the adventure of the beryl coronet-第6章

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rather　sternly。

　　〃Owe！〃　He　caught　up　a　pen。　〃Name　the　sum；　and　I　will　pay　it。〃

　　〃No；　the　debt　is　not　to　me。　You　owe　a　very　humble　apology　to　that

noble　lad；　your　son；　who　has　carried　himself　in　this　matter　as　I

should　be　proud　to　see　my　own　son　do；　should　I　ever　chance　to　have

one。〃

　　〃Then　it　was　not　Arthur　who　took　them？〃

　　〃I　told　you　yesterday；　and　I　repeat　to…day；　that　it　was　not。〃

　　〃You　are　sure　of　it！　Then　let　us　hurry　to　him　at　once　to　let　him

know　that　the　truth　is　known。〃

　　〃He　knows　it　already。　When　I　had　cleared　it　all　up　I　had　an

interview　with　him；　and　finding　that　he　would　not　tell　me　the　story；　I

told　it　to　him；　on　which　he　had　to　confess　that　I　was　right　and　to　add

the　very　few　details　which　were　not　yet　quite　clear　to　me。　Your　news

of　this　morning；　however；　may　open　his　lips。〃

　　〃For　heaven's　sake；　tell　me；　then；　what　is　this　extraordinary

mystery！〃

　　〃I　will　do　so；　and　I　will　show　the　steps　by　which　I　reached　it。

And　let　me　to　you；　first；　that　which　it　is　hardest　for　me　to　say　and

for　you　to　hear：　there　has　been　an　understanding　between　Sir　George

Burnwell　and　your　niece　Mary。　They　have　now　fled　together。〃

　　〃My　Mary？　Impossible！〃

　　〃It　is　unfortunately　more　than　possible；　it　is　certain。　Neither

you　nor　your　son　knew　the　true　character　of　this　man　when　you　admitted

him　into　your　family　circle。　He　is　one　of　the　most　dangerous　men　in

England…a　ruined　gambler；　an　absolutely　desperate　villain；　a　man

without　heart　or　conscience。　Your　niece　knew　nothing　of　such　men。　When

he　breathed　his　vows　to　her；　as　he　had　done　to　a　hundred　before　her；

she　flattered　herself　that　she　alone　had　touched　his　heart。　The

devil　knows　best　what　he　said；　but　at　least　she　became　his　tool　and

was　in　the　habit　of　seeing　him　nearly　every　evening。〃

　　〃I　cannot；　and　I　will　not；　believe　it！〃　cried　the　banker　with　an

ashen　face。

　　〃I　will　tell　you；　then；　what　occurred　in　your　house　last　night。　Your

niece；　when　you　had；　as　she　thought；　gone　to　your　room；　slipped　down

and　talked　to　her　lover　through　the　window　which　leads　into　the　stable

lane。　His　footmarks　had　pressed　right　through　the　snow；　so　long　had　he

stood　there。　She　told　him　of　the　coronet。　His　wicked　lust　for　gold

kindled　at　the　news；　and　he　bent　her　to　his　will。　I　have　no　doubt　that

she　loved　you；　but　there　are　women　in　whom　the　love　of　a　lover

extinguishes　all　other　loves；　and　I　think　that　she　must　have　been　one。

She　had　hardly　listened　to　his　instructions　when　she　saw　you　coming

downstairs；　on　which　she　closed　the　window　rapidly　and　told　you

about　one　of　the　servants'　escapade　with　her　wooden…legged　lover；

which　was　all　perfectly　true。

　　〃Your　boy；　Arthur；　went　to　bed　after　his　interview　with　you；　but

he　slept　badly　on　account　of　his　uneasiness　about　his　club　debts。　In

the　middle　of　the　night　he　heard　a　soft　tread　pass　his　door；　so　he

rose　and；　looking　out；　was　surprised　to　see　his　cousin　walking　very

stealthily　along　the　passage　until　she　disappeared　into　your

dressing…room。　Petrified　with　astonishment；　the　lad　slipped　on　some

clothes　and　waited　there　in　the　dark　to　see　what　would　come　of　this

strange　affair。　Presently　she　emerged　from　the　room　again；　and　in

the　light　of　the　passage…lamp　your　son　saw　that　she　carried　the

precious　coronet　in　her　hands。　She　passed　down　the　stairs；　and　he；

thrilling　with　horror；　ran　along　and　slipped　behind　the　curtain　near

your　door；　whence　he　could　see　what　passed　in　the　hall　beneath。　He　saw

her　stealthily　open　the　window；　hand　out　the　coronet　to　someone　in　the

gloom；　and　then　closing　it　once　more　hurry　back　to　her　room；　passing

quite　close　to　where　he　stood　hid　behind　the　curtain。

　　〃As　long　as　she　was　on　the　scene　he　could　not　take　any　action

without　a　horrible　exposure　of　the　woman　whom　he　loved。　But　the

instant　that　she　was　gone　he　realized　how　crushing　a　misfortune　this

would　be　for　you；　and　how　important　it　was　to　set　it　right。　He

rushed　down；　just　as　he　was；　in　his　bare　feet；　opened　the　window；

sprang　out　into　the　snow；　and　ran　down　the　lane；　where　he　could　see

a　dark　figure　in　the　moonlight。　Sir　George　Burnwell　tried　to　get　away；

but　Arthur　caught　him；　and　there　was　a　struggle　between　them；　your　lad

tugging　at　one　side　of　the　coronet　and　his　opponent　at　the　other。　In

the　scuffle；　your　son　struck　Sir　George　and　cut　him　over　the　eye。　Then

something　suddenly　snapped；　and　your　son；　finding　that　he　had　the

coronet　in　his　hands；　rushed　back；　closed　the　window；　ascended　to　your

room；　and　had　just　observed　that　the　coronet　had　been　twisted　in　the

struggle　and　was　endeavouring　to　straighten　it　when　you　appeared

upon　the　scene。〃

　　〃Is　it　possible？〃　gasped　the　banker。

　　〃You　then　roused　his　anger　by　calling　him　names　at　a　moment　when

he　felt　that　he　had　deserved　your　warmest　thanks。　He　could　not　explain

the　true　state　of　affairs　without　betraying　one　who　certainly　deserved

little　enough　consideration　at　his　hands。　He　took　the　more

chivalrous　view；　however；　and　preserved　her　secret。〃

　　〃And　that　was　why　she　shrieked　and　fainted　when　she　saw　the

coronet；〃　cried　Mr。　Holder。　〃Oh；　my　God！　what　a　blind　fool　I　have

been！　And　his　asking　to　be　allowed　to　go　out　for　five　minutes！　The

dear　fellow　wanted　to　see　if　the　missing　piece　were　at　the　scene　of

the　struggle。　How　cruelly　I　have　misjudged　him！〃

　　〃When　I　arrived　at　the　house；〃　continued　Holmes；　〃I　at　once　went

very　carefully　round　it　to　observe　if　there　were　any　traces　in　the

snow　which　might　help　me。　I　knew　that　none　had　fallen　since　the

evening　before；　and　also　that　there　had　been　a　strong　frost　to

preserve　impressions。　I　passed　along　the　tradesmen's　path；　but　found

it　all　trampled　down　and　indistinguishable。　just　beyond　it；　however；

at　the　far　side　of　the　kitchen　door；　a　woman　had　stood　and　talked　with

a　man；　whose　round　impressions　on　one　side　showed　that　he　had　a　wooden

leg。　I　could　even　tell　that　they　had　been　disturbed；　for　the　woman　had

run　back　swiftly　to　the　door；　as　was　shown　by　the　deep　toe　and　light

heel　marks；　while　Wooden…leg　had　waited　a　little；　and　then　had　gone

away。　I　thought　at　the　time　that　this　might　be　the　maid　and　her

sweetheart；　of　whom　you　had　already　spoken　to　me；　and　inquiry　showed

it　was　so。　I　passed　round　the　garden　without　seeing　anything　more　than

random　tracks；　which　I　took　to　be　the　police；　but　when　I　got　into

the　stable　lane　a　very　long　and　complex　story　was　written　in　the

snow　in　front　of　me。

　　〃There　was　a　double　line　of　tracks　of　a　booted　man；　and　a　second

double　line　which　I　saw　with　delight　belonged　to　a　man　with　naked

feet。　I　was　at　once　convinced　from　what　you　had　told　me　that　the

latter　was　your　son。　The　first　had　walked　both　ways；　but　the　other　had

run　swiftly；　and　as　his　tread　was　marked　in　places　over　the　depression

of　the　boot；　it　was　obvious　that　he　had　passed　after　the　other。　I

followed　them　up　and　found　they　led　to　the　hall　window；　where　Boots

had　worn　all　the　snow　away　while　waiting。　Then　I　walked　to　the　other

end；　which　was　a　hundred　yards　or　more　down　the　lane。　I　saw　where

Boots　had　faced　round；　where　the　snow　was　cut　up　as　though　there　had

been　a　struggle；　and；　finally；　where　a　few　drops　of　blood　had

fallen；　to　show　me　that　I　was　not　mistaken。　Boots　had　then　run　down

the　lane；　and　another　little　smudge　of　blood　showed　that　it　was　he　who

had　been　hurt。　When　he　came　to　the　highroad　at　the　other　end；　I

found　that　the　pavement　had　been　cleared；　so　there　was　an　end　to

that　clue。

　　〃On　entering　the　house；　however；　I　examined；　as　you　remember；　the

sill　and　framework　of　the　hall　window　with　my　lens；　and　I　could　at

once　see　that　someone　had　passed　out。　I　could　distinguish　the

outline　of　an　instep　where　the　wet　foot　had　been　placed　in　coming

in。　I　was　then　beginning　to　be　able　to　form　an　opinion　as　to　what

had　occurred。　A　man　had　waited　outside　the　window；　someone　had　brought

the　gems；　the　deed　had　been　overseen　by　your　son；　he　had　pursued　the

thief；　had　struggled　with　him；　they　had　each　tugged　at　the　coronet；

their　united　strength　causing　injuries　which　neither　alone　could

have　effected。　He　had　returned　with　the　prize；