“He was in the house about half an hour, and I could catchglimpses of him in the windows of the sitting-room, pacing upand down, talking excitedly, and waving his arms. Of her I couldsee nothing. Presently he emerged, looking even more flurriedthan before. As he stepped up to the cab, he pulled a gold watchfrom his pocket and looked at it earnestly, ‘Drive like the devil,’ heshouted, ‘first to Gross & Hankey’s in Regent Street, and then tothe Church of St. Monica in the Edgeware Road. Half a guinea ifyou do it in twenty minutes!’
“Away they went, and I was just wondering whether I should notdo well to follow them when up the lane came a neat little landau,the coachman with his coat only half-buttoned, and his tie underhis ear, while all the tags of his harness were sticking out of thebuckles. It hadn’t pulled up before she shot out of the hall doorand into it. I only caught a glimpse of her at the moment, but shewas a lovely woman, with a face that a man might die for.
“ ‘The Church of St. Monica, John,’ she cried, ‘and half asovereign if you reach it in twenty minutes.’
“This was quite too good to lose, Watson. I was just balancingwhether I should run for it, or whether I should perch behind herlandau when a cab came through the street. The driver lookedtwice at such a shabby fare, but I jumped in before he couldobject. ‘the Church of St. Monica,’ said I, ‘and half a sovereignif you reach it in twenty minutes.’ It was twenty-five minutes totwelve, and of course it was clear enough what was in the wind.
“My cabby drove fast. I don’t think I ever drove faster, but theothers were there before us. The cab and the landau with theirsteaming horses were in front of the door when I arrived. I paidthe man and hurried into the church. There was not a soul theresave the two whom I had followed and a surpliced clergyman,who seemed to be expostulating with them. They were all threestanding in a knot in front of the altar. I lounged up the side aislelike any other idler who has dropped into a church. Suddenly, tomy surprise, the three at the altar faced round to me, and GodfreyNorton came running as hard as he could towards me.
“ ‘thank God,’ he cried. ‘You’ll do. Come! Come!’
“ ‘What then?’ I asked.
“ ‘Come, man, come, only three minutes, or it won’t be legal.’
“I was half-dragged up to the altar, and before I knew where Iwas I found myself mumbling responses which were whisperedin my ear, and vouching for things of which I knew nothing, andgenerally assisting in the secure tying up of Irene Adler, spinster, toGodfrey Norton, bachelor. It was all done in an instant, and therewas the gentleman thanking me on the one side and the lady onthe other, while the clergyman beamed on me in front. It was themost preposterous position in which I ever found myself in mylife, and it was the thought of it that started me laughing just now.
It seems that there had been some informality about their license,that the clergyman absolutely refused to marry them without awitness of some sort, and that my lucky appearance saved thebridegroom from having to sally out into the streets in search of abest man. The bride gave me a sovereign, and I mean to wear it onmy watch chain in memory of the occasion.”
“This is a very unexpected turn of affairs,” said I; “and whatthen?”
“Well, I found my plans very seriously menaced. It looked as ifthe pair might take an immediate departure, and so necessitatevery prompt and energetic measures on my part. At the churchdoor, however, they separated, he driving back to the Temple,and she to her own house. ‘I shall drive out in the park at fiveas usual,’ she said as she left him. I heard no more. They droveaway in different directions, and I went off to make my ownarrangements.”
“Which are?”
“Some cold beef and a glass of beer,” he answered, ringing thebell. “I have been too busy to think of food, and I am likely to bebusier still this evening. By the way, Doctor, I shall want your cooperation.”
“I shall be delighted.”
“You don’t mind breaking the law?”
“Not in the least.”
“Nor running a chance of arrest?”
“Not in a good cause.”
“Oh, the cause is excellent!”
“Then I am your man.”
“I was sure that I might rely on you.”
“But what is it you wish?”
“When Mrs. Turner has brought in the tray I will make it clearto you. Now,” he said as he turned hungrily on the simple fare thatour landlady had provided, “I must discuss it while I eat, for I havenot much time. It is nearly five now. In two hours we must be onthe scene of action. Miss Irene, or Madame, rather, returns fromher drive at seven. We must be at Briony Lodge to meet her.”
“And what then?”
“You must leave that to me. I have already arranged what is tooccur. There is only one point on which I must insist. You mustnot interfere, come what may. You understand?”
“I am to be neutral?”
“To do nothing whatever. There will probably be some smallunpleasantness. Do not join in it. It will end in my being conveyedinto the house. Four or five minutes afterwards the sitting-roomwindow will open. You are to station yourself close to that openwindow.”
“Yes.”
“You are to watch me, for I will be visible to you.”
“Yes.”
“And when I raise my hand—so—you will throw into the roomwhat I give you to throw, and will, at the same time, raise the cryof fire. You quite follow me?”
“Entirely.”
“It is nothing very formidable,” he said, taking a long cigarshapedroll from his pocket. “It is an ordinary plumber’s smokerocket,fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting. Yourtask is confined to that. When you raise your cry of fire, it will betaken up by quite a number of people. You may then walk to theend of the street, and I will rejoin you in ten minutes. I hope thatI have made myself clear?”
“I am to remain neutral, to get near the window, to watch you,and at the signal to throw in this object, then to raise the cry offire, and to wait you at the corner of the street.”
“Precisely.”
“Then you may entirely rely on me.”
“That is excellent. I think, perhaps, it is almost time that Iprepare for the new role I have to play.”