reference to the very painful event which has occurred in
connection with my wedding. Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, is
acting already in the matter, but he assures me that he sees no
objection to your co-operation, and that he even thinks that it
might be of some assistance. I will call at four o clock in the
afternoon, and, should you have any other engagement at that time,
I hope that you will postpone it, as this matter is of paramount
importance. Yours faithfully,
ROBERT ST. SIMON.
It is dated from Grosvenor Mansions, written with a quill pen, and the
noble lord has had the misfortune to get a smear of ink upon the outer
side of his right little finger, remarked Holmes as he folded up the
epistle.
He says four o clock. It is three now. He will be here in an hour.
Then I have just time, with your assistance, to get clear upon the
subject. Turn over those papers and arrange the extracts in their order
of time, while I take a glance as to who our client is. He picked a
red-covered volume from a line of books of reference beside the
mantelpiece. Here he is, said he, sitting down and flattening it out
upon his knee. Lord Robert Walsingham de Vere St. Simon, second son
of the Duke of Balmoral. Hum! Arms: Azure, three caltrops in chief
over a fess sable. Born in 1846. He s forty-one years of age, which is
mature for marriage. Was Under-Secretary for the colonies in a late
administration. The Duke, his father, was at one time Secretary for
Foreign Affairs. They inherit Plantagenet blood by direct descent, and
Tudor on the distaff side. Ha! Well, there is nothing very instructive
in all this. I think that I must turn to you Watson, for something more
solid.
I have very little difficulty in finding what I want, said I, for
the facts are quite recent, and the matter struck me as remarkable. I
feared to refer them to you, however, as I knew that you had an inquiry
on hand and that you disliked the intrusion of other matters.
223