the adventure of the second stain-第5部分

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officer；　do　let　me　have　a　peep！'　says　she。　She　had　pretty；　coaxing

ways；　as　you　might　say；　and　I　thought　there　was　no　harm　in　letting　her

just　put　her　head　through　the　door。〃

　　〃How　was　she　dressed？〃

　　〃Quiet；　sir…　a　long　mantle　down　to　her　feet。〃

　　〃What　time　was　it？〃

　　〃It　was　just　growing　dusk　at　the　time。　They　were　lighting　the

lamps　as　I　came　back　with　the　brandy。〃

　　〃Very　good；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Come；　Watson；　I　think　that　we　have　more

important　work　elsewhere。〃

　　As　we　left　the　house　Lestrade　remained　in　the　front　room；　while

the　repentant　constable　opened　the　door　to　let　us　out。　Holmes　turned

on　the　step　and　held　up　something　in　his　hand。　The　constable　stared

intently。

　　〃Good　Lord；　sir！〃　he　cried；　with　amazement　on　his　face。　Holmes　put

his　finger　on　his　lips；　replaced　his　hand　in　his　breast　pocket；　and

burst　out　laughing　as　we　turned　down　the　street。　〃Excellent！〃　said　he。

〃Come；　friend　Watson；　the　curtain　rings　up　for　the　last　act。　You

will　be　relieved　to　hear　that　there　will　be　no　war；　that　the　Right

Honourable　Trelawney　Hope　will　suffer　no　setback　in　his　brilliant

career；　that　the　indiscreet　Sovereign　will　receive　no　punishment　for

his　indiscretion；　that　the　Prime　Minister　will　have　no　Europe　an

complication　to　deal　with；　and　that　with　a　little　tact　and

management　upon　our　part　nobody　will　be　a　penny　the　worse　for　what

might　have　been　a　very　ugly　incident。〃

　　My　mind　filled　with　admiration　for　this　extraordinary　man。

　　〃You　have　solved　it！〃　I　cried。

　　〃Hardly　that；　Watson。　There　are　some　points　which　are　as　dark　as

ever。　But　we　have　so　much　that　it　will　be　our　own　fault　if　we　cannot

get　the　rest。　We　will　go　straight　to　Whitehall　Terrace　and　bring　the

matter　to　a　head。〃

　　When　we　arrived　at　the　residence　of　the　European　Secretary　it　was

for　Lady　Hilda　Trelawney　Hope　that　Sherlock　Holmes　inquired。　We　were

shown　into　the　morning…room。

　　〃Mr。　Holmes！〃　said　the　lady；　and　her　face　was　pink　with　her

indignation。　〃This　is　surely　most　unfair　and　ungenerous　upon　your

part。　I　desired；　as　I　have　explained；　to　keep　my　visit　to　you　a

secret；　lest　my　husband　should　think　that　I　was　intruding　into　his

affairs。　And　yet　you　compromise　me　by　coming　here　and　so　showing

that　there　are　business　relations　between　us。〃

　　〃Unfortunately；　madam；　I　had　no　possible　alternative。　I　have　been

commissioned　to　recover　this　immensely　important　paper。　I　must

therefore　ask　you；　madam；　to　be　kind　enough　to　place　it　in　my　hands。〃

　　The　lady　sprang　to　her　feet；　with　the　colour　all　dashed　in　an

instant　from　her　beautiful　face。　Her　eyes　glazed…　she　tottered…　I

thought　that　she　would　faint。　Then　with　a　grand　effort　she　rallied

from　the　shock；　and　a　supreme　astonishment　and　indignation　chased

every　other　expression　from　her　features。

　　〃You…　you　insult　me；　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃Come；　come；　madam；　it　is　useless。　Give　up　the　letter。〃

　　She　darted　to　the　bell。

　　〃The　butler　shall　show　you　out。〃

　　〃Do　not　ring；　Lady　Hilda。　If　you　do；　then　all　my　earnest　efforts

to　avoid　a　scandal　will　be　frustrated。　Give　up　the　letter　and　all　will

be　set　right。　If　you　will　work　with　me　I　can　arrange　everything。　If

you　work　against　me　I　must　expose　you。〃

　　She　stood　grandly　defiant；　a　queenly　figure；　her　eyes　fixed　upon　his

as　if　she　would　read　his　very　soul。　Her　hand　was　on　the　bell；　but

she　had　forborne　to　ring　it。

　　〃You　are　trying　to　frighten　me。　It　is　not　a　very　manly　thing；　Mr。

Holmes；　to　come　here　and　browbeat　a　woman。　You　say　that　you　know

something。　What　is　it　that　you　know？〃

　　〃Pray　sit　down；　madam。　You　will　hurt　yourself　there　if　you　fall。　I

will　not　speak　until　you　sit　down。　Thank　you。〃

　　〃I　give　you　five　minutes；　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃One　is　enough；　Lady　Hilda。　I　know　of　your　visit　to　Eduardo　Lucas；

of　your　giving　him　this　document；　of　your　ingenious　return　to　the　room

last　night；　and　of　the　manner　in　which　you　took　the　letter　from　the

hiding…place　under　the　carpet。〃

　　She　stared　at　him　with　an　ashen　face　and　gulped　twice　before　she

could　speak。

　　〃You　are　mad；　Mr。　Holmes…　you　are　mad！〃　she　cried；　at　last。

　　He　drew　a　small　piece　of　cardboard　from　his　pocket。　It　was　the

face　of　a　woman　cut　out　of　a　portrait。

　　〃I　have　carried　this　because　I　thought　it　might　be　useful；〃　said　he。

〃The　policeman　has　recognized　it。〃

　　She　gave　a　gasp；　and　her　head　dropped　back　in　the　chair。

　　〃Come；　Lady　Hilda。　You　have　the　letter。　The　matter　may　still　be

adjusted。　I　have　no　desire　to　bring　trouble　to　you。　My　duty　ends

when　I　have　returned　the　lost　letter　to　your　husband。　Take　my　advice

and　be　frank　with　me。　It　is　your　only　chance。〃

　　Her　courage　was　admirable。　Even　now　she　would　not　own　defeat。

　　〃I　tell　you　again；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　you　are　under　some　absurd

illusion。〃

　　Holmes　rose　from　his　chair。

　　〃I　am　sorry　for　you；　Lady　Hilda。　I　have　done　my　best　for　you。　I

can　see　that　it　is　all　in　vain。〃

　　He　rang　the　bell。　The　butler　entered。

　　〃Is　Mr。　Trelawney　Hope　at　home？〃

　　〃He　will　be　home；　sir；　at　a　quarter　to　one。〃

　　Holmes　glanced　at　his　watch。

　　〃Still　a　quarter　of　an　hour；〃　said　he。　〃Very　good；　I　shall　wait。〃

　　The　butler　had　hardly　closed　the　door　behind　him　when　Lady　Hilda　was

down　on　her　knees　at　Holmes's　feet；　her　hands　outstretched；　her

beautiful　face　upturned　and　wet　with　her　tears。

　　〃Oh；　spare　me；　Mr。　Holmes！　Spare　me！〃　she　pleaded；　in　a　frenzy　of

supplication。　〃For　heaven's　sake；　don't　tell　him！　I　love　him　so！　I

would　not　bring　one　shadow　on　his　life；　and　this　I　know　would　break

his　noble　heart。〃

　　Holmes　raised　the　lady。　〃I　am　thankful；　madam；　that　you　have　come　to

your　senses　even　at　this　last　moment！　There　is　not　an　instant　to　lose。

Where　is　the　letter？〃

　　She　darted　across　to　a　writing…desk；　unlocked　it；　and　drew　out　a

long　blue　envelope。

　　〃Here　it　is；　Mr。　Holmes。　Would　to　heaven　I　had　never　seen　it！〃

　　〃How　can　we　return　it？〃　Holmes　muttered。　〃Quick；　quick；　we　must

think　of　some　way！　Where　is　the　despatch…box？〃

　　〃Still　in　his　bedroom。〃

　　〃What　a　stroke　of　luck！　Quick；　madam；　bring　it　here！〃　A　moment　later

she　had　appeared　with　a　red　flat　box　in　her　hand。

　　〃How　did　you　open　it　before？　You　have　a　duplicate　key？　Yes；　of

course　you　have。　Open　it！〃

　　From　out　of　her　bosom　Lady　Hilda　had　drawn　a　small　key。　The　box　flew

open。　It　was　stuffed　with　papers。　Holmes　thrust　the　blue　envelope　deep

down　into　the　heart　of　them；　between　the　leaves　of　some　other

document。　The　box　was　shut；　locked；　and　returned　to　the　bedroom。

　　〃Now　we　are　ready　for　him；〃　said　Holmes。　〃We　have　still　ten　minutes。

I　am　going　far　to　screen　you；　Lady　Hilda。　In　return　you　will　spend　the

time　in　telling　me　frankly　the　real　meaning　of　this　extraordinary

affair。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes；　I　will　tell　you　everything；〃　cried　the　lady。　〃Oh；　Mr。

Holmes；　I　would　cut　off　my　right　hand　before　I　gave　him　a　moment　of

sorrow！　There　is　no　woman　in　all　London　who　loves　her　husband　as　I　do；

and　yet　if　he　knew　how　I　have　acted…　how　I　have　been　compelled　to　act…

he　would　never　forgive　me。　For　his　own　honour　stands　so　high　that　he

could　not　forget　or　pardon　a　lapse　in　another。　Help　me；　Mr。　Holmes！　My

happiness；　his　happiness；　our　very　lives　are　at　stake！〃

　　〃Quick；　madam；　the　time　grows　short！〃

　　〃It　was　a　letter　of　mine；　Mr。　Holmes；　an　indiscreet　letter　written

before　my　marriage…　a　foolish　letter；　a　letter　of　an　impulsive；　loving

girl。　I　meant　no　harm；　and　yet　he　would　have　thought　it　criminal。

Had　he　read　that　letter　his　confidence　would　have　been　forever

destroyed。　It　is　years　since　I　wrote　it。　I　had　thought　that　the

whole　matter　was　forgotten。　Then　at　last　I　heard　from　this　man；　Lucas；

that　it　had　passed　into　his　hands；　and　that　he　would　lay　it　before

my　husband。　I　implored　his　mercy。　He　said　that　he　would　return　my

letter　if　I　would　bring　him　a　certain　document　which　he　described　in

my　husband's　despatch…box。　He　had　some　spy　in　the　office　who　had

told　him　of　its　existence。　He　assured　me　that　no　harm　could　come　to　my

husband。　Put　yourself　in　my　position；　Mr。　Holmes！　What　was　I　to　do？〃

　　〃Take　your　husband　into　your　confidence。〃

　　〃I　could　not；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　could　not！　On　the　one　side　seemed

certain　ruin；　on　the　other；　terrible　as　it　seemed　to　take　my　husband's

paper；　still　in　a　matter　of　politics　I　could　not　understand　the

consequences；　while　in　a　matter　of　love　and　trust　they　were　only　too

clear　to　me。　I　did　it；　Mr。　Holmes！　I　took　an　impression　of　his　key。

This　man；　Lucas；　furnished　a　duplicate。　I　opened　his　despatch…box；

took　the　paper；　and　conveyed　it　to　Godolphin　Street。〃

　　〃What　happened　there；　madam？〃

　　〃I　tapped　at　the　door　as　agreed。　Lucas　opened　it。　I　followed　him

into　his　room；　leaving　the　hall　door　ajar　behind　me；　for　I　feared　to

be　alone　with　the　man。　I　remember　that　there　was　a　woman　outside　as

I　entered。　Our　business　was　soon　done。　He　had　my　letter　on　his　desk；　I

handed　him　the　document。　He　gave　me　the　letter。　At　this　instant

there　was　a　sound　at　the　door。　There　were　steps　in　the　passage。

Lucas　quickly　turned　back　the　drugget；　thrust　the　document　into　some

hiding…place　there；　and　covered　it　over。

　　〃What　happened　after　that　is　like　some　fearful　dream。　I　have　a

vision　of　a　dark；　frantic　face；　of　a　woman's　voice；　which　screamed

in　French；　'My　waiting　is　not　in　vain。　At　last；　at　last　I　have　found

you　with　her！'　There　was　a　savage　struggle。　I　saw　him　with　a　chair

in　his　hand；　a　knife　gleamed　in　hers。　I　rushed　from　the　horrible

scene；　ran　from　the　house；　and　only　next　morning　in　the　paper　did　I

learn　the　dreadful　result。　That　night　I　was　happy；　for　I　had　my

letter；　and　I　had　not　seen　yet　what　the　future　would　bring。

　　〃It　was　the　next　morning　that　I　realized　that　I　had　only　exchanged

one　trouble　for　another。　My　husband's　anguish　at　the　loss　of　his　paper

went　to　my　heart。　I　could　hardly　prevent　myself　from　there　and　then

kneeling　down　at　his　feet　and　telling　him　what　I　had　done。　But　that

again　would　mean　a　confession　of　the　past。　I　came　to　you　that

morning　in　order　to　understand　the　full　enormity　of　my　offence。　From

the　instant　that　I　grasped　it　my　whole　mind　was　turned　to　the　one

thought　of　getting　back　my　husband's　p