50946 He looked from one to the other of us, as if uncertain which to address.
50947 'Pray take a seat,' said Holmes.
50948 'This is my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me in my cases.
50949 Whom have I the honour to address?'
50950 'You may address me as the Count von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman.
50951 I understand that this gentleman, your friend, is a man of honour and discretion, whom I may trust with a matter of the most extreme importance.
50952 If not, I should much prefer to communicate with you alone.'
50953 I rose to go, but Holmes caught me by the wrist and pushed me back into my chair.
50954 'It is both, or none,' said he.
50955 'You may say before this gentleman anything which you may say to me.'
50956 The Count shrugged his broad shoulders.
50957 'Then I must begin,' said he, 'by binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years, at the end of that time the matter will be of no importance.
50958 At present it is not too much to say that it is of such weight that it may have an influence upon European history.'