m!‘Arms:Azure,threecaltropsinchiefoverafesssable.Bornin1846.’He’sforty-oneyearsofage,whichismatureformarriage.WasUnder-Secretaryforthecoloniesinalateadministration.TheDuke,hisfather,wasatonetimeSecretaryforForeignAffairs.TheyinheritPlantagenetbloodbydirectdescent,andTudoronthedistaffside.Ha!Well,thereisnothingveryinstructiveinallthis.IthinkthatImustturntoyouWatson,forsomethingmoresolid.”
“IhaveverylittledifficultyinfindingwhatIwant,”saidI,“forthefactsarequiterecent,andthematterstruckmeasremarkable.Ifearedtoreferthemtoyou,however,asIknewthatyouhadaninquiryonhandandthatyoudislikedtheintrusionofothermatters.”
“Oh,youmeanthelittleproblemoftheGrosvenorSquarefurniturevan.Thatisquiteclearedupnow—though,indeed,itwasobviousfromthefirst.Praygivemetheresultsofyournewspaperselections.”
“HereisthefirstnoticewhichIcanfind.ItisinthepersonalcolumnoftheMorningPost,anddates,asyousee,someweeksback:‘Amarriagehasbeenarranged,’itsays,‘andwill,ifrumouriscorrect,veryshortlytakeplace,betweenLordRobertSt.Simon,secondsonoftheDukeofBalmoral,andMissHattyDoran,theonlydaughterofAloysiusDoran.Esq.,ofSanFrancisco,Cal.,U.S.A.’Thatisall.”
“Terseandtothepoint,”remarkedHolmes,stretchinghislong,thinlegstowardsthefire.
“Therewasaparagraphamplifyingthisinoneofthesocietypapersofthesameweek.Ah,hereitis:‘Therewillsoonbeacallforprotectioninthemarriagemarket,forthepresentfree-tradeprincipleappearstotellheavilyagainstourhomeproduct.OnebyonethemanagementofthenoblehousesofGreatBritainispassingintothehandsofourfaircousinsfromacrosstheAtlantic.Animportantadditionhasbeenmadeduringthelastweektothelistoftheprizeswhichhavebeenborneawaybythesecharminginvaders.LordSt.Simon,whohasshownhimselfforovertwentyyearsproofagainstthelittlegod’sarrows,hasnowdefinitelyannouncedhisapproachingmarriagewithMissHattyDoran,thefascinatingdaughterofaCaliforniamillionaire.MissDoran,whosegracefulfigureandstrikingfaceattractedmuchattentionattheWestburyHousefestivities,isanonlychild,anditiscurrentlyreportedthatherdowrywillruntoconsiderablyoverthesixfigures,withexpectanciesforthefuture.AsitisanopensecretthattheDukeofBalmoralhasbeencompelledtosellhispictureswithinthelastfewyears,andasLordSt.SimonhasnopropertyofhisownsavethesmallestateofBirchmoor,itisobviousthattheCalifornianheiressisnottheonlygainerbyanalliancewhichwillenablehertomaketheeasyandcommontransitionfromaRepublicanladytoaBritishpeeress.’”
“Anythingelse?”askedHolmes,yawning.
“Oh,yesplenty.ThenthereisanothernoteintheMorningPosttosaythatthemarriagewouldbeanabsolutelyquietone,thatitwouldbeatSt.George’s,HanoverSquare,thatonlyhalfadozenintimatefriendswouldbeinvited,andthatthepartywouldreturntothefurnishedhouseatLancasterGatewhichhasbeentakenbyMr.AloysiusDoran.Twodayslater—thatis,onWednesdaylast—thereisacurtannouncementthattheweddinghadtakenplace,andthatthehoneymoonwouldbepassedatLordBackwater’splace,nearPetersfield.Thoseareallthenoticeswhichappearedbeforethedisappearanceofthebride.”
“Beforethewhat?”askedHolmeswithastart.
“Thevanishingofthelady.”
“Whendidshevanish,then?”
“Attheweddingbreakfast.”
“Indeed.Thisismoreinterestingthanitpromisedtobequitedramatic,infact.”
“Yesitstruckmeasbeingalittleoutofthecommon.”
“Theyoftenvanishbeforetheceremony,andoccasionallyduringthehoneymoonbutIcannotcalltomindanythingquitesopromptasthis.Prayletmehavethedetails.”
“Iwarnyouthattheyareveryincomplete.”
“Perhapswemaymakethemlessso.”
“Suchastheyare,theyaresetforthinasinglearticleofamorningpaperofyesterday,whichIwillreadtoyou.Itisheaded,‘SingularOccurrenceataFashionableWedding’:
“‘ThefamilyofLordRobertSt.Simonhasbeenthrownintothegreatestconsternationbythestrangeandpainfulepisodeswhichh