X.THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR

TheLordSt.Simonmarriage,anditscurioustermination,havelongceasedtobeasubjectofinterestinthoseexaltedcirclesinwhichtheunfortunatebridegroommoves.Freshscandalshaveeclipsedit,andtheirmorepiquantdetailshavedrawnthegossipsawayfromthisfour-year-olddrama.AsIhavereasontobelieve,however,thatthefullfactshaveneverbeenrevealedtothegeneralpublic,andasmyfriendSherlockHolmeshadaconsiderableshareinclearingthematterup,Ifeelthatnomemoirofhimwouldbecompletewithoutsomelittlesketchofthisremarkableepisode. Itwasafewweeksbeforemyownmarriage,duringthedayswhenIwasstillsharingroomswithHolmesinBakerStreet,thathecamehomefromanafternoonstrolltofindaletteronthetablewaitingforhim.Ihadremainedindoorsallday,fortheweatherhadtakenasuddenturntorain,withhighautumnalwinds,andthejezailbulletwhichIhadbroughtbackinoneofmylimbsasarelicofmyAfghancampaignthrobbedwithdullpersistence.Withmybodyinoneeasy-chairandmylegsuponanother,Ihadsurroundedmyselfwithacloudofnewspapersuntilatlast,saturatedwiththenewsoftheday,Itossedthemallasideandlaylistless,watchingthehugecrestandmonogramupontheenvelopeuponthetableandwonderinglazilywhomyfriend’snoblecorrespondentcouldbe. “Hereisaveryfashionableepistle,”Iremarkedasheentered.“Yourmorningletters,ifIrememberright,werefromafish-mongerandatide-waiter.” “Yes,mycorrespondencehascertainlythecharmofvariety,”heanswered,smiling,“andthehumblerareusuallythemoreinteresting.Thislookslikeoneofthoseunwelcomesocialsummonseswhichcalluponamaneithertobeboredortolie.” Hebrokethesealandglancedoverthecontents. “Oh,come,itmayprovetobesomethingofinterest,afterall.” “Notsocial,then?” “No,distinctlyprofessional.” “Andfromanobleclient?” “OneofthehighestinEngland.” “Mydearfellow,Icongratulateyou.” “Iassureyou,Watson,withoutaffectation,thatthestatusofmyclientisamatteroflessmomenttomethantheinterestofhiscase.Itisjustpossible,however,thatthatalsomaynotbewantinginthisnewinvestigation.Youhavebeenreadingthepapersdiligentlyoflate,haveyounot?” “Itlookslikeit,”saidIruefully,pointingtoahugebundleinthecorner.“Ihavehadnothingelsetodo.” “Itisfortunate,foryouwillperhapsbeabletopostmeup.Ireadnothingexceptthecriminalnewsandtheagonycolumn.Thelatterisalwaysinstructive.ButifyouhavefollowedrecenteventssocloselyyoumusthavereadaboutLordSt.Simonandhiswedding?” “Oh,yes,withthedeepestinterest.” “Thatiswell.TheletterwhichIholdinmyhandisfromLordSt.Simon.Iwillreadittoyou,andinreturnyoumustturnoverthesepapersandletmehavewhateverbearsuponthematter.Thisiswhathesays: “‘MYDEARMR.SHERLOCKHOLMES,—LordBackwatertellsmethatImayplaceimplicitrelianceuponyourjudgmentanddiscretion.Ihavedetermined,therefore,tocalluponyouandtoconsultyouinreferencetotheverypainfuleventwhichhasoccurredinconnectionwithmywedding.Mr.Lestrade,ofScotlandYard,isactingalreadyinthematter,butheassuresmethatheseesnoobjectiontoyourco-operation,andthatheeventhinksthatitmightbeofsomeassistance.Iwillcallatfouro’clockintheafternoon,and,shouldyouhaveanyotherengagementatthattime,Ihopethatyouwillpostponeit,asthismatterisofparamountimportance.Yoursfaithfully, “‘ROBERTST.SIMON.’ “ItisdatedfromGrosvenorMansions,writtenwithaquillpen,andthenoblelordhashadthemisfortunetogetasmearofinkupontheoutersideofhisrightlittlefinger,”remarkedHolmesashefoldeduptheepistle. “Hesaysfouro’clock.Itisthreenow.Hewillbehereinanhour.” “ThenIhavejusttime,withyourassistance,togetclearuponthesubject.Turnoverthosepapersandarrangetheextractsintheirorderoftime,whileItakeaglanceastowhoourclientis.”Hepickedared-coveredvolumefromalineofbooksofreferencebesidethemantelpiece.“Hereheis,”saidhe,sittingdownandflatteningitoutuponhisknee.“‘LordRobertWalsinghamdeVereSt.Simon,secondsonoftheDukeofBalmoral.’Hum!‘Arms:Azure,threecaltropsinchiefoverafesssable.Bornin1846.’He’sforty-oneyearsofage,whichismatureformarriage.WasUnder-Secretaryforthecoloniesinalateadministration.TheDuke,hisfather,wasatonetimeSecretaryforForeignAffairs.TheyinheritPlantagenetbloodbydirectdescent,andTudoronthedistaffside.Ha!Well,thereisnothingveryinstructiveinallthis.IthinkthatImustturntoyouWatson,forsomethingmoresolid.” “IhaveverylittledifficultyinfindingwhatIwant,”saidI,“forthefactsarequiterecent,andthematterstruckmeasremarkable.Ifearedtoreferthemtoyou,however,asIknewthatyouhadaninquiryonhandandthatyoudislikedtheintrusionofothermatters.” “Oh,youmeanthelittleproblemoftheGrosvenorSquarefurniturevan.Thatisquiteclearedupnow—though,indeed,itwasobviousfromthefirst.Praygivemetheresultsofyournewspaperselections.” “HereisthefirstnoticewhichIcanfind.ItisinthepersonalcolumnoftheMorningPost,anddates,asyousee,someweeksback:‘Amarriagehasbeenarranged,’itsays,‘andwill,ifrumouriscorrect,veryshortlytakeplace,betweenLordRobertSt.Simon,secondsonoftheDukeofBalmoral,andMissHattyDoran,theonlydaughterofAloysiusDoran.Esq.,ofSanFrancisco,Cal.,U.S.A.’Thatisall.” “Terseandtothepoint,”remarkedHolmes,stretchinghislong,thinlegstowardsthefire. “Therewasaparagraphamplifyingthisinoneofthesocietypapersofthesameweek.Ah,hereitis:‘Therewillsoonbeacallforprotectioninthemarriagemarket,forthepresentfree-tradeprincipleappearstotellheavilyagainstourhomeproduct.OnebyonethemanagementofthenoblehousesofGreatBritainispassingintothehandsofourfaircousinsfromacrosstheAtlantic.Animportantadditionhasbeenmadeduringthelastweektothelistoftheprizeswhichhavebeenborneawaybythesecharminginvaders.LordSt.Simon,whohasshownhimselfforovertwentyyearsproofagainstthelittlegod’sarrows,hasnowdefinitelyannouncedhisapproachingmarriagewithMissHattyDoran,thefascinatingdaughterofaCaliforniamillionaire.MissDoran,whosegracefulfigureandstrikingfaceattractedmuchattentionattheWestburyHousefestivities,isanonlychild,anditiscurrentlyreportedthatherdowrywillruntoconsiderablyoverthesixfigures,withexpectanciesforthefuture.AsitisanopensecretthattheDukeofBalmoralhasbeencompelledtosellhispictureswithinthelastfewyears,andasLordSt.SimonhasnopropertyofhisownsavethesmallestateofBirchmoor,itisobviousthattheCalifornianheiressisnottheonlygainerbyanalliancewhichwillenablehertomaketheeasyandcommontransitionfromaRepublicanladytoaBritishpeeress.’” “Anythingelse?”askedHolmes,yawning. “Oh,yesplenty.ThenthereisanothernoteintheMorningPosttosaythatthemarriagewouldbeanabsolutelyquietone,thatitwouldbeatSt.George’s,HanoverSquare,thatonlyhalfadozenintimatefriendswouldbeinvited,andthatthepartywouldreturntothefurnishedhouseatLancasterGatewhichhasbeentakenbyMr.AloysiusDoran.Twodayslater—thatis,onWednesdaylast—thereisacurtannouncementthattheweddinghadtakenplace,andthatthehoneymoonwouldbepassedatLordBackwater’splace,nearPetersfield.Thoseareallthenoticeswhichappearedbeforethedisappearanceofthebride.” “Beforethewhat?”askedHolmeswithastart. “Thevanishingofthelady.” “Whendidshevanish,then?” “Attheweddingbreakfast.” “Indeed.Thisismoreinterestingthanitpromisedtobequitedramatic,infact.” “Yesitstruckmeasbeingalittleoutofthecommon.” “Theyoftenvanishbeforetheceremony,andoccasionallyduringthehoneymoonbutIcannotcalltomindanythingquitesopromptasthis.Prayletmehavethedetails.” “Iwarnyouthattheyareveryincomplete.” “Perhapswemaymakethemlessso.” “Suchastheyare,theyaresetforthinasinglearticleofamorningpaperofyesterday,whichIwillreadtoyou.Itisheaded,‘SingularOccurrenceataFashionableWedding’: “‘ThefamilyofLordRobertSt.Simonhasbeenthrownintothegreatestconsternationbythestrangeandpainfulepisodeswhich