the adventure of the noble bachelor-第2部分

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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　bridegroom；　instantly　put　themselves　in　communication　with　the

police；　and　very　energetic　inquiries　are　being　made；　which　will

probably　result　in　a　speedy　clearing　up　of　this　very　singular

business。　Up　to　a　late　hour　last　night；　however；　nothing　had

transpired　as　to　the　whereabouts　of　the　missing　lady。　There　are

rumours　of　foul　play　in　the　matter；　and　it　is　said　that　the　police

have　caused　the　arrest　of　the　woman　who　had　caused　the　original

disturbance；　in　the　belief　that；　from　jealousy　or　some　other　motive；

she　may　have　been　concerned　in　the　strange　disappearance　of　the

bride。〃



　　〃And　is　that　all？〃

　　〃Only　one　little　item　in　another　of　the　morning　papers；　but　it　is

a　suggestive　one。〃

　　〃And　it　is…〃

　　〃That　Miss　Flora　Millar；　the　lady　who　had　caused　the　disturbance；

has　actually　been　arrested。　It　appears　that　she　was　formerly　a

danseuse　at　the　Allegro；　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

have　missed　it　for　worlds。　But　there　is　a　ring　at　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　dream　of　going；

Watson；　for　I　very　much　prefer　having　a　witness；　if　only　as　a　check　to

my　own　memory。〃

　　〃Lord　Robert　St。　Simon；〃　announced　our　page…boy；　throwing　open　the

door。　A　gentleman　entered；　with　a　pleasant；　cultured　face；

high…nosed　and　pale；　with　something　perhaps　of　petulance　about　the

mouth；　and　with　the　steady；　well…opened　eye　of　a　man　whose　pleasant

lot　it　had　ever　been　to　command　and　to　be　obeyed。　His　manner　was

brisk；　and　yet　his　general　appearance　gave　an　undue　impression　of　age；

for　he　had　a　slight　forward　stoop　and　a　little　bend　of　the　knees　as　he

walked。　His　hair；　too；　as　he　swept　off　his　very　curly…brimmed　hat

was　grizzled　round　the　edges　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　room；

turning　his　head　from　left　to　right；　and　swinging　in　his　right　hand

the　cord　which　held　his　golden　eyeglasses。

　　〃Good…day；　Lord　St。　Simon；〃　said　Holmes；　rising　and　bowing。　〃Pray

take　the　basket…chair。　This　is　my　friend　and　colleague；　Dr。　Watson。

Draw　up　a　little　to　the　fire；　and　we　will　talk　this　matter　over。〃

　　〃A　most　painful　matter　to　me；　as　you　can　most　readily　imagine；　Mr。

Holmes。　I　have　been　cut　to　the　quick。　I　understand　that　you　have

already　managed　several　delicate　cases　of　this　sort；　sir；　though　I

presume　that　they　were　hardly　from　the　same　class　of　society。〃

　　〃No；　I　am　descending。〃

　　〃I　beg　pardon。〃

　　〃My　last　client　of　the　sort　was　a　king。〃

　　〃Oh；　really！　I　had　no　idea。　And　which　king？〃

　　〃The　King　of