No. 1 The Adventure of the Illustrious Client by Arthur Conan Doyle
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the adventure of_the illustrious client

by Arthur Conan Doyle

" it can't hurt now," was Mr Sherlock Holmes's comment when, for_the tenth time in as_many years, I asked his leave to reveal the following narrative . so it was_that at last I obtained permission to_put on record what_was, in some ways, the supreme moment of_my friend's career .

both Holmes and I had a weakness for_the Turkish bath . it_was over a smoke in_the pleasant lassitude of_the drying- room that I_have found him less reticent and more human than anywhere else . on_the upper floor of_the Northumberland avenue establishment there_is an isolated corner where two couches lie side by side, and it_was on_these that we lay upon September 3, 1902, the day when my narrative begins .I had asked him whether anything was stirring, and for answer he had shot his long, thin, nervous arm out_of_the sheets which enveloped him and had drawn an envelope from_the inside pocket of_the coat which hung beside him .

" it may_be some fussy, self- important fool; it may_be a matter of life or death," said he as he handed me the note ." I_know no more than this message tells me ."

it_was from_the Carlton club and dated the evening before . this_is what I_read:

sir James Damery presents his compliments to Mr Sherlock Holmes and will call upon him at 4:30 to- morrow . sir James begs to_say that_the matter upon_which he desires to consult Mr Holmes is very delicate and also very_important . he trusts, therefore, that Mr Holmes will make every effort to grant this interview, and_that he_will confirm it over the telephone to_the Carlton club .

" I_need not say that I_have confirmed it, Watson," said Holmes as I returned the paper ." do_you_know anything of_this man Damery ? "

" only that_this name is a household word in society ."

" well, I_can tell you a little more than that . he has rather a reputation for arranging delicate matters which are to_be kept out_of_the papers . you_may remember his negotiations with sir George Lewis over the Hammerford will case . he_is a man of_the world with a natural turn for diplomacy . I_am bound, therefore, to hope that_it_is not a false scent and_that he has some real need for_our assistance ."

" our ? "

" well, if_you_will_be so good, Watson ."

" I_shall_be honoured ."

" then you_have the hour -- 4:30 . until then we_can put the matter out of_our heads ."

i_was living in my own rooms in queen Anne street at_the_time, but i_was round at baker street before_the time named . sharp to_the half- hour, colonel sir James Damery was announced . it_is hardly necessary to describe him, for many will remember that large, bluff, honest personality, that broad, cleanshaven face, and, above all, that pleasant, mellow voice . frankness shone from_his gray Irish eyes, and good humour played round his Mobile, smiling lips . his lucent top- hat, his dark frock- coat, indeed, every detail, from_the pearl pin in_the black satin cravat to_the lavender spats over the varnished shoes, spoke of_the meticulous care in dress for_which he_was famous . the big, masterful aristocrat dominated the little room .

" of_course, i_was prepared to_find Dr .Watson," he remarked with a courteous bow ." his collaboration may_be very necessary, for we_are dealing on_this occasion, Mr Holmes, with a man to_whom violence is familiar and who_will, literally, stick at nothing . i_should say that_there_is no more dangerous man in Europe ."

" I_have_had several opponents to_whom that flattering term has_been applied," said Holmes with a smile ."Don't you smoke ? then you_will excuse me if I light my pipe . if your man is more dangerous than_the late professor Moriarty, or than_the living colonel Sebastian Moran, then he_is indeed worth meeting . may I ask his name ? "

" have_you ever heard of baron Gruner ? "

" you mean the Austrian murderer ? "

colonel Damery threw up his kid-gloved hands with a laugh ." there_is no getting past you, Mr Holmes ! wonderful ! so you_have already sized him up as a murderer ? "

" it_is my business to_follow the details of continental crime . who_could possibly have read what happened at Prague and_have any doubts as_to_the man's guilt ! it_was a purely technical legal point and_the suspicious death of a witness that saved him ! I_am as sure that he killed his wife when_the socalled ' accident' happened in_the Splugen pass as_if I had seen him do_it . I_knew, also, that he had come to England and had a presentiment that sooner or later he_would find me some work to_do . well, what has baron Gruner been up_to ? I presume it_is_not this old tragedy which_has come up again ? "

" no, it_is more serious than that . to revenge crime is important, but to_prevent it_is more so . it_is a terrible thing, Mr Holmes, to_see a dreadful event, an atrocious situation, preparing itself before_your eyes, to clearly understand whither it_will lead and yet to_be utterly unable to avert it . can a human being be placed in a more trying position ? "

" perhaps not ."

" then you_will sympathize with_the client in whose interests I_am acting ."

" I_did_not understand that you were merely an intermediary . who is_the principal ? "

" Mr Holmes, I_must beg you not to press that question . it_is important that i_should_be able to assure him that his honoured name has_been in no way dragged into_the matter . his motives are, to_the last degree, honourable and chivalrous, but he prefers to remain unknown . I_need not say that your fees will_be assured and_that you_will_be given a perfectly free hand . surely the actual name of your client is immaterial ? "

" I_am sorry," said Holmes ." I_am accustomed to_have mystery at one end of_my cases, but to_have it at both ends is too confusing . I_fear, sir James, that I_must decline to act ."

our visitor was greatly disturbed . his large, sensitive face was darkened with emotion and disappointment .

" you hardly realize the effect of your own action, Mr Holmes," said he ." you place me in a most serious dilemma for I_am perfectly certain that you_would_be proud to_take over the case if I_could give_you the facts, and yet a promise forbids me from revealing them all . may I, at_least, lay all that I_can before_you ? "

" by all means, so_long as_it_is understood that I commit myself to nothing ."

" that_is understood . in_the first place, you_have no_doubt heard of general de Merville ? "

"De Merville of Khyber fame ? yes, I_have heard of him ."

" he has a daughter, violet de Merville, young, rich, beautiful, accomplished, a wonder- woman in every way . it is_this daughter, this lovely, innocent girl, whom we_are endeavouring to save from_the clutches of a fiend ."

" baron Gruner has some hold over her, then ? "

" the strongest of all holds where a woman is concerned -- the hold of love . the fellow is, as_you_may_have heard, extraordinarily handsome, with a most fascinating manner .a gentle voice and_that air of romance and mystery which_means so_much to a woman . he_is said to_have the whole sex at his mercy and to have_made ample use of_the fact ."

" but how came such a man to meet a lady of_the standing of miss violet de Merville ? "

" it_was on aMediterranean yachting voyage . the company, though select, paid their own passages . no_doubt the promoters hardly realized the baron's true character until it_was too late . the villain attached himself to_the lady, and with_such effect that he has completely and absolutely won her heart . to_say that she loves him hardly expresses it . she dotes upon him, she_is obsessed by him . outside of him there_is nothing on earth . she will not hear one word against him . everything has_been_done to cure her of her madness, but in vain . to sum up, she proposes to marry him next_month . as she_is of age and has a will of iron, it_is hard to_know how to_prevent her ."

"Does she know about_the Austrian episode ? "

" the cunning devil has told her every unsavoury public scandal of_his past life, but always in_such_a_way as to_make himself out to_be an innocent martyr . she absolutely accepts his version and will listen to no other ."

" dear me ! but surely you_have inadvertently let out the name of your client ? it_is no_doubt general de Merville ."

our visitor fidgeted in_his chair .

" I_could deceive you by saying so, Mr Holmes, but it would_not_be true .De Merville is a broken man . the strong soldier has_been utterly demoralized by_this incident . he has lost the nerve which never failed him on_the battlefield and has become a weak, doddering old man, utterly incapable of contending with a brilliant, forceful rascal like this Austrian . my client however is an old friend, one who has known the general intimately for many years and taken a paternal interest in_this young girl since she wore short frocks . he cannot_see this tragedy consummated without some attempt to stop it . there_is nothing in_which Scotland yard can act . it_was his own suggestion that you_should_be called in, but it_was, as I_have said, on_the express stipulation that he should_not_be personally involved in_the matter . I_have no_doubt, Mr Holmes, with your great powers you_could easily trace my client back through me, but I_must ask_you, as a point of honour, to refrain from doing_so, and not to break in upon his incognito ."

Holmes gave a whimsical smile .

" i_think I_may safely promise that," said he ." I_may add that your problem interests me, and_that I_shall_be prepared to look into_it . how shall I keep in touch with_you ? "

" the Carlton club will_find me . but in_case of emergency, there_is a private telephone call, 'XX .31 .' "

Holmes noted it down and sat, still smiling, with_the open memorandum- book upon his knee .

" the baron's present address, please ? "

" Vernon lodge, near Kingston . it_is a large house . he has_been fortunate in some rather shady speculations and_is a rich man, which naturally makes him a more dangerous antagonist ."

" is he at home at present ? "

" yes ."

" apart from what you_have told me, can_you_give me any further information about_the man ? "

" he has expensive tastes . he_is a horse fancier . for a short time he played polo at Hurlingham, but then this Prague affair got noised about and he had to leave . he collects books and pictures . he_is a man with a considerable artistic side to_his nature . he_is, I believe, a recognized authority upon Chinese pottery and has_written a book upon_the_subject ."

"A complex mind," said Holmes ." all great criminals have that . my old friend Charlie peace was a violin virtuoso .Wainwright was no mean artist . I_could quote many more . well, sir James, you_will inform your client that I_am turning my mind upon baron Gruner . I_can_say no more . I_have some sources of information of_my own, and I dare say we_may find some means of opening the matter up ."

when our visitor had left us Holmes sat so_long in deep thought that_it seemed to_me that he had forgotten my presence . at last, however, he_came briskly back to earth .

" well, Watson, any views ? " he asked .

" i_should think you had better see the young lady herself ."

" my dear Watson, if her poor old broken father cannot move her, how shall I, a stranger, prevail ? and yet there_is something in_the suggestion if all else fails . but i_think we_must begin from a different angle .I rather fancy that Shinwell Johnson might_be a help ."

I_have_not_had occasion to mention Shinwell Johnson in_these memoirs because I_have seldom drawn my cases from_the latter phases of_my friend's career . during the first years of_the century he became a valuable assistant . Johnson, I grieve to_say, made his name first as a very dangerous villain and served two terms at Parkhurst . finally he repented and allied himself to Holmes, acting as his agent in_the huge criminal underworld of London and obtaining information which often proved to_be of vital importance . had Johnson been a"nark" of_the police he_would soon have_been exposed, but as he dealt with cases which never came directly into_the courts, his activities were never realized by his companions . with_the glamour of_his two convictions upon him, he had the entree of every night- club, doss house, and gamblingden in_the town, and_his quick observation and active brain made him an ideal agent for gaining information . it_was to him that Sherlock Holmes now proposed to_turn .

it_was not possible for_me to_follow the immediate steps taken by my friend, for I had some pressing professional business of_my own, but I met him by appointment that evening at Simpson's, where, sitting at a small table in_the front window and looking down at_the rushing stream of life in_the strand, he_told me something of what had passed .

" Johnson is on_the prowl," said he ." he_may pick up some garbage in_the darker recesses of_the underworld, for_it is down there, amid the black roots of crime, that we_must hunt for_this man's secrets ."

" but if_the lady will not accept what_is already known, why should any fresh discovery of yours turn her from her purpose ? "

" who knows, Watson ? woman's heart and mind are insoluble puzzles to_the male . murder might_be condoned or explained, and yet some smaller offence might rankle . baron Gruner remarked to_me --"

" he remarked to_you ! "

"Oh, to_be_sure, I had_not told you of_my plans . well, Watson, I love to_come to close grips with my man .I like to meet him eye to eye and read for_myself the stuff that he_is made of . when I had given Johnson his instructions i_took a cab out to Kingston and found the baron in a most affable mood ."

" did he recognize you ? "

" there_was no difficulty about_that, for I simply sent in my card . he_is an excellent antagonist, cool as ice, silky voiced and soothing as one of your fashionable consultants,

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