the naval treaty-第3章

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at　us　with　defiant　eyes；　and　then；　suddenly　recognizing　me；　an

expression　of　absolute　astonishment　came　over　her　face。

　　〃'Why；　if　it　isn't　Mr。　Phelps；　of　the　office！'　she　cried。

　　〃'Come；　come；　who　did　you　think　we　were　when　you　ran　away　from

us？'　asked　my　companion。

　　〃'I　thought　you　were　the　brokers；'　said　she；　'we　have　had　some

trouble　with　a　tradesman。'

　　〃'That's　not　quite　good　enough；'　answered　Forbes。　'We　have　reason　to

believe　that　you　have　taken　a　paper　of　importance　from　the　Foreign

Office；　and　that　you　ran　in　here　to　dispose　of　it。　You　must　come

back　with　us　to　Scotland　Yard　to　be　searched。'

　　〃It　was　in　vain　that　she　protested　and　resisted。　A　four…wheeler

was　brought；　and　we　all　three　drove　back　in　it。　We　had　first　made　an

examination　of　the　kitchen；　and　especially　of　the　kitchen　fire；　to　see

whether　she　might　have　made　away　with　the　papers　during　the　instant

that　she　was　alone。　There　were　no　signs；　however；　of　any　ashes　or

scraps。　When　we　reached　Scotland　Yard　she　was　handed　over　at　once　to

the　female　searcher。　I　waited　in　an　agony　of　suspense　until　she　came

back　with　her　report。　There　were　no　signs　of　the　papers。

　　〃Then　for　the　first　time　the　horror　of　my　situation　came　in　its　full

force。　Hitherto　I　had　been　acting；　and　action　had　numbed　thought。　I

had　been　so　confident　of　regaining　the　treaty　at　once　that　I　had　not

dared　to　think　of　what　would　be　the　consequence　if　I　failed　to　do

so。　But　now　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　done；　and　I　had　leisure　to

realize　my　position。　It　was　horrible。　Watson　there　would　tell　you　that

I　was　a　nervous；　sensitive　boy　at　school。　It　is　my　nature。　I　thought

of　my　uncle　and　of　his　colleagues　in　the　Cabinet；　of　the　shame　which　I

had　brought　upon　him；　upon　myself；　upon　everyone　connected　with　me。

What　though　I　was　the　victim　of　an　extraordinary　accident？　No

allowance　is　made　for　accidents　where　diplomatic　interests　are　at

stake。　I　was　ruined；　shamefully；　hopelessly　ruined。　I　don't　know

what　I　did。　I　fancy　I　must　have　made　a　scene。　I　have　a　dim

recollection　of　a　group　of　officials　who　crowded　round　me；

endeavouring　to　soothe　me。　One　of　them　drove　down　with　me　to　Waterloo；

and　saw　me　into　the　Woking　train。　I　believe　that　he　would　have　come

all　the　way　had　it　not　been　that　Dr。　Ferrier；　who　lives　near　me；　was

going　down　by　that　very　train。　The　doctor　most　kindly　took　charge　of

me；　and　it　was　well　he　did　so；　for　I　had　a　fit　in　the　station；　and

before　we　reached　home　I　was　practically　a　raving　maniac。

　　〃You　can　imagine　the　state　of　things　here　when　they　were　roused　from

their　beds　by　the　doctor's　ringing　and　found　me　in　this　condition。

Poor　Annie　here　and　my　mother　were　broken…hearted。　Dr。　Ferrier　had

just　heard　enough　from　the　detective　at　the　station　to　be　able　to　give

an　idea　of　what　had　happened；　and　his　story　did　not　mend　matters。　It

was　evident　to　all　that　I　was　in　for　a　long　illness；　so　Joseph　was

bundled　out　of　this　cheery　bedroom；　and　it　was　turned　into　a　sick…room

for　me。　Here　I　have　lain；　Mr。　Holmes；　for　over　nine　weeks；

unconscious；　and　raving　with　brain…fever。　If　it　had　not　been　for

Miss　Harrison　here　and　for　the　doctor's　care；　I　should　not　be　speaking

to　you　now。　She　has　nursed　me　by　day　and　a　hired　nurse　has　looked

after　me　by　night；　for　in　my　mad　fits　I　was　capable　of　anything。

Slowly　my　reason　has　cleared；　but　it　is　only　during　the　last　three

days　that　my　memory　has　quite　returned。　Sometimes　I　wish　that　it　never

had。　The　first　thing　that　I　did　was　to　wire　to　Mr。　Forbes；　who　had　the

case　in　hand。　He　came　out；　and　assures　me　that；　though　everything

has　been　done；　no　trace　of　a　clue　has　been　discovered。　The

commissionaire　and　his　wife　have　been　examined　in　every　way　without

any　light　being　thrown　upon　the　matter。　The　suspicions　of　the　police

then　rested　upon　young　Gorot；　who；　as　you　may　remember；　stayed

over…time　in　the　office　that　night。　His　remaining　behind　and　his

French　name　were　really　the　only　two　points　which　could　suggest

suspicion；　but；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　I　did　not　begin　work　until　he　had

gone；　and　his　people　are　of　Huguenot　extraction；　but　as　English　in

sympathy　and　tradition　as　you　and　I　are。　Nothing　was　found　to

implicate　him　in　any　way；　and　there　the　matter　dropped。　I　turn　to　you；

Mr。　Holmes；　as　absolutely　my　last　hope。　If　you　fail　me；　then　my　honour

as　well　as　my　position　are　forever　forfeited。〃

　　The　invalid　sank　back　upon　his　cushions；　tired　out　by　this　long

recital；　while　his　nurse　poured　him　out　a　glass　of　some　stimulating

medicine。　Holmes　sat　silently；　with　his　head　thrown　back　and　his

eyes　closed；　in　an　attitude　which　might　seem　listless　to　a　stranger；

but　which　I　knew　betokened　the　most　intense　self…absorption。

　　〃Your　statement　has　been　so　explicit；〃　said　he　at　last；　〃that　you

have　really　left　me　very　few　questions　to　ask。　There　is　one　of　the

very　utmost　importance；　however。　Did　you　tell　anyone　that　you　had　this

special　task　to　perform？〃

　　〃No　one。〃

　　〃Not　Miss　Harrison　here；　for　example？〃

　　〃No。　I　had　not　been　back　to　Woking　between　getting　the　order　and

executing　the　commission。〃

　　〃And　none　of　your　people　had　by　chance　been　to　see　you？〃

　　〃None。〃

　　〃Did　any　of　them　know　their　way　about　in　the　office？〃

　　〃Oh；　yes；　all　of　them　had　been　shown　over　it。〃

　　〃Still；　of　course；　if　you　said　nothing　to　anyone　about　the　treaty

these　inquiries　are　irrelevant。〃

　　〃I　said　nothing。〃

　　〃Do　you　know　anything　of　the　commissionaire？〃

　　〃Nothing　except　that　he　is　an　old　soldier。〃

　　〃What　regiment？〃

　　〃Oh；　I　have　heard…Coldstream　Guards。〃

　　〃Thank　you。　I　have　no　doubt　I　can　get　details　from　Forbes。　The

authorities　are　excellent　at　amassing　facts；　though　they　do　not　always

use　them　to　advantage。　What　a　lovely　thing　a　rose　is！〃

　　He　walked　past　the　couch　to　the　open　window　and　held　up　the　drooping

stalk　of　a　moss…rose；　looking　down　at　the　dainty　blend　of　crimson

and　green。　It　was　a　new　phase　of　his　character　to　me；　for　I　had

never　before　seen　him　show　any　keen　interest　in　natural　objects。

　　〃There　is　nothing　in　which　deduction　is　so　necessary　as　in

religion；〃　said　he；　leaning　with　his　back　against　the　shutters。　〃It

can　be　built　up　as　an　exact　science　by　the　reasoner。　Our　highest

assurance　of　the　goodness　of　Providence　seems　to　me　to　rest　in　the

flowers。　All　other　things；　our　powers；　our　desires；　our　food；　are

all　really　necessary　for　our　existence　in　the　first　instance。　But　this

rose　is　an　extra。　Its　smell　and　its　colour　are　an　embellishment　of

life；　not　a　condition　of　it。　It　is　only　goodness　which　gives　extras；

and　so　I　say　again　that　we　have　much　to　hope　from　the　flowers。〃

　　Percy　Phelps　and　his　nurse　looked　at　Holmes　during　this

demonstration　with　surprise　and　a　good　deal　of　disappointment

written　upon　their　faces。　He　had　fallen　into　a　reverie；　with　the

moss…rose　between　his　fingers。　It　had　lasted　some　minutes　before　the

young　lady　broke　in　upon　it。

　　〃Do　you　see　any　prospect　of　solving　this　mystery；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　she

asked　with　a　touch　of　asperity　in　her　voice。

　　〃Oh；　the　mystery！〃　he　answered；　coming　back　with　a　start　to　the

realities　of　life。　〃Well；　it　would　be　absurd　to　deny　that　the　case

is　a　very　abstruse　and　complicated　one；　but　I　can　promise　you　that　I

will　look　into　the　matter　and　let　you　know　any　points　which　may　strike

me。〃

　　〃Do　you　see　any　clue？〃

　　〃You　have　furnished　me　with　seven；　but　of　course　I　must　test　them

before　I　can　pronounce　upon　their　value。〃

　　〃You　suspect　someone？〃

　　〃I　suspect　myself。〃

　　〃What！〃

　　〃Of　coming　to　conclusions　too　rapidly。〃

　　〃Then　go　to　London　and　test　your　conclusions。〃

　　〃Your　advice　is　very　excellent；　Miss　Harrison；〃　said　Holmes；　rising。

〃I　think；　Watson；　we　cannot　do　better。　Do　not　allow　yourself　to

indulge　in　false　hopes；　Mr。　Phelps。　The　affair　is　a　very　tangled　one。〃

　　〃I　shall　be　in　a　fever　until　I　see　you　again；〃　cried　the

diplomatist。

　　〃Well；　I'll　come　out　by　the　same　train　to…morrow；　though　it's　more

than　likely　that　my　report　will　be　a　negative　one。〃

　　〃God　bless　you　for　promising　to　come；〃　cried　our　client。　〃It　gives

me　fresh　life　to　know　that　something　is　being　done。　By　the　way；　I　have

had　a　letter　from　Lord　Holdhurst。〃

　　〃Ha！　what　did　he　say？'

　　〃He　was　cold；　but　not　harsh。　I　dare　say　my　severe　illness

prevented　him　from　being　that。　He　repeated　that　the　matter　was　of

the　utmost　importance；　and　added　that　no　steps　would　be　taken　about　my

future…by　which　he　means；　of　course；　my　dismissal…until　my　health

was　restored　and　I　had　an　opportunity　of　repairing　my　misfortune。〃

　　〃Well；　that　was　reasonable　and　considerate；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Come；

Watson；　for　we　have　a　good　day's　work　before　us　in　town。〃

　　Mr。　Joseph　Harrison　drove　us　down　to　the　station；　and　we　were　soon

whirling　up　in　a　Portsmouth　train。　Holmes　was　sunk　in　profound　thought

and　hardly　opened　his　mouth　until　we　had　passed　Clapham　Junction。

　　〃It's　a　very　cheery　thing　to　come　into　London　by　any　of　these

lines　which　run　high　and　allow　you　to　look　down　upon　the　houses　like

this。〃

　　I　thought　he　was　joking；　for　the　view　was　sordid　enough；　but　he　soon

explained　himself。

　　〃Look　at　those　big；　isolated　clumps　of　buildings　rising　up　above　the

slates；　like　brick　islands　in　a　lead…coloured　sea。〃

　　〃The　board…schools。〃

　　〃Light…houses；　my　boy！　Beacons　of　the　future！　Capsules　with　hundreds

of　bright　little　seeds　in　each；　out　of　which　will　spring　the　wiser；

better　England　of　the　future。　I　suppose　that　man　Phelps　does　not

drink？〃

　　〃I　should　not　think　so。〃

　　〃Nor　should　I；　but　we　are　bound　to　take　every　possibility　into

account。　The　poor　devil　has　certainly　got　himself　into　very　deep

water；　and　it's　a　question　whether　we　shall　ever　be　able　to　get　him

ashore。　What　do　you　think　of　Miss　Harrison？〃

　　〃A　girl　of　strong　character。〃

　　〃Yes；　but　she　is　a　good　sort；　or　I　am　mistaken。　She　and　her

brother　are　the　only　children　of　an　iron…master　somewhere　up

Northumberland　way。　He　got　engaged　to　her　when　travelling　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…humour。　〃Then　we'll　look

into　this　matter　together。　I　think　that　we　should　begin　by　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　whoever

might　sell　it　to　either　of　these