the naval treaty-第7章

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

Harrison。

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

attempted。　What　is　it　for？〃

　　〃It　is　the　side　entrance　for　trades…people。　Of　course　it　is　locked

at　night。〃

　　〃Have　you　ever　had　an　alarm　like　this　before？〃

　　〃Never；〃　said　our　client。

　　〃Do　you　keep　plate　in　the　house；　or　anything　to　attract　burglars？〃

　　〃Nothing　of　value。〃

　　Holmes　strolled　round　the　house　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and

a　negligent　air　which　was　unusual　with　him。

　　〃By　the　way；〃　said　he　to　Joseph　Harrison；　〃you　found　some　place；　I

understand；　where　the　fellow　scaled　the　fence。　Let　us　have　a　look　at

that！〃

　　The　plump　young　man　led　us　to　a　spot　where　the　top　of　one　of　the

wooden　rails　had　been　cracked。　A　small　fragment　of　the　wood　was

hanging　down。　Holmes　pulled　it　off　and　examined　it　critically。

　　〃Do　you　think　that　was　done　last　night？　It　looks　rather　old；　does　it

not？〃

　　〃Well；　possibly　so。〃

　　〃There　are　no　marks　of　anyone　jumping　down　upon　the　other　side。

No；　I　fancy　we　shall　get　no　help　here。　Let　us　go　back　to　the　bedroom

and　talk　the　matter　over。〃

　　Percy　Phelps　was　walking　very　slowly；　leaning　upon　the　arm　of　his

future　brother…in…law。　Holmes　walked　swiftly　across　the　lawn；　and　we

were　at　the　open　window　of　the　bedroom　long　before　the　others　came　up。

　　〃Miss　Harrison；〃　said　Holmes；　speaking　with　the　utmost　intensity

of　manner；　〃you　must　stay　where　you　are　all　day。　Let　nothing　prevent

you　from　staying　where　you　are　all　day。　It　is　of　the　utmost

importance。〃

　　〃Certainly；　if　you　wish　it；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　the　girl　in

astonishment。

　　〃When　you　go　to　bed　lock　the　door　of　this　room　on　the　outside　and

keep　the　key。　Promise　to　do　this。〃

　　〃But　Percy？〃

　　〃He　will　come　to　London　with　us。〃

　　〃And　am　I　to　remain　here？〃

　　〃It　is　for　his　sake。　You　can　serve　him。　Quick！　Promise！〃

　　She　gave　a　quick　nod　of　assent　just　as　the　other　two　came　up。

　　〃Why　do　you　sit　moping　there；　Annie？〃　cried　her　brother。　〃Come　out

into　the　sunshine！〃

　　〃No；　thank　you；　Joseph。　I　have　a　slight　headache　and　this　room　is

deliciously　cool　and　soothing。〃

　　〃What　do　you　propose　now；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　asked　our　client。

　　〃Well；　in　investigating　this　minor　affair　we　must　not　lose　sight

of　our　main　inquiry。　It　would　be　a　very　great　help　to　me　if　you

would　come　up　to　London　with　us。〃

　　〃At　once？〃

　　〃Well；　as　soon　as　you　conveniently　can。　Say　in　an　hour。〃

　　〃I　feel　quite　strong　enough；　if　I　can　really　be　of　any　help。〃

　　〃The　greatest　possible。〃

　　〃Perhaps　you　would　like　me　to　stay　there　to…night？〃

　　〃I　was　just　going　to　propose　it。〃

　　〃Then；　if　my　friend　of　the　night　comes　to　revisit　me；　he　will　find

the　bird　flown。　We　are　all　in　your　hands；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　you　must

tell　us　exactly　what　you　would　like　done。　Perhaps　you　would　prefer

that　Joseph　came　with　us　so　as　to　look　after　me？〃

　　〃Oh；　no；　my　friend　Watson　is　a　medical　man；　you　know；　and　he'll　look

after　you。　We'll　have　our　lunch　here；　if　you　will　permit　us；　and

then　we　shall　all　three　set　off　for　town　together。〃

　　It　was　arranged　as　he　suggested；　though　Miss　Harrison　excused

herself　from　leaving　the　bedroom；　in　accordance　with　Holmes's

suggestion。　What　the　object　of　my　friend's　maneuvres　was　I　could　not

conceive；　unless　it　were　to　keep　the　lady　away　from　Phelps；　who；

rejoiced　by　his　returning　health　and　by　the　prospect　of　action；

lunched　with　us　in　the　dining…room。　Holmes　had　a　still　more

startling　surprise　for　us；　however；　for；　after　accompanying　us　down　to

the　station　and　seeing　us　into　our　carriage；　he　calmly　announced

that　he　had　no　intention　of　leaving　Woking。

　　〃There　are　one　or　two　small　points　which　I　should　desire　to　clear　up

before　I　go；〃　said　he。　〃Your　absence；　Mr。　Phelps；　will　in　some　ways

rather　assist　me。　Watson；　when　you　reach　London　you　would　oblige　me　by

driving　at　once　to　Baker　Street　with　our　friend　here；　and　remaining

with　him　until　I　see　you　again。　It　is　fortunate　that　you　are　old

school…fellows；　as　you　must　have　much　to　talk　over。　Mr。　Phelps　can

have　the　spare　bedroom　to…night；　and　I　will　be　with　you　in　time　for

breakfast；　for　there　is　a　train　which　will　take　me　into　Waterloo　at

eight。〃

　　〃But　how　about　our　investigation　in　London？〃　asked　Phelps　ruefully。

　　〃We　can　do　that　to…morrow。　I　think　that　just　at　present　I　can　be

of　more　immediate　use　here。〃

　　〃You　might　tell　them　at　Briarbrae　that　I　hope　to　be　back　to…morrow

night；〃　cried　Phelps；　as　we　began　to　move　from　the　platform。

　　〃I　hardly　expect　to　go　back　to　Briarbrae；〃　answered　Holmes；　and

waved　his　hand　to　us　cheerily　as　we　shot　out　from　the　station。

　　Phelps　and　I　talked　it　over　on　our　journey；　but　neither　of　us

could　devise　a　satisfactory　reason　for　this　new　development。

　　〃I　suppose　he　wants　to　find　out　some　clues　as　to　the　burglary　last

night；　if　a　burglar　it　was。　For　myself；　I　don't　believe　it　was　an

ordinary　thief。〃

　　〃What　is　your　own　idea；　then？〃

　　〃Upon　my　word；　you　may　put　it　down　to　my　weak　nerves　or　not；　but　I

believe　there　is　some　deep　political　intrigue　going　on　around　me；

and　that　for　some　reason　that　passes　my　understanding　my　life　is　aimed

at　by　the　conspirators。　It　sounds　high…flown　and　absurd；　but

consider　the　facts！　Why　should　a　thief　try　to　break　in　at　a　bedroom

window　where　there　could　be　no　hope　of　any　plunder；　and　why　should

he　come　with　a　long　knife　in　his　hand？〃

　　〃You　are　sure　it　was　not　a　house…breaker's　jimmy？〃

　　〃Oh；　no；　it　was　a　knife。　I　saw　the　flash　of　the　blade　quite

distinctly。〃

　　〃But　why　on　earth　should　you　be　pursued　with　such　animosity？〃

　　〃Ah；　that　is　the　question。〃

　　〃Well；　if　Holmes　takes　the　same　view；　that　would　account　for　his

action；　would　it　not？　Presuming　that　your　theory　is　correct；　if　he　can

lay　his　hands　upon　the　man　who　threatened　you　last　night　he　will

have　gone　a　long　way　towards　finding　who　took　the　naval　treaty。　It

is　absurd　to　suppose　that　you　have　two　enemies；　one　of　whom　robs

you；　while　the　other　threatens　your　life。〃

　　〃But　Holmes　said　that　he　was　not　going　to　Briarbrae。〃

　　〃I　have　known　him　for　some　time；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　never　knew　him　do

anything　yet　without　a　very　good　reason；〃　and　with　that　our

conversation　drifted　off　on　to　other　topics。

　　But　it　was　a　weary　day　for　me。　Phelps　was　still　weak　after　his

long　illness；　and　his　misfortunes　made　him　querulous　and　nervous。　In

vain　I　endeavoured　to　interest　him　in　Afghanistan；　in　India；　in　social

questions；　in　anything　which　might　take　his　mind　out　of　the　groove。　He

would　always　come　back　to　his　lost　treaty；　wondering；　guessing；

speculating　as　to　what　Holmes　was　doing；　what　steps　Lord　Holdhurst　was

taking；　what　news　we　should　have　in　the　morning。　As　the　evening　wore

on　his　excitement　became　quite　painful。

　　〃You　have　implicit　faith　in　Holmes？〃　he　asked。

　　〃I　have　seen　him　do　some　remarkable　things。〃

　　〃But　he　never　brought　light　into　anything　quite　so　dark　as　this？〃

　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　have　known　him　solve　questions　which　presented　fewer

clues　than　yours。〃

　　〃But　not　where　such　large　interests　are　at　stake？〃

　　〃I　don't　know　that。　To　my　certain　knowledge　he　has　acted　on　behalf

of　three　of　the　reigning　houses　of　Europe　in　very　vital　matters。〃

　　〃But　you　know　him　well；　Watson。　He　is　such　an　inscrutable　fellow

that　I　never　quite　know　what　to　make　of　him。　Do　you　think　he　is

hopeful？　Do　you　think　he　expects　to　make　a　success　of　it？〃

　　〃He　has　said　nothing。〃

　　〃That　is　a　bad　sign。〃

　　〃On　the　contrary。　I　have　noticed　that　when　he　is　off　the　trail　he

generally　says　so。　It　is　when　he　is　on　a　scent　and　is　not　quite

absolutely　sure　yet　that　it　is　the　right　one　that　he　is　most　taciturn。

Now；　my　dear　fellow；　we　can't　help　matters　by　making　ourselves　nervous

about　them；　so　let　me　implore　you　to　go　to　bed　and　so　be　fresh　for

whatever　may　await　us　to…morrow。〃

　　I　was　able　at　last　to　persuade　my　companion　to　take　my　advice；

though　I　knew　from　his　excited　manner　that　there　was　not　much　hope

of　sleep　for　him。　Indeed；　his　mood　was　infectious；　for　I　lay　tossing

half　the　night　myself；　brooding　over　this　strange　problem　and

inventing　a　h