a scandal in bohemia-第2节

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Carlsbad。　‘Remarkable　as　being　the　scene　of　the　death　of

Wallenstein；　and　for　its　numerous　glass…factories　and　paper…mills。'

Ha；　ha；　my　boy；　what　do　you　make　of　that？'　His　eyes　sparkled；　and　he

sent　up　a　great　blue　triumphant　cloud　from　his　cigarette。

　　〃The　paper　was　made　in　Bohemia；〃　I　said。

　　〃Precisely。　And　the　man　who　wrote　the　note　is　a　German。　Do　you

note　the　peculiar　construction　of　the　sentence…　‘This　account　of　you

we　have　from　all　quarters　received。'　A　Frenchman　or　Russian　could

not　have　written　that。　It　is　the　German　who　is　so　uncourteous　to　his

verbs。　It　only　remains；　therefore；　to　discover　what　is　wanted　by

this　German　who　writes　upon　Bohemian　paper　and　prefers　wearing　a

mask　to　showing　his　face。　And　here　he　comes；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；

to　resolve　all　our　doubts。〃

　　As　he　spoke　there　was　the　sharp　sound　of　horses'　hoofs　and　grating

wheels　against　the　curb；　followed　by　a　sharp　pull　at　the　bell。

Holmes　whistled。

　　〃A　pair；　by　the　sound；〃　said　he。　〃Yes；〃　he　continued；　glancing　out

of　the　window。　〃A　nice　little　brougham　and　a　pair　of　beauties。　A

hundred　and　fifty　guineas　apiece。　There's　money　in　this　case；

Watson；　if　there　is　nothing　else。〃

　　〃I　think　that　I　had　better　go；　Holmes。〃

　　〃Not　a　bit；　Doctor。　Stay　where　you　are。　I　am　lost　without　my

Boswell。　And　this　promises　to　be　interesting。　It　would　be　a　pity　to

miss　it。〃

　　〃But　your　client…〃

　　〃Never　mind　him。　I　may　want　your　help；　and　so　may　he。　Here　he　comes。

Sit　down　in　that　armchair；　Doctor；　and　give　us　your　best　attention。〃

　　A　slow　and　heavy　step；　which　had　been　heard　upon　the　stairs　and　in

the　passage；　paused　immediately　outside　the　door。　Then　there　was　a

loud　and　authoritative　tap。

　　〃Come　in！〃　said　Holmes。

　　A　man　entered　who　could　hardly　have　been　less　than　six　feet　six

inches　in　height；　with　the　chest　and　limbs　of　a　Hercules。　His　dress

was　rich　with　a　richness　which　would；　in　England；　he　looked　upon　as

akin　to　bad　taste。　Heavy　bands　of　astrakhan　were　slashed　across　the

sleeves　and　fronts　of　his　double…breasted　coat；　while　the　deep　blue

cloak　which　was　thrown　over　his　shoulders　was　lined　with

flame…coloured　silk　and　secured　at　the　neck　with　a　brooch　which

consisted　of　a　single　flaming　beryl。　Boots　which　extended　halfway　up

his　calves；　and　which　were　trimmed　at　the　tops　with　rich　brown　fur；

completed　the　impression　of　barbaric　opulence　which　was　suggested　by

his　whole　appearance。　He　carried　a　broad…brimmed　hat　in　his　hand；

while　he　wore　across　the　upper　part　of　his　face；　extending　down　past

the　cheekbones；　a　black　vizard　mask；　which　he　had　apparently

adjusted　that　very　moment；　for　his　hand　was　still　raised　to　it　as　he

entered。　From　the　lower　part　of　the　face　he　appeared　to　be　a　man　of

strong　character；　with　a　thick；　hanging　lip；　and　a　long；　straight　chin

suggestive　of　resolution　pushed　to　the　length　of　obstinacy。

　　〃You　had　my　note？〃　he　asked　with　a　deep　harsh　voice　and　a　strongly

marked　German　accent。　〃I　told　you　that　I　would　call。〃　He　looked　from

one　to　the　other　of　us；　as　if　uncertain　which　to　address。

　　〃Pray　take　a　seat；〃　said　Holmes。　〃This　is　my　friend　and　colleague；

Dr。　Watson；　who　is　occasionally　good　enough　to　help　me　in　my　cases。

Whom　have　I　the　honour　to　address？〃

　　〃You　may　address　me　as　the　Count　Von　Kramm；　a　Bohemian　nobleman。　I

understand　that　this　gentleman；　your　friend；　is　a　man　of　honour　and

discretion；　whom　I　may　trust　with　a　matter　of　the　most　extreme

importance。　If　not；　I　should　much　prefer　to　communicate　with　you

alone。〃

　　I　rose　to　go；　but　Holmes　caught　me　by　the　wrist　and　pushed　me　back

into　my　chair。　〃It　is　both；　or　none；〃　said　he。　〃You　may　say　before

this　gentleman　anything　which　you　may　say　to　me。〃

　　The　Count　shrugged　his　broad　shoulders。　〃Then　I　must　begin；〃　said

he；　〃by　binding　you　both　to　absolute　secrecy　for　two　years；　at　the　end

of　that　time　the　matter　will　be　of　no　importance。　At　present　it　is　not

too　much　to　say　that　it　is　of　such　weight　it　may　have　an　influence

upon　European　history。〃

　　〃I　promise；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃And　I。〃

　　〃You　will　excuse　this　mask；〃　continued　our　strange　visitor。　〃The

august　person　who　employs　me　wishes　his　agent　to　be　unknown　to　you；

and　I　may　confess　at　once　that　the　title　by　which　I　have　just　called

myself　is　not　exactly　my　own。〃

　　〃I　was　aware　of　it；〃　said　Holmes　drily。

　　〃The　circumstances　are　of　great　delicacy；　and　every　precaution　has

to　be　taken　to　quench　what　might　grow　to　be　an　immense　scandal　and

seriously　compromise　one　of　the　reigning　families　of　Europe。　To

speak　plainly；　the　matter　implicates　the　great　House　of　Ormstein；

hereditary　kings　of　Bohemia。〃

　　〃I　was　also　aware　of　that；〃　murmured　Holmes；　settling　himself　down

in　his　armchair　and　closing　his　eyes。

　　Our　visitor　glanced　with　some　apparent　surprise　at　the　languid；

lounging　figure　of　the　man　who　had　been　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

uncontrollable　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？〃

　　〃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　confide　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　briefly　these：　Some　five　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

difficult　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　fishes。

　　〃Let　me　see！〃　said　Holmes。　〃Hum！　Born　in　New　Jersey　in　the　year

1858。　Contralto…　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　understand；　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　certificates？〃

　　〃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

indiscretion。〃

　　〃I　was　mad…　insane。〃

　　〃You　have　compromised　yourself　seriously。〃

　　〃I　was　only　Crown　Prince　then。　I　was　young。　I　am　but　thirty　now。〃

　　〃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