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in that of the invalid。 She was a smug…looking woman； a little short
and thick for symmetry； but with a beautiful olive complexion；
large； dark； Italian eyes； and a wealth of deep black hair。 Her rich
tints made the white face of her companion the more worn and haggard
by the contrast。
〃I won't waste your time；〃 said he； raising himself upon the sofa。
〃I'll plunge into the matter without further preamble。 I was a happy
and successful man； Mr。 Holmes； and on the eve of being married；
when a sudden and dreadful misfortune wrecked all my prospects in
life。
〃I was； as Watson may have told you； in the Foreign Office； and
through the influence of my uncle； Lord Holdhurst； I rose rapidly to a
responsible position。 When my uncle became foreign minister in this
administration he gave me several missions of trust； and as I always
brought them to a successful conclusion； he came at last to have the
utmost confidence in my ability and tact。
〃Nearly ten weeks ago…to be more accurate； on the twenty…third of
May…he called me into his private room； and； after complimenting me on
the good work which I had done； he informed me that he had a new
commission of trust for me to execute。
〃'This；' said he； taking a gray roll of paper from his bureau； 'is
the original of that secret treaty between England and Italy of which；
I regret to say； some rumours have already got into the public
press。 It is of enormous importance that nothing further should leak
out。 The French or the Russian embassy would pay an immense sum to
learn the contents of these papers。 They should not leave my bureau
were it not that it is absolutely necessary to have them copied。 You
have a desk in your office？'
〃'Yes； sir。'
〃'Then take the treaty and lock it up there。 I shall give directions
that you may remain behind when the others go； so that you may copy it
at your leisure without fear of being overlooked。 When you have
finished； relock both the original and the draft in the desk； and hand
them over to me personally to…morrow morning。'
〃'I took the papers and…'
〃Excuse me an instant；〃 said Holmes。 〃Were you alone during this
conversation？〃
〃Absolutely。〃
〃'In a large room？〃
〃Thirty feet each way。〃
〃In the centre？〃
〃Yes； about it。〃
〃And speaking low？〃
〃My uncle's voice is always remarkably low。 I hardly spoke at all。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Holmes； shutting his eyes； 〃pray go on。〃
〃I did exactly what he indicated and waited until the other clerks
had departed。 One of them in my room； Charles Gorot； had some
arrears of work to make up； so I left him there and went out to
dine。 When I returned he was gone。 I was anxious to hurry my work； for
I knew that Joseph…the Mr。 Harrison whom you saw just now…was in town；
and that he would travel down to Woking by the eleven…o'clock train；
and I wanted if possible to catch it。
〃When I came to examine the treaty I saw at once that it was of such
importance that my uncle had been guilty of no exaggeration in what he
said。 Without going into details； I may say that it defined the
position of Great Britain towards the Triple Alliance； and
foreshadowed the policy which this country would pursue in the event
of the French fleet gaining a complete ascendency over that of Italy
in the Mediterranean。 The questions treated in it were purely naval。
At the end were the signatures of the high dignitaries who had
signed it。 I glanced my eyes over it； and then settled down to my task
of copying。
〃It was a long document； written in the French language； and
containing twenty six separate articles。 I copied as quickly as I
could； but at nine o'clock I had only done nine articles； and it
seemed hopeless for me to attempt to catch my train。 I was feeling
drowsy and stupid； partly from my dinner and also from the effects
of a long day's work。 A cup of coffee would clear my brain。 A
commissionaire remains all night in a little lodge at the foot of
the stairs and is in the habit of making coffee at his spirit…lamp for
any of the officials who may be working overtime。 I rang the bell；
therefore； to summon him。
〃To my surprise； it was a woman who answered the summons； a large；
coarse faced； elderly woman； in an apron。 She explained that she was
the commissionaire's wife； who did the charing； and I gave her the
order for the coffee。
〃I wrote two more articles； and then； feeling more drowsy than ever；
I rose and walked up and down the room to stretch my legs。 My coffee
had not yet come； and I wondered what the cause of the delay could be。
Opening the door； I started down the corridor to find out。 There was a
straight passage； dimly lighted； which led from the room in which I
had been working； and was the only exit from it。 It ended in a curving
staircase； with the commissionaire's lodge in the passage at the
bottom。 Halfway down this staircase is a small landing； with another
passage running into it at right angles。 This second one leads by
means of a second small stair to a side door； used by servants； and
also as a short cut by clerks when coming from Charles Street。 Here is
a rough chart of the place。〃 （See illustration。）
〃Thank you。 I think that I quite follow you；〃 said Sherlock Holmes。
〃It is of the utmost importance that you should notice this point。 I
went down the stairs and into the hall； where I found the
commissionaire fast asleep in his box； with the kettle boiling
furiously upon the spirit…lamp。 I took off the kettle and blew out the
lamp； for the water was spurting over the floor。 Then I put out my
hand and was about to shake the man； who was still sleeping soundly；
when a bell over his head rang loudly； and he woke with a start。
〃'Mr。 Phelps； sir！' said he； looking at me in bewilderment。
〃'I came down to see if my coffee was ready。'
〃'I was boiling the kettle when I fell asleep； sir。' He looked at me
and then up at the still quivering bell with an ever…growing
astonishment upon his face。
〃'If you was here； sir； then who rang the bell？' he asked。
〃'The bell！' I cried。 'What bell is it？'
〃'It's the bell of the room you were working in。'
〃A cold hand seemed to close round my heart。 Someone； then； was in
that room where my precious treaty lay upon the table。 I ran
frantically up the stair and along the passage。 There was no one in
the corridors； Mr。 Holmes。 There was no one in the room。 All was
exactly as I left it； save only that the papers which had been
committed to my care had been taken from the desk on which they lay。
The copy was there； and the original was gone。〃
Holmes sat up in his chair and rubbed his hands。 I could see that
the problem was entirely to his heart。 〃Pray； what did you do then？〃
he murmured。
〃I recognized in an instant that the thief must have come up the
stairs from the side door。 Of course I must have met him if he had
come the other way。〃
〃You were satisfied that he could not have been concealed in the
room all the time； or in the corridor which you have just described
as dimly lighted？〃
〃It is absolutely impossible。 A rat could not conceal himself either
in the room or the corridor。 There is no cover at all。〃
〃Thank you。 Pray proceed。〃
〃The commissionaire； seeing by my pale face that something was to be
feared； had followed me upstairs。 Now we both rushed along the
corridor and down the steep steps which led to Charles Street。 The
door at the bottom was closed but unlocked。 We flung it open and
rushed out。 I can distinctly remember that as we did so there came
three chimes from a neighbouring clock。 It was a quarter to ten。〃
〃That is of enormous importance；〃 said Holmes； making a note upon
his shirt…cuff。
〃The night was very dark； and a thin； warm rain was falling。 There
was no one in Charles Street； but a great traffic was going on； as
usual； in Whitehall； at the extremity。 We rushed along the pavement；
bare…headed as we were； and at the far corner we found a policeman
standing。
〃'A robbery has been committed；' I gasped。 'A document of immense
value has been stolen from the Foreign Office。 Has anyone passed
this way？'
〃'I have been standing here for a quarter of an hour； sir；' said he；
'only one person has passed during that time…a woman； tall and
elderly； with a Paisley shawl。'
〃'Ah； that is only my wife；' cried the commissionaire； 'has no one
else passed？'
〃'No one。'
〃'Then it must be the other way that the thief took；' cried the
fellow； tugging at my sleeve。
〃But I was not satisfied； and the attempts which he made to draw
me away increased my suspicions。
〃'Which way did the woman go？' I cried。
〃'I don't know； sir。 I noticed her pass； but I had no special reason
for watching her。 She seemed to be in a hurry。'
〃'How long ago was it？'
〃'Oh； not very many minutes。'
〃'Within the last five？'
〃'Well； it could not have been more than five。'
〃'You're only wasting your time； sir； and every minute now is of
importance；' cried the commissionaire； 'take my word for it that my
old woman has nothing to do with it and come down to the other end