幼儿英文绘本020-A Scandal in Bohemia 4-A Photograph

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herlockHolmesandIcontinuedwalkingtowardourBakerStreetlodgings.

“HowdidyoudiscoverwhereIreneAdlerkeepsthephotograph?”Iasked.

“SheshowedmejustasIsaidshewould,”Holmesreplied.

“Istilldon’tunderstand.”

“Watson,thematterwasperfectlysimple.”Thedetectivelaughed.“Yousaw,ofcourse,thateveryoneonthestreetwasanaccompliceofmine.”

“Iguessedthatwasthecase.”

“Whenthefightbrokeout,Ihadsomewetredpaintinmypalm.Irushedforward,felldown,andclappedmyhandtomyface,makingitappearthatI’dbeenwounded.”

“Ialsofiguredthatout.”

“Shewasobligedtohavemecarriedintoherhouse,”Holmessaid.“AndIwastakenintohersittingroom.Iknewthephotographmustbeeitherthereorherbedroom.”

“Butwhatwasthepurposeofthesmokebomb?”Iasked.

“Whenawomanthinksherhouseisonfire,herinstinctistorushtothethingthatshevaluesmost,”

Holmesexplained.“Amarriedwomanrunsforherbaby;

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anunmarriedonereachesforherjewelbox.”

IreneAdlerrushedtothebellpull,slidbackapanelinthewall,andstartedtoremovethephotographfromasecretcompartment.WhenHolmesannouncedthefalsealarm,shereplacedthephotographandrushedoutofthesittingroom.

“Ihaven’tseenhersince,”saidHolmes.“Iwasthinkingaboutremovingthephotographwhenhercoachmancameintotheroom.Hewaswatchingmecarefully,soitseemedsafertowait.”

“Whathappensnow?”Iasked.

“Tomorrowmorningateighto’clockwe’llgotoBrionyLodgewiththeking.Wewillbeshownintothesittingroomtowaitforthelady.Butwhenshecomesdownstairs,sheprobablywillnotfindusorthephotograph.”Thedetectivesmiledslyly.“IthoughtHisMajestymightliketorecoveritwithhisownhands.Imustsendawiretothekingimmediately.”

AtthispointwereachedBakerStreetandstoppedatourdoor.Holmeswassearchinghispocketsforthekeywhensomeonesaid,“Goodnight,Mr.Holmes.”

Therewereseveralpeopleonthesidewalk,butthegreetingappearedtocomefromaslimyouthinalong

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overcoat,whohadhurriedpastus.

“I,veheardthatvoicebefore,”saidHolmes,staringdownthedimlylitstreet.“NowIwonderwhoonearththatcouldhavebeen.”

ThenextmorningwewerehavingourtoastandcoffeewhenthekingofBohemiarushedintotheroom.

“Youreallyhavethephotograph?”criedtheking,graspingHolmesbybothshouldersandlookingeagerlyintohisface.

“Notyet,”saidthedetective.

“Butyouhavehopesofgettingit?”askedtheking.

“Yes,Ihavehopes.”

“Thenlet,sgetintomycarriageandbeonourway,”saidtheking.

Onceweweresettledintheking’scarriage,HolmestoldhimthatIreneAdlerwasmarried.

“Married!When?Towhom?”

“YesterdaytoanEnglishlawyernamedNorton.”

“Butshecouldnotpossiblylovehim,”protestedtheking.

“Ihopeshedoes,”repliedHolmes.“Iftheladylovesherhusband,thenshedoesn,tloveYourMajesty.Andifshedoesn’tloveYourMajesty,thenthereisnoreasonshe

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shouldinterferewithyourownplanstomarry.”

“That’strue.Andyet...well!Ionlywishshehadbeenofmyownclass.Whataqueenshewouldhavemade!”Thekingfellintoamoodysilence,whichwasn’tbrokenuntilwearrivedatBrionyLodge.

Thedoorofthehousewasopen,andanelderlywomanstooduponthesteps.Shewatcheduswithasardoniceyeaswealightedfromtheking’scarriage.

“Mr.SherlockHolmes?”shesaid.

“IamMr.Holmes,”repliedmyfriend,lookingratherstartled.

“Mymistresssaidyouwerelikelytocall,”saidthewoman.“Sheleftthismorningwithherhusbandbythe5:15trainfromCharingCrossstation.TheywereheadingsomewhereinEurope,nevertoreturn.”

“Thephotograph!”criedtheking.“Allislost.”

Holmespushedpasttheservant,followedbythekingandmyself.

Herushedtothebellpull,slidbackthewallpanel,and,plunginginhishand,pulledoutaphotographandaletter.ThephotographwasofIreneAdleralone.

TheletterwasaddressedtoSherlockHolmes.Myfriendtoreitopenandthethreeofusreadittogether.

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Itwasdatedatmidnightandcontainedthefollowingmessage:

MydearMr.SherlockHolmes:

Yourdisguisefooledmecompletely.Iwasnotsuspiciousuntilafterthecryoffire.ButwhenIfoundIhadbetrayedmyself,IrememberedthatIhadbeenwarnedaboutyoumonthsago.Ihadbeentoldthatifthekingemployedadetective,itwouldcertainlybeyou.EvenafterIbecamesuspicious,Ifoundithardtothinkevilofsuchadearoldclergyman.ButIhavebeentrainedasanactressmyselfandmen’sclothesarenothingnewtome.IsentmycoachmantowatchyouwhileIranupstairsandchanged.

Well,IfollowedyoutoyourdoortobesureIreallywasanobjectofinteresttothecelebratedMr.SherlockHolmes.ThenIratherimprudentlywishedyougoodnightandstartedformyhusband,soffice.Weboththoughtthebestresponsewastoflee,especiallywhenpursuedbysuchaformidabledetective.

Astothephotograph,yourclientmayrestinpeace.Ilove,andamlovedby,abettermanthanhe.Thekingmaydowhathelikeswithoutinterferencefromthewoman

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whomhehascruellywronged.Ionlykeepthephotographasasafeguardagainstanyfutureactionsthathemighttake.Ileavehimanotherphotograph.

Verytrulyyours,

IreneAdlerNorton

“Oh,whatawoman!”criedtheking.“Didn’tItellyouhowsmartanddeterminedshewas?Wouldn’tshehavemadeanadmirablequeen?Itisapitythatshewasnotofmyownclass.”

“FromwhatI’veseenofthelady,sheseemsindeedtobeinaverydifferentclassfromYourMajesty,”Holmessaidcoldly.“I’msorrythatIhaven’tbeenabletobringyourcasetoamoresuccessfulconclusion.”

“Onthecontrary,”saidtheking.“Iknowthatshewillkeepherwordandthatthephotographisassafeasifshehadburnedit.PleasetellmehowImayrewardyou.Thisring—”HeslippedanemeraldsnakeringfromhisfingerandhelditouttoHolmes.

“YourMajestyhassomethingthatIwouldvalueevenm