{He laughs with a little shake of his head.} The men are not so much removed, but on the point of the difference of ladies from me you will receive no argument. Nothing more shall be said on the matter, for to speak ill of a royal lady, even in slight, would be to impugn the most noted lady herself.

Ah! That does remind me. I am informed that...some years from now, only perhaps some matter of decades, there is yet another queen upon the English throne. Spectacular a notion, really, with the prolific issue the dear lady provided.

{This is, of course, the extent of Holmes' feminism. Ruling queens are splendiferous, but all other women who want to be in charge can stow it.}