the adventure of the second stain-第2章

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follow？〃

　　〃Very　clearly。　It　is　then　the　interest　of　the　enemies　of　this

potentate　to　secure　and　publish　this　letter；　so　as　to　make　a　breach

between　his　country　and　ours？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。〃

　　〃And　to　whom　would　this　document　be　sent　if　it　fell　into　the　hands

of　an　enemy？〃

　　〃To　any　of　the　great　Chancelleries　of　Europe。　It　is　probably

speeding　on　its　way　thither　at　the　present　instant　as　fast　as　steam

can　take　it。〃

　　Mr。　Trelawney　Hope　dropped　his　head　on　his　chest　and　groaned

aloud。　The　Premier　placed　his　hand　kindly　upon　his　shoulder。

　　〃It　is　your　misfortune；　my　dear　fellow。　No　one　can　blame　you。

There　is　no　precaution　which　you　have　neglected。　Now；　Mr。　Holmes；

you　are　in　full　possession　of　the　facts。　What　course　do　you

recommend？〃

　　Holmes　shook　his　head　mournfully。

　　〃You　think；　sir；　that　unless　this　document　is　recovered　there　will

be　war？〃

　　〃I　think　it　is　very　probable。〃

　　〃Then；　sir；　prepare　for　war。〃

　　〃That　is　a　hard　saying；　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃Consider　the　facts；　sir。　It　is　inconceivable　that　it　was　taken

after　eleven…thirty　at　night；　since　I　understand　that　Mr。　Hope　and　his

wife　were　both　in　the　room　from　that　hour　until　the　loss　was　found

out。　It　was　taken；　then；　yesterday　evening　between　seven…thirty　and

eleven…thirty；　probably　near　the　earlier　hour；　since　whoever　took　it

evidently　knew　that　it　was　there　and　would　naturally　secure　it　as

early　as　possible。　Now；　sir；　if　a　document　of　this　importance　were

taken　at　that　hour；　where　can　it　be　now？　No　one　has　any　reason　to

retain　it。　It　has　been　passed　rapidly　on　to　those　who　need　it。　What

chance　have　we　now　to　overtake　or　even　to　trace　it？　It　is　beyond　our

reach。〃

　　The　Prime　Minister　rose　from　the　settee。

　　〃What　you　say　is　perfectly　logical；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　feel　that　the

matter　is　indeed　out　of　our　hands。〃

　　〃Let　us　presume；　for　argument's　sake；　that　the　document　was　taken　by

the　maid　or　by　the　valet…〃

　　〃They　are　both　old　and　tried　servants。〃

　　〃I　understand　you　to　say　that　your　room　is　on　the　second　floor；　that

there　is　no　entrance　from　without；　and　that　from　within　no　one　could

go　up　unobserved。　It　must；　then；　be　somebody　in　the　house　who　has

taken　it。　To　whom　would　the　thief　take　it？　To　one　of　several

international　spies　and　secret　agents；　whose　names　are　tolerably

familiar　to　me。　There　are　three　who　may　be　said　to　be　the　heads　of

their　profession。　I　will　begin　my　research　by　going　round　and

finding　if　each　of　them　is　at　his　post。　If　one　is　missing…

especially　if　he　has　disappeared　since　last　night…　we　will　have　some

indication　as　to　where　the　document　has　gone。〃

　　〃Why　should　he　be　missing？〃　asked　the　European　Secretary。　〃He

would　take　the　letter　to　an　Embassy　in　London；　as　likely　as　not。〃

　　〃I　fancy　not。　These　agents　work　independently；　and　their　relations

with　the　Embassies　are　often　strained。〃

　　The　Prime　Minister　nodded　his　acquiescence。

　　〃I　believe　you　are　right；　Mr。　Holmes。　He　would　take　so　valuable　a

prize　to　headquarters　with　his　own　hands。　I　think　that　your　course

of　action　is　an　excellent　one。　Meanwhile；　Hope；　we　cannot　neglect

all　our　other　duties　on　account　of　this　one　misfortune。　Should　there

be　any　fresh　developments　during　the　day　we　shall　communicate　with

you；　and　you　will　no　doubt　let　us　know　the　results　of　your　own

inquiries。〃

　　The　two　statesmen　bowed　and　walked　gravely　from　the　room。

　　When　our　illustrious　visitors　had　departed　Holmes　lit　his　pipe　in

silence　and　sat　for　some　time　lost　in　the　deepest　thought。　I　had

opened　the　morning　paper　and　was　immersed　in　a　sensational　crime　which

had　occurred　in　London　the　night　before；　when　my　friend　gave　an

exclamation；　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　laid　his　pipe　down　upon　the

mantelpiece。

　　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃there　is　no　better　way　of　approaching　it。　The

situation　is　desperate；　but　not　hopeless。　Even　now；　if　we　could　be

sure　which　of　them　has　taken　it；　it　is　just　possible　that　it　has　not

yet　passed　out　of　his　hands。　After　all；　it　is　a　question　of　money　with

these　fellows；　and　I　have　the　British　treasury　behind　me。　If　it's　on

the　market　I'll　buy　it…　if　it　means　another　penny　on　the　income…tax。

It　is　conceivable　that　the　fellow　might　hold　it　back　to　see　what

bids　come　from　this　side　before　he　tries　his　luck　on　the　other。

There　are　only　those　three　capable　of　playing　so　bold　a　game…　there

are　Oberstein；　La　Rothiere；　and　Eduardo　Lucas。　I　will　see　each　of

them。〃

　　I　glanced　at　my　morning　paper。

　　〃Is　that　Eduardo　Lucas　of　Godolphin　Street？〃

　　〃Yes。〃

　　〃You　will　not　see　him。〃

　　〃Why　not？〃

　　〃He　was　murdered　in　his　house　last　night。〃

　　My　friend　has　so　often　astonished　me　in　the　course　of　our　adventures

that　it　was　with　a　sense　of　exultation　that　I　realized　how

completely　I　had　astonished　him。　He　stared　in　amazement；　and　then

snatched　the　paper　from　my　hands。　This　was　the　paragraph　which　I　had

been　engaged　in　reading　when　he　rose　from　his　chair。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MURDER　IN　WESTMINSTER



　　A　crime　of　mysterious　character　was　committed　last　night　at　16

Godolphin　Street；　one　of　the　old…fashioned　and　secluded　rows　of

eighteenth　century　houses　which　lie　between　the　river　and　the　Abbey；

almost　in　the　shadow　of　the　great　Tower　of　the　Houses　of　Parliament。

This　small　but　select　mansion　has　been　inhabited　for　some　years　by　Mr。

Eduardo　Lucas；　well　known　in　society　circles　both　on　account　of　his

charming　personality　and　because　he　has　the　well…deserved　reputation

of　being　one　of　the　best　amateur　tenors　in　the　country。　Mr。　Lucas　is

an　unmarried　man；　thirty…four　years　of　age；　and　his　establishment

consists　of　Mrs。　Pringle；　an　elderly　housekeeper；　and　of　Mitton；　his

valet。　The　former　retires　early　and　sleeps　at　the　top　of　the　house。

The　valet　was　out　for　the　evening；　visiting　a　friend　at　Hammersmith。

From　ten　o'clock　onward　Mr。　Lucas　had　the　house　to　himself。　What

occurred　during　that　time　has　not　yet　transpired；　but　at　a　quarter

to　twelve　Police…constable　Barrett；　passing　along　Godolphin　Street

observed　that　the　door　of　No。　16　was　ajar。　He　knocked；　but　received　no

answer。　Perceiving　a　light　in　the　front　room；　he　advanced　into　the

passage　and　again　knocked；　but　without　reply。　He　then　pushed　open

the　door　and　entered。　The　room　was　in　a　state　of　wild　disorder；　the

furniture　being　all　swept　to　one　side；　and　one　chair　lying　on　its　back

in　the　centre。　Beside　this　chair；　and　still　grasping　one　of　its

legs；　lay　the　unfortunate　tenant　of　the　house。　He　had　been　stabbed

to　the　heart　and　must　have　died　instantly。　The　knife　with　which　the

crime　had　been　committed　was　a　curved　Indian　dagger；　plucked　down　from

a　trophy　of　Oriental　arms　which　adorned　one　of　the　walls。　Robbery　does

not　appear　to　have　been　the　motive　of　the　crime；　for　there　had　been　no

attempt　to　remove　the　valuable　contents　of　the　room。　Mr。　Eduardo　Lucas

was　so　well　known　and　popular　that　his　violent　and　mysterious　fate

will　arouse　painful　interest　and　intense　sympathy　in　a　widespread

circle　of　friends。



　　〃Well；　Watson；　what　do　you　make　of　this？〃　asked　Holmes；　after　a　long

pause。

　　〃It　is　an　amazing　coincidence。〃

　　〃A　coincidence！　Here　is　one　of　the　three　men　whom　we　had　named　as

possible　actors　in　this　drama；　and　he　meets　a　violent　death　during　the

very　hours　when　we　know　that　that　drama　was　being　enacted。　The　odds

are　enormous　against　its　being　coincidence。　No　figures　could　express

them。　No；　my　dear　Watson；　the　two　events　are　connected…　must　be

connected。　It　is　for　us　to　find　the　connection。〃

　　〃But　now　the　official　police　must　know　all。〃

　　〃Not　at　all。　They　know　all　they　see　at　Godolphin　Street。　They

know…　and　shall　know…　nothing　of　Whitehall　Terrace。　Only　we　know　of

both　events；　and　can　trace　the　relation　between　them。　There　is　one

obvious　point　which　would；　in　any　case；　have　turned　my　suspicions

against　Lucas。　Godolphin　Street；　Westminster；　is　only　a　few　minutes'

walk　from　Whitehall　Terrace。　The　other　secret　agents　whom　I　have　named

live　in　the　extreme　West　End。　It　was　easier；　therefore；　for　Lucas　than

for　the　others　to　establish　a　connection　or　receive　a　message　from　the

European　Secretary's　household…　a　small　thing；　and　yet　where　events

are　compressed　into　a　few　hours　it　may　prove　essential。　Halloa！　what

have　we　here？〃

　　Mrs。　Hudson　had　appeared　with　a　lady's　card　upon　her　salver。

Holmes　glanced　at　it；　raised　his　eyebrows；　and　handed　it　over　to　me。

　　〃Ask　Lady　Hilda　Trelawney　Hope　if　she　will　be　kind　enough　to　step

up；〃　said　he。

　　A　moment　later　our　modest　apartment；　already　so　distinguished　that

morning；　was　further　honoured　by　the　entrance　of　the　most　lovely　woman

in　London。　I　had　often　heard　of　the　beauty　of　the　youngest　daughter　of

the　Duke　of　Belminster；　but　no　description　of　it；　and　no　contemplation

of　colourless　photographs；　had　prepared　me　for　the　subtle；　delicate

charm　and　the　beautiful　colouring　of　that　exquisite　head。　And　yet　as

we　saw　it　that　autumn　morning；　it　was　not　its　beauty　which　would　be

the　first　thing　to　impress　the　observer。　The　cheek　was　lovely　but　it

was　paled　with　emotion；　the　eyes　were　bright　but　it　was　the　brightness

of　fever；　the　sensitive　mouth　was　tight　and　drawn　in　an　effort　after

self…command。　Terror…　not　beauty…　was　what　sprang　first　to　the　eye

as　our　fair　visitor　stood　framed　for　an　instant　in　the　open　door。

　　〃Has　my　husband　been　here；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃Yes；　madam。　he　has　been　here。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes。　I　implore　you　not　to　tell　him　that　I　came　here。〃　Holmes

bowed　coldly；　and　motioned　the　lady　to　a　chair。

　　〃Your　ladyship　places　me　in　a　very　delicate　position。　I　beg　that　you

will　sit　down　and　tell　me　what　you　desire；　but　I　fear　that　I　cannot

make　any　unconditional　promise。〃

　　She　swept　across　the　room　and　seated　herself　with　her　back　to　the

window。　It　was　a　queenly　presence…　tall；　graceful；　and　intensely

womanly。

　〃Mr。　Holmes；〃　she　said…　and　her　white…gloved　hands　clasped　and

unclasped　as　she　spoke…　〃I　will　speak　frankly　to　you　in　the　hopes　that

it　may　induce　you　to　speak　frankly　in　return。　There　is　complete

confidence　between　my　husband　and　me　on　all　matters　save　one。　That　one

is　politics。　On　this　his　lips　are　sealed。　He　tells　me　nothing。　Now；

I　am　aware　that　there　was　a　most　deplorable　occurrence　in　our　house

last　night。　I　know　that　a　paper　has　disappeared。　But　because　the

matter　is　political　my　husband　refuses　to　take　me　into　his　complete

confidence。　Now　it　is　essential…　essential；　I　say…　that　I　should

thoroughly　understand　it。　You　are　the　only　other　person；　save　only

these　politicians；　who　knows　the　true　facts。　I　beg　you　then；　Mr。

Holmes；　to　tell　me　exactly　what　has　happened　and　what　it　will　lead　to。

Tell　me　all；　Mr。　Holmes。　Let　no　regard　for　your　client's　interests

keep　you　silent；　for　I　assure　you　that　his　interests；　if　he　would　only

see　it；　would　be　best　served　by　taking　me　into　his　complete

confidence。　What　was　this　paper　which　was　stolen？〃

　　〃Madam；　what　you　ask　me　is　really　impossible。〃

　　She　groaned　and　sank　her　face　in　her　hands。

　　〃You　must　see　that　this　is　so；　madam。　If　your　husband　thinks　fit

to　keep　you　in　the　dark　over　this　matter；　is　it　for　me；　who　has　only

learned　the　true　fa