A Scandal in East Yorkshire

Holmes is frequently employed by a client in order to avert, or suppress a scandal. While secrecy is the client’s objective, the scandal itself is – usually – revealed to the privileged reader. This is exemplified by the very first Holmes short story, whose scandalous subject is even declared in its title. When the King of Bohemia employs Holmes to save his forthcoming marriage to Clotilde Lothman von Saxe-Meningen, second daughter of the King of Scandinavia, full details of the incriminating evidence – letters and a cabinet photograph1 – are revealed in a comic catechism between Holmes and the King: ‘If this young person should produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes, how is she to prove their authenticity?’ ‘There is the writing.’ ‘Pooh, pooh! Forgery.’ ‘My private note-paper.’ ‘Stolen.’ ‘My own seal.’ ‘Imitated.’ ‘My photograph.’ ‘Bought.’ ‘We were both in the photograph.’ ‘Oh, dear! That is very bad! Your Majesty has indeed committed an indiscretion.’ (Adventures, 13)