the adventure of the bruce-partington plan-第2章

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　　〃Its　importance　can　hardly　be　exaggerated。　It　has　been　the　most

jealously　guarded　of　all　government　secrets。　You　may　take　it　from　me

that　naval　warfare　becomes　impossible　within　the　radius　of　a

Bruce…Partington's　operation。　Two　years　ago　a　very　large　sum　was

smuggled　through　the　Estimates　and　was　expended　in　acquiring　a

monopoly　of　the　invention。　Every　effort　has　been　made　to　keep　the

secret。　The　plans；　which　are　exceedingly　intricate；　comprising　some

thirty　separate　patents；　each　essential　to　the　working　of　the　whole；

are　kept　in　an　elaborate　safe　in　a　confidential　office　adjoining　the

arsenal；　with　burglar…proof　doors　and　windows。　Under　no　conceivable

circumstances　were　the　plans　to　be　taken　from　the　office。　If　the　chief

constructor　of　the　Navy　desired　to　consult　them；　even　he　was　forced　to

go　to　the　Woolwich　office　for　the　purpose。　And　yet　here　we　find　them

in　the　pocket　of　a　dead　junior　clerk　in　the　heart　of　London。　From　an

official　point　of　view　it's　simply　awful。〃

　　〃But　you　have　recovered　them？〃

　　〃No；　Sherlock；　no！　That's　the　pinch。　We　have　not。　Ten　papers　were

taken　from　Woolwich。　There　were　seven　in　the　pocket　of　Cadogan　West。

The　three　most　essential　are　gone…　stolen；　vanished。　You　must　drop

everything；　Sherlock。　Never　mind　your　usual　petty　puzzles　of　the

police…court。　It's　a　vital　international　problem　that　you　have　to

solve。　Why　did　Cadogan　West　take　the　papers；　where　are　the　missing

ones；　how　did　he　die；　how　came　his　body　where　it　was　found；　how　can

the　evil　be　set　right？　Find　an　answer　to　all　these　questions；　and

you　will　have　done　good　service　for　your　country。〃

　　〃Why　do　you　not　solve　it　yourself；　Mycroft？　You　can　see　as　far　as

I。〃

　　〃Possibly；　Sherlock。　But　it　is　a　question　of　getting　details。　Give

me　your　details；　and　from　an　armchair　I　will　return　you　an　excellent

expert　opinion。　But　to　run　here　and　run　there；　to　cross…question

railway　guards；　and　lie　on　my　face　with　a　lens　to　my　eye…　it　is　not　my

metier。　No；　you　are　the　one　man　who　can　clear　the　matter　up。　If　you

have　a　fancy　to　see　your　name　in　the　next　honours　list…〃

　　My　friend　smiled　and　shook　his　head。

　　〃I　play　the　game　for　the　game's　own　sake；〃　said　he。　〃But　the　problem

certainly　presents　some　points　of　interest；　and　I　shall　be　very

pleased　to　look　into　it。　Some　more　facts；　please。〃

　　〃I　have　jotted　down　the　more　essential　ones　upon　this　sheet　of

paper；　together　with　a　few　addresses　which　you　will　find　of　service。

The　actual　official　guardian　of　the　papers　is　the　famous　government

expert；　Sir　James　Walter；　whose　decorations　and　sub…titles　fill　two

lines　of　a　book　of　reference。　He　has　grown　gray　in　the　service；　is　a

gentleman；　a　favoured　guest　in　the　most　exalted　houses；　and；　above

all；　a　man　whose　patriotism　is　beyond　suspicion。　He　is　one　of　two

who　have　a　key　of　the　safe。　I　may　add　that　the　papers　were　undoubtedly

in　the　office　during　working　hours　on　Monday；　and　that　Sir　James

left　for　London　about　three　o'clock　taking　his　key　with　him。　He　was　at

the　house　of　Admiral　Sinclair　at　Barclay　Square　during　the　whole　of

the　evening　when　this　incident　occurred。〃

　　〃Has　the　fact　been　verified？〃

　　〃Yes；　his　brother；　Colonel　Valentine　Walter；　has　testified　to　his

departure　from　Woolwich；　and　Admiral　Sinclair　to　his　arrival　in

London；　so　Sir　James　is　no　longer　a　direct　factor　in　the　problem。〃

　　〃Who　was　the　other　man　with　a　key？〃

　　〃The　senior　clerk　and　draughtsman；　Mr。　Sidney　Johnson。　He　is　a　man

of　forty；　married；　with　five　children。　He　is　a　silent；　morose　man；　but

he　has；　on　the　whole；　an　excellent　record　in　the　public　service。　He　is

unpopular　with　his　colleagues；　but　a　hard　worker。　According　to　his　own

account；　corroborated　only　by　the　word　of　his　wife；　he　was　at　home　the

whole　of　Monday　evening　after　office　hours；　and　his　key　has　never　left

the　watch…chain　upon　which　it　hangs。〃

　　〃Tell　us　about　Cadogan　West。〃

　　〃He　has　been　ten　years　in　the　service　and　has　done　good　work。　He　has

the　reputation　of　being　hot…headed　and　impetuous；　but　a　straight；

honest　man。　We　have　nothing　against　him。　He　was　next　Sidney　Johnson　in

the　office。　His　duties　brought　him　into　daily；　personal　contact　with

the　plans。　No　one　else　had　the　handling　of　them。〃

　　〃Who　locked　the　plans　up　that　night？〃

　　〃Mr。　Sidney　Johnson；　the　senior　clerk。〃

　　〃Well；　it　is　surely　perfectly　clear　who　took　them　away。　They　are

actually　found　upon　the　person　of　this　junior　clerk；　Cadogan　West。

That　seems　final；　does　it　not？〃

　　〃It　does；　Sherlock；　and　yet　it　leaves　so　much　unexplained。　In　the

first　place；　why　did　he　take　them？〃

　　〃I　presume　they　were　of　value？〃

　　〃He　could　have　got　several　thousands　for　them　very　easily。〃

　　〃Can　you　suggest　any　possible　motive　for　taking　the　papers　to　London

except　to　sell　them？〃

　　〃No；　I　cannot。〃

　　〃Then　we　must　take　that　as　our　working　hypothesis。　Young　West　took

the　papers。　Now　this　could　only　be　done　by　having　a　false　key…〃

　　〃Several　false　keys。　He　had　to　open　the　building　and　the　room。〃

　　〃He　had；　then；　several　false　keys。　He　took　the　papers　to　London　to

sell　the　secret；　intending；　no　doubt；　to　have　the　plans　themselves

back　in　the　safe　next　morning　before　they　were　missed。　While　in　London

on　this　treasonable　mission　he　met　his　end。〃

　　〃How？〃

　　〃We　will　suppose　that　he　was　travelling　back　to　Woolwich　when　he　was

killed　and　thrown　out　of　the　compartment。〃

　　〃Aldgate；　where　the　body　was　found；　is　considerably　past　the　station

for　London　Bridge；　which　would　be　his　route　to　Woolwich。〃

　　〃Many　circumstances　could　be　imagined　under　which　he　would　pass

London　Bridge。　There　was　someone　in　the　carriage；　for　example；　with

whom　he　was　having　an　absorbing　interview。　This　interview　led　to　a

violent　scene　in　which　he　lost　his　life。　Possibly　he　tried　to　leave

the　carriage；　fell　out　on　the　line；　and　so　met　his　end。　The　other

closed　the　door。　There　was　a　thick　fog；　and　nothing　could　be　seen。〃

　　〃No　better　explanation　can　be　given　with　our　present　knowledge；

and　yet　consider；　Sherlock；　how　much　you　leave　untouched。　We　will

suppose；　for　argument's　sake；　that　young　Cadogan　West　had　determined

to　convey　these　papers　to　London。　He　would　naturally　have　made　an

appointment　with　the　foreign　agent　and　kept　his　evening　clear。　Instead

of　that　he　took　two　tickets　for　the　theatre；　escorted　his　fiance

halfway　there；　and　then　suddenly　disappeared。〃

　　〃A　blind；〃　said　Lestrade；　who　had　sat　listening　with　some　impatience

to　the　conversation。

　　〃A　very　singular　one。　That　is　objection　No。　1。　Objection　No。　2。：

We　will　suppose　that　he　reaches　London　and　sees　the　foreign　agent。

He　must　bring　back　the　papers　before　morning　or　the　loss　will　be

discovered。　He　took　away　ten。　Only　seven　were　in　his　pocket。　What

had　become　of　the　other　three？　He　certainly　would　not　leave　them　of

his　own　free　will。　Then；　again；　where　is　the　price　of　his　treason？　One

would　have　expected　to　find　a　large　sum　of　money　in　his　pocket。〃

　　〃It　seems　to　me　perfectly　clear；〃　said　Lestrade。　〃I　have　no　doubt　at

all　as　to　what　occurred。　He　took　the　papers　to　sell　them。　He　saw　the

agent。　They　could　not　agree　as　to　price。　He　started　home　again；　but

the　agent　went　with　him。　In　the　train　the　agent　murdered　him；　took　the

more　essential　papers；　and　threw　his　body　from；　the　carriage。　That

would　account　for　everything；　would　it　not？〃

　　〃Why　had　he　no　ticket？〃

　　〃The　ticket　would　have　shown　which　station　was　nearest　the　agent's

house。　Therefore　he　took　it　from　the　murdered　man's　pocket。〃

　　〃Good；　Lestrade；　very　good；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Your　theory　holds

together。　But　if　this　is　true；　then　the　case　is　at　an　end。　On　the

one　hand；　the　traitor　is　dead。　On　the　other；　the　plans　of　the

Bruce…Partington　submarine　are　presumably　already　on　the　Continent。

What　is　there　for　us　to　do？〃

　　〃To　act；　Sherlock…　to　act！〃　cried　Mycroft；　springing　to　his　feet。

〃All　my　instincts　are　against　this　explanation。　Use　your　powers！　Go　to

the　scene　of　the　crime！　See　the　people　concerned！　Leave　no　stone

unturned！　In　all　your　career　you　have　never　had　so　great　a　chance　of

serving　your　country。〃

　　〃Well；　well！〃　said　Holmes；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃Come；　Watson！

And　you；　Lestrade；　could　you　favour　us　with　your　company　for　an　hour

or　two？　We　will　begin　our　investigation　by　a　visit　to　Aldgate　Station。

Good…bye；　Mycroft。　I　shall　let　you　have　a　report　before　evening；　but　I

warn　you　in　advance　that　you　have　little　to　expect。〃

　　An　hour　later　Holmes；　Lestrade　and　I　stood　upon　the　Underground

railroad　at　the　point　where　it　emerges　from　the　tunnel　immediately

before　Aldgate　Station。　A　courteous　red…faced　old　gentleman

represented　the　railway　company。

　　〃This　is　where　the　young　man's　body　lay；〃　said　he；　indicating　a　spot

about　three　feet　from　the　metals。　〃It　could　not　have　fallen　from

above；　for　these；　as　you　see；　are　all　blank　walls。　Therefore；　it　could

only　have　come　from　a　train；　and　that　train；　so　far　as　we　can　trace

it；　must　have　passed　about　midnight　on　Monday。〃

　　〃Have　the　carriages　been　examined　for　any　sign　of　violence？〃

　　〃There　are　no　such　signs；　and　no　ticket　has　been　found。〃

　　〃No　record　of　a　door　being　found　open？〃

　　〃None。〃

　　〃We　have　had　some　fresh　evidence　this　morning；〃　said　Lestrade。　〃A

passenger　who　passed　Aldgate　in　an　ordinary　Metropolitan　train　about

11：40　on　Monday　night　declares　that　he　heard　a　heavy　thud；　as　of　a

body　striking　the　line；　just　before　the　train　reached　the　station。

There　was　dense　fog；　however；　and　nothing　could　be　seen。　He　made　no

report　of　it　at　the　time。　Why；　whatever　is　the　matter　with　Mr。

Holmes？〃

　　My　friend　was　standing　with　an　expression　of　strained　intensity　upon

his　face；　staring　at　the　railway　metals　where　they　curved　out　of　the

tunnel。　Aldgate　is　a　junction；　and　there　was　a　network　of　points。　On

these　his　eager；　questioning　eyes　were　fixed；　and　I　saw　on　his　keen；

alert　face　that　tightening　of　the　lips；　that　quiver　of　the　nostrils；

and　concentration　of　the　heavy；　tufted　brows　which　I　knew　so　well。

　　〃Points；〃　he　muttered；　〃the　points。〃

　　〃What　of　it？　What　do　you　mean？〃

　　〃I　suppose　there　are　no　great　number　of　points　on　a　system　such　as

this？〃

　　〃No；　there　are　very　few。〃

　　〃And　a　curve；　too。　Points；　and　a　curve。　By　Jove！　if　it　were　only

so。〃

　　〃What　is　it；　Mr。　Holmes？　Have　you　a　clue？〃

　　〃An　idea…　an　indication；　no　more。　But　the　case　certainly　grows　in

interest。　Unique；　perfectly　unique；　and　yet　why　not？　I　do　not　see

any　indications　of　bleeding　on　the　line。〃

　　〃There　were　hardly　any。〃

　　〃But　I　understand　that　there　was　a　considerable　wound。〃

　　〃The　bone　was　crushed；　but　there　was　no　great　external　injury。〃

　　〃And　yet　one　would　have　expected　some　bleeding。　Would　it　be　possible

for　me　to　inspect　the　train　which　contained　the　passenger　who　heard

the　thud　of　a　fall　in　the　fog？〃

　　〃I　fear　not；　Mr。　Holmes。　The　train　has　been　broken　up　before　now；

and　the　carriages　redistributed。〃

　　〃I　can　assure　you；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　Lestrade；　〃that　every

carriage　has　been　carefully　examined。　I　saw　to　it　myself。〃

　　It　was　one　of　my　friend's　most　obvious　weaknesses　that　he　was

impatient　with　less　alert　intelligences　than　h