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"I was still balancing the matter in my mind when a hansom cab `
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drove up to Briony Lodge, and a gentleman sprang out. He was a `
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remarkably handsome man, dark, aquiline, and moustached-- `
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evidently the man of whom I had heard. He appeared to be in a `
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great hurry, shouted to the cabman to wait, and brushed past the `
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maid who opened the door with the air of a man who was thoroughly `
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at home. `
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"He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catch `
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glimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing up and `
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down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her I could see `
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nothing. Presently he emerged, looking even more flurried than `
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before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled a gold watch from `
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his pocket and looked at it earnestly, 'Drive like the devil,' he `
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shouted, 'first to Gross & Hankey's in Regent Street, and then to `
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the Church of St. Monica in the Edgeware Road. Half a guinea if `
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you do it in twenty minutes!' `
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"Away they went, and I was just wondering whether I should not do `
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well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau, `
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the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and his tie under `
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his ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of `
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the buckles. It hadn't pulled up before she shot out of the hall `
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door and into it. I only caught a glimpse of her at the moment, `
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but she was a lovely woman, with a face that a man might die for. `
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"'The Church of St. Monica, John,' she cried, 'and half a `
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sovereign if you reach it in twenty minutes.' `
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"This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balancing `
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whether I should run for it, or whether I should perch behind her `
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landau when a cab came through the street. The driver looked `
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twice at such a shabby fare, but I jumped in before he could `
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object. 'The Church of St. Monica,' said I, 'and half a sovereign `
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if you reach it in twenty minutes.' It was twenty-five minutes to `
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twelve, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind. `
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"My cabby drove fast. I don't think I ever drove faster, but the `
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others were there before us. The cab and the landau with their `
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steaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paid `
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the man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul there `
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save the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman, who `
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seemed to be expostulating with them. They were all three `
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standing in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side `
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aisle like any other idler who has dropped into a church. `
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Suddenly, to my surprise, the three at the altar faced round to `
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me, and Godfrey Norton came running as hard as he could towards `
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me. `
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"'Thank God,' he cried. 'You'll do. Come! Come!' `
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"'What then?' I asked. `
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"'Come, man, come, only three minutes, or it won't be legal.' `
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"I was half-dragged up to the altar, and before I knew where I was `
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I found myself mumbling responses which were whispered in my ear, `
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and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, and generally `
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assisting in the secure tying up of Irene Adler, spinster, to `
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Godfrey Norton, bachelor. It was all done in an instant, and `
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there was the gentleman thanking me on the one side and the lady `
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on the other, while the clergyman beamed on me in front. It was `
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the most preposterous position in which I ever found myself in my `
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life, and it was the thought of it that started me laughing just `
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now. It seems that there had been some informality about their `
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license, that the clergyman absolutely refused to marry them `
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without a witness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance `
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saved the bridegroom from having to sally out into the streets in `
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search of a best man. The bride gave me a sovereign, and I mean `
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to wear it on my watch-chain in memory of the occasion." `
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"This is a very unexpected turn of affairs," said I; "and what `
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then?" `
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"Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked as if `
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the pair might take an immediate departure, and so necessitate `
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very prompt and energetic measures on my part. At the church `
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door, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple, and `
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she to her own house. 'I shall drive out in the park at five as `
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usual,' she said as she left him. I heard no more. They drove `
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away in different directions, and I went off to make my own `
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arrangements." `
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"Which are?" `
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"Some cold beef and a glass of beer," he answered, ringing the `
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bell. "I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likely to `
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be busier still this evening. By the way, Doctor, I shall want `
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your co-operation." `
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"I shall be delighted." `
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"You don't mind breaking the law?" `
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"Not in the least." `
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"Nor running a chance of arrest?" `
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"Not in a good cause." `
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"Oh, the cause is excellent!" `
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"Then I am your man." `
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"I was sure that I might rely on you." `
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"But what is it you wish?" `
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"When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clear to `
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you. Now," he said as he turned hungrily on the simple fare that `
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our landlady had provided, "I must discuss it while I eat, for I `
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have not much time. It is nearly five now. In two hours we must `
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be on the scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame, rather, returns `
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from her drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her." `
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"And what then?" `
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"You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is to `
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occur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You must `
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not interfere, come what may. You understand?" `
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"I am to be neutral?" `
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"To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some small `
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unpleasantness. Do not join in it. It will end in my being `
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conveyed into the house. Four or five minutes afterwards the `
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sitting-room window will open. You are to station yourself close `
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to that open window." `
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"Yes." `
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"You are to watch me, for I will be visible to you." `
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"Yes." `
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"And when I raise my hand--so--you will throw into the room what `
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I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cry of `
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fire. You quite follow me?" `
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"Entirely." `
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"It is nothing very formidable," he said, taking a long cigar- `
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shaped roll from his pocket. "It is an ordinary plumber's smoke- `
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rocket, fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting. `
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Your task is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire, `
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it will be taken up by quite a number of people. You may then `
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walk to the end of the street, and I will rejoin you in ten `
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minutes. I hope that I have made myself clear?" `
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"I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watch you, `
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and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cry `
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of fire, and to wait you at the corner of the street." `
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"Precisely." `
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"Then you may entirely rely on me." `
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"That is excellent. I think, perhaps, it is almost time that I `
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prepare for the new role I have to play." `
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He disappeared into his bedroom and returned in a few minutes in `
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the character of an amiable and simple-minded Nonconformist `
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clergyman. His broad black hat, his baggy trousers, his white `
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tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and `
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benevolent curiosity were such as Mr. John Hare alone could have `
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equalled. It was not merely that Holmes changed his costume. His `
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expression, his manner, his very soul seemed to vary with every `
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fresh part that he assumed. The stage lost a fine actor, even as `
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science lost an acute reasoner, when he became a specialist in `
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crime. `
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It was a quarter past six when we left Baker Street, and it still `
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wanted ten minutes to the hour when we found ourselves in `
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Serpentine Avenue. It was already dusk, and the lamps were just `
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being lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, `
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waiting for the coming of its occupant. The house was just such `
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as I had pictured it from Sherlock Holmes' succinct description, `
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but the locality appeared to be less private than I expected. On `
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the contrary, for a small street in a quiet neighbourhood, it was `
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remarkably animated. There was a group of shabbily dressed men `
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smoking and laughing in a corner, a scissors-grinder with his `
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wheel, two guardsmen who were flirting with a nurse-girl, and `
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several well-dressed young men who were lounging up and down with `
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cigars in their mouths. `
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"You see," remarked Holmes, as we paced to and fro in front of `
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the house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters. The `
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photograph becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are `
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that she would be as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey `
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Norton, as our client is to its coming to the eyes of his `
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princess. Now the question is, Where are we to find the `
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photograph?" `
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"Where, indeed?" `
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"It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her. It is `
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cabinet size. Too large for easy concealment about a woman's `
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dress. She knows that the King is capable of having her waylaid `
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and searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We `
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may take it, then, that she does not carry it about with her." `
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