which I was placed； I implored him to remember that not only my honour
but that of one who was far greater than I was at stake； and that he
threatened to raise a scandal which would convulse the nation。 He
might avert it all if he 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 in
the act； and no confession could make your guilt more heinous。 If
you but make such reparation as is in your power； by telling us
where the beryls are； 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
for any words of mine to influence him。 There was but one way for
it。 I called in the inspector and gave him into custody。 A search
was made at once not only of his person but of his room and of every
portion of the house where he could possibly have concealed the
gems； but no trace of them could be found； nor would the wretched
boy open his mouth for all our persuasions 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 to implore you to use
your skill in unravelling the matter。 The police have openly confessed
that they can at present make nothing of it。 You may go to any expense
which you think necessary。 I have already offered a reward of L1000。
My God； what shall I do！ I have lost my honour； my gems； 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 brows
knitted 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 of
Arthur'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
four…and twenty。〃
〃This matter； from what you say； seems to have been a shock to her
also。〃
〃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 coronet in
his hands。〃
〃I hardly consider that a conclusive proof。 Was the remainder of the
coronet at all injured？〃
〃Yes； it was twisted。〃
〃Do you not think； then； that he might have been trying to
straighten it？〃
〃God bless you！ You are doing what you can for him and for me。 But
it is too heavy a task。 What was he doing there at all？ If his purpose
were innocent； why did he not say so？〃
〃Precisely。 And if it were guilty； why did he not invent a lie？
His silence appears to me to cut both ways。 there are several singular
points about the case。 What did the police think of the noise which
awoke you from your sleep？〃
〃They considered that it might be caused by Arthur's closing his
bedroom door。〃
〃A likely story！ As if a man bent on felony would slam his door so
as to wake a household。 What did they say； then； of the
disappearance of these gems？〃
〃They are still sounding the planking and probing the furniture in
the hope of finding them。〃
〃Have they thought of looking outside the house？〃
〃Yes； they have shown extraordinary energy。 The whole garden has
already been minutely examined。〃
〃Now； my dear sir；〃 said Holmes； 〃is it not obvious to you now
that this matter really strikes very much deeper than either you or
the police were at first inclined to think？ It appeared to you to be a
simple case； to me it seems exceedingly complex。 Consider what is
involved by your theory。 You suppose that your son came down from
his bed； went； at great risk； to your dressing…room； opened your
bureau； took out your coronet； broke off by main force a small portion
of it； went off to some other place； concealed three gems out of the
thirty…nine； with such skill that nobody can find them； and then
returned with the other thirty…six into the room in which he exposed
himself to the greatest danger of being discovered。 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 to glancing 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 were
deeply stirred by the story to which we had listened。 I confess that
the guilt of the banker's son appeared to me to be as obvious as it
did to his unhappy father； but still I had such faith in Holmes's
judgment that I felt that there must be some grounds for hope as
long as he was dissatisfied with the accepted explanation。 He hardly
spoke a word the whole way out to the southern suburb； but sat with
his chin upon his breast and his hat drawn over his eyes； sunk in
the deepest thought。 Our client appeared to have taken fresh heart
at the little glimpse of hope which had been presented to him； and
he even broke into a desultory chat with me over his business affairs。
A short railway journey and a shorter walk brought us to Fairbank； the
modest residence of the great financier。
Fairbank was a good…sized square house of white stone； standing back
a little 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 narrow path between two neat hedges stretching from the road to
the kitchen door； and forming the tradesmen's entrance。 On the left
ran a lane which led to the stables； and was not itself within the
grounds at all； being a public； though little used； thoroughfare。
Holmes left us standing at the door and walked slowly all round the
house； across the front； down the tradesmen'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 and waited by the fire until he should
return。 We were sitting there in silence when the door opened and a
young lady came in。 She was rather above the middle height； slim； with
dark hair and eyes； which seemed the darker against the absolute
pallor of her skin。 I do not think that I have ever seen such deadly
paleness in a woman's face。 Her lips； too； were bloodless； but her
eyes were flushed with crying。 As she swept silently into the room she
impressed me with a greater sense of grief than the banker had done in
the morning； and it was the more striking in her as she was
evidently a woman of strong character； with immense capacity for
self…restraint。 Disregarding my presence； she went straight to her
uncle and 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
sorry for having acted so harshly。〃
〃Why is he silent； then； if he is innocent？〃
〃Who knows？ Perhaps because he was so angry that you should
suspect him。〃
〃How could I help suspecting him； when I actually saw him with the
coronet in his hand？〃
〃Oh； but he had only picked it up to look at it。 Oh； do； do take
my word for it that he is innocent。 Let the matter drop and say no
more。 It is so dreadful to think of our dear Arthur in prison！〃
〃I shall never let it drop until the gems are found…never； Mary！
Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences to
me。 Far from hushing the thing up； I have brought a gentleman down
from London 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 the
stable lane now。〃
〃The stable lane？〃 She raised her dark eyebrows。 〃What can he hope
to find there？ Ah！ this； I suppose； is he。 I trust； sir； that you will
succeed in proving； what I feel sure is the truth。 that my cousin
Arthur is innocent of this 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 ask you 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 I came down。〃
〃You shut up the windows and doors the night before。 Did you
fasten all the windows？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Were they all fastened this morning？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You have a maid who has a sweetheart？ I think that you remarked
to your uncle last night that she had been out to see him？〃
〃Yes； and she was the girl who waited in the drawing…room； and who
may have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet。〃
〃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 banker
impatiently； 〃When I have told you that I saw Arthur with the
coronet in his 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
met her 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。
H