into the sunshine！〃
〃No； thank you； Joseph。 I have a slight headache and this room is
deliciously cool and soothing。〃
〃What do you propose now； Mr。 Holmes？〃 asked our client。
〃Well； in investigating this minor affair we must not lose sight
of our main inquiry。 It would be a very great help to me if you
would come up to London with us。〃
〃At once？〃
〃Well； as soon as you conveniently can。 Say in an hour。〃
〃I feel quite strong enough； if I can really be of any help。〃
〃The greatest possible。〃
〃Perhaps you would like me to stay there to…night？〃
〃I was just going to propose it。〃
〃Then； if my friend of the night comes to revisit me； he will find
the bird flown。 We are all in your hands； Mr。 Holmes； and you must
tell us exactly what you would like done。 Perhaps you would prefer
that Joseph came with us so as to look after me？〃
〃Oh； no； my friend Watson is a medical man； you know； and he'll look
after you。 We'll have our lunch here； if you will permit us； and
then we shall all three set off for town together。〃
It was arranged as he suggested； though Miss Harrison excused
herself from leaving the bedroom； in accordance with Holmes's
suggestion。 What the object of my friend's maneuvres was I could not
conceive； unless it were to keep the lady away from Phelps； who；
rejoiced by his returning health and by the prospect of action；
lunched with us in the dining…room。 Holmes had a still more
startling surprise for us； however； for； after accompanying us down to
the station and seeing us into our carriage； he calmly announced
that he had no intention of leaving Woking。
〃There are one or two small points which I should desire to clear up
before I go；〃 said he。 〃Your absence； Mr。 Phelps； will in some ways
rather assist me。 Watson； when you reach London you would oblige me by
driving at once to Baker Street with our friend here； and remaining
with him until I see you again。 It is fortunate that you are old
school…fellows； as you must have much to talk over。 Mr。 Phelps can
have the spare bedroom to…night； and I will be with you in time for
breakfast； for there is a train which will take me into Waterloo at
eight。〃
〃But how about our investigation in London？〃 asked Phelps ruefully。
〃We can do that to…morrow。 I think that just at present I can be
of more immediate use here。〃
〃You might tell them at Briarbrae that I hope to be back to…morrow
night；〃 cried Phelps； as we began to move from the platform。
〃I hardly expect to go back to Briarbrae；〃 answered Holmes； and
waved his hand to us cheerily as we shot out from the station。
Phelps and I talked it over on our journey； but neither of us
could devise a satisfactory reason for this new development。
〃I suppose he wants to find out some clues as to the burglary last
night； if a burglar it was。 For myself； I don't believe it was an
ordinary thief。〃
〃What is your own idea； then？〃
〃Upon my word； you may put it down to my weak nerves or not； but I
believe there is some deep political intrigue going on around me；
and that for some reason that passes my understanding my life is aimed
at by the conspirators。 It sounds high…flown and absurd； but
consider the facts！ Why should a thief try to break in at a bedroom
window where there could be no hope of any plunder； and why should
he come with a long knife in his hand？〃
〃You are sure it was not a house…breaker's jimmy？〃
〃Oh； no； it was a knife。 I saw the flash of the blade quite
distinctly。〃
〃But why on earth should you be pursued with such animosity？〃
〃Ah； that is the question。〃
〃Well； if Holmes takes the same view； that would account for his
action； would it not？ Presuming that your theory is correct； if he can
lay his hands upon the man who threatened you last night he will
have gone a long way towards finding who took the naval treaty。 It
is absurd to suppose that you have two enemies； one of whom robs
you； while the other threatens your life。〃
〃But Holmes said that he was not going to Briarbrae。〃
〃I have known him for some time；〃 said I； 〃but I never knew him do
anything yet without a very good reason；〃 and with that our
conversation drifted off on to other topics。
But it was a weary day for me。 Phelps was still weak after his
long illness； and his misfortunes made him querulous and nervous。 In
vain I endeavoured to interest him in Afghanistan； in India； in social
questions； in anything which might take his mind out of the groove。 He
would always come back to his lost treaty； wondering； guessing；
speculating as to what Holmes was doing； what steps Lord Holdhurst was
taking； what news we should have in the morning。 As the evening wore
on his excitement became quite painful。
〃You have implicit faith in Holmes？〃 he asked。
〃I have seen him do some remarkable things。〃
〃But he never brought light into anything quite so dark as this？〃
〃Oh； yes； I have known him solve questions which presented fewer
clues than yours。〃
〃But not where such large interests are at stake？〃
〃I don't know that。 To my certain knowledge he has acted on behalf
of three of the reigning houses of Europe in very vital matters。〃
〃But you know him well； Watson。 He is such an inscrutable fellow
that I never quite know what to make of him。 Do you think he is
hopeful？ Do you think he expects to make a success of it？〃
〃He has said nothing。〃
〃That is a bad sign。〃
〃On the contrary。 I have noticed that when he is off the trail he
generally says so。 It is when he is on a scent and is not quite
absolutely sure yet that it is the right one that he is most taciturn。
Now； my dear fellow； we can't help matters by making ourselves nervous
about them； so let me implore you to go to bed and so be fresh for
whatever may await us to…morrow。〃
I was able at last to persuade my companion to take my advice；
though I knew from his excited manner that there was not much hope
of sleep for him。 Indeed； his mood was infectious； for I lay tossing
half the night myself； brooding over this strange problem and
inventing a hundred theories； each of which was more impossible than
the last。 Why had Holmes remained at Woking？ Why had he asked Miss
Harrison to remain in the sick…room all day？ Why had he been so
careful not to inform the people at Briarbrae that he intended to
remain near them？ I cudgelled my brains until I fell asleep in the
endeavour to find some explanation which would cover all these facts。
It was seven o'clock when I awoke； and I set off at once for
Phelps's room to find him haggard and spent after a sleepless night。
His first question was whether Holmes had arrived yet。
〃He'll be here when he promised；〃 said I； 〃and not an instant sooner
or later。〃
And my words were true； for shortly after eight a hansom dashed up
to the door and our friend got out of it。 Standing in the window we
saw that his left hand was swathed in a bandage and that his face
was very grim and pale。 He entered the house； but it was some little
time before he came upstairs。
〃He looks like a beaten man；〃 cried Phelps。
I was forced to confess that he was right。 〃After all；〃 said I； 〃the
clue of the matter lies probably here in town。〃
Phelps gave a groan。
〃I don't know how it is；〃 said he； 〃but I had hoped for so much from
his return。 But surely his hand was not tied up like that yesterday。
What can be the matter？〃
〃You are not wounded； Holmes？〃 I asked as my friend entered the
room。
〃Tut； it is only a scratch through my own clumsiness；〃 he
answered； nodding his good…morning to us。 〃This case of yours； Mr。
Phelps； is certainly one of the darkest which I have ever
investigated。〃
〃I feared that you would find it beyond you。〃
〃It has been a most remarkable experience。〃
〃That bandage tells of adventures；〃 said I。 〃Won't you tell us
what has happened？〃
〃After breakfast； my dear Watson。 Remember that I have breathed
thirty miles of Surrey air this morning。 I suppose that there has been
no answer from my cabman advertisement？ Well； well； we cannot expect
to score every time。〃
The table was all laid； and just as I was about to ring Mrs。
Hudson entered with the tea and coffee。 A few minutes later she
brought in three covers； and we all drew up to the table； Holmes
ravenous； I curious； and Phelps in the gloomiest state of depression。
〃Mrs。 Hudson has risen to the occasion；〃 said Holmes； uncovering a
dish of curried chicken。 〃Her cuisine is a little limited； but she has
as good an idea of breakfast as a Scotchwoman。 What have you there；
Watson？〃
〃Ham and eggs；〃 I answered。
〃Good！ What are you going to take； Mr。 Phelps…curried fowl or
eggs； or will you help yourself？〃
〃Thank you。 I can eat nothing；〃 said Phelps。
〃Oh； come！ Try the dish before you。〃
〃Thank you； I would really rather not。〃
〃Well； then；〃 said Holmes with a mischievous twinkle； 〃I suppose
that you have no objection to helping me？〃
Phelps raised the cover； and as he did so he uttered a scream and
sat there staring with a face as white as the plate upon which he
looked。 Across the centre of it was lying a little cylinder of
blue…gray paper。 He caught it up； devoured it with his eyes； and
then danced madly about the room； pressing it to his bosom and
shrieking out in his delight。 Then he fell back into an armchair； so
limp and exhausted with his own emotions that we had to pour brandy
down his throat to keep him from fainting。
〃There！ there！〃 said Holmes soothingly； patting him upon the
shoulder。 〃It was too bad to spring it on you like this； but Watson
here will tell you that I never can resist a touch of the dramatic。〃
Phelps seized his hand and kissed it。 〃God bless you！〃 he cried。
〃You have saved my honour。〃
〃Well； my own was at stake； you know；〃 said Holmes。 〃I assure you it
is just as hateful to me to fail in a case as it can be to you to
blunder over a commission。〃
Phelps thrust away the precious document into the innermost pocket
of his coat。
〃I have not the heart to interrupt your breakfast any further； and
yet I am dying to know