I.A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA

e. “Therearethreehundredpoundsingoldandsevenhundredinnotes,”hesaid. Holmesscribbledareceiptuponasheetofhisnote-bookandhandedittohim. “AndMademoiselle’saddress?”heasked. “IsBrionyLodge,SerpentineAvenue,St.John’sWood.” Holmestookanoteofit.“Oneotherquestion,”saidhe.“Wasthephotographacabinet?” “Itwas.” “Then,good-night,yourMajesty,andItrustthatweshallsoonhavesomegoodnewsforyou.Andgood-night,Watson,”headded,asthewheelsoftheroyalbroughamrolleddownthestreet.“Ifyouwillbegoodenoughtocallto-morrowafternoonatthreeo’clockIshouldliketochatthislittlematteroverwithyou.” II. Atthreeo’clockpreciselyIwasatBakerStreet,butHolmeshadnotyetreturned.Thelandladyinformedmethathehadleftthehouseshortlyaftereighto’clockinthemorning.Isatdownbesidethefire,however,withtheintentionofawaitinghim,howeverlonghemightbe.Iwasalreadydeeplyinterestedinhisinquiry,for,thoughitwassurroundedbynoneofthegrimandstrangefeatureswhichwereassociatedwiththetwocrimeswhichIhavealreadyrecorded,still,thenatureofthecaseandtheexaltedstationofhisclientgaveitacharacterofitsown.Indeed,apartfromthenatureoftheinvestigationwhichmyfriendhadonhand,therewassomethinginhismasterlygraspofasituation,andhiskeen,incisivereasoning,whichmadeitapleasuretometostudyhissystemofwork,andtofollowthequick,subtlemethodsbywhichhedisentangledthemostinextricablemysteries.SoaccustomedwasItohisinvariablesuccessthattheverypossibilityofhisfailinghadceasedtoenterintomyhead. Itwascloseuponfourbeforethedooropened,andadrunken-lookinggroom,ill-kemptandside-whiskered,withaninflamedfaceanddisreputableclothes,walkedintotheroom.AccustomedasIwastomyfriend’samazingpowersintheuseofdisguises,IhadtolookthreetimesbeforeIwascertainthatitwasindeedhe.Withanodhevanishedintothebedroom,whenceheemergedinfiveminutestweed-suitedandrespectable,asofold.Puttinghishandsintohispockets,hestretchedouthislegsinfrontofthefireandlaughedheartilyforsomeminutes. “Well,really!”hecried,andthenhechokedandlaughedagainuntilhewasobligedtolieback,limpandhelpless,inthechair. “Whatisit?” “It’squitetoofunny.IamsureyoucouldneverguesshowIemployedmymorning,orwhatIendedbydoing.” “Ican’timagine.Isupposethatyouhavebeenwatchingthehabits,andperhapsthehouse,ofMissIreneAdler.” “Quitesobutthesequelwasratherunusual.Iwilltellyou,however.Ileftthehousealittleaftereighto’clockthismorninginthecharacterofagroomoutofwork.Thereisawonderfulsympathyandfreemasonryamonghorseymen.Beoneofthem,andyouwillknowallthatthereistoknow.IsoonfoundBrionyLodge.Itisabijouvilla,withagardenattheback,butbuiltoutinfrontrightuptotheroad,twostories.Chubblocktothedoor.Largesitting-roomontherightside,wellfurnished,withlongwindowsalmosttothefloor,andthosepreposterousEnglishwindowfastenerswhichachildcouldopen.Behindtherewasnothingremarkable,savethatthepassagewindowcouldbereachedfromthetopofthecoach-house.Iwalkedrounditandexamineditcloselyfromeverypointofview,butwithoutnotinganythingelseofinterest. “Ithenloungeddownthestreetandfound,asIexpected,thattherewasamewsinalanewhichrunsdownbyonewallofthegarden.Ilenttheostlersahandinrubbingdowntheirhorses,andreceivedinexchangetwopence,aglassofhalf-and-half,twofillsofshagtobacco,andasmuchinformationasIcoulddesireaboutMissAdler,tosaynothingofhalfadozenotherpeopleintheneighbourhoodinwhomIwasnotintheleastinterested,butwhosebiographiesIwascompelledtolistento.” “AndwhatofIreneAdler?”Iasked. “Oh,shehasturnedallthemen’sheadsdowninthatpart.Sheisthedaintiestthingunderabonnetonthisplanet.SosaytheSerpentine-mews,toaman.Shelivesquietly,singsatconcerts,drivesoutatfiveeveryday,andreturnsatsevensharpfordinner.Seldomgoesoutatothertimes,exceptwhenshesings.Hasonlyonemalevisitor,butagooddealofhim.Heisdark,handsome,anddashing,nevercallslessthanonceaday,andoftentwice.HeisaMr.GodfreyNorton,oftheInnerTemple.Seetheadvantagesofacabmanasaconfidant.TheyhaddrivenhimhomeadozentimesfromSerpentine-mews,andknewallabouthim.WhenIhadlistenedtoalltheyhadtotell,IbegantowalkupanddownnearBrionyLodgeoncemore,andtothinkovermyplanofcampaign. “ThisGodfreyNortonwasevidentlyanimportantfactorinthematter.Hewasalawyer.Thatsoundedominous.Whatwastherelationbetweenthem,andwhattheobjectofhisrepeatedvisits?Wasshehisclient,hisfriend,orhismistress?Iftheformer,shehadprobablytransferredthephotographtohiskeeping.Ifthelatter,itwaslesslikely.OntheissueofthisquestiondependedwhetherIshouldcontinuemyworkatBrionyLodge,orturnmyattentiontothegentleman’schambersintheTemple.Itwasadelicatepoint,anditwidenedthefieldofmyinquiry.IfearthatIboreyouwiththesedetails,butIhavetoletyouseemylittledifficulties,ifyouaretounderstandthesituation.” “Iamfollowingyouclosely,”Ianswered. “IwasstillbalancingthematterinmymindwhenahansomcabdroveuptoBrionyLodge,andagentlemansprangout.Hewasaremarkablyhandsomeman,dark,aquiline,andmoustached—evidentlythemanofwhomIhadheard.Heappearedtobeinagreathurry,shoutedtothecabmantowait,andbrushedpastthemaidwhoopenedthedoorwiththeairofamanwhowasthoroughlyathome. “Hewasinthehouseabouthalfanhour,andIcouldcatchglimpsesofhiminthewindowsofthesitting-room,pacingupanddown,talkingexcitedly,andwavinghisarms.OfherIcouldseenothing.Presentlyheemerged,lookingevenmoreflurriedthanbefore.Ashesteppeduptothecab,hepulledagoldwatchfromhispocketandlookedatitearnestly,‘Drivelikethedevil,’heshouted,‘firsttoGross&Hankey’sinRegentStreet,andthentotheChurchofSt.MonicaintheEdgewareRoad.Halfaguineaifyoudoitintwentyminutes!’ “Awaytheywent,andIwasjustwonderingwhetherIshouldnotdowelltofollowthemwhenupthelanecameaneatlittlelandau,thecoachmanwithhiscoatonlyhalf-buttoned,andhistieunderhisear,whileallthetagsofhisharnesswerestickingoutofthebuckles.Ithadn’tpulledupbeforesheshotoutofthehalldoorandintoit.Ionlycaughtaglimpseofheratthemoment,butshewasalovelywoman,withafacethatamanmightdiefor. “‘TheChurchofSt.Monica,John,’shecried,‘andhalfasovereignifyoureachitintwentyminutes.’ “Thiswasquitetoogoodtolose,Watson.IwasjustbalancingwhetherIshouldrunforit,orwhetherIshouldperchbehindherlandauwhenacabcamethroughthestreet.Thedriverlookedtwiceatsuchashabbyfare,butIjumpedinbeforehecouldobject.‘TheChurchofSt.Monica,’saidI,‘andhalfasovereignifyoureachitintwentyminutes.’Itwastwenty-fiveminutestotwelve,andofcourseitwasclearenoughwhatwasinthewind. “Mycabbydrovefast.Idon’tthinkIeverdrovefaster,buttheothersweretherebeforeus.ThecabandthelandauwiththeirsteaminghorseswereinfrontofthedoorwhenIarrived.Ipaidthemanandhurriedintothechurch.TherewasnotasoultheresavethetwowhomIhadfollowedandasurplicedclergyman,whoseemedtobeexpostulatingwiththem.Theywereallthreestandinginaknotinfrontofthealtar.Iloungedupthesideaislelikeanyotheridlerwhohasdroppedintoachurch.Suddenly,tomysurprise,thethreeatthealtarfacedroundtome,andGodfreyNortoncamerunningashardashecouldtowardsme. “‘ThankGod,’hecried.‘You’lldo.Come!Come!’ “‘Whatthen?’Iasked. “‘Come,man,come,onlythreeminutes,oritwon’tbelegal.’ “Iwashalf-draggeduptothealtar,andbeforeIknewwhereIwasIfoundmyselfmumblingresponseswhichwerewhisperedinmyear,andvouchingforthingsofwhichIknewnothing,andgenerallyassistinginthesecuretyingupofIreneAdler,spinster,toGodfreyNorton,bachelor.Itwasalldoneinaninstant,andtherewasthegentlemanthankingmeontheonesideandtheladyontheother,whiletheclergymanbeamedonmeinfront.ItwasthemostpreposterouspositioninwhichIeverfoundmyselfinmylife,anditwasthethoughtofitthatstartedmelaughingjustnow.Itseemsthattherehadbeensomeinformalityabouttheirlicense,thattheclergymanabsolutelyrefusedtomarrythemwithoutawitnessofsomesort,andthatmyluckyappearancesavedthebridegroomfromhavingtosallyoutintothestreetsinsearchofabestman.Thebridegavemeasovereign,andImeantowearitonmywatchchaininmemoryoftheoccasion.” “Thisisaveryunexpectedturnofaffairs,”saidI“andwhatthen?” “Well,Ifoundmyplansveryseriouslymenaced.Itlookedasifthepairmighttake