the adventure of the noble bachelor-第2节

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　　〃The　family　of　Lord　Robert　St。　Simon　has　been　thrown　into　the

greatest　consternation　by　the　strange　and　painful　episodes　which

have　taken　place　in　connection　with　his　wedding。　The　ceremony；　as

shortly　announced　in　the　papers　of　yesterday；　occurred　on　the　previous

morning；　but　it　is　only　now　that　it　has　been　possible　to　confirm　the

strange　rumours　which　have　been　so　persistently　floating　about。　In

spite　of　the　attempts　of　the　friends　to　hush　the　matter　up；　so　much

public　attention　has　now　been　drawn　to　it　that　no　good　purpose　can

be　served　by　affecting　to　disregard　what　is　a　common　subject　for

conversation。

　　〃The　ceremony；　which　was　performed　at　St。　George's；　Hanover

Square；　was　a　very　quiet　one；　no　one　being　present　save　the　father

of　the　bride；　Mr。　Aloysius　Doran；　the　Duchess　of　Balmoral；　Lord

Backwater；　Lord　Eustace；　and　Lady　Clara　St。　Simon　（the　younger　brother

and　sister　of　the　bridegroom）；　and　Lady　Alicia　Whittington。　The

whole　party　proceeded　afterwards　to　the　house　of　Mr。　Aloysius　Doran；

at　Lancaster　Gate；　where　breakfast　had　been　prepared。　It　appears

that　some　little　trouble　was　caused　by　a　woman；　whose　name　has　not

been　ascertained；　who　endeavoured　to　force　her　way　into　the　house

after　the　bridal　party；　alleging　that　she　had　some　claim　upon　Lord　St。

Simon。　It　was　only　after　a　painful　and　prolonged　scene　that　she　was

ejected　by　the　butler　and　the　footman。　The　bride；　who　had

fortunately　entered　the　house　before　this　unpleasant　interruption；　had

sat　down　to　breakfast　with　the　rest；　when　she　complained　of　a　sudden

indisposition　and　retired　to　her　room。　Her　prolonged　absence　having

caused　some　comment；　her　father　followed　her；　but　learned　from　her

maid　that　she　had　only　come　up　to　her　chamber　for　an　instant；　caught

up　an　ulster　and　bonnet；　and　hurried　down　to　the　passage。　One　of　the

footmen　declared　that　he　had　seen　a　lady　leave　the　house　thus

apparelled；　but　had　refused　to　credit　that　it　was　his　mistress；

believing　her　to　be　with　the　company。　On　ascertaining　that　his

daughter　had　disappeared；　Mr。　Aloysius　Doran；　in　conjunction　with

the　bridegroom；　instantly　put　themselves　in　communication　with　the

police；　and　very　energetic　inquiries　are　being　made；　which　will

probably　result　in　a　speedy　clearing　up　of　this　very　singular

business。　Up　to　a　late　hour　last　night；　however；　nothing　had

transpired　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　the　missing　lady。　There　are

rumours　of　foul　play　in　the　matter；　and　it　is　said　that　the　police

have　caused　the　arrest　of　the　woman　who　had　caused　the　original

disturbance；　in　the　belief　that；　from　jealousy　or　some　other　motive；

she　may　have　been　concerned　in　the　strange　disappearance　of　the

bride。〃



　　〃And　is　that　all？〃

　　〃Only　one　little　item　in　another　of　the　morning　papers；　but　it　is

a　suggestive　one。〃

　　〃And　it　is…〃

　　〃That　Miss　Flora　Millar；　the　lady　who　had　caused　the　disturbance；

has　actually　been　arrested。　It　appears　that　she　was　formerly　a

danseuse　at　the　Allegro；　and　that　she　has　known　the　bridegroom　for

some　years。　There　are　no　further　particulars；　and　the　whole　case　is　in

your　hands　now…so　far　as　it　has　been　set　forth　in　the　public　press。〃

　　〃And　an　exceedingly　interesting　case　it　appears　to　be。　I　would　not

have　missed　it　for　worlds。　But　there　is　a　ring　at　the　bell；　Watson；

and　as　the　clock　makes　it　a　few　minutes　after　four；　I　have　no　doubt

that　this　will　prove　to　be　our　noble　client。　Do　not　dream　of　going；

Watson；　for　I　very　much　prefer　having　a　witness；　if　only　as　a　check　to

my　own　memory。〃

　　〃Lord　Robert　St。　Simon；〃　announced　our　page…boy；　throwing　open　the

door。　A　gentleman　entered；　with　a　pleasant；　cultured　face；

high…nosed　and　pale；　with　something　perhaps　of　petulance　about　the

mouth；　and　with　the　steady；　well…opened　eye　of　a　man　whose　pleasant

lot　it　had　ever　been　to　command　and　to　be　obeyed。　His　manner　was

brisk；　and　yet　his　general　appearance　gave　an　undue　impression　of　age；

for　he　had　a　slight　forward　stoop　and　a　little　bend　of　the　knees　as　he

walked。　His　hair；　too；　as　he　swept　off　his　very　curly…brimmed　hat

was　grizzled　round　the　edges　and　thin　upon　the　top。　As　to　his　dress；

it　was　careful　to　the　verge　of　foppishness；　with　high　collar；　black

frock…coat；　white　waistcoat；　yellow　gloves；　patent　leather　shoes；

and　light…coloured　gaiters。　He　advanced　slowly　into　the　room；

turning　his　head　from　left　to　right；　and　swinging　in　his　right　hand

the　cord　which　held　his　golden　eyeglasses。

　　〃Good…day；　Lord　St。　Simon；〃　said　Holmes；　rising　and　bowing。　〃Pray

take　the　basket…chair。　This　is　my　friend　and　colleague；　Dr。　Watson。

Draw　up　a　little　to　the　fire；　and　we　will　talk　this　matter　over。〃

　　〃A　most　painful　matter　to　me；　as　you　can　most　readily　imagine；　Mr。

Holmes。　I　have　been　cut　to　the　quick。　I　understand　that　you　have

already　managed　several　delicate　cases　of　this　sort；　sir；　though　I

presume　that　they　were　hardly　from　the　same　class　of　society。〃

　　〃No；　I　am　descending。〃

　　〃I　beg　pardon。〃

　　〃My　last　client　of　the　sort　was　a　king。〃

　　〃Oh；　really！　I　had　no　idea。　And　which　king？〃

　　〃The　King　of　Scandinavia。〃

　　〃What！　Had　he　lost　his　wife？〃

　　〃You　can　understand；〃　said　Holmes　suavely；　〃that　I　extend　to　the

affairs　of　my　other　clients　the　same　secrecy　which　I　promise　to　you　in

yours。〃

　　〃Of　course！　Very　right！　very　right！　I'm　sure　I　beg　pardon。　As　to

my　own　case；　I　am　ready　to　give　you　any　information　which　may　assist

you　in　forming　an　opinion。〃

　　〃Thank　you。　I　have　already　learned　all　that　is　in　the　public　prints；

nothing　more。　I　presume　that　I　may　take　it　as　correct…this　article；

for　example；　as　to　the　disappearance　of　the　bride。〃

　　Lord　St。　Simon　glanced　over　it。　〃Yes；　it　is　correct；　as　far　as　it

goes。〃

　　〃But　it　needs　a　great　deal　of　supplementing　before　anyone　could

offer　an　opinion。　I　think　that　I　may　arrive　at　my　facts　most

directly　by　questioning　you。〃

　　〃Pray　do　so。〃

　　〃When　did　you　first　meet　Miss　Hatty　Doran？〃

　　〃In　San　Francisco；　a　year　ago。〃

　　〃You　were　travelling　in　the　States？〃

　　〃Yes。〃

　　〃Did　you　become　engaged　then？〃

　　〃No。〃

　　〃But　you　were　on　a　friendly　footing？〃

　　〃I　was　amused　by　her　society；　and　she　could　see　that　I　was　amused。〃

　　〃Her　father　is　very　rich？〃

　　〃He　is　said　to　be　the　richest　man　on　the　Pacific　slope。〃

　　〃And　how　did　he　make　his　money？〃

　　〃In　mining。　He　had　nothing　a　few　years　ago。　Then　he　struck　gold；

invested　it；　and　came　up　by　leaps　and　bounds。〃

　　〃Now；　what　is　your　own　impression　as　to　the　young　lady's…your　wife's

character？〃

　　The　nobleman　swung　his　glasses　a　little　faster　and　stared　down

into　the　fire。　〃You　see；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　he；　〃my　wife　was　twenty

before　her　father　became　a　rich　man。　During　that　time　she　ran　free

in　a　mining　camp　and　wandered　through　woods　or　mountains；　so　that

her　education　has　come　from　Nature　rather　than　from　the

schoolmaster。　She　is　what　we　call　in　England　a　tomboy；　with　a　strong

nature；　wild　and　free；　unfettered　by　any　sort　of　traditions。　She　is

impetuous；　volcanic；　I　was　about　to　say。　She　is　swift　in　making　up　her

mind　and　fearless　in　carrying　out　her　resolutions。　On　the　other

hand；　I　would　not　have　given　her　the　name　which　I　have　the　honour　to

bear〃…he　gave　a　little　stately　cough…〃had　not　I　thought　her　to　be　at

bottom　a　noble　woman。　I　believe　that　she　is　capable　of　heroic

self…sacrifice　and　that　anything　dishonourable　would　be　repugnant　to

her。〃

　　〃Have　you　her　photograph？〃

　　〃I　brought　this　with　me。〃　He　opened　a　locket　and　showed　us　the

full　face　of　a　very　lovely　woman。　It　was　not　a　photograph　but　an　ivory

miniature；　and　the　artist　had　brought　out　the　full　effect　of　the

lustrous　black　hair；　the　large　dark　eyes；　and　the　exquisite　mouth。

Holmes　gazed　long　and　earnestly　at　it。　Then　he　closed　the　locket　and

handed　it　back　to　Lord　St。　Simon。

　　〃The　young　lady　came　to　London；　then；　and　you　renewed　your

acquaintance？〃

　　〃Yes；　her　father　brought　her　over　for　this　last　London　season。　I　met

her　several　times；　became　engaged　to　her；　and　have　now　married　her。〃

　　〃She　brought；　I　understand；　a　considerable　dowry？〃

　　〃A　fair　dowry。　Not　more　than　is　usual　in　my　family。〃

　　〃And　this；　of　course；　remains　to　you；　since　the　marriage　is　a　fait

accompli？〃

　　〃I　really　have　made　no　inquiries　on　the　subject。〃

　　〃Very　naturally　not。　Did　you　see　Miss　Doran　on　the　day　before　the

wedding？〃

　　〃Yes。〃

　　〃Was　she　in　good　spirits？〃

　　〃Never　better。　She　kept　talking　of　what　we　should　do　in　our　future

lives。〃

　　〃Indeed　That　is　very　interesting。　And　on　the　morning　of　the

wedding？〃

　　〃She　was　as　bright　as　possible…at　least　until　after　the　ceremony。〃

　　〃And　did　you　observe　any　change　in　her　then？〃

　　〃Well；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　saw　then　the　first　signs　that　I　had　ever

seen　that　her　temper　was　just　a　little　sharp。　The　incident；　however；

was　too　trivial　to　relate　and　can　have　no　possible　bearing　upon　the

case。〃

　　〃Pray　let　us　have　it；　for　all　that。〃

　　〃Oh；　it　is　childish。　She　dropped　her　bouquet　as　we　went　towards

the　vestry。　She　was　passing　the　front　pew　at　the　time；　and　it　fell

over　into　the　pew。　There　was　a　moment's　delay；　but　the　gentleman　in

the　pew　handed　it