DarqueDante/test2 · Datasets at Hugging Face

text stringlengths 0 74
be less private than I expected. On the contrary, for a small street
in a quiet neighbourhood, it was remarkably animated. There was a
group of shabbily dressed men smoking and laughing in a corner, a
scissors-grinder with his wheel, two guardsmen who were flirting with
a nurse-girl, and several well-dressed young men who were lounging up
and down with cigars in their mouths.

"You see," remarked Holmes, as we paced to and fro in front of the
house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters. The photograph
becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are that she would be
as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey Norton, as our client is
to its coming to the eyes of his princess. Now the question is--Where
are we to find the photograph?"

"Where, indeed?"

"It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her. It is
cabinet size. Too large for easy concealment about a woman's dress.
She knows that the King is capable of having her waylaid and
searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We may
take it, then, that she does not carry it about with her."

"Where, then?"

"Her banker or her lawyer. There is that double possibility. But I am
inclined to think neither. Women are naturally secretive, and they
like to do their own secreting. Why should she hand it over to anyone
else? She could trust her own guardianship, but she could not tell
what indirect or political influence might be brought to bear upon a
business man. Besides, remember that she had resolved to use it
within a few days. It must be where she can lay her hands upon it. It
must be in her own house."

"But it has twice been burgled."

"Pshaw! They did not know how to look."

"But how will you look?"

"I will not look."

"What then?"

"I will get her to show me."

"But she will refuse."

"She will not be able to. But I hear the rumble of wheels. It is her
carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter."

As he spoke the gleam of the side-lights of a carriage came round the
curve of the avenue. It was a smart little landau which rattled up to
the door of Briony Lodge. As it pulled up, one of the loafing men at
the corner dashed forward to open the door in the hope of earning a
copper, but was elbowed away by another loafer, who had rushed up
with the same intention. A fierce quarrel broke out, which was
increased by the two guardsmen, who took sides with one of the
loungers, and by the scissors-grinder, who was equally hot upon the
other side. A blow was struck, and in an instant the lady, who had
stepped from her carriage, was the centre of a little knot of flushed
and struggling men, who struck savagely at each other with their
fists and sticks. Holmes dashed into the crowd to protect the lady;
but just as he reached her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground,
with the blood running freely down his face. At his fall the
guardsmen took to their heels in one direction and the loungers in
the other, while a number of better-dressed people, who had watched
the scuffle without taking part in it, crowded in to help the lady
and to attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call
her, had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her
superb figure outlined against the lights of the hall, looking back
into the street.

"Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked.

"He is dead," cried several voices.

"No, no, there's life in him!" shouted another. "But he'll be gone
before you can get him to hospital."

"He's a brave fellow," said a woman. "They would have had the lady's
purse and watch if it hadn't been for him. They were a gang, and a
rough one, too. Ah, he's breathing now."

"He can't lie in the street. May we bring him in, marm?"

"Surely. Bring him into the sitting-room. There is a comfortable
sofa. This way, please!"

Slowly and solemnly he was borne into Briony Lodge and laid out in
the principal room, while I still observed the proceedings from my
post by the window. The lamps had been lit, but the blinds had not
been drawn, so that I could see Holmes as he lay upon the couch. I do
not know whether he was seized with compunction at that moment for
the part he was playing, but I know that I never felt more heartily
ashamed of myself in my life than when I saw the beautiful creature
against whom I was conspiring, or the grace and kindliness with which
she waited upon the injured man. And yet it would be the blackest
treachery to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had
intrusted to me. I hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocket from
under my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We

be less private than I expected. On the contrary, for a small street

in a quiet neighbourhood, it was remarkably animated. There was a

group of shabbily dressed men smoking and laughing in a corner, a

scissors-grinder with his wheel, two guardsmen who were flirting with

a nurse-girl, and several well-dressed young men who were lounging up

and down with cigars in their mouths.

"You see," remarked Holmes, as we paced to and fro in front of the

house, "this marriage rather simplifies matters. The photograph

becomes a double-edged weapon now. The chances are that she would be

as averse to its being seen by Mr. Godfrey Norton, as our client is

to its coming to the eyes of his princess. Now the question is--Where

are we to find the photograph?"

"Where, indeed?"

"It is most unlikely that she carries it about with her. It is

cabinet size. Too large for easy concealment about a woman's dress.

She knows that the King is capable of having her waylaid and

searched. Two attempts of the sort have already been made. We may

take it, then, that she does not carry it about with her."

"Where, then?"

"Her banker or her lawyer. There is that double possibility. But I am

inclined to think neither. Women are naturally secretive, and they

like to do their own secreting. Why should she hand it over to anyone

else? She could trust her own guardianship, but she could not tell

what indirect or political influence might be brought to bear upon a

business man. Besides, remember that she had resolved to use it

within a few days. It must be where she can lay her hands upon it. It

must be in her own house."

"But it has twice been burgled."

"Pshaw! They did not know how to look."

"But how will you look?"

"I will not look."

"What then?"

"I will get her to show me."

"But she will refuse."

"She will not be able to. But I hear the rumble of wheels. It is her

carriage. Now carry out my orders to the letter."

As he spoke the gleam of the side-lights of a carriage came round the

curve of the avenue. It was a smart little landau which rattled up to

the door of Briony Lodge. As it pulled up, one of the loafing men at

the corner dashed forward to open the door in the hope of earning a

copper, but was elbowed away by another loafer, who had rushed up

with the same intention. A fierce quarrel broke out, which was

increased by the two guardsmen, who took sides with one of the

loungers, and by the scissors-grinder, who was equally hot upon the

other side. A blow was struck, and in an instant the lady, who had

stepped from her carriage, was the centre of a little knot of flushed

and struggling men, who struck savagely at each other with their

fists and sticks. Holmes dashed into the crowd to protect the lady;

but just as he reached her he gave a cry and dropped to the ground,

with the blood running freely down his face. At his fall the

guardsmen took to their heels in one direction and the loungers in

the other, while a number of better-dressed people, who had watched

the scuffle without taking part in it, crowded in to help the lady

and to attend to the injured man. Irene Adler, as I will still call

her, had hurried up the steps; but she stood at the top with her

superb figure outlined against the lights of the hall, looking back

into the street.

"Is the poor gentleman much hurt?" she asked.

"He is dead," cried several voices.

"No, no, there's life in him!" shouted another. "But he'll be gone

before you can get him to hospital."

"He's a brave fellow," said a woman. "They would have had the lady's

purse and watch if it hadn't been for him. They were a gang, and a

rough one, too. Ah, he's breathing now."

"He can't lie in the street. May we bring him in, marm?"

"Surely. Bring him into the sitting-room. There is a comfortable

sofa. This way, please!"

Slowly and solemnly he was borne into Briony Lodge and laid out in

the principal room, while I still observed the proceedings from my

post by the window. The lamps had been lit, but the blinds had not

been drawn, so that I could see Holmes as he lay upon the couch. I do

not know whether he was seized with compunction at that moment for

the part he was playing, but I know that I never felt more heartily

ashamed of myself in my life than when I saw the beautiful creature

against whom I was conspiring, or the grace and kindliness with which

she waited upon the injured man. And yet it would be the blackest

treachery to Holmes to draw back now from the part which he had

intrusted to me. I hardened my heart, and took the smoke-rocket from

under my ulster. After all, I thought, we are not injuring her. We