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flame…colored silk； and secured at the neck with a brooch which
consisted of a single flaming beryl。 Boots which extended halfway
up his calves； and which were trimmed at the tops with rich brown
fur； completed the impression of barbaric opulence which was
suggested by his whole appearance。 He carried a broad…brimmed hat
in his hand； while he wore across the upper part of his face；
extending down past the cheek…bones； a black visard mask； which he
had apparently adjusted that very moment； for his hand was still
raised to it as he entered。 From the lower part of the face he
appeared to be a man of strong character； with a thick； hanging
lip； and a long； straight chin； suggestive of resolution pushed to
the length of obstinacy。
〃You had my note？〃 he asked； with a deep； harsh voice and a
strongly marked German accent。 〃I told you that I would call。〃 He
looked from one to the other of us； as if uncertain which to
address。
〃Pray take a seat；〃 said Holmes。 〃This is my friend and colleague；
Doctor Watson； who is occasionally good enough to help me in my
cases。 Whom have I the honor to address？〃
〃You may address me as the Count von Kramm； a Bohemian nobleman。 I
understand that this gentleman； your friend； is a man of honor and
discretion； whom I may trust with a matter of the most extreme
importance。 If not； I should much prefer to communicate with you
alone。〃
I rose to go； but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me back
into my chair。 〃It is both； or none；〃 said he。 〃You may say
before this gentleman anything which you may say to me。〃
The count shrugged his broad shoulders。 〃Then I must begin；〃 said
he； 〃by binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years； at the
end of that time the matter will be of no importance。 At present
it is not too much to say that it is of such weight that it may
have an influence upon European history。〃
〃I promise；〃 said Holmes。
〃And I。〃
〃You will excuse this mask；〃 continued our strange visitor。 〃The
august person who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to you；
and I may confess at once that the title by which I have just
called myself is not exactly my own。〃
〃I was aware of it；〃 said Holmes； dryly。
〃The circumstances are of great delicacy； and every precaution has
to be taken to quench what might grow to be an immense scandal； and
seriously compromise one of the reigning families of Europe。 To
speak plainly； the matter implicates the great House of Ormstein；
hereditary kings of Bohemia。〃
〃I was also aware of that；〃 murmured Holmes； settling himself down
in his armchair； and closing his eyes。
Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid；
lounging figure of the man who had been； no doubt； depicted to him
as the most incisive reasoner and most energetic agent in Europe。
Holmes slowly reopened his eyes and looked impatiently at his
gigantic client。
〃If your majesty would condescend to state your case；〃 he remarked；
〃I should be better able to advise you。〃
The man sprung from his chair； and paced up and down the room in
uncontrollable agitation。 Then； with a gesture of desperation； he
tore the mask from his face and hurled it upon the ground。
〃You are right；〃 he cried； 〃I am the king。 Why should I attempt to
conceal it？〃
〃Why； indeed？〃 murmured Holmes。 〃Your majesty had not spoken
before I was aware that I was addressing Wilhelm Gottsreich
Sigismond von Ormstein； Grand Duke of Cassel…Felstein； and
hereditary King of Bohemia。〃
〃But you can understand；〃 said our strange visitor； sitting down
once more and passing his hand over his high； white forehead； 〃you
can understand that I am not accustomed to doing such business in
my own person。 Yet the matter was so delicate that I could not
confide it to an agent without putting myself in his power。 I have
come incognito from Prague for the purpose of consulting you。〃
〃Then； pray consult；〃 said Holmes； shutting his eyes once more。
〃The facts are briefly these： Some five years ago； during a lengthy
visit to Warsaw； I made the acquaintance of the well…known
adventuress Irene Adler。 The name is no doubt familiar to you。〃
〃Kindly look her up in my index； doctor；〃 murmured Holmes； without
opening his eyes。 For many years he had adopted a system for
docketing all paragraphs concerning men and things； so that it was
difficult to name a subject or a person on which he could not at
once furnish information。 In this case I found her biography
sandwiched in between that of a Hebrew rabbi and that of a staff
commander who had written a monograph upon the deep…sea fishes。
〃Let me see！〃 said Holmes。 〃Hum！ Born in New Jersey in the year
1858。 Contraltohum！ La Scalahum！ Prima donna Imperial Opera
of Warsawyes！ Retired from operatic stageha！ Living in
Londonquite so！ Your majesty； as I understand； became entangled
with this young person； wrote her some compromising letters； and is
now desirous of getting those letters back。〃
〃Precisely so。 But how〃
〃Was there a secret marriage？〃
〃None。〃
〃No legal papers or certificates？〃
〃None。〃
〃Then I fail to follow your majesty。 If this young person should
produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes； how is she
to prove their authenticity？〃
〃There is the writing。〃
〃Pooh…pooh！ Forgery。〃
〃My private note paper。〃
〃Stolen。〃
〃My own seal。〃
〃Imitated。〃
〃My photograph。〃
〃Bought。〃
〃We were both in the photograph。〃
〃Oh； dear！ That is very bad。 Your majesty has indeed committed an
indiscretion。〃
〃I was madinsane。〃
〃You have compromised yourself seriously。〃
〃I was only crown prince then。 I was young。 I am but thirty now。〃
〃It must be recovered。〃
〃We have tried and failed。〃
〃Your majesty must pay。 It must be bought。〃
〃She will not sell。〃
〃Stolen； then。〃
〃Five attempts have been made。 Twice burglars in my pay ransacked
her house。 Once we diverted her luggage when she traveled。 Twice
she has been waylaid。 There has been no result。〃
〃No sign of it？〃
〃Absolutely none。〃
Holmes laughed。 〃It is quite a pretty little problem；〃 said he。
〃But a very serious one to me；〃 returned the king； reproachfully。
〃Very； indeed。 And what does she propose to do with the
photograph？〃
〃To ruin me。〃
〃But how？〃
〃I am about to be married。〃
〃So I have heard。〃
〃To Clotilde Lothman von Saxe…Meiningen； second daughter of the
King of Scandinavia。 You may know the strict principles of her
family。 She is herself the very soul of delicacy。 A shadow of a
doubt as to my conduct would bring the matter to an end。〃
〃And Irene Adler？〃
〃Threatens to send them the photograph。 And she will do it。 I
know that she will do it。 You do not know her； but she has a soul
of steel。 She has the face of the m