I.ASCANDALINBOHEMIA
I.
ToSherlockHolmessheisalwaysthewoman.
Ihave
redko
seldomheardhimmentionherunderanyothername.Inhiseyessheeclipsesandpredominatesthewholeofhersex.
ItwasnotthathefeltanyemotionakintoloveforIreneAdler.
Allemotions,andthatoneparticularly,wereabhorrenttohiscold,precisebutadmirablybalancedmind.
Hewas,Itakeit,themostperfectreasoningandobservingmachinethattheworldhasseen,butasaloverhewouldhaveplacedhimselfinafalseposition.
Heneverspokeofthesofterpassions,savewithagibeandasneer.
Theywereadmirablethingsfortheobserver—excellentfordrawingthe
zavese
veilfrommen’smotivesandactions.Butforthetrainedreasonertoadmitsuchintrusionsintohisowndelicateandfinelyadjustedtemperamentwastointroduceadistractingfactorwhichmightthrowadoubtuponallhismentalresults.
Gritinasensitiveinstrument,oracrackinoneofhisownhigh-powerlenses,wouldnotbemoredisturbingthanastrongemotioninanaturesuchashis.
Andyettherewasbutonewomantohim,andthatwomanwasthelateIreneAdler,ofdubiousandquestionablememory.
IhadseenlittleofHolmeslately.
Mymarriagehaddriftedusawayfromeachother.
Myowncompletehappiness,andthehome-centredinterestswhichriseuparoundthemanwhofirstfindshimselfmasterofhisownestablishment,were
dovolj
sufficienttoabsorballmyattention,whileHolmes,wholoathedeveryformofsocietywithhiswholeBohemiansoul,remainedinourlodgingsinBaker
BakerStreet,buriedamonghisoldbooks,andalternatingfromweektoweekbetweencocaineandambition,thedrowsinessofthedrug,andthefierceenergyofhisownkeennature.Hewasstill,asever,deeplyattractedbythestudyofcrime,andoccupiedhisimmensefacultiesandextraordinarypowersofobservationinfollowingoutthoseclues,andclearingupthosemysterieswhichhadbeenabandonedas
brezupno
hopelessbytheofficialpolice.FromtimetotimeIheardsomevagueaccountofhisdoings:
ofhissummonstoOdessainthecaseoftheTrepoffmurder,ofhisclearingupofthesingulartragedyoftheAtkinsonbrothersatTrincomalee,andfinallyofthemissionwhichhehadaccomplishedsodelicatelyand
uspešno
successfullyforthereigningfamilyofHolland.Beyondthesesignsofhisactivity,however,whichImerelysharedwithallthereadersofthedailypress,Iknewlittleofmyformerfriendandcompanion.
Onenight—itwasonthetwentiethofMarch,1888—Iwasreturningfromajourneytoapatient(forIhadnowreturnedtocivilpractice),whenmywayledmethrough
Baker
BakerStreet.AsIpassedthewell-remembereddoor,whichmustalwaysbeassociatedinmymindwithmywooing,andwiththedarkincidentsoftheStudyinScarlet,IwasseizedwithakeendesiretoseeHolmesagain,andtoknowhowhewasemployinghisextraordinarypowers.
Hisroomswerebrilliantlylit,and,evenasIlookedup,Isawhistall,sparefigurepasstwiceinadarksilhouetteagainsttheblind.
Hewaspacingtheroomswiftly,
nestrpno
eagerly,withhisheadsunkuponhischestandhishandsclaspedbehindhim.Tome,whoknewhiseverymoodand
navado
habit,hisattitudeandmannertoldtheirownstory.Hewasatworkagain.
Hehadrisenoutofhisdrug-createddreamsandwashotuponthe
vonju
scentofsomenewproblem.Irangthebellandwasshownuptothechamberwhichhadformerlybeeninpartmyown.
His
način
mannerwasnoteffusive.It
redko
seldomwas;buthewasglad,Ithink,toseeme.
Withhardlyawordspoken,butwithakindlyeye,hewavedmetoanarmchair,threwacrosshiscaseofcigars,andindicatedaspiritcaseandagasogeneinthecorner.
Thenhestoodbeforethefireandlookedmeoverinhissingularintrospectivefashion.
“Wedlocksuitsyou,”heremarked.
“Ithink,Watson,thatyouhaveputonsevenandahalfpoundssinceIsawyou.”
“Seven!”
Ianswered.
“Indeed,Ishouldhavethoughtalittlemore.
Justatriflemore,Ifancy,Watson.
Andinpracticeagain,Iobserve.
Youdidnottellmethatyouintendedtogointoharness.”
“Then,howdoyouknow?”
“Iseeit,Ideduceit.
HowdoIknowthatyouhavebeengettingyourselfverywetlately,andthatyouhaveamostclumsyandcarelessservantgirl?”
“MydearHolmes,”saidI,“thisistoomuch.
Youwouldcertainlyhavebeenburned,hadyoulivedafewcenturiesago.
ItistruethatIhadacountrywalkonThursdayandcamehomeinadreadfulmess,butasIhavechangedmyclothesIcan’timaginehowyoudeduceit.
AstoMaryJane,sheisincorrigible,andmywifehasgivenhernotice,butthere,again,Ifailtoseehowyouworkitout.”
Hechuckledtohimselfandrubbedhislong,nervoushandstogether.
“Itis
preprostost
simplicityitself,”saidhe;“myeyestellmethatontheinsideofyourleftshoe,justwherethefirelightstrikesit,the
usnje
leatherisscoredbysixalmostparallelcuts.Obviouslytheyhavebeencausedbysomeonewhohasverycarelesslyscrapedroundtheedgesofthesoleinordertoremovecrustedmudfromit.
Zato
Hence,yousee,mydoubledeductionthatyouhadbeenoutinvileweather,andthatyouhadaparticularlymalignantboot-slittingprimerek
specimenoftheLondonslavey.Astoyourpractice,ifagentlemanwalksintomyroomssmellingofiodoform,withablackmarkofnitrateofsilveruponhisrightforefinger,andabulgeontherightsideofhistop-hattoshowwherehehassecretedhisstethoscope,Imustbedull,indeed,ifIdonotpronouncehimtobeanactivememberofthemedicalprofession.”
Icouldnothelplaughingatthe
lahkoto
easewithwhichheexplainedhisprocessofdeduction.“WhenIhearyougiveyourreasons,”Iremarked,“thethingalwaysappearstometobesoridiculouslysimplethatIcouldeasilydoitmyself,thoughateachsuccessiveinstanceofyourreasoningIambaffleduntilyouexplainyourprocess.
AndyetIbelievethatmyeyesareasgoodasyours.”
“Quiteso,”heanswered,lightingacigarette,andthrowinghimselfdownintoanarmchair.
“Yousee,butyoudonotobserve.
Thedistinctionisclear.
Forexample,youhave
pogosto
frequentlyseenthestepswhichleadupfromthehalltothisroom.”“Frequently.”
“Howoften?”
“Well,somehundredsoftimes.”
“Thenhowmanyarethere?”
“Howmany?
Idon’tknow.”
“Quiteso!
Youhavenotobserved.
Andyetyouhaveseen.
Thatisjustmypoint.
Now,Iknowthatthereareseventeensteps,becauseIhavebothseenandobserved.
Bytheway,sinceyouareinterestedintheselittleproblems,andsinceyouaregoodenoughtochronicleoneortwoofmytriflingexperiences,youmaybeinterestedinthis.”
Hethrewovera
list
sheetofthick,pink-tintednotepaperwhichhadbeenlyingopenuponthetable.“Itcamebythelastpost,”saidhe.
“Readitaloud.”
Thenotewasundated,andwithouteithersignatureoraddress.
“Therewillcalluponyouto-night,ataquartertoeighto’clock,”itsaid,“agentlemanwhodesiresto
posvetovati
consultyouuponamatteroftheverydeepestmoment.YourrecentservicestooneoftheroyalhousesofEuropehaveshownthatyouareonewhomay
varno
safelybetrustedwithmatterswhichareofanimportancewhichcanhardlybeexaggerated.Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.
Beinyourchamberthenatthathour,anddonottakeitamissifyour
obiskovalec
visitorwearamask.”“Thisisindeedamystery,”Iremarked.
“Whatdoyouimaginethatitmeans?”
“Ihavenodatayet.
Itisacapitalmistaketotheorisebeforeonehasdata.
Insensiblyonebeginstotwistfactstosuittheories,insteadoftheoriestosuitfacts.
Butthenoteitself.
Whatdoyoudeducefromit?”
Icarefullyexaminedthewriting,andthepaperuponwhichitwaswritten.
“Themanwhowroteitwas
verjetno
presumablywelltodo,”Iremarked,endeavouringtoimitatemycompanion’sprocesses.“Suchpapercouldnotbeboughtunderhalfa
krone
crownapacket.Itispeculiarlystrongandstiff.”
“Peculiar—thatistheveryword,”saidHolmes.
“ItisnotanEnglishpaperatall.
Holdituptothelight.”
Ididso,andsawalarge“E”withasmall“g,”a“P,”andalarge“G”withasmall“t”wovenintothe
teksturo
textureofthepaper.“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,andforitsnumerousglass-factoriesandpaper-mills.’Ha,ha,myboy,whatdoyoumakeofthat?”
Hiseyessparkled,andhesentupagreatbluetriumphant
oblak
cloudfromhiscigarette.“ThepaperwasmadeinBohemia,”Isaid.
“Precisely.
AndthemanwhowrotethenoteisaGerman.
Doyounotethepeculiarconstructionofthesentence—‘Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.’AFrenchmanorRussiancouldnothavewrittenthat.
ItistheGermanwhoissouncourteoustohisverbs.
Itonlyremains,therefore,todiscoverwhatiswantedbythisGermanwhowritesupon
Boemski
Bohemianpaperandpreferswearingamasktoshowinghisface.Andherehecomes,ifIamnot
motim
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,pausedimmediatelyoutsidethedoor.
Thentherewasaloudandauthoritativetap.
“Comein!”
saidHolmes.
Amanenteredwhocouldhardlyhavebeenlessthansixfeetsixinchesinheight,withthechestandlimbsofaHercules.
Hisdresswasrichwitharichnesswhichwould,inEngland,belookeduponasakintobadtaste.
Heavybandsofastrakhanwereslashedacrossthesleevesandfrontsofhisdouble-breastedcoat,whilethedeepbluecloakwhichwasthrownoverhisshoulderswaslinedwithflame-colouredsilkandsecuredattheneckwithabroochwhichconsistedofasingleflamingberyl.
Bootswhichextended
pol
halfwayuphiscalves,andwhichweretrimmedatthetopswithrichbrownkrzno
fur,completedtheimpressionofbarbaricopulencewhichwassuggestedbyhiswholevidez
appearance.Hecarriedabroad-brimmedhatinhishand,whileheworeacrosstheupperpartofhisface,extendingdownpastthecheekbones,ablackvizardmask,whichhehadapparentlyadjustedthatverymoment,forhishandwasstillraisedtoitasheentered.
Fromthelowerpartofthefaceheappearedtobeamanofstrongcharacter,withathick,hanginglip,andalong,straight
brada
chinsuggestiveofresolutionpushedtothelengthofobstinacy.“Youhadmynote?”
heaskedwithadeepharshvoiceanda
močno
stronglymarkedGermanaccent.“ItoldyouthatIwouldcall.”
Helookedfromonetotheotherofus,asifuncertainwhichtoaddress.
“Praytakeaseat,”saidHolmes.
“Thisismyfriendandcolleague,Dr.Watson,whoisoccasionallygoodenoughtohelpmeinmycases.
WhomhaveIthehonourtoaddress?”
“YoumayaddressmeastheCountVonKramm,a
Češki
Bohemiannobleman.Iunderstandthatthisgentleman,yourfriend,isamanofhonouranddiscretion,whomImaytrustwithamatterofthemostextremeimportance.
Ifnot,Ishouldmuchprefertocommunicatewithyoualone.”
Irosetogo,butHolmescaughtmebythe
zapestje
wristandpushedmebackintomychair.“Itisboth,ornone,”saidhe.
“Youmaysaybeforethisgentlemananythingwhichyoumaysaytome.”
TheCountshruggedhisbroadshoulders.
“ThenImustbegin,”saidhe,“bybindingyoubothtoabsolutesecrecyfortwoyears;
attheendofthattimethematterwillbeofnoimportance.
AtpresentitisnottoomuchtosaythatitisofsuchweightitmayhaveaninfluenceuponEuropeanhistory.”
“Ipromise,”saidHolmes.
“AndI.”
“Youwillexcusethismask,”continuedourstrange
obiskovalec
visitor.“Theaugustpersonwhoemploysmewisheshisagenttobeunknowntoyou,andImay
priznam
confessatoncethatthetitlebywhichIhavejustcalledmyselfisnotexactlymyown.”“Iwasawareofit,”saidHolmesdryly.
“Thecircumstancesareofgreatdelicacy,andeveryprecautionhastobetakentoquenchwhatmightgrowtobeanimmense
škandal
scandalandseriouslycompromiseoneofthereigningfamiliesofEurope.Tospeakplainly,thematterimplicatesthegreatHouseofOrmstein,
dedne
hereditarykingsofBohemia.”“Iwasalsoawareofthat,”murmuredHolmes,settlinghimselfdowninhisarmchairandclosinghiseyes.
Our
obiskovalec
visitorglancedwithsomeapparentsurpriseatthelanguid,loungingfigureofthemanwhohadbeennodoubtdepictedtohimasthemostincisivereasonerandmostenergeticagentinEurope.Holmesslowlyreopenedhiseyesandlookedimpatientlyathisgiganticclient.
“IfyourMajestywouldcondescendtostateyourcase,”heremarked,“Ishouldbebetterabletoadviseyou.”
Themansprangfromhischairandpacedupanddowntheroominuncontrollableagitation.
Then,withagestureof
obupa
desperation,hetorethemaskfromhisfaceandhurleditupontheground.“Youareright,”hecried;
“IamtheKing.
WhyshouldIattempttoconcealit?”
“Why,indeed?”
murmuredHolmes.
“YourMajestyhadnotspokenbeforeIwasawarethatIwasaddressingWilhelmGottsreichSigismondvonOrmstein,GrandDukeofCassel-Felstein,andhereditaryKingofBohemia.”
“Butyoucanunderstand,”saidourstrange
obiskovalec
visitor,sittingdownoncemoreandpassinghishandoverhishighwhitečelo
forehead,“youcanunderstandthatIamnotaccustomedtodoingsuchbusinessinmyownperson.YetthematterwassodelicatethatIcouldnotconfideittoanagentwithoutputtingmyselfinhispower.
IhavecomeincognitofromPragueforthepurposeofconsultingyou.”
“Then,prayconsult,”saidHolmes,shuttinghiseyesoncemore.
“Thefactsare
kratko
brieflythese:Somefiveyearsago,duringalengthyvisittoWarsaw,Imadetheacquaintanceofthewell-knownadventuress,IreneAdler.
Thenameisnodoubtfamiliartoyou.”
“Kindlylookherupinmyindex,Doctor,”murmuredHolmeswithoutopeninghiseyes.
Formanyyearshehadadoptedasystemofdocketingallparagraphsconcerningmenandthings,sothatitwasdifficulttonameasubjectorapersononwhichhecouldnotatoncefurnishinformation.
InthiscaseIfoundherbiographysandwichedinbetweenthatofaHebrewrabbiandthatofastaff-commanderwhohadwrittenamonographuponthedeep-seafishes.
“Letmesee!”
saidHolmes.
“Hum!
BorninNewJerseyintheyear1858.
Contralto—hum!
LaScala,hum!
Prima
PrimadonnaImperialOperaofWarsaw—yes!Retiredfromoperaticstage—ha!
LivinginLondon—quiteso!
YourMajesty,asIunderstand,becameentangledwiththisyoungperson,wrotehersomecompromisingletters,andisnowdesirousofgettingthoselettersback.”
“Preciselyso.
Buthow—”.