No. 1 Scandal in Bohemia by Arthur Conan Doyle
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A scandal in Bohemia

no .1 from_the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

by Arthur Conan Doyle

I .

to Sherlock Holmes she_is always the woman . I_have seldom heard him mention her under any_other name . in_his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex . it_was not that he_felt any emotion akin to love for Irene Adler . all emotions, and_that one particularly, were abhorrent to_his cold, precise but admirably balanced mind . he_was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that_the world has seen, but as a lover he_would_have placed himself in a false position . he never spoke of_the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer . they were admirable things for_the observer-- excellent for drawing the veil from men's motives and actions . but for_the trained teasoner to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament was to introduce adistracting factor which might throw a doubt upon all his mental results . grit in a sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of_his own high- power lenses, would_not_be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a nature such as his . and yet there_was but one woman to him, and_that woman was_the late Irene Adler, of dubious and questionable memory .

I had seen little of Holmes lately . my marriage had drifted us away from each_other . my own complete happiness, and_the home-centred interests which rise up around the man who first finds himself master of_his own establishment, were sufficient to absorb all my attention, while Holmes, who loathed every form of society with_his whole Bohemian soul, remained in_our lodgings in baker street, buried among his old books, and alternating from week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of_the drug, and_the fierce energy of_his own keen nature . he_was still, as ever, deeply attracted by_the study of crime, and occupied his immense faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in following out those clews, and clearing up those mysteries which had_been abandoned as hopeless by_the official police . from_time to_time I heard some vague account of_his doings: of_his summons to Odessa in_the case of_the Trepoff murder, of_his clearing up of_the singular tragedy of_the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee, and finally of_the mission which he had accomplished so delicately and successfully for_the reigning family of Holland . beyond these signs of_his activity, however, which I merely shared with all the readers of_the daily press, I_knew little of_my former friend and companion .

one night-- it_was on_the twentieth of march, 1888-- i_was returning from a journey to a patient ( for I had now returned to civil practice), when my way led me through baker street . as I passed the well- remembered door, which_must always be associated in my mind with my wooing, and with_the dark incidents of_the study in scarlet, i_was seized with a keen desire to_see Holmes again, and to_know how he_was employing his extraordinary powers . his rooms were brilliantly lit, and, even as I looked up, I_saw his tall, spare figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against the blind . he_was pacing the room swiftly, eagerly, with_his head sunk upon his chest and_his hands clasped behind him . to_me, who knew his every mood and habit, his attitude and manner told their own story . he_was at work again . he had risen out of_his drug- created dreams and was hot upon_the scent of some new problem .I rang the bell and was shown up_to_the chamber which had formerly been in_part my own .

his manner was not effusive . it seldom was; but he_was glad, i_think, to_see me . with hardly a word spoken, but with a kindly eye, he waved me to an armchair, threw across his case of cigars, and indicated a spirit case and agasogene in_the corner . then he stood before_the fire and looked me over in_his singular introspective fashion .

" wedlock suits you," he remarked ." i_think, Watson, that you_have put on seven and a half pounds since I_saw you ."

"Seven ! " I answered .

" indeed, i_should_have thought a little more . just a trifle more, I fancy, Watson . and in practice again, I observe . you_did_not tell me that you intended to_go into harness ."

" then, how do_you_know ? "

" I_see it, I deduce it . how do I_know that you_have_been getting yourself very wet lately, and_that you_have a most clumsy and careless servant girl ? "

" my dear Holmes," said I, " this_is too_much . you_would certainly have_been burned, had you lived a few centuries_ago . it_is true that I had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful mess, but as I_have changed my clothes I_can't imagine how you deduce it . as_to Mary Jane, she_is incorrigible, and my wife has_given her notice, but there, again, I fail to_see how you work it out ."

he chuckled to himself and rubbed his long, nervous hands together .

" it_is simplicity itself," said he; " my eyes tell me that on_the inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts . obviously they_have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the edges of_the sole in_order to remove crusted mud from_it . hence, you_see, my double deduction that you had_been out in vile weather, and_that you had a particularly malignant boot-slitting specimen of_the London slavey . as_to your practice, if a gentleman walks into my rooms smelling of iodoform, with a black mark of nitrate of silver upon his right forefinger, and a bulge on_the right side of_his top- hat to show where he has secreted his stethoscope, I_must_be dull, indeed, if I_do_not pronounce him to_be an active member of_the medical profession ."

I_could_not help laughing at_the ease with_which he explained his process of deduction ." when I hear you give your reasons," I remarked, " the thing always appears to_me to_be so ridiculously simple that I_could easily do_it myself, though at each successive instance of your reasoning I_am baffled until you explain your process . and yet I believe that my eyes are as good as yours ."

" quite so," he answered, lighting a cigarette, and throwing himself down into an armchair ." you_see, but you_do_not observe . the distinction is clear . for example, you_have frequently seen the steps which lead up from_the hall to_this room ."

" frequently ."

" how often ? "

" well, some hundreds of times ."

" then how_many are there ? "

" how_many ? I don't know ."

" quite so ! you_have_not observed . and yet you_have seen . that_is just my point . now, I_know that_there_are seventeen steps, because I_have both seen and observed . by- the- way, since you_are interested in_these little problems, and since you_are good enough to chronicle one_or_two of_my trifling experiences, you_may_be interested in_this ." he threw over a sheet of thick, pink- tinted note- paper which had_been lying open upon_the table ." it came by_the last post," said he ." read it aloud ."

the note was undated, and without either signature or address .

" there_will call upon you to- night, at a quarter to eight o'clock," it said, "a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of_the very deepest moment . your recent services to one_of_the royal houses of Europe have shown that you_are one who_may safely be trusted with matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated . this account of you we_have from all quarters received . be in your chamber then at_that hour, and do_not take it amiss if your visitor wear a mask .

" this_is indeed a mystery," I remarked ." what do_you imagine that_it means ? "

" I_have no data yet . it_is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data .Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts . but the note itself . what do_you deduce from_it ? "

I carefully examined the writing, and_the paper upon_which it_was written .

" the man who wrote it_was presumably well to_do," I remarked, endeavoring to imitate my companion's processes ." such paper could_not_be bought under half a crown a packet . it_is peculiarly strong and stiff ."

" peculiar-- that_is_the very word," said Holmes ." it_is_not an English paper at all . hold it up_to_the light ."

I_did so, and saw a large "E" with a small "g," a"P," and a large "G" with a small "t" woven into_the texture of_the paper .

" what do_you make of_that ? " asked Holmes .

" the name of_the maker, no_doubt; or his monogram, rather ."

" not at all . the 'G' with_the small 't' stands for 'Gesellschaft,' which_is the German for ' company .' it_is a customary contraction like our 'Co .' 'P,' of_course, stands for 'Papier .' now for_the 'Eg .' let_us glance at our continental gazetteer ." he_took down a heavy brown volume from_his shelves ."Eglow, Eglonitz-- here we_are, Egria . it_is in a German-speaking country-- in Bohemia, not far from Carlsbad .' remarkable as being the scene of_the death of Wallenstein, and for its numerous glass-factories and paper-mills .' Ha, ha, my boy, what do_you make of_that ? " his eyes sparkled, and he sent up a great blue triumphant cloud from_his cigarette .

" the paper was_made in Bohemia," I_said .

" precisely . and_the man who wrote the note is a German . do_you note the peculiar construction of_the sentence--' this account of you we_have from all quarters received .' aFrenchman or Russian could_not have written that . it_is_the German who_is so uncourteous to_his verbs . it only remains, therefore, to discover what_is wanted by_this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and prefers wearing a mask to showing his face . and here he comes, if I_am not mistaken, to resolve all our doubts ."

as he spoke there_was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs and grating wheels against the curb, followed by a sharp pull at_the bell .Holmes whistled .

"A pair, by_the sound," said he ." yes," he continued, glancing out_of_the window ."A nice little brougham and a pair of beauties .a hundred and fifty guineas apiece . there's money in this_case, Watson, if_there_is nothing else ."

" i_think that I had better go, Holmes ."

" not a bit, doctor . stay where you_are . I_am lost without my Boswell . and this promises to_be interesting . it would_be a pity to miss it ."

" but your client--"

" never mind him . I_may want your help, and so may he . here he comes . sit down in_that armchair, doctor, and give_us your best attention ."

a slow and heavy step, which had_been heard upon_the stairs and in_the passage, paused immediately outside the door . then there_was a loud and authoritative tap .

" come in ! " said Holmes .

a man entered who_could hardly have_been less_than six feet six inches in height, with_the chest and limbs of aHercules . his dress was rich with a richness which would, in England, be looked upon as akin to bad taste . heavy bands of astrakhan were slashed across the sleeves and fronts of_his double- breasted coat, while the deep blue cloak which_was thrown over his shoulders was lined with flame- colored silk and secured at_the neck with a brooch which consisted of a single flaming beryl .Boots which extended halfway up his calves, and which were trimmed at_the tops with rich brown fur, completed the impression of barbaric opulence which_was suggested by his whole appearance . he carried a broad- brimmed hat in_his hand, while he wore across the upper part of_his face, extending down past the cheekbones, a black vizard mask, which he had apparently adjusted that very moment, for_his hand was still raised to_it as he entered . from_the lower part of_the face he appeared to_be a man of strong character, with a thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin suggestive of resolution pushed to_the length of obstinacy .

" you had my note ? " he asked with a deep harsh voice and a strongly marked German accent ." i_told you that i_would call ." he looked from one to_the other of us, as_if uncertain which to address .

" pray take a seat," said Holmes ." this_is my friend and colleague, Dr .Watson, who_is occasionally good enough to help me in my cases . whom have I the honor to address ? "

" you_may address me as_the count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman .I understand that_this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honor and discretion, whom I_may trust with a matter of_the most extreme importance . if_not, i_should much prefer to communicate with_you alone ."

I rose to_go, but Holmes caught me by_the wrist and pushed me back into my chair ." it_is both, or none," said he ." you_may say before this gentleman anything which you_may say to_me ."

the count shrugged his broad shoulders ." then I_must begin," said he, " by binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years; at_the end of_that_time the matter will_be of no importance . at present it_is_not too_much to_say that_it_is of_such weight it may_have an influence upon European history ."

"I promise," said Holmes .

" and I ."

" you_will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor ." the August person who employs me wishes his agent to_be unknown to_you, and I_may confess at once that_the title by_which I_have just called myself is_not exactly my own ."

" i_was aware of it," said Holmes drily .

" the circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution has_to be

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