I.ASCANDALINBOHEMIA
I.
ToSherlockHolmessheisalwaysthewoman.
Ihaveseldomheardhimmentionherunderanyothername.
Inhiseyessheeclipsesandpredominatesthewholeofhersex.
ItwasnotthathefeltanyemotionakintoloveforIreneAdler.
Allemotions,andthatoneparticularly,wereabhorrenttohiscold,precisebutadmirablybalancedmind.
Hewas,Itakeit,themostperfectreasoningandobservingmachinethattheworldhasseen,butasa
amante
loverhewouldhaveplacedhimselfinafalseposition.Heneverspokeofthesofterpassions,savewithagibeandasneer.
Theywereadmirablethingsfortheobserver—excellentfordrawingtheveilfrommen’smotivesandactions.
Butforthetrainedreasonerto
admitir
admitsuchintrusionsintohisowndelicateandfinelyadjustedtemperamentwastointroduzir
introduceadistractingfactorwhichmightthrowadoubtuponallhismentalresults.Gritina
sensível
sensitiveinstrument,oracrackinoneofhisownhigh-powerlenses,wouldnotbemoredisturbingthanastrongemotioninanaturesuchashis.Andyettherewasbutonewomantohim,andthatwomanwasthelateIreneAdler,ofdubiousandquestionablememory.
IhadseenlittleofHolmes
ultimamente
lately.Mymarriagehaddriftedusawayfromeachother.
Myowncomplete
felicidade
happiness,andthehome-centredinterestswhichriseuparoundthemanwhofirstfindshimselfmasterofhisownestablishment,weresufficienttoabsorballmyattention,whileHolmes,wholoathedeveryformofsociedade
societywithhiswholeBohemiansoul,permaneceu
remainedinourlodgingsinBakerStreet,enterrado
buriedamonghisoldbooks,andalternatingfromweektoweekbetweencocaineandambition,thedrowsinessofthedrug,andthefierceenergyofhisownkeennature.Hewasstill,asever,
profundamente
deeplyattractedbythestudyofcrime,andoccupiedhisimmensefacultiesandextraordinarypowersofobservationinfollowingoutthoseclues,andclearingupthosemysterieswhichhadbeenabandonedashopelessbytheoficial
officialpolice.FromtimetotimeIheardsomevague
relato
accountofhisdoings:ofhissummonstoOdessainthecaseoftheTrepoffmurder,ofhisclearingupofthesingulartragedyoftheAtkinsonbrothersatTrincomalee,andfinallyofthemissionwhichhehadaccomplishedsodelicatelyandsuccessfullyforthereigningfamilyofHolland.
Além
Beyondthesesignsofhisactivity,however,whichImerelysharedwithallthereadersofthediária
dailypress,Iknewlittleofmyantigo
formerfriendandcompanion.Onenight—itwasonthetwentiethof
Março
March,1888—Iwasreturningfromaviagem
journeytoapatient(forIhadnowreturnedtocivilpractice),whenmywayledmethroughBakerStreet.AsIpassedthewell-remembereddoor,whichmustalwaysbeassociatedinmymindwithmywooing,andwiththedarkincidentsoftheStudyinScarlet,Iwasseizedwithakeen
desejo
desiretoseeHolmesagain,andtoknowhowhewasemployinghisextraordinarypowers.Hisroomswerebrilliantlylit,and,evenasIlookedup,Isawhis
alta
tall,sparefigurepasstwiceinadarksilhouetteagainsttheblind.Hewaspacingtheroomswiftly,eagerly,withhisheadsunkuponhis
peito
chestandhishandsclaspedbehindhim.Tome,whoknewhiseverymoodandhabit,his
atitude
attitudeandmannertoldtheirownstory.Hewasatworkagain.
Hehadrisenoutofhisdrug-createddreamsandwashotuponthescentofsomenewproblem.
Irangthe
campainha
bellandwasshownuptothechamberwhichhadformerlybeeninpartmyown.Hismannerwasnoteffusive.
Itseldomwas;
buthewasglad,Ithink,toseeme.
With
quase
hardlyawordspoken,butwithakindlyeye,heacenou
wavedmetoanarmchair,threwacrosshiscaseofcigars,andindicatedaspiritcaseandagasogeneinthecanto
corner.Thenhestoodbeforethefireandlookedmeoverinhissingularintrospectivefashion.
“Wedlocksuitsyou,”heremarked.
“Ithink,Watson,thatyouhaveputonsevenandahalfpoundssinceIsawyou.”
“Seven!”
Ianswered.
“Indeed,Ishouldhavethoughtalittlemore.
Justatriflemore,Ifancy,Watson.
Andinpracticeagain,Iobserve.
Youdidnottellmethatyouintendedtogointoharness.”
“Then,howdoyouknow?”
“Iseeit,Ideduceit.
HowdoIknowthatyouhavebeengettingyourselfvery
molhar
wetlately,andthatyouhaveamostclumsyandcarelessservantgirl?”“MydearHolmes,”saidI,“thisistoomuch.
Youwouldcertainlyhavebeenburned,hadyoulivedafewcenturiesago.
ItistruethatIhadacountrywalkon
Quinta
Thursdayandcamehomeinadreadfulmess,butasIhavechangedmyclothesIcan’timaginehowyoudeduceit.AstoMaryJane,sheisincorrigible,andmywifehasgivenhernotice,butthere,again,Ifailtoseehowyouworkitout.”
Hechuckledtohimselfandrubbedhislong,nervoushandstogether.
“Itissimplicityitself,”saidhe;
“myeyestellmethatontheinsideofyourleft
sapato
shoe,justwherethefirelightstrikesit,theleatherismarcado
scoredbysixalmostparallelcuts.Obviouslytheyhavebeencausedbysomeonewhohasverycarelesslyscrapedroundtheedgesofthesoleinorderto
remover
removecrustedmudfromit.Hence,yousee,mydoubledeductionthatyouhadbeenoutinvile
tempo
weather,andthatyouhadaparticularlymalignantboot-slittingspecimenoftheLondonslavey.Astoyourpractice,ifa
cavalheiro
gentlemanwalksintomyroomssmellingofiodoform,withablackmarkofnitrateofsilveruponhisrightforefinger,andabulgeontherightsideofhistop-hattoshowwherehehassecretedhisstethoscope,Imustbedull,fato
indeed,ifIdonotpronouncehimtobeanactivemembro
memberofthemedicalprofession.”Icouldnothelplaughingattheeasewithwhichheexplainedhis
processo
processofdeduction.“WhenIhearyougiveyourreasons,”Iremarked,“thethingalways
parece
appearstometobesoridiculouslysimplethatIcouldfacilmente
easilydoitmyself,thoughateachsuccessiveinstanceofyourreasoningIambaffleduntilyouexplainyourprocesso
process.AndyetIbelievethatmyeyesareasgoodasyours.”
“Quiteso,”heanswered,lightinga
cigarro
cigarette,andthrowinghimselfdownintoanarmchair.“Yousee,butyoudonotobserve.
Thedistinctionisclear.
For
exemplo
example,youhavefrequentlyseenthestepswhichleadupfromthecorredor
halltothisroom.”“Frequently.”
“Howoften?”
“Well,somehundredsoftimes.”
“Thenhowmanyarethere?”
“Howmany?
Idon’tknow.”
“Quiteso!
Youhavenotobserved.
Andyetyouhaveseen.
Thatisjustmypoint.
Now,Iknowthatthereareseventeensteps,becauseIhavebothseenandobserved.
Bytheway,sinceyouareinterestedintheselittleproblems,andsinceyouaregoodenoughtochronicleoneortwoofmytriflingexperiences,youmaybeinterestedinthis.”
Hethrewoverasheetofthick,pink-tintednotepaperwhichhadbeenlyingopenuponthetable.
“Itcamebythelastpost,”saidhe.
“Readitaloud.”
The
bilhete
notewasundated,andwithouteithersignatureoraddress.“Therewillcalluponyouto-night,ataquartertoeighto’clock,”itsaid,“a
cavalheiro
gentlemanwhodesirestoconsultyouuponamatteroftheverydeepestmoment.Yourrecentservicestooneoftheroyalhousesof
Europa
Europehaveshownthatyouareonewhomaysafelybetrustedwithmatterswhichareofanimportancewhichcandificilmente
hardlybeexaggerated.Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.
Beinyourchamberthenatthathour,anddonottakeitamissifyourvisitorwearamask.”
“Thisis
fato
indeedamystery,”Iremarked.“Whatdoyouimaginethatitmeans?”
“Ihaveno
dados
datayet.Itisa
capital
capitalmistaketotheorisebeforeonehasdados
data.Insensiblyonebeginstotwistfactstosuittheories,insteadoftheoriestosuitfacts.
Butthe
bilhete
noteitself.Whatdoyoudeducefromit?”
I
cuidadosamente
carefullyexaminedthewriting,andthepaperuponwhichitwaswritten.“Themanwhowroteitwaspresumablywelltodo,”Iremarked,endeavouringtoimitatemycompanion’sprocesses.
“Suchpapercouldnotbeboughtunderhalfacrownapacket.
Itispeculiarlystrongandstiff.”
“Peculiar—thatistheveryword,”saidHolmes.
“ItisnotanEnglishpaperatall.
Holdituptothelight.”
Ididso,andsawalarge“E”withasmall“g,”a“P,”andalarge“G”withasmall“t”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.”
Hetookdownaheavy
castanho
brownvolumefromhisshelves.“Eglow,Eglonitz—hereweare,Egria.
ItisinaGerman-speakingcountry—inBohemia,notfarfromCarlsbad.
‘RemarkableasbeingthesceneofthedeathofWallenstein,andforitsnumerousglass-factoriesandpaper-mills.’Ha,ha,myboy,whatdoyoumakeofthat?”
Hiseyessparkled,andhesentupagreatbluetriumphantcloudfromhis
cigarro
cigarette.“ThepaperwasmadeinBohemia,”Isaid.
“Precisely.
Andthemanwhowrotethe
bilhete
noteisaGerman.Doyounotethepeculiar
construção
constructionofthesentence—‘Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.’AFrenchmanorRussiancouldnothavewrittenthat.ItistheGermanwhoissouncourteoustohisverbs.
Itonlyremains,
portanto
therefore,todiscoverwhatiswantedbythisGermanwhowritesuponBohemianpaperandprefere
preferswearingamasktoshowinghisface.Andherehecomes,ifIamnotmistaken,toresolveallourdoubts.”
Ashespoketherewasthesharpsoundofhorses’hoofsandgratingwheelsagainstthecurb,followedbyasharppullatthe
sino
bell.Holmeswhistled.
“Apair,bythesound,”saidhe.
“Yes,”hecontinued,glancingoutofthewindow.
“Anicelittlebroughamanda
par
pairofbeauties.Ahundredandfiftyguineasapiece.
There’smoneyinthiscase,Watson,ifthereisnothingelse.”
“IthinkthatIhadbettergo,Holmes.”
“Notabit,Doctor.
Staywhereyouare.
IamlostwithoutmyBoswell.
Andthispromisestobeinteresting.
Itwouldbea
pena
pitytomissit.”“Butyourclient—”.
“Nevermindhim.
Imaywantyourhelp,andsomayhe.
Herehecomes.
Sitdowninthatarmchair,Doctor,andgiveusyourbestattention.”
Aslowandheavystep,whichhadbeenhearduponthe
escadas
stairsandinthepassage,pausedimmediatelyoutsidethedoor.Thentherewasa
alto
loudandauthoritativetap.“Comein!”
saidHolmes.
Aman
entrou
enteredwhocouldhardlyhavebeenlessthansixfeetsixinchesinheight,withthepeito
chestandlimbsofaHercules.Hisdresswasrichwitharichnesswhichwould,inEngland,belookeduponasakintobadtaste.
Heavybandsofastrakhanwereslashedacrossthesleevesandfrontsofhisdouble-breasted
casaco
coat,whilethedeepbluecloakwhichwasthrownoverhisshoulderswaslinedwithflame-colouredsilkandfixado
securedattheneckwithabroochwhichconsistedofasingleflamingberyl.Bootswhichextendedhalfwayuphiscalves,andwhichweretrimmedatthetopswithrichbrownfur,completedtheimpressionofbarbaricopulencewhichwassuggestedbyhiswholeappearance.
Hecarriedabroad-brimmed
chapéu
hatinhishand,whileheworeacrosstheupperpartofhisface,extendingdownpastthecheekbones,ablackvizardmáscara
mask,whichhehadapparentlyadjustedthatverymoment,forhishandwasstillraisedtoitasheentrou
entered.Fromthelowerpartofthefacehe
parecia
appearedtobeamanofstrongcaráter
character,withathick,hanginglip,andalong,straightchinsuggestiveofresolutionpushedtothelengthofobstinacy.“Youhadmynote?”
heaskedwithadeepharshvoiceandastronglymarkedGermanaccent.
“ItoldyouthatIwouldcall.”
Helookedfromonetotheotherofus,asifuncertainwhichtoaddress.
“Praytakeaseat,”saidHolmes.
“Thisismyfriendandcolleague,Dr.Watson,whoisoccasionallygoodenoughtohelpmeinmycases.
WhomhaveIthehonourtoaddress?”
“YoumayaddressmeastheCountVonKramm,aBohemiannobleman.
Iunderstandthatthis
cavalheiro
gentleman,yourfriend,isamanofhonouranddiscretion,whomImaytrustwithamatterofthemostextremeimportance.Ifnot,Ishouldmuch
prefiro
prefertocommunicatewithyoualone.”Irosetogo,butHolmescaughtmebythewristandpushedmebackintomy
cadeira
chair.“Itisboth,ornone,”saidhe.
“Youmaysaybeforethis
cavalheiro
gentlemananythingwhichyoumaysaytome.”TheCountshruggedhisbroadshoulders.
“ThenImustbegin,”saidhe,“bybindingyoubothtoabsolutesecrecyfortwoyears;
attheendofthattimethematterwillbeofnoimportance.
Atpresentitisnottoomuchtosaythatitisofsuch
peso
weightitmayhaveaninfluenceuponEuropeanhistory.”“Ipromise,”saidHolmes.
“AndI.”
“Youwillexcusethismask,”continuedourstrangevisitor.
“Theaugustpersonwhoemploysmewisheshisagenttobe
desconhecido
unknowntoyou,andImayconfessatoncethatthetítulo
titlebywhichIhavejustcalledmyselfisnotexactlymyown.”“Iwas
ciente
awareofit,”saidHolmesdryly.“Thecircumstancesareofgreatdelicacy,andeveryprecautionhastobetakentoquenchwhatmightgrowtobeanimmensescandalandseriouslycompromiseoneofthereigningfamiliesof
Europa
Europe.Tospeakplainly,thematterimplicatesthegreatHouseofOrmstein,hereditarykingsofBohemia.”
“Iwasalso
ciente
awareofthat,”murmuredHolmes,settlinghimselfdowninhisarmchairandclosinghiseyes.Ourvisitorglancedwithsomeapparentsurpriseatthelanguid,loungingfigureofthemanwhohadbeennodoubtdepictedtohimasthemostincisivereasonerandmostenergeticagentin
Europa
Europe.Holmesslowlyreopenedhiseyesandlookedimpatientlyathisgigantic
cliente
client.“IfyourMajestywouldcondescendtostateyourcase,”heremarked,“Ishouldbebetterabletoadviseyou.”
Themansprangfromhis
cadeira
chairandpacedupanddowntheroominuncontrollableagitation.Then,withagestureofdesperation,he
rasgou
torethemaskfromhisfaceandhurleditupontheground.“Youareright,”hecried;
“IamtheKing.
WhyshouldI
tentar
attempttoconcealit?”“Why,indeed?”
murmuredHolmes.
“Your
Majestade
MajestyhadnotspokenbeforeIwasawarethatIwasaddressingWilhelmGottsreichSigismondvonOrmstein,GrandDukeofCassel-Felstein,andhereditaryKingofBohemia.”“Butyoucanunderstand,”saidourstrangevisitor,sittingdownoncemoreandpassinghishandoverhishighwhiteforehead,“youcanunderstandthatIamnotaccustomedtodoingsuchbusinessinmyownperson.
YetthematterwassodelicatethatIcouldnotconfideittoanagentwithoutputtingmyselfinhispower.
IhavecomeincognitofromPragueforthe
propósito
purposeofconsultingyou.”“Then,prayconsult,”saidHolmes,shuttinghiseyesoncemore.
“Thefactsarebrieflythese:
Somefiveyearsago,duringalengthyvisittoWarsaw,Imadetheacquaintanceofthewell-knownadventuress,IreneAdler.
Thenameisnodoubt
familiar
familiartoyou.”“Kindlylookherupinmyindex,Doctor,”murmuredHolmeswithoutopeninghiseyes.
Formanyyearshehadadoptedasystemofdocketingallparagraphsconcerningmenandthings,sothatitwasdifficulttonamea
assunto
subjectorapersononwhichhecouldnotatoncefurnishinformation.InthiscaseIfoundherbiographysandwichedinbetweenthatofaHebrewrabbiandthatofastaff-commanderwhohadwrittenamonographuponthedeep-seafishes.
“Letmesee!”
saidHolmes.
“Hum!
BorninNewJerseyintheyear1858.
Contralto—hum!
LaScala,hum!
PrimadonnaImperialOperaofWarsaw—yes!
Retiredfromoperaticstage—ha!
LivinginLondon—quiteso!
Your
Majestade
Majesty,asIunderstand,becameentangledwiththisyoungperson,wrotehersomecompromisingletters,andisnowdesirousofgettingthoselettersback.”“Preciselyso.
Buthow—”.