I.ASCANDALINBOHEMIA
I.
ToSherlockHolmessheisalwaysthewoman.
Ihaveseldomheardhim
nämna
mentionherunderanyothername.Inhiseyessheeclipsesandpredominatesthewholeofhersex.
ItwasnotthathefeltanyemotionakintoloveforIreneAdler.
Allemotions,andthatoneparticularly,wereabhorrenttohiscold,precisebutadmirablybalancedmind.
Hewas,Itakeit,themostperfectreasoningandobserving
maskin
machinethattheworldhasseen,butasaloverhewouldhaveplacedhimselfinafalseposition
position.Heneverspokeofthesofterpassions,savewithagibeandasneer.
Theywereadmirablethingsfortheobserver—excellentfordrawingtheveilfrommen’smotivesandactions.
Butforthe
tränade
trainedreasonertoadmitsuchintrusionsintohisowndelicateandfinelyadjustedtemperamentwastointroduceadistractingfactorwhichmightkasta
throwadoubtuponallhismentalresults.Gritinasensitiveinstrument,oracrackinoneofhisownhigh-powerlenses,wouldnotbemoredisturbingthana
stark
strongemotioninanaturesuchashis.Andyettherewasbutonewomantohim,andthatwomanwasthelateIreneAdler,ofdubiousandquestionable
minne
memory.IhadseenlittleofHolmeslately.
My
äktenskap
marriagehaddriftedusawayfromeachother.Myowncompletehappiness,andthehome-centredinterestswhichriseuparoundthemanwhofirstfindshimselfmasterofhisownestablishment,weresufficienttoabsorballmy
uppmärksamhet
attention,whileHolmes,wholoathedeveryform
formofsocietywithhiswholeBohemiansjäl
soul,remainedinourlodgingsinBakerStreet,buriedamonghisoldbooks,andalternatingfromweektoweekbetweencocaineandambition,thedrowsinessofthedrug,andthefierceenergyofhisownkeennatur
nature.Hewasstill,asever,deeplyattractedbythestudyof
brottslighet
crime,andoccupiedhisimmensefacultiesandextraordinarypowersofobservationinfollowingoutthoseclues,andclearingupthosemysterieswhichhadbeenabandonedashopelessbytheofficialpolice.FromtimetotimeIheardsomevagueaccountofhisdoings:
ofhissummonstoOdessainthecaseoftheTrepoff
mordet
murder,ofhisclearingupofthesingulartragedyoftheAtkinsonbrothersatTrincomalee,andslutligen
finallyofthemissionwhichhehadaccomplishedsodelicatelyandsuccessfullyforthereigningfamilyofHolland.Beyondthesesignsofhisactivity,
men
however,whichImerelysharedwithallthereadersofthedailypressen
press,Iknewlittleofmyformerfriendandcompanion.Onenight—itwasonthetwentiethofMarch,1888—Iwasreturningfromajourneytoa
patient
patient(forIhadnowreturnedtocivilpractice),whenmywayledde
ledmethroughBakerStreet.AsI
passerade
passedthewell-remembereddoor,whichmustalwaysbeassociatedinmymindwithmywooing,andwiththemörka
darkincidentsoftheStudyinScarlet,IwasseizedwithakeendesiretoseeHolmesagain,andtoknowhowhewasemployinghisextraordinarypowers.Hisroomswerebrilliantlylit,and,evenasIlookedup,Isawhistall,spare
figur
figurepasstwiceinamörk
darksilhouetteagainsttheblind.Hewaspacingtheroomswiftly,eagerly,withhisheadsunkuponhischestandhishandsclaspedbehindhim.
Tome,whoknewhiseverymoodandhabit,hisattitudeandmannertoldtheirownstory.
Hewasatworkagain.
Hehadrisenoutofhisdrug-createddreamsandwashotuponthescentofsomenewproblem.
I
ringde
rangthebellandwasshownuptothechamberwhichhadformerlybeeninpartmyown.Hismannerwasnoteffusive.
Itseldomwas;
buthewas
glad
glad,Ithink,toseeme.Withhardlyawordspoken,butwithakindly
öga
eye,hewavedmetoanarmchair,kastade
threwacrosshiscaseofcigars,andindicatedaspiritcaseandagasogeneinthecorner.Thenhestoodbeforethefireandlookedmeoverinhissingularintrospectivefashion.
“Wedlocksuitsyou,”heremarked.
“Ithink,Watson,thatyouhaveputon
sju
sevenandahalfpoundssinceIsawyou.”“Seven!”
Ianswered.
“Indeed,Ishouldhavethoughtalittlemore.
Justatriflemore,Ifancy,Watson.
Andin
praktiken
practiceagain,Iobserve.Youdidnottellmethatyouintendedtogointoharness.”
“Then,howdoyouknow?”
“Iseeit,Ideduceit.
HowdoIknowthatyouhavebeengettingyourselfverywetlately,andthatyouhaveamostclumsyandcarelessservantgirl?”
“MydearHolmes,”saidI,“thisistoomuch.
Youwould
säkert
certainlyhavebeenburned,hadyoulivedafewcenturiesago.ItistruethatIhadacountrywalkonThursdayandcamehomeinadreadful
röra
mess,butasIhavechangedmykläder
clothesIcan’timaginehowyoudeduceit.AstoMaryJane,sheisincorrigible,andmywifehasgivenhernotice,butthere,again,Ifailtoseehowyouworkitout.”
Hechuckledtohimselfandrubbedhislong,nervoushandstogether.
“Itissimplicityitself,”saidhe;
“myeyestellmethatontheinsideofyourleftshoe,justwherethefirelightstrikesit,theleatherisscoredbysixalmostparallelcuts.
Obviouslytheyhavebeencausedbysomeonewhohasverycarelesslyscrapedroundtheedgesofthesoleinordertoremovecrustedmudfromit.
Hence,yousee,my
dubbla
doubledeductionthatyouhadbeenoutinvileweather,andthatyouhadaparticularlymalignantboot-slittingspecimenoftheLondonslavey.Astoyourpractice,ifagentlemanwalksintomyroomssmellingofiodoform,withablackmarkofnitrateofsilveruponhisrightforefinger,andabulgeontherightsideofhistop-hattoshowwherehehassecretedhisstethoscope,Imustbedull,indeed,ifIdonotpronouncehimtobeanactivememberofthemedicalprofession.”
Icouldnothelp
skratta
laughingattheeasewithwhichheförklarade
explainedhisprocessofdeduction.“WhenIhearyougiveyourreasons,”Iremarked,“thethingalwaysappearstometobesoridiculously
enkel
simplethatIcouldeasilydoitmyself,thoughateachsuccessiveinstanceofyourreasoningIambaffleduntilyouförklarar
explainyourprocess.AndyetIbelievethatmyeyesareasgoodasyours.”
“Quiteso,”heanswered,lightingacigarette,and
kastade
throwinghimselfdownintoanarmchair.“Yousee,butyoudonotobserve.
Thedistinctionisclear.
Forexample,youhavefrequentlyseenthestepswhich
leder
leadupfromthehalltothisroom.”“Frequently.”
“Howoften?”
“Well,somehundredsoftimes.”
“Thenhowmanyarethere?”
“Howmany?
Idon’tknow.”
“Quiteso!
Youhavenotobserved.
Andyetyouhaveseen.
Thatisjustmypoint.
Now,Iknowthatthereareseventeensteps,becauseIhavebothseenandobserved.
Bytheway,sinceyouare
intresserad
interestedintheselittleproblems,andsinceyouaregoodenoughtochronicleoneortwoofmytriflingexperiences,youmaybeintresserad
interestedinthis.”Hethrewoverasheetofthick,pink-tintednotepaperwhichhadbeenlyingopenuponthe
bordet
table.“Itcamebythelastpost,”saidhe.
“Readitaloud.”
Thenotewasundated,andwithouteithersignatureor
adress
address.“Therewillcalluponyouto-night,ataquartertoeighto’clock,”itsaid,“agentlemanwhodesirestoconsultyouuponamatteroftheverydeepestmoment.
YourrecentservicestooneoftheroyalhousesofEuropehaveshownthatyouareonewhomaysafelybetrustedwithmatterswhichareofanimportancewhichcanhardlybeexaggerated.
Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.
Beinyourchamberthenatthathour,anddonottakeitamissifyourvisitor
bär
wearamask.”“Thisisindeedamystery,”Iremarked.
“Whatdoyouimaginethatitmeans?”
“Ihavenodatayet.
Itisacapital
misstag
mistaketotheorisebeforeonehasdata.Insensiblyone
börjar
beginstotwistfactstosuittheories,i stället
insteadoftheoriestosuitfacts.Butthenoteitself.
Whatdoyoudeducefromit?”
Icarefullyexaminedthewriting,andthepaperuponwhichitwaswritten.
“Themanwhowroteitwaspresumablywelltodo,”Iremarked,endeavouringtoimitatemycompanion’sprocesses.
“Such
papper
papercouldnotbeboughtunderhalfacrownapacket.Itispeculiarly
stark
strongandstiff.”“Peculiar—thatistheveryword,”saidHolmes.
“ItisnotanEnglishpaperatall.
Holdituptothelight.”
Ididso,andsawa
stort
large“E”withasmall“g,”a“P,”andastort
large“G”withasmall“t”wovenintothetextureofthepaper.“Whatdoyoumakeofthat?”
askedHolmes.
“Thenameofthemaker,no
tvekan
doubt;orhismonogram,rather.”
“Notatall.
The‘G’withthesmall‘t’standsfor‘Gesellschaft,’whichistheGermanfor‘Company.’Itisacustomarycontractionlikeour‘Co.’‘P,’ofcourse,standsfor‘Papier.’Nowforthe‘Eg.’LetusglanceatourContinentalGazetteer.”
Hetookdowna
tung
heavybrownvolumefromhisshelves.“Eglow,Eglonitz—hereweare,Egria.
ItisinaGerman-speakingcountry—inBohemia,notfarfromCarlsbad.
‘Remarkableasbeingthe
platsen
sceneofthedeathofWallenstein,andforitsnumerousglass-factoriesandpaper-mills.’Ha,ha,myboy,whatdoyoumakeofthat?”Hiseyessparkled,andhesentupagreat
blått
bluetriumphantcloudfromhiscigarette.“ThepaperwasmadeinBohemia,”Isaid.
“Precisely.
AndthemanwhowrotethenoteisaGerman.
Doyounotethepeculiarconstructionofthesentence—‘Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.’AFrenchmanorRussiancouldnothavewrittenthat.
ItistheGermanwhoissouncourteoustohisverbs.
Itonlyremains,therefore,todiscoverwhatiswantedbythisGermanwhowritesuponBohemian
papper
paperandpreferswearingamasktoshowinghisface.Andherehecomes,ifIamnotmistaken,toresolveallourdoubts.”
Ashespoketherewasthesharpsoundofhorses’hoofsandgratingwheelsagainstthecurb,followedbyasharp
drag
pullatthebell.Holmeswhistled.
“Apair,bythesound,”saidhe.
“Yes,”he
fortsatte
continued,glancingoutofthefönstret
window.“Anicelittlebroughamandapairofbeauties.
Ahundredandfiftyguineasapiece.
There’smoneyinthiscase,Watson,ifthereisnothingelse.”
“IthinkthatIhadbettergo,Holmes.”
“Notabit,Doctor.
Staywhereyouare.
IamlostwithoutmyBoswell.
Andthispromisestobe
intressant
interesting.Itwouldbeapitytomissit.”
“Butyourclient—”.
“Nevermindhim.
Imaywantyourhelp,andsomayhe.
Herehecomes.
Sitdowninthatarmchair,Doctor,andgiveusyourbestattention.”
A
långsamt
slowandheavystep,whichhadbeenhearduponthestairsandinthepassage,pausedomedelbart
immediatelyoutsidethedoor.Thentherewasaloudandauthoritativetap.
“Comein!”
saidHolmes.
Amanenteredwhocouldhardlyhavebeen
mindre
lessthansixfeetsixinchesinheight,withthechestandlimbsofaHercules.Hisdresswas
rik
richwitharichnesswhichwould,inEngland,belookeduponasakintobadsmak
taste.Heavybandsofastrakhanwereslashedacrossthesleevesandfrontsofhisdouble-breastedcoat,whilethedeepbluecloakwhichwasthrownoverhisshoulderswaslinedwithflame-colouredsilkandsecuredattheneckwithabroochwhichconsistedofa
enda
singleflamingberyl.Bootswhichextendedhalfwayuphiscalves,andwhichweretrimmedatthetopswith
rik
richbrownfur,completedtheimpressionofbarbaricopulencewhichwassuggestedbyhiswholeappearance.He
bar
carriedabroad-brimmedhatinhishand,whilehebar
woreacrosstheupperpartofhisface,extendingdownpastthecheekbones,ablackvizardmask,whichhehadapparentlyadjustedthatverymoment,forhishandwasstillraisedtoitasheentered.Fromthelowerpartofthefaceheappearedtobeamanof
stark
strongcharacter,withathick,hanginglip,andalong,rak
straightchinsuggestiveofresolutiontryckt
pushedtothelengthofobstinacy.“Youhadmynote?”
heaskedwitha
djup
deepharshvoiceandastronglymarkedGermanaccent.“ItoldyouthatIwouldcall.”
Helookedfromonetotheotherofus,asifuncertainwhichtoaddress.
“Praytakeaseat,”saidHolmes.
“Thisismyfriendandcolleague,Dr.Watson,whoisoccasionallygoodenoughtohelpmeinmycases.
WhomhaveIthehonourtoaddress?”
“Youmayaddressmeasthe
Greve
CountVonKramm,aBohemiannobleman.Iunderstandthatthisgentleman,yourfriend,isamanofhonouranddiscretion,whomImaytrustwithamatterofthemostextremeimportance.
Ifnot,Ishouldmuchprefertocommunicatewithyoualone.”
Irosetogo,butHolmescaughtmebythewristandpushedmebackintomychair.
“Itisboth,ornone,”saidhe.
“Youmaysaybeforethisgentlemananythingwhichyoumaysaytome.”
TheCountshruggedhisbroadshoulders.
“ThenImustbegin,”saidhe,“bybindingyoubothtoabsolutesecrecyfortwoyears;
attheendofthattimethematterwillbeofnoimportance.
At
närvarande
presentitisnottoomuchtosaythatitisofsuchweightitmayhaveaninfluenceuponEuropeanhistory.”“Ipromise,”saidHolmes.
“AndI.”
“Youwillexcusethismask,”
fortsatte
continuedourstrangevisitor.“Theaugustpersonwhoemploysmewisheshis
agent
agenttobeunknowntoyou,andImayconfessatoncethatthetitlebywhichIhavejustcalledmyselfisnotexactlymyown.”“Iwasawareofit,”saidHolmesdryly.
“Thecircumstancesareofgreatdelicacy,andeveryprecautionhastobetakentoquenchwhatmight
växa
growtobeanimmensescandalandallvarligt
seriouslycompromiseoneofthereigningfamiliesofEurope.Tospeakplainly,thematterimplicatesthegreatHouseofOrmstein,hereditarykingsofBohemia.”
“Iwasalsoawareofthat,”murmuredHolmes,settlinghimselfdowninhisarmchairandclosinghiseyes.
Ourvisitorglancedwithsomeapparent
förvåning
surpriseatthelanguid,loungingfigureofthemanwhohadbeennotvekan
doubtdepictedtohimasthemostincisivereasonerandmostenergeticagent
agentinEurope.Holmesslowlyreopenedhiseyesandlookedimpatientlyathisgiganticclient.
“IfyourMajestywouldcondescendtostateyourcase,”heremarked,“Ishouldbebetterabletoadviseyou.”
Themansprangfromhischairandpacedupanddowntheroominuncontrollableagitation.
Then,withagestureofdesperation,hetorethemaskfromhisfaceandhurledituponthe
marken
ground.“Youareright,”hecried;
“IamtheKing.
WhyshouldIattempttoconcealit?”
“Why,indeed?”
murmuredHolmes.
“YourMajestyhadnotspokenbeforeIwasawarethatIwasaddressingWilhelmGottsreichSigismondvonOrmstein,GrandDukeofCassel-Felstein,andhereditaryKingofBohemia.”
“Butyoucanunderstand,”saidourstrangevisitor,sittingdownoncemoreand
passerar
passinghishandoverhishighwhiteforehead,“youcanunderstandthatIamnotaccustomedtodoingsuchbusinessinmyownperson.YetthematterwassodelicatethatIcouldnotconfideittoan
agent
agentwithoutputtingmyselfinhispower.IhavecomeincognitofromPragueforthepurposeofconsultingyou.”
“Then,prayconsult,”saidHolmes,shuttinghiseyesoncemore.
“Thefactsarebrieflythese:
Somefiveyearsago,
under
duringalengthyvisittoWarsaw,Imadetheacquaintanceofthewell-knownadventuress,IreneAdler.Thenameisno
tvekan
doubtfamiliartoyou.”“Kindlylookherupinmyindex,Doctor,”murmuredHolmeswithoutopeninghiseyes.
Formanyyearshehadadopteda
system
systemofdocketingallparagraphsconcerningmenandthings,sothatitwassvårt
difficulttonameasubjectorapersononwhichhecouldnotatoncefurnishinformation
information.InthiscaseIfoundherbiographysandwichedinbetweenthatofaHebrewrabbiandthatofastaff-commanderwhohadwrittenamonographuponthedeep-seafishes.
“Letmesee!”
saidHolmes.
“Hum!
Född
BorninNewJerseyintheyear1858.Contralto—hum!
LaScala,hum!
PrimadonnaImperialOperaofWarsaw—yes!
Retiredfromoperaticstage—ha!
LivinginLondon—quiteso!
YourMajesty,asIunderstand,becameentangledwiththisyoungperson,wrotehersomecompromisingletters,andisnowdesirousofgettingthoselettersback.”
“Preciselyso.
Buthow—”.