XI.THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET

hreemaid-servantswhohavebeenwithmeanumberofyearsandwhoseabsolutereliabilityisquiteabovesuspicion.Another,LucyParr,thesecondwaiting-maid,hasonlybeeninmyserviceafewmonths.Shecamewithanexcellentcharacter,however,andhasalwaysgivenmesatisfaction.Sheisaveryprettygirlandhasattractedadmirerswhohaveoccasionallyhungabouttheplace.Thatistheonlydrawbackwhichwehavefoundtoher,butwebelievehertobeathoroughlygoodgirlineveryway. “Somuchfortheservants.Myfamilyitselfissosmallthatitwillnottakemelongtodescribeit.Iamawidowerandhaveanonlyson,Arthur.Hehasbeenadisappointmenttome,Mr.Holmes—agrievousdisappointment.IhavenodoubtthatIammyselftoblame.PeopletellmethatIhavespoiledhim.VerylikelyIhave.WhenmydearwifediedIfeltthathewasallIhadtolove.Icouldnotbeartoseethesmilefadeevenforamomentfromhisface.Ihaveneverdeniedhimawish.PerhapsitwouldhavebeenbetterforbothofushadIbeensterner,butImeantitforthebest. “Itwasnaturallymyintentionthatheshouldsucceedmeinmybusiness,buthewasnotofabusinessturn.Hewaswild,wayward,and,tospeakthetruth,Icouldnottrusthiminthehandlingoflargesumsofmoney.Whenhewasyounghebecameamemberofanaristocraticclub,andthere,havingcharmingmanners,hewassoontheintimateofanumberofmenwithlongpursesandexpensivehabits.Helearnedtoplayheavilyatcardsandtosquandermoneyontheturf,untilhehadagainandagaintocometomeandimploremetogivehimanadvanceuponhisallowance,thathemightsettlehisdebtsofhonour.Hetriedmorethanoncetobreakawayfromthedangerouscompanywhichhewaskeeping,buteachtimetheinfluenceofhisfriend,SirGeorgeBurnwell,wasenoughtodrawhimbackagain. “And,indeed,IcouldnotwonderthatsuchamanasSirGeorgeBurnwellshouldgainaninfluenceoverhim,forhehasfrequentlybroughthimtomyhouse,andIhavefoundmyselfthatIcouldhardlyresistthefascinationofhismanner.HeisolderthanArthur,amanoftheworldtohisfinger-tips,onewhohadbeeneverywhere,seeneverything,abrillianttalker,andamanofgreatpersonalbeauty.YetwhenIthinkofhimincoldblood,farawayfromtheglamourofhispresence,IamconvincedfromhiscynicalspeechandthelookwhichIhavecaughtinhiseyesthatheisonewhoshouldbedeeplydistrusted.SoIthink,andso,too,thinksmylittleMary,whohasawoman’squickinsightintocharacter. “Andnowthereisonlyshetobedescribed.SheismyniecebutwhenmybrotherdiedfiveyearsagoandleftheraloneintheworldIadoptedher,andhavelookeduponhereversinceasmydaughter.Sheisasunbeaminmyhouse—sweet,loving,beautiful,awonderfulmanagerandhousekeeper,yetastenderandquietandgentleasawomancouldbe.Sheismyrighthand.IdonotknowwhatIcoulddowithouther.Inonlyonematterhassheevergoneagainstmywishes.Twicemyboyhasaskedhertomarryhim,forhelovesherdevotedly,buteachtimeshehasrefusedhim.Ithinkthatifanyonecouldhavedrawnhimintotherightpathitwouldhavebeenshe,andthathismarriagemighthavechangedhiswholelifebutnow,alas!itistoolate—forevertoolate! “Now,Mr.Holmes,youknowthepeoplewholiveundermyroof,andIshallcontinuewithmymiserablestory. “Whenweweretakingcoffeeinthedrawing-roomthatnightafterdinner,ItoldArthurandMarymyexperience,andoftheprecioustreasurewhichwehadunderourroof,suppressingonlythenameofmyclient.LucyParr,whohadbroughtinthecoffee,had,Iamsure,lefttheroombutIcannotswearthatthedoorwasclosed.MaryandArthurweremuchinterestedandwishedtoseethefamouscoronet,butIthoughtitbetternottodisturbit. “‘Wherehaveyouputit?’askedArthur. “‘Inmyownbureau.’ “‘Well,Ihopetogoodnessthehousewon’tbeburgledduringthenight.’saidhe. “‘Itislockedup,’Ianswered. “‘Oh,anyoldkeywillfitthatbureau.WhenIwasayoungsterIhaveopeneditmyselfwiththekeyofthebox-roomcupboard.’ “Heoftenhadawildwayoftalking,sothatIthoughtlittleofwhathesaid.Hefollowedmetomyroom,however,thatnightwithaverygraveface. “‘Lookhere,dad,’saidhewithhiseyescastdown,‘canyouletmehave￡200?’ “‘No,Icannot!’Iansweredsharply.‘Ihavebeenfartoogenerouswithyouinmoneymatters.’ “‘Youhavebeenverykind,’saidhe,‘butImusthavethismoney,orelseIcannevershowmyfaceinsidetheclubagain.’ “‘Andaverygoodthing,too!’Icried. “‘Yes,butyouwouldnothavemeleaveitadishonouredman,’saidhe.‘Icouldnotbearthedisgrace.Imustraisethemoneyinsomeway,andifyouwillnotletmehaveit,thenImusttryothermeans.’ “Iwasveryangry,forthiswasthethirddemandduringthemonth.‘Youshallnothaveafarthingfromme,’Icried,onwhichhebowedandlefttheroomwithoutanotherword. “WhenhewasgoneIunlockedmybureau,madesurethatmytreasurewassafe,andlockeditagain.ThenIstartedtogoroundthehousetoseethatallwassecure—adutywhichIusuallyleavetoMarybutwhichIthoughtitwelltoperformmyselfthatnight.AsIcamedownthestairsIsawMaryherselfatthesidewindowofthehall,whichsheclosedandfastenedasIapproached. “‘Tellme,dad,’saidshe,looking,Ithought,alittledisturbed,‘didyougiveLucy,themaid,leavetogooutto-night?’ “‘Certainlynot.’ “‘Shecameinjustnowbythebackdoor.Ihavenodoubtthatshehasonlybeentothesidegatetoseesomeone,butIthinkthatitishardlysafeandshouldbestopped.’ “‘Youmustspeaktoherinthemorning,orIwillifyoupreferit.Areyousurethateverythingisfastened?’ “‘Quitesure,dad.’ “‘Then,good-night.’Ikissedherandwentuptomybedroomagain,whereIwassoonasleep. “Iamendeavouringtotellyoueverything,Mr.Holmes,whichmayhaveanybearinguponthecase,butIbegthatyouwillquestionmeuponanypointwhichIdonotmakeclear.” “Onthecontrary,yourstatementissingularlylucid.” “IcometoapartofmystorynowinwhichIshouldwishtobeparticularlyso.Iamnotaveryheavysleeper,andtheanxietyinmymindtended,nodoubt,tomakemeevenlesssothanusual.Abouttwointhemorning,then,Iwasawakenedbysomesoundinthehouse.IthadceasedereIwaswideawake,butithadleftanimpressionbehinditasthoughawindowhadgentlyclosedsomewhere.Ilaylisteningwithallmyears.Suddenly,tomyhorror,therewasadistinctsoundoffootstepsmovingsoftlyinthenextroom.Islippedoutofbed,allpalpitatingwithfear,andpeepedroundthecornerofmydressing-roomdoor. “‘Arthur!’Iscreamed,‘youvillain!youthief!Howdareyoutouchthatcoronet?’ “Thegaswashalfup,asIhadleftit,andmyunhappyboy,dressedonlyinhisshirtandtrousers,wasstandingbesidethelight,holdingthecoronetinhishands.Heappearedtobewrenchingatit,orbendingitwithallhisstrength.Atmycryhedroppeditfromhisgraspandturnedaspaleasdeath.Isnatcheditupandexaminedit.Oneofthegoldcorners,withthreeoftheberylsinit,wasmissing. “‘Youblackguard!’Ishouted,besidemyselfwithrage.‘Youhavedestroyedit!Youhavedishonouredmeforever!Wherearethejewelswhichyouhavestolen?’ “‘Stolen!’hecried. “‘Yes,thief!’Iroared,shakinghimbytheshoulder. “‘Therearenonemissing.Therecannotbeanymissing,’saidhe. “‘Therearethreemissing.Andyouknowwheretheyare.MustIcallyoualiaraswellasathief?DidInotseeyoutryingtotearoffanotherpiece?’ “‘Youhavecalledmenamesenough,’saidhe,‘Iwillnotstanditanylonger.Ishallnotsayanotherwordaboutthisbusiness,sinceyouhavechosentoinsultme.Iwillleaveyourhouseinthemorningandmakemyownwayintheworld.’ “‘Youshallleaveitinthehandsofthepolice!’Icriedhalf-madwithgriefandrage.‘Ishallhavethismatterprobedtothebottom.’ “‘Youshalllearnnothingfromme,’saidhewithapassionsuchasIshouldnothavethoughtwasinhisnature.‘Ifyouchoosetocallthepolice,letthepolicefindwhattheycan.’ “Bythistimethewholehousewasastir,forIhadraisedmyvoiceinmyanger.Marywasthefirsttorushintomyroom,and,atthesightofthecoronetandofArthur’sface,shereadthewholestoryand,withascream,felldownsenselessontheground.Isentthehousemaidforthepoliceandputtheinvestigationintotheirhandsatonce.Whentheinspectorandaconstableenteredthehouse,Arthur,whohadstoodsullenlywithhisarmsfolded,askedmewhetheritwasmyintentiontochargehimwiththeft.Iansweredthatithadceasedtobeaprivatematter,buthadbecomeapublicone,sincetheruinedcoronetwasnationalproperty.Iwasdeterminedthatthelawshouldhaveitswayineverything. “‘Atleast,’saidhe,‘youwillnothavemearrestedatonce.ItwouldbetoyouradvantageaswellasmineifImightleavethehouseforfiveminutes.’ “‘Thatyoumaygetaway,orperhapsthatyoumayconcealwhatyouhavestolen,’saidI.Andthen,realisingthedreadfulpositioninwhichIwasplaced,IimploredhimtorememberthatnotonlymyhonourbutthatofonewhowasfargreaterthanIwasatstakeandthathethreatenedtoraiseascandalwhichwouldconvulsethenation.Hemightavertitallifhewouldbuttellmewhathehaddonewiththethreemissingstones. “‘Youmayaswellfacethematter,’saidI‘youhavebeencaughtintheact,andnoconfessioncouldmakeyourguiltmoreheinous.Ifyoubutmakesuchreparationasisinyourpower,bytellinguswheretheberylsare,allshallbeforgivenandforgotten.’ “‘Keepyourforgivenessforthosewhoaskforit,’heanswered,turningawayfrommewithasneer.Isawthathewastoohardenedforanywordsofminetoinfluencehim.Therewasbutonewayforit.Icalledintheinspectorandgavehimintocustody.Asearchw