the naval treaty-第6部分

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into　the　sunshine！〃

　　〃No；　thank　you；　Joseph。　I　have　a　slight　headache　and　this　room　is

deliciously　cool　and　soothing。〃

　　〃What　do　you　propose　now；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　asked　our　client。

　　〃Well；　in　investigating　this　minor　affair　we　must　not　lose　sight

of　our　main　inquiry。　It　would　be　a　very　great　help　to　me　if　you

would　come　up　to　London　with　us。〃

　　〃At　once？〃

　　〃Well；　as　soon　as　you　conveniently　can。　Say　in　an　hour。〃

　　〃I　feel　quite　strong　enough；　if　I　can　really　be　of　any　help。〃

　　〃The　greatest　possible。〃

　　〃Perhaps　you　would　like　me　to　stay　there　to…night？〃

　　〃I　was　just　going　to　propose　it。〃

　　〃Then；　if　my　friend　of　the　night　comes　to　revisit　me；　he　will　find

the　bird　flown。　We　are　all　in　your　hands；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　you　must

tell　us　exactly　what　you　would　like　done。　Perhaps　you　would　prefer

that　Joseph　came　with　us　so　as　to　look　after　me？〃

　　〃Oh；　no；　my　friend　Watson　is　a　medical　man；　you　know；　and　he'll　look

after　you。　We'll　have　our　lunch　here；　if　you　will　permit　us；　and

then　we　shall　all　three　set　off　for　town　together。〃

　　It　was　arranged　as　he　suggested；　though　Miss　Harrison　excused

herself　from　leaving　the　bedroom；　in　accordance　with　Holmes's

suggestion。　What　the　object　of　my　friend's　maneuvres　was　I　could　not

conceive；　unless　it　were　to　keep　the　lady　away　from　Phelps；　who；

rejoiced　by　his　returning　health　and　by　the　prospect　of　action；

lunched　with　us　in　the　dining…room。　Holmes　had　a　still　more

startling　surprise　for　us；　however；　for；　after　accompanying　us　down　to

the　station　and　seeing　us　into　our　carriage；　he　calmly　announced

that　he　had　no　intention　of　leaving　Woking。

　　〃There　are　one　or　two　small　points　which　I　should　desire　to　clear　up

before　I　go；〃　said　he。　〃Your　absence；　Mr。　Phelps；　will　in　some　ways

rather　assist　me。　Watson；　when　you　reach　London　you　would　oblige　me　by

driving　at　once　to　Baker　Street　with　our　friend　here；　and　remaining

with　him　until　I　see　you　again。　It　is　fortunate　that　you　are　old

school…fellows；　as　you　must　have　much　to　talk　over。　Mr。　Phelps　can

have　the　spare　bedroom　to…night；　and　I　will　be　with　you　in　time　for

breakfast；　for　there　is　a　train　which　will　take　me　into　Waterloo　at

eight。〃

　　〃But　how　about　our　investigation　in　London？〃　asked　Phelps　ruefully。

　　〃We　can　do　that　to…morrow。　I　think　that　just　at　present　I　can　be

of　more　immediate　use　here。〃

　　〃You　might　tell　them　at　Briarbrae　that　I　hope　to　be　back　to…morrow

night；〃　cried　Phelps；　as　we　began　to　move　from　the　platform。

　　〃I　hardly　expect　to　go　back　to　Briarbrae；〃　answered　Holmes；　and

waved　his　hand　to　us　cheerily　as　we　shot　out　from　the　station。

　　Phelps　and　I　talked　it　over　on　our　journey；　but　neither　of　us

could　devise　a　satisfactory　reason　for　this　new　development。

　　〃I　suppose　he　wants　to　find　out　some　clues　as　to　the　burglary　last

night；　if　a　burglar　it　was。　For　myself；　I　don't　believe　it　was　an

ordinary　thief。〃

　　〃What　is　your　own　idea；　then？〃

　　〃Upon　my　word；　you　may　put　it　down　to　my　weak　nerves　or　not；　but　I

believe　there　is　some　deep　political　intrigue　going　on　around　me；

and　that　for　some　reason　that　passes　my　understanding　my　life　is　aimed

at　by　the　conspirators。　It　sounds　high…flown　and　absurd；　but

consider　the　facts！　Why　should　a　thief　try　to　break　in　at　a　bedroom

window　where　there　could　be　no　hope　of　any　plunder；　and　why　should

he　come　with　a　long　knife　in　his　hand？〃

　　〃You　are　sure　it　was　not　a　house…breaker's　jimmy？〃

　　〃Oh；　no；　it　was　a　knife。　I　saw　the　flash　of　the　blade　quite

distinctly。〃

　　〃But　why　on　earth　should　you　be　pursued　with　such　animosity？〃

　　〃Ah；　that　is　the　question。〃

　　〃Well；　if　Holmes　takes　the　same　view；　that　would　account　for　his

action；　would　it　not？　Presuming　that　your　theory　is　correct；　if　he　can

lay　his　hands　upon　the　man　who　threatened　you　last　night　he　will

have　gone　a　long　way　towards　finding　who　took　the　naval　treaty。　It

is　absurd　to　suppose　that　you　have　two　enemies；　one　of　whom　robs

you；　while　the　other　threatens　your　life。〃

　　〃But　Holmes　said　that　he　was　not　going　to　Briarbrae。〃

　　〃I　have　known　him　for　some　time；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　never　knew　him　do

anything　yet　without　a　very　good　reason；〃　and　with　that　our

conversation　drifted　off　on　to　other　topics。

　　But　it　was　a　weary　day　for　me。　Phelps　was　still　weak　after　his

long　illness；　and　his　misfortunes　made　him　querulous　and　nervous。　In

vain　I　endeavoured　to　interest　him　in　Afghanistan；　in　India；　in　social

questions；　in　anything　which　might　take　his　mind　out　of　the　groove。　He

would　always　come　back　to　his　lost　treaty；　wondering；　guessing；

speculating　as　to　what　Holmes　was　doing；　what　steps　Lord　Holdhurst　was

taking；　what　news　we　should　have　in　the　morning。　As　the　evening　wore

on　his　excitement　became　quite　painful。

　　〃You　have　implicit　faith　in　Holmes？〃　he　asked。

　　〃I　have　seen　him　do　some　remarkable　things。〃

　　〃But　he　never　brought　light　into　anything　quite　so　dark　as　this？〃

　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　have　known　him　solve　questions　which　presented　fewer

clues　than　yours。〃

　　〃But　not　where　such　large　interests　are　at　stake？〃

　　〃I　don't　know　that。　To　my　certain　knowledge　he　has　acted　on　behalf

of　three　of　the　reigning　houses　of　Europe　in　very　vital　matters。〃

　　〃But　you　know　him　well；　Watson。　He　is　such　an　inscrutable　fellow

that　I　never　quite　know　what　to　make　of　him。　Do　you　think　he　is

hopeful？　Do　you　think　he　expects　to　make　a　success　of　it？〃

　　〃He　has　said　nothing。〃

　　〃That　is　a　bad　sign。〃

　　〃On　the　contrary。　I　have　noticed　that　when　he　is　off　the　trail　he

generally　says　so。　It　is　when　he　is　on　a　scent　and　is　not　quite

absolutely　sure　yet　that　it　is　the　right　one　that　he　is　most　taciturn。

Now；　my　dear　fellow；　we　can't　help　matters　by　making　ourselves　nervous

about　them；　so　let　me　implore　you　to　go　to　bed　and　so　be　fresh　for

whatever　may　await　us　to…morrow。〃

　　I　was　able　at　last　to　persuade　my　companion　to　take　my　advice；

though　I　knew　from　his　excited　manner　that　there　was　not　much　hope

of　sleep　for　him。　Indeed；　his　mood　was　infectious；　for　I　lay　tossing

half　the　night　myself；　brooding　over　this　strange　problem　and

inventing　a　hundred　theories；　each　of　which　was　more　impossible　than

the　last。　Why　had　Holmes　remained　at　Woking？　Why　had　he　asked　Miss

Harrison　to　remain　in　the　sick…room　all　day？　Why　had　he　been　so

careful　not　to　inform　the　people　at　Briarbrae　that　he　intended　to

remain　near　them？　I　cudgelled　my　brains　until　I　fell　asleep　in　the

endeavour　to　find　some　explanation　which　would　cover　all　these　facts。

　　It　was　seven　o'clock　when　I　awoke；　and　I　set　off　at　once　for

Phelps's　room　to　find　him　haggard　and　spent　after　a　sleepless　night。

His　first　question　was　whether　Holmes　had　arrived　yet。

　　〃He'll　be　here　when　he　promised；〃　said　I；　〃and　not　an　instant　sooner

or　later。〃

　　And　my　words　were　true；　for　shortly　after　eight　a　hansom　dashed　up

to　the　door　and　our　friend　got　out　of　it。　Standing　in　the　window　we

saw　that　his　left　hand　was　swathed　in　a　bandage　and　that　his　face

was　very　grim　and　pale。　He　entered　the　house；　but　it　was　some　little

time　before　he　came　upstairs。

　　〃He　looks　like　a　beaten　man；〃　cried　Phelps。

　　I　was　forced　to　confess　that　he　was　right。　〃After　all；〃　said　I；　〃the

clue　of　the　matter　lies　probably　here　in　town。〃

　　Phelps　gave　a　groan。

　　〃I　don't　know　how　it　is；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　had　hoped　for　so　much　from

his　return。　But　surely　his　hand　was　not　tied　up　like　that　yesterday。

What　can　be　the　matter？〃

　　〃You　are　not　wounded；　Holmes？〃　I　asked　as　my　friend　entered　the

room。

　　〃Tut；　it　is　only　a　scratch　through　my　own　clumsiness；〃　he

answered；　nodding　his　good…morning　to　us。　〃This　case　of　yours；　Mr。

Phelps；　is　certainly　one　of　the　darkest　which　I　have　ever

investigated。〃

　　〃I　feared　that　you　would　find　it　beyond　you。〃

　　〃It　has　been　a　most　remarkable　experience。〃

　　〃That　bandage　tells　of　adventures；〃　said　I。　〃Won't　you　tell　us

what　has　happened？〃

　　〃After　breakfast；　my　dear　Watson。　Remember　that　I　have　breathed

thirty　miles　of　Surrey　air　this　morning。　I　suppose　that　there　has　been

no　answer　from　my　cabman　advertisement？　Well；　well；　we　cannot　expect

to　score　every　time。〃

　　The　table　was　all　laid；　and　just　as　I　was　about　to　ring　Mrs。

Hudson　entered　with　the　tea　and　coffee。　A　few　minutes　later　she

brought　in　three　covers；　and　we　all　drew　up　to　the　table；　Holmes

ravenous；　I　curious；　and　Phelps　in　the　gloomiest　state　of　depression。

　　〃Mrs。　Hudson　has　risen　to　the　occasion；〃　said　Holmes；　uncovering　a

dish　of　curried　chicken。　〃Her　cuisine　is　a　little　limited；　but　she　has

as　good　an　idea　of　breakfast　as　a　Scotchwoman。　What　have　you　there；

Watson？〃

　　〃Ham　and　eggs；〃　I　answered。

　　〃Good！　What　are　you　going　to　take；　Mr。　Phelps…curried　fowl　or

eggs；　or　will　you　help　yourself？〃

　　〃Thank　you。　I　can　eat　nothing；〃　said　Phelps。

　　〃Oh；　come！　Try　the　dish　before　you。〃

　　〃Thank　you；　I　would　really　rather　not。〃

　　〃Well；　then；〃　said　Holmes　with　a　mischievous　twinkle；　〃I　suppose

that　you　have　no　objection　to　helping　me？〃

　　Phelps　raised　the　cover；　and　as　he　did　so　he　uttered　a　scream　and

sat　there　staring　with　a　face　as　white　as　the　plate　upon　which　he

looked。　Across　the　centre　of　it　was　lying　a　little　cylinder　of

blue…gray　paper。　He　caught　it　up；　devoured　it　with　his　eyes；　and

then　danced　madly　about　the　room；　pressing　it　to　his　bosom　and

shrieking　out　in　his　delight。　Then　he　fell　back　into　an　armchair；　so

limp　and　exhausted　with　his　own　emotions　that　we　had　to　pour　brandy

down　his　throat　to　keep　him　from　fainting。

　　〃There！　there！〃　said　Holmes　soothingly；　patting　him　upon　the

shoulder。　〃It　was　too　bad　to　spring　it　on　you　like　this；　but　Watson

here　will　tell　you　that　I　never　can　resist　a　touch　of　the　dramatic。〃

　　Phelps　seized　his　hand　and　kissed　it。　〃God　bless　you！〃　he　cried。

〃You　have　saved　my　honour。〃

　　〃Well；　my　own　was　at　stake；　you　know；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I　assure　you　it

is　just　as　hateful　to　me　to　fail　in　a　case　as　it　can　be　to　you　to

blunder　over　a　commission。〃

　　Phelps　thrust　away　the　precious　document　into　the　innermost　pocket

of　his　coat。

　　〃I　have　not　the　heart　to　interrupt　your　breakfast　any　further；　and

yet　I　am　dying　to　know