the adventure of the second stain-第7章

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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　paper。　It　must　still　be　where

Lucas　had　placed　it；　for　it　was　concealed　before　this　dreadful　woman

entered　the　room。　If　it　had　not　been　for　her　coming；　I　should　not　have

known　where　his　biding…place　was。　How　was　I　to　get　into　the　room？

For　two　days　I　watched　the　place；　but　the　door　was　never　left　open。

Last　night　I　made　a　last　attempt。　What　I　did　and　how　I　succeeded；

you　have　already　learned。　I　brought　the　paper　back　with　me；　and

thought　of　destroying　it；　since　I　could　see　no　way　of　returning　it

without　confessing　my　guilt　to　my　husband。　Heavens；　I　hear　his　step

upon　the　stair！〃

　　The　European　Secretary　burst　excitedly　into　the　room。

　〃Any　news；　Mr。　Holmes；　any　news？〃　he　cried。

　　〃I　have　some　hopes。〃

　　〃Ah；　thank　heaven！〃　His　face　became　radiant。　〃The　Prime　Minister

is　lunching　with　me。　May　he　share　your　hopes？　He　has　nerves　of

steel；　and　yet　I　know　that　he　has　hardly　slept　since　this　terrible

event。　Jacobs；　will　you　ask　the　Prime　Minister　to　come　up？　As　to

you；　dear；　I　fear　that　this　is　a　matter　of　politics。　We　will　join

you　in　a　few　minutes　in　the　dining…room。〃

　　The　Prime　Minister's　manner　was　subdued；　but　I　could　see　by　the

gleam　of　his　eyes　and　the　twitchings　of　his　bony　hands　that　he

shared　the　excitement　of　his　young　colleague。

　　〃I　understand　that　you　have　something　to　report；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃Purely　negative　as　yet；〃　my　friend　answered。　〃I　have　inquired　at

every　point　where　it　might　be；　and　I　am　sure　that　there　is　no　danger

to　be　apprehended。〃

　　〃But　that　is　not　enough；　Mr。　Holmes。　We　cannot　live　forever　on

such　a　volcano。　We　must　have　something　definite。〃

　　〃I　am　in　hopes　of　getting　it。　That　is　why　I　am　here。　The　more　I

think　of　the　matter　the　more　convinced　I　am　that　the　letter　has

never　left　this　house。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes！〃

　　〃If　it　had　it　would　certainly　have　been　public　by　now。〃

　　〃But　why　should　anyone　take　it　in　order　to　keep　it　in　his　house？〃

　　〃I　am　not　convinced　that　anyone　did　take　it。〃

　　〃Then　how　could　it　leave　the　despatch…box？〃

　　〃I　am　not　convinced　that　it　ever　did　leave　the　despatch…box。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes；　this　joking　is　very　ill…timed。　You　have　my　assurance

that　it　left　the　box。〃

　　〃Have　you　examined　the　box　since　Tuesday　morning？〃

　　〃No。　It　was　not　necessary。〃

　　〃You　may　conceivably　have　overlooked　it。〃

　　〃Impossible；　I　say。〃

　　〃But　I　am　not　convinced　of　it。　I　have　known　such　things　to　happen。　I

presume　there　are　other　papers　there。　Well；　it　may　have　got　mixed　with

them。〃

　　〃It　was　on　the　top。〃

　　〃Someone　may　have　shaken　the　box　and　displaced　it。〃

　　〃No；　no；　I　had　everything　out。〃

　　〃Surely　it　is　easily；　decided；　Hope；〃　said　the　Premier。　〃Let　us　have

the　despatch…box　brought　in。〃

　　The　Secretary　rang　the　bell。

　　〃Jacobs；　bring　down　my　despatch…box。　This　is　a　farcical　waste　of

time；　but　still；　if　nothing　else　will　satisfy　you；　it　shall　be　done。

Thank　you；　Jacobs；　put　it　here。　I　have　always　had　the　key　on　my

watch…chain。　Here　are　the　papers；　you　see。　Letter　from　Lord　Merrow；

report　from　Sir　Charles　Hardy；　memorandum　from　Belgrade；　note　on　the

Russo…German　grain　taxes；　letter　from　Madrid；　note　from　Lord

Flowers…　Good　heavens！　what　is　this？　Lord　Bellinger！　Lord　Bellinger！〃

　　The　Premier　snatched　the　blue　envelope　from　his　hand。

　　〃Yes；　it　is　it…　and　the　letter　is　intact。　Hope；　I　congratulate　you。〃

　　〃Thank　you！　Thank　you！　What　a　weight　from　my　heart。　But　this　is

inconceivable…　impossible。　Mr。　Holmes；　you　are　a　wizard；　a　sorcerer！

How　did　you　know　it　was　there？〃

　　〃Because　I　knew　it　was　nowhere　else。〃

　　〃I　cannot　believe　my　eyes！〃　He　ran　wildly　to　the　door。　〃Where　is

my　wife？　I　must　tell　her　that　all　is　well。　Hilda！　Hilda！〃　we　heard　his

voice　on　the　stairs。

　　The　Premier　looked　at　Holmes　with　twinkling　eyes。

　　〃Come；　sir；〃　said　he。　〃There　is　more　in　this　than　meets　the　eye。　How

came　the　letter　back　in　the　box？〃

　　Holmes　turned　away　smiling　from　the　keen　scrutiny　of　those　wonderful

eyes。

　　〃We　also　have　our　diplomatic　secrets；〃　said　he　and；　picking　up　his

hat；　he　turned　to　the　door。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

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