adventure10-第4章

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engaged　to　her　when　traveling　last　winter；　and　she

came　down　to　be　introduced　to　his　people；　with　her

brother　as　escort。　　Then　came　the　smash；　and　she

stayed　on　to　nurse　her　lover；　while　brother　Joseph；

finding　himself　pretty　snug；　stayed　on　too。　　I've　been

making　a　few　independent　inquiries；　you　see。　　But

to…day　must　be　a　day　of　inquiries。〃



〃My　practice〃　I　began。



〃Oh；　if　you　find　your　own　cases　more　interesting　than

mine〃　said　Holmes；　with　some　asperity。



〃I　was　going　to　say　that　my　practice　could　get　along

very　well　for　a　day　or　two；　since　it　is　the　slackest

time　in　the　year。〃



〃Excellent；〃　said　he；　recovering　his　good…humor。　

〃Then　we'll　look　into　this　matter　together。　　I　think

that　we　should　begin　be　seeing　Forbes。　　He　can

probably　tell　us　all　the　details　we　want　until　we　know

from　what　side　the　case　is　to　be　approached。



〃You　said　you　had　a　clue？〃



〃Well；　we　have　several；　but　we　can　only　test　their

value　by　further　inquiry。　　The　most　difficult　crime　to

track　is　the　one　which　is　purposeless。　　Now　this　is

not　purposeless。　　Who　is　it　who　profits　by　it？　　There

is　the　French　ambassador；　there　is　the　Russian；　there

is　who…ever　might　sell　it　to　either　of　these；　and

there　is　Lord　Holdhurst。〃



〃Lord　Holdhurst！〃



〃Well；　it　is　just　conceivable　that　a　statesman　might

find　himself　in　a　position　where　he　was　not　sorry　to

have　such　a　document　accidentally　destroyed。〃



〃Not　a　statesman　wit　the　honorable　record　of　Lord

Holdhurst？〃



〃It　is　a　possibility　and　we　cannot　afford　to　disregard

it。　　We　shall　see　the　noble　lord　to…day　and　find　out

if　he　can　tell　us　anything。　　Meanwhile　I　have　already

set　inquiries　on　foot。〃



〃Already？〃



〃Yes；　I　sent　wires　from　Woking　station　to　every

evening　paper　in　London。　　This　advertisement　will

appear　in　each　of　them。〃



He　handed　over　a　sheet　torn　from　a　note…book。　　On　it

was　scribbled　in　pencil：　　〃L10　reward。　　The　number　of

the　cab　which　dropped　a　fare　at　or　about　the　door　of

the　Foreign　Office　in　Charles　Street　at　quarter　to　ten

in　the　evening　of　May　23d。　　Apply　221　B；　Baker

Street。〃



〃You　are　confident　that　the　thief　came　in　a　cab？〃



〃If　not；　there　is　no　harm　done。　　But　if　Mr。　Phelps　is

correct　in　stating　that　there　is　no　hiding…place

either　in　the　room　or　the　corridors；　then　the　person

must　have　come　from　outside。　　If　he　came　from　outside

on　so　wet　a　night；　and　yet　left　no　trace　of　damp　upon

the　linoleum；　which　was　examined　within　a　few　minutes

of　his　passing；　then　it　is　exceeding　probably　that　he

came　in　a　cab。　　Yes；　I　think　that　we　may　safely　deduce

a　cab。〃



〃It　sounds　plausible。〃



〃That　is　one　of　the　clues　of　which　I　spoke。　　It　may

lead　us　to　something。　　And　then；　of　course；　there　is

the　bellwhich　is　the　most　distinctive　feature　of　the

case。　　Why　should　the　bell　ring？　　Was　it　the　thief　who

did　it　out　of　bravado？　　Or　was　it　some　one　who　was

with　the　thief　who　did　it　in　order　to　prevent　the

crime？　　Or　was　it　an　accident？　　Or　was　it？〃　　He　sank

back　into　the　state　of　intense　and　silent　thought　from

which　he　had　emerged；　but　it　seemed　to　me；　accustomed

as　I　was　to　his　every　mood；　that　some　new　possibility

had　dawned　suddenly　upon　him。



It　was　twenty　past　three　when　we　reached　our　terminus；

and　after　a　hasty　luncheon　at　the　buffet　we　pushed　on

at　once　to　Scotland　Yard。　　Holmes　had　already　wired　to

Forbes；　and　we　found　him　waiting　to　receive　usa

small；　foxy　man　with　a　sharp　but　by　no　means　amiable

expression。　　He　was　decidedly　frigid　in　his　manner　to

us；　especially　when　he　heard　the　errand　upon　which　we

had　come。



〃I've　heard　of　your　methods　before　now；　Mr。　Holmes；〃

said　he；　tartly。　　〃You　are　ready　enough　to　use　all　the

information　that　the　police　can　lay　at　your　disposal；

and　then　you　try　to　finish　the　case　yourself　and　bring

discredit　on　them。〃



〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Holmes；　〃out　of　my　last

fifty…three　cases　my　name　has　only　appeared　in　four；

and　the　police　have　had　all　the　credit　in　forty…nine。　

I　don't　blame　you　for　not　knowing　this；　for　you　are

young　and　inexperienced；　but　if　you　wish　to　get　on　in

your　new　duties　you　will　work　with　me　and　not　against

me。〃



〃I'd　be　very　glad　of　a　hint　or　two；〃　said　the

detective；　changing　his　manner。　　〃I've　certainly　had

no　credit　from　the　case　so　far。〃



〃What　steps　have　you　taken？〃



〃Tangey；　the　commissionnaire；　has　been　shadowed。　　He

left　the　Guards　with　a　good　character　and　we　can　find

nothing　against　him。　　His　wife　is　a　bad　lot；　though。　

I　fancy　she　knows　more　about　this　than　appears。〃



〃Have　you　shadowed　her？〃



〃We　have　set　one　of　our　women　on　to　her。　　Mrs。　Tangey

drinks；　and　our　woman　has　been　with　her　twice　when　she

was　well　on；　but　she　could　get　nothing　out　of　her。〃



〃I　understand　that　they　have　had　brokers　in　the

house？〃



〃Yes；　but　they　were　paid　off。〃



〃Where　did　the　money　come　from？〃



〃That　was　all　right。　　His　pension　was　due。　　They　have

not　shown　any　sign　of　being　in　funds。〃



〃What　explanation　did　she　give　of　having　answered　the

bell　when　Mr。　Phelps　rang　for　the　coffee？〃



〃She　said　that　he　husband　was　very　tired　and　she

wished　to　relieve　him。〃



〃Well；　certainly　that　would　agree　with　his　being　found

a　little　later　asleep　in　his　chair。　　There　is　nothing

against　them　then　but　the　woman's　character。　　Did　you

ask　her　why　she　hurried　away　that　night？　　Her　haste

attracted　the　attention　of　the　police　constable。〃



〃She　was　later　than　usual　and　wanted　to　get　home。〃



〃Did　you　point　out　to　her　that　you　and　Mr。　Phelps；　who

started　at　least　twenty　minutes　after　he；　got　home

before　her？〃



〃She　explains　that　by　the　difference　between　a　'bus

and　a　hansom。〃



〃Did　she　make　it　clear　why；　on　reaching　her　house；　she

ran　into　the　back　kitchen？〃



〃Because　she　had　the　money　there　with　which　to　pay　off

the　brokers。〃



〃She　has　at　least　an　answer　for　everything。　　Did　you

ask　her　whether　in　leaving　she　met　any　one　or　saw　any

one　loitering　about　Charles　Street？〃



〃She　saw　no　one　but　the　constable。〃



〃Well；　you　seem　to　have　cross…examined　her　pretty

thoroughly。　　What　else　have　you　done？〃



〃The　clerk　Gorot　has　been　shadowed　all　these　nine

weeks；　but　without　result。　　We　can　show　nothing

against　him。〃



〃Anything　else？〃



〃Well；　we　have　nothing　else　to　go　uponno　evidence　of

any　kind。〃



〃Have　you　formed　a　theory　about　how　that　bell　rang？〃



〃Well；　I　must　confess　that　it　beats　me。　　It　was　a　cool

hand；　whoever　it　was；　to　go　and　give　the　alarm　like

that。〃



〃Yes；　it　was　queer　thing　to　do。　　Many　thanks　to　you

for　what　you　have　told　me。　　If　I　can　put　the　man　into

your　hands　you　shall　hear　from　me。　　Come　along；

Watson。〃



〃Where　are　we　going　to　now？〃　I　asked；　as　we　left　the

office。



〃We　are　now　going　to　interview　Lord　Holdhurst；　the

cabinet　minister　and　future　premier　of　England。〃



We　were　fortunate　in　finding　that　Lord　Holdhurst　was

still　in　his　chambers　in　Downing　Street；　and　on　Holmes

sending　in　his　card　we　were　instantly　shown　up。　　The

statesman　received　us　with　that　old…fashioned　courtesy

for　which　he　is　remarkable；　and　seated　us　on　the　two

luxuriant　lounges　on　either　side　of　the　fireplace。　

Standing　on　the　run　between　us；　with　his　slight；　tall

figure；　his　sharp　features；　thoughtful　face；　and

curling　hair　prematurely　tinged　with　gray；　he　seemed

to　represent　that　not　to　common　type；　a　nobleman　who

is　in　truth　noble。



〃You　name　is　very　familiar　to　me；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said

he；　smiling。　　〃And；　of　course；　I　cannot　pretend　to　be

ignorant　of　the　object　of　your　visit。　　There　has　only

been　once　occurrence　in　these　offices　which　could　call

for　your　attention。　　In　whose　interest　are　you　acting；

may　I　ask？〃



〃In　that　of　Mr。　Percy　Phelps；〃　answered　Holmes。



〃Ah；　my　unfortunate　nephew！　　You　can　understand　that

our　kinship　makes　it　the　more　impossible　for　me　to

screen　him　in　any　way。　　I　fear　that　the　incident　must

have　a　very　prejudicial　effect　upon　his　career。〃



〃But　if　the　document　if　found？〃



〃Ah；　that；　of　course；　would　be　different。〃



〃I　had　one　or　two　questions　which　I　wished　to　ask　you；

Lord　Holdhurst。〃



〃I　shall　be　happy　to　give　you　any　information　in　my

power。〃



〃Was　it　in　this　room　that　you　gave　your　instructions

as　to　the　copying　of　the　document？〃



〃It　was。〃



〃Then　you　could　hardly　have　been　overheard？〃



〃It　is　out　of　the　question。〃



〃Did　you　ever　mention　to　any　one　that　it　was　your

intention　to　give　any　one　the　treaty　to　be　copied？〃



〃Never。〃



〃You　are　certain　of　that？〃



〃Absolutely。〃



〃Well；　since　you　never　said　so；　and　Mr。　Phelps　never

said　so；　and　nobody　else　knew　anything　of　the　matter；

then　the　thief's　presence　in　the　room　was　purely

accidental。　　He　saw　his　chance　and　he　took　it。〃



The　statesman　smiled。　　〃You　take　me　out　of　my　province

there；〃　said　he。



Holmes　considered　for　a　moment。　　〃There　is　another

very　important　point　which　I　wish　to　discuss　with

you；〃　said　he。　　〃You　feared；　as　I　understand；　that

very　grave　results　might　follow　from　the　details　of

this　treaty　becoming　known。〃



A　shadow　passed　over　the　expressive　face　of　the

statesman。　　〃Very　grave　results　indeed。〃



〃Any　have　they　occurred？〃



〃Not　yet。〃



〃If　the　treaty　had　reached；　let　us　say；　the　French　or

Russian　Foreign　Office；　you　would　expect　to　hear　of

it？〃



〃I　should；〃　said　Lord　Holdhurst；　with　a　wry　face。



〃Since　nearly　ten　weeks　have　elapsed；　then；　and

nothing　has　been　heard；　it　is　not　unfair　to　suppose

that　for　some　reason　the　treaty　has　not　reached　them。〃



Lord　Holdhurst　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃We　can　hardly　suppose；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　the　thief

took　the　treaty　in　order　to　frame　it　and　hang　it　up。〃



〃Perhaps　he　is　waiting　for　a　better　price。〃



〃If　he　waits　a　little　longer　he　will　get　no　price　at

all。　　The　treaty　will　cease　to　be　secret　in　a　few

months。〃



〃That　is　most　important；〃　said　Holmes。　　〃Of　course；　it

is　a　possible　supposition　that　the　thief　has　had　a

sudden　illness〃



〃An　attack　of　brain…fever；　for　example？〃　asked　the

statesman；　flashing　a　swift　glance　at　him。



〃I　did　not　say　so；〃　said　Holmes；　imperturbably。　　〃And

now；　Lord　Holdhurst；　we　have　already　taken　up　too　much

of　your　valuable　time；　and　we　shall　wish　you

good…day。〃



〃Every　success　to　your　investigation；　be　the　criminal

who　it　may；〃　answered　the　nobleman；　as　he　bowed　us　out

the　door。



〃He's　a　fine　fellow；〃　said　Holmes；　as　we　came　out　into

Whitehall。　　〃But　he　has　a　struggle　to　keep　up　his

position。　　He　is　far　from　rich　and　has　many　calls。　

You　noticed；　of　course；　that　his　boots　had　been

resoled。　　Now；　Watson；　I　won't　detain　you　from　your

legitimate　work　any　longer。　　I　shall　do　nothing　more

to…day；　unless　I　have　an　answer　to　my　cab

advertisement。　　But　I　sho