The note was undated, and without either signature or address.
"There will call upon you to-night, at a quarter to eight o'clock," it said, "a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of the very deepest moment. Your recent services to one of the royal houses of Europe have shown that you are one who may safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated. This account of you we have from all quarters received. Be in your chamber1 then at that hour, and do not take it amiss if your visitor wear a mask.
"This is indeed a mystery," I remarked. "What do you imagine that it means?"
"I have no data yet. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. But the note itself. What do you deduce from it?"
I carefully examined the writing, and the paper upon which it was written.
"The man who wrote it was presumably well to do," I remarked, endeavoring to imitate my companion's processes. "Such paper could not be bought under half a crown a packet. It is peculiarly strong and stiff."
"Peculiar2--that is the very word," said Holmes. "It is not an English paper at all. Hold it up to the light."
I did so, and saw a large "E" with a small "g," a "P," and a large "G" with a small "t" woven into the texture3 of the paper.
"What do you make of that?" asked Holmes.
"The name of the maker4, no doubt; or his monogram5, rather."
"Not at all. The 'G' with the small 't' stands for 'Gesellschaft,' which is the German for 'Company.' It is a customary contraction6 like our 'Co.' 'P,' of course, stands for 'Papier.' Now for the 'Eg.' Let us glance at our Continental7 Gazetteer8." He took down a heavy brown volume from his shelves. "Eglow, Eglonitz--here we are, Egria. It is in a German-speaking country--in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad. 'Remarkable10 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 triumphant11 cloud from his cigarette.
"The paper was made in Bohemia," I said.
"Precisely12. 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 remains13, 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 spoke14 there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs15 and grating wheels against the curb16, 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 authoritative17 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, be looked upon as akin9 to bad taste. Heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed18 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-colored silk and secured at the neck with a brooch which consisted of a single flaming beryl. Boots which extended halfway19 up his calves20, and which were trimmed at the tops with rich brown fur, completed the impression of barbaric opulence21 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 apparently22 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 obstinacy23.
"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 honor 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 honor and discretion24, 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 shrugged25 his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said he, "by binding26 you both to absolute secrecy27 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 delicacy28, and every precaution has to be taken to quench29 what might grow to be an immense scandal and seriously compromise one of the reigning30 families of Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates31 the great House of Ormstein, hereditary32 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 depicted33 to him as the most incisive34 reasoner and most energetic agent in Europe. Holmes slowly reopened his eyes and looked impatiently at his gigantic client.
"If your Majesty35 would condescend36 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 agitation37. Then, with a gesture of desperation, he tore the mask from his face and hurled38 it upon the ground. "You are right," he cried; "I am the King. Why should I attempt to conceal39 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 confide40 it to an agent without putting myself in his power. I have come incognito41 from Prague for the purpose of consulting you."
"Then, pray consult," said Holmes, shutting his eyes once more.
"The facts are briefly42 these: Some five years ago, during a lengthy43 visit to Warsaw, I made the acquaintance of the wellknown adventuress, Irene Adler. The name is no doubt familiar to you."
"Kindly44 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 monograph45 upon the deep-sea fishes.
"Let me see!" said Holmes. "Hum! Born in New Jersey46 in the year 1858. Contralto--hum! La Scala, hum! Prima donna Imperial Opera of Warsaw--yes! Retired47 from operatic stage--ha! Living in London--quite so! Your Majesty, as I understand, became entangled48 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 blackmailing49 or other purposes, how is she to prove their authenticity50?"
"There is the writing."
"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."
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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texture
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| n.(织物)质地；(材料)构造；结构；肌理 | |
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maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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monogram
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| n.字母组合 | |
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contraction
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| n.缩略词，缩写式，害病 | |
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continental
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| adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的 | |
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gazetteer
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| n.地名索引 | |
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akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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authoritative
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| adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的 | |
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slashed
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| v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减 | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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calves
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| n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解 | |
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opulence
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| n.财富，富裕 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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obstinacy
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| n.顽固；（病痛等）难治 | |
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discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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quench
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| vt.熄灭，扑灭；压制 | |
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reigning
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| adj.统治的，起支配作用的 | |
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implicates
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| n.牵涉，涉及（某人）( implicate的名词复数 )；表明（或意指）…是起因 | |
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hereditary
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| adj.遗传的，遗传性的，可继承的，世袭的 | |
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depicted
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| 描绘，描画( depict的过去式和过去分词 )； 描述 | |
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incisive
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| adj.敏锐的，机敏的，锋利的，切入的 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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condescend
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| v.俯就，屈尊；堕落，丢丑 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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conceal
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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incognito
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| adv.匿名地；n.隐姓埋名；adj.化装的，用假名的，隐匿姓名身份的 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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lengthy
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| adj.漫长的，冗长的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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monograph
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| n.专题文章，专题著作 | |
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jersey
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| n.运动衫 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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48
entangled
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| adj.卷入的；陷入的；被缠住的；缠在一起的v.使某人（某物/自己）缠绕，纠缠于（某物中），使某人（自己）陷入（困难或复杂的环境中）( entangle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
blackmailing
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| 胁迫，尤指以透露他人不体面行为相威胁以勒索钱财( blackmail的现在分词 ) | |
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50
authenticity
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| n.真实性 | |
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51
forgery
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| n.伪造的文件等，赝品，伪造（行为） | |
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