It was all done in an instant, andthere was the gentleman thanking me on the one side and thelady on the other, while the clergyman beamed on me in front.
Itwas the most preposterous position in which I ever found myselfin my life, and it was the thought of it that started me laughingjust now.
It seems that there had been some informality abouttheir license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marrythem without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appear-ance saved the bridegroom from having to sally out into thestreets in search of a best man.
The bride gave me a sovereign,and I mean to wear it on my watch-chain in memory of theoccasion." "This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said l; "and whatthen?" "Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced.
It looked asif the pair might take an immediate departure, and so necessitatevery prompt and energetic measures on my part.
At the churchdoor, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple,and she to her own house.
'I shall drive out in the park at five asusual,' she said as she left him.
I heard no more.
They droveaway in different directions, and I went off to make my ownarrangements." "Which are?" "Some cold beef and a glass of beer," he answered, ringingthe bell.
"I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likelyto be busier still this evening.
By the way, Doctor, I shall wantyour cooperation." "I shall be delighted." "You don't mind breaking the law?" "Not in the least." "Nor running a chance of arrest?" "Not in a good cause." "Oh, the cause is excellent!" "Then I am your man." "I was sure that I might rely on you." "But what is it you wish?" "When Mrs.
Turner has brought in the tray I will make itclear to you.
Now," he said as he turned hungrily on the simplefare that our landlady had provided, "I must discuss it while Ieat, for I have not much time.
It is nearly five now.
In two hourswe must be on the scene of action.
Miss Irene, or Madame,rather, returns from her drive at seven.
We must be at BrionyLodge to meet her." "And what then?" "You must leave that to me.
I have already arranged what isto occur.
There is only one point on which I must insist.
Youmust not interfere, come what may.
You understand?" "I am to be neutral?" "To do nothing whatever.
There will probably be some smallunpleasantness.
Do not join in it.
It will end in my beingconveyed into the house.
Four or five minutes afterwards thesitting-room window will open.
You are to station yourself closeto that open window." "Yes." "You are to watch me, for I will be visible to you." "Yes." "And when I raise my hand --so --you will throw into theroom what I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raisethe cry of fire.
You quite follow me?" "Entirely." "It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar-shaped roll from his pocket.
"It is an ordinary plumber's smoke-rocket, fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting.Your task is confined to that.
When you raise your cry of fire,it will be taken up by quite a number of people.
You may thenwalk to the end of the street, and I will rejoin you in ten minutes.I hope that I have made myself clear?" "I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watchyou, and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cryof fire, and to wait you at the comer of the street." "Precisely." "Then you may entirely rely on me." "That is excellent.
I think, perhaps, it is almost time that Iprepare for the new role I have to play." He disappeared into his bedroom and returned in a few min-utes in the character of an amiable and simple-minded Noncon-formist clergyman.
His broad black hat, his baggy trousers.
hiswhite tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering andbenevolent curiosity were such as Mr.
John Hare alone couldhave equalled.
It was not merely that Holmes changed his cos-tume.
His expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to varywith every fresh part that he assumed.
The stage lost a fine actor,even as science lost an acute reasoner, when he became aspecialist in crime.
It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it stillwanted ten minutes to the hour when we found ourselves inSerpentine Avenue.
It was already dusk, and the lamps were justbeing lighted as we paced up and down in front of BrionyLodge, waiting for the coming of its occupant.
The house wasjust such as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes's succinctdescription, but the locality appeared to be less private than Iexpected.
On the contrary, for a small street in a quietneighbourhood, it was remarkably animated.
There was a groupof shabbily dressed men smoking and laughing in a corner, ascissors-grinder with his wheel, two guardsmen who were flirt-ing with a nurse-girl, and several well-dressed young men whowere lounging up and down with cigars in their mouths.
"You see," remarked Holmes, as we paced to and fro in frontof the house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters.
The pho-tograph becomes a double-edged weapon now.
The chances arethat she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr.
GodfreyNorton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his princess.Now the question is, Where are we to find the photograph?" "Where, indeed?" "It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her.
It iscabinet size.
Too large for easy concealment about a woman'sdress.
She knows that the King is capable of having her waylaidand searched.
Two attempts of the sort have already been made.We may take it, then, that she does not carry it about with her." "Where, then?" "Her banker or her lawyer.
There is that double possibility.But I am inclined to think neither.
Women are naturally secre-tive, and they like to do their own secreting.
Why should shehand it over to anyone else? She could trust her own guardian-ship, but she could not tell what indirect or political influencemight be brought to bear upon a business man.
Besides, remem-ber that she had resolved to use it within a few days.
It must bewhere she can lay her hands upon it.
It must be in her ownhouse." "But it has twice been burgled." "Pshaw! They did not know how to look." "But how will you look?" "I will not look." "What then?" "I will get her to show me." "But she will refuse." "She will not be able to.
But I hear the rumble of wheels.
It ishcr carriage.
Now carry out my orders to the letter." As he spoke the gleam of the side-lights of a carriage cameround the curve of the avenue.
It was a smart little landau whichrattled up to the door of Briony Lodge.
As it pulled up, one ofthe loafing men at the corner dashed forward to open the door inthe hope of earning a copper, but was elbowed away by anotherloafer, who had rushed up with the same intention.
A fiercequarrel broke out, which was increased by the two guardsmen,who took sides with one of the loungers, and by the scissors-grinder, who was equally hot upon the other side.
A blow wasstruck, and in an instant the lady, who had stepped from hercarriage, was the centre of a little knot of flushed and strugglingmen, who struck savagely at each other with their fists andsticks.
Holmes dashed into the crowd to protect the lady; but justas he reached her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground, withthe blood running freely down his face.
At his fall the guardsmentook to their heels in one direction and the loungers in the other,while a number of better-dressed people, who had watched thescuffle without taking part in it, crowded in to help the lady andto attend to the injured man.
Irene Adler, as I will still call her,had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her superbfigure outlined against the lights of the hall, looking back intothe street.
"Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked.
"He is dead," cried several voices.
"No, no, there's life in him!" shouted another.
"But he'll begone before you can get him to hospital." "He's a brave fellow," said a woman.
"They would have hadthe lady's purse and watch if it hadn't been for him.
They were agang, and a rough one, too.
Ah, he's breathing now." "He can't lie in the street.
May we bring him in, marm?" "Surely.
Bring him into the sitting room.
There is a comfort-able sofa.
This way, please!" Slowly and solemnly he was borne into Briony Lodge and laidout in the principal room, while I still observed the proceedingsfrom my post by the window.
The lamps had been lit, but theblinds had not been drawn, so that I could see Holmes as he layupon the couch.
I do not know whether he was seized withcompunction at that moment for the part he was playing, but Iknow that I never felt more heartily ashamed of myself in my lifethan when I saw the beautiful creature against whom I wasconspiring, or the grace and kindliness with which she waitedupon the injured man.
And yet it would be the blackest treacheryto Holmes to draw back now from the part which he hadintrusted to me.
I hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocketfrom under my ulster.
After all, I thought, we are not injuringher.
We are but preventing her from injuring another.
Holmes had sat up upon the couch, and I saw him motion likea man who is in need of air.
A maid rushed across and threwopen the window.
At the same instant I saw him raise his handand at the signal I tossed my rocket into the room with a cry of"Fire!" The word was no sooner out of my mouth than the wholecrowd of spectators, well dressed and ill --gentlemen, ostlers,and servant-maids --joined in a general shriek of "Fire!" Thickclouds of smoke curled through the room and out at the openwindow.
I caught a glimpse of rushing figures, and a momentlater the voice of Holmes from within assuring them that it was afalse alarm.
Slipping through the shouting crowd I made my wayto the corner of the street, and in ten minutes was rejoiced to findmy friend's arm in mine, and to get away from the scene ofuproar.
He walked swiftly and in silence for some few minutesuntil we had turned down one of the quiet streets which leadtowards the Edgeware Road.
"You did it very nicely, Doctor," he remarked.
"Nothingcould have been better.
It is all right." "You have the photograph?" "I know where it is." "And how did you find out?" "She showed me, as I told you she would." "I am still in the dark." "I do not wish to make a mystery," said he, laughing.
"Thematter was perfectly simple.
You, of course, saw that everyonein the street was an accomplice.
They were all engaged for theevening." "I guessed as much." "Then, when the row broke out, I had a little moist red paintin the palm of my hand.
I rushed forward, fell down.
clapped myhand to my face, and became a piteous spectacle.
It is an oldtrick." "That also I could fathom." "Then they carried me in.
She was bound to have me in.What else could she do? And into her sitting-room.
which wasthe very room which I suspected.
It lay between that and herbedroom, and I was determined to see which.
They laid me on acouch, I motioned for air, they were compelled to open thewindow.
and you had your chance." "How did that help you?" "It was all-important.
When a woman thinks that her house ison fire, her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which shevalues most.
It is a perfectly overpowering impulse, and I havemore than once taken advantage of it.
In the case of the Darling-ton substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in theArnsworth Castle business.
A married woman grabs at her baby;an unmarried one reaches for her jewel-box.
Now it was clear tome that our lady of to-day had nothing in the house moreprecious to her than what we are in quest of.
She would rush tosecure it.
The alarm of fire was admirably done.
The smoke andshouting were enough to shake nerves of steel.
She respondedbeautifully.
The photograph is in a recess behind a sliding paneljust above the right bell-pull.
She was there in an instant, and Icaught a glimpse of it as she half-drew it out.
When I cried outthat it was a false alarm, she replaced it, glanced at the rocket,rushed from the room, and I have not seen her since.
I rose, and,making my excuses, escaped from the house.
I hesitated whetherto attempt to secure the photograph at once; but the coachmanhad come in, and as he was watching me narrowly it seemedsafer to wait.
A little over-precipitance may ruin all." "And now?" I asked.
"Our quest is practically finished.
I shall call with the Kingto-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us.
We willbe shown into the sitting-room to wait for the lady; but it isprobable that when she comes she may find neither us nor thephotograph.
It might be a satisfaction to his Majesty to regain itwith his own hands." "And when will you call?" "At eight in the morning.
She will not be up, so that we shallhave a clear field.
Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriagemay mean a complete change in her life and habits.
I must wireto the King without delay." We had reached Baker Street and had stopped at the door.
Hewas searching his pockets for the key when someone passingsaid: "Good-night, Mister Sherlock Holmes." There were several people on the pavement at the time, but thegreeting appeared to come from a slim youth in an ulster whohad hurried by.
"I've heard that voice before," said Holmes, staring down thedimly lit street.
