the adventure of the beryl coronet-第5章

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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；　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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