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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 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 find 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。〃
〃And for present expenses？〃
The King took a heavy chamois leather bag from under his cloak and
laid it on the table。
〃There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in notes；〃
he said。
Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a sheet of his note…book and
handed it to him。
〃And Mademoiselle's address？〃 he asked。
〃Is Briony Lodge； Serpentine Avenue； St。 John's Wood。〃
Holmes took a note of it。 〃One other question；〃 said he。 〃Was the
photograph a cabinet？〃
〃It was。〃
〃Then； good…night； your Majesty； and I trust that we shall soon have
some good news for you。 And good…night； Watson；〃 he added； as the
wheels of the royal brougham rolled down the street。 〃If you will be
good enough to call to…morrow afternoon at three o'clock I should like
to chat this little matter over with you。〃
2
At three o'clock precisely I was at Baker Street； but Holmes had not
yet returned。 The landlady informed me that he had left the house
shortly after eight o'clock in the morning。 I sat down beside the
fire； however； with the intention of awaiting him； however long he
might be。 I was already deeply interested in his inquiry； for；
though it was surrounded by none of the grim and strange features
which were associated with the two crimes which I have already
recorded； still； the nature of the case and the exalted station of his
client gave it a character of its own。 Indeed； apart from the nature
of the investigation which my friend had on hand； there was
something in his masterly grasp of a situation； and his keen； incisive
reasoning； which made it a pleasure to me to study his system of work；
and to follow the quick； subtle methods by which he disentangled the
most inextricable mysteries。 So accustomed was I to his invariable
success that the very possibility of his failing had ceased to enter
into my head。
It was close upon four before the door opened； and a drunken…looking
groom； ill…kempt and side…whiskered； with an inflamed face and
disreputable clothes； walked into the room。 Accustomed as I was to
my friend's amazing powers in the use of disguises； I had to look
three times before I was certain that it was indeed he。 With a nod
he