoundssinceIså
sawyou.”“Seven!”
Ianswered.
“Indeed,I
skulle
shouldhavethoughtalittlemere
more.Justatriflemore,Ifancy,Watson.
Og
Andinpracticeagain,Iobserve.Youdidnot
fortalte
tellmethatyouintendedtogå
gointoharness.”“Then,howdoyouknow?”
“I
ser
seeit,Ideduceit.Hvordan
HowdoIknowthatyouhar
havebeengettingyourselfverywetlately,og
andthatyouhaveamostclumsyog
andcarelessservantgirl?”“My
kære
dearHolmes,”saidI,“thisisfor
toomuch.Youwouldcertainly
havde
havebeenburned,hadyoulivedet
afewcenturiesago.Itis
sandt
truethatIhadacountrywalkonThursdayog
andcamehomeinadreadfulmess,men
butasIhavechangedmyclothesIcan’timaginehvordan
howyoudeduceit.AstoMaryJane,sheisincorrigible,
og
andmywifehasgivenhernotice,men
butthere,again,Ifailtose
seehowyouworkitout.”Hechuckledtohimself
og
andrubbedhislong,nervoushandssammen
together.“Itissimplicityitself,”
sagde
saidhe;“myeyestellme
at
thatontheinsideofyourleftshoe,lige
justwherethefirelightstrikesit,theleatherisscoredbyseks
sixalmostparallelcuts.Obviouslythey
har
havebeencausedbysomeoneder
whohasverycarelesslyscrapedroundtheedgesofthesoleinordertoremovecrustedmudfromit.Hence,you
ser
see,mydoubledeductionthatyouhavde
hadbeenoutinvileweather,og
andthatyouhadaparticularlymalignantboot-slittingspecimenoftheLondonslavey.Astoyourpractice,
hvis
ifagentlemanwalksintomyroomssmellingofiodoform,med
withablackmarkofnitrateofsilveruponhishøjre
rightforefinger,andabulgeondet
therightsideofhistop-hattovise
showwherehehassecretedhisstethoscope,Imå
mustbedull,indeed,ifIdonotpronouncehimtobeanactivememberofdet
themedicalprofession.”Icouldnothelplaughingat
den
theeasewithwhichheexplainedhisprocessofdeduction.“WhenI
hører
hearyougiveyourreasons,”Iremarked,“thethingaltid
alwaysappearstometobesoridiculouslysimplethatIkunne
couldeasilydoitmyself,selv
thoughateachsuccessiveinstanceofyourreasoningIambaffledindtil
untilyouexplainyourprocess.Og
AndyetIbelievethatmyeyesareasgode
goodasyours.”“Quiteso,”he
svarede
answered,lightingacigarette,andthrowinghimselfned
downintoanarmchair.“You
ser
see,butyoudonotobserve.Thedistinctionis
klar
clear.Forexample,youhavefrequently
set
seenthestepswhichleadop
upfromthehalltodette
thisroom.”“Frequently.”
“Howoften?”
“Well,
nogle
somehundredsoftimes.”“Then
hvor
howmanyarethere?”“How
mange
many?Idon’tknow.”
“Quiteso!
You
har
havenotobserved.Andyetyou
har
haveseen.Thatisjustmypoint.
Nu
Now,Iknowthatthereareseventeensteps,fordi
becauseIhavebothseenog
andobserved.Bytheway,
da
sinceyouareinterestedindisse
theselittleproblems,andsinceyouaregod
goodenoughtochronicleoneeller
ortwoofmytriflingexperiences,youkan
maybeinterestedinthis.”Hethrew
over
overasheetofthick,pink-tintednotepaperder
whichhadbeenlyingopenuponthetable.“It
kom
camebythelastpost,”sagde
saidhe.“Readitaloud.”
Thenotewasundated,
og
andwithouteithersignatureoraddress.“There
vil
willcalluponyouto-night,atet
aquartertoeighto’clock,”itsaid,“agentlemanwhodesirestoconsultyouuponet
amatteroftheverydeepestøjeblik
moment.Yourrecentservicestooneof
de
theroyalhousesofEuropehar
haveshownthatyouareonewhomaysafelybetrustedmed
withmatterswhichareofanimportancewhichcanhardlybeexaggerated.Denne
Thisaccountofyouwehar
havefromallquartersreceived.Beinyourchamberthenatthathour,
og
anddonottakeitamisshvis
ifyourvisitorwearamask.”“Thisisindeed
et
amystery,”Iremarked.“Whatdoyouimaginethatitmeans?”
“I
har
havenodatayet.Itisacapitalmistaketotheorise
før
beforeonehasdata.Insensibly
man
onebeginstotwistfactstosuittheories,insteadoftheoriestosuitfacts.Men
Butthenoteitself.Whatdoyoudeducefromit?”
Icarefullyexaminedthe
skrevet
writing,andthepaperuponwhichitwasskrevet
written.“Themanwhowroteitwaspresumably
godt
welltodo,”Iremarked,endeavouringtoimitatemycompanion’sprocesses.“Suchpaper
kunne
couldnotbeboughtunderhalv
halfacrownapacket.Itispeculiarlystrong
og
andstiff.”“Peculiar—thatistheveryword,”
sagde
saidHolmes.“Itisnot
en
anEnglishpaperatall.Hold
Holdituptothelight.”I
gjorde
didso,andsawalarge“E”med
withasmall“g,”a“P,”og
andalarge“G”withen
asmall“t”wovenintodet
thetextureofthepaper.“Whatdoyoumakeofthat?”
spurgte
askedHolmes.“Thenameofthemaker,nodoubt;
eller
orhismonogram,rather.”“Notatall.
The‘G’
med
withthesmall‘t’standsfor‘Gesellschaft,’whichistheGermanfor‘Company.’Itisen
acustomarycontractionlikeour‘Co.’‘P,’ofselvfølgelig
course,standsfor‘Papier.’Nowforthe‘Eg.’Lad
LetusglanceatourContinentalGazetteer.”He
tog
tookdownaheavybrownvolumefromhisshelves.“Eglow,Eglonitz—hereweare,Egria.
Itisin
et
aGerman-speakingcountry—inBohemia,notlangt
farfromCarlsbad.‘Remarkableasbeing
det
thesceneofthedeathofWallenstein,og
andforitsnumerousglass-factoriesog
andpaper-mills.’Ha,ha,mydreng
boy,whatdoyoumakeofthat?”Hiseyessparkled,
og
andhesentupastor
greatbluetriumphantcloudfromhiscigarette.“Thepaperwas
lavet
madeinBohemia,”Isaid.“Precisely.
Og
AndthemanwhowrotethenoteisaGerman.Doyounotethepeculiarconstructionofthesentence—‘Thisaccountofyouwehavefrom
alle
allquartersreceived.’AFrenchmaneller
orRussiancouldnothaveskrevet
writtenthat.ItistheGerman
der
whoissouncourteoustohisverbs.It
kun
onlyremains,therefore,todiscoverwhatisønsket
wantedbythisGermanwhoskriver
writesuponBohemianpaperandpreferswearingen
amasktoshowinghisansigt
face.Andherehecomes,
hvis
ifIamnotmistaken,toresolvealle
allourdoubts.”Ashe
talte
spoketherewasthesharplyd
soundofhorses’hoofsandgratingwheelsmod
againstthecurb,followedbyet
asharppullatthebell.Holmeswhistled.
“Apair,bythesound,”
sagde
saidhe.“Yes,”hecontinued,glancing
ud
outofthewindow.“A
dejlig
nicelittlebroughamandapairofbeauties.Ahundred
og
andfiftyguineasapiece.There’s
penge
moneyinthiscase,Watson,hvis
ifthereisnothingelse.”“I
tror
thinkthatIhadbettergå
go,Holmes.”“Notabit,
Doktor
Doctor.Staywhereyouare.
Iamlost
uden
withoutmyBoswell.Andthis
lover
promisestobeinteresting.It
ville
wouldbeapitytoglip
missit.”“Butyourclient—”.
“Nevermind
ham
him.Imaywantyour
hjælp
help,andsomayhe.Her
Herehecomes.Sitdowninthatarmchair,
Doktor
Doctor,andgiveusyourbedste
bestattention.”Aslowandheavystep,
som
whichhadbeenhearduponthestairsog
andinthepassage,pausedimmediatelyuden for
outsidethedoor.Thentherewas
et
aloudandauthoritativetap.“Comein!”
sagde
saidHolmes.Amanentered
der
whocouldhardlyhavebeenlessend
thansixfeetsixinchesinheight,med
withthechestandlimbsofen
aHercules.Hisdresswasrich
med
witharichnesswhichwould,inEngland,belookeduponasakintodårlig
badtaste.Heavybandsofastrakhanwereslashedacross
den
thesleevesandfrontsofhisdouble-breastedcoat,mens
whilethedeepbluecloakder
whichwasthrownoverhisshoulderswaslinedmed
withflame-colouredsilkandsecuredatden
theneckwithabroochder
whichconsistedofasingleflamingberyl.Bootswhichextendedhalfway
op
uphiscalves,andwhichweretrimmedatthetopsmed
withrichbrownfur,completedtheimpressionofbarbaricopulencewhichwassuggestedbyhishele
wholeappearance.Hecarriedabroad-brimmedhatinhishand,
mens
whileheworeacrosstheupperdel
partofhisface,extendingned
downpastthecheekbones,asort
blackvizardmask,whichhehavde
hadapparentlyadjustedthatveryøjeblik
moment,forhishandwasstadig
stillraisedtoitasheentered.From
den
thelowerpartofthefaceheappearedtobeen
amanofstrongcharacter,med
withathick,hanginglip,og
andalong,straightchinsuggestiveofresolutionpushedtoden
thelengthofobstinacy.“You
havde
hadmynote?”heasked
med
withadeepharshvoiceog
andastronglymarkedGermanaccent.“I
sagde
toldyouthatIwouldcall.”He
kiggede
lookedfromonetotheanden
otherofus,asifuncertainwhichtoaddress.“Pray
tage
takeaseat,”saidHolmes.“Thisismy
ven
friendandcolleague,Dr.Watson,som
whoisoccasionallygoodenoughtohjælpe
helpmeinmycases.Whom
har
haveIthehonourtoaddress?”“You
kan
mayaddressmeastheCountVonKramm,en
aBohemiannobleman.Iunderstand
at
thatthisgentleman,yourfriend,isen
amanofhonouranddiscretion,whomIkan
maytrustwithamatterofden
themostextremeimportance.Ifnot,Ishould
meget
muchprefertocommunicatewithyoualone.”Iroseto
gå
go,butHolmescaughtmebythewristog
andpushedmebackintomychair.“Itis
begge
both,ornone,”saidhe.“You
kan
maysaybeforethisgentlemananythingwhichyoukan
maysaytome.”TheCountshruggedhisbroadshoulders.
“ThenI
må
mustbegin,”saidhe,“bybindingyoubegge
bothtoabsolutesecrecyforto
twoyears;attheendofthat
tid
timethematterwillbeofikke
noimportance.Atpresentitisnot
for
toomuchtosaythatitisofsådan
suchweightitmayhaveen
aninfluenceuponEuropeanhistory.”“Ipromise,”
sagde
saidHolmes.“AndI.”
“Youwill
undskylde
excusethismask,”continuedourstrangevisitor.“Theaugust
person
personwhoemploysmewisheshisagenttobeunknowntoyou,og
andImayconfessatoncethatthetitlebywhichIhar
havejustcalledmyselfisnotligefrem
exactlymyown.”“Iwasawareofit,”
sagde
saidHolmesdryly.“Thecircumstancesareof
stor
greatdelicacy,andeveryprecautionhastobetakentoquenchwhatkan
mightgrowtobeanimmensescandalog
andseriouslycompromiseoneofde
thereigningfamiliesofEurope.To
tale
speakplainly,thematterimplicatesdet
thegreatHouseofOrmstein,hereditarykingsofBohemia.”“Iwas
også
alsoawareofthat,”murmuredHolmes,settlinghimselfned
downinhisarmchairandlukke
closinghiseyes.Ourvisitorglanced
med
withsomeapparentsurpriseatden
thelanguid,loungingfigureofden
themanwhohadbeennodoubtdepictedtohimasden
themostincisivereasonerandmest
mostenergeticagentinEurope.Holmesslowlyreopenedhiseyes
og
andlookedimpatientlyathisgiganticclient.“IfyourMajesty
vil
wouldcondescendtostateyourcase,”heremarked,“Ishouldbebedre
betterabletoadviseyou.”The
manden
mansprangfromhischairog
andpacedupanddowntheroominuncontrollableagitation.Then,
med
withagestureofdesperation,hetorethemaskfromhisansigt
faceandhurleditupontheground.“Youareright,”hecried;
“IamtheKing.
Hvorfor
WhyshouldIattempttoconcealit?”“Why,indeed?”
murmuredHolmes.
“YourMajesty
havde
hadnotspokenbeforeIwasawareat
thatIwasaddressingWilhelmGottsreichSigismondvonOrmstein,GrandDukeofCassel-Felstein,og
andhereditaryKingofBohemia.”“Butyou
kan
canunderstand,”saidourstrangevisitor,sidder
sittingdownoncemoreandpassinghishånd
handoverhishighwhiteforehead,“youkan
canunderstandthatIamnotaccustomedtogøre
doingsuchbusinessinmyegen
ownperson.YetthematterwassodelicatethatI
kunne
couldnotconfideittoen
anagentwithoutputtingmyselfinhismagt
power.IhavecomeincognitofromPraguefor
det
thepurposeofconsultingyou.”“Then,prayconsult,”
sagde
saidHolmes,shuttinghiseyesgang
oncemore.“Thefactsarebrieflythese:
Some
fem
fiveyearsago,duringalengthyvisittoWarsaw,Imadeden
theacquaintanceofthewell-knownadventuress,IreneAdler.The
navnet
nameisnodoubtfamiliartoyou.”“Kindlylookherupinmyindex,Doctor,”murmuredHolmes
uden
withoutopeninghiseyes.For
mange
manyyearshehadadoptedasystemofdocketingalle
allparagraphsconcerningmenandthings,sothatitwasdifficulttonameasubjecteller
orapersononwhichhekunne
couldnotatoncefurnishinformation.In
dette
thiscaseIfoundherbiographysandwichedinmellem
betweenthatofaHebrewrabbiog
andthatofastaff-commanderwhohadwrittenen
amonographuponthedeep-seafishes.“Letmesee!”
sagde
saidHolmes.“Hum!
BorninNewJerseyinthe
året
year1858.Contralto—hum!
LaScala,hum!
PrimadonnaImperialOperaofWarsaw—yes!
Retiredfromoperaticstage—ha!
LivinginLondon—quiteso!
YourMajesty,asI
forstår
understand,becameentangledwiththisunge
youngperson,wrotehersomecompromisingletters,og
andisnowdesirousofgettingdisse
thoselettersback.”“Preciselyso.
Men
Buthow—”.