the adventure of the second stain-第5章

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could　speak。

　　〃You　are　mad；　Mr。　Holmes…　you　are　mad！〃　she　cried；　at　last。

　　He　drew　a　small　piece　of　cardboard　from　his　pocket。　It　was　the

face　of　a　woman　cut　out　of　a　portrait。

　　〃I　have　carried　this　because　I　thought　it　might　be　useful；〃　said　he。

〃The　policeman　has　recognized　it。〃

　　She　gave　a　gasp；　and　her　head　dropped　back　in　the　chair。

　　〃Come；　Lady　Hilda。　You　have　the　letter。　The　matter　may　still　be

adjusted。　I　have　no　desire　to　bring　trouble　to　you。　My　duty　ends

when　I　have　returned　the　lost　letter　to　your　husband。　Take　my　advice

and　be　frank　with　me。　It　is　your　only　chance。〃

　　Her　courage　was　admirable。　Even　now　she　would　not　own　defeat。

　　〃I　tell　you　again；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　you　are　under　some　absurd

illusion。〃

　　Holmes　rose　from　his　chair。

　　〃I　am　sorry　for　you；　Lady　Hilda。　I　have　done　my　best　for　you。　I

can　see　that　it　is　all　in　vain。〃

　　He　rang　the　bell。　The　butler　entered。

　　〃Is　Mr。　Trelawney　Hope　at　home？〃

　　〃He　will　be　home；　sir；　at　a　quarter　to　one。〃

　　Holmes　glanced　at　his　watch。

　　〃Still　a　quarter　of　an　hour；〃　said　he。　〃Very　good；　I　shall　wait。〃

　　The　butler　had　hardly　closed　the　door　behind　him　when　Lady　Hilda　was

down　on　her　knees　at　Holmes's　feet；　her　hands　outstretched；　her

beautiful　face　upturned　and　wet　with　her　tears。

　　〃Oh；　spare　me；　Mr。　Holmes！　Spare　me！〃　she　pleaded；　in　a　frenzy　of

supplication。　〃For　heaven's　sake；　don't　tell　him！　I　love　him　so！　I

would　not　bring　one　shadow　on　his　life；　and　this　I　know　would　break

his　noble　heart。〃

　　Holmes　raised　the　lady。　〃I　am　thankful；　madam；　that　you　have　come　to

your　senses　even　at　this　last　moment！　There　is　not　an　instant　to　lose。

Where　is　the　letter？〃

　　She　darted　across　to　a　writing…desk；　unlocked　it；　and　drew　out　a

long　blue　envelope。

　　〃Here　it　is；　Mr。　Holmes。　Would　to　heaven　I　had　never　seen　it！〃

　　〃How　can　we　return　it？〃　Holmes　muttered。　〃Quick；　quick；　we　must

think　of　some　way！　Where　is　the　despatch…box？〃

　　〃Still　in　his　bedroom。〃

　　〃What　a　stroke　of　luck！　Quick；　madam；　bring　it　here！〃　A　moment　later

she　had　appeared　with　a　red　flat　box　in　her　hand。

　　〃How　did　you　open　it　before？　You　have　a　duplicate　key？　Yes；　of

course　you　have。　Open　it！〃

　　From　out　of　her　bosom　Lady　Hilda　had　drawn　a　small　key。　The　box　flew

open。　It　was　stuffed　with　papers。　Holmes　thrust　the　blue　envelope　deep

down　into　the　heart　of　them；　between　the　leaves　of　some　other

document。　The　box　was　shut；　locked；　and　returned　to　the　bedroom。

　　〃Now　we　are　ready　for　him；〃　said　Holmes。　〃We　have　still　ten　minutes。

I　am　going　far　to　screen　you；　Lady　Hilda。　In　return　you　will　spend　the

time　in　telling　me　frankly　the　real　meaning　of　this　extraordinary

affair。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes；　I　will　tell　you　everything；〃　cried　the　lady。　〃Oh；　Mr。

Holmes；　I　would　cut　off　my　right　hand　before　I　gave　him　a　moment　of

sorrow！　There　is　no　woman　in　all　London　who　loves　her　husband　as　I　do；

and　yet　if　he　knew　how　I　have　acted…　how　I　have　been　compelled　to　act…

he　would　never　forgive　me。　For　his　own　honour　stands　so　high　that　he

could　not　forget　or　pardon　a　lapse　in　another。　Help　me；　Mr。　Holmes！　My

happiness；　his　happiness；　our　very　lives　are　at　stake！〃

　　〃Quick；　madam；　the　time　grows　short！〃

　　〃It　was　a　letter　of　mine；　Mr。　Holmes；　an　indiscreet　letter　written

before　my　marriage…　a　foolish　letter；　a　letter　of　an　impulsive；　loving

girl。　I　meant　no　harm；　and　yet　he　would　have　thought　it　criminal。

Had　he　read　that　letter　his　confidence　would　have　been　forever

destroyed。　It　is　years　since　I　wrote　it。　I　had　thought　that　the

whole　matter　was　forgotten。　Then　at　last　I　heard　from　this　man；　Lucas；

that　it　had　passed　into　his　hands；　and　that　he　would　lay　it　before

my　husband。　I　implored　his　mercy。　He　said　that　he　would　return　my

letter　if　I　would　bring　him　a　certain　document　which　he　described　in

my　husband's　despatch…box。　He　had　some　spy　in　the　office　who　had

told　him　of　its　existence。　He　assured　me　that　no　harm　could　come　to　my

husband。　Put　yourself　in　my　position；　Mr。　Holmes！　What　was　I　to　do？〃

　　〃Take　your　husband　into　your　confidence。〃

　　〃I　could　not；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　could　not！　On　the　one　side　seemed

certain　ruin；　on　the　other；　terrible　as　it　seemed　to　take　my　husband's

paper；　still　in　a　matter　of　politics　I　could　not　understand　the

consequences；　while　in　a　matter　of　love　and　trust　they　were　only　too

clear　to　me。　I　did　it；　Mr。　Holmes！　I　took　an　impression　of　his　key。

This　man；　Lucas；　furnished　a　duplicate。　I　opened　his　despatch…box；

took　the　paper；　and　conveyed　it　to　Godolphin　Street。〃

　　〃What　happened　there；　madam？〃

　　〃I　tapped　at　the　door　as　agreed。　Lucas　opened　it。　I　followed　him

into　his　room；　leaving　the　hall　door　ajar　behind　me；　for　I　feared　to

be　alone　with　the　man。　I　remember　that　there　was　a　woman　outside　as

I　entered。　Our　business　was　soon　done。　He　had　my　letter　on　his　desk；　I

handed　him　the　document。　He　gave　me　the　letter。　At　this　instant

there　was　a　sound　at　the　door。　There　were　steps　in　the　passage。

Lucas　quickly　turned　back　the　drugget；　thrust　the　document　into　some

hiding…place　there；　and　covered　it　over。

　　〃What　happened　after　that　is　like　some　fearful　dream。　I　have　a

vision　of　a　dark；　frantic　face；　of　a　woman's　voice；　which　screamed

in　French；　'My　waiting　is　not　in　vain。　At　last；　at　last　I　have　found

you　with　her！'　There　was　a　savage　struggle。　I　saw　him　with　a　chair

in　his　hand；　a　knife　gleamed　in　hers。　I　rushed　from　the　horrible

scene；　ran　from　the　house；　and　only　next　morning　in　the　paper　did　I

learn　the　dreadful　result。　That　night　I　was　happy；　for　I　had　my

letter；　and　I　had　not　seen　yet　what　the　future　would　bring。

　　〃It　was　the　next　morning　that　I　realized　that　I　had　only　exchanged

one　trouble　for　another。　My　husband's　anguish　at　the　loss　of　his　paper

went　to　my　heart。　I　could　hardly　prevent　myself　from　there　and　then

kneeling　down　at　his　feet　and　telling　him　what　I　had　done。　But　that

again　would　mean　a　confession　of　the　past。　I　came　to　you　that

morning　in　order　to　understand　the　full　enormity　of　my　offence。　From

the　instant　that　I　grasped　it　my　whole　mind　was　turned　to　the　one

thought　of　getting　back　my　husband's　paper。　It　must　still　be　where

Lucas　had　placed　it；　for　it　was　concealed　before　this　dreadful　woman

entered　the　room。　If　it　had　not　been　for　her　coming；　I　should　not　have

known　where　his　biding…place　was。　How　was　I　to　get　into　the　room？

For　two　days　I　watched　the　place；　but　the　door　was　never　left　open。

Last　night　I　made　a　last　attempt。　What　I　did　and　how　I　succeeded；

you　have　already　learned。　I　brought　the　paper　back　with　me；　and

thought　of　destroying　it；　since　I　could　see　no　way　of　returning　it

without　confessing　my　guilt　to　my　husband。　Heavens；　I　hear　his　step

upon　the　stair！〃

　　The　European　Secretary　burst　excitedly　into　the　room。

　〃Any　news；　Mr。　Holmes；　any　news？〃　he　cried。

　　〃I　have　some　hopes。〃

　　〃Ah；　thank　heaven！〃　His　face　became　radiant。　〃The　Prime　Minister

is　lunching　with　me。　May　he　share　your　hopes？　He　has　nerves　of

steel；　and　yet　I　know　that　he　has　hardly　slept　since　this　terrible

event。　Jacobs；　will　you　ask　the　Prime　Minister　to　come　up？　As　to

you；　dear；　I　fear　that　this　is　a　matter　of　politics。　We　will　join

you　in　a　few　minutes　in　the　dining…room。〃

　　The　Prime　Minister's　manner　was　subdued；　but　I　could　see　by　the

gleam　of　his　eyes　and　the　twitchings　of　his　bony　hands　that　he

shared　the　excitement　of　his　young　colleague。

　　〃I　understand　that　you　have　something　to　report；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃Purely　negative　as　yet；〃　my　friend　answered。　〃I　have　inquired　at

every　point　where　it　might　be；　and　I　am　sure　that　there　is　no　danger

to　be　apprehended。〃

　　〃But　that　is　not　enough；　Mr。　Holmes。　We　cannot　live　forever　on

such　a　volcano。　We　must　have　something　definite。〃

　　〃I　am　in　hopes　of　getting　it。　That　is　why　I　am　here。　The　more　I

think　of　the　matter　the　more　convinced　I　am　that　the　letter　has

never　left　this　house。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes！〃

　　〃If　it　had　it　would　certainly　have　been　public　by　now。〃

　　〃But　why　should　anyone　take　it　in　order　to　keep　it　in　his　house？〃

　　〃I　am　not　convinced　that　anyone　did　take　it。〃

　　〃Then　how　could　it　leave　the　despatch…box？〃

　　〃I　am　not　convinced　that　it　ever　did　leave　the　despatch…box。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes；　this　joking　is　very　ill…timed。　You　have　my　assurance

that　it　left　the　box。〃

　　〃Have　you　examined　the　box　since　Tuesday　morning？〃

　　〃No。　It　was　not　necessary。〃

　　〃You　may　conceivably　have　overlooked　it。〃

　　〃Impossible；　I　say。〃

　　〃But　I　am　not　convinced　of　it。　I　have　known　such　things　to　happen。　I

presume　there　are　other　papers　there。　Well；　it　may　have　got　mixed　with

them。〃

　　〃It　was　on　the　top。〃

　　〃Someone　may　have　shaken　the　box　and　displaced　it。〃

　　〃No；　no；　I　had　everything　out。〃

　　〃Surely　it　is　easily；　decided；　Hope；〃　said　the　Premier。　〃Let　us　have

the　despatch…box　brought　in。〃

　　The　Secretary　rang　the　bell。

　　〃Jacobs；　bring　down　my　despatch…box。　This　is　a　farcical　waste　of

time；　but　still；　if　nothing　else　will　satisfy　you；　it　shall　be　done。

Thank　you；　Jacobs；　put　it　here。　I　have　always　had　the　key　on　my

watch…chain。　Here　are　the　papers；　you　see。　Letter　from　Lord　Merrow；

report　from　Sir　Charles　Hardy；　memorandum　from　Belgrade；　note　on　the

Russo…German　grain　taxes；　letter　from　Madrid；　note　from　Lord

Flowers…　Good　heavens！　what　is　this？　Lord　Bellinger！　Lord　Bellinger！〃

　　The　Premier　snatched　the　blue　envelope　from　his　hand。

　　〃Yes；　it　is　it…　and　the　letter　is　intact。　Hope；　I　congratulate　you。〃

　　〃Thank　you！　Thank　you！　What　a　weight　from　my　heart。　But　this　is

inconceivable…　impossible。　Mr。　Holmes；　you　are　a　wizard；　a　sorcerer！

How　did　you　know　it　was　there？〃

　　〃Because　I　knew　it　was　nowhere　else。〃

　　〃I　cannot　believe　my　eyes！〃　He　ran　wildly　to　the　door。　〃Where　is

my　wife？　I　must　tell　her　that　all　is　well。　Hilda！　Hilda！〃　we　heard　his

voice　on　the　stairs。

　　The　Premier　looked　at　Holmes　with　twinkling　eyes。

　　〃Come；　sir；〃　said　he。　〃There　is　more　in　this　than　meets　the　eye。　How

came　the　letter　back　in　the　box？〃

　　Holmes　turned　away　smiling　from　the　keen　scrutiny　of　those　wonderful

eyes。

　　〃We　also　have　our　diplomatic　secrets；〃　said　he　and；　picking　up　his

hat；　he　turned　to　the　door。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

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