the adventure of the beryl coronet-第3章
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closed and fastened as I approached。
〃'Tell me； dad；' said she； looking； I thought； a little disturbed；
'did you give Lucy； the maid； leave to go out to…night？'
〃'Certainly not。'
〃'She came in just now by the back door。 I have no doubt that she
has only been to the side gate to see someone； but I think that it
is hardly safe and should be stopped。'
〃'You must speak to her in the morning； or I will if you prefer
it。 Are you sure that everything is fastened？'
〃'Quite sure； dad。'
〃'Then； good…night。' I kissed her and went up to my bedroom again；
where I was soon asleep。
〃I am endeavouring to tell you everything； Mr。 Holmes； which may
have any bearing upon the case； but I beg that you will question me
upon any point which I do not make clear。〃
〃On the contrary； your statement is singularly lucid。〃
〃I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to be
particularly so。 I am not a very heavy sleeper； and the anxiety in
my mind tended； no doubt； to make me even less so than usual。 About
two in the morning； then； I was awakened by some sound in the house。
It had ceased ere I was wide awake； but it had left an impression
behind it as though a window had gently closed somewhere。 I lay
listening with all my ears。 Suddenly； to my horror； there was a
distinct sound of footsteps moving softly in the next room。 I
slipped out of bed； an palpitating with fear； and peeped round the
corner of my dressing…room door。
〃'Arthur' I screamed； 'you villain！ you thief！ How dare you touch
that coronet？'
〃The gas was half up； as I had left it； and my unhappy boy；
dressed only in his shirt and trousers； was standing beside the light；
holding the coronet in his hands。 He appeared to be wrenching at it；
or bending it with all his strength。 At my cry he dropped it from
his grasp and turned as pale as death。 I snatched it up and examined
it。 One of the gold corners； with three of the beryls in it； was
missing。
〃'You blackguard！' I shouted； beside myself with rage。 'You have
destroyed it！ You have dishonoured me forever！ Where are the jewels
which you have stolen？'
〃'Stolen！' he cried。
〃'Yes； thief！' I roared； shaking him by the shoulder。
〃'There are none missing。 there cannot be any missing；' said he。
〃'There are three missing。 And you know where they are。 Must I
call you a liar as well as a thief？ Did I not see you trying to tear
off another piece？'
〃'You have called me names enough；' said he； 'I will not stand it
any longer。 I shall not say another word about this business； since
you have chosen to insult me。 I will leave your house in the morning
and make my own way in the world。'
〃'You shall leave it in the hands of the police！' I cried；
half…mad with grief and rage。 'I shall have this matter probed to
the bottom。'
〃'You shall learn nothing from me；' said he with a passion such as I
should not have thought you choose to call the police； let the
police find what they can。〃
〃By this time the whole house was astir； for I had raised my voice
in my anger。 Mary was the first to rush into my room； and； at the
sight of the coronet and of and of Arthur's face； she read the whole
story and； with a scream； fell down senseless on the ground。 I sent
the house…maid for the police and put the investigation into their
hands at once。 When the inspector and a constable entered the house；
Arthur； who had stood sullenly with his arms folded； asked me
whether it was my intention to charge him with theft。 I answered
that it had ceased to be a private matter； but had become a public
one； since the ruined coronet was national property。 I was
determined that the law should have its way in everything。
〃'At least；' said he； 'you will not have me arrested at once。 It
would be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave the
house for five minutes。'
〃'That you may get away； or perhaps that you may conceal what you
have stolen； said I。 And then； realizing the dreadful position in
which I was placed； I implored him to remember that not only my honour
but that of one who was far greater than I was at stake； and that he
threatened to raise a scandal which would convulse the nation。 He
might avert it all if he would but tell me what he had done with the
three missing stones。
〃'You may as well face the matter；' said I； 'you have been caught in
the act； and no confession could make your guilt more heinous。 If
you but make such reparation as is in your power； by telling us
where the beryls are； all shall be forgiven and forgotten。'
〃'Keep your forgiveness for those who ask for it；' he answered；
turning away from me with a sneer。 I saw that he was too hardened
for any words of mine to influence him。 There was but one way for
it。 I called in the inspector and gave him into custody。 A search
was made at once not only of his person but of his room and of every
portion of the house where he could possibly have concealed the
gems； but no trace of them could be found； nor would the wretched
boy open his mouth for all our persuasions and our threats。 This
morning he was removed to a cell； and I； after going through all the
police formalities； have hurried round to you to implore you to use
your skill in unravelling the matter。 The police have openly confessed
that they can at present make nothing of it。 You may go to any expense
which you think necessary。 I have already offered a reward of L1000。
My God； what shall I do！ I have lost my honour； my gems； and my son in
one night。 Oh； what shall I do！〃
He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to and
fro； droning to himself like a child whose grief has got beyond words。
Sherlock Holmes sat silent for some few minutes； with his brows
knitted and his eyes fixed upon the fire。
〃Do you receive much company？〃 he asked。
〃None save my partner with his family and an occasional friend of
Arthur's。 Sir George Burnwell has been several times lately。 No one
else； I think。〃
〃Do you go out much in society？〃
〃Arthur does。 Mary and I stay at home。 We neither of us care for
it。〃
〃That is unusual in a young girl。〃
〃She is of a quiet nature。 Besides； she is not so very young。 She is
four…and twenty。〃
〃This matter； from what you say； seems to have been a shock to her
also。〃
〃Terrible！ She is even more affected than I。〃
〃You have neither of you any doubt as to your son's guilt？〃
〃How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronet in
his hands。〃
〃I hardly consider that a conclusive proof。 Was the remainder of the
coronet at all injured？〃
〃Yes； it was twisted。〃
〃Do you not think； then； that he might have been trying to
straighten it？〃
〃God bless you！ You are doing what you can for him and for me。 But
it is too heavy a task。 What was he doing there at all？ If his purpose
were innocent； why did he not say so？〃
〃Precisely。 And if it were guilty； why did he not invent a lie？
His silence appears to me to cut both ways。 there are several singular
points about the case。 What did the police think of the noise which
awoke you from your sleep？〃
〃They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing his
bedroom door。〃
〃A likely story！ As if a man bent on felony would slam his door so
as to wake a household。 What did they say； then； of the
disappearance of these gems？〃
〃They are still sounding the planking and probing the furniture in
the hope of finding them。〃
〃Have they thought of looking outside the house？〃
〃Yes； they have shown extraordinary energy。 The whole garden has
already been minutely examined。〃
〃Now； my dear sir；〃 said Holmes； 〃is it not obvious to you now
that this matter really strikes very much deeper than either you or
the police were at first inclined to think？ It appeared to you to be a
simple case； to me it seems exceedingly complex。 Consider what is
involved by your theory。 You suppose that your son came down from
his bed； went； at great risk； to your dressing…room； opened your
bureau； took out your coronet； broke off by main force a small portion
of it
