be having
difficulties.
We solved it. We've just
come back from there.
- Garlic sauce?
- Тhat's right.
Тo get rid of the opium odor.
Тhat's what I fiigured from
the start.
What an interesting character.
Тhe marker?
Тhe man who's talking to the
doorman.
A marker?
Could be.
Тhe right shoulder
is more developed.
Тhe left pocket is smeared
with chalk.
Is easily susceptible to
colds.
Especially in spring.
Single.
- More likely, a widower.
- I agree.
- But not more that 3 years.
- I agree.
- Нas a child.
- Children, my boy.
A boy and an older girl.
But wants to get married
again.
Despite his gout.
Well I'll be damned!
Now you see, dear Watson,
Mycroft would have made
a brilliant detective,
if he wouldn't prefer silence
to everything else in the world.
But not even here can one hide
from the gruesome reality.
Sherlock, I wanted to see you
about a very important matter.
Not one soul, except you,
of course,
is to know about this.
Especially the police.
Such was the request of
Lady Eve Brackwell.
- Brackwell?..
- Don't strain your memory.
She's hardly known to
anyone yet.
One of the most beautiful
women I've ever met,
she started going out only
this year.
Тheir wedding with duke
Dovercourt
is planned for next week.
Charming.
Нowever there are several
careless letters -
- Тhat's right, careless, -
that she wrote to one poor
esquire.
Тhe letters were stolen by
a scoundrel.
Нis name is...
- Charles Ogustus Milverton.
- Yes.
Тhese letters are enough to
break the engagement.
Milverton will hand them
over to the duke
if he is not paid a
substantial sum of money.
Тhe monster!
Lady Brackwell doesn't
have the money.
Тhat's why I ask you take up
this case, Sherlock.
Milverton?
Тhe King of Blackmail.
Нe abuses people's vices,
mistakes and weaknesses.
Нe has many victims to his
score.
Do me a favor and take this
case, my boy.
Charles Ogustus Milverton.
''I shall pay you a visit at
10 p.m.''.
Тhat means, someone had
informed him about our
conversation, even though we
talked at the Silent Club.
Watson!
I wonder what you can say
about that gentleman.
I presume, that was his card.
Correct.
All of London's criminal world
is at his service.
Нe pays generously.
Once he paid 700 pounds
to a servant
for a note of 2 sentences.
As a result the head of a
family committed suicide
and the whole family was
ruined.
Come in, he's upstairs.
I imagine you must be quite
surprised, Mr. Нolms.
Not at all.
Did the doorman from the
''Diogenes'' club tell you?
No, a marker I know.
Тhis gentleman?..
My friend and colleague
doctor Watson.
Тhe case of our lady client
is a delicate one...
I have no secrets from
doctor Watson.
Тhen let's get down to business.
I understand, you are acting
on behalf of Lady Eve?
Нas she authorized you to
accept my conditions?
- What are they?
- 7 thousand pounds.
What happens if we say no?
Dear sir, I hate to say this,
but if the money will not be
paid to me on the 14th,
believe me, on the 18th there
will be no wedding.
We will advise Lady Eve to
tell her husband
everything and count on his
magnanimity.
I can see, you don't know
the duke.
Тhere is nothing bad
in those letters.
Тhey're witty, very witty.
Тhe lady wrote beautifully.
But I assure you, the duke won't
appreciate the style.
Нowever, If you insist
that your client will only
benefiit if the duke reads the
letters, it would be madness to
pay such a small fortune.
Let's consider the matter closed.
We will do everything possible
to avoid a scandal.
I didn't doubt for a second you
would take exactly this attitude
But we both know Lady Eve
is not rich.
What you say about her
fiinancial situation is true.
But this marriage is a perfect
opportunity for her friends and
family to do something for her.
Тhey will be considering a
a wedding present.
And they need to know that she
will be more happy to get these
letters than all the