“Itismostunlikelythatshecarriesitaboutwithher。Itiscabinetsize。Toolargeforeasyconcealmentaboutawoman’sdress。Sheknowsthatthekingiscapableofhavingherwaylaidandsearched。Twoattemptsofthesorthavealreadybeenmade。Wemaytakeit，then，thatshedoesnotcarryitaboutwithher。“
　　“Where，then？“
　　“Herbankerorherlawyer。Thereisthatdoublepossibility。ButIaminclinedtothinkneither。Womenarenaturallysecretive，andtheyliketodotheirownsecreting。Whyshouldshehanditovertoanyoneelse？Shecouldtrustherownguardianship，butshecouldnottellwhatindirectorpoliticalinfluencemightbebroughttobearuponabusinessman。Besides，rememberthatshehadresolvedtouseitwithinafewdays。Itmustbewhereshecanlayherhandsuponit。Itmustbeinherownhouse。“
　　“Butithastwicebeenburglarized。“
　　“Pshaw！Theydidnotknowhowtolook。“
　　“Buthowwillyoulook？“
　　“Iwillnotlook。“
　　“Whatthen？“
　　“Iwillgethertoshowme。“
　　“Butshewillrefuse。“
　　“Shewillnotbeableto。ButIheartherumbleofwheels。Itishercarriage。Nowcarryoutmyorderstotheletter。“
　　Ashespoke，thegleamofthesidelightsofacarriagecameroundthecurveoftheavenue。ItwasasmartlittlelandauwhichrattleduptothedoorofBrionyLodge。Asitpulleduponeoftheloafingmenatthecornerdashedforwardtoopenthedoorinthehopeofearningacopper，butwaselbowedawaybyanotherloaferwhohadrushedupwiththesameintention。Afiercequarrelbrokeoutwhichwasincreasedbythetwoguardsmen，whotooksideswithoneoftheloungers，andbythescissorsgrinder，whowasequallyhotupontheotherside。Ablowwasstruck，andinaninstantthelady，whohadsteppedfromhercarriage，wasthecenterofalittleknotofstrugglingmenwhostrucksavagelyateachotherwiththeirfistsandsticks。Holmesdashedintothecrowdtoprotectthelady；but，justashereachedher，hegaveacryanddroppedtotheground，withthebloodrunningfreelydownhisface。Athisfalltheguardsmentooktotheirheelsinonedirectionandtheloungersintheother，whileanumberofbetter-dressedpeoplewhohadwatchedthescufflewithouttakingpartinitcrowdedintohelptheladyandtoattendtotheinjuredman。IreneAdler，asIwillstillcallher，hadhurriedupthesteps；butshestoodatthetop，withhersuperbfigureoutlinedagainstthelightsoftheball，lookingbackintothestreet。
　　“Isthepoorgentlemanmuchhurt？“sheasked。
　　“Heisdead，“criedseveralvoices。
　　“No，no，there’slifeinhim，“shoutedanother。“Buthe’llbegonebeforeyoucangethimtothehospital。“
　　“He’sabravefellow，“saidawoman。“Theywouldhavehadthelady’spurseandwatchifithadn’tbeenforhim。Theywereagang，andaroughone，too。Ah！he’sbreathingnow。“
　　“Hecan’tlieinthestreet。Maywebringhimin，marm？“
　　“Surely。Bringhimintothesittingroom。Thereisacomfortablesofa。Thisway，please。“SlowlyandsolemnlyhewasborneintoBrionyLodge，andlaidoutintheprincipalroom，whileIstillobservedtheproceedingsfrommypostbythewindow。Thelampshadbeenlighted，buttheblindshadnotbeendrawn，sothatIcouldseeHolmesashelayuponthecouch。Idonotknowwhetherhewasseizedwithcompunctionatthatmomentfortheparthewasplaying，butIknowthatIneverfeltmoreheartilyashamedofmyselfinmylifethanwhenIsawthebeautifulcreatureagainstwhomIwasconspiring，orthegraceandkindlinesswithwhichshewaitedupontheinjuredman。AndyetitwouldbetheblackesttreacherytoHolmestodrawbacknowfromthepartwhichhehadintrustedtome。
　　Ihardenedmyheart，andtookthesmoke-rocketfromundermyulster。Afterall，Ithought，wearenotinjuringher。Wearebutpreventingherfrominjuringanother。
　　Holmeshadsatuponthecouch，andIsawhimmotionlikeamanwhoisinneedofair。Amaidrushedacrossandthrewopenthewindow。
　　AtthesameinstantIsawhimraisehishand，andatthesignalI
　　tossedmyrocketintotheroomwithacryof“Fire！“Thewordwasnosooneroutofmymouththanthewholecrowdofspectators，welldressedandill——gentlemen，hostlers，andservantmaids——joinedinageneralshriekof“Fire！“Thickcloudsofsmokecurledthroughtheroom，andoutattheopenwindow。Icaughtaglimpseofrushingfigures，andamomentlaterthevoiceofHolmesfromwithinassuringthemthatitwasafalsealarm。Slippingthroughtheshoutingcrowd，Imademywaytothecornerofthestreet，andintenminuteswasrejoicedtofindmyfriend’sarminmine，andtogetawayfromthesceneofuproar。Hewalkedswiftlyandinsilenceforsomefewminutes，untilwehadturneddownoneofthequietstreetswhichledtowardtheEdgewareRoad。
　　“Youdiditverynicely，doctor，“heremarked。“Nothingcouldhavebeenbetter。Itisallright。“
　　“Youhavethephotograph？“
　　“Iknowwhereitis。“
　　“Andhowdidyoufindout？“
　　“Sheshowedme，asItoldyouthatshewould。“
　　“Iamstillinthedark。“
　　“Idonotwishtomakeamystery，“saidhe，laughing。“Thematterwasperfectlysimple。You，ofcourse，sawthateveryoneinthestreetwasanaccomplice。Theywereallengagedfortheevening。“
　　“Iguessedasmuch。“
　　“Then，whentherowbrokeout，Ihadalittlemoistredpaintinthepalmofmyhand。Irushedforward，felldown，clappedmyhandtomyface，andbecameapiteousspectacle。Itisanoldtrick。“
　　“ThatalsoIcouldfathom。“
　　“Thentheycarriedmein。Shewasboundtohavemein。Whatelsecouldshedo？Andintohersittingroom，whichwastheveryroomwhichIsuspected。Itlaybetweenthatandherbedroom，andIwasdeterminedtoseewhich。Theylaidmeonacouch，Imotionedforair，theywerecompelledtoopenthewindow，andyouhadyourchance。“
　　“Howdidthathelpyou？“
　　“Itwasall-important。Whenawomanthinksthatherhouseisonfire，herinstinctisatoncetorushtothethingwhichshevaluesmost。Itisaperfectlyoverpoweringimpulse，andIhavemorethanoncetakenadvantageofit。InthecaseoftheDarlingtonSubstitutionScandalitwasofusetome，andalsointheArnsworthCastlebusiness。Amarriedwomangrabsatherbaby——anunmarriedonereachesforherjewelbox。Nowitwascleartomethatourladyofto-dayhadnothinginthehousemoreprecioustoherthanwhatweareinquestof。Shewouldrushtosecureit。Thealarmoffirewasadmirablydone。Thesmokeandshoutingwereenoughtoshakenervesofsteel。Sherespondedbeautifully。Thephotographisinarecessbehindaslidingpaneljustabovetherightbell-
　　pull。Shewasthereinaninstant，andIcaughtaglimpseofitasshedrewitout。WhenIcriedoutthatitwasafalsealarm，shereplacedit，glancedattherocket，rushedfromtheroom，andI
　　havenotseenhersince。Irose，and，makingmyexcuses，escapedfromthehouse。Ihesitatedwhethertoattempttosecurethephotographatonce；butthecoachmanhadcomein，andashewaswatchingmenarrowly，itseemedsafertowait。Alittleover-
　　precipitancemayruinall。“
　　“Andnow？“Iasked。
　　“Ourquestispracticallyfinished。Ishallcallwiththekingto-
　　morrow，andwithyou，ifyoucaretocomewithus。Wewillbeshownintothesittingroomtowaitforthelady，butitisprobablethatwhenshecomesshemayfindneitherusnorthephotograph。Itmightbeasatisfactiontohismajestytoregainitwithhisownhands。“
　　“Andwhenwillyoucall？“
　　“Ateightinthemorning。Shewillnotbeup，sothatweshallhaveaclearfield。Besides，wemustbeprompt，forthismarriagemaymeanacompletechangeinherlifeandhabits。Imustwiretothekingwithoutdelay。“
　　WehadreachedBakerStreet，andhadstoppedatthedoor。Hewassearchinghispocketsforthekey，whensomeonepassingsaid:
　　“Goodnight，MisterSherlockHolmes。“
　　Therewereseveralpeopleonthepavementatthetime，butthegreetingappearedtocomefromaslimyouthinanulsterwhohadhurriedby。
　　“I’veheardthatvoicebefore，“saidHolmes，staringdownthedimlylightedstreet。“Now，Iwonderwhothedeucethatcouldhavebeen？“
　　III
　　IsleptatBakerStreetthatnight，andwewereengageduponourtoastandcoffeeinthemorning，whentheKingofBohemiarushedintotheroom。
　　“Youhavereallygotit？“hecried，graspingSherlockHolmesbyeithershoulder，andlookingeagerlyintohisface。
　　“Notyet。“
　　“Butyouhavehopes？“
　　“Ihavehopes。“
　　“Thencome。Iamallimpatiencetobegone。“
　　“Wemusthaveacab。“
　　“No，mybroughamiswaiting。“
　　“Thenthatwillsimplifymatters。“Wedescended，andstartedoffoncemoreforBrionyLodge。
　　“IreneAdlerismarried，“remarkedHolmes。
　　“Married！When？“
　　“Yesterday。“
　　“Buttowhom？“
　　“ToanEnglishlawyernamedNorton。“
　　“Butshecouldnotlovehim。“
　　“Iaminhopesthatshedoes。“
　　“Andwhyinhopes？“
　　“Becauseitwouldspareyourmajestyallfearoffutureannoyance。
　　Iftheladylovesherhusband，shedoesnotloveyourmajesty。Ifshedoesnotloveyourmajesty，thereisnoreasonwhysheshouldinterferewithyourmajesty’splan。“
　　“Itistrue。Andyet——Well，Iwishshehadbeenofmyownstation。Whataqueenshewouldhavemade！“Herelapsedintoamoodysilence，whichwasnotbrokenuntilwedrewupinSerpentineAvenue。
　　ThedoorofBrionyLodgewasopen，andanelderlywomanstooduponthesteps。Shewatcheduswithasardoniceyeaswesteppedfromthebrougham。
　　“Mr。SherlockHolmes，Ibelieve？“saidshe。
　　“IamMr。Holmes，“answeredmycompanion，lookingatherwithaquestioningandratherstartledgaze。
　　“Indeed！Mymistresstoldmethatyouwerelikelytocall。Sheleftthismorning，withherhusband，bythe5:15trainfromCharingCross，fortheContinent。“
　　“What！“SherlockHolmesstaggeredback，whitewithchagrinandsurprise。
　　“DoyoumeanthatshehasleftEngland？“
　　“Nevertoreturn。“
　　“Andthepapers？“askedthekinghoarsely。“Allislost！“
　　“Weshallsee。“Hepushedpasttheservant，andrushedintothedrawing-room，followedbythekingandmyself。Thefurniturewasscatteredaboutineverydirection，withdismantledshelves，andopendrawers，asiftheladyhadhurriedlyransackedthembeforeherflight。Holmesrushedatthebell-pull，torebackasmallslidingshutter，andplunginginhishand，pulledoutaphotographandaletter。ThephotographwasofIreneAdlerherselfineveningdress；theletterwassuperscribedto“SherlockHolmes，Esq。Tobelefttillcalledfor。“Myfriendtoreitopen，andweallthreereadittogether。Itwasdatedatmidnightoftheprecedingnight，andraninthisway:
　　“MYDEARMR。SHERLOCKHOLMES，——Youreallydiditverywell。Youtookmeincompletely。Untilafterthealarmofthefire，Ihadnotasuspicion。Butthen，whenIfoundhowIhadbetrayedmyself，Ibegantothink。Ihadbeenwarnedagainstyoumonthsago。Ihadbeentoldthatifthekingemployedanagent，itwouldcertainlybeyou。Andyouraddresshadbeengivenme。Yet，withallthis，youmademerevealwhatyouwantedtoknow。EvenafterIbecamesuspicious，Ifoundithardtothinkevilofsuchadear，kindoldclergyman。But，youknow，Ihavebeentrainedasanactressmyself。Malecostumeisnothingnewtome。Ioftentakeadvantageofthefreedomwhichitgives。IsentJohn，thecoachman，towatchyou，ranupstairs，gotintomywalkingclothes，asIcallthem，andcamedownjustasyoudeparted。