sherlock holmes | Page 4

no doubt depicted to him as the most incisive reasoner
and most energetic agent in Europe. Holmes slowly reopened his eyes and looked
impatiently at his gigantic client. “If your Majesty would condescend to state your case,” he remarked, “I should
be better able to advise you.” The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in uncontrol-
lable agitation. Then, with a gesture of desperation, he tore the mask from his face
and hurled it upon the ground. “You are right,” he cried; “I am the King. Why
should I attempt to conceal it?”

ADVENTURE I. A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA
8
“Why, indeed?” murmured Holmes. “Your Majesty had not spoken before
I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein,
Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein, and hereditary King of Bohemia.” “But you can understand,” said our strange visitor, sitting down once more
and passing his hand over his high white forehead, “you can understand that I am
not accustomed to doing such business in my own person. Yet the matter was so
delicate that I could not conde it to an agent without putting myself in his power.
I have come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting you.” “Then, pray consult,” said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more.
“The facts are briey these: Some ve years ago, during a lengthy visit to
Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the well-known adventuress, Irene Adler. The
name is no doubt familiar to you.” “Kindly look her up in my index, Doctor,” murmured Holmes without opening
his eyes. For many years he had adopted a system of docketing all paragraphs
concerning men and things, so that it was difcult to name a subject or a person on
which he could not at once furnish information. In this case I found her biography
sandwiched in between that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a staff-commander who
had written a monograph upon the deep-sea shes. “Let me see!” said Holmes. “Hum! Born in New Jersey in the year 1858. Con-
tralto, hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera of Warsaw—yes! Retired
from operatic stage—ha! Living in London—quite so! Your Majesty, as I under-
stand, became entangled with this young person, wrote her some compromising
letters, and is now desirous of getting those letters back.” “Precisely so. But how—”
“Was there a secret marriage?”
“None.”
“No legal papers or certicates?”
“None.”
“Then I fail to follow your Majesty. If this young person should produce her
letters for blackmailing or other purposes, how is she to prove their authenticity?” “There is the writing.”
“Pooh, pooh! Forgery.”
“My private note-paper.”
“Stolen.”
“My own seal.”
“Imitated.”
“My photograph.”
“Bought.”
“We were both in the photograph.”
“Oh, dear! That is very bad! Your Majesty has indeed committed an indiscre-
tion.”
“I was mad—insane.”
“You have compromised yourself seriously.”
“I was only Crown Prince then. I was young. I am but thirty now.”

ADVENTURE I. A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA
9
“It must be recovered.”
“We have tried and failed.”
“Your Majesty must pay. It must be bought.”
“She will not sell.”
“Stolen, then.”
“Five attempts have been made. Twice burglars in my pay ransacked her house.
Once we diverted her luggage when she travelled. Twice she has been waylaid.
There has been no result.” “No sign of it?”
“Absolutely none.”
Holmes laughed. “It is quite a pretty little problem,” said he.
“But a very serious one to me,” returned the King reproachfully.
“Very, indeed. And what does she propose to do with the photograph?”
“To ruin me.”
“But how?”
“I am about to be married.”
“So I have heard.”
“To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the King of
Scandinavia. You may know the strict principles of her family. She is herself the
very soul of delicacy. A shadow of a doubt as to my conduct would bring the matter
to an end.” “And Irene Adler?”
“Threatens to send them the photograph. And she will do it. I know that she
will do it. You do not know her, but she has a soul of steel. She has the face of
the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most resolute of men. Rather
than I should marry another woman, there are no lengths to which she would not
go—none.” “You are sure that she has not sent it yet?”
“I am sure.”
“And why?”
“Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the betrothal was
publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday.” “Oh, then we have three days yet,” said Holmes with a yawn. “That is very
fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to look into just at present.
Your Majesty will, of course, stay in London for the present?” “Certainly. You will nd me at the Langham under the name of the Count Von
Kramm.” “Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress.”
“Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety.”
“Then, as to money?”
“You have carte blanche.”
“Absolutely?”
“I tell you that I would give one of the provinces of my kingdom to have that
photograph.”

ADVENTURE I. A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA
10
“And for present expenses?”
The King took a heavy chamois leather bag from under his