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old woman has nothing to do with it and come down to the other end
of the street。 Well； if you won't； I will。' And with that he rashed
off in the other direction。
〃'But I was after him in an instant and caught him by the sleeve。
〃'Where do you live？' said I。
〃'16 Ivy Lane； Brixton；' he answered。 'But don't let yourself be
drawn away upon a false scent； Mr。 Phelps。 Come to the other end of
the street and let us see if we can hear of anything。'
〃Nothing was to be lost by following his advice。 With the
policeman we both hurried down； but only to find the street full of
traffic； many people coming and going； but all only too eager to get
to a place of safety upon so wet a night。 There was no lounger who
could tell us who had passed。
〃Then we returned to the office and searched the stairs and the
passage without result。 The corridor which led to the room was laid
down with a kind of creamy linoleum which shows an impression very
easily。 We examined it very carefully； but found no outline of any
footmark。〃
〃Had it been raining all evening？〃
〃Since about seven。〃
〃How is it； then； that the woman who came into the room about nine
left no traces with her muddy boots？〃
〃I am glad you raised the point。 It occurred to me at the time。
The charwomen are in the habit of taking off their boots at the
commissionaire's office； and putting on list slippers。〃
〃That is very clear。 There were no marks then； 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 trapdoor； 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 traces…any 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 commissionaire's wife…Mrs。
Tangey was the name…had hurried out 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 hired 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 from 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 everyone 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；
endeavouring 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
commissionaire 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 his
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 honour
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。
〃Your 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 anyone 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