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though　the　night　was　a　wet　one？　　The　chain　of　events

is　certainly　one　of　extraordinary　interest。　　What　did

you　do　next？



〃We　examined　the　room　also。　　There　is　no　possibility

of　a　secret　door；　and　the　windows　are　quite　thirty

feet　from　the　ground。　　Both　of　them　were　fastened　on

the　inside。　　The　carpet　prevents　any　possibility　of　a

trap…door；　and　the　ceiling　is　of　the　ordinary

whitewashed　kind。　　I　will　pledge　my　life　that　whoever

stole　my　papers　could　only　have　come　through　the

door。〃



〃How　about　the　fireplace？〃



〃They　use　none。　　There　is　a　stove。　　The　bell…rope

hangs　from　the　wire　just　to　the　right　of　my　desk。　

Whoever　rang　it　must　have　come　right　up　to　the　desk　to

do　it。　But　why　should　any　criminal　wish　to　ring　the

bell？　　It　is　a　most　insoluble　mystery。〃



〃〃Certainly　the　incident　was　unusual。　　What　were　your

next　steps？　　You　examined　the　room；　I　presume；　to　see

if　the　intruder　had　left　any　tracesany　cigar…end　or

dropped　glove　or　hairpin　or　other　trifle？〃



〃There　was　nothing　of　the　sort。〃



〃No　smell？〃



〃Well；　　we　never　thought　of　that。〃



〃Ah；　a　scent　of　tobacco　would　have　been　worth　a　great

deal　to　us　in　such　an　investigation。〃



〃I　never　smoke　myself；　so　I　think　I　should　have

observed　it　if　there　had　been　any　smell　of　tobacco。　

There　was　absolutely　no　clue　of　any　kind。　　The　only

tangible　fact　was　that　the　commissionnaire's　wife…Mrs。

Tangey　was　the　namehad　hurried　our　of　the　place。　　He

could　give　no　explanation　save　that　it　was　about　the

time　when　the　woman　always　went　　home。　　The　policeman

and　I　agreed　that　our　best　plan　would　be　to　seize　the

woman　before　she　could　get　rid　of　the　papers；

presuming　that　she　had　them。



〃The　alarm　had　reached　Scotland　Yard　by　this　time；　and

Mr。　Forbes；　the　detective；　came　round　at　once　and　took

up　the　case　with　a　great　deal　of　energy。　　We　hire　a

hansom；　and　in　half　an　hour　we　were　at　the　address

which　had　been　given　to　us。　　A　young　woman　opened　the

door；　who　proved　to　be　Mrs。　Tangey's　eldest　daughter。　

Her　mother　had　not　come　back　yet；　and　we　were　shown

into　the　front　room　to　wait。



〃About　ten　minutes　later　a　knock　came　at　the　door；　and

here　we　made　the　one　serious　mistake　for　which　I　blame

myself。　　Instead　of　opening　the　door　ourselves；　we

allowed　the　girl　to　do　so。　　We　heard　her　say；　'Mother；

there　are　two　men　in　the　house　waiting　to　see　you；'

and　an　instant　afterwards　we　heard　the　patter　of　feet

rushing　down　the　passage。　　Forbes　flung　open　the　door；

and　we　both　ran　into　the　back　room　or　kitchen；　but　the

woman　had　got　there　before　us。　　She　stared　at　us　with

defiant　eyes；　and　then；　suddenly　recognizing　me；　an

expression　of　absolute　astonishment　came　over　her

face。



〃'Why；　if　it　isn't　Mr。　Phelps；　of　the　office！'　she

cried。



〃'Come；　come；　who　did　you　think　we　were　when　you　ran

away　from　us？'　asked　my　companion。



〃'I　thought　you　were　the　brokers；'　said　she；　'we　have

had　some　trouble　with　a　tradesman。'



〃'That's　not　quite　good　enough；'　answered　Forbes。　　'We

have　reason　to　believe　that　you　have　taken　a　paper　of

importance　fro　the　Foreign　Office；　and　that　you　ran　in

here　to　dispose　of　it。　　You　must　come　back　with　us　to

Scotland　Yard　to　be　searched。'



〃It　was　in　vain　that　she　protested　and　resisted。　　A

four…wheeler　was　brought；　and　we　all　three　drove　back

in　it。　　We　had　first　made　an　examination　of　the

kitchen；　and　especially　of　the　kitchen　fire；　to　see

whether　she　might　have　made　away　with　the　papers

during　the　instant　that　she　was　alone。　　There　were　no

signs；　however；　of　any　ashes　or　scraps。　　When　we

reached　Scotland　Yard　she　was　handed　over　at　once　to

the　female　searcher。　　I　waited　in　an　agony　of　suspense

until　she　came　back　with　her　report。　　There　were　no

signs　of　the　papers。



〃Then　for　the　first　time　the　horror　of　my　situation

came　in　its　full　force。　　Hitherto　I　had　been　acting；

and　action　had　numbed　thought。　　I　had　been　so

confident　of　regaining　the　treaty　at　once　that　I　had

not　dared　to　think　of　what　would　be　the　consequence　if

I　failed　to　do　so。　　But　now　there　was　nothing　more　to

be　done；　and　I　had　leisure　to　realize　my　position。　　It

was　horrible。　　Watson　there　would　tell　you　that　I　was

a　nervous；　sensitive　boy　at　school。　　It　is　my　nature。　

I　thought　of　my　uncle　and　of　his　colleagues　in　the

Cabinet；　of　the　shame　which　I　had　brought　upon　him；

upon　myself；　upon　every　one　connected　with　me。　　What

though　I　was　the　victim　of　an　extraordinary　accident？　

No　allowance　is　made　for　accidents　where　diplomatic

interests　are　at　stake。　　I　was　ruined；　shamefully；

hopelessly　ruined。　　I　don't　know　what　I　did。　　I　fancy

I　must　have　made　a　scene。　　I　have　a　dim　recollection

of　a　group　of　officials　who　crowded　round　me；

endeavoring　to　soothe　me。　　One　of　them　drove　down　with

me　to　Waterloo；　and　saw　me　into　the　Woking　train。　　I

believe　that　he　would　have　come　all　the　way　had　it　not

been　that　Dr。　Ferrier；　who　lives　near　me；　was　going

down　by　that　very　train。　　The　doctor　most　kindly　took

charge　of　me；　and　it　was　well　he　did　so；　for　I　had　a

fit　in　the　station；　and　before　we　reached　home　I　was

practically　a　raving　maniac。



〃You　can　imagine　the　state　of　things　here　when　they

were　roused　from　their　beds　by　the　doctor's　ringing

and　found　me　in　this　condition。　　Poor　Annie　here　and

my　mother　were　broken…hearted。　　Dr。　Ferrier　had　just

heard　enough　from　the　detective　at　the　station　to　be

able　to　give　an　idea　of　what　had　happened；　and　his

story　did　not　mend　matters。　　It　was　evident　to　all

that　I　was　in　for　a　long　illness；　so　Joseph　was

bundled　out　of　this　cheery　bedroom；　and　it　was　turned

into　a　sick…room　for　me。　　Here　I　have　lain；　Mr。

Holmes；　for　over　nine　weeks；　unconscious；　and　raving

with　brain…fever。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　Miss

Harrison　here　and　for　the　doctor's　care　I　should　not

be　speaking　to　you　now。　　She　has　nursed　me　by　day　and

a　hired　nurse　has　looked　after　me　by　night；　for　in　my

mad　fits　I　was　capable　of　anything。　　Slowly　my　reason

has　cleared；　but　it　is　only　during　the　last　three　days

that　my　memory　has　quite　returned。　　Sometimes　I　wish

that　it　never　had。　　The　first　thing　that　I　did　was　to

wire　to　Mr。　Forbes；　who　had　the　case　in　hand。　　He　came

out；　and　assures　me　that；　though　everything　has　been

done；　no　trace　of　a　clue　has　been　discovered。　　The

commissionnaire　and　his　wife　have　been　examined　in

every　way　without　any　light　being　thrown　upon　the

matter。　　The　suspicions　of　the　police　then　rested　upon

young　Gorot；　who；　as　you　may　remember；　stayed　over

time　in　the　office　that　night。　　His　remaining　behind

and　is　French　name　were　really　the　only　two　points

which　could　suggest　suspicion；　but；　as　a　matter　of

fact；　I　did　not　begin　work　until　he　had　gone；　and　his

people　are　of　Huguenot　extraction；　but　as　English　in

sympathy　and　tradition　as　you　and　I　are。　　Nothing　was

found　to　implicate　him　in　any　way；　and　there　the

matter　dropped。　　I　turn　to　you；　Mr。　Holmes；　as

absolutely　my　last　hope。　　If　you　fail　me；　then　my

honor　as　well　as　my　position　are　forever　forfeited。〃



The　invalid　sank　back　upon　his　cushions；　tired　out　by

this　long　recital；　while　his　nurse　poured　him　out　a

glass　of　some　stimulating　medicine。　　Holmes　sat

silently；　with　his　head　thrown　back　and　his　eyes

closed；　in　an　attitude　which　might　seem　listless　to　a

stranger；　but　which　I　knew　betokened　the　most　intense

self…absorption。



〃You　statement　has　been　so　explicit；〃　said　he　at　last；

〃that　you　have　really　left　me　very　few　questions　to

ask。　　There　is　one　of　the　very　utmost　importance；

however。　　Did　you　tell　any　one　that　you　had　this

special　task　to　perform？〃



〃No　one。〃



〃Not　Miss　Harrison　here；　for　example？〃



〃No。　　I　had　not　been　back　to　Woking　between　getting

the　order　and　executing　the　commission。〃



〃And　none　of　your　people　had　by　chance　been　to　see

you？〃



〃None。〃



〃Did　any　of　them　know　their　way　about　in　the　office？〃



〃Oh；　yes；　all　of　them　had　been　shown　over　it。〃



〃Still；　of　course；　if　you　said　nothing　to　any　one

about　the　treaty　these　inquiries　are　irrelevant。〃



〃I　said　nothing。〃



〃Do　you　know　anything　of　the　commissionnaire？〃



〃Nothing　except　that　he　is　an　old　soldier。〃



〃What　regiment？〃



〃Oh；　I　have　heardColdstream　Guards。〃



〃Thank　you。　　I　have　no　doubt　I　can　get　details　from

Forbes。　　The　authorities　are　excellent　at　amassing

facts；　though　they　do　not　always　use　them　to

advantage。　　What　a　lovely　thing　a　rose　is！〃



He　walked　past　the　couch　to　the　open　window；　and　held

up　the　drooping　stalk　of　a　moss…rose；　looking　down　at

the　dainty　blend　of　crimson　and　green。　　It　was　a　new

phase　of　his　character　to　me；　for　I　had　never　before

seen　him　show　any　keen　interest　in　natural　objects。



〃There　is　nothing　in　which　deduction　is　so　necessary

as　in　religion；〃　said　he；　leaning　with　his　back

against　the　shutters。　　〃It　can　be　built　up　as　an　exact

science　by　the　reasoner。　　Our　highest　assurance　of　the

goodness　of　Providence　seems　to　me　to　rest　in　the

flowers。　　All　other　things；　our　powers　our　desires；

our　food；　are　all　really　necessary　for　our　existence

in　the　first　instance。　　But　this　rose　is　an　extra。　

Its　smell　and　its　color　are　an　embellishment　of　life；

not　a　condition　of　it。　　It　is　only　goodness　which

gives　extras；　and　so　I　say　again　that　we　have　much　to

hope　from　the　flowers。



Percy　Phelps　and　his　nurse　looked　at　Holmes　during

this　demonstration　with　surprise　and　a　good　deal　of

disappointment　written　upon　their　faces。　　He　had

fallen　into　a　reverie；　with　the　moss…rose　between　his

fingers。　　It　had　lasted　some　minutes　before　the　young

lady　broke　in　upon　it。



〃Do　you　see　any　prospect　of　solving　this　mystery；　Mr。

Holmes？〃　she　asked；　with　a　touch　of　asperity　in　her

voice。



〃Oh；　the　mystery！〃　he　answered；　coming　back　with　a

start　to　the　realities　of　life。　　〃Well；　it　would　be

absurd　to　deny　that