No 10 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

by Arthur Conan Doyle

The Lord St Simon marriage, and its curious termination, have long ceased subject of interest in those exalted circles unfortunate bridegroom moves Fresh scandals have eclipsed it, and their more piquant details have drawn the gossips away four-year-old drama As reason , however, full facts have never been revealed general public, and as my friend Sherlock Holmes had considerable share in clearing the matter up, that no memoir of him complete without some little sketch remarkable episode

few weeks before my own marriage, during the days when still sharing rooms with Holmes in Baker Street, that home from an afternoon stroll letter table waiting for him I had remained indoors all day, weather had taken sudden turn to rain, with high autumnal winds, Jezail bullet which I had brought back in one limbs as relic Afghan campaign throbbed with dull persistence With my body in one easy-chair and my legs upon another, I had surrounded myself with cloud of newspapers until at last, saturated news day, I tossed them all aside and lay listless, watching the huge crest and monogram envelope table and wondering lazily who my friend's noble correspondent

" very fashionable epistle," I remarked as he entered "Your morning letters, if I remember right, were from fish-monger and tide-waiter "

"Yes, my correspondence has certainly the charm of variety," he answered, smiling, " humbler are usually the more interesting This looks like one unwelcome social summonses which call upon man either bored or to lie "

He broke the seal and glanced over the contents

"Oh, come, it may prove something of interest, after all "

"Not social, then ? "

"No, distinctly professional "

"And from noble client ? "

" highest in England "

"My dear fellow I congratulate you "

"I assure you, Watson, without affectation, status client is matter of less moment interest case just possible, however, that that also may not be wanting new investigation reading the papers diligently of late, not ? "

"It looks like it," said I ruefully, pointing to huge bundle corner " nothing else "

" fortunate, for perhaps to post me up nothing except the criminal news agony column The latter is always instructive But followed recent events so closely read about Lord St Simon wedding ? "

"Oh, yes, deepest interest "

" well The letter which I hold in my hand is from Lord St Simon read it , and in return turn over these papers and let me have whatever bears matter what :

"'My Sherlock Holmes:--"Lord Backwater tells me that place implicit reliance upon your judgement and discretion determined, therefore, upon you and to consult you in reference very painful event occurred in connection with my wedding Mr Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, is acting already matter, but he assures me that he sees no objection to your co-operation, he even thinks of some assistance call at four o'clock afternoon, and, should engagement , postpone it, as is of paramount importance Yours faithfully, ST SIMON '

" dated from Grosvenor Mansions, written with quill pen, noble lord has had the misfortune smear of ink outer side right little finger," remarked Holmes as he folded up the epistle

" four o'clock three now here in an hour "

"Then just time, with your assistance, clear Turn over those papers and arrange the extracts in their order , while I take glance who our client is " He picked red-covered volume from line of books of reference beside the mantelpiece "Here ," said he, sitting down and flattening it out upon his knee "Lord Robert Walsingham de Vere St Simon, second son Duke of Balmoral Hum ! Arms: Azure, three caltrops in chief over fess sable Born in 1846 He's forty-one , mature for marriage Was Under-Secretary colonies in late administration The Duke, his father, was at Secretary for Foreign Affairs They inherit Plantagenet blood by direct descent, and Tudor distaff side Ha ! Well, nothing very instructive in all this that turn Watson, for something more solid " Josef Friedrich, 1906

" very little difficulty in finding what ," said I, " facts are quite recent, matter struck me as remarkable I feared to refer them , however, as that you had an inquiry on hand you disliked the intrusion of other matters "

"Oh, you mean the little problem Grosvenor Square furniture van quite cleared up now--though, indeed, obvious first Pray the results of your newspaper selections "

" first notice which find personal column Morning Post, and dates, as , some weeks back: 'A marriage arranged,' it says, 'and will, if rumour is correct, very shortly take place, between Lord Robert St Simon, second son Duke of Balmoral, and Miss Hatty Doran, the only daughter of Aloysius Doran Esq , of San Francisco, Cal , U S . ' all "

"Terse and point," remarked Holmes, stretching his long, thin legs towards the fire

" paragraph amplifying this in society papers same week Ah, here : ' soon be call for protection marriage market, free-trade principle appears heavily against our home product One by one the management noble houses of Great Britain is passing hands fair cousins from across the Atlantic An important addition made week list prizes been borne away charming invaders Lord St Simon, who has shown himself for over twenty years proof against the little god's arrows, has now definitely announced his approaching marriage with Miss Hatty Doran, the fascinating daughter of California millionaire Miss Doran, whose graceful figure and striking face attracted much attention Westbury House festivities, is an only child, and currently reported that her dowry will run to considerably over the six figures, with expectancies future an open secret Duke of Balmoral compelled his pictures last few years, and as Lord St Simon has no property own save the small estate of Birchmoor, obvious Californian heiress the only gainer by an alliance which will enable her to easy and common transition from Republican lady to British peeress '"

"Anything else ? " asked Holmes, yawning

"Oh, yes; plenty Then another note Morning Post marriage an absolutely quiet one, at St George's, Hanover Square, that only half dozen intimate friends invited, and party would return furnished house at Lancaster Gate been taken Aloysius Doran Two days later-- , on Wednesday last-- curt announcement wedding had taken place, and honeymoon passed at Lord Backwater's place, near Petersfield Those are all the notices which appeared disappearance bride "

" what ? " asked Holmes with start

"The vanishing lady "

"When did she vanish, then ? "

" wedding breakfast "

"Indeed more interesting than it promised ; quite dramatic, "

"Yes; it struck me as being little common "

"They often vanish ceremony, and occasionally during the honeymoon; but call to mind anything quite so prompt Pray let me have the details "

"I warn you very incomplete "

"Perhaps make them less so "

"Such , set forth in single article of morning paper of yesterday, which read headed, 'Singular Occurrence at Fashionable Wedding':