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“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. |
Subsets and Splits