XI.THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET

“Holmes,”saidIasIstoodonemorninginourbow-windowlookingdownthestreet,“hereisamadmancomingalong.Itseemsrathersadthathisrelativesshouldallowhimtocomeoutalone.” Myfriendroselazilyfromhisarmchairandstoodwithhishandsinthepocketsofhisdressing-gown,lookingovermyshoulder.Itwasabright,crispFebruarymorning,andthesnowofthedaybeforestilllaydeepupontheground,shimmeringbrightlyinthewintrysun.DownthecentreofBakerStreetithadbeenploughedintoabrowncrumblybandbythetraffic,butateithersideandontheheaped-upedgesofthefootpathsitstilllayaswhiteaswhenitfell.Thegreypavementhadbeencleanedandscraped,butwasstilldangerouslyslippery,sothattherewerefewerpassengersthanusual.Indeed,fromthedirectionoftheMetropolitanStationnoonewascomingsavethesinglegentlemanwhoseeccentricconducthaddrawnmyattention. Hewasamanofaboutfifty,tall,portly,andimposing,withamassive,stronglymarkedfaceandacommandingfigure.Hewasdressedinasombreyetrichstyle,inblackfrock-coat,shininghat,neatbrowngaiters,andwell-cutpearl-greytrousers.Yethisactionswereinabsurdcontrasttothedignityofhisdressandfeatures,forhewasrunninghard,withoccasionallittlesprings,suchasawearymangiveswhoislittleaccustomedtosetanytaxuponhislegs.Asheranhejerkedhishandsupanddown,waggledhishead,andwrithedhisfaceintothemostextraordinarycontortions. “Whatonearthcanbethematterwithhim?”Iasked.“Heislookingupatthenumbersofthehouses.” “Ibelievethatheiscominghere,”saidHolmes,rubbinghishands. “Here?” “YesIratherthinkheiscomingtoconsultmeprofessionally.IthinkthatIrecognisethesymptoms.Ha!didInottellyou?”Ashespoke,theman,puffingandblowing,rushedatourdoorandpulledatourbelluntilthewholehouseresoundedwiththeclanging. Afewmomentslaterhewasinourroom,stillpuffing,stillgesticulating,butwithsofixedalookofgriefanddespairinhiseyesthatoursmileswereturnedinaninstanttohorrorandpity.Forawhilehecouldnotgethiswordsout,butswayedhisbodyandpluckedathishairlikeonewhohasbeendriventotheextremelimitsofhisreason.Then,suddenlyspringingtohisfeet,hebeathisheadagainstthewallwithsuchforcethatwebothrusheduponhimandtorehimawaytothecentreoftheroom.SherlockHolmespushedhimdownintotheeasy-chairand,sittingbesidehim,pattedhishandandchattedwithhimintheeasy,soothingtoneswhichheknewsowellhowtoemploy. “Youhavecometometotellyourstory,haveyounot?”saidhe.“Youarefatiguedwithyourhaste.Praywaituntilyouhaverecoveredyourself,andthenIshallbemosthappytolookintoanylittleproblemwhichyoumaysubmittome.” Themansatforaminuteormorewithaheavingchest,fightingagainsthisemotion.Thenhepassedhishandkerchiefoverhisbrow,sethislipstight,andturnedhisfacetowardsus. “Nodoubtyouthinkmemad?”saidhe. “Iseethatyouhavehadsomegreattrouble,”respondedHolmes. “GodknowsIhave!—atroublewhichisenoughtounseatmyreason,sosuddenandsoterribleisit.PublicdisgraceImighthavefaced,althoughIamamanwhosecharacterhasneveryetborneastain.Privateafflictionalsoisthelotofeverymanbutthetwocomingtogether,andinsofrightfulaform,havebeenenoughtoshakemyverysoul.Besides,itisnotIalone.Theverynoblestinthelandmaysufferunlesssomewaybefoundoutofthishorribleaffair.” “Praycomposeyourself,sir,”saidHolmes,“andletmehaveaclearaccountofwhoyouareandwhatitisthathasbefallenyou.” “Myname,”answeredourvisitor,“isprobablyfamiliartoyourears.IamAlexanderHolder,ofthebankingfirmofHolder&Stevenson,ofThreadneedleStreet.” ThenamewasindeedwellknowntousasbelongingtotheseniorpartnerinthesecondlargestprivatebankingconcernintheCityofLondon.Whatcouldhavehappened,then,tobringoneoftheforemostcitizensofLondontothismostpitiablepass?Wewaited,allcuriosity,untilwithanotherefforthebracedhimselftotellhisstory. “Ifeelthattimeisofvalue,”saidhe“thatiswhyIhastenedherewhenthepoliceinspectorsuggestedthatIshouldsecureyourco-operation.IcametoBakerStreetbytheUndergroundandhurriedfromthereonfoot,forthecabsgoslowlythroughthissnow.ThatiswhyIwassooutofbreath,forIamamanwhotakesverylittleexercise.Ifeelbetternow,andIwillputthefactsbeforeyouasshortlyandyetasclearlyasIcan. “Itis,ofcourse,wellknowntoyouthatinasuccessfulbankingbusinessasmuchdependsuponourbeingabletofindremunerativeinvestmentsforourfundsasuponourincreasingourconnectionandthenumberofourdepositors.Oneofourmostlucrativemeansoflayingoutmoneyisintheshapeofloans,wherethesecurityisunimpeachable.Wehavedoneagooddealinthisdirectionduringthelastfewyears,andtherearemanynoblefamiliestowhomwehaveadvancedlargesumsuponthesecurityoftheirpictures,libraries,orplate. “YesterdaymorningIwasseatedinmyofficeatthebankwhenacardwasbroughtintomebyoneoftheclerks.IstartedwhenIsawthename,foritwasthatofnoneotherthan—well,perhapseventoyouIhadbettersaynomorethanthatitwasanamewhichisahouseholdwordallovertheearth—oneofthehighest,noblest,mostexaltednamesinEngland.Iwasoverwhelmedbythehonourandattempted,whenheentered,tosayso,butheplungedatonceintobusinesswiththeairofamanwhowishestohurryquicklythroughadisagreeabletask. “‘Mr.Holder,’saidhe,‘Ihavebeeninformedthatyouareinthehabitofadvancingmoney.’ “‘Thefirmdoessowhenthesecurityisgood.’Ianswered. “‘Itisabsolutelyessentialtome,’saidhe,‘thatIshouldhave￡50,000atonce.Icould,ofcourse,borrowsotriflingasumtentimesoverfrommyfriends,butImuchprefertomakeitamatterofbusinessandtocarryoutthatbusinessmyself.Inmypositionyoucanreadilyunderstandthatitisunwisetoplaceone’sselfunderobligations.’ “‘Forhowlong,mayIask,doyouwantthissum?’Iasked. “‘NextMondayIhavealargesumduetome,andIshallthenmostcertainlyrepaywhatyouadvance,withwhateverinterestyouthinkitrighttocharge.Butitisveryessentialtomethatthemoneyshouldbepaidatonce.’ “‘Ishouldbehappytoadvanceitwithoutfurtherparleyfrommyownprivatepurse,’saidI,‘wereitnotthatthestrainwouldberathermorethanitcouldbear.If,ontheotherhand,Iamtodoitinthenameofthefirm,theninjusticetomypartnerImustinsistthat,eveninyourcase,everybusinesslikeprecautionshouldbetaken.’ “‘Ishouldmuchprefertohaveitso,’saidhe,raisingupasquare,blackmoroccocasewhichhehadlaidbesidehischair.‘YouhavedoubtlessheardoftheBerylCoronet?’ “‘Oneofthemostpreciouspublicpossessionsoftheempire,’saidI. “‘Precisely.’Heopenedthecase,andthere,imbeddedinsoft,flesh-colouredvelvet,laythemagnificentpieceofjewellerywhichhehadnamed.‘Therearethirty-nineenormousberyls,’saidhe,‘andthepriceofthegoldchasingisincalculable.ThelowestestimatewouldputtheworthofthecoronetatdoublethesumwhichIhaveasked.Iampreparedtoleaveitwithyouasmysecurity.’ “Itookthepreciouscaseintomyhandsandlookedinsomeperplexityfromittomyillustriousclient. “‘Youdoubtitsvalue?’heasked. “‘Notatall.Ionlydoubt—’ “‘Theproprietyofmyleavingit.Youmaysetyourmindatrestaboutthat.IshouldnotdreamofdoingsowereitnotabsolutelycertainthatIshouldbeableinfourdaystoreclaimit.Itisapurematterofform.Isthesecuritysufficient?’ “‘Ample.’ “‘Youunderstand,Mr.Holder,thatIamgivingyouastrongproofoftheconfidencewhichIhaveinyou,foundeduponallthatIhaveheardofyou.Irelyuponyounotonlytobediscreetandtorefrainfromallgossipuponthematterbut,aboveall,topreservethiscoronetwitheverypossibleprecautionbecauseIneednotsaythatagreatpublicscandalwouldbecausedifanyharmweretobefallit.Anyinjurytoitwouldbealmostasseriousasitscompleteloss,fortherearenoberylsintheworldtomatchthese,anditwouldbeimpossibletoreplacethem.Ileaveitwithyou,however,witheveryconfidence,andIshallcallforitinpersononMondaymorning.’ “Seeingthatmyclientwasanxioustoleave,Isaidnomorebut,callingformycashier,Iorderedhimtopayoverfifty￡1000notes.WhenIwasaloneoncemore,however,withthepreciouscaselyinguponthetableinfrontofme,Icouldnotbutthinkwithsomemisgivingsoftheimmenseresponsibilitywhichitentaileduponme.Therecouldbenodoubtthat,asitwasanationalpossession,ahorriblescandalwouldensueifanymisfortuneshouldoccurtoit.Ialreadyregrettedhavingeverconsentedtotakechargeofit.However,itwastoolatetoalterthematternow,soIlockeditupinmyprivatesafeandturnedoncemoretomywork. “WheneveningcameIfeltthatitwouldbeanimprudencetoleavesopreciousathingintheofficebehindme.Bankers’safeshadbeenforcedbeforenow,andwhyshouldnotminebe?Ifso,howterriblewouldbethepositioninwhichIshouldfindmyself!Idetermined,therefore,thatforthenextfewdaysIwouldalwayscarrythecasebackwardandforwardwithme,sothatitmightneverbereallyoutofmyreach.Withthisintention,IcalledacabanddroveouttomyhouseatStreatham,carryingthejewelwithme.IdidnotbreathefreelyuntilIhadtakenitupstairsandlockeditinthebureauofmydressing-room. “Andnowawordastomyhousehold,Mr.Holmes,forIwishyoutothoroughlyunderstandthesituation.Mygroomandmypagesleepoutofthehouse,andmaybesetasidealtogether.Ihavet