the adventure of the second stain-第3章

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

learned　the　true　facts　under　the　pledge　of　professional　secrecy；　to

tell　what　he　has　withheld？　It　is　not　fair　to　ask　it。　It　is　him　whom

you　must　ask。〃

　　〃I　have　asked　him。　I　come　to　you　as　a　last　resource。　But　without

your　telling　me　anything　definite；　Mr。　Holmes；　you　may　do　a　great

service　if　you　would　enlighten　me　on　one　point。〃

　　〃What　is　it；　madam？〃

　　〃Is　my　husband's　political　career　likely　to　suffer　through　this

incident？〃

　　〃Well；　madam；　unless　it　is　set　right　it　may　certainly　have　a　very

unfortunate　effect。〃

　　〃Ah！〃　She　drew　in　her　breath　sharply　as　one　whose　doubts　are

resolved。

　　〃One　more　question；　Mr。　Holmes。　From　an　expression　which　my

husband　dropped　in　the　first　shock　of　this　disaster　I　understood

that　terrible　public　consequences　might　arise　from　the　loss　of　this

document。〃

　　〃If　he　said　so；　I　certainly　cannot　deny　it。〃

　　〃Of　what　nature　are　they？〃

　　〃Nay；　madam；　there　again　you　ask　me　more　than　I　can　possibly

answer。〃

　　〃Then　I　will　take　up　no　more　of　your　time。　I　cannot　blame　you；　Mr。

Holmes；　for　having　refused　to　speak　more　freely；　and　you　on　your

side　will　not；　I　am　sure；　think　the　worse　of　me　because　I　desire；　even

against　his　will；　to　share　my　husband's　anxieties。　Once　more　I　beg

that　you　will　say　nothing　of　my　visit。〃

　　She　looked　back　at　us　from　the　door；　and　I　had　a　last　impression

of　that　beautiful　haunted　face；　the　startled　eyes；　and　the　drawn

mouth。　Then　she　was　gone。

　　〃Now；　Watson；　the　fair　sex　is　your　department；〃　said　Holmes；　with

a　smile；　when　the　dwindling　frou…frou　of　skirts　had　ended　in　the

slam　of　the　front　door。　〃What　was　the　fair　lady's　game？　What　did　she

really　want？〃

　　〃Surely　her　own　statement　is　clear　and　her　anxiety　very　natural。〃

　　〃Hum！　Think　of　her　appearance；　Watson…　her　manner；　her　suppressed

excitement；　her　restlessness；　her　tenacity　in　asking　questions。

Remember　that　she　comes　of　a　caste　who　do　not　lightly　show　emotion。〃

　　〃She　was　certainly　much　moved。〃

　　〃Remember　also　the　curious　earnestness　with　which　she　assured　us

that　it　was　best　for　her　husband　that　she　should　know　all。　What　did

she　mean　by　that？　And　you　must　have　observed；　Watson；　how　she

manoeuvred　to　have　the　light　at　her　back。　She　did　not　wish　us　to

read　her　expression。〃

　　〃Yes；　she　chose　the　one　chair　in　the　room。〃

　　〃And　yet　the　motives　of　women　are　so　inscrutable。　You　remember　the

woman　at　Margate　whom　I　suspected　for　the　same　reason。　No　powder　on

her　nose…　that　proved　to　be　the　correct　solution。　How　can　you　build　on

such　a　quicksand？　Their　most　trivial　action　may　mean　volumes；　or　their

most　extraordinary　conduct　may　depend　upon　a　hairpin　or　a　curling

tongs。　Good…morning；　Watson。〃

　　〃You　are　off？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　will　while　away　the　morning　at　Godolphin　Street　with　our

friends　of　the　regular　establishment。　With　Eduardo　Lucas　lies　the

solution　of　our　problem；　though　I　must　admit　that　I　have　not　an

inkling　as　to　what　form　it　may　take。　It　is　a　capital　mistake　to

theorize　in　advance　of　the　facts。　Do　you　stay　on　guard；　my　good

Watson；　and　receive　any　fresh　visitors。　I'll　join　you　at　lunch　if　I　am

able。〃

　　All　that　day　and　the　next　and　the　next　Holmes　was　in　a　mood　which

his　friends　would　can　taciturn；　and　others　morose。　He　ran　out　and

ran　in；　smoked　incessantly；　played　snatches　on　his　violin；　sank　into

reveries；　devoured　sandwiches　at　irregular　hours；　and　hardly

answered　the　casual　questions　which　I　put　to　him。　It　was　evident　to　me

that　things　were　not　going　well　with　him　or　his　quest。　He　would　say

nothing　of　the　case；　and　it　was　from　the　papers　that　I　learned　the

particulars　of　the　inquest；　and　the　arrest　with　the　subsequent　release

of　John　Mitton；　the　valet　of　the　deceased。　The　coroner's　jury

brought　in　the　obvious　Wilful　Murder；　but　the；parties　remained　as

unknown　as　ever。　No　motive　was　suggested。　The　room　was　full　of

articles　of　value；　but　none　had　been　taken。　The　dead　man's　papers

had　not　been　tampered　with。　They　were　carefully　examined；　and　showed

that　he　was　a　keen　student　of　international　politics；　an　indefatigable

gossip；　a　remarkable　linguist；　and　an　untiring　letter　writer。　He　had

been　on　intimate　terms　with　the　leading　politicians　of　several

countries。　But　nothing　sensational　was　discovered　among　the

documents　which　filled　his　drawers。　As　to　his　relations　with　women；

they　appeared　to　have　been　promiscuous　but　superficial。　He　had　many

acquaintances　among　them；　but　few　friends；　and　no　one　whom　he　loved。

His　habits　were　regular；　his　conduct　inoffensive。　His　death　was　an

absolute　mystery　and　likely　to　remain　so。

　　As　to　the　arrest　of　John　Mitton；　the　valet；　it　was　a　council　of

despair　as　an　alternative　to　absolute　inaction。　But　no　case　could　be

sustained　against　him。　He　had　visited　friends　in　Hammersmith　that

night。　The　alibi　was　complete。　It　is　true　that　he　started　home　at　an

hour　which　should　have　brought　him　to　Westminster　before　the　time　when

the　crime　was　discovered；　but　his　own　explanation　that　he　had　walked

part　of　the　way　seemed　probable　enough　in　view　of　the　fineness　of

the　night。　He　had　actually　arrived　at　twelve　o'clock；　and　appeared

to　be　overwhelmed　by　the　unexpected　tragedy。　He　had　always　been　on

good　terms　with　his　master。　Several　of　the　dead　man's　possessions…

notably　a　small　case　of　razors…　had　been　found　in　the　valet's　boxes；

but　he　explained　that　they　had　been　presents　from　the　deceased；　and

the　housekeeper　was　able　to　corroborate　the　story。　Mitton　had　been

in　Lucas's　employment　for　three　years。　It　was　noticeable　that　Lucas

did　not　take　Mitton　on　the　Continent　with　him。　Sometimes　he　visited

Paris　for　three　months　on　end；　but　Mitton　was　left　in　charge　of　the

Godolphin　Street　house。　As　to　the　housekeeper；　she　had　heard　nothing

on　the　night　of　the　crime。　If　her　master　had　a　visitor　he　had

himself　admitted　him。

　　So　for　three　mornings　the　mystery　remained；　so　far　as　I　could　follow

it　in　the　papers。　If　Holmes　knew　more；　he　kept　his　own　counsel；　but；

as　he　told　me　that　Inspector　Lestrade　had　taken　him　into　him　into

his　confidence　in　the　case；　I　knew　that　he　was　in　close　touch　with

every　development。　Upon　the　fourth　day　there　appeared　a　long

telegram　from　Paris　which　seemed　to　solve　the　whole　question。



　　A　discovery　has　just　been　made　by　the　Parisian　police　＇said　the

Daily　Telegraph＇　which　raises　the　veil　which　hung　round　the　tragic

fate　of　Mr。　Eduardo　Lucas；　who　met　his　death　by　violence　last　Monday

night　at　Godolphin　Street；　Westminster。　Our　readers　will　remember　that

the　deceased　gentleman　was　found　stabbed　in　his　room；　and　that　some

suspicion　attached　to　his　valet；　but　that　the　case　broke　down　on　an

alibi。　Yesterday　a　lady；　who　has　been　known　as　Mme。　Henri　Fournaye；

occupying　a　small　villa　in　the　Rue　Austerlitz；　was　reported　to　the

authorities　by　her　servants　as　being　insane。　An　examination　showed　she

had　indeed　developed　mania　of　a　dangerous　and　permanent　form。　On

inquiry；　the　police　have　discovered　that　Mme。　Henri　Fournaye　only

returned　from　a　journey　to　London　on　Tuesday　last；　and　there　is

evidence　to　connect　her　with　the　crime　at　Westminster。　A　comparison　of

photographs　has　proved　conclusively　that　M。　Henri　Fournaye　and　Eduardo

Lucas　were　really　one　and　the　same　person；　and　that　the　deceased　had

for　some　reason　lived　a　double　life　in　London　and　Paris。　Mme。

Fournaye；　who　is　of　Creole　origin；　is　of　an　extremely　excitable

nature；　and　has　suffered　in　the　past　from　attacks　of　jealousy　which

have　amounted　to　frenzy。　It　is　conjectured　that　it　was　in　one　of　these

that　she　committed　the　terrible　crime　which　has　caused　such　a

sensation　in　London。　Her　movements　upon　the　Monday　night　have　not

yet　been　traced；　but　it　is　undoubted　that　a　woman　answering　to　her

description　attracted　much　attention　at　Charing　Cross　Station　on

Tuesday　morning　by　the　wildness　of　her　appearance　and　the　violence

of　her　gestures。　It　is　probable；　therefore；　that　the　crime　was

either　committed　when　insane；　or　that　its　immediate　effect　was　to

drive　the　unhappy　woman　out　of　her　mind。　At　present　she　is　unable　to

give　any　coherent　account　of　the　past；　and　the　doctors　hold　out　no

hopes　of　the　reestablishment　of　her　reason。　There　is　evidence　that　a

woman；　who　might　have　been　Mme。　Fournaye；　was　seen　for　some　hours　upon

Monday　night　watching　the　house　in　Godolphin　Street。



　　〃What　do　you　think　of　that；　Holmes？〃　I　had　read　the　account　aloud　to

him；　while　he　finished　his　breakfast。

　　〃My　dear　Watson；〃　said　he；　as　he　rose　from　the　table　and　paced　up

and　down　the　room；　〃You　are　most　long…suffering；　but　if　I　have　told

you　nothing　in　the　last　three　days；　it　is　because　there　is　nothing

to　tell。　Even　now　this　report　from　Paris　does　not　help　us　much。〃

　　〃Surely　it　is　final　as　regards　the　man's　death。〃

　　〃The　man's　death　is　a　mere　incident…　a　trivial　episode…　in

comparison　with　our　real　task；　which　is　to　trace　this　document　and

save　a　European　catastrophe。　Only　one　important　thing　has　happened

in　the　last　three　days；　and　that　is　that　nothing　has　happened。　I　get

reports　almost　hourly　from　the　government；　and　it　is　certain　that

nowhere　in　Europe　is　there　any　sign　of　trouble。　Now；　if　this　letter

were　loose…　no；　it　can't　be　loose…　but　if　it　isn't　loose；　where　can　it

be？　Who　has　it？　Why　is　it　held　back？　That's　the　question　that　beats　in

my　brain　like　a　hammer。　Was　it；　indeed；　a　coincidence　that　Lucas

should　meet　his　death　on　the　night　when　the　letter　disappeared？　Did

the　letter　ever　reach　him？　If　so；　why　is　it　not　among　his　papers？

Did　this　mad　wife　of　his　carry　it　off　with　her？　If　so；　is　it　in　her

house　in　Paris？　How　could　I　search　for　it　without　the　French　police

having　their　suspicions　aroused？　It　is　a　case；　my　dear　Watson；　where

the　law　is　as　dangerous　to　us　as　the　criminals　are。　Every　man's　hand

is　against　us；　and　yet　the　interests　at　stake　are　colossal。　Should　I

bring　it　to　a　successful　conclusion；　it　will　certainly　represent　the

crowning　glory　of　my　career。　Ah；　here　is　my　latest　from　the　front！〃　He

glanced　hurriedly　at　the　note　which　had　been　handed　in。　〃Halloa！

Lestrade　seems　to　have　observed　something　of　interest。　Put　on　your

hat；　Watson；　and　we　will　stroll　down　together　to　Westminster。〃

　　It　was　my　first　visit　to　the　scene　of　the　crime…　a　high；　dingy；

narrow…chested　house；　prim；　formal；　and　solid；　like　the　century

which　gave　it　birth。　Lestrade's　bulldog　features　gazed　out　at　us

from　the　front　window；　and　he　greeted　us　warmly　when　a　big　constable

had　opened　the　door　and　let　us　in。　The　room　into　which　we　were　shown

was　that　in　which　the　crime　had　been　committed；　but　no　trace　of　it　now

remained　save　an　ugly；　irregular　stain　upon　the　carpet。　This　carpet

was　a　small　square　drugget　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　surrounded　by

a　broad　expanse　of　beautiful；　old…fashioned　wood…flooring　in　square

blocks；　highly　polished。　Over　the　fireplace　was　a　magnificent　trophy

of　weapons；　one　of　which　had　been　used　on　that　tragic　night。　In　the

window　was　a　sumptuous　writing…desk；　and　every　detail　of　the

apartment；　the　pictures；　the　rugs；　and　the　hangings；　all　pointed　to

a