the naval treaty-第6章

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copying　of　the　document？〃

　　〃It　was。〃

　　〃Then　you　could　hardly　have　been　overheard？〃

　　〃It　is　out　of　the　question。〃

　　〃Did　you　ever　mention　to　anyone　that　it　was　your　intention　to　give

anyone　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。〃

　　〃And　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　at　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　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　should　be　extremely　obliged　to　you　if　you

would　come　down　with　me　to　Woking　to…morrow　by　the　same　train　which　we

took　yesterday。〃



　　I　met　him　accordingly　next　morning　and　we　travelled　down　to　Woking

together。　He　had　had　no　answer　to　his　advertisement；　he　said；　and　no

fresh　light　had　been　thrown　upon　the　case。　He　had；　when　he　so　willed

it；　the　utter　immobility　of　countenance　of　a　red　Indian；　and　I　could

not　gather　from　his　appearance　whether　he　was　satisfied　or　not　with

the　position　of　the　case。　His　conversation；　I　remember；　was　about

the　Bertillon　system　of　measurements；　and　he　expressed　his

enthusiastic　admiration　of　the　French　savant。

　　We　found　our　client　still　under　the　charge　of　his　devoted　nurse；　but

looking　considerably　better　than　before。　He　rose　from　the　sofa　and

greeted　us　without　difficulty　when　we　entered。

　　〃Any　news？〃　he　asked　eagerly。

　　〃My　report；　as　I　expected；　is　a　negative　one；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I

have　seen　Forbes；　and　I　have　seen　your　uncle；　and　I　have　set　one　or

two　trains　of　inquiry　upon　foot　which　may　lead　to　something。〃

　　〃You　have　not　lost　heart；　then？〃

　　〃By　no　means。〃

　　〃God　bless　you　for　saying　that！〃　cried　Miss　Harrison。　〃If　we　keep

our　courage　and　our　patience　the　truth　must　come　out。〃

　　〃We　have　more　to　tell　you　than　you　have　for　us；〃　said　Phelps；

reseating　himself　upon　the　couch。

　　〃I　hoped　you　might　have　something。〃

　　〃Yes；　we　have　had　an　adventure　during　the　night；　and　one　which　might

have　proved　to　be　a　serious　one。〃　His　expression　grew　very　grave　as　he

spoke；　and　a　look　of　something　akin　to　fear　sprang　up　in　his　eyes。　〃Do

you　know；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　begin　to　believe　that　I　am　the　unconscious

centre　of　some　monstrous　conspiracy；　and　that　my　life　is　aimed　at　as

well　as　my　honour？〃

　　〃Ah！〃　cried　Holmes。

　　〃It　sounds　incredible；　for　I　have　not；　as　far　as　I　know；　an　enemy　in

the　world。　Yet　from　last　night's　experience　I　can　come　to　no　other

conclusion。〃

　　〃Pray　let　me　hear　it。〃

　　〃You　must　know　that　last　night　was　the　very　first　night　that　I

have　ever　slept　without　a　nurse　in　the　room。　I　was　so　much　better　that

I　though　I　could　dispense　with　one。　I　had　a　night…light　burning；

however。　Well；　about　two　in　the　morning　I　had　sunk　into　a　light

sleep　when　I　was　suddenly　aroused　by　a　slight　noise。　It　was　like　the

sound　which　a　mouse　makes　when　it　is　gnawing　a　plank；　and　I　lay

listening　to　it　for　some　time　under　the　impression　that　it　must　come

from　that　cause。　Then　it　grew　louder；　and　suddenly　there　came　from　the

window　a　sharp　metallic　snick。　I　sat　up　in　amazement。　There　could　be

no　doubt　what　the　sounds　were　now。　The　first　ones　had　been　caused　by

someone　forcing　an　instrument　through　the　slit　between　the　sashes；　and

the　second　by　the　catch　being　pressed　back。

　〃There　was　a　pause　then　for　about　ten　minutes；　as　if　the　person

were　waiting　to　see　whether　the　noise　had　awakened　me。　Then　I　heard

a　gentle　creaking　as　the　window　was　very　slowly　opened。　I　could

stand　it　no　longer；　for　my　nerves　are　not　what　they　used　to　be。　I

sprang　out　of　bed　and　flung　open　the　shutters。　A　man　was　crouching

at　the　window。　I　could　see　little　of　him；　for　he　was　gone　like　a

flash。　He　was　wrapped　in　some　sort　of　cloak　which　came　across　the

lower　part　of　his　face。　One　thing　only　I　am　sure　of；　and　that　is

that　he　had　some　weapon　in　his　hand。　It　looked　to　me　like　a　long

knife。　I　distinctly　saw　the　gleam　of　it　as　he　turned　to　run。〃

　　〃This　is　most　interesting；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Pray　what　did　you　do

then？〃

　　〃I　should　have　followed　him　through　the　open　window　if　I　had　been

stronger。　As　it　was；　I　rang　the　bell　and　roused　the　house。　It　took

some　little　time；　for　the　bell　rings　in　the　kitchen　and　the　servants

all　sleep　upstairs。　I　shouted；　however；　and　that　brought　Joseph

down；　and　he　roused　the　others。　Joseph　and　the　groom　found　marks　on

the　bed　outside　the　window；　but　the　weather　has　been　so　dry　lately

that　they　found　it　hopeless　to　follow　the　trail　across　the　grass。

There's　a　place；　however；　on　the　wooden　fence　which　skirts　the　road

which　shows　signs；　they　tell　me；　as　if　someone　had　got　over；　and　had

snapped　the　top　of　the　rail　in　doing　so。　I　have　said　nothing　to　the

local　police　yet；　for　I　thought　I　had　best　have　your　opinion　first。〃

　　This　tale　of　our　client's　appeared　to　have　an　extraordinary　effect

upon　Sherlock　Holmes。　He　rose　from　his　chair　and　paced　about　the

room　in　uncontrollable　excitement。

　　〃Misfortunes　never　come　single；〃　said　Phelps；　smiling；　though　it　was

evident　that　his　adventure　had　somewhat　shaken　him。

　　〃You　have　certainly　had　your　share；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Do　you　think

you　could　walk　round　the　house　with　me？〃

　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　should　like　a　little　sunshine。　Joseph　will　come；　too。〃

　　〃And　I　also；〃　said　Miss　Harrison。

　　〃I　am　afraid　not；〃　said　Holmes；　shaking　his　head。　〃I　think　I　must

ask　you　to　remain　sitting　exactly　where　you　are。〃

　　The　young　lady　resumed　her　seat　with　an　air　of　displeasure。　Her

brother；　however；　had　joined　us　and　we　set　off　all　four　together。　We

passed　round　the　lawn　to　the　outside　of　the　young　diplomatist's

window。　There　were；　as　he　had　said；　marks　upon　the　bed；　but　they

were　hopelessly　blurred　and　vague。　Holmes　stooped　over　them　for　an

instant；　and　then　rose　shrugging　his　shoulders。

　　〃I　don't　think　anyone　could　make　much　of　this；〃　said　he。　〃Let　us

go　round　the　house　and　see　why　this　particular　room　was　chosen　by

the　burglar。　I　should　have　thought　those　larger　windows　of　the

drawing…room　and　dining…room　would　have　had　more　attractions　for　him。〃

　　〃They　are　more　visible　from　the　road；〃　suggested　Mr。　Joseph

Harrison。

　　〃Ah；　yes；　of　course。　There　is　a　door　here　which　he　mi