hat he paid seven hundred pounds to a footman for

a note two lines in length, and that the ruin of a noble

family was the result. everything which is in the market

goes to milverton, and there are hundreds in this great

city who turn white at his name. no one knows where his

grip may fall, for he is far too rich and far too cunning

to work from hand to mouth. he will hold a card back for

years in order to play it at the moment when the stake is

best worth winning. i have said that he is the worst man

in london, and i would ask you how could one compare the

ruffian who in hot blood bludgeons his mate with this man,

who methodically and at his leisure tortures the soul and

wrings the nerves in order to add to his already swollen

money-bags?"

i had seldom heard my friend speak with such intensity of

feeling.

"but surely," said i, "the fellow must be within the grasp

of the law?"

"technically, no doubt, but practically not. what would

it profit a woman, for example, to get him a few months'

imprisonment if her own ruin must immediately follow?

his victims dare not hit back. if ever he blackmailed an

innocent person, then, indeed, we should have him; but he

is as cunning as the evil one. no, no; we must find other

ways to fight him."

"and why is he here?"

"because an illustrious client has placed her piteous case

in my hands. it is the lady eva brackwell, the most

beautiful _debutante_ {1} of last season. she is to be

married in a fortnight to the earl of dovercourt.

this fiend has several imprudent letters -- imprudent, watson,

nothing worse -- which were written to an impecunious young

squire in the country. they would suffice to break off the

match. milverton will send the letters to the earl unless

a large sum of money is paid him. i have been commissioned

to meet him, and -- to make the best terms i can."

at that instant there was a clatter and a rattle in the

street below. looking down i saw a stately carriage and

pair, the brilliant lamps gleaming on the glossy haunches

of the noble chestnuts. a footman opened the door, and a

small, stout man in a shaggy astrachan overcoat descended.

a minute later he was in the room.

charles augustus milverton was a man of fifty, with a

large, intellectual head, a round, plump, hairless face,

a perpetual frozen smile, and two keen grey eyes, which

gleamed brightly from behind broad, golden-rimmed glasses.

there was something of mr. pickwick's benevolence in his

appearance, marred only by the insincerity of the fixed

smile and by the hard glitter of those restless and

penetrating eyes. his voice was as smooth and suave as

his countenance, as he advanced with a plump little hand

extended, murmuring his regret for having missed us at his

first visit. holmes disregarded the outstretched hand and

looked at him with a face of granite. milverton's smile

broadened; he shrugged his shoulders, removed his overcoat,

folded it with great deliberation over the back of a chair,

and then took a seat.

"this gentleman?" said he, with a wave in my direction.

"is it discreet? is it right?"

"dr. watson is my friend and partner."

"very good, mr. holmes. it is only in your client's interests

that i protested. the matter is so very delicate ----"

"dr. watson has already heard of it."

"then we can proceed to business. you say that you are acting

for lady eva. has she empowered you to accept my terms?"

"what are your terms?"

"seven thousand pounds."

"and the alternative?"

"my dear sir, it is painful for me to discuss it; but if

the money is not paid on the 14th there certainly will be

no marriage on the 18th." his insufferable smile was more

complacent than ever.

holmes thought for a little.

"you appear to me," he said, at last, "to be taking matters

too much for granted. i am, of course, familiar with the

contents of these letters. my client will certainly do

what i may advise. i shall counsel her to tell her future

husband the whole story and to trust to his generosity."

milverton chuckled.

"you evidently do not know the earl," said he.

from the baffled look upon holmes's face i could see

clearly that he did.

"what harm is there in the letters?" he asked.

"they are sprightly -- very sprightly," milverton answered.

"the lady was a charming correspondent. but i can assure

you that the earl of dovercourt would fail to appreciate

them. however, since you think otherwise, we will let it

rest at that. it is purely a matter of business. if you

think that it is in the best interests of your client that

these letters should be placed in the hands of the earl,

then you would indeed be foolish to pay so large a sum of

money to regain them." he rose and seized his astrachan

coat.

holmes was grey with anger and mortification.

"wait a little," he said. "you go too fas