SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
1
To Sherlock Holmes she is always the woman。 I have seldom heard
him mention her under any other name。 In his eyes she eclipses and
predominates the whole of her sex。 It was not that he felt any emotion
akin to love for Irene Adler。 All emotions； and that one particularly；
were abhorrent to his cold； precise but admirably balanced mind。 He
was； I take it； the most perfect reasoning and observing machine
that the world has seen； but as a lover he would have placed himself
in a false position。 He never spoke of the softer passions； save
with a gibe and a sneer。 They were admirable things for the
observer… excellent for drawing the veil from men's motives and
actions。 But for the trained reasoner to admit such intrusions into
his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament was to introduce a
distracting factor which might throw a doubt upon all his mental
results。 Grit in a sensitive instrument； or a crack in one of his
own high…power lenses； would not be more disturbing than a strong
emotion in a nature such as his。 And yet there was but one woman to
him； and that woman was the late Irene Adler； of dubious and
questionable memory。
I had seen little of Holmes lately。 My marriage had drifted us
away from each other。 My own complete happiness； and the
home…centred interests which rise up around the man who first finds
himself master of his own establishment； were sufficient to absorb all
my attention； while Holmes； who loathed every form of society with his
whole Bohemian soul； remained in our lodgings in Baker Street；
buried among his old books； and alternating from week to week
between cocaine and ambition； the drowsiness of the drug； and the
fierce energy of his own keen nature。 He was still； as ever； deeply
attracted by the study of crime； and occupied his immense faculties
and extraordinary powers of observation in following out those
clues； and clearing up those mysteries which had been abandoned as
hopeless by the official police。 From time to time I heard some
vague account of his doings： of his summons to Odessa in the case of
the Trepoff murder； of his clearing up of the singular tragedy of
the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee； and finally of the mission which
he had accomplished so delicately and successfully for the reigning
family of Holland。 Beyond these signs of his activity； however；
which I merely shared with all the readers of the daily press； I
knew little of my former friend and companion。
One night… it was on the twentieth of March； 1888… I was returning
from a journey to a patient （for I had now returned to civil
practice）； when my way led me through Baker Street。 As I passed the
well…remembered door； which must always be associated in my mind
with my wooing； and with the dark incidents of the Study in Scarlet； I
was seized with a keen desire to see Holmes again； and to know how
he was employing his extraordinary powers。 His rooms were
brilliantly lit； and； even as I looked up； I saw his tall； spare
figure pass twice in a dark silhouette against the blind。 He was
pacing the room swiftly； eagerly； with his head sunk upon his chest
and his hands clasped behind him。 To me； who knew his every mood and
habit； his attitude and manner told their own story。 He was at work
again。 He had risen out of his drug…created dreams and was hot upon
the scent of some new problem。 I rang the bell and was shown up to the
chamber which had formerly been in part my own。
His manner was not effusive。 It seldom was； but he was glad； I
think； to see me。 With hardly a word spoken； but with a kindly eye； he
waved me to an armchair； threw across his case of cigars； and
indicated a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner。 Then he stood
before the fire and looked me over in his singular introspective
fashion。
〃Wedlock suits you；〃 he remarked。 〃I think； Watson； that you have
put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you。〃
〃Seven！〃 I answered。
〃Indeed； I should have thought a little more。 just a trifle more；
I fancy； Watson。 And in practice again； I observe。 You did not tell me
that you intended to go into harness。〃
〃Then； how do you know？'
〃I see it； I deduce it。 How do I know that you have been getting
yourself very wet lately； and that you have a most clumsy and careless
servant girl？〃
〃My dear Holmes；〃 said I； 〃this is too much。 You would certainly
have been burned； had you lived a few centuries ago。 It is true that I
had a country walk on Thursday and came home in a dreadful mess； but
as I have changed my clothes I can't imagine how you deduce it。 As
to Mary Jane； she is incorrigible； and my wife has given her notice；
but there； again； I fail to see how you work it out。〃
He chuckled to himself and rubbed his long； nervous hands together。
〃It is simplicity itself；〃 said he； 〃my eyes tell me that on the
inside of your left shoe； just where the firelight strikes it； the
leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts。 Obviously they have
been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the edges
of the sole in order to remove crusted mud from it。 Hence； you see； my
double deduction that you had been out in vile weather； and that you
had a particularly malignant boot…slitting specimen of the London
slavey。 As to your practice； if a gentleman walks into my rooms
smelling of iodoform； with a black mark of nitrate of silver upon
his right forefinger； and a bulge on the right side of his top…hat
to show where he has secreted his stethoscope； I must be dull； indeed；
if I do not pronounce him to be an active member of the medical
profession。〃
I could not help laughing at the ease with which he explained his
process of deduction。 〃When I hear you give your reasons；〃 I remarked；
〃the thing always appears to me to be so ridiculously simple that I
could easily do it myself； though at each successive instance of
your reasoning I am baffled until you explain your process And yet I
believe that my eyes are as good as yours。〃
〃Quite so；〃 he answered； lighting a cigarette； and throwing
himself down into an armchair。 〃You see； but you do not observe。 The
distinction is clear。 For example； you have frequently seen the
steps which lead up from the hall to this room。〃
〃Frequently。〃
〃How often？〃
〃Well； some hundreds of times。〃
〃Then how many are there？〃
〃How many？ I don't know。〃
〃Quite so！ You have not observed。 And yet you have seen。 That is
just my point。 Now； I know that there are seventeen steps； because I
have both seen and observed。 By the way； since you are interested in
these little problems； and since you are good enough to chronicle
one or two of my trifling experiences； you may be interested in this。〃
He threw over a sheet of thick； pink…tinted note…paper which had
been lying open upon the table。 〃It came by the last post；〃 said he。
〃Read it aloud。〃
The note was undated； and without either signature or address。
〃There will call upon you to…night； at a quarter to eight o'clock
＇it said＇； a gentleman who desires to consult you upon a matter of the
very deepest moment。 Your recent services to one of the royal houses
of Europe have shown that you are one who may safely be trusted with
matters which are of an importance which can hardly be exaggerated。
This account of you we have from all quarters received。 Be in your
chamber then at that hour； and do not take it amiss if your visitor
wear a mask。
〃This is indeed a mystery；〃 I remarked。 〃What do you imagine that it
means？〃
〃I have no data yet。 It is a capital mistake to theorize before
one has data。 Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories；
instead of theories to suit facts。 But the note itself。 What do you
deduce from it？〃
I carefully examined the writing； and the paper upon which it was
written。
〃The man who wrote it was presumably well to do；〃 I remarked；
endeavouring to imitate my companion's processes。 〃Such paper could
not be bought under half a crown a packet。 It is peculiarly strong and
stiff。〃
〃Peculiar… that is the very word；〃 said Holmes。 〃It is not an
English paper at all。 Hold it up to the light。〃
I did so； and saw a large ‘E' with a small ‘g'； a ‘P；' and a large
‘G' with a small ‘t' woven into the texture of the paper。
〃What do you make of that？〃 asked Holmes。
〃The name of the maker； no doubt； or his monogram； rather。〃
〃Not at all。 The ‘G' with the small ‘t' stands for ‘Gesellschaft；'
which is the German for ‘Company。' It is a customary contraction
like our ‘Co。' ‘P；' of course； stands for ‘Papier。' Now for the
‘Eg。' Let us glance at our Continental Gazetteer。〃 He took down a
heavy brown volume from his shelves。 〃Eglow； Eglonitz… here we are；
Egria。 It is in a German…speaking country… in Bohemia； not far from
Carlsbad。 ‘Remarkable as being the scene of the death of
Wallenstein； and for its numerous glass…factories and paper…mills。'
Ha； ha； my boy； what do you make of that？' His eyes sparkled； and he
sent up a great blue triumphant cloud from his cigarette。
〃The paper was made in Bohemia；〃 I said。
〃Precisely。 And the man who wrote the note is a German。 Do you
note the peculiar construction of the sentence… ‘This account of you
we have from all quarters received。' A Frenchman or Russian could
not have written that。 It is the German who is so uncourteous to his
verbs。 It only remains； therefore； to discover what is wanted by
this German who writes upon Bohemian paper and prefers wearing a
mask to showing his face。 And here he comes； if I am not mistaken；
to resolve all our doubts。〃
As he spoke there was the sharp sound of horses' hoofs and grating
wheels against the curb； followed by a sharp pull at the bell。
Holmes whistled。
〃A pair； by the sound；〃 said he。 〃Yes；〃 he continued； glancing out
of the window。 〃A nice little brougham and a pair of beauties。 A
hundred and fifty guineas apiece。 There's mo