XI.THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET

gebureau,andalongmirror.Holmeswenttothebureaufirstandlookedhardatthelock. “Whichkeywasusedtoopenit?”heasked. “Thatwhichmysonhimselfindicated—thatofthecupboardofthelumber-room.” “Haveyouithere?” “Thatisitonthedressing-table.” SherlockHolmestookitupandopenedthebureau. “Itisanoiselesslock,”saidhe.“Itisnowonderthatitdidnotwakeyou.Thiscase,Ipresume,containsthecoronet.Wemusthavealookatit.”Heopenedthecase,andtakingoutthediademhelaidituponthetable.Itwasamagnificentspecimenofthejeweller’sart,andthethirty-sixstoneswerethefinestthatIhaveeverseen.Atonesideofthecoronetwasacrackededge,whereacornerholdingthreegemshadbeentornaway. “Now,Mr.Holder,”saidHolmes,“hereisthecornerwhichcorrespondstothatwhichhasbeensounfortunatelylost.MightIbegthatyouwillbreakitoff.” Thebankerrecoiledinhorror.“Ishouldnotdreamoftrying,”saidhe. “ThenIwill.”Holmessuddenlybenthisstrengthuponit,butwithoutresult.“Ifeelitgivealittle,”saidhe“but,thoughIamexceptionallystronginthefingers,itwouldtakemeallmytimetobreakit.Anordinarymancouldnotdoit.Now,whatdoyouthinkwouldhappenifIdidbreakit,Mr.Holder?Therewouldbeanoiselikeapistolshot.Doyoutellmethatallthishappenedwithinafewyardsofyourbedandthatyouheardnothingofit?” “Idonotknowwhattothink.Itisalldarktome.” “Butperhapsitmaygrowlighteraswego.Whatdoyouthink,MissHolder?” “IconfessthatIstillsharemyuncle’sperplexity.” “Yoursonhadnoshoesorslippersonwhenyousawhim?” “Hehadnothingonsaveonlyhistrousersandshirt.” “Thankyou.Wehavecertainlybeenfavouredwithextraordinaryluckduringthisinquiry,anditwillbeentirelyourownfaultifwedonotsucceedinclearingthematterup.Withyourpermission,Mr.Holder,Ishallnowcontinuemyinvestigationsoutside.” Hewentalone,athisownrequest,forheexplainedthatanyunnecessaryfootmarksmightmakehistaskmoredifficult.Foranhourormorehewasatwork,returningatlastwithhisfeetheavywithsnowandhisfeaturesasinscrutableasever. “IthinkthatIhaveseennowallthatthereistosee,Mr.Holder,”saidhe“Icanserveyoubestbyreturningtomyrooms.” “Butthegems,Mr.Holmes.Wherearethey?” “Icannottell.” Thebankerwrunghishands.“Ishallneverseethemagain!”hecried.“Andmyson?Yougivemehopes?” “Myopinionisinnowayaltered.” “Then,forGod’ssake,whatwasthisdarkbusinesswhichwasactedinmyhouselastnight?” “IfyoucancalluponmeatmyBakerStreetroomsto-morrowmorningbetweennineandtenIshallbehappytodowhatIcantomakeitclearer.Iunderstandthatyougivemecarteblanchetoactforyou,providedonlythatIgetbackthegems,andthatyouplacenolimitonthesumImaydraw.” “Iwouldgivemyfortunetohavethemback.” “Verygood.Ishalllookintothematterbetweenthisandthen.Good-byeitisjustpossiblethatImayhavetocomeoverhereagainbeforeevening.” Itwasobvioustomethatmycompanion’smindwasnowmadeupaboutthecase,althoughwhathisconclusionswerewasmorethanIcouldevendimlyimagine.SeveraltimesduringourhomewardjourneyIendeavouredtosoundhimuponthepoint,buthealwaysglidedawaytosomeothertopic,untilatlastIgaveitoverindespair.Itwasnotyetthreewhenwefoundourselvesinourroomsoncemore.Hehurriedtohischamberandwasdownagaininafewminutesdressedasacommonloafer.Withhiscollarturnedup,hisshiny,seedycoat,hisredcravat,andhiswornboots,hewasaperfectsampleoftheclass. “Ithinkthatthisshoulddo,”saidhe,glancingintotheglassabovethefireplace.“Ionlywishthatyoucouldcomewithme,Watson,butIfearthatitwon’tdo.Imaybeonthetrailinthismatter,orImaybefollowingawill-o’-the-wisp,butIshallsoonknowwhichitis.IhopethatImaybebackinafewhours.”Hecutasliceofbeeffromthejointuponthesideboard,sandwicheditbetweentworoundsofbread,andthrustingthisrudemealintohispockethestartedoffuponhisexpedition. Ihadjustfinishedmyteawhenhereturned,evidentlyinexcellentspirits,swinginganoldelastic-sidedbootinhishand.Hechuckeditdownintoacornerandhelpedhimselftoacupoftea. “IonlylookedinasIpassed,”saidhe.“Iamgoingrighton.” “Whereto?” “Oh,totheothersideoftheWestEnd.ItmaybesometimebeforeIgetback.Don’twaitupformeincaseIshouldbelate.” “Howareyougettingon?” “Oh,soso.Nothingtocomplainof.IhavebeenouttoStreathamsinceIsawyoulast,butIdidnotcallatthehouse.Itisaverysweetlittleproblem,andIwouldnothavemisseditforagooddeal.However,Imustnotsitgossipinghere,butmustgetthesedisreputableclothesoffandreturntomyhighlyrespectableself.” Icouldseebyhismannerthathehadstrongerreasonsforsatisfactionthanhiswordsalonewouldimply.Hiseyestwinkled,andtherewasevenatouchofcolouruponhissallowcheeks.Hehastenedupstairs,andafewminuteslaterIheardtheslamofthehalldoor,whichtoldmethathewasoffoncemoreuponhiscongenialhunt. Iwaiteduntilmidnight,buttherewasnosignofhisreturn,soIretiredtomyroom.Itwasnouncommonthingforhimtobeawayfordaysandnightsonendwhenhewashotuponascent,sothathislatenesscausedmenosurprise.Idonotknowatwhathourhecamein,butwhenIcamedowntobreakfastinthemorningtherehewaswithacupofcoffeeinonehandandthepaperintheother,asfreshandtrimaspossible. “Youwillexcusemybeginningwithoutyou,Watson,”saidhe,“butyourememberthatourclienthasratheranearlyappointmentthismorning.” “Why,itisafterninenow,”Ianswered.“Ishouldnotbesurprisedifthatwerehe.IthoughtIheardaring.” Itwas,indeed,ourfriendthefinancier.Iwasshockedbythechangewhichhadcomeoverhim,forhisfacewhichwasnaturallyofabroadandmassivemould,wasnowpinchedandfallenin,whilehishairseemedtomeatleastashadewhiter.Heenteredwithawearinessandlethargywhichwasevenmorepainfulthanhisviolenceofthemorningbefore,andhedroppedheavilyintothearmchairwhichIpushedforwardforhim. “IdonotknowwhatIhavedonetobesoseverelytried,”saidhe.“OnlytwodaysagoIwasahappyandprosperousman,withoutacareintheworld.NowIamlefttoalonelyanddishonouredage.Onesorrowcomescloseupontheheelsofanother.Myniece,Mary,hasdesertedme.” “Desertedyou?” “Yes.Herbedthismorninghadnotbeensleptin,herroomwasempty,andanoteformelayuponthehalltable.Ihadsaidtoherlastnight,insorrowandnotinanger,thatifshehadmarriedmyboyallmighthavebeenwellwithhim.Perhapsitwasthoughtlessofmetosayso.Itistothatremarkthatsherefersinthisnote: “‘MYDEARESTUNCLE,—IfeelthatIhavebroughttroubleuponyou,andthatifIhadacteddifferentlythisterriblemisfortunemightneverhaveoccurred.Icannot,withthisthoughtinmymind,everagainbehappyunderyourroof,andIfeelthatImustleaveyouforever.Donotworryaboutmyfuture,forthatisprovidedforand,aboveall,donotsearchforme,foritwillbefruitlesslabourandanill-servicetome.Inlifeorindeath,Iameveryourloving, “‘MARY.’ “Whatcouldshemeanbythatnote,Mr.Holmes?Doyouthinkitpointstosuicide?” “No,no,nothingofthekind.Itisperhapsthebestpossiblesolution.Itrust,Mr.Holder,thatyouarenearingtheendofyourtroubles.” “Ha!Yousayso!Youhaveheardsomething,Mr.Holmesyouhavelearnedsomething!Wherearethegems?” “Youwouldnotthink￡1000apieceanexcessivesumforthem?” “Iwouldpayten.” “Thatwouldbeunnecessary.Threethousandwillcoverthematter.Andthereisalittlereward,Ifancy.Haveyouyourcheque-book?Hereisapen.Bettermakeitoutfor￡4000.” Withadazedfacethebankermadeouttherequiredcheck.Holmeswalkedovertohisdesk,tookoutalittletriangularpieceofgoldwiththreegemsinit,andthrewitdownuponthetable. Withashriekofjoyourclientclutcheditup. “Youhaveit!”hegasped.“Iamsaved!Iamsaved!” Thereactionofjoywasaspassionateashisgriefhadbeen,andhehuggedhisrecoveredgemstohisbosom. “Thereisoneotherthingyouowe,Mr.Holder,”saidSherlockHolmesrathersternly. “Owe!”Hecaughtupapen.“Namethesum,andIwillpayit.” “No,thedebtisnottome.Youoweaveryhumbleapologytothatnoblelad,yourson,whohascarriedhimselfinthismatterasIshouldbeproudtoseemyownsondo,shouldIeverchancetohaveone.” “ThenitwasnotArthurwhotookthem?” “Itoldyouyesterday,andIrepeatto-day,thatitwasnot.” “Youaresureofit!Thenletushurrytohimatoncetolethimknowthatthetruthisknown.” “Heknowsitalready.WhenIhadcleareditallupIhadaninterviewwithhim,andfindingthathewouldnottellmethestory,Itoldittohim,onwhichhehadtoconfessthatIwasrightandtoaddtheveryfewdetailswhichwerenotyetquitecleartome.Yournewsofthismorning,however,mayopenhislips.” “ForHeaven’ssake,tellme,then,whatisthisextraordinarymystery!” “Iwilldoso,andIwillshowyouthestepsbywhichIreachedit.Andletmesaytoyou,first,thatwhichitishardestformetosayandforyoutohear:therehasbeenanunderstandingbetweenSirGeorgeBurnwellandyournieceMary.Theyhavenowfledtogether.” “MyMary?Impossible!” “Itisunfortunatelymorethanpossibleitiscertain.Neitheryounoryoursonknewthetruecharacterofthismanwhenyouadmittedhimintoyourfamilycircle.HeisoneofthemostdangerousmeninEngland—aruinedgambler,anabsolutelydesperatevillain,amanwithoutheartorconscience.Yourniece