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Chapter 2

The next day I was at Sherlock's flat at exactly three o 'clock. But he wasn't there. His landlady

said he went out at eight in the morning. So I sat beside the fireplace and waited. Around

four o 'clock, the door opened. A horse -groom in shabby clothes and with long sideburns

entered the room. His face was very red, he looked drunk. He smiled at me in a funny

way. I stared at him for a few seconds. Then I recognized him. It was Sherlock Holmes himself.

Why are you dressed like this? I asked. Where have you been? He laughed at me for the surprised

look on my face and said, You won't believe this. I found Miss Adler's house and I watched

it for a long time. I talked to several people in her neighborhood. So I got some information

about her personal life and her habits. Just give me five minutes. I must change my clothes

and remove the makeup on my face. Five minutes later, Holmes came out of his bedroom in his

regular tweed suit and without any makeup. He sat in an armchair and began to smoke a

cigar. Then he told me what he did until then. I went to Serpentine Avenue and looked

at Adler's house. It is a big villa with two stories. It is right in front of the road,

but it has a big garden in the back. I walked around the villa and examined it. There is

a big sitting room in the front with long windows down to the floor. The villa is easy

to break in through the windows. Then I went to the stables next to Adler's garden. I brushed

and combed horses with the stable men. I chatted with them and with Adler's carriage driver.

They told me many things about her and her neighbors. Stable men certainly enjoy talking

about their masters and rich neighbors. What did they say about Miss Adler? I asked.

Well, first of all, she is very attractive and they all admire her. She has a quiet life.

She gives concerts. She goes out for a ride at five every day and returns home at seven.

She doesn't have many friends. Only a young gentleman visits her every day. Her coachman

knows him quite well. He has driven the gentleman to his home many times. He told me that the

gentleman is a lawyer and his name is Godfrey Norton. He is a tall, handsome man with a mustache.

At this point, I asked Holmes an important question. What is the relationship between Godfrey

Norton and Miss Adler? Is he her lawyer? What do you think? Well, if he is her lawyer, she has

probably given the photograph to him, said Holmes. But not if they are in love, of course. Listen,

I haven't finished the story. Please go on. I am listening, I said, and Holmes went on with

the story. When I left the stables, I stood in front of Adler's house again. Suddenly a

coach stopped and a handsome man with a mustache got off. He was the lawyer. He told the driver

to wait. He went inside the villa. Half an hour later, he came out and jumped into the coach

again. Drive to the church of St. Monica, go as fast as you can. I have only twenty minutes,

he shouted. And a few minutes later, Adler's coach came up to the front of the house. Adler

rushed out of the house and got into the coach. Take me to the church of St. Monica, John. I must

be there in twenty minutes, she shouted to her coachman. Luckily, at that moment, a coach was

passing by. I stopped it, and I got in. I also told the driver to take me to the church of St.

Monica. When I arrived there, Adler's and the lawyer's coaches were waiting outside. I

paid the driver and went in, and I was shocked. Miss Adler and Mr. Norton were standing in

front of a priest. They were getting married. I just stood there and watched them. Mr. Norton

saw me and quickly ran toward me. Please come with me. We need a witness. We can't marry

without a witness, he said, in a panic. So, I, a groom from the street, was the witness

of their marriage ceremony. Can you believe it? After the ceremony, Norton and Adler thanked

me, and Adler gave me a gold coin. I will attach it to my watch chain, because I want to remember

this special day. When Holmes finished telling his story, I said,

So Adler is married now. What will you do next? I have a very good plan. I will tell

you all about it. But I am very hungry now, Holmes said, and rang the bell to call the

landlady. When she came, he asked for some cold beef and a glass of beer. Then he turned

to me and said, Will you help me in this plan? But I must warn you about it. Your role

can be dangerous. He will break the law, and the police can arrest you. I hope you are

not afraid of such things. Don't worry. I am ready for any kind of danger, I told him.

Holmes told me his plan while he was eating. It is five o 'clock now. We must be in front

of Irene's house in two hours. She will come back from her coach ride at seven. When her

coach arrives, there will be some unpleasant things there. Don't do or say anything. Just

wait. And Irene will take me inside the house. Five minutes later, stand near her sitting

room window. Someone will open it. You must watch me while I am in the room. When I hold

up my hand, throw this small thing into the room and shout, Fire. Then he took out a small,

cigar -shaped thing from his pocket and gave it to me. It was a smoke rocket. And he went

on. The room will be filled with smoke and everyone will rush out of the house. You must

walk to the end of the street then and wait for me. I will be there in ten minutes. Can

you do all this? When you go inside the house, I will wait near the sitting room window and

watch you. And when you raise your hand, I will throw in this smoke rocket and shout,

Fire. Then I will wait for you at the end of the street. Very well. Now I must prepare for

my role, he said, and went to his bedroom. When he came out, he was a very different person.

He was an old, kind clergyman wearing glasses, a big black hat, baggy trousers, a long black

coat, and a white tie. When we got to Serpentine Street, we began to wait for Irene's coach to

arrive. The place was too crowded for a small street in a quiet part of the city. There were

several men in shabby clothes, smoking and talking in a corner. There was a street seller and

two policemen speaking with a nurse girl. There were also a few well -dressed young men. They

heard his letters. I am sure she is keeping the photograph in a secret place in her house.

I will get it when I go inside. Holmes said while we were waiting in front of the villa.

But it can't be in the house. The king's men looked everywhere and couldn't find it,

I said. I won't look for it. She will show it to me herself, was Holmes's answer. Just

then Irene's coach arrived. One of the men in the corner rushed to the carriage to open

its door for her. He was hoping to earn a few pennies. Then another man from the same group

rushed to the coach with the same purpose. He pushed the first one aside, and the two men began

to fight. The two policemen tried to stop them. Then everyone in the crowd began to hit each other

with their fists and sticks. So, when Irene stepped out of the carriage, she found herself

in the middle of a fighting crowd. And Sherlock Holmes, the kind old clergyman, ran to protect her.

But he suddenly fell on the ground and gave out a loud cry of pain.

There was blood on his face. The fighting stopped suddenly. Two of the well -dressed young men

ran to help the old clergyman. Another one helped Irene to go to her house.

Before she went in, she stopped and asked the crowd. Is the old man hurt?

They said he was injured badly. Irene asked them to bring him inside.

So, two men carried Holmes to the sitting room. The butler helped them to put Holmes on the sofa.

And I began to wait by the window. In a few seconds, a maid opened the window,

and I saw Holmes. He was lying on the sofa and looking toward the window.

Then Holmes held his hand up and gave me the sign. So, I threw the smoke rocket into the

room through the window. In a second, smoke filled the room and slowly the whole house.

Everyone shouted, fire! I went to the end of the street and waited for Holmes.

He was with me in ten minutes.

You did a very good job, Watson, he said. And I told him he was a very good actor.