按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
sheltered the bereaved mother。 The old lady was too dazed with
grief to be of any use to us； but at her side was a white…faced
young lady； who introduced herself as Miss Violet Westbury； the
fiancee of the dead man； and the last to see him upon that fatal
night。
〃I cannot explain it； Mr。 Holmes；〃 she said。 〃I have not shut an
eye since the tragedy； thinking； thinking； thinking； night and
day； what the true meaning of it can be。 Arthur was the most
single…minded； chivalrous； patriotic man upon earth。 He would
have cut his right hand off before he would sell a State secret
confided to his keeping。 It is absurd； impossible； preposterous
to anyone who knew him。〃
〃But the facts； Miss Westbury？〃
〃Yes； yes； I admit I cannot explain them。〃
〃Was he in any want of money？〃
〃No； his needs were very simple and his salary ample。 He had
saved a few hundreds； and we were to marry at the New Year。〃
〃No signs of any mental excitement？ e； Miss Westbury； be
absolutely frank with us。〃
The quick eye of my panion had noted some change in her
manner。 She coloured and hesitated。
〃Yes；〃 she said at last； 〃I had a feeling that there was
something on his mind。〃
〃For long？〃
〃Only for the last week or so。 He was thoughtful and worried。
Once I pressed him about it。 He admitted that there was
something； and that it was concerned with his official life。 'It
is too serious for me to speak about； even to you；' said he。 I
could get nothing more。〃
Holmes looked grave。
〃Go on； Miss Westbury。 Even if it seems to tell against him； go
on。 We cannot say what it may lead to。〃
〃Indeed； I have nothing more to tell。 Once or twice it seemed to
me that he was on the point of telling me something。 He spoke
one evening of the importance of the secret； and I have some
recollection that he said that no doubt foreign spies would pay a
great deal to have it。〃
My friend's face grew graver still。
〃Anything else？〃
〃He said that we were slack about such matters……that it would be
easy for a traitor to get the plans。〃
〃Was it only recently that he made such remarks？〃
〃Yes； quite recently。〃
〃Now tell us of that last evening。〃
〃We were to go to the theatre。 The fog was so thick that a cab
was useless。 We walked； and our way took us close to the office。
Suddenly he darted away into the fog。〃
〃Without a word？〃
〃He gave an exclamation； that was all。 I waited but he never
returned。 Then I walked home。 Next morning； after the office
opened； they came to inquire。 About twelve o'clock we heard the
terrible news。 Oh； Mr。 Holmes； if you could only； only save his
honour！ It was so much to him。〃
Holmes shook his head sadly。
〃e； Watson；〃 said he； 〃our ways lie elsewhere。 Our next
station must be the office from which the papers were taken。
〃It was black enough before against this young man； but our
inquiries make it blacker；〃 he remarked as the cab lumbered off。
〃His ing marriage gives a motive for the crime。 He naturally
wanted money。 The idea was in his head； since he spoke about it。
He nearly made the girl an acplice in the treason by telling
her his plans。 It is all very bad。〃
〃But surely； Holmes； character goes for something？ Then； again；
why should he leave the girl in the street and dart away to
mit a felony？〃
〃Exactly！ There are certainly objections。 But it is a
formidable case which they have to meet。〃
Mr。 Sidney Johnson； the senior clerk； met us at the office and
received us with that respect which my panion's card always
manded。 He was a thin； gruff； bespectacled man of middle age；
his cheeks haggard； and his hands twitching from the nervous
strain to which he had been subjected。
〃It is bad； Mr。 Holmes； very bad！ Have you heard of the death of
the chief？〃
〃We have just e from his house。〃
〃The place is disorganized。 The chief dead； Cadogan West dead；
our papers stolen。 And yet； when we closed our door on Monday
evening； we were as efficient an office as any in the government
service。 Good God； it's dreadful to think of！ That West； of all
men； should have done such a thing！〃
〃You are sure of his guilt； then？〃
〃I can see no other way out of it。 And yet I would have trusted
him as I trust myself。〃
〃At what hour was the office closed on Monday？〃
〃At five。〃
〃Did you close it？〃
〃I am always the last man out。〃
〃Where were the plans？〃
〃In that safe。 I put them there myself。〃
〃Is there no watchman to the building？〃
〃There is； but he has other departments to look after as well。
He is an old soldier and a most trustworthy man。 He saw nothing
that evening。 Of course the fog was very thick。〃
〃Suppose that Cadogan West wished to make his way into the
building after hours； he would need three keys； would he not；
before the could reach the papers？〃
〃Yes； he would。 The key of the outer door； the key of the
office； and the key of the safe。〃
〃Only Sir James Walter and you had those keys？〃
〃I had no keys of the doors……only of the safe。〃
〃Was Sir James a man who was orderly in his habits？〃
〃Yes； I think he was。 I know that so far as those three keys are
concerned he kept them on the same ring。 I have often seen them
there。〃
〃And that ring went with him to London？〃
〃He said so。〃
〃And your key never left your possession？〃
〃Never。〃
〃Then West； if he is the culprit； must have had a duplicate。 And
yet none was found upon his body。 One other point： if a clerk
in this office desired to sell the plans； would it not be simply
to copy the plans for himself than to take the originals； as was
actually done？〃
〃It would take considerable technical knowledge to copy the plans
in an effective way。〃
〃But I suppose either Sir James； or you； or West has that
technical knowledge？〃
〃No doubt we had； but I beg you won't try to drag me into the
matter； Mr。 Holmes。 What is the use of our speculating in this
way when the original plans were actually found on West？〃
〃Well； it is certainly singular that he should run the risk of
taking originals if he could safely have taken copies； which
would have equally served his turn。〃
〃Singular； no doubt……and yet he did so。〃
〃Every inquiry in this case reveals something inexplicable。 Now
there are three papers still missing。 They are； as I understand；
the vital ones。〃
〃Yes； that is so。〃
〃Do you mean to say that anyone holding these three papers； and
without the seven others； could construct a Bruce…Partington
submarine？〃
〃I reported to that effect to the Admiralty。 But to…day I have
been over the drawings again； and I am not so sure of it。 The
double valves with the automatic self…adjusting slots are drawn
in one of the papers which have been returned。 Until the
foreigners had invented that for themselves they could not make
the boat。 Of course they might soon get over the difficulty。〃
〃But the three missing drawings are the most important？〃
〃Undoubtedly。〃
〃I think； with your permission； I will now take a stroll round
the premises。 I do not recall any other question which I desired
to ask。〃
He examined the lock of the safe； the door of the room； and
finally the iron shutters of the window。 It was only when we
were on the lawn outside that his interest was strongly excited。
There was a laurel bush outside the window； and several of the
branches bore signs of having been twisted or snapped。 He
examined them carefully with his lens； and then some dim and
vague marks upon the earth beneath。 Finally he asked the chief
clerk to close the iron shutters； and he pointed out to me that
they hardly met in the centre； and that it would be possible for
anyone outside to see what was going on within the room。
〃The indications are ruined by three days' delay。 They may mean
something or nothing。 Well； Watson； I do not think that Woolwich
can help us further。 It is a small crop which we have gathered。
Let us see if we can do better in London。〃
Yet we added one more sheaf to our harvest before we left
Woolwich Station。 The clerk in the ticket office was able to say
with confidence that he saw Cadogan West……whom he knew well by
sight……upon the Monday night； and that he went to London by the
8：15 to London Bridge。 He was alone and took a single third…
class ticket。 The clerk was struck at the time by his excited
and nervous manner。 So shaky was he that he could hardly pick up
his change； and the clerk had helped him with it。 A reference to
the timetable showed that the 8：15 was the first train which it
was possible for West to take after he had left the lady about
7：30。
〃Let us reconstruct； Watson；〃 said Holmes after half an hour of
silence。 〃I am not aware that in all our joint researches we
have ever had a case which was more difficult to get at。 Every
fresh advance which we make only reveals a fresh ridge beyond。
And yet we have surely made some appreciable progress。
〃The effect of our inquiries at Woolwich has in the main been
against young Cadogan West； but the indications at the window
would lend themselves to a more favourable hypothesis。 Let us
suppose； for example； that he had been approached by some foreign
agent。 It might have been done und