I.ASCANDALINBOHEMIA
I.
ToSherlockHolmessheisalwaysthewoman.
Ihave
sjelden
seldomheardhimmentionherunderanyothername.Inhiseyessheeclipsesandpredominatesthewholeofhersex.
Itwasnotthathefeltany
følelse
emotionakintoloveforIreneAdler.Allemotions,andthatone
spesielt
particularly,wereabhorrenttohiscold,precisebutadmirablybalancedmind.Hewas,Itakeit,themostperfect
resonnement
reasoningandobservingmachinethattheworldhasseen,butasaloverhewouldhaveplacedhimselfinafalseposition.Heneverspokeofthesofterpassions,savewithagibeandasneer.
Theywereadmirablethingsfortheobserver—excellentfordrawingtheveilfrommen’smotivesandactions.
Butforthetrainedreasonertoadmitsuchintrusionsintohisowndelicateandfinely
justert
adjustedtemperamentwastointroduceadistractingfaktor
factorwhichmightthrowadoubtuponallhismentalresults.Gritinasensitive
instrument
instrument,oracrackinoneofhisownhigh-powerlenses,wouldnotbemoredisturbingthanastrongfølelse
emotioninanaturesuchashis.Andyettherewasbutonewomantohim,andthatwomanwasthelateIreneAdler,ofdubiousand
tvilsom
questionablememory.IhadseenlittleofHolmeslately.
Mymarriagehaddriftedusawayfromeachother.
Myowncompletehappiness,andthehome-centredinterestswhichriseuparoundthemanwhofirstfindshimselfmasterofhisown
etablering
establishment,weresufficienttoabsorballmyattention,whileHolmes,whoavskydde
loathedeveryformofsocietywithhiswholeBøhmiske
Bohemiansoul,remainedinourlodgingsinBaker
BakerStreet,buriedamonghisoldbooks,andveksler
alternatingfromweektoweekbetweencocaineandambisjon
ambition,thedrowsinessofthedrug,andthefierceenergyofhisownkeennature.Hewasstill,asever,deeply
tiltrukket
attractedbythestudyofcrime,andokkupert
occupiedhisimmensefacultiesandextraordinarypowersofobservasjon
observationinfollowingoutthoseclues,andclearingupthosemysterieswhichhadbeenforlatt
abandonedashopelessbytheofficialpolice.FromtimetotimeIheardsome
vage
vagueaccountofhisdoings:ofhissummonstoOdessainthecaseoftheTrepoffmurder,ofhisclearingupofthesingulartragedyoftheAtkinsonbrothersatTrincomalee,andfinallyofthemissionwhichhehadaccomplishedsodelicatelyand
vellykket
successfullyforthereigningfamilyofHolland.Beyondthesesignsofhis
aktivitet
activity,however,whichImerelysharedwithallthereadersofthedailypress,Iknewlittleofmyformerfriendandfølgesvenn
companion.Onenight—itwasonthetwentiethofMarch,1888—Iwasreturningfromajourneytoapatient(forIhadnowreturnedtocivilpractice),whenmywayledmethrough
Baker
BakerStreet.AsIpassedthewell-remembereddoor,whichmustalwaysbe
assosiert
associatedinmymindwithmywooing,andwiththedarkincidentsoftheStudyinScarlet
Scarlet,IwasseizedwithakeendesiretoseeHolmesagain,andtoknowhowhewasansette
employinghisextraordinarypowers.Hisroomswerebrilliantly
opplyst
lit,and,evenasIlookedup,Isawhistall,sparefigurepasstwiceinadarksilhouetteagainsttheblind.Hewaspacingtheroom
raskt
swiftly,eagerly,withhisheadsunket
sunkuponhischestandhishandsclaspedbehindhim.Tome,whoknewhiseverymoodand
vane
habit,hisattitudeandmannertoldtheirownstory.Hewasatworkagain.
Hehadrisenoutofhisdrug-createddreamsandwashotuponthe
lukten
scentofsomenewproblem.Irangthebellandwasshownuptothechamberwhichhad
tidligere
formerlybeeninpartmyown.Hismannerwasnoteffusive.
It
sjelden
seldomwas;buthewasglad,Ithink,toseeme.
Withhardlyawordspoken,butwithakindlyeye,hewavedmetoanarmchair,threwacrosshiscaseofcigars,and
indikerte
indicatedaspiritcaseandagasogeneinthecorner.Thenhestoodbeforethefireandlookedmeoverinhissingularintrospectivefashion.
“Wedlocksuitsyou,”heremarked.
“Ithink,Watson,thatyouhaveputonsevenandahalfpoundssinceIsawyou.”
“Seven!”
Ianswered.
“Indeed,Ishouldhavethoughtalittlemore.
Justatriflemore,Ifancy,Watson.
Andinpracticeagain,I
observerer
observe.Youdidnottellmethatyouintendedtogointoharness.”
“Then,howdoyouknow?”
“Iseeit,Ideduceit.
HowdoIknowthatyouhavebeengettingyourselfverywetlately,andthatyouhaveamostclumsyandcarelessservantgirl?”
“MydearHolmes,”saidI,“thisistoomuch.
Youwouldcertainlyhavebeenburned,hadyoulivedafewcenturiesago.
ItistruethatIhadacountrywalkonThursdayandcamehomeina
forferdelig
dreadfulmess,butasIhavechangedmyclothesIcan’timaginehowyoudeduceit.AstoMaryJane,sheisincorrigible,andmywifehasgivenhernotice,butthere,again,Ifailtoseehowyouworkitout.”
Hechuckledtohimselfand
gnidd
rubbedhislong,nervoushandstogether.“Itis
enkelhet
simplicityitself,”saidhe;“myeyestellmethatontheinsideofyourleftshoe,justwherethefirelightstrikesit,theleatherisscoredbysixalmostparallelcuts.
Obviouslytheyhavebeencausedbysomeonewhohasverycarelesslyscrapedroundtheedgesofthesoleinordertoremovecrusted
gjørme
mudfromit.Hence,yousee,mydoubledeductionthatyouhadbeenoutinvileweather,andthatyouhada
spesielt
particularlymalignantboot-slittingspecimenoftheLondonslavey.Astoyourpractice,ifagentlemanwalksintomyroomssmellingofiodoform,withablackmarkofnitrateofsilveruponhisrightforefinger,andabulgeontherightsideofhistop-hattoshowwherehehassecretedhisstethoscope,Imustbe
kjedelig
dull,indeed,ifIdonotuttaler
pronouncehimtobeanactivememberofthemedicalprofession.”Icouldnothelplaughingattheeasewithwhichheexplainedhisprocessofdeduction.
“WhenIhearyougiveyourreasons,”Iremarked,“thethingalwaysappearstometobesoridiculouslysimplethatIcouldeasilydoitmyself,thoughateachsuccessiveinstanceofyour
resonnement
reasoningIambaffleduntilyouexplainyourprocess.AndyetIbelievethatmyeyesareasgoodasyours.”
“Quiteso,”heanswered,lightingacigarette,andthrowinghimselfdownintoanarmchair.
“Yousee,butyoudonot
observerer
observe.Thedistinctionisclear.
Forexample,youhave
ofte
frequentlyseenthestepswhichleadupfromthehalltothisroom.”“Frequently.”
“Howoften?”
“Well,somehundredsoftimes.”
“Thenhowmanyarethere?”
“Howmany?
Idon’tknow.”
“Quiteso!
Youhavenot
observert
observed.Andyetyouhaveseen.
Thatisjustmypoint.
Now,Iknowthatthereareseventeensteps,becauseIhavebothseenand
observert
observed.Bytheway,sinceyouareinterestedintheselittleproblems,andsinceyouaregoodenoughtochronicleoneortwoofmytriflingexperiences,youmaybeinterestedinthis.”
Hethrewovera
ark
sheetofthick,pink-tintednotepaperwhichhadbeenlyingopenuponthetable.“Itcamebythelastpost,”saidhe.
“Readitaloud.”
Thenotewasundated,andwithouteither
signatur
signatureoraddress.“Therewillcalluponyouto-night,ataquartertoeighto’clock,”itsaid,“agentlemanwhodesiresto
konsultere
consultyouuponamatteroftheverydeepestmoment.Your
siste
recentservicestooneoftheroyalhousesofEuropehaveshownthatyouareonewhomaytrygt
safelybetrustedwithmatterswhichareofanbetydning
importancewhichcanhardlybeexaggerated.Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.
Beinyourchamberthenatthathour,anddonottakeitamissifyour
besøkende
visitorwearamask.”“Thisisindeedamystery,”Iremarked.
“Whatdoyouimaginethatitmeans?”
“Ihavenodatayet.
Itisacapitalmistaketotheorisebeforeonehasdata.
Insensiblyonebeginsto
vride
twistfactstosuittheories,insteadoftheoriestosuitfacts.Butthenoteitself.
Whatdoyoudeducefromit?”
Icarefully
undersøkte
examinedthewriting,andthepaperuponwhichitwaswritten.“Themanwhowroteitwas
antagelig
presumablywelltodo,”Iremarked,endeavouringtoetterligne
imitatemycompanion’sprocesses.“Suchpapercouldnotbeboughtunderhalfa
krone
crownapacket.Itispeculiarlystrongandstiff.”
“Peculiar—thatistheveryword,”saidHolmes.
“ItisnotanEnglishpaperatall.
Holdituptothelight.”
Ididso,andsawalarge“E”withasmall“g,”a“P,”andalarge“G”withasmall“t”
vevd
wovenintothetextureofthepaper.“Whatdoyoumakeofthat?”
askedHolmes.
“Thenameofthemaker,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
mange
numerousglass-factoriesandpaper-mills.’Ha,ha,myboy,whatdoyoumakeofthat?”Hiseyessparkled,andhesentupagreatblue
triumferende
triumphantcloudfromhiscigarette.“ThepaperwasmadeinBohemia,”Isaid.
“Precisely.
AndthemanwhowrotethenoteisaGerman.
Doyounotethepeculiarconstructionofthesentence—‘Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.’AFrenchmanorRussiancouldnothavewrittenthat.
ItistheGermanwhoissouncourteoustohisverbs.
Itonlyremains,therefore,to
oppdage
discoverwhatiswantedbythisGermanwhowritesuponBohemianpaperandpreferswearingamasktoshowinghisface.Andherehecomes,ifIamnot
feil
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,
stoppet
pausedimmediatelyoutsidethedoor.Thentherewasaloudandauthoritativetap.
“Comein!”
saidHolmes.
Amanenteredwhocouldhardlyhavebeenlessthansixfeetsixinchesin
høyde
height,withthechestandlimbsofaHercules.Hisdresswasrichwitharichnesswhichwould,inEngland,belookeduponasakintobadtaste.
Heavybandsofastrakhanwereslashedacrossthesleevesandfrontsofhisdouble-breastedcoat,whilethedeepblue
kappe
cloakwhichwasthrownoverhisshoulderswaslinedwithflame-colouredsilke
silkandsecuredattheneckwithabroochwhichconsistedofasingleflamingberyl.Bootswhichextended
halvveis
halfwayuphiscalves,andwhichweretrimmet
trimmedatthetopswithrichbrownpels
fur,completedtheimpressionofbarbaricopulencewhichwassuggestedbyhiswholeutseende
appearance.Hecarriedabroad-brimmedhatinhishand,whileheworeacrossthe
øvre
upperpartofhisface,extendingdownpastthecheekbones,ablackvizardmask,whichhehadapparentlyadjustedthatverymoment,forhishandwasstillraisedtoitasheentered.Fromthelowerpartofthefaceheappearedtobeamanofstrongcharacter,withathick,hanginglip,andalong,straight
haken
chinsuggestiveofresolutionpushedtothelengthofobstinacy.“Youhadmynote?”
heaskedwithadeepharshvoiceanda
sterkt
stronglymarkedGermanaccent.“ItoldyouthatIwouldcall.”
Helookedfromonetotheotherofus,asifuncertainwhichtoaddress.
“Praytakeaseat,”saidHolmes.
“Thisismyfriendand
kollega
colleague,Dr.Watson,whoisoccasionallygoodenoughtohelpmeinmycases.WhomhaveIthehonourtoaddress?”
“YoumayaddressmeastheCountVonKramm,aBohemian
adelsmann
nobleman.Iunderstandthatthisgentleman,yourfriend,isamanofhonourand
diskresjon
discretion,whomImaytrustwithamatterofthemostekstreme
extremeimportance.Ifnot,Ishouldmuchpreferto
kommunisere
communicatewithyoualone.”Irosetogo,butHolmescaughtmebythe
håndleddet
wristandpushedmebackintomychair.“Itisboth,ornone,”saidhe.
“Youmaysaybeforethisgentlemananythingwhichyoumaysaytome.”
TheCountshruggedhis
brede
broadshoulders.“ThenImustbegin,”saidhe,“by
binde
bindingyoubothtoabsolutesecrecyfortwoyears;attheendofthattimethematterwillbeofnoimportance.
Atpresentitisnottoomuchtosaythatitisofsuchweightitmayhavean
innflytelse
influenceuponEuropeanhistory.”“Ipromise,”saidHolmes.
“AndI.”
“Youwillexcusethismask,”continuedourstrange
besøkende
visitor.“Theaugustpersonwhoemploysmewisheshisagenttobeunknowntoyou,andImayconfessatoncethatthetitlebywhichIhavejustcalledmyselfisnotexactlymyown.”
“Iwasawareofit,”saidHolmesdryly.
“Thecircumstancesareofgreatdelicacy,andeveryprecautionhastobetakentoquenchwhatmightgrowtobeanimmense
skandale
scandalandseriouslycompromiseoneofthereigningfamiliesofEurope.Tospeakplainly,thematterimplicatesthegreatHouseofOrmstein,hereditarykingsofBohemia.”
“Iwasalsoawareofthat,”murmuredHolmes,settlinghimselfdowninhisarmchairandclosinghiseyes.
Our
besøkende
visitorglancedwithsomeapparentsurpriseatthelanguid,loungingfigureofthemanwhohadbeennodoubtdepictedtohimasthemostincisivereasonerandmostenergeticagentinEurope.Holmesslowlyreopenedhiseyesandlookedimpatientlyathisgiganticclient.
“IfyourMajestywouldcondescendtostateyourcase,”heremarked,“Ishouldbebetterabletoadviseyou.”
Themansprangfromhischairandpacedupanddowntheroominuncontrollableagitation.
Then,witha
gest
gestureofdesperation,hetorethemaskfromhisfaceandkastet
hurleditupontheground.“Youareright,”hecried;
“IamtheKing.
WhyshouldIattempttoconcealit?”
“Why,indeed?”
murmuredHolmes.
“YourMajestyhadnotspokenbeforeIwasawarethatIwasaddressingWilhelmGottsreichSigismondvonOrmstein,GrandDukeofCassel-Felstein,and
arvelig
hereditaryKingofBohemia.”“Butyoucanunderstand,”saidourstrange
besøkende
visitor,sittingdownoncemoreandpassinghishandoverhishighwhitepannen
forehead,“youcanunderstandthatIamnotaccustomedtodoingsuchbusinessinmyownperson.Yetthematterwasso
delikat
delicatethatIcouldnotbetro
confideittoanagentwithoutputtingmyselfinhispower.IhavecomeincognitofromPragueforthepurposeof
konsultere
consultingyou.”“Then,prayconsult,”saidHolmes,shuttinghiseyesoncemore.
“Thefactsarebrieflythese:
Somefiveyearsago,duringalengthyvisittoWarsaw,Imadetheacquaintanceofthewell-knownadventuress,IreneAdler.
Thenameisnodoubtfamiliartoyou.”
“Kindlylookherupinmy
indeks
index,Doctor,”murmuredHolmeswithoutopeninghiseyes.Formanyyearshehad
vedtatt
adoptedasystemofdocketingallparagraphsconcerningmenandthings,sothatitwasdifficulttonameasubjectorapersononwhichhecouldnotatoncefurnishinformation.InthiscaseIfoundher
biografi
biographysandwichedinbetweenthatofaHebrewrabbiandthatofastaff-commanderwhohadwrittenamonographuponthedeep-seafishes.“Letmesee!”
saidHolmes.
“Hum!
BorninNewJerseyintheyear1858.
Contralto—hum!
LaScala,
hum
hum!PrimadonnaImperialOperaofWarsaw—yes!
Pensjonert
Retiredfromoperaticstage—ha!LivinginLondon—quiteso!
YourMajesty,asIunderstand,becameentangledwiththisyoungperson,wrotehersomecompromisingletters,andisnowdesirousofgettingthoselettersback.”
“Preciselyso.
Buthow—”.