Sherlock Holmes complete collection by sir arthur conan doyle

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes THE BERYL CORONET

"HOLMES," said I as I stood one morning in our bow-window lookingdown the street, "here is a madman coming along. It seems rather sad thathis relatives should allow him to come out alone."My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his hands in thepockets of his dressing-gown, looking over my shoulder. It was a bright,crisp February morning, and the snow of the day before still lay deepupon the ground, shimmering brightly in the wintry sun. Down the centreof Baker Street it had been ploughed into a brown crumbly band by thetraffic, but at either side and on the heaped-up edges of the foot-paths itstill lay as white as when it fell. The gray pavement had been cleaned andscraped, but was still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewerpassengers than usual. Indeed, from the direction of the MetropolitanStation no one was coming save the single gentleman whose eccentricconduct had drawn my attention.He was a man of about fifty, tall, portly, and imposing, with a massive,strongly marked face and a commanding figure. He was dressed in asombre yet rich style, in black frock-coat, shining hat, neat brown gaiters,and well-cut pearl-gray trousers. Yet his actions were in absurd contrastto the dignity of his dress and features, for he was running hard, withoccasional little springs, such as a weary man gives who is littleaccustomed to set any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands upand down, waggled his head, and writhed his face into the mostextraordinary contortions."What on earth can be the matter with him?" I asked. "He is looking upat the numbers of the houses.""I believe that he is coming here," said Holmes, rubbing his hands."Here?""Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. I thinkthat I recognize the symptoms. Ha! did I not tell you?" As he spoke, theman, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door and pulled at our bell untilthe whole house resounded with the clanging.A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, stillgesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair in his eyes thatour smiles were turned in an instant to horror and pity. For a while hecould not get his words out, but swayed his body and plucked at his hairlike one who has been driven to the extreme limits of his reason. Then,suddenly springing to his feet, he beat his head [302] against the wall withsuch force that we both rushed upon him and tore him away to the centreof the room. Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and,sitting beside him, patted his hand and chatted with him in the easy,soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ."You have come to me to tell your story, have you not?" said he. "Youare fatigued with your haste. Pray wait until you have recovered yourself,and then I shall be most happy to look into any little problem which youmay submit to me."The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fighting againsthis emotion. Then he passed his handkerchief over his brow, set his lipstight, and turned his face towards us."No doubt you think me mad?" said he."I see that you have had some great trouble," responded Holmes."God knows I have!-a trouble which is enough to unseat my reason, sosudden and so terrible is it. Public disgrace I might have faced, although Iam a man whose character has never yet borne a stain. Private afflictionalso is the lot of every man; but the two coming together, and in sofrightful a form, have been enough to shake my very soul. Besides, it isnot I alone. The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way befound out of this horrible affair.""Pray compose yourself, sir," said Holmes, "and let me have a clearaccount of who you are and what it is that has befallen you.""My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to your ears. Iam Alexander Holder, of the banking firm of Holder & Stevenson, ofThreadneedle Street."The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the senior partner in the second largest private banking concern in the City ofLondon. What could have happened, then, to bring one of the foremostcitizens of London to this most pitiable pass? We waited, all curiosity,until with another effort he braced himself to tell his story."I feel that time is of value," said he; "that is why I hastened here whenthe police inspector suggested that I should secure your cooperation. Icame to Baker Street by the Underground and hurried from there on foot,for the cabs go slowly through this snow. That is why I was so out ofbreath, for I am a man who takes very little exercise. I feel better now,and I will put the facts before you as shortly and yet as clearly as I can."It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful bankingbusiness as much depends upon our being able to find remunerativeinvestments for our funds as upon our increasing our connection and thenumber of our depositors. One of our most lucrative means of laying outmoney is in the shape of loans, where the security is unimpeachable. Wehave done a good deal in this direction during the last few years, and thereare many noble families to whom we have advanced large sums upon thesecurity of their pictures, libraries, or plate."Yesterday morning I was seated in my office at the bank when a cardwas brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when I saw the name,for it was that of none other than-well, perhaps even to you I had bettersay no more than that it was a name which is a household word all overthe earth-one of the highest, noblest, most exalted names in England. Iwas overwhelmed by the honour and attempted, when he entered, to sayso, but he plunged at once into business with the air of a man who wishesto hurry quickly through a disagreeable task.[303] " 'Mr. Holder,' said he, 'I have been informed that you are in thehabit of advancing money.'" 'The firm does so when the security is good,' I answered." 'It is absolutely essential to me,' said he, 'that I should have £50,000at once. I could, of course, borrow so trifling a sum ten times over frommy friends, but I much prefer to make it a matter of business and to carryout that business myself. In my position you can readily understand that itis unwise to place one's self under obligations.'" 'For how long, may I ask, do you want this sum?' I asked." 'Next Monday I have a large sum due to me, and I shall then mostcertainly repay what you advance, with whatever interest you think itright to charge. But it is very essential to me that the money should bepaid at once.'" 'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from my ownprivate purse,' said I, 'were it not that the strain would be rather morethan it could bear. If, on the other hand, I am to do it in the name of thefirm, then in justice to my partner I must insist that, even in your case,every businesslike precaution should be taken.'" 'I should much prefer to have it so,' said he, raising up a square,black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair. 'You havedoubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet?'" 'One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,' said I." 'Precisely.' He opened the case, and there, imbedded in soft, flesh-coloured velvet, lay the magnificent piece of jewellery which he hadnamed. 'There are thirty-nine enormous beryls,' said he, 'and the price ofthe gold chasing is incalculable. The lowest estimate would put the worthof the coronet at double the sum which I have asked. I am prepared toleave it with you as my security.'"I took the precious case into my hands and looked in some perplexityfrom it to my illustrious client." 'You doubt its value?' he asked." 'Not at all. I only doubt- -'" 'The propriety of my leaving it. You may set your mind at rest aboutthat. I should not dream of doing so were it not absolutely certain that Ishould be able in four days to reclaim it. It is a pure matter of form. Is thesecurity sufficient?'" 'Ample.'" 'You understand, Mr. Holder, that I am giving you a strong proof ofthe confidence which I have in you, founded upon all that I have heard ofyou. I rely upon you not only to be discreet and to refrain from all gossipupon the matter but, above all, to preserve this coronet with everypossible precaution because I need not say that a great public scandalwould be caused if any harm were to befall it. Any injury to it would bealmost as serious as its complete loss, for there are no beryls in the worldto match these, and it would be impossible to replace them. I leave it withyou, however, with every confidence, and I shall call for it in person onMonday morning.'"Seeing that my client was anxious to leave, I said no more; but, callingfor my cashier, I ordered him to pay over fifty £1000 notes. When I wasalone once more, however, with the precious case lying upon the table in front of me, I could not but think with some misgivings of the immenseresponsibility which it entailed upon me. There could be no doubt that, asit was a national possession, a horrible [304] scandal would ensue if anymisfortune should occur to it. I already regretted having ever consented totake charge of it. However, it was too late to alter the matter now, so Ilocked it up in my private safe and turned once more to my work."When evening came I felt that it would be an imprudence to leave soprecious a thing in the office behind me. Bankers' safes had been forcedbefore now, and why should not mine be? If so, how terrible would be theposition in which I should find myself! I determined, therefore, that forthe next few days I would always carry the case backward and forwardwith me, so that it might never be really out of my reach. With thisintention, I called a cab and drove out to my house at Streatham, carryingthe jewel with me. I did not breathe freely until I had taken it upstairs andlocked it in the bureau of my dressing-room."And now a word as to my household, Mr. Holmes, for I wish you tothoroughly understand the situation. My groom and my page sleep out ofthe house, and may be set aside altogether. I have three maid-servantswho have been with me a number of years and whose absolute reliabilityis quite above suspicion. Another, Lucy Parr, the second waiting-maid,has only been in my service a few months. She came with an excellentcharacter, however, and has always given me satisfaction. She is a verypretty girl and has attracted admirers who have occasionally hung aboutthe place. That is the only drawback which we have found to her, but webelieve her to be a thoroughly good girl in every way."So much for the servants. My family itself is so small that it will nottake me long to describe it. I am a widower and have an only son, Arthur.He has been a disappointment to me, Mr. Holmes-a grievousdisappointment. I have no doubt that I am myself to blame. People tell methat I have spoiled him. Very likely I have. When my dear wife died I feltthat he was all I had to love. I could not bear to see the smile fade evenfor a moment from his face. I have never denied him a wish. Perhaps itwould have been better for both of us had I been sterner, but I meant it forthe best."It was naturally my intention that he should succeed me in mybusiness, but he was not of a business turn. He was wild, wayward, and,to speak the truth, I could not trust him in the handling of large sums ofmoney. When he was young he became a member of an aristocratic club,and there, having charming manners, he was soon the intimate of anumber of men with long purses and expensive habits. He learned to playheavily at cards and to squander money on the turf, until he had again andagain to come to me and implore me to give him an advance upon hisallowance, that he might settle his debts of honour. He tried more thanonce to break away from the dangerous company which he was keeping,but each time the influence of his friend, Sir George Burnwell, wasenough to draw him back again."And, indeed, I could not wonder that such a man as Sir GeorgeBurnwell should gain an influence over him, for he has frequentlybrought him to my house, and I have found myself that I could hardly resist the fascination of his manner. He is older than Arthur, a man of theworld to his finger-tips, one who had been everywhere, seen everything, abrilliant talker, and a man of great personal beauty. Yet when I think ofhim in cold blood, far away from the glamour of his presence, I amconvinced from his cynical speech and the look which I have caught inhis eyes that he is one who should be deeply distrusted. So I think, and so,too, thinks my little Mary, who has a woman's quick insight intocharacter.[305] "And now there is only she to be described. She is my niece; butwhen my brother died five years ago and left her alone in the world Iadopted her, and have looked upon her ever since as my daughter. She isa sunbeam in my house- sweet, loving, beautiful, a wonderful managerand housekeeper, yet as tender and quiet and gentle as a woman could be.She is my right hand. I do not know what I could do without her. In onlyone matter has she ever gone against my wishes. Twice my boy has askedher to marry him, for he loves her devotedly, but each time she hasrefused him. I think that if anyone could have drawn him into the rightpath it would have been she, and that his marriage might have changedhis whole life; but now, alas! it is too late-forever too late!"Now, Mr. Holmes, you know the people who live under my roof, and Ishall continue with my miserable story."When we were taking coffee in the drawing-room that night afterdinner, I told Arthur and Mary my experience, and of the precioustreasure which we had under our roof, suppressing only the name of myclient. Lucy Parr, who had brought in the coffee, had, I am sure, left theroom; but I cannot swear that the door was closed. Mary and Arthur weremuch interested and wished to see the famous coronet, but I thought itbetter not to disturb it." 'Where have you put it?' asked Arthur." 'In my own bureau.'" 'Well, I hope to goodness the house won't be burgled during thenight,' said he." 'It is locked up,' I answered." 'Oh, any old key will fit that bureau. When I was a youngster I haveopened it myself with the key of the box-room cupboard.'"He often had a wild way of talking, so that I thought little of what hesaid. He followed me to my room, however, that night with a very graveface." 'Look here, dad,' said he with his eyes cast down, 'can you let mehave £200?'" 'No, I cannot!' I answered sharply. 'I have been far too generous withyou in money matters.'" 'You have been very kind,' said he, 'but I must have this money, orelse I can never show my face inside the club again.'" 'And a very good thing, too!' I cried." 'Yes, but you would not have me leave it a dishonoured man,' saidhe. 'I could not bear the disgrace. I must raise the money in some way,and if you will not let me have it, then I must try other means.'"I was very angry, for this was the third demand during the month.'You shall not have a farthing from me,' I cried, on which he bowed andleft the room without another word."When he was gone I unlocked my bureau, made sure that my treasurewas safe, and locked it again. Then I started to go round the house to seethat all was secure-a duty which I usually leave to Mary but which Ithought it well to perform myself that night. As I came down the stairs Isaw Mary herself at the side window of the hall, which she closed andfastened as I approached." 'Tell me, dad,' said she, looking, I thought, a little disturbed, 'did yougive Lucy, the maid, leave to go out to-night?' " 'Certainly not.'" 'She came in just now by the back door. I have no doubt that she hasonly been to the side gate to see someone, but I think that it is hardly safeand should be stopped.'[306] " 'You must speak to her in the morning, or I will if you prefer it.Are you sure that everything is fastened?'" 'Quite sure, dad.'" 'Then, good-night.' I kissed her and went up to my bedroom again,where I was soon asleep."I am endeavouring to tell you everything, Mr. Holmes, which mayhave any bearing upon the case, but I beg that you will question me uponany point which I do not make clear.""On the contrary, your statement is singularly lucid.""I come to a part of my story now in which I should wish to beparticularly so. I am not a very heavy sleeper, and the anxiety in my mindtended, no doubt, to make me even less so than usual. About two in themorning, then, I was awakened by some sound in the house. It had ceasedere I was wide awake, but it had left an impression behind it as though awindow had gently closed somewhere. I lay listening with all my ears.Suddenly, to my horror, there was a distinct sound of footsteps movingsoftly in the next room. I slipped out of bed, all palpitating with fear, andpeeped round the corner of my dressing-room door." 'Arthur!' I screamed, 'you villain! you thief! How dare you touch thatcoronet?'"The gas was half up, as I had left it, and my unhappy boy, dressedonly in his shirt and trousers, was standing beside the light, holding thecoronet in his hands. He appeared to be wrenching at it, or bending it withall his strength. At my cry he dropped it from his grasp and turned as paleas death. I snatched it up and examined it. One of the gold corners, withthree of the beryls in it, was missing." 'You blackguard!' I shouted, beside myself with rage. 'You havedestroyed it! You have dishonoured me forever! Where are the jewelswhich you have stolen?'" 'Stolen!' he cried." 'Yes, thief!' I roared, shaking him by the shoulder." 'There are none missing. There cannot be any missing,' said he." 'There are three missing. And you know where they are. Must I callyou a liar as well as a thief? Did I not see you trying to tear off anotherpiece?'" 'You have called me names enough,' said he; 'I will not stand it anylonger. I shall not say another word about this business, since you havechosen to insult me. I will leave your house in the morning and make myown way in the world.'" 'You shall leave it in the hands of the police!' I cried, half-mad withgrief and rage. 'I shall have this matter probed to the bottom.'" 'You shall learn nothing from me,' said he with a passion such as Ishould not have thought was in his nature. 'If you choose to call thepolice, let the police find what they can.'"By this time the whole house was astir, for I had raised my voice inmy anger. Mary was the first to rush into my room, and, at the sight of thecoronet and of Arthur's face, she read the whole story and, with a scream,fell down senseless on the ground. I sent the house-maid for the policeand put the investigation into their hands at once. When the inspector anda constable entered the house, Arthur, who had stood sullenly with hisarms folded, asked me whether it was my intention to charge him withtheft. I answered that it had ceased to be a private matter, but had becomea public one, since the ruined coronet was national property. I was determined that the law should have its way in everything.[307] " 'At least,' said he, 'you will not have me arrested at once. Itwould be to your advantage as well as mine if I might leave the house forfive minutes.'" 'That you may get away, or perhaps that you may conceal what youhave stolen,' said I. And then, realizing the dreadful position in which Iwas placed, I implored him to remember that not only my honour but thatof one who was far greater than I was at stake; and that he threatened toraise a scandal which would convulse the nation. He might avert it all ifhe would but tell me what he had done with the three missing stones." 'You may as well face the matter,' said I; 'you have been caught inthe act, and no confession could make your guilt more heinous. If you butmake such reparation as is in your power, by telling us where the berylsare, all shall be forgiven and forgotten.'" 'Keep your forgiveness for those who ask for it,' he answered,turning away from me with a sneer. I saw that he was too hardened forany words of mine to influence him. There was but one way for it. I calledin the inspector and gave him into custody. A search was made at oncenot only of his person but of his room and of every portion of the housewhere he could possibly have concealed the gems; but no trace of themcould be found, nor would the wretched boy open his mouth for all ourpersuasions and our threats. This morning he was removed to a cell, and I,after going through all the police formalities, have hurried round to you toimplore you to use your skill in unravelling the matter. The police haveopenly confessed that they can at present make nothing of it. You may goto any expense which you think necessary. I have already offered areward of £1000. My God, what shall I do! I have lost my honour, mygems, and my son in one night. Oh, what shall I do!"He put a hand on either side of his head and rocked himself to and fro,droning to himself like a child whose grief has got beyond words.Sherlock Holmes sat silent for some few minutes, with his browsknitted and his eyes fixed upon the fire."Do you receive much company?" he asked."None save my partner with his family and an occasional friend ofArthur's. Sir George Burnwell has been several times lately. No one else,I think.""Do you go out much in society?""Arthur does. Mary and I stay at home. We neither of us care for it.""That is unusual in a young girl.""She is of a quiet nature. Besides, she is not so very young. She is fourand-twenty.""This matter, from what you say, seems to have been a shock to heralso.""Terrible! She is even more affected than I.""You have neither of you any doubt as to your son's guilt?""How can we have when I saw him with my own eyes with the coronetin his hands.""I hardly consider that a conclusive proof. Was the remainder of thecoronet at all injured?" "Yes, it was twisted.""Do you not think, then, that he might have been trying to straightenit?""God bless you! You are doing what you can for him and for me. But itis too heavy a task. What was he doing there at all? If his purpose wereinnocent, why did he not say so?"[308] "Precisely. And if it were guilty, why did he not invent a lie? Hissilence appears to me to cut both ways. There are several singular pointsabout the case. What did the police think of the noise which awoke youfrom your sleep?""They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing hisbedroom door.""A likely story! As if a man bent on felony would slam his door so asto wake a household. What did they say, then, of the disappearance ofthese gems?""They are still sounding the planking and probing the furniture in thehope of finding them.""Have they thought of looking outside the house?""Yes, they have shown extraordinary energy. The whole garden hasalready been minutely examined.""Now, my dear sir," said Holmes, "is it not obvious to you now thatthis matter really strikes very much deeper than either you or the policewere at first inclined to think? It appeared to you to be a simple case; tome it seems exceedingly complex. Consider what is involved by yourtheory. You suppose that your son came down from his bed, went, atgreat risk, to your dressing-room, opened your bureau, took out yourcoronet, broke off by main force a small portion of it, went off to someother place, concealed three gems out of the thirty-nine, with such skillthat nobody can find them, and then returned with the other thirty-six intothe room in which he exposed himself to the greatest danger of beingdiscovered. I ask you now, is such a theory tenable?""But what other is there?" cried the banker with a gesture of despair."If his motives were innocent, why does he not explain them?""It is our task to find that out," replied Holmes; "so now, if you please,Mr. Holder, we will set off for Streatham together, and devote an hour toglancing a little more closely into details."My friend insisted upon my accompanying them in their expedition,which I was eager enough to do, for my curiosity and sympathy weredeeply stirred by the story to which we had listened. I confess that theguilt of the banker's son appeared to me to be as obvious as it did to hisunhappy father, but still I had such faith in Holmes's judgment that I feltthat there must be some grounds for hope as long as he was dissatisfiedwith the accepted explanation. He hardly spoke a word the whole way outto the southern suburb, but sat with his chin upon his breast and his hatdrawn over his eyes, sunk in the deepest thought. Our client appeared tohave taken fresh heart at the little glimpse of hope which had beenpresented to him, and he even broke into a desultory chat with me overhis business affairs. A short railway journey and a shorter walk brought usto Fairbank, the modest residence of the great financier. Fairbank was a good-sized square house of white stone, standing back alittle from the road. A double carriage-sweep, with a snow-clad lawn,stretched down in front to two large iron gates which closed the entrance.On the right side was a small wooden thicket, which led into a narrowpath between two neat hedges stretching from the road to the kitchendoor, and forming the tradesmen's entrance. On the left ran a lane whichled to the stables, and was not itself within the grounds at all, being apublic, though little used, thoroughfare. Holmes left us standing at thedoor and walked slowly all round the house, across the front, down thetradesmen's path, and so round by the garden behind into the stable lane.So long was he that Mr. Holder and I went into the dining-room andwaited by the fire until he should return. We were sitting there in silencewhen the door opened [309] and a young lady came in. She was ratherabove the middle height, slim, with dark hair and eyes, which seemed thedarker against the absolute pallor of her skin. I do not think that I haveever seen such deadly paleness in a woman's face. Her lips, too, werebloodless, but her eyes were flushed with crying. As she swept silentlyinto the room she impressed me with a greater sense of grief than thebanker had done in the morning, and it was the more striking in her as shewas evidently a woman of strong character, with immense capacity forself-restraint. Disregarding my presence, she went straight to her uncleand passed her hand over his head with a sweet womanly caress."You have given orders that Arthur should be liberated, have you not,dad?" she asked."No, no, my girl, the matter must be probed to the bottom.""But I am so sure that he is innocent. You know what woman's instincts are. I know that he has done no harm and that you will be sorryfor having acted so harshly.""Why is he silent, then, if he is innocent?""Who knows? Perhaps because he was so angry that you should suspecthim.""How could I help suspecting him, when I actually saw him with thecoronet in his hand?""Oh, but he had only picked it up to look at it. Oh, do, do take my wordfor it that he is innocent. Let the matter drop and say no more. It is sodreadful to think of our dear Arthur in prison!""I shall never let it drop until the gems are found-never, Mary! Youraffection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences to me. Farfrom hushing the thing up, I have brought a gentleman down fromLondon to inquire more deeply into it.""This gentleman?" she asked, facing round to me."No, his friend. He wished us to leave him alone. He is round in thestable lane now.""The stable lane?" She raised her dark eyebrows. "What can he hope tofind there? Ah! this, I suppose, is he. I trust, sir, that you will succeed inproving, what I feel sure is the truth, that my cousin Arthur is innocent ofthis crime.""I fully share your opinion, and I trust, with you, that we may prove it,"returned Holmes, going back to the mat to knock the snow from his shoes."I believe I have the honour of addressing Miss Mary Holder. Might I askyou a question or two?""Pray do, sir, if it may help to clear this horrible affair up.""You heard nothing yourself last night?""Nothing, until my uncle here began to speak loudly. I heard that, and Icame down.""You shut up the windows and doors the night before. Did you fastenall the windows?""Yes.""Were they all fastened this morning?""Yes.""You have a maid who has a sweetheart? I think that you remarked toyour uncle last night that she had been out to see him?""Yes, and she was the girl who waited in the drawing-room, and whomay have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet."[310] "I see. You infer that she may have gone out to tell her sweetheart,and that the two may have planned the robbery.""But what is the good of all these vague theories," cried the bankerimpatiently, "when I have told you that I saw Arthur with the coronet inhis hands?""Wait a little, Mr. Holder. We must come back to that. About this girl,Miss Holder. You saw her return by the kitchen door, I presume?""Yes; when I went to see if the door was fastened for the night I mether slipping in. I saw the man, too, in the gloom.""Do you know him?""Oh, yes! he is the green-grocer who brings our vegetables round. His name is Francis Prosper.""He stood," said Holmes, "to the left of the door-that is to say, fartherup the path than is necessary to reach the door?""Yes, he did.""And he is a man with a wooden leg?"Something like fear sprang up in the young lady's expressive blackeyes. "Why, you are like a magician," said she. "How do you know that?"She smiled, but there was no answering smile in Holmes's thin, eagerface."I should be very glad now to go upstairs," said he. "I shall probablywish to go over the outside of the house again. Perhaps I had better take alook at the lower windows before I go up."He walked swiftly round from one to the other, pausing only at thelarge one which looked from the hall onto the stable lane. This he openedand made a very careful examination of the sill with his powerfulmagnifying lens. "Now we shall go upstairs," said he at last.The banker's dressing-room was a plainly furnished little chamber,with a gray carpet, a large bureau, and a long mirror. Holmes went to thebureau first and looked hard at the lock."Which key was used to open it?" he asked."That which my son himself indicated-that of the cupboard of thelumber-room.""Have you it here?""That is it on the dressing-table."Sherlock Holmes took it up and opened the bureau. "It is a noiseless lock," said he. "It is no wonder that it did not wakeyou. This case, I presume, contains the coronet. We must have a look atit." He opened the case, and taking out the diadem he laid it upon thetable. It was a magnificent specimen of the jeweller's art, and the thirtysix stones were the finest that I have ever seen. At one side of the coronetwas a cracked edge, where a corner holding three gems had been tornaway."Now, Mr. Holder," said Holmes, "here is the corner whichcorresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost. Might I beg thatyou will break it off."The banker recoiled in horror. "I should not dream of trying," said he."Then I will." Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it, but withoutresult. "I feel it give a little," said he; "but, though I am exceptionallystrong in the fingers, it would take me all my time to break it. An ordinaryman could not do it. Now, what do you think would happen if I did breakit, Mr. Holder? There would be a noise like a pistol shot. Do you tell methat all this happened within a few yards of your bed and that you heardnothing of it?"[311] "I do not know what to think. It is all dark to me.""But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go. What do you think, MissHolder?""I confess that I still share my uncle's perplexity.""Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him?""He had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt.""Thank you. We have certainly been favoured with extraordinary luckduring this inquiry, and it will be entirely our own fault if we do notsucceed in clearing the matter up. With your permission, Mr. Holder, Ishall now continue my investigations outside."He went alone, at his own request, for he explained that anyunnecessary footmarks might make his task more difficult. For an hour ormore he was at work, returning at last with his feet heavy with snow andhis features as inscrutable as ever."I think that I have seen now all that there is to see, Mr. Holder," saidhe; "I can serve you best by returning to my rooms.""But the gems, Mr. Holmes. Where are they?""I cannot tell."The banker wrung his hands. "I shall never see them again!" he cried."And my son? You give me hopes?""My opinion is in no way altered.""Then, for God's sake, what was this dark business which was acted inmy house last night?""If you can call upon me at my Baker Street rooms to-morrow morningbetween nine and ten I shall be happy to do what I can to make it clearer.I understand that you give me carte blanche to act for you, provided onlythat I get back the gems, and that you place no limit on the sum I maydraw.""I would give my fortune to have them back.""Very good. I shall look into the matter between this and then. Goodbye; it is just possible that I may have to come over here again before evening."It was obvious to me that my companion's mind was now made upabout the case, although what his conclusions were was more than I couldeven dimly imagine. Several times during our homeward journey Iendeavoured to sound him upon the point, but he always glided away tosome other topic, until at last I gave it over in despair. It was not yet threewhen we found ourselves in our room once more. He hurried to hischamber, and was down again in a few minutes dressed as a commonloafer. With his collar turned up, his shiny, seedy coat, his red cravat, andhis worn boots, he was a perfect sample of the class."I think that this should do," said he, glancing into the glass above thefireplace. "I only wish that you could come with me, Watson, but I fearthat it won't do. I may be on the trail in this matter, or I may be followinga will-o'-the-wisp, but I shall soon know which it is. I hope that I may beback in a few hours." He cut a slice of beef from the joint upon thesideboard, sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting thisrude meal into his pocket he started off upon his expedition.I had just finished my tea when he returned, evidently in excellentspirits, swinging an old elastic-sided boot in his hand. He chucked itdown into a corner and helped himself to a cup of tea."I only looked in as I passed," said he. "I am going right on.""Where to?"[312] "Oh, to the other side of the West End. It may be some time before I get back. Don't wait up for me in case I should be late.""How are you getting on?""Oh, so so. Nothing to complain of. I have been out to Streatham sinceI saw you last, but I did not call at the house. It is a very sweet littleproblem, and I would not have missed it for a good deal. However, I mustnot sit gossiping here, but must get these disreputable clothes off andreturn to my highly respectable self."I could see by his manner that he had stronger reasons for satisfactionthan his words alone would imply. His eyes twinkled, and there was evena touch of colour upon his sallow cheeks. He hastened upstairs, and a fewminutes later I heard the slam of the hall door, which told me that he wasoff once more upon his congenial hunt.I waited until midnight, but there was no sign of his return, so I retiredto my room. It was no uncommon thing for him to be away for days andnights on end when he was hot upon a scent, so that his lateness causedme no surprise. I do not know at what hour he came in, but when I camedown to breakfast in the morning there he was with a cup of coffee in onehand and the paper in the other, as fresh and trim as possible."You will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, "butyou remember that our client has rather an early appointment thismorning.""Why, it is after nine now," I answered. "I should not be surprised ifthat were he. I thought I heard a ring."It was, indeed, our friend the financier. I was shocked by the changewhich had come over him, for his face which was naturally of a broad andmassive mould, was now pinched and fallen in, while his hair seemed tome at least a shade whiter. He entered with a weariness and lethargywhich was even more painful than his violence of the morning before, andhe dropped heavily into the armchair which I pushed forward for him."I do not know what I have done to be so severely tried," said he."Only two days ago I was a happy and prosperous man, without a care inthe world. Now I am left to a lonely and dishonoured age. One sorrowcomes close upon the heels of another. My niece, Mary, has deserted me.""Deserted you?""Yes. Her bed this morning had not been slept in, her room was empty,and a note for me lay upon the hall table. I had said to her last night, insorrow and not in anger, that if she had married my boy all might havebeen well with him. Perhaps it was thoughtless of me to say so. It is tothat remark that she refers in this note:"MY DEAREST UNCLE:"I feel that I have brought trouble upon you, and that if I hadacted differently this terrible misfortune might never haveoccurred. I cannot, with this thought in my mind, ever again behappy under your roof, and I feel that I must leave you forever. Donot worry about my future, for that is provided for; and, above all,do not search for me, for it will be fruitless labour and an illservice to me. In life or in death, I am ever"Your loving"MARY.[313] "What could she mean by that note, Mr. Holmes? Do you think itpoints to suicide?""No, no, nothing of the kind. It is perhaps the best possible solution. Itrust, Mr. Holder, that you are nearing the end of your troubles.""Ha! You say so! You have heard something, Mr. Holmes; you havelearned something! Where are the gems?""You would not think £1000 apiece an excessive sum for them?""I would pay ten.""That would be unnecessary. Three thousand will cover the matter.And there is a little reward, I fancy. Have you your check-book? Here is apen. Better make it out for £4000."With a dazed face the banker made out the required check. Holmeswalked over to his desk, took out a little triangular piece of gold withthree gems in it, and threw it down upon the table.With a shriek of joy our client clutched it up."You have it!" he gasped. "I am saved! I am saved!"The reaction of joy was as passionate as his grief had been, and hehugged his recovered gems to his bosom."There is one other thing you owe, Mr. Holder," said Sherlock Holmesrather sternly."Owe!" He caught up a pen. "Name the sum, and I will pay it.""No, the debt is not to me. You owe a very humble apology to thatnoble lad, your son, who has carried himself in this matter as I should beproud to see my own son do, should I ever chance to have one.""Then it was not Arthur who took them?""I told you yesterday, and I repeat to-day, that it was not.""You are sure of it! Then let us hurry to him at once to let him knowthat the truth is known.""He knows it already. When I had cleared it all up I had an interviewwith him, and finding that he would not tell me the story, I told it to him,on which he had to confess that I was right and to add the very few detailswhich were not yet quite clear to me. Your news of this morning,however, may open his lips.""For heaven's sake, tell me, then, what is this extraordinary mystery!""I will do so, and I will show you the steps by which I reached it. Andlet me say to you, first, that which it is hardest for me to say and for youto hear: there has been an understanding between Sir George Burnwelland your niece Mary. They have now fled together.""My Mary? Impossible!""It is unfortunately more than possible; it is certain. Neither you noryour son knew the true character of this man when you admitted him intoyour family circle. He is one of the most dangerous men in England-aruined gambler, an absolutely desperate villain, a man without heart orconscience. Your niece knew nothing of such men. When he breathed hisvows to her, as he had done to a hundred before her, she flattered herselfthat she alone had touched his heart. The devil knows best what he said,but at least she became his tool and was in the habit of seeing him nearly every evening.""I cannot, and I will not, believe it!" cried the banker with an ashenface."I will tell you, then, what occurred in your house last night. Yourniece, when you had, as she thought, gone to your room, slipped downand talked to her lover [314] through the window which leads into thestable lane. His footmarks had pressed right through the snow, so longhad he stood there. She told him of the coronet. His wicked lust for goldkindled at the news, and he bent her to his will. I have no doubt that sheloved you, but there are women in whom the love of a lover extinguishesall other loves, and I think that she must have been one. She had hardlylistened to his instructions when she saw you coming downstairs, onwhich she closed the window rapidly and told you about one of theservants' escapade with her wooden-legged lover, which was all perfectlytrue."Your boy, Arthur, went to bed after his interview with you, but heslept badly on account of his uneasiness about his club debts. In themiddle of the night he heard a soft tread pass his door, so he rose and,looking out, was surprised to see his cousin walking very stealthily alongthe passage until she disappeared into your dressing-room. Petrified withastonishment, the lad slipped on some clothes and waited there in the darkto see what would come of this strange affair. Presently she emerged fromthe room again, and in the light of the passage-lamp your son saw that shecarried the precious coronet in her hands. She passed down the stairs, andhe, thrilling with horror, ran along and slipped behind the curtain nearyour door, whence he could see what passed in the hall beneath. He sawher stealthily open the window, hand out the coronet to someone in thegloom, and then closing it once more hurry back to her room, passingquite close to where he stood hid behind the curtain."As long as she was on the scene he could not take any action without ahorrible exposure of the woman whom he loved. But the instant that shewas gone he realized how crushing a misfortune this would be for you,and how all-important it was to set it right. He rushed down, just as hewas, in his bare feet, opened the window, sprang out into the snow, andran down the lane, where he could see a dark figure in the moonlight. SirGeorge Burnwell tried to get away, but Arthur caught him, and there wasa struggle between them, your lad tugging at one side of the coronet, andhis opponent at the other. In the scuffle, your son struck Sir George andcut him over the eye. Then something suddenly snapped, and your son,finding that he had the coronet in his hands, rushed back, closed thewindow, ascended to your room, and had just observed that the coronethad been twisted in the struggle and was endeavouring to straighten itwhen you appeared upon the scene.""Is it possible?" gasped the banker."You then roused his anger by calling him names at a moment when hefelt that he had deserved your warmest thanks. He could not explain thetrue state of affairs without betraying one who certainly deserved littleenough consideration at his hands. He took the more chivalrous view,however, and preserved her secret.""And that was why she shrieked and fainted when she saw thecoronet," cried Mr. Holder. "Oh, my God! what a blind fool I have been!And his asking to be allowed to go out for five minutes! The dear fellowwanted to see if the missing piece were at the scene of the struggle. Howcruelly I have misjudged him!""When I arrived at the house," continued Holmes, "I at once went verycarefully round it to observe if there were any traces in the snow whichmight help me. I knew that none had fallen since the evening before, andalso that there had been a strong frost to preserve impressions. I passedalong the tradesmen's path, but found it all trampled down andindistinguishable. Just beyond it, [315] however, at the far side of thekitchen door, a woman had stood and talked with a man, whose roundimpressions on one side showed that he had a wooden leg. I could eventell that they had been disturbed, for the woman had run back swiftly tothe door, as was shown by the deep toe and light heel marks, whileWooden-leg had waited a little, and then had gone away. I thought at thetime that this might be the maid and her sweetheart, of whom you hadalready spoken to me, and inquiry showed it was so. I passed round thegarden without seeing anything more than random tracks, which I took tobe the police; but when I got into the stable lane a very long and complexstory was written in the snow in front of me. "There was a double line of tracks of a booted man, and a seconddouble line which I saw with delight belonged to a man with naked feet. Iwas at once convinced from what you had told me that the latter was yourson. The first had walked both ways, but the other had run swiftly, and ashis tread was marked in places over the depression of the boot, it wasobvious that he had passed after the other. I followed them up and foundthey led to the hall window, where Boots had worn all the snow awaywhile waiting. Then I walked to the other end, which was a hundred yardsor more down the lane. I saw where Boots had faced round, where thesnow was cut up as though there had been a struggle, and, finally, where afew drops of blood had fallen, to show me that I was not mistaken. Bootshad then run down the lane, and another little smudge of blood showedthat it was he who had been hurt. When he came to the highroad at theother end, I found that the pavement had been cleared, so there was anend to that clue."On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the silland framework of the hall window with my lens, and I could at once seethat someone had passed out. I could distinguish the outline of an instepwhere the wet foot had been placed in coming in. I was then beginning tobe able to form an opinion as to what had occurred. A man had waitedoutside the window; someone had brought the gems; the deed had beenoverseen by your son; he had pursued the thief; had struggled with him;they had each tugged at the coronet, their united strength causing injurieswhich neither alone could have effected. He had returned with the prize,but had left a fragment in the grasp of his opponent. So far I was clear.The question now was, who was the man and who was it brought him thecoronet?"It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded theimpossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.Now, I knew that it was not you who had brought it down, so there onlyremained your niece and the maids. But if it were the maids, why shouldyour son allow himself to be accused in their place? There could be nopossible reason. As he loved his cousin, however, there was an excellentexplanation why he should retain her secret-the more so as the secret wasa disgraceful one. When I remembered that you had seen her at thatwindow, and how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, myconjecture became a certainty."And who could it be who was her confederate? A lover evidently, forwho else could outweigh the love and gratitude which she must feel toyou? I knew that you went out little, and that your circle of friends was avery limited one. But among them was Sir George Burnwell. I had heardof him before as being a man of evil reputation among women. It musthave been he who wore those boots and retained the missing gems. Eventhough he knew that Arthur had discovered him, [316] he might still flatterhimself that he was safe, for the lad could not say a word withoutcompromising his own family."Well, your own good sense will suggest what measures I took next. Iwent in the shape of a loafer to Sir George's house, managed to pick upan acquaintance with his valet, learned that his master had cut his head the night before, and, finally, at the expense of six shillings, made all sureby buying a pair of his cast-off shoes. With these I journeyed down toStreatham and saw that they exactly fitted the tracks.""I saw an ill-dressed vagabond in the lane yesterday evening," said Mr.Holder."Precisely. It was I. I found that I had my man, so I came home andchanged my clothes. It was a delicate part which I had to play then, for Isaw that a prosecution must be avoided to avert scandal, and I knew thatso astute a villain would see that our hands were tied in the matter. I wentand saw him. At first, of course, he denied everything. But when I gavehim every particular that had occurred, he tried to bluster and took down alife-preserver from the wall. I knew my man, however, and I clapped apistol to his head before he could strike. Then he became a little morereasonable. I told him that we would give him a price for the stones heheld-£1000 apiece. That brought out the first signs of grief that he hadshown. 'Why, dash it all!' said he, 'I've let them go at six hundred for thethree!' I soon managed to get the address of the receiver who had them,on promising him that there would be no prosecution. Off I set to him,and after much chaffering I got our stones at £1000 apiece. Then I lookedin upon your son, told him that all was right, and eventually got to my bedabout two o'clock, after what I may call a really hard day's work.""A day which has saved England from a great public scandal," said thebanker, rising. "Sir, I cannot find words to thank you, but you shall notfind me ungrateful for what you have done. Your skill has indeedexceeded all that I have heard of it. And now I must fly to my dear boy toapologize to him for the wrong which I have done him. As to what you tell me of poor Mary, it goes to my very heart. Not even your skill caninform me where she is now.""I think that we may safely say," returned Holmes, "that she iswherever Sir George Burnwell is. It is equally certain, too, that whateverher sins are, they will soon receive a more than sufficient punishment."