the naval treaty-第4部分

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　　〃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；　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　with　the　honourable　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　notebook。　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　23rd。　Apply　221B；　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　exceedingly　probable　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　bell…which　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　someone　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　us…a　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　commissionaire；　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　her　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　her；　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　anyone　or　saw　anyone　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　upon…no　evidence　of　any　kind。〃

　　〃Have　you　formed　any　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　a　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

rug　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　too　common　type；　a　nobleman　who　is　in

truth　noble。

　　〃Your　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　one　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　is　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