“Our quest is practically finished
I shall call with the King
to-morrow, and with you, if you care to come with us
We will be shown
into the sitting-room to wait for the lady, but it is probable that
when she comes she may find neither us nor the photograph
It might be
a satisfaction to his Majesty to regain it with his own hands.”

“And when will you call?”

“At eight in the morning
She will not be up, so that we shall have a
clear field
Besides, we must be prompt, for this marriage may mean a
complete change in her life and habits
I must wire to the King without
delay.”

We had reached Baker Street and had stopped at the door
“I’ve heard that voice before,” said Holmes, staring down the dimly lit
street
“Now, I wonder who the deuce that could have been.”


III
I slept at Baker Street that night, and we were engaged upon our toast
and coffee in the morning when the King of Bohemia rushed into the
room
“You have really got it!” he cried, grasping Sherlock Holmes by either
shoulder and looking eagerly into his face
“Not yet.”

“But you have hopes?”

“I have hopes.”

“Then, come
I am all impatience to be gone.”

“We must have a cab.”

“No, my brougham is waiting.”

“Then that will simplify matters.” We descended and started off once
more for Briony Lodge
“Irene Adler is married,” remarked Holmes
If
the lady loves her husband, she does not love your Majesty
If she does
not love your Majesty, there is no reason why she should interfere with
your Majesty’s plan.”

“It is true
I wish she had been of my own station
What a queen she would have made!” He relapsed into a moody silence,
which was not broken until we drew up in Serpentine Avenue
The door of Briony Lodge was open, and an elderly woman stood upon the
steps
She watched us with a sardonic eye as we stepped from the
brougham
Sherlock Holmes, I believe?” said she
Holmes,” answered my companion, looking at her with a
questioning and rather startled gaze
My mistress told me that you were likely to call
She left
this morning with her husband by the 5:15 train from Charing Cross for
the Continent.”

“What!” Sherlock Holmes staggered back, white with chagrin and
surprise
“Do you mean that she has left England?”

“Never to return.”

“And the papers?” asked the King hoarsely
“All is lost.”

“We shall see.” He pushed past the servant and rushed into the
drawing-room, followed by the King and myself
The furniture was
scattered about in every direction, with dismantled shelves and open
drawers, as if the lady had hurriedly ransacked them before her flight
Holmes rushed at the bell-pull, tore back a small sliding shutter, and,
plunging in his hand, pulled out a photograph and a letter
The
photograph was of Irene Adler herself in evening dress, the letter was
superscribed to “Sherlock Holmes, Esq
To be left till called for.” My
friend tore it open, and we all three read it together
It was dated at
midnight of the preceding night and ran in this way:

    “MY DEAR MR
SHERLOCK HOLMES,—You really did it very well
Until after the alarm of fire, I had not a
    suspicion
But then, when I found how I had betrayed myself, I
    began to think
I had been warned against you months ago
I had
    been told that, if the King employed an agent, it would certainly
    be you
And your address had been given me
Yet, with all this, you
    made me reveal what you wanted to know
Even after I became
    suspicious, I found it hard to think evil of such a dear, kind old
    clergyman
But, you know, I have been trained as an actress myself
Male costume is nothing new to me
I often take advantage of the
    freedom which it gives
I sent John, the coachman, to watch you,
    ran upstairs, got into my walking clothes, as I call them, and came
    down just as you departed
“Well, I followed you to your door, and so made sure that I was
    really an object of interest to the celebrated Mr
Then I, rather imprudently, wished you good-night, and started for
    the Temple to see my husband
“We both thought the best resource was flight, when pursued by so
    formidable an antagonist; so you will find the nest empty when you
    call to-morrow
As to the photograph, your client may rest in
    peace
I love and am loved by a better man than he
The King may do
    what he will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly
    wronged
I keep it only to safeguard myself, and to preserve a
    weapon which will always secure me from any steps which he might
    take in the future