the adventure of the beryl coronet-第7章

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have　effected。　He　had　returned　with　the　prize；　but　had　left　a　fragment

in　the　grasp　of　his　opponent。　So　far　I　was　clear。　The　question　now

was；　who　was　the　man　and　who　was　it　brought　him　the　coronet？

　　〃It　is　an　old　maxim　of　mine　that　when　you　have　excluded　the

impossible；　whatever　remains；　however　improbable；　must　be　the　truth。

Now；　I　knew　that　it　was　not　you　who　had　brought　it　down；　so　there　only

remained　your　niece　and　the　maids。　But　if　it　were　the　maids；　why

should　your　son　allow　himself　to　be　accused　in　their　place？　There

could　be　no　possible　reason。　As　he　loved　his　cousin；　however；　there

was　an　excellent　explanation　why　he　should　retain　her　secret…the

more　so　as　the　secret　was　a　disgraceful　one。　When　I　remembered　that

you　had　seen　her　at　that　window；　and　how　she　had　fainted　on　seeing　the

coronet　again；　my　conjecture　became　a　certainty。

　　〃And　who　could　it　be　who　was　her　confederate？　A　lover　evidently；　for

who　else　could　outweigh　the　love　and　gratitude　which　she　must　feel

to　you？　I　knew　that　you　went　out　little；　and　that　your　circle　of

friends　was　a　very　limited　one。　But　among　them　was　Sir　George

Burnwell。　I　had　heard　of　him　before　as　being　a　man　of　evil

reputation　among　women。　It　must　have　been　he　who　wore　those　boots

and　retained　the　missing　gems。　Even　though　he　knew　that　Arthur　had

discovered　him；　he　might　still　flatter　himself　that　he　was　safe；　for

the　lad　could　not　say　a　word　without　compromising　his　own　family。

　　〃Well；　your　own　good　sense　will　suggest　what　measures　I　took　next。　I

went　in　the　shape　of　a　loafer　to　Sir　George's　house；　managed　to　pick

up　an　acquaintance　with　his　valet；　learned　that　his　master　had　cut　his

head　the　night　before；　and；　finally；　at　the　expense　of　six

shillings；　made　all　sure　by　buying　a　pair　of　his　cast…off　shoes。

With　these　I　journeyed　down　to　Streatham　and　saw　that　they　exactly

fitted　the　tracks。〃

　　〃I　saw　an　ill…dressed　vagabond　in　the　lane　yesterday　evening；〃

said　Mr。　Holder。

　　〃Precisely。　It　was　I。　I　found　that　I　had　my　man；　so　I　came　home

and　changed　my　clothes。　It　was　a　delicate　part　which　I　had　to　play

then；　for　I　saw　that　a　prosecution　must　be　avoided　to　avert　scandal；

and　I　knew　that　so　astute　a　villain　would　see　that　our　hands　were　tied

in　the　matter。　I　went　and　saw　him。　At　first；　of　course；　he　denied

everything。　But　when　I　gave　him　every　particular　that　had　occurred；　he

tried　to　bluster　and　took　down　a　life…preserver　from　the　wall。　I

knew　my　man；　however；　and　I　clapped　a　pistol　to　his　head　before　he

could　strike。　Then　he　became　a　little　more　reasonable。　I　told　him　that

we　would　give　him　a　price　for　the　stones　he　held…L1000　apiece。　That

brought　out　the　first　signs　of　grief　that　he　had　shown。　'Why；　dash

it　all！'　said　he；　'I've　let　them　go　at　six　hundred　for　the　three！'　I

soon　managed　to　get　the　address　of　the　receiver　who　had　them；　on

promising　him　that　there　would　be　no　prosecution。　Off　I　set　to　him；

and　after　much　chaffering　I　got　our　stones　at　L1000　apiece。　Then　I

looked　in　upon　your　son；　told　him　that　all　was　right；　and　eventually

got　to　my　bed　about　two　o'clock；　after　what　I　may　call　a　really　hard

day's　work。〃

　　〃A　day　which　has　saved　England　from　a　great　public　scandal；〃　said

the　banker；　rising。　〃Sir；　I　cannot　find　the　words　to　thank　you；　but

you　shall　not　find　me　ungrateful　for　what　you　have　done。　Your　skill

has　indeed　exceeded　all　that　I　have　heard　of　it。　And　now　I　must　fly　to

my　dear　boy　to　apologize　to　him　for　the　wrong　which　I　done　him。　As

to　what　you　tell　me　of　poor　Mary；　it　goes　to　my　very　heart。　Not　even

your　skill　can　inform　me　where　she　is　now。〃

　　〃I　think　that　we　may　safely　say；〃　returned　Holmes；　〃that　she　is

wherever　Sir　George　Burnwell　is。　It　is　equally　certain；　too；　that

whatever　her　sins　are；　they　will　soon　receive　a　more　than　sufficient

punishment。〃





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