The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Part 41 (1/2)
”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 apaper of yesterday, which I will read to you It is headed, 'Singular Occurrence at a Fashi+onable Wedding':
”'The fareatest 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 ; but it is only now that it has been possible to confir about In spite of the attempts of the friends to hush the matter up, so ood purpose can be served by affecting to disregard what is a common subject for conversation
”'The ceree'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 Sirooton 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 claied 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 roo caused some comment, her father followed her, but learned from her maid that she had only coht 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 hisher to be with the cohter had disappeared, Mr Aloysius Doran, in conjunction with the bridegroom, instantly put theetic inquiries are beingup of this very singular business Up to a late hour last night, however, nothing had transpired as to the whereabouts of thelady There are rumours of foul play in the matter, and it is said that the police have caused the arrest of the woinal disturbance, in the belief that, from jealousy or soe disappearance of the bride'”
”And is that all?”
”Only one little iteestive one”
”And it is--”
”That Miss Flora Millar, the lady who had caused the disturbance, has actually been arrested It appears that she was forro, 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 haveat 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 drea a witness, if only as a check to my own e-boy, throwing open the door A gentleh-nosed and pale, with so perhaps of petulance about the mouth, and with the steady, well-opened eye of a man whose pleasant lot it had ever been to coeneral appearance gave an undue iht forward stoop and a little bend of the knees as he walked His hair, too, as he swept off his very curly-bries 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 roo in his right hand the cord which held his golden eyeglasses
”Good-day, Lord St Si ”Pray take the basket-chair This is ue, Dr
Watson Draw up a little to the fire, and ill talk this matter over”
”A ine, Mr Holmes I have been cut to the quick I understand that you have already h I presume that they were hardly fro”
”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 proht! I'ive you any infor 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 Sioes”