elapt1c/ElapticAI-512 · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 149M
has the face of the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most
resolute of men. Rather than I should marry another woman, there are no
lengths to which she would not go—none.

“You are sure that she has not sent it yet?

“I am sure.

“And why?

“Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the
betrothal was publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday.

“Oh, then we have three days yet, said Holmes with a yawn. “That is
very fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to look into
just at present. Your Majesty will, of course, stay in London for the
present?

“Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the Count
Von Kramm.

“Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress.

“Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety.

“Then, as to money?

“You have carte blanche.

“Absolutely?

“I tell you that I would give one of the provinces of my kingdom to
have that photograph.

“And for present expenses?

The King took a heavy chamois leather bag from under his cloak and laid
it on the table.

“There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in notes, he
said.

Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a sheet of his note-book and handed it
to him.

“And Mademoiselle’s address? he asked.

“Is Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John’s Wood.

Holmes took a note of it. “One other question, said he. “Was the
photograph a cabinet?

“It was.

“Then, good-night, your Majesty, and I trust that we shall soon have
some good news for you. And good-night, Watson, he added, as the
wheels of the royal brougham rolled down the street. “If you will be
good enough to call to-morrow afternoon at three o’clock I should like
to chat this little matter over with you.


II.

At three o’clock precisely I was at Baker Street, but Holmes had not
yet returned. The landlady informed me that he had left the house
shortly after eight o’clock in the morning. I sat down beside the fire,
however, with the intention of awaiting him, however long he might be.
I was already deeply interested in his inquiry, for, though it was
surrounded by none of the grim and strange features which were
associated with the two crimes which I have already recorded, still,
the nature of the case and the exalted station of his client gave it a
character of its own. Indeed, apart from the nature of the
investigation which my friend had on hand, there was something in his
masterly grasp of a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which
made it a pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the
quick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most inextricable
mysteries. So accustomed was I to his invariable success that the very
possibility of his failing had ceased to enter into my head.

It was close upon four before the door opened, and a drunken-looking
groom, ill-kempt and side-whiskered, with an inflamed face and
disreputable clothes, walked into the room. Accustomed as I was to my
friend’s amazing powers in the use of disguises, I had to look three
times before I was certain that it was indeed he. With a nod he
vanished into the bedroom, whence he emerged in five minutes
tweed-suited and respectable, as of old. Putting his hands into his
pockets, he stretched out his legs in front of the fire and laughed
heartily for some minutes.

“Well, really! he cried, and then he choked and laughed again until he
was obliged to lie back, limp and helpless, in the chair.

“What is it?

“It’s quite too funny. I am sure you could never guess how I employed
my morning, or what I ended by doing.

“I can’t imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the habits, and
perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler.

has the face of the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most

resolute of men. Rather than I should marry another woman, there are no

lengths to which she would not go—none.

“You are sure that she has not sent it yet?

“I am sure.

“And why?

“Because she has said that she would send it on the day when the

betrothal was publicly proclaimed. That will be next Monday.

“Oh, then we have three days yet, said Holmes with a yawn. “That is

very fortunate, as I have one or two matters of importance to look into

just at present. Your Majesty will, of course, stay in London for the

present?

“Certainly. You will find me at the Langham under the name of the Count

Von Kramm.

“Then I shall drop you a line to let you know how we progress.

“Pray do so. I shall be all anxiety.

“Then, as to money?

“You have carte blanche.

“Absolutely?

“I tell you that I would give one of the provinces of my kingdom to

have that photograph.

“And for present expenses?

The King took a heavy chamois leather bag from under his cloak and laid

it on the table.

“There are three hundred pounds in gold and seven hundred in notes, he

said.

Holmes scribbled a receipt upon a sheet of his note-book and handed it

to him.

“And Mademoiselle’s address? he asked.

“Is Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. John’s Wood.

Holmes took a note of it. “One other question, said he. “Was the

photograph a cabinet?

“It was.

“Then, good-night, your Majesty, and I trust that we shall soon have

some good news for you. And good-night, Watson, he added, as the

wheels of the royal brougham rolled down the street. “If you will be

good enough to call to-morrow afternoon at three o’clock I should like

to chat this little matter over with you.

II.

At three o’clock precisely I was at Baker Street, but Holmes had not

yet returned. The landlady informed me that he had left the house

shortly after eight o’clock in the morning. I sat down beside the fire,

however, with the intention of awaiting him, however long he might be.

I was already deeply interested in his inquiry, for, though it was

surrounded by none of the grim and strange features which were

associated with the two crimes which I have already recorded, still,

the nature of the case and the exalted station of his client gave it a

character of its own. Indeed, apart from the nature of the

investigation which my friend had on hand, there was something in his

masterly grasp of a situation, and his keen, incisive reasoning, which

made it a pleasure to me to study his system of work, and to follow the

quick, subtle methods by which he disentangled the most inextricable

mysteries. So accustomed was I to his invariable success that the very

possibility of his failing had ceased to enter into my head.

It was close upon four before the door opened, and a drunken-looking

groom, ill-kempt and side-whiskered, with an inflamed face and

disreputable clothes, walked into the room. Accustomed as I was to my

friend’s amazing powers in the use of disguises, I had to look three

times before I was certain that it was indeed he. With a nod he

vanished into the bedroom, whence he emerged in five minutes

tweed-suited and respectable, as of old. Putting his hands into his

pockets, he stretched out his legs in front of the fire and laughed

heartily for some minutes.

“Well, really! he cried, and then he choked and laughed again until he

was obliged to lie back, limp and helpless, in the chair.

“What is it?

“It’s quite too funny. I am sure you could never guess how I employed

my morning, or what I ended by doing.

“I can’t imagine. I suppose that you have been watching the habits, and

perhaps the house, of Miss Irene Adler.