A Scandal in Bohemia by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
"A Scandal in Bohemia" is a short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featuring the iconic detective Sherlock Holmes. The narrative unfolds shortly after Dr. John Watson's marriage, as he visits Holmes in his Baker Street flat. During this visit, the king of Bohemia, disguised and seeking help, arrives to enlist Holmes's services. The king is concerned about a compromising photograph that could jeopardize his upcoming marriage to a princess, as it features him with his former lover, the clever soprano Irene Adler.
Holmes, intrigued by the case, devises a plan to uncover the photograph's hiding place. He adopts various disguises and engages in clever ruses to gather information about Adler. As the plot unfolds, Holmes realizes that Adler is not an easily outsmarted opponent. Ultimately, she outwits Holmes by anticipating his moves, leading to a surprising resolution where she decides not to use the photograph against the king. The story highlights themes of love, intelligence, and the complexities of human relationships, showcasing Adler not just as a mere damsel in distress but as a formidable character in her own right.
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A Scandal in Bohemia by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
First published: 1891
Type of plot: Mystery and detective
Time of work: About 1888 or 1889
Locale: London, England
Principal Characters:
Sherlock Holmes , the world's first consulting detectiveDr. John H. Watson , his friend and biographerIrene Adler , a beautiful young operatic sopranoWilhelm, king of Bohemia
The Story
Soon after his first marriage, Dr. John Watson leaves the Baker Street flat that he has shared with Sherlock Holmes and returns to private medical practice. In the course of his calls, he passes through Baker Street one day, sees Holmes pacing before the window, and on an impulse walks up to visit his friend. Holmes tells him that a client is expected that evening, one whose case may be interesting to Watson in his capacity as Holmes's chronicler. The client arrives, a huge man, richly and garishly dressed and wearing a mask. Holmes quickly penetrates the disguise, however, and identifies the man as King Wilhelm of Bohemia. The surprised king unmasks and tells Holmes why he has come.
It seems that some years earlier, the king fell in love with a young soprano named Irene Adler. The woman is not only beautiful but also possessive. The king's engagement to another woman, a princess, will soon be announced, and Irene Adler has sworn to stop the wedding. She threatens to publish a compromising photograph of her and the king, thereby creating a scandal that will lead the bride's family to call off the wedding. She refuses to sell the photograph to the king; twice, burglars have failed to find it in her house; her luggage has been searched without success; and on two occasions robbers have stopped her, but without finding the picture. The king lays the matter in Holmes's hands, begging for his help.
The next morning, Holmes disguises himself as a seedy-looking horse groom and goes to the neighborhood around Miss Adler's house to see what gossip he can pick up. There he not only learns that Miss Adler has an admirer, Godfrey Norton, but also becomes involved in an incident that amuses as well as enlightens him. He sees both Norton and Miss Adler set off in separate carriages for a nearby church. When he follows them there, the disguised Holmes is commandeered as a witness for their wedding. Now that Irene Adler is married, Holmes expects her to leave London at any moment. He must therefore act, and do it swiftly.
On the following day, Holmes again disguises himself, this time as a clergyman, and requests Watson's help for his scheme. They go to Adler's house separately. Once there, Watson sees Miss Adler arrive, and she is immediately beset by a crowd of loafers. Holmes, in disguise, comes to her aid, is attacked and apparently wounded by the crowd, and falls to the ground. He is carried into Adler's house and laid on a couch near a window where Watson can see him. On Holmes's signal, Watson throws a smoke bomb through the window, and the people on the street outside begin to cry "Fire!" After the tumult that follows, Holmes joins Watson outside, and on their walk back to Baker Street, he explains what has happened.
Reasoning that Miss Adler had the photograph well hidden somewhere in her house and that she would immediately go to it in an emergency, Holmes stage-managed the little scene outside her house to see where she would run in such a case. The plan worked, and now he knows where the photograph is hidden. On the morrow he plans to go to the house with the king and take the photograph while Miss Adler is not in the room. As Watson and Holmes pause at Holmes's door, a short, cloaked figure passes them on the street and wishes Holmes good evening.
The next morning, all goes as planned until Holmes and the king reach Adler's house. There, an old woman tells them that Miss Adler and her husband have left for their honeymoon and that she expected Holmes to arrive. Alarmed, the two men are shown into the drawing room. Holmes goes at once to the secret compartment that held the photograph but instead finds there a photograph of Miss Adler herself and a letter addressed to him.
The letter explains that she had been warned that the king might use an agent. After Holmes, dressed as a clergyman, was brought into her house, she began to have suspicions. She left the room, put on a disguise of her own as a man, and followed Holmes and Watson back to Baker Street. She says further that now that she loves a better man than the king—Godfrey Norton—the king need not worry any longer about their photograph: She will not hinder his marriage.
The astonished and relieved king thanks Holmes for his services and offers him a ring from his finger as reward. Holmes refuses, however, and asks for something else—the photograph of Irene Adler, which the king gives him.