The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton by Arthur Conan Doyle. Short summary

5 seconds

Milverton collects compromising letters on famous people in England and blackmails them. Holmes tries to steal his client’s papers and sees the blackmailer killed by a famous lady.

1 minute

Holmes is approached by Lady Helena Brackwell, about to marry the Duke. The girl’s compromising letters fall into the hands of the blackmailer, Charles Milverton. If he hands them over to the duke, there will be no wedding.

Holmes tries to persuade the blackmailer to sell the blackmail, but Milverton does not agree — he is not satisfied with the price. Then Holmes and Watson sneak into the blackmailer’s house to steal the letters. They hear their master’s footsteps and hide behind a curtain.

A woman comes to Milverton. She accuses the man of giving the blackmailer dirt on her to her husband, who, unable to take the hit, dies. The woman kills Milverton and leaves.

Holmes and Watson burn all the papers from the blackmailer’s safe and run away.

Later he shows Watson the photo of the mysterious stranger who shot the blackmailer. She turns out to be the wife of a famous statesman.