“Youwillexcusethismask，“continuedourstrangevisitor。“Theaugustpersonwhoemploysmewisheshisagenttobeunknowntoyou，andImayconfessatoncethatthetitlebywhichIhavejustcalledmyselfisnotexactlymyown。“
“Iwasawareofit，“saidHolmes，dryly。
“Thecircumstancesareofgreatdelicacy，andeveryprecautionhastobetakentoquenchwhatmightgrowtobeanimmensescandal，andseriouslycompromiseoneofthereigningfamiliesofEurope。Tospeakplainly，thematterimplicatesthegreatHouseofOrmstein，hereditarykingsofBohemia。“
“Iwasalsoawareofthat，“murmuredHolmes，settlinghimselfdowninhisarmchair，andclosinghiseyes。
Ourvisitorglancedwithsomeapparentsurpriseatthelanguid，loungingfigureofthemanwhohadbeen，nodoubt，depictedtohimasthemostincisivereasonerandmostenergeticagentinEurope。
Holmesslowlyreopenedhiseyesandlookedimpatientlyathisgiganticclient。
“Ifyourmajestywouldcondescendtostateyourcase，“heremarked，“Ishouldbebetterabletoadviseyou。“
Themansprungfromhischair，andpacedupanddowntheroominuncontrollableagitation。Then，withagestureofdesperation，hetorethemaskfromhisfaceandhurleditupontheground。
“Youareright，“hecried，“Iamtheking。WhyshouldIattempttoconcealit？“
“Why，indeed？“murmuredHolmes。“YourmajestyhadnotspokenbeforeIwasawarethatIwasaddressingWilhelmGottsreichSigismondvonOrmstein，GrandDukeofCassel-Felstein，andhereditaryKingofBohemia。“
“Butyoucanunderstand，“saidourstrangevisitor，sittingdownoncemoreandpassinghishandoverhishigh，whiteforehead，“youcanunderstandthatIamnotaccustomedtodoingsuchbusinessinmyownperson。YetthematterwassodelicatethatIcouldnotconfideittoanagentwithoutputtingmyselfinhispower。IhavecomeincognitofromPragueforthepurposeofconsultingyou。“
“Then，prayconsult，“saidHolmes，shuttinghiseyesoncemore。
“Thefactsarebrieflythese:Somefiveyearsago，duringalengthyvisittoWarsaw，Imadetheacquaintanceofthewell-knownadventuressIreneAdler。Thenameisnodoubtfamiliartoyou。“
“Kindlylookherupinmyindex，doctor，“murmuredHolmes，withoutopeninghiseyes。Formanyyearshehadadoptedasystemfordocketingallparagraphsconcerningmenandthings，sothatitwasdifficulttonameasubjectorapersononwhichhecouldnotatoncefurnishinformation。InthiscaseIfoundherbiographysandwichedinbetweenthatofaHebrewrabbiandthatofastaffcommanderwhohadwrittenamonographuponthedeep-seafishes。
“Letmesee！“saidHolmes。“Hum！BorninNewJerseyintheyear1858。Contralto——hum！LaScala——hum！PrimadonnaImperialOperaofWarsaw——yes！Retiredfromoperaticstage——ha！LivinginLondon——quiteso！Yourmajesty，asIunderstand，becameentangledwiththisyoungperson，wrotehersomecompromisingletters，andisnowdesirousofgettingthoselettersback。“
“Preciselyso。Buthow——“
“Wasthereasecretmarriage？“
“None。“
“Nolegalpapersorcertificates？“
“None。“
“ThenIfailtofollowyourmajesty。Ifthisyoungpersonshouldproduceherlettersforblackmailingorotherpurposes，howisshetoprovetheirauthenticity？“
“Thereisthewriting。“
“Pooh-pooh！Forgery。“
“Myprivatenotepaper。“
“Stolen。“
“Myownseal。“
“Imitated。“
“Myphotograph。“
“Bought。“
“Wewerebothinthephotograph。“
“Oh，dear！Thatisverybad。Yourmajestyhasindeedcommittedanindiscretion。“
“Iwasmad——insane。“
“Youhavecompromisedyourselfseriously。“
“Iwasonlycrownprincethen。Iwasyoung。Iambutthirtynow。“
“Itmustberecovered。“
“Wehavetriedandfailed。“
“Yourmajestymustpay。Itmustbebought。“
“Shewillnotsell。“
“Stolen，then。“
“Fiveattemptshavebeenmade。Twiceburglarsinmypayransackedherhouse。Oncewedivertedherluggagewhenshetraveled。Twiceshehasbeenwaylaid。Therehasbeennoresult。“
“Nosignofit？“
“Absolutelynone。“
Holmeslaughed。“Itisquiteaprettylittleproblem，“saidhe。
“Butaveryseriousonetome，“returnedtheking，reproachfully。
“Very，indeed。Andwhatdoessheproposetodowiththephotograph？“
“Toruinme。“
“Buthow？“
“Iamabouttobemarried。“
“SoIhaveheard。“
“ToClotildeLothmanvonSaxe-Meiningen，seconddaughteroftheKingofScandinavia。Youmayknowthestrictprinciplesofherfamily。Sheisherselftheverysoulofdelicacy。Ashadowofadoubtastomyconductwouldbringthemattertoanend。“
“AndIreneAdler？“
“Threatenstosendthemthephotograph。Andshewilldoit。I
knowthatshewilldoit。Youdonotknowher，butshehasasoulofsteel。Shehasthefaceofthemostbeautifulofwomenandthemindofthemostresoluteofmen。RatherthanIshouldmarryanotherwoman，therearenolengthstowhichshewouldnotgo——
none。“
“Youaresureshehasnotsentityet？“
“Iamsure。“
“Andwhy？“
“Becauseshehassaidthatshewouldsenditonthedaywhenthebetrothalwaspubliclyproclaimed。ThatwillbenextMonday。“
“Oh，thenwehavethreedaysyet，“saidHolmes，withayawn。“Thatisveryfortunate，asIhaveoneortwomattersofimportancetolookintojustatpresent。Yourmajestywill，ofcourse，stayinLondonforthepresent？“
“Certainly。YouwillfindmeattheLangham，underthenameoftheCountvonKramm。“
“ThenIshalldropyoualinetoletyouknowhowweprogress。“
“Praydoso；Ishallbeallanxiety。“
“Then，astomoney？“
“Youhavecarteblanche。“
“Absolutely？“
“ItellyouthatIwouldgiveoneoftheprovincesofmykingdomtohavethatphotograph。“
“Andforpresentexpenses？“
Thekingtookaheavychamois-leatherbagfromunderhiscloak，andlaiditonthetable。
“Therearethreehundredpoundsingold，andsevenhundredinnotes，“hesaid。
Holmesscribbledareceiptuponasheetofhisnotebook，andhandedittohim。
“Andmademoiselle’saddress？“heasked。
“IsBrionyLodge，SerpentineAvenue，St。John’sWood。“
Holmestookanoteofit。“Oneotherquestion，“saidhe，thoughtfully。“Wasthephotographacabinet？“
“Itwas。“