“From the first, two facts were very obvious to me,the one that the lady had been quite willing to undergo the wedding ceremony,the other that she had repented of it within a few minutes of returning home.Obviously something had occurred during the morning,then, to cause her to change her mind.What could that something be?She could not have spoken to anyone when she was out,for she had been in the company of the bridegroom.Had she seen someone, then?If she had, it must be someone from America because she had spent so short a time in this country that she could hardly have allowed anyone to acquire so deep an influence over her that the mere sight of him would induce her to change her plans so completely. You see we have already arrived, by a process of exclusion, at the idea that she might have seen an American. Then who could this American be, and why should he possess so much influence over her?It might be a lover; it might be a husband.Her young womanhood had, I knew,been spent in rough scenes and under strange conditions.So far I had got before I ever heard Lord St.Simon’s narrative. When he told us of a man in a pew,of the change in the bride’s manner,of so transparent a device for obtaining a note as the dropping of a bouquet,of her resort to her confidential maid,and of her very significant allusion to claim-jumping—which in miners’ parlance means taking possession of that which another person has a prior claim to—the whole situation became absolutely clear. She had gone off with a man, and the man was either a lover or was a previous husband—the chances being in favour of the latter.”
“And how in the world did you find them?”
“It might have been difficult,but friend Lestrade held information in his hands the value of which he did not himself know. The initials were, of course, of the highest importance, but more valuable still was it to know that within a week he had settled his bill at one of the most select London hotels.”
“How did you deduce the select?”
“By the select prices.Eight shillings for a bed and eightpence for a glass of sherry pointed to one of the most expensive hotels. There are not many in London which charge at that rate. In the second one which I visited in Northumberland Avenue, I learned by an inspection of the book that Francis H. Moulton, an American gentleman, had left only the day before, and on looking over the entries against him, I came upon the very items which I had seen in the duplicate bill. His letters were to be forwarded to 226 Gordon Square; so thither I travelled, and being fortunate enough to find the loving couple at home, I ventured to give them some paternal advice and to point out to them that it would be better in every way that they should make their position a little clearer both to the general public and to Lord St. Simon in particular. I invited them to meet him here, and, as you see, I made him keep the appointment.”
“But with no very good result,” I remarked.“His conduct was certainly not very gracious.”
“Ah, Watson,” said Holmes, smiling,“perhaps you would not be very gracious either, if,after all the trouble of wooing and wedding,you found yourself deprived in an instant of wife and of fortune.I think that we may judge Lord St.Simon very mercifully and thank our stars that we are never likely to find ourselves in the same position. Draw your chair up and hand me my violin, for the only problem we have still to solve is how to while away these bleak autumnal evenings.”
XI. THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET
“Holmes,” said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window looking down the street, “here is a madman coming along. It seems rather sad that his relatives should allow him to come out alone.”
My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands in the pockets of his dressing-gown, looking over my shoulder. It was a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the day before still lay deep upon the ground, shimmering brightly in the wintry sun. Down the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughed into a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side and on the heaped-up edges of the footpaths it still lay as white as when it fell. The grey pavement had been cleaned and scraped, but was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewer passengers than usual. Indeed, from the direction of the Metropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentleman whose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention.
He was a man of about fifty, tall, portly, and imposing,with a massive, strongly marked face and a commanding figure.He was dressed in a sombre yet rich style,in black frock-coat, shining hat, neat brown gaiters,and well-cut pearl-grey trousers.Yet his actions were in absurd contrast to the dignity of his dress and features, for he was running hard, with occasional little springs, such as a weary man gives who is little accustomed to set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up and down, waggled his head, and writhed his face into the most extraordinary contortions.
“What on earth can be the matter with him?” I asked. “He is looking up at the numbers of the houses. ”
“I believe that he is coming here,” said Holmes, rubbing his hands.
“Here?”
“Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally.I think that I recognise the symptoms. Ha!did I not tell you?” As he spoke, the man, puffing and blowing,rushed at our door and pulled at our bell until the whole house resounded with the clanging.
A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing,still gesticulating,but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in his eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror and pity. For a while he could not get his words out, but swayed his body and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to the extreme limits of his reason. Then, suddenly springing to his feet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that we both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room. Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sitting beside him, patted his hand and chatted with him in the easy, soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ.
“You have come to me to tell your story, have you not?” said he. “You are fatigued with your haste.Pray wait until you have recovered yourself,and then I shall be most happy to look into any little problem which you may submit to me.”
The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest,fighting against his emotion.Then he passed his handkerchief over his brow,set his lips tight, and turned his face towards us.
“No doubt you think me mad?” said he.
“I see that you have had some great trouble, ” responded Holmes.
“God knows I have!—a trouble which is enough to unseat my reason,so sudden and so terrible is it.Public disgrace I might have faced,although I am a man whose character has never yet borne a stain.Private affliction also is the lot of every man;but the two coming together,and in so frightful a form,have been enough to shake my very soul. Besides,it is not I alone. The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way be found out of this horrible affair.”
“Pray compose yourself, sir,” said Holmes,“and let me have a clear account of who you are and what it is that has befallen you.”
“My name,” answered our visitor,“is probably familiar to your ears.I am Alexander Holder,of the banking firm of Holder & Stevenson,of Threadneedle Street.”
The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City of London. What could have happened, then, to bring one of the foremost citizens of London to this most pitiable pass?We waited, all curiosity,until with another effort he braced himself to tell his story.