the adventure of charles augustus milverton-第3章

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adventure　with　you。〃

　　〃You　can't　help　me。〃

　　〃How　do　you　know　that？　You　can't　tell　what　may　happen。　Anyway；　my

resolution　is　taken。　Other　people　besides　you　have　self…respect；　and

even　reputations。〃

　　Holmes　had　looked　annoyed；　but　his　brow　cleared；　and　he　clapped　me

on　the　shoulder。

　　〃Well；　well；　my　dear　fellow；　be　it　so。　We　have　shared　this　same　room

for　some　years；　and　it　would　be　amusing　if　we　ended　by　sharing　the

same　cell。　You　know；　Watson；　I　don't　mind　confessing　to　you　that　I

have　always　had　an　idea　that　I　would　have　made　a　highly　efficient

criminal。　This　is　the　chance　of　my　lifetime　in　that　direction。　See

here！〃　He　took　a　neat　little　leather　case　out　of　a　drawer；　and　opening

it　he　exhibited　a　number　of　shining　instruments。　〃This　is　a

first…class；　up…to…date　burgling　kit；　with　nickel…plated　jemmy；

diamond…tipped　glass…cutter；　adaptable　keys；　and　every　modern

improvement　which　the　march　of　civilization　demands。　Here；　too；　is

my　dark　lantern。　Everything　is　in　order。　Have　you　a　pair　of　silent

shoes？〃

　　〃I　have　rubber…soled　tennis　shoes。〃

　　〃Excellent！　And　a　mask？〃

　　〃I　can　make　a　couple　out　of　black　silk。〃

　　〃I　can　see　that　you　have　a　strong；　natural　turn　for　this　sort　of

thing。　Very　good；　do　you　make　the　masks。　We　shall　have　some　cold

supper　before　we　start。　It　is　now　nine…thirty。　At　eleven　we　shall

drive　as　far　as　Church　Row。　It　is　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　walk　from

there　to　Appledore　Towers。　We　shall　be　at　work　before　midnight。

Milverton　is　a　heavy　sleeper；　and　retires　punctually　at　ten…thirty。

With　any　luck　we　should　be　back　here　by　two；　with　the　Lady　Eva's

letters　in　my　pocket。〃

　　Holmes　and　I　put　on　our　dress…clothes；　so　that　we　might　appear　to　be

two　theatre…goers　homeward　bound。　In　Oxford　Street　we　picked　up　a

hansom　and　drove　to　an　address　in　Hampstead。　Here　we　paid　off　our　cab；

and　with　our　great　coats　buttoned　up；　for　it　was　bitterly　cold；　and

the　wind　seemed　to　blow　through　us；　we　walked　along　the　edge　of　the

heath。

　　〃It's　a　business　that　needs　delicate　treatment；〃　said　Holmes。　〃These

documents　are　contained　in　a　safe　in　the　fellow's　study；　and　the　study

is　the　ante…room　of　his　bed…chamber。　On　the　other　hand；　like　all　these

stout；　little　men　who　do　themselves　well；　he　is　a　plethoric　sleeper。

Agatha…　that's　my　fiancee…　says　it　is　a　joke　in　the　servants'　hall

that　it's　impossible　to　wake　the　master。　He　has　a　secretary　who　is

devoted　to　his　interests；　and　never　budges　from　the　study　all　day。

That's　why　we　are　going　at　night。　Then　he　has　a　beast　of　a　dog　which

roams　the　garden。　I　met　Agatha　late　the　last　two　evenings；　and　she

locks　the　brute　up　so　as　to　give　me　a　clear　run。　This　is　the　house；

this　big　one　in　its　own　grounds。　Through　the　gate…　now　to　the　right

among　the　laurels。　We　might　put　on　our　masks　here；　I　think。　You　see；

there　is　not　a　glimmer　of　light　in　any　of　the　windows；　and

everything　is　working　splendidly。〃

　　With　our　black　silk　face…coverings；　which　turned　us　into　two　of

the　most　truculent　figures　in　London；　we　stole　up　to　the　silent；

gloomy　house。　A　sort　of　tiled　veranda　extended　along　one　side　of　it；

lined　by　several　windows　and　two　doors。

　　〃That's　his　bedroom；〃　Holmes　whispered。　〃This　door　opens　straight

into　the　study。　It　would　suit　us　best；　but　it　is　bolted　as　well　as

locked；　and　we　should　make　too　much　noise　getting　in。　Come　round　here。

There's　a　greenhouse　which　opens　into　the　drawing…room。〃

　　The　place　was　locked；　but　Holmes　removed　a　circle　of　glass　and

turned　the　key　from　the　inside。　An　instant　afterwards　he　had　closed

the　door　behind　us；　and　we　had　become　felons　in　the　eyes　of　the　law。

The　thick；　warm　air　of　the　conservatory　and　the　rich；　choking

fragrance　of　exotic　plants　took　us　by　the　throat。　He　seized　my　hand　in

the　darkness　and　led　me　swiftly　past　banks　of　shrubs　which　brushed

against　our　faces。　Holmes　had　remarkable　powers；　carefully　cultivated；

of　seeing　in　the　dark。　Still　holding　my　hand　in　one　of　his；　he

opened　a　door；　and　I　was　vaguely　conscious　that　we　had　entered　a　large

room　in　which　a　cigar　had　been　smoked　not　long　before。　He　felt　his　way

among　the　furniture；　opened　another　door；　and　closed　it　behind　us。

Putting　out　my　hand　I　felt　several　coats　hanging　from　the　wall；　and

I　understood　that　I　was　in　a　passage。　We　passed　along　it　and　Holmes

very　gently　opened　a　door　upon　the　right…hand　side。　Something　rushed

out　at　us　and　my　heart　sprang　into　my　mouth；　but　I　could　have

laughed　when　I　realized　that　it　was　the　cat。　A　fire　was　burning　in

this　new　room；　and　again　the　air　was　heavy　with　tobacco　smoke。

Holmes　entered　on　tiptoe；　waited　for　me　to　follow；　and　then　very

gently　closed　the　door。　We　were　in　Milverton's　study；　and　a　portiere

at　the　farther　side　showed　the　entrance　to　his　bedroom。

　　It　was　a　good　fire；　and　the　room　was　illuminated　by　it。　Near　the

door　I　saw　the　gleam　of　an　electric　switch；　but　it　was　unnecessary；

even　if　it　had　been　safe；　to　turn　it　on。　At　one　side　of　the

fireplace　was　a　heavy　curtain　which　covered　the　bay　window　we　had　seen

from　outside。　On　the　other　side　was　the　door　which　communicated　with

the　veranda。　A　desk　stood　in　the　centre；　with　a　turning…chair　of

shining　red　leather。　Opposite　was　a　large　bookcase；　with　a　marble　bust

of　Athene　on　the　top。　In　the　corner；　between　the　bookcase　and　the

wall；　there　stood　a　tall；　green　safe；　the　firelight　flashing　back　from

the　polished　brass　knobs　upon　its　face。　Holmes　stole　across　and　looked

at　it。　Then　he　crept　to　the　door　of　the　bedroom；　and　stood　with

slanting　head　listening　intently。　No　sound　came　from　within。　Meanwhile

it　had　struck　me　that　it　would　be　wise　to　secure　our　retreat　through

the　outer　door；　so　I　examined　it。　To　my　amazement；　it　was　neither

locked　nor　bolted。　I　touched　Holmes　on　the　arm；　and　he　turned　his

masked　face　in　that　direction。　I　saw　him　start；　and　he　was　evidently

as　surprised　as　I。

　　〃I　don't　like　it；〃　he　whispered；　putting　his　lips　to　my　very　ear。　〃I

can't　quite　make　it　out。　Anyhow；　we　have　no　time　to　lose。〃

　　〃Can　I　do　anything？〃

　　〃Yes；　stand　by　the　door。　If　you　hear　anyone　come；　bolt　it　on　the

inside；　and　we　can　get　away　as　we　came。　If　they　come　the　other　way；　we

can　get　through　the　door　if　our　job　is　done；　or　hide　behind　these

window　curtains　if　it　is　not。　Do　you　understand？〃

　　I　nodded；　and　stood　by　the　door。　My　first　feeling　of　fear　had　passed

away；　and　I　thrilled　now　with　a　keener　zest　than　I　had　ever　enjoyed

when　we　were　the　defenders　of　the　law　instead　of　its　defiers。　The　high

object　of　our　mission；　the　consciousness　that　it　was　unselfish　and

chivalrous；　the　villainous　character　of　our　opponent；　all　added　to　the

sporting　interest　of　the　adventure。　Far　from　feeling　guilty；　I

rejoiced　and　exulted　in　our　dangers。　With　a　glow　of　admiration　I

watched　Holmes　unrolling　his　case　of　instruments　and　choosing　his　tool

with　the　calm；　scientific　accuracy　of　a　surgeon　who　performs　a

delicate　operation。　I　knew　that　the　opening　of　safes　was　a

particular　hobby　with　him；　and　I　understood　the　joy　which　it　gave

him　to　be　confronted　with　this　green　and　gold　monster；　the　dragon

which　held　in　its　maw　the　reputations　of　many　fair　ladies。　Turning

up　the　cuffs　of　his　dress…coat…　he　had　placed　his　overcoat　on　a　chair…

Holmes　laid　out　two　drills；　a　jemmy；　and　several　skeleton　keys。　I

stood　at　the　centre　door　with　my　eyes　glancing　at　each　of　the

others；　ready　for　any　emergency；　though；　indeed；　my　plans　were

somewhat　vague　as　to　what　I　should　do　if　we　were　interrupted。　For　half

an　hour；　Holmes　worked　with　concentrated　energy；　laying　down　one　tool；

picking　up　another；　handling　each　with　the　strength　and　delicacy　of

the　trained　mechanic。　Finally　I　heard　a　click；　the　broad　green　door

swung　open；　and　inside　I　had　a　glimpse　of　a　number　of　paper　packets；

each　tied；　sealed；　and　inscribed。　Holmes　picked　one　out；　but　it　was　as

hard　to　read　by　the　flickering　fire；　and　he　drew　out　his　little　dark

lantern；　for　it　was　too　dangerous；　with　Milverton　in　the　next　room；　to

switch　on　the　electric　light。　Suddenly　I　saw　him　halt；　listen

intently；　and　then　in　an　instant　he　had　swung　the　door　o