Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 23 Adventure History (1)
The photo becomes a bomb that threatens the king's wedding, the groom mysteriously disappears in front of the church, the shriveled orange core becomes a sign of death, and there is a priceless rare treasure-sapphire hidden in the goose crop.

Missing Bride Case

As time went on, the marriage of Lord St. Simeon, and its peculiar ending, were now no longer the subject of much interest to the gentlemen around the unfortunate bridegroom.New scandals have made it irrelevant, and the drama of four years ago has been pushed into the background.I have never disclosed to you the truth of the case, and my friend Holmes has devoted so much energy to it.It would be a pity, therefore, for Holmes's investigative notes, not to record such an extraordinary case.

It was an afternoon a few weeks before my wedding, and I was still living with Holmes in Baker Street.At that time, he went out and did not return, and there was a letter for him lying on the table.It was raining and the bullet in my arm from fighting in Afghanistan was causing me so much pain that I had to stay indoors.I lay in an easy chair, with my feet over the other, and read the newspaper beside me until I had read it all before throwing it on the table.I casually glanced at the large crest and intertwined family letters on the envelope, guessing that it might be written by another nobleman.

When he came back, I told him, "Here's a very fashionable letter. If I remember correctly, you used to get a fishmonger's letter in the morning and a letter from the customs inspector."

"Yes, my letters are full of strange things," he laughed, "but usually the more ordinary people write, the more interesting they are. But this letter is as rigid as a subpoena, and it makes people lose their mood after reading it."

He opened the envelope and looked at the contents of the letter.

"Well, look, it seems to be an interesting thing!"

"Isn't it a subpoena or an official letter?"

"No, obviously it's our business."

"From a nobleman?"

"One of the most prestigious nobles in England."

"Congratulations, man!"

"To tell the truth, Watson, I do not think that the social position of my client is of great importance to me, but that I am interested in his case. But it seems that the investigation of this new case may necessarily involve his social status." Status. You've been reading a lot of papers lately, haven't you?"

"That's right, because there's nothing to do." I said resignedly, pointing to the pile of newspapers in the corner.

"Excellent, maybe you can give me some updates. I only read crime news and missing person advertisements, and nothing else. Looking at missing person advertisements is instructive. Since you have paid attention to the latest news, then You must have read about Lord San Simeon and his wedding?"

"Well, I see, I read this news with curiosity."

"Very well, I have here a letter from Lord Saint-Simon to read to you. You must search the papers again, and help me find out all that has been said about the matter. Here is what he said:
Dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes:

According to Lord Buckwater, I have complete confidence in your analysis and judgment, and I have decided to pay you a visit and ask you about the heart-wrenching accident that occurred at my wedding.Mr Ruth Reid of Scotland Yard has taken up the case.

But he suggested that I invite you to join, and even thought it would be of great benefit.I will visit you at four o'clock in the afternoon. If you have another appointment at that time, I hope that you can still meet me later, because the matter is very important.

sincerely yours
san simon

"The letter is from Grosvenor House, written with a quill. The honorable lord has accidentally got a drop of ink on the outside of his right little finger," said Holmes, folding the letters.

"It's three o'clock now. He said come at four o'clock, and he'll be there in an hour."

"With your help, I can figure this out quickly. Flip through the newspaper and put away the relevant summaries in chronological order. I want to see the life experience of this client." He took out a reference book from the fireplace red book. "Here," he said, and sat down, spreading the book on his lap. "Lord Robert Walsingham de Vere St. Simon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral, oh! Medal! Sky blue background, with three caltrops inlaid on the black middle belt. Born in 1846, now At 41, that's mature marriageable age. Was Under-Secretary for the Colonies in the previous government. His father, the Duke, was Foreign Secretary for a while. They're in the Anjou bloodline, is it The direct descendants of the family, the mother's lineage is Tudor dynasty. But these are of no guiding effect. Watson, I think you need to provide some more concrete and specific information."

"I just found some here." I said, "It happened not long ago, which left a deep impression on me, but I haven't told you about it, because you have a case in hand, and you definitely don't want to be disturbed by other things."

"Oh, you mean the little thing about the Grosvenor Square furniture mover. It's cleared up now—it was clear from the beginning, actually. Please give me the more important information from the papers first."

"Here is the first I read, in the bulletin column of the Morning Post. Dated a few weeks ago:

The marriage of Lord Robert San Simeon, second son of the Duke of Balmoral, to Miss Hatty Dolan, only daughter of Mr Aloysius Dolan, San Francisco, California get married. "

"that is all."

"Plain and simple," said Holmes, stretching his long, thin legs over the fire.

"There is also a detailed account of the matter in a social news paper of the same week. Here:

Calls for protectionist policies are imminent in the marriage market.At present, the free-trade marriage policy seriously threatens the traditional foundation of Britain.The power of the famous families in Great Britain was held by female cousins ​​from across the Atlantic.Last week, the glamorous violators added another major figure to their list of loot.Lord San Simeon, who has not fallen in love for more than 20 years, has today announced that he is marrying his love at first sight Miss Hatty Dolan - the daughter of a California millionaire.Miss Dolan was an only child.Her graceful figure and beauty attracted great attention at the gala dinner at Westerbury Palace.Her dowry is said to be well over six figures and is expected to grow.The Duke of Balmoral has been forced to sell his collection of paintings in recent years, and Lord San Simeon has nothing but his little property in the Porchmoor wasteland.And the California heiress would easily jump from a Republican woman to the status of a British dame through marriage.The beneficiary is obviously not alone. "

Holmes yawned and said, "Any more?"

"Oh, there's more." Another text in the Morning Post said:

The wedding was decided to be simple and was scheduled to take place at St. George's Cathedral in Hanover Square.Only a few relatives and friends will be invited to attend.After the wedding, the newlyweds, their relatives and friends will return to the flat rented by Mr. Aloysius Dolan in Lancaster Gate.

Two days later, a brief announcement announced that the wedding had taken place and that the newlyweds would spend their honeymoon at Lord Buckwater Cottage, near Petersfield.

"That's all that was reported before the bride went missing."

"Before what?" asked Holmes in surprise.

"Before the bride disappeared."

"When did she disappear?"

"At breakfast after the wedding."

"It's actually more interesting than expected, it's actually quite dramatic."

"Yeah, it's because it's unusual that I noticed it."

"Disappearances are common before weddings, and during honeymoons, but I've never heard of them. Please give me all the details."

"Beforehand, these materials are not very complete."

"Maybe we can piece it all together."

"There was a slightly more detailed article in yesterday's morning paper. Let me read it. The title is: "Wedding Weird Incidents of High Society".

The tragic events at Lord Robert St Simon's wedding have left the family horrified.As reported yesterday, the wedding ceremony was held the morning before yesterday.But so far, all kinds of strange theories that have been circulating in the market have basically been proved.Although relatives and friends tried their best to cover it up, the incident still attracted public attention.It can be seen that it is unwise to ignore the concerns of the public and adopt an attitude of ignoring them.

The wedding was held in St. George's Cathedral in Hanover Square, and the scene was simple and without extravagance.Only Mr. Aloysius Dolan, the father of the bride, the Duchess of Balmoral, Lord Buckwater, Lord Eustace, the brother of the bridegroom, and Miss Coralah St. Simon, the sister of the bridegroom, were present at the wedding. Lady Lycia Whittington.After the wedding the party went to Mr. Aloysius Dolan's apartment in Lancaster Gate, where breakfast was prepared.At this time, it seems that a woman is causing a little trouble.It is not yet known who she is but has been trying to force her way into the apartment by following the bride and relatives and claiming her right to demand from Lord St Simon.The butler and the servants chased her away after a while. Fortunately, the bride had already entered the apartment and had breakfast with relatives and friends. Look for.But the maid reported that the bride had only been in the bedroom for a moment and then hurried downstairs in a long coat and a bonnet.A manservant also said that he had seen a lady in such a dress leave the apartment, not expecting it to be the mistress.After Mr. Aloysius Dolan confirmed that his daughter was missing, he immediately called the police with the groom and launched an investigation with all his strength.I believe that this strange incident should have a clear result in the near future.But until last night, the missing lady had not been found.It was rumored that she might have been killed.Police have reportedly detained the troublemaker and suspect her of jealousy or other ties to the bride's disappearance.

"Any more?"

"A more sobering message in another morning paper."

"The content is..."

"Miss Flora Miller, the troublemaker, has been arrested. She seems to have been a ballet dancer in Allegro and has known the groom for years. That's all. According to reports, you should know the whole case, right? "

"It's an interesting case, and I will not let it go. Watson, you hear the doorbell ring. It's just four o'clock. I guess it must be the noble lord. Don't go, I need a witness." People, even if they remind me by the side."

"Lord Robert San Simeon is here!" said the servant.A gentleman came in. He looked very cultivated, with a high nose bridge, pale face, piercing eyes, and a very elegant manner, which seemed to be quite pampered.He has a light body, but his overall appearance is still not commensurate with his age.Because he walks a little on his knees and hunched over.His tall curled-brimmed hat was off, revealing a fringe of gray and thinning hair around the top of his head.He was well dressed, even extravagantly dressed: high collar, black frock coat, white vest, yellow gloves, patent leather shoes, light-coloured leg coverings.He walked in slowly, looking around while swinging the chain on the gold-rimmed glasses with his right hand.

"Good day, Lord San Simeon." Holmes rose and bowed. "Please sit down, he is my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, please sit down by the fire, and let us talk about this matter."

"You know, this matter troubles me very much, Mr. Holmes. It is said that you have taken over similar cases, but I guess that the social status of those clients may not be comparable to this case."

"No, that's not necessarily the case."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"The client in the last case was the king."

"Oh, really? I didn't expect that. Which king?"

"King of Scandinavia."

"What?! Has his wife also disappeared mysteriously?"

"You know," said Holmes kindly, "that, just as I have promised to keep your affairs private, so I will keep those of my other clients confidential."

"Yes, yes! Excuse me, but I will tell you all about the case."

"Thanks, I've read all the reports in the papers. I feel I can trust what they say to be true—such as this one about the bride's disappearance."

Lord San Simeon glanced at it and said, "Yes, it is true."

"However, whoever draws a conclusion always collects a great deal of supplementary material. I would like to ask you some questions in order to obtain more facts."

"You ask."

"When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran?"

"A year ago, in San Francisco."

"Are you traveling in America?"

"Correct."

"Were you engaged then?"

"No."

"But are you on friendly terms?"

"I think it's a pleasure to hang out with her, and she can see that."

"Her father is very rich, isn't he?"

"It is said to be the richest man on the other side of the Pacific Ocean."

"How did he get rich?"

"Mining. He had nothing a few years ago, but one day he dug up a gold mine, invested in it and developed it, and suddenly became rich."

"Could you tell me what you know of your wife's character?"

The gentleman looked at the fireplace, and the chains on his spectacles swung faster.He said: "Mr. Holmes, you know, my wife was 20 years old before his father's fortune. Before that, she had been living freely on the mines, playing in the mountains and wilds, so her education was given by nature and not by teachers. Yes. She is what the British call a naughty girl. She has a hot personality, boldness, self-willedness and unconscionability. She is very impatient, easy to make random decisions, and fearless. Of course, if I don’t think she is very good, it is commendable If I don’t, she will definitely not be allowed to enjoy my noble title. She has the courage to sacrifice herself and hates those dishonorable and dishonorable things very much.”

"Do you have a picture of her?"

"I have it with me." He opened the locket on the watch chain, and we saw the face of a very beautiful woman.It was a miniature made of ivory, and the artist had fully demonstrated the shiny hair, dark eyes, and infectiously handsome little mouth.Holmes gazed at it for a moment, then closed the box and returned it to Lord St. Simeon.

"So it was after this charming lady came to London that you renewed your friendship?"

"Yes, she and her father came to a London end-of-the-year society. I saw her a lot and got engaged and married her now."

"It is said that her dowry is very rich?"

"It's okay, our family usually also wants this kind of specification."

"The wedding has already been held, so the dowry should belong to you?"

"I didn't ask about it."

"That's very decent. Did you see Miss Doran the day before the wedding?"

"I have seen."

"How is she feeling?"

"She was in such a great mood, she couldn't stop talking about how we were going to live in the future."

"Well! Very good, what about the morning of the wedding?"

"Very happy too, full of joy until the wedding was over."

"Did you find anything unusual about her later?"

"Oh, to be honest, I've seen things that I've never seen before. She's acting out of temper, but that little thing really isn't worth mentioning and has nothing to do with this case."

"Let's talk and listen."

"She was so childish. When we went to the church dressing room, she dropped her flowers. She was walking to the front pew and the gentleman in the pew helped her pick it up. Not damaged, but when I mentioned it to her, she was so curt and rude. She seemed so unhappy on the way home, it was ridiculous."

"You mean there was a gentleman sitting in the front row, and there were a lot of strangers there?"

"Yes, they were let in when the church opened."

"Is that gentleman a friend of your wife's?"

"No, I call him sir out of politeness. He's just a normal guy. I don't even see what he looks like. I think we're getting too far off topic."

"Lady San Simeon wasn't as happy after her wedding as she was before, so what did she do when she got back to her father's flat?"

"I saw her talking to her maid."

"What kind of person is that maid?"

"She's American, her name is Elise, and she's from California like her."

"A confidant servant?"

"You can't say that. I think they don't distinguish between masters and servants. However, they, the United States, may have a different view on such matters."

"How long did they talk?"

"Well, a few minutes. I was thinking about other things."

"Did you hear what they were talking about?"

"My wife says something like 'grab someone's land' and she always says that kind of slang and I don't know what she's referring to."

"American slang is sometimes very figurative. What did your wife do after talking with the maid?"

"She went into the breakfast room."

"Did you go in with her?"

"No, she never paid attention to these details. After about 10 minutes, she got up in a hurry, said a few words of apology and left, and never came back."

"But, according to that maid Élise, the master went into his room, put on a long coat and a bonnet, and went out."

"Yes, she was later seen going to Hyde Park with Flora Miller. Flora Miller was the woman who was arrested, and she made a scene at Dolan's flat that morning. .”

"Oh, I'd like to hear about this lady in particular, and about your relationship."

Lord San Simeon shrugged his shoulders, raised his eyebrows and said: "We are very friendly, we have known each other for many years. She used to live in Allegro, and I took good care of her, and she was kind to me. But, Mr. Holmes, you should know that women It's all the same. She is very cute, but has a hot temper and is a little obsessed with me. When she heard that I was going to get married, she wrote to threaten me. To be honest, I was also afraid that she would make trouble in the church, so I held the wedding quietly. Unexpectedly, when we came back By the time she was at Mr. Dolan's door, she was trying to break in, insulting and threatening my wife. Since I was worried about such an incident, I arranged for two plainclothes police officers to be there in advance. They quickly got her out. When she went out, she knew that there would be no result in arguing, so she gave up afterwards."

"Has your wife heard this?"

"She didn't hear."

"But then someone saw her walking with this woman?"

"Yes, Mr. Lethrider took the matter very seriously, and surmised that Flora had set my wife up after she had been tricked out."

"Well, that's also possible."

"Do you think so too?"

"I didn't say it must be so, and you don't quite believe it yourself, do you?"

"I know Flora. She wouldn't hurt a fly."

"However, jealousy can sometimes change a person's character inexplicably. How do you think about it?"

(End of this chapter)