the adventure of the noble bachelor-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　NOBLE　BACHELOR

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　The　Lord　St。　Simon　marriage；　and　its　curious　termination；　have

long　ceased　to　be　a　subject　of　interest　in　those　exalted　circles　in

which　the　unfortunate　bridegroom　moves。　Fresh　scandals　have　eclipsed

it；　and　their　more　piquant　details　have　drawn　the　gossips　away　from

this　four…year…old　drama。　As　I　have　reason　to　believe；　however；　that

the　full　facts　have　never　been　revealed　to　the　general　public；　and

as　my　friend　Sherlock　Holmes　had　a　considerable　share　in　clearing

the　matter　up；　I　feel　that　no　memoir　of　him　would　be　complete

without　some　little　sketch　of　this　remarkable　episode。

　　It　was　a　few　weeks　before　my　own　marriage；　during　the　days　when　I

was　still　sharing　rooms　with　Holmes　in　Baker　Street；　that　he　came　home

from　an　afternoon　stroll　to　find　a　letter　on　the　table　waiting　for

him。　I　had　remained　indoors　all　day；　for　the　weather　had　taken　a

sudden　turn　to　rain；　with　high　autumnal　winds；　and　the　Jezail　bullet

which　I　had　brought　back　in　one　of　my　limbs　as　a　relic　of　my　Afghan

campaign　throbbed　with　dull　persistence。　With　my　body　in　one

easy…chair　and　my　legs　upon　another；　I　had　surrounded　myself　with　a

cloud　of　newspapers　until　at　last；　saturated　with　the　news　of　the　day；

I　tossed　them　all　aside　and　lay　listless；　watching　the　huge　crest

and　monogram　upon　the　envelope　upon　the　table　and　wondering　lazily　who

my　friend's　noble　correspondent　could　be。

　　〃Here　is　a　very　fashionable　epistle；〃　I　remarked　as　be　entered。

〃Your　morning　letters；　if　I　remember　right；　were　from　a　fish…monger

and　a　tide…waiter。〃

　　〃Yes；　my　correspondence　has　certainly　the　charm　of　variety；〃　he

answered；　smiling；　〃and　the　humbler　are　usually　the　more

interesting。　This　looks　like　one　of　those　unwelcome　social　summonses

which　call　upon　a　man　either　to　be　bored　or　to　lie。〃

　　He　broke　the　seal　and　glanced　over　the　contents。

　　〃Oh；　come；　it　may　prove　to　be　something　of　interest；　after　all。〃

　　〃Not　social；　then？〃

　　〃No；　distinctly　professional。〃

　　〃And　from　a　noble　client？〃

　　〃One　of　the　highest　in　England。〃

　　〃My　dear　fellow；　I　congratulate　you。〃

　　〃I　assure　you；　Watson；　without　affectation；　that　the　status　of　my

client　is　a　matter　of　less　moment　to　me　than　the　interest　of　his　case。

It　is　just　possible；　however；　that　may　not　be　wanting　in　this　new

investigation。　You　have　been　reading　the　papers　diligently　of　late；

have　you　not？〃

　　〃It　looks　like　it；〃　said　I　ruefully；　pointing　to　a　huge　bundle　in

the　corner。　〃I　have　had　nothing　else　to　do。〃

　　〃It　is　fortunate；　for　you　will　perhaps　be　able　to　post　me　up。　I　read

nothing　except　the　criminal　news　and　the　agony　column。　The　latter　is

always　instructive。　But　if　you　have　followed　recent　events　so

closely　you　must　have　read　about　Lord　St。　Simon　and　his　wedding？〃

　　〃Oh；　yes；　with　the　deepest　interest。〃

　　〃That　is　well。　The　letter　which　I　hold　in　my　hand　is　from　Lord　St。

Simon。　I　will　read　it　to　you；　and　in　return　you　must　turn　over　these

papers　and　let　me　have　whatever　bears　upon　the　matter。　This　is　what　he

says：



　　〃MY　DEAR　MR。　SHERLOCK　HOLMES：

　　〃Lord　Backwater　tells　me　that　I　may　place　implicit　reliance　upon

your　judgment　and　discretion。　I　have　determined；　therefore；　to　can

upon　you　and　to　consult　you　in　reference　to　the　very　painful　event

which　has　occurred　in　connection　with　my　wedding。　Mr。　Lestrade；　of

Scotland　Yard；　is　acting　already　in　the　matter；　but　he　assures　me　that

he　sees　no　objection　to　your　cooperation；　and　that　he　even　thinks　that

it　might　be　of　some　assistance。　I　will　call　at　four　o'clock　in　the

afternoon；　and；　should　you　have　any　other　engagement　at　that　time；　I

hope　that　you　will　postpone　it；　as　this　matter　is　of　paramount

importance。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yours　faithfully；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃ST。　SIMON。



　　〃It　is　dated　from　Grosvenor　Mansions；　written　with　a　quill　pen；

and　the　noble　lord　has　had　the　misfortune　to　get　a　smear　of　ink　upon

the　outer　side　of　his　right　little　finger；〃　remarked　Holmes　as　he

folded　up　the　epistle。

　　〃He　says　four　o'clock。　It　is　three　now。　He　will　be　here　in　an　hour。〃

　　〃Then　I　have　just　time；　with　your　assistance；　to　get　clear　upon

the　subject。　Turn　over　those　papers　and　arrange　the　extracts　in

their　order　of　time；　while　I　take　a　glance　as　to　who　our　client　is。〃

He　picked　a　red…covered　volume　from　a　line　of　books　of　reference

beside　the　mantelpiece。　〃Here　he　is；〃　said　he；　sitting　down　and

flattening　it　out　upon　his　knee。　〃Lord　Robert　Walsingham　de　Vere　St。

Simon；　second　son　of　the　Duke　of　Balmoral。　Hum！　Arms：　Azure；　three

caltrops　in　chief　in　chief　over　a　fess　sable。　Born　in　1846。　He's

forty…one　years　of　age；　which　is　mature　for　marriage。　Was

Under…Secretary　for　the　colonies　in　a　late　administration。　The　Duke；

his　father　was　at　one　time　Secretary　for　Foreign　Affairs。　They　inherit

Plantagenet　blood　by　direct　descent；　and　Tudor　on　the　distaff　side。

Ha！　Well；　there　is　nothing　very　instructive　in　all　this。　I　think

that　I　must　turn　to　you；　Watson；　for　something　more　solid。〃

　　〃I　have　very　little　difficulty　in　finding　what　I　want〃　said　I；

〃for　the　facts　are　quite　recent；　and　the　matter　struck　me　as

remarkable。　I　feared　to　refer　them　to　you；　however；　as　I　knew　that　you

had　an　inquiry　on　hand　and　that　you　disliked　the　intrusion　of　other

matters。〃

　　〃Oh；　you　mean　the　little　problem　of　the　Grosvenor　Square　furniture

van。　That　is　quite　cleared　up　now…though；　indeed；　it　was　obvious

from　the　first。　Pray　give　me　the　results　of　your　newspaper

selections。〃

　　〃Here　is　the　first　notice　which　I　can　find。　It　is　in　the　personal

column　of　the　Morning　Post；　and　dates；　as　you　see；　some　weeks　back：



　　〃A　marriage　has　been　arranged　＇it　says＇　and　will；　if　rumour　is

correct；　very　shortly　take　place；　between　Lord　Robert　St。　Simon；

second　son　of　the　Duke　of　Balmoral；　and　Miss　Hatty　Doran；　the　only

daughter　of　Aloysius　Doran；　Esq。；　of　San　Francisco；　Cal。；　U。S。A。



That　is　all。〃

　　〃Terse　and　to　the　point；〃　remarked　Holmes；　stretching　his　long；　thin

legs　towards　the　fire。

　　〃There　was　a　paragraph　amplifying　this　in　one　of　the　society

papers　of　the　same　week。　Ah；　here　it　is：



　　〃There　will　soon　be　a　call　for　protection　in　the　marriage　market；

for　the　present　free…trade　principle　appears　to　tell　heavily　against

our　home　product。　One　by　one　the　management　of　the　noble　houses　of

Great　Britain　is　passing　into　the　hands　of　our　fair　cousins　from

across　the　Atlantic。　An　important　addition　has　been　made　during　the

last　week　to　the　list　of　the　prizes　which　have　been　home　away　by　these

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　a　California　millionaire。　Miss　Doran；　whose

graceful　figure　and　striking　face　attracted　much　attention　at　the

Westbury　House　festivities；　is　an　only　child；　and　it　is　currently

reported　that　her　dowry　will　run　to　considerably　over　the　six　figures；

with　expectancies　for　the　future。　As　it　is　an　open　secret　that　the

Duke　of　Balmoral　has　been　compelled　to　sell　his　pictures　within　the

last　few　years；　and　as　Lord　St。　Simon　has　no　property　of　his　own

save　the　small　estate　of　Birchmoor；　it　is　obvious　that　the　Californian

heiress　is　not　the　only　gainer　by　an　alliance　which　will　enable　her　to

make　the　easy　and　common　transition　from　a　Republican　lady　to　a

British　peeress。〃



　　〃Anything　else？〃　asked　Holmes；　yawning。

　　〃Oh；　yes；　plenty。　Then　there　is　another　note　in　the　Morning　Post

to　say　that　the　marriage　would　be　an　absolutely　quiet　one；　that　it

would　be　at　St。　George's；　Hanover　Square；　that　only　half　a　dozen

intimate　friends　would　be　invited；　and　that　the　party　would　return

to　the　furnished　house　at　Lancaster　Gate　which　has　been　taken　by　Mr。

Aloysius　Doran。　Two　days　later…that　is；　on　Wednesday　last　there　is　a

curt　announcement　that　the　wedding　had　taken　place；　and　that　the

honeymoon　would　be　passed　at　Lord　Backwater's　place；　near　Petersfield。

Those　are　all　the　notices　which　appeared　before　the　disappearance　of

the　bride。〃

　　〃Before　the　what？〃　asked　Holmes　with　a　start。

　　〃The　vanishing　of　the　lady。〃

　　〃When　did　she　vanish　then？〃

　　〃At　the　wedding　breakfast。〃

　　〃Indeed。　This　is　more　interesting　than　it　promised　to　be；　quite

dramatic；　in　fact。〃

　　〃Yes；　it　struck　me　as　being　a　little　out　of　the　common。〃

　　〃They　often　vanish　before　the　ceremony；　and　occasionally　during

the　honeymoon；　but　I　cannot　call　to　mind　anything　quite　so　prompt　as

this。　Pray　let　me　have　the　details。〃

　　〃I　warn　you　that　they　are　very　incomplete。〃

　　〃Perhaps　we　may　make　them　less　so。〃

　　〃Such　as　they　are；　they　are　set　forth　in　a　single　article　of　a

morning　paper　of　yesterday；　which　I　will　read　to　you。　It　is　headed；

'Singular　Occurrence　at　a　Fashionable　Wedding'：



　　〃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