I.ASCANDALINBOHEMIA
I.
ToSherlockHolmessheisalwaysthewoman.
Ihave
zelden
seldomheardhimmentionherunderanyothername.Inhiseyessheeclipsesandpredominatesthewholeofhersex.
Itwasnotthathefeltany
emotie
emotionakintoloveforIreneAdler.Allemotions,andthatone
bijzonder
particularly,wereabhorrenttohiscold,precisebutadmirablybalancedmind.Hewas,Itakeit,themostperfectreasoningandobservingmachinethattheworldhasseen,butasaloverhewouldhaveplacedhimselfinafalseposition.
Heneverspokeofthesofterpassions,savewithagibeandasneer.
Theywere
bewonderenswaardige
admirablethingsfortheobserver—excellentfordrawingthesluier
veilfrommen’smotivesandactions.Butforthetrainedreasonertoadmitsuchintrusionsintohisown
delicate
delicateandfinelyadjustedtemperamentwastointroduceadistractingfactor
factorwhichmightthrowadoubtuponallhismentalresults.Gritinasensitive
instrument
instrument,oracrackinoneofhisownhigh-powerlenses,wouldnotbemoredisturbingthanastrongemotie
emotioninanaturesuchashis.Andyettherewasbutonewomantohim,andthatwomanwasthelateIreneAdler,ofdubiousand
twijfelachtig
questionablememory.IhadseenlittleofHolmeslately.
Mymarriagehaddriftedusawayfromeachother.
Myowncompletehappiness,andthehome-centredinterestswhichriseuparoundthemanwhofirstfindshimselfmasterofhisown
vestiging
establishment,weresufficienttoabsorballmyattention,whileHolmes,wholoathedeveryformofsocietywithhiswholeBoheemse
Bohemiansoul,remainedinourlodgingsinBaker
BakerStreet,buriedamonghisoldbooks,andalternatingfromweektoweekbetweencocaineandambitie
ambition,thedrowsinessofthedrug,andthefelle
fierceenergyofhisownkeennature.Hewasstill,asever,deeply
aangetrokken
attractedbythestudyofcrime,andbezet
occupiedhisimmensefacultiesandextraordinarypowersofobservatie
observationinfollowingoutthoseclues,andclearingupthosemysterieswhichhadbeenverlaten
abandonedashopelessbytheofficialpolice.FromtimetotimeIheardsome
vaag
vagueaccountofhisdoings:ofhissummonstoOdessainthecaseoftheTrepoffmurder,ofhisclearingupofthesingular
tragedie
tragedyoftheAtkinsonbrothersatTrincomalee,andfinallyofthemissionwhichhehadvolbracht
accomplishedsodelicatelyandsuccessfullyforthereigningfamilyofHolland.Beyondthesesignsofhis
activiteit
activity,however,whichImerelysharedwithallthereadersofthedailypress,Iknewlittleofmyformerfriendandmetgezel
companion.Onenight—itwasonthetwentiethofMarch,1888—Iwasreturningfromajourneytoapatient(forIhadnowreturnedtocivilpractice),whenmywayledmethrough
Baker
BakerStreet.AsIpassedthewell-remembereddoor,whichmustalwaysbeassociatedinmymindwithmywooing,andwiththedarkincidentsoftheStudyinScarlet,IwasseizedwithakeendesiretoseeHolmesagain,andtoknowhowhewasemployinghisextraordinarypowers.
Hisroomswerebrilliantly
verlicht
lit,and,evenasIlookedup,Isawhistall,sparefigurepasstwiceinadarksilhouetteagainsttheblind.Hewaspacingtheroom
snel
swiftly,eagerly,withhisheadsunkuponhischestandhishandsclaspedbehindhim.Tome,whoknewhiseverymoodandhabit,hisattitudeand
manier
mannertoldtheirownstory.Hewasatworkagain.
Hehadrisenoutofhisdrug-createddreamsandwashotuponthe
geur
scentofsomenewproblem.Irangthebellandwasshownuptothe
kamer
chamberwhichhadformerlybeeninpartmyown.Hismannerwasnoteffusive.
It
zelden
seldomwas;buthewasglad,Ithink,toseeme.
Withhardlyawordspoken,butwithakindlyeye,hewavedmetoanarmchair,threwacrosshiscaseofcigars,and
wees
indicatedaspiritcaseandagasogeneinthecorner.Thenhestoodbeforethefireandlookedmeoverinhissingularintrospectivefashion.
“Wedlocksuitsyou,”heremarked.
“Ithink,Watson,thatyouhaveputonsevenandahalfpoundssinceIsawyou.”
“Seven!”
Ianswered.
“Indeed,Ishouldhavethoughtalittlemore.
Justatriflemore,Ifancy,Watson.
Andinpracticeagain,I
observeer
observe.Youdidnottellmethatyouintendedtogointoharness.”
“Then,howdoyouknow?”
“Iseeit,Ideduceit.
HowdoIknowthatyouhavebeengettingyourselfverywetlately,andthatyouhaveamostclumsyand
onzorgvuldig
carelessservantgirl?”“MydearHolmes,”saidI,“thisistoomuch.
Youwouldcertainlyhavebeenburned,hadyoulivedafewcenturiesago.
ItistruethatIhadacountrywalkonThursdayandcamehomeina
vreselijke
dreadfulmess,butasIhavechangedmyclothesIcan’timaginehowyoudeduceit.AstoMaryJane,sheisincorrigible,andmywifehasgivenhernotice,butthere,again,Ifailtoseehowyouworkitout.”
Hechuckledtohimselfand
wreef
rubbedhislong,nervoushandstogether.“Itis
eenvoud
simplicityitself,”saidhe;“myeyestellmethatontheinsideofyourleftshoe,justwherethefirelightstrikesit,the
leer
leatherisscoredbysixalmostparallelle
parallelcuts.Obviouslytheyhavebeencausedbysomeonewhohasverycarelessly
geschraapt
scrapedroundtheedgesofthezool
soleinordertoremovecrustedmodder
mudfromit.Hence,yousee,mydoubledeductionthatyouhadbeenoutinvileweather,andthatyouhada
bijzonder
particularlymalignantboot-slittingspecimenoftheLondonslavey.Astoyourpractice,ifagentlemanwalksintomyroomssmellingofiodoform,withablackmarkofnitrateofsilveruponhisrightforefinger,andabulgeontherightsideofhistop-hattoshowwherehehassecretedhisstethoscope,Imustbe
saai
dull,indeed,ifIdonotpronouncehimtobeanactief
activememberofthemedicalprofession.”Icouldnothelplaughingatthe
gemak
easewithwhichheexplainedhisprocessofdeduction.“WhenIhearyougiveyourreasons,”Iremarked,“thethingalwaysappearstometobesoridiculouslysimplethatIcouldeasilydoitmyself,thoughateachsuccessiveinstanceofyour
redenering
reasoningIambaffleduntilyouexplainyourprocess.AndyetIbelievethatmyeyesareasgoodasyours.”
“Quiteso,”heanswered,lightingacigarette,andthrowinghimselfdownintoanarmchair.
“Yousee,butyoudonot
observeert
observe.Thedistinctionisclear.
Forexample,youhave
vaak
frequentlyseenthestepswhichleadupfromthehalltothisroom.”“Frequently.”
“Howoften?”
“Well,somehundredsoftimes.”
“Thenhowmanyarethere?”
“Howmany?
Idon’tknow.”
“Quiteso!
Youhavenotobserved.
Andyetyouhaveseen.
Thatisjustmypoint.
Now,Iknowthatthereareseventeensteps,becauseIhavebothseenand
waargenomen
observed.Bytheway,sinceyouareinterestedintheselittleproblems,andsinceyouaregoodenoughtochronicleoneortwoofmytriflingexperiences,youmaybeinterestedinthis.”
Hethrewovera
vel
sheetofthick,pink-tintednotepaperwhichhadbeenlyingopenuponthetable.“Itcamebythelastpost,”saidhe.
“Readitaloud.”
Thenotewasundated,andwithouteither
handtekening
signatureoraddress.“Therewillcalluponyouto-night,ataquartertoeighto’clock,”itsaid,“agentlemanwhodesiresto
raadplegen
consultyouuponamatteroftheverydeepestmoment.Your
recente
recentservicestooneoftheroyalhousesofEuropehaveshownthatyouareonewhomaysafelybetrustedwithmatterswhichareofanbelang
importancewhichcanhardlybeexaggerated.Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.
Beinyour
kamer
chamberthenatthathour,anddonottakeitamissifyourbezoeker
visitorwearamask.”“Thisisindeedamystery,”Iremarked.
“Whatdoyouimaginethatitmeans?”
“Ihavenodatayet.
Itisacapitalmistaketotheorisebeforeonehasdata.
Insensiblyonebeginstotwistfactstosuittheories,insteadoftheoriestosuitfacts.
Butthenoteitself.
Whatdoyoudeducefromit?”
Icarefully
onderzocht
examinedthewriting,andthepaperuponwhichitwaswritten.“Themanwhowroteitwas
vermoedelijk
presumablywelltodo,”Iremarked,endeavouringtoimiteren
imitatemycompanion’sprocesses.“Suchpapercouldnotbeboughtunderhalfa
kroon
crownapacket.Itispeculiarlystrongandstiff.”
“Peculiar—thatistheveryword,”saidHolmes.
“ItisnotanEnglishpaperatall.
Holdituptothelight.”
Ididso,andsawalarge“E”withasmall“g,”a“P,”andalarge“G”withasmall“t”
geweven
wovenintothetextureofthepaper.“Whatdoyoumakeofthat?”
askedHolmes.
“Thenameofthe
maker
maker,nodoubt;orhismonogram,rather.”
“Notatall.
The‘G’withthesmall‘t’standsfor‘Gesellschaft,’whichistheGermanfor‘Company.’Itisacustomarycontractionlikeour‘Co.’‘P,’ofcourse,standsfor‘Papier.’Nowforthe‘Eg.’LetusglanceatourContinentalGazetteer.”
Hetookdownaheavybrownvolumefromhisshelves.
“Eglow,Eglonitz—hereweare,Egria.
ItisinaGerman-speakingcountry—inBohemia,notfarfromCarlsbad.
‘RemarkableasbeingthesceneofthedeathofWallenstein,andforits
talrijke
numerousglass-factoriesandpaper-mills.’Ha,ha,myboy,whatdoyoumakeofthat?”Hiseyessparkled,andhesentupagreatblue
triomfantelijke
triumphantcloudfromhiscigarette.“ThepaperwasmadeinBohemia,”Isaid.
“Precisely.
AndthemanwhowrotethenoteisaGerman.
Doyounotethe
eigenaardige
peculiarconstructionofthesentence—‘Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.’AFrenchmanorRussiancouldnothavewrittenthat.ItistheGermanwhoissouncourteoustohisverbs.
Itonlyremains,therefore,to
ontdekken
discoverwhatiswantedbythisGermanwhowritesuponBohemianpaperandpreferswearingamasktoshowinghisface.Andherehecomes,ifIamnot
vergis
mistaken,toresolveallourdoubts.”Ashespoketherewasthesharpsoundofhorses’hoofsandgratingwheelsagainstthecurb,followedbyasharppullatthebell.
Holmeswhistled.
“Apair,bythesound,”saidhe.
“Yes,”hecontinued,glancingoutofthewindow.
“Anicelittlebroughamandapairofbeauties.
Ahundredandfiftyguineasapiece.
There’smoneyinthiscase,Watson,ifthereisnothingelse.”
“IthinkthatIhadbettergo,Holmes.”
“Notabit,Doctor.
Staywhereyouare.
IamlostwithoutmyBoswell.
Andthispromisestobeinteresting.
Itwouldbeapitytomissit.”
“Butyourclient—”.
“Nevermindhim.
Imaywantyourhelp,andsomayhe.
Herehecomes.
Sitdowninthatarmchair,Doctor,andgiveusyourbestattention.”
Aslowandheavystep,whichhadbeenhearduponthestairsandinthepassage,
pauzeerde
pausedimmediatelyoutsidethedoor.Thentherewasaloudandauthoritativetap.
“Comein!”
saidHolmes.
Amanenteredwhocouldhardlyhavebeenlessthansixfeetsixinchesinheight,withthechestandlimbsofaHercules.
Hisdresswasrichwitharichnesswhichwould,inEngland,belookeduponasakintobadtaste.
Heavybandsofastrakhanwereslashedacrossthesleevesandfrontsofhisdouble-breastedcoat,whilethedeepblue
mantel
cloakwhichwasthrownoverhisshoulderswaslinedwithflame-colouredzijde
silkandsecuredattheneckwithabroochwhichconsistedofasingleflamingberyl.Bootswhichextended
halverwege
halfwayuphiscalves,andwhichweretrimmedatthetopswithrichbrownbont
fur,completedtheimpressionofbarbaricopulencewhichwassuggestedbyhiswholeappearance.Hecarriedabroad-brimmedhatinhishand,whileheworeacrossthe
bovenste
upperpartofhisface,extendingdownpastthecheekbones,ablackvizardmask,whichhehadapparentlyaangepast
adjustedthatverymoment,forhishandwasstillraisedtoitasheentered.Fromthelowerpartofthefaceheappearedtobeamanofstrongcharacter,withathick,hanging
lip
lip,andalong,straightkin
chinsuggestiveofresolutionpushedtothelengte
lengthofobstinacy.“Youhadmynote?”
heaskedwithadeep
harde
harshvoiceandastronglymarkedGermanaccent
accent.“ItoldyouthatIwouldcall.”
Helookedfromonetotheotherofus,asif
onzeker
uncertainwhichtoaddress.“Praytakeaseat,”saidHolmes.
“Thisismyfriendandcolleague,Dr.Watson,whois
af en toe
occasionallygoodenoughtohelpmeinmycases.WhomhaveIthehonourtoaddress?”
“YoumayaddressmeastheCountVonKramm,a
Boheemse
Bohemiannobleman.Iunderstandthatthisgentleman,yourfriend,isamanofhonourand
discretie
discretion,whomImaytrustwithamatterofthemostuiterste
extremeimportance.Ifnot,Ishouldmuchprefertocommunicatewithyoualone.”
Irosetogo,butHolmescaughtmebythe
pols
wristandpushedmebackintomychair.“Itisboth,ornone,”saidhe.
“Youmaysaybeforethisgentlemananythingwhichyoumaysaytome.”
TheCountshruggedhis
brede
broadshoulders.“ThenImustbegin,”saidhe,“by
binden
bindingyoubothtoabsolutegeheimhouding
secrecyfortwoyears;attheendofthattimethematterwillbeofno
belang
importance.Atpresentitisnottoomuchtosaythatitisofsuchweightitmayhaveaninfluenceupon
Europese
Europeanhistory.”“Ipromise,”saidHolmes.
“AndI.”
“Youwillexcusethismask,”continuedourstrange
bezoeker
visitor.“Theaugustpersonwhoemploysmewisheshisagenttobeunknowntoyou,andImay
bekennen
confessatoncethatthetitlebywhichIhavejustcalledmyselfisnotexactlymyown.”“Iwasawareofit,”saidHolmesdryly.
“Thecircumstancesareofgreatdelicacy,andeveryprecautionhastobetakentoquenchwhatmightgrowtobeanimmense
schandaal
scandalandseriouslycompromiseoneofthereigningfamiliesofEurope.Tospeak
duidelijk
plainly,thematterimplicatesthegreatHouseofOrmstein,erfelijke
hereditarykingsofBohemia.”“Iwasalsoawareofthat,”murmuredHolmes,settlinghimselfdowninhisarmchairandclosinghiseyes.
Our
bezoeker
visitorglancedwithsomeapparentsurpriseatthelanguid,loungingfigureofthemanwhohadbeennodoubtdepictedtohimasthemostincisivereasonerandmostenergeticagentinEurope.Holmesslowlyreopenedhiseyesandlookedimpatientlyathisgiganticclient.
“IfyourMajestywouldcondescendtostateyourcase,”heremarked,“Ishouldbebetterabletoadviseyou.”
Themansprangfromhischairandpacedupanddowntheroominuncontrollableagitation.
Then,witha
gebaar
gestureofdesperation,hetorethemaskfromhisfaceandhurleditupontheground.“Youareright,”hecried;
“IamtheKing.
WhyshouldIattempttoconcealit?”
“Why,indeed?”
murmuredHolmes.
“YourMajestyhadnotspokenbeforeIwasawarethatIwasaddressingWilhelmGottsreichSigismondvonOrmstein,GrandDukeofCassel-Felstein,and
erfelijke
hereditaryKingofBohemia.”“Butyoucanunderstand,”saidourstrange
bezoeker
visitor,sittingdownoncemoreandpassinghishandoverhishighwhitevoorhoofd
forehead,“youcanunderstandthatIamnotgewend
accustomedtodoingsuchbusinessinmyownperson.YetthematterwassodelicatethatIcouldnotconfideittoanagentwithoutputtingmyselfinhispower.
IhavecomeincognitofromPragueforthepurposeof
raadplegen
consultingyou.”“Then,prayconsult,”saidHolmes,shuttinghiseyesoncemore.
“Thefactsare
kort
brieflythese:Somefiveyearsago,duringalengthyvisittoWarsaw,Imadethe
kennis
acquaintanceofthewell-knownadventuress,IreneAdler.Thenameisnodoubtfamiliartoyou.”
“Kindlylookherupinmy
index
index,Doctor,”murmuredHolmeswithoutopeninghiseyes.Formanyyearshehadadoptedasystemofdocketingallparagraphs
met betrekking tot
concerningmenandthings,sothatitwasdifficulttonameasubjectorapersononwhichhecouldnotatoncefurnishinformation.InthiscaseIfoundher
biografie
biographysandwichedinbetweenthatofaHebrewrabbiandthatofastaff-commanderwhohadwrittenamonographuponthedeep-seafishes.“Letmesee!”
saidHolmes.
“Hum!
BorninNewJerseyintheyear1858.
Contralto—hum!
LaScala,
hum
hum!PrimadonnaImperialOperaofWarsaw—yes!
Pensioen
Retiredfromoperaticstage—ha!LivinginLondon—quiteso!
YourMajesty,asIunderstand,becameentangledwiththisyoungperson,wrotehersomecompromisingletters,andisnowdesirousofgettingthoselettersback.”
“Preciselyso.
Buthow—”.