XI.THE ADVENTURE OF THE BERYL CORONET

knewnothingofsuchmen.Whenhebreathedhisvowstoher,ashehaddonetoahundredbeforeher,sheflatteredherselfthatshealonehadtouchedhisheart.Thedevilknowsbestwhathesaid,butatleastshebecamehistoolandwasinthehabitofseeinghimnearlyeveryevening.” “Icannot,andIwillnot,believeit!”criedthebankerwithanashenface. “Iwilltellyou,then,whatoccurredinyourhouselastnight.Yourniece,whenyouhad,asshethought,gonetoyourroom,slippeddownandtalkedtoherloverthroughthewindowwhichleadsintothestablelane.Hisfootmarkshadpressedrightthroughthesnow,solonghadhestoodthere.Shetoldhimofthecoronet.Hiswickedlustforgoldkindledatthenews,andhebenthertohiswill.Ihavenodoubtthatshelovedyou,buttherearewomeninwhomtheloveofaloverextinguishesallotherloves,andIthinkthatshemusthavebeenone.Shehadhardlylistenedtohisinstructionswhenshesawyoucomingdownstairs,onwhichsheclosedthewindowrapidlyandtoldyouaboutoneoftheservants’escapadewithherwooden-leggedlover,whichwasallperfectlytrue. “Yourboy,Arthur,wenttobedafterhisinterviewwithyoubuthesleptbadlyonaccountofhisuneasinessabouthisclubdebts.Inthemiddleofthenightheheardasofttreadpasshisdoor,soheroseand,lookingout,wassurprisedtoseehiscousinwalkingverystealthilyalongthepassageuntilshedisappearedintoyourdressing-room.Petrifiedwithastonishment,theladslippedonsomeclothesandwaitedthereinthedarktoseewhatwouldcomeofthisstrangeaffair.Presentlysheemergedfromtheroomagain,andinthelightofthepassage-lampyoursonsawthatshecarriedthepreciouscoronetinherhands.Shepasseddownthestairs,andhe,thrillingwithhorror,ranalongandslippedbehindthecurtainnearyourdoor,whencehecouldseewhatpassedinthehallbeneath.Hesawherstealthilyopenthewindow,handoutthecoronettosomeoneinthegloom,andthenclosingitoncemorehurrybacktoherroom,passingquiteclosetowherehestoodhidbehindthecurtain. “Aslongasshewasonthescenehecouldnottakeanyactionwithoutahorribleexposureofthewomanwhomheloved.Buttheinstantthatshewasgoneherealisedhowcrushingamisfortunethiswouldbeforyou,andhowall-importantitwastosetitright.Herusheddown,justashewas,inhisbarefeet,openedthewindow,sprangoutintothesnow,andrandownthelane,wherehecouldseeadarkfigureinthemoonlight.SirGeorgeBurnwelltriedtogetaway,butArthurcaughthim,andtherewasastrugglebetweenthem,yourladtuggingatonesideofthecoronet,andhisopponentattheother.Inthescuffle,yoursonstruckSirGeorgeandcuthimovertheeye.Thensomethingsuddenlysnapped,andyourson,findingthathehadthecoronetinhishands,rushedback,closedthewindow,ascendedtoyourroom,andhadjustobservedthatthecoronethadbeentwistedinthestruggleandwasendeavouringtostraightenitwhenyouappeareduponthescene.” “Isitpossible?”gaspedthebanker. “Youthenrousedhisangerbycallinghimnamesatamomentwhenhefeltthathehaddeservedyourwarmestthanks.Hecouldnotexplainthetruestateofaffairswithoutbetrayingonewhocertainlydeservedlittleenoughconsiderationathishands.Hetookthemorechivalrousview,however,andpreservedhersecret.” “Andthatwaswhysheshriekedandfaintedwhenshesawthecoronet,”criedMr.Holder.“Oh,myGod!whatablindfoolIhavebeen!Andhisaskingtobeallowedtogooutforfiveminutes!Thedearfellowwantedtoseeifthemissingpiecewereatthesceneofthestruggle.HowcruellyIhavemisjudgedhim!” “WhenIarrivedatthehouse,”continuedHolmes,“Iatoncewentverycarefullyroundittoobserveiftherewereanytracesinthesnowwhichmighthelpme.Iknewthatnonehadfallensincetheeveningbefore,andalsothattherehadbeenastrongfrosttopreserveimpressions.Ipassedalongthetradesmen’spath,butfounditalltrampleddownandindistinguishable.Justbeyondit,however,atthefarsideofthekitchendoor,awomanhadstoodandtalkedwithaman,whoseroundimpressionsononesideshowedthathehadawoodenleg.Icouldeventellthattheyhadbeendisturbed,forthewomanhadrunbackswiftlytothedoor,aswasshownbythedeeptoeandlightheelmarks,whileWooden-leghadwaitedalittle,andthenhadgoneaway.Ithoughtatthetimethatthismightbethemaidandhersweetheart,ofwhomyouhadalreadyspokentome,andinquiryshoweditwasso.Ipassedroundthegardenwithoutseeinganythingmorethanrandomtracks,whichItooktobethepolicebutwhenIgotintothestablelaneaverylongandcomplexstorywaswritteninthesnowinfrontofme. “Therewasadoublelineoftracksofabootedman,andaseconddoublelinewhichIsawwithdelightbelongedtoamanwithnakedfeet.Iwasatonceconvincedfromwhatyouhadtoldmethatthelatterwasyourson.Thefirsthadwalkedbothways,buttheotherhadrunswiftly,andashistreadwasmarkedinplacesoverthedepressionoftheboot,itwasobviousthathehadpassedaftertheother.Ifollowedthemupandfoundtheyledtothehallwindow,whereBootshadwornallthesnowawaywhilewaiting.ThenIwalkedtotheotherend,whichwasahundredyardsormoredownthelane.IsawwhereBootshadfacedround,wherethesnowwascutupasthoughtherehadbeenastruggle,and,finally,whereafewdropsofbloodhadfallen,toshowmethatIwasnotmistaken.Bootshadthenrundownthelane,andanotherlittlesmudgeofbloodshowedthatitwashewhohadbeenhurt.Whenhecametothehighroadattheotherend,Ifoundthatthepavementhadbeencleared,sotherewasanendtothatclue. “Onenteringthehouse,however,Iexamined,asyouremember,thesillandframeworkofthehallwindowwithmylens,andIcouldatonceseethatsomeonehadpassedout.Icoulddistinguishtheoutlineofaninstepwherethewetfoothadbeenplacedincomingin.Iwasthenbeginningtobeabletoformanopinionastowhathadoccurred.Amanhadwaitedoutsidethewindowsomeonehadbroughtthegemsthedeedhadbeenoverseenbyyoursonhehadpursuedthethiefhadstruggledwithhimtheyhadeachtuggedatthecoronet,theirunitedstrengthcausinginjurieswhichneitheralonecouldhaveeffected.Hehadreturnedwiththeprize,buthadleftafragmentinthegraspofhisopponent.SofarIwasclear.Thequestionnowwas,whowasthemanandwhowasitbroughthimthecoronet? “Itisanoldmaximofminethatwhenyouhaveexcludedtheimpossible,whateverremains,howeverimprobable,mustbethetruth.Now,Iknewthatitwasnotyouwhohadbroughtitdown,sothereonlyremainedyournieceandthemaids.Butifitwerethemaids,whyshouldyoursonallowhimselftobeaccusedintheirplace?Therecouldbenopossiblereason.Ashelovedhiscousin,however,therewasanexcellentexplanationwhyheshouldretainhersecret—themoresoasthesecretwasadisgracefulone.WhenIrememberedthatyouhadseenheratthatwindow,andhowshehadfaintedonseeingthecoronetagain,myconjecturebecameacertainty. “Andwhocoulditbewhowasherconfederate?Aloverevidently,forwhoelsecouldoutweightheloveandgratitudewhichshemustfeeltoyou?Iknewthatyouwentoutlittle,andthatyourcircleoffriendswasaverylimitedone.ButamongthemwasSirGeorgeBurnwell.Ihadheardofhimbeforeasbeingamanofevilreputationamongwomen.Itmusthavebeenhewhoworethosebootsandretainedthemissinggems.EventhoughheknewthatArthurhaddiscoveredhim,hemightstillflatterhimselfthathewassafe,fortheladcouldnotsayawordwithoutcompromisinghisownfamily. “Well,yourowngoodsensewillsuggestwhatmeasuresItooknext.IwentintheshapeofaloafertoSirGeorge’shouse,managedtopickupanacquaintancewithhisvalet,learnedthathismasterhadcuthisheadthenightbefore,and,finally,attheexpenseofsixshillings,madeallsurebybuyingapairofhiscast-offshoes.WiththeseIjourneyeddowntoStreathamandsawthattheyexactlyfittedthetracks.” “Isawanill-dressedvagabondinthelaneyesterdayevening,”saidMr.Holder. “Precisely.ItwasI.IfoundthatIhadmyman,soIcamehomeandchangedmyclothes.ItwasadelicatepartwhichIhadtoplaythen,forIsawthataprosecutionmustbeavoidedtoavertscandal,andIknewthatsoastuteavillainwouldseethatourhandsweretiedinthematter.Iwentandsawhim.Atfirst,ofcourse,hedeniedeverything.ButwhenIgavehimeveryparticularthathadoccurred,hetriedtoblusterandtookdownalife-preserverfromthewall.Iknewmyman,however,andIclappedapistoltohisheadbeforehecouldstrike.Thenhebecamealittlemorereasonable.Itoldhimthatwewouldgivehimapriceforthestonesheheld—￡1000apiece.Thatbroughtoutthefirstsignsofgriefthathehadshown.‘Why,dashitall!’saidhe,‘I’veletthemgoatsixhundredforthethree!’Isoonmanagedtogettheaddressofthereceiverwhohadthem,onpromisinghimthattherewouldbenoprosecution.OffIsettohim,andaftermuchchafferingIgotourstonesat￡1000apiece.ThenIlookedinuponyourson,toldhimthatallwasright,andeventuallygottomybedabouttwoo’clock,afterwhatImaycallareallyhardday’swork.” “AdaywhichhassavedEnglandfromagreatpublicscandal,”saidthebanker,rising.“Sir,Icannotfindwordstothankyou,butyoushallnotfindmeungratefulforwhatyouhavedone.YourskillhasindeedexceededallthatIhaveheardofit.AndnowImustflytomydearboytoapologisetohimforthewrongwhichIhavedonehim.AstowhatyoutellmeofpoorMary,itgoestomyveryheart.Notevenyourskillcaninformmewheresheisnow.” “Ithinkthatwemaysafelysay,”returnedHolmes,“thatsheiswhereverSirGeorgeBurnwellis.Itisequallycertain,too,thatwhateverhersinsare,theywillsoonreceiveamorethansufficientpunishment.”