outhim.WhenIhadlistenedtoalltheyhadtotell,IbegantowalkupanddownnearBrionyLodgeoncemore,andtothinkovermyplanofcampaign.
“ThisGodfreyNortonwasevidentlyanimportantfactorinthematter.Hewasalawyer.Thatsoundedominous.Whatwastherelationbetweenthem,andwhattheobjectofhisrepeatedvisits?Wasshehisclient,hisfriend,orhismistress?Iftheformer,shehadprobablytransferredthephotographtohiskeeping.Ifthelatter,itwaslesslikely.OntheissueofthisquestiondependedwhetherIshouldcontinuemyworkatBrionyLodge,orturnmyattentiontothegentleman’schambersintheTemple.Itwasadelicatepoint,anditwidenedthefieldofmyinquiry.IfearthatIboreyouwiththesedetails,butIhavetoletyouseemylittledifficulties,ifyouaretounderstandthesituation.”
“Iamfollowingyouclosely,”Ianswered.
“IwasstillbalancingthematterinmymindwhenahansomcabdroveuptoBrionyLodge,andagentlemansprangout.Hewasaremarkablyhandsomeman,dark,aquiline,andmoustached—evidentlythemanofwhomIhadheard.Heappearedtobeinagreathurry,shoutedtothecabmantowait,andbrushedpastthemaidwhoopenedthedoorwiththeairofamanwhowasthoroughlyathome.
“Hewasinthehouseabouthalfanhour,andIcouldcatchglimpsesofhiminthewindowsofthesitting-room,pacingupanddown,talkingexcitedly,andwavinghisarms.OfherIcouldseenothing.Presentlyheemerged,lookingevenmoreflurriedthanbefore.Ashesteppeduptothecab,hepulledagoldwatchfromhispocketandlookedatitearnestly,‘Drivelikethedevil,’heshouted,‘firsttoGross&Hankey’sinRegentStreet,andthentotheChurchofSt.MonicaintheEdgewareRoad.Halfaguineaifyoudoitintwentyminutes!’
“Awaytheywent,andIwasjustwonderingwhetherIshouldnotdowelltofollowthemwhenupthelanecameaneatlittlelandau,thecoachmanwithhiscoatonlyhalf-buttoned,andhistieunderhisear,whileallthetagsofhisharnesswerestickingoutofthebuckles.Ithadn’tpulledupbeforesheshotoutofthehalldoorandintoit.Ionlycaughtaglimpseofheratthemoment,butshewasalovelywoman,withafacethatamanmightdiefor.
“‘TheChurchofSt.Monica,John,’shecried,‘andhalfasovereignifyoureachitintwentyminutes.’
“Thiswasquitetoogoodtolose,Watson.IwasjustbalancingwhetherIshouldrunforit,orwhetherIshouldperchbehindherlandauwhenacabcamethroughthestreet.Thedriverlookedtwiceatsuchashabbyfare,butIjumpedinbeforehecouldobject.‘TheChurchofSt.Monica,’saidI,‘andhalfasovereignifyoureachitintwentyminutes.’Itwastwenty-fiveminutestotwelve,andofcourseitwasclearenoughwhatwasinthewind.
“Mycabbydrovefast.Idon’tthinkIeverdrovefaster,buttheothersweretherebeforeus.ThecabandthelandauwiththeirsteaminghorseswereinfrontofthedoorwhenIarrived.Ipaidthemanandhurriedintothechurch.TherewasnotasoultheresavethetwowhomIhadfollowedandasurplicedclergyman,whoseemedtobeexpostulatingwiththem.Theywereallthreestandinginaknotinfrontofthealtar.Iloungedupthesideaislelikeanyotheridlerwhohasdroppedintoachurch.Suddenly,tomysurprise,thethreeatthealtarfacedroundtome,andGodfreyNortoncamerunningashardashecouldtowardsme.
“‘ThankGod,’hecried.‘You’lldo.Come!Come!’
“‘Whatthen?’Iasked.
“‘Come,man,come,onlythreeminutes,oritwon’tbelegal.’
“Iwashalf-draggeduptothealtar,andbeforeIknewwhereIwasIfoundmyselfmumblingresponseswhichwerewhisperedinmyear,andvouchingforthingsofwhichIknewnothing,andgenerallyassistinginthesecuretyingupofIreneAdler,spinster,toGodfreyNorton,bachelor.Itwasalldoneinaninstant,andtherewasthegentlemanthankingmeontheonesideandtheladyontheother,whiletheclergymanbeamedonmeinfront.ItwasthemostpreposterouspositioninwhichIeverfoundmyselfinmylife,anditwasthethoughtofitthatstartedmelaughingjustnow.Itseemsthattherehadbeensomeinformalityabouttheirlicense,thattheclergymanabsolutelyrefusedtomarrythemwithoutawitnessofsomesort,andthatmyluckyappearancesavedthebridegroomfromhavingtosallyoutintothestreetsinsearchofabestman.Thebridegavemeasovereign,andImeantowearitonmywatchchaininmemoryoftheoccasion.”
“Thisisaveryunexpectedturnofaffairs,”saidI“andwhatthen?”
“Well,Ifoundmyplansveryseriouslymenaced.Itlookedasifthepairmighttakeani