etothefire,andwewilltalkthismatterover.”
“Amostpainfulmattertome,asyoucanmostreadilyimagine,Mr.Holmes.Ihavebeencuttothequick.Iunderstandthatyouhavealreadymanagedseveraldelicatecasesofthissort,sir,thoughIpresumethattheywerehardlyfromthesameclassofsociety.”
“No,Iamdescending.”
“Ibegpardon.”
“Mylastclientofthesortwasaking.”
“Oh,really!Ihadnoidea.Andwhichking?”
“TheKingofScandinavia.”
“What!Hadhelosthiswife?”
“Youcanunderstand,”saidHolmessuavely,“thatIextendtotheaffairsofmyotherclientsthesamesecrecywhichIpromisetoyouinyours.”
“Ofcourse!Veryright!veryright!I’msureIbegpardon.Astomyowncase,Iamreadytogiveyouanyinformationwhichmayassistyouinforminganopinion.”
“Thankyou.Ihavealreadylearnedallthatisinthepublicprints,nothingmore.IpresumethatImaytakeitascorrect—thisarticle,forexample,astothedisappearanceofthebride.”
LordSt.Simonglancedoverit.“Yes,itiscorrect,asfarasitgoes.”
“Butitneedsagreatdealofsupplementingbeforeanyonecouldofferanopinion.IthinkthatImayarriveatmyfactsmostdirectlybyquestioningyou.”
“Praydoso.”
“WhendidyoufirstmeetMissHattyDoran?”
“InSanFrancisco,ayearago.”
“YouweretravellingintheStates?”
“Yes.”
“Didyoubecomeengagedthen?”
“No.”
“Butyouwereonafriendlyfooting?”
“Iwasamusedbyhersociety,andshecouldseethatIwasamused.”
“Herfatherisveryrich?”
“HeissaidtobetherichestmanonthePacificslope.”
“Andhowdidhemakehismoney?”
“Inmining.Hehadnothingafewyearsago.Thenhestruckgold,investedit,andcameupbyleapsandbounds.”
“Now,whatisyourownimpressionastotheyounglady’s—yourwife’scharacter?”
Thenoblemanswunghisglassesalittlefasterandstareddownintothefire.“Yousee,Mr.Holmes,”saidhe,“mywifewastwentybeforeherfatherbecamearichman.Duringthattimesheranfreeinaminingcampandwanderedthroughwoodsormountains,sothathereducationhascomefromNatureratherthanfromtheschoolmaster.SheiswhatwecallinEnglandatomboy,withastrongnature,wildandfree,unfetteredbyanysortoftraditions.Sheisimpetuous—volcanic,Iwasabouttosay.Sheisswiftinmakinguphermindandfearlessincarryingoutherresolutions.Ontheotherhand,IwouldnothavegivenherthenamewhichIhavethehonourtobear”—hegavealittlestatelycough—“hadInotthoughthertobeatbottomanoblewoman.Ibelievethatsheiscapableofheroicself-sacrificeandthatanythingdishonourablewouldberepugnanttoher.”
“Haveyouherphotograph?”
“Ibroughtthiswithme.”Heopenedalocketandshowedusthefullfaceofaverylovelywoman.Itwasnotaphotographbutanivoryminiature,andtheartisthadbroughtoutthefulleffectofthelustrousblackhair,thelargedarkeyes,andtheexquisitemouth.Holmesgazedlongandearnestlyatit.ThenheclosedthelocketandhandeditbacktoLordSt.Simon.
“TheyoungladycametoLondon,then,andyourenewedyouracquaintance?”
“Yes,herfatherbroughtheroverforthislastLondonseason.Imetherseveraltimes,becameengagedtoher,andhavenowmarriedher.”
“Shebrought,Iunderstand,aconsiderabledowry?”
“Afairdowry.Notmorethanisusualinmyfamily.”
“Andthis,ofcourse,remainstoyou,sincethemarriageisafaitaccompli?”
“Ireallyhavemadenoinquiriesonthesubject.”
“Verynaturallynot.DidyouseeMissDoranonthedaybeforethewedding?”
“Yes.”
“Wassheingoodspirits?”
“Neverbetter.Shekepttalkingofwhatweshoulddoinourfuturelives.”
“Indeed!Thatisveryinteresting.Andonthemorningofthewedding?”
“Shewasasbrightaspossible—atleastuntilaftertheceremony.”
“Anddidyouobserveanychangeinherthen?”
“Well,totellthetruth,IsawthenthefirstsignsthatIhadeverseenthathertemperwasjustalittlesharp.Theincidenthowever,wastootrivialtorelateandcanhavenopossiblebearinguponthecase.”
“Prayletushaveit,forallthat.”
“Oh,itischildish.Shedroppedherbouquetaswewenttowardsthevestry.Shewaspassingthefrontpewatthetime,anditfelloverintothepew