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the adventure of the noble bachelor-第1部分
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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
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