X.THE ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR

?”criedLestradewithsomebitterness.“Iamafraid,Holmes,thatyouarenotverypracticalwithyourdeductionsandyourinferences.Youhavemadetwoblundersinasmanyminutes.ThisdressdoesimplicateMissFloraMillar.” “Andhow?” “Inthedressisapocket.Inthepocketisacard-case.Inthecard-caseisanote.Andhereistheverynote.”Heslappeditdownuponthetableinfrontofhim.“Listentothis:‘Youwillseemewhenallisready.Comeatonce.F.H.M.’NowmytheoryallalonghasbeenthatLadySt.SimonwasdecoyedawaybyFloraMillar,andthatshe,withconfederates,nodoubt,wasresponsibleforherdisappearance.Here,signedwithherinitials,istheverynotewhichwasnodoubtquietlyslippedintoherhandatthedoorandwhichluredherwithintheirreach.” “Verygood,Lestrade,”saidHolmes,laughing.“Youreallyareveryfineindeed.Letmeseeit.”Hetookupthepaperinalistlessway,buthisattentioninstantlybecameriveted,andhegavealittlecryofsatisfaction.“Thisisindeedimportant,”saidhe. “Ha!youfinditso?” “Extremelyso.Icongratulateyouwarmly.” Lestraderoseinhistriumphandbenthisheadtolook.“Why,”heshrieked,“you’relookingatthewrongside!” “Onthecontrary,thisistherightside.” “Therightside?You’remad!Hereisthenotewritteninpenciloverhere.” “Andoverhereiswhatappearstobethefragmentofahotelbill,whichinterestsmedeeply.” “There’snothinginit.Ilookedatitbefore,”saidLestrade.“‘Oct.4th,rooms8s.,breakfast2s.6d.,cocktail1s.,lunch2s.6d.,glasssherry,8d.’Iseenothinginthat.” “Verylikelynot.Itismostimportant,allthesame.Astothenote,itisimportantalso,oratleasttheinitialsare,soIcongratulateyouagain.” “I’vewastedtimeenough,”saidLestrade,rising.“Ibelieveinhardworkandnotinsittingbythefirespinningfinetheories.Good-day,Mr.Holmes,andweshallseewhichgetstothebottomofthematterfirst.”Hegatheredupthegarments,thrustthemintothebag,andmadeforthedoor. “Justonehinttoyou,Lestrade,”drawledHolmesbeforehisrivalvanished“Iwilltellyouthetruesolutionofthematter.LadySt.Simonisamyth.Thereisnot,andthereneverhasbeen,anysuchperson.” Lestradelookedsadlyatmycompanion.Thenheturnedtome,tappedhisforeheadthreetimes,shookhisheadsolemnly,andhurriedaway. HehadhardlyshutthedoorbehindhimwhenHolmesrosetoputonhisovercoat.“Thereissomethinginwhatthefellowsaysaboutoutdoorwork,”heremarked,“soIthink,Watson,thatImustleaveyoutoyourpapersforalittle.” Itwasafterfiveo’clockwhenSherlockHolmesleftme,butIhadnotimetobelonely,forwithinanhourtherearrivedaconfectioner’smanwithaverylargeflatbox.Thisheunpackedwiththehelpofayouthwhomhehadbroughtwithhim,andpresently,tomyverygreatastonishment,aquiteepicureanlittlecoldsupperbegantobelaidoutuponourhumblelodging-housemahogany.Therewereacoupleofbraceofcoldwoodcock,apheasant,apatédefoiegraspiewithagroupofancientandcobwebbybottles.Havinglaidoutalltheseluxuries,mytwovisitorsvanishedaway,likethegeniioftheArabianNights,withnoexplanationsavethatthethingshadbeenpaidforandwereorderedtothisaddress. Justbeforenineo’clockSherlockHolmessteppedbrisklyintotheroom.Hisfeaturesweregravelyset,buttherewasalightinhiseyewhichmademethinkthathehadnotbeendisappointedinhisconclusions. “Theyhavelaidthesupper,then,”hesaid,rubbinghishands. “Youseemtoexpectcompany.Theyhavelaidforfive.” “Yes,Ifancywemayhavesomecompanydroppingin,”saidhe.“IamsurprisedthatLordSt.Simonhasnotalreadyarrived.Ha!IfancythatIhearhisstepnowuponthestairs.” Itwasindeedourvisitoroftheafternoonwhocamebustlingin,danglinghisglassesmorevigorouslythanever,andwithaveryperturbedexpressionuponhisaristocraticfeatures. “Mymessengerreachedyou,then?”askedHolmes. “Yes,andIconfessthatthecontentsstartledmebeyondmeasure.Haveyougoodauthorityforwhatyousay?” “Thebestpossible.” LordSt.Simonsankintoachairandpassedhishandoverhisforehead. “WhatwilltheDukesay,”hemurmured,“whenhehearsthatoneofthefamilyhasbeensubjectedtosuchhumiliation?” “Itisthepurestaccident.Icannotallowthatthereisanyhumiliation.” “Ah,youlookonthesethingsfromanotherstandpoint.” “Ifailtoseethatanyoneistoblame.Icanhardlyseehowtheladycouldhaveactedotherwise,thoughherabruptmethodofdoingitwasundoubtedlytoberegretted.Havingnomother,shehadnoonetoadviseheratsuchacrisis.” “Itwasaslight,sir,apublicslight,”saidLordSt.Simon,tappinghisfingersuponthetable. “Youmustmakeallowanceforthispoorgirl,placedinsounprecedentedaposition.” “Iwillmakenoallowance.Iamveryangryindeed,andIhavebeenshamefullyused.” “IthinkthatIheardaring,”saidHolmes.“Yes,therearestepsonthelanding.IfIcannotpersuadeyoutotakealenientviewofthematter,LordSt.Simon,Ihavebroughtanadvocateherewhomaybemoresuccessful.”Heopenedthedoorandusheredinaladyandgentleman.“LordSt.Simon,”saidhe“allowmetointroduceyoutoMr.andMrs.FrancisHayMoulton.Thelady,Ithink,youhavealreadymet.” Atthesightofthesenewcomersourclienthadsprungfromhisseatandstoodveryerect,withhiseyescastdownandhishandthrustintothebreastofhisfrock-coat,apictureofoffendeddignity.Theladyhadtakenaquickstepforwardandhadheldoutherhandtohim,buthestillrefusedtoraisehiseyes.Itwasaswellforhisresolution,perhaps,forherpleadingfacewasonewhichitwashardtoresist. “You’reangry,Robert,”saidshe.“Well,Iguessyouhaveeverycausetobe.” “Praymakenoapologytome,”saidLordSt.Simonbitterly. “Oh,yes,IknowthatIhavetreatedyourealbadandthatIshouldhavespokentoyoubeforeIwentbutIwaskindofrattled,andfromthetimewhenIsawFrankhereagainIjustdidn’tknowwhatIwasdoingorsaying.IonlywonderIdidn’tfalldownanddoafaintrighttherebeforethealtar.” “Perhaps,Mrs.Moulton,youwouldlikemyfriendandmetoleavetheroomwhileyouexplainthismatter?” “IfImaygiveanopinion,”remarkedthestrangegentleman,“we’vehadjustalittletoomuchsecrecyoverthisbusinessalready.Formypart,IshouldlikeallEuropeandAmericatoheartherightsofit.”Hewasasmall,wiry,sunburntman,clean-shaven,withasharpfaceandalertmanner. “ThenI’lltellourstoryrightaway,”saidthelady.“FrankhereandImetin’84,inMcQuire’scamp,neartheRockies,wherePawasworkingaclaim.Wewereengagedtoeachother,FrankandIbutthenonedayfatherstruckarichpocketandmadeapile,whilepoorFrankherehadaclaimthatpeteredoutandcametonothing.ThericherPagrewthepoorerwasFranksoatlastPawouldn’thearofourengagementlastinganylonger,andhetookmeawayto’Frisco.Frankwouldn’tthrowuphishand,thoughsohefollowedmethere,andhesawmewithoutPaknowinganythingaboutit.Itwouldonlyhavemadehimmadtoknow,sowejustfixeditallupforourselves.Franksaidthathewouldgoandmakehispile,too,andnevercomebacktoclaimmeuntilhehadasmuchasPa.SothenIpromisedtowaitforhimtotheendoftimeandpledgedmyselfnottomarryanyoneelsewhilehelived.‘Whyshouldn’twebemarriedrightaway,then,’saidhe,‘andthenIwillfeelsureofyouandIwon’tclaimtobeyourhusbanduntilIcomeback?’Well,wetalkeditover,andhehadfixeditallupsonicely,withaclergymanallreadyinwaiting,thatwejustdiditrightthereandthenFrankwentofftoseekhisfortune,andIwentbacktoPa. “ThenextIheardofFrankwasthathewasinMontana,andthenhewentprospectinginArizona,andthenIheardofhimfromNewMexico.Afterthatcamealongnewspaperstoryabouthowaminers’camphadbeenattackedbyApacheIndians,andtherewasmyFrank’snameamongthekilled.Ifainteddeadaway,andIwasverysickformonthsafter.PathoughtIhadadeclineandtookmetohalfthedoctorsin’Frisco.Notawordofnewscameforayearandmore,sothatIneverdoubtedthatFrankwasreallydead.ThenLordSt.Simoncameto’Frisco,andwecametoLondon,andamarriagewasarranged,andPawasverypleased,butIfeltallthetimethatnomanonthisearthwouldevertaketheplaceinmyheartthathadbeengiventomypoorFrank. “Still,ifIhadmarriedLordSt.Simon,ofcourseI’dha