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past the cheekbones, a black vizard mask, which he had apparently adjusted that 
very moment, for his hand was still raised to it as he entered. From the lower part 
of the face he appeared to be a man of strong character, with a thick, hanging lip, 
and a long, straight chin suggestive of resolution pushed to the length of obstinacy. 

"You had my note?" he asked with a deep harsh voice and a strongly marked 
German accent. "I told you that I would call." He looked from one to the other of 
us, as if uncertain which to address. 

"Pray take a seat," said Holmes. "This is my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, 
who is occasionally good enough to help me in my cases. Whom have I the honour 
to address?" 

"You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. I un- 
derstand that this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honour and discretion, whom 
I may trust with a matter of the most extreme importance. If not, I should much 
prefer to communicate with you alone." 

I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me back into my 
chair. "It is both, or none," said he. "You may say before this gentleman anything 
which you may say to me." 

The Count shrugged his broad shoulders. "Then I must begin," said he, "by 
binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years; at the end of that time the 
matter will be of no importance. At present it is not too much to say that it is of 
such weight it may have an influence upon European history." 

"I promise," said Holmes. 

"And I." 

"You will excuse this mask," continued our strange visitor. "The august person 
who employs me wishes his agent to be unknown to you, and I may confess at once 
that the title by which I have just called myself is not exactly my own." 

"I was aware of it," said Holmes dryly. 

"The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution has to be taken 
to quench what might grow to be an immense scandal and seriously compromise 
one of the reigning families of Europe. To speak plainly, the matter implicates the 
great House of Ormstein, hereditary kings of Bohemia." 

"I was also aware of that," murmured Holmes, settling himself down in his 
armchair and closing his eyes. 

Our visitor glanced with some apparent surprise at the languid, lounging figure 
of the man who had been no doubt depicted to him as the most incisive reasoner 
and most energetic agent in Europe. Holmes slowly reopened his eyes and looked 
impatiently at his gigantic client. 

"If your Majesty would condescend to state your case," he remarked, "I should 
be better able to advise you." 

The man sprang from his chair and paced up and down the room in uncontrol- 
lable agitation. Then, with a gesture of desperation, he tore the mask from his face 
and hurled it upon the ground. "You are right," he cried; "I am the King. Why 
should I attempt to conceal it?" 



ADVENTURE I. A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA