of his coat。
〃I have not the heart to interrupt your breakfast any further； and
yet I am dying to know how you got it and where it was。〃
Sherlock Holmes swallowed a cup of coffee and turned his attention
to the ham and eggs。 Then he rose； lit his pipe； and settled himself
down into his chair。
〃I'll tell you what I did first； and how I came to do it
afterwards；〃 said he。 〃After leaving you at the station I went for a
charming walk through some admirable Surrey scenery to a pretty little
village called Ripley； where I had my tea at an inn and took the
precaution of filling my flask and of putting a paper of sandwiches in
my pocket。 There I remained until evening； when I set off for Woking
again and found myself in the highroad outside Briarbrae just after
sunset。
〃Well； I waited until the road was clear…it is never a very
frequented one at any time； I fancy…and then I clambered over the
fence into the grounds。〃
〃Surely the gate was open！' ejaculated Phelps。
〃Yes； but I have a peculiar taste in these matters。 I chose the
place where the three fir…trees stand； and behind their screen I got
over without the least chance of anyone in the house being able to see
me。 I crouched down among the bushes on the other side and crawled
from one to the other…witness the disreputable state of my trouser
knees…until I had reached the clump of rhododendrons just opposite
to your bedroom window。 There I squatted down and awaited
developments。
〃The blind was not down in your room； and I could see Miss
Harrison sitting there reading by the table。 It was quarter…past ten
when she closed her book； fastened the shutters； and retired。
〃I heard her shut the door and felt quite sure that she had turned
the key in the lock。〃
〃The key！〃 ejaculated Phelps。
〃Yes； I had given Miss Harrison instructions to lock the door on the
outside and take the key with her when she went to bed。 She carried
out every one of my injunctions to the letter； and certainly without
her cooperation you would not have that paper in your coat…pocket。 She
departed then and the lights went out； and I was left squatting in the
rhododendron…bush。
〃The night was fine； but still it was a very weary vigil。 Of
course it has the sort of excitement about it that the sportsman feels
when he lies beside the water course and waits for the big game。 It
was very long； though…almost as long； Watson； as when you and I waited
in that deadly room when we looked into the little problem of the
Speckled Band。 There was a church…clock down at Woking which struck
the quarters； and I thought more than once that it had stopped。 At
last； however； about two in the morning； I suddenly heard the gentle
sound of a bolt being pushed back and the creaking of a key。 A
moment later the servants' door was opened； and Mr。 Joseph Harrison
stepped out into the moonlight。〃
〃Joseph！〃 ejaculated Phelps。
〃He was bare…headed； but he had a black cloak thrown over his
shoulder； so that he could conceal his face in an instant if there
were any alarm。 He walked on tiptoe under the shadow of the wall；
and when he reached the window he worked a long…bladed knife through
the sash and pushed back the catch。 Then he flung open the window； and
putting his knife through the crack in the shutters； he thrust the bar
up and swung them open。
〃From where I lay I had a perfect view of the inside of the room and
of every one of his movements。 He lit the two candles which stood upon
the mantelpiece； and then he proceeded to turn back the corner of
the carpet in the neighbourhood of the door。 Presently he stooped
and picked out a square piece of board； such as is usually left to
enable plumbers to get at the joints of the gas…pipes。 This one
covered； as a matter of fact； the T joint which gives off the pipe
which supplies the kitchen underneath。 Out of this hiding…place he
drew that little cylinder of paper； pushed down the board；
rearranged the carpet； blew out the candles； and walked straight
into my arms as I stood waiting for him outside the window。
〃Well； he has rather more viciousness than I gave him credit for；
has Master Joseph。 He flew at me with his knife； and I had to grasp
him twice； and got a cut over the knuckles； before I had the upper
hand of him。 He looked murder out of the only eye he could see with
when we had finished； but he listened to reason and gave up the
papers。 Having got them I let my man go； but I wired full
particulars to Forbes this morning。 If he is quick enough to catch his
bird； well and good。 But if； as I shrewdly suspect； he finds the
nest empty before he gets there； why； all the better for the
government。 I fancy that Lord Holdhurst； for one； and Mr。 Percy Phelps
for another； would very much rather that the affair never got as far
as a police…court。〃
〃My God！〃 gasped our client。 〃Do you tell me that during these
long ten weeks of agony the stolen papers were within the very room
with me all the time？〃
〃So it was。〃
〃And Joseph！ Joseph a villain and a thief！〃
〃Hum！ I am afraid Joseph's character is a rather deeper and more
dangerous one than one might judge from his appearance。 From what I
have heard from him this morning； I gather that he has lost heavily in
dabbling with stocks； and that he is ready to do anything on earth
to better his fortunes。 Being an absolutely selfish man； when a chance
presents itself he did not allow either his sister's happiness or your
reputation to hold his hand。〃
Percy Phelps sank back in his chair。 〃My head whirls；〃 said he。
〃Your words have dazed me。〃
〃The principal difficulty in your case；〃 remarked Holmes in his
didactic fashion； 〃lay in the fact of there being too much evidence。
What was vital was overlaid and hidden by what was irrelevant。 Of
all the facts which were presented to us we had to pick just those
which we deemed to be essential； and then piece them together in their
order； so as to reconstruct this very remarkable chain of events。 I
had already begun to suspect Joseph from the fact that you had
intended to travel home with him that night； and that therefore it was
a likely enough thing that he should call for you； knowing the Foreign
Office well； upon his way。 When I heard that someone had been so
anxious to get into the bedroom； in which no one but Joseph could have
concealed anything…you told us in your narrative how you had turned
Joseph out when you arrived with the doctor…my suspicions all
changed to certainties； especially as the attempt was made on the
first night upon which the nurse was absent； showing that the intruder
was well acquainted with the ways of the house。〃
〃How blind I have been！〃
〃The facts of the case； as far as I have worked them out； are these：
This Joseph Harrison entered the office through the Charles Street
door； and knowing his way he walked straight into your room the
instant after you left it。 Finding no one there he promptly rang the
bell； and at the instant that he did so his eyes caught the paper upon
the table。 A glance showed him that chance had put in his way a
State document of immense value； and in an instant he had thrust it
into his pocket and was gone。 A few minutes elapsed； as you
remember； before the sleepy commissionaire drew your attention to
the bell； and those were just enough to give the thief time to make
his escape。
〃He made his way to Woking by the first train； and； having
examined his booty and assured himself that it really was of immense
value； he had concealed it in what he thought was a very safe place；
with the intention of taking it out again in a day or two； and
carrying it to the French embassy； or wherever he thought that a
long price was to be had。 Then came your sudden return。 He； without
a moment's warning； was bundled out of his room； and from that time
onward there were always at least two of you there to prevent him from
regaining his treasure。 The situation to him must have been a
maddening one。 But at last he thought he saw his chance。 He tried to
steal in； but was baffled by your wakefulness。 You may remember that
you did not take your usual draught that night。〃
〃I remember。〃
〃I fancy that he had taken steps to make that draught efficacious；
and that he quite relied upon your being unconscious。 Of course； I
understood that he would repeat the attempt whenever it could be
done with safety。 Your leaving the room gave him the chance he wanted。
I kept Miss Harrison in it all day so that he might not anticipate us。
Then； having given him the idea that the coast was clear； I kept guard
as I have described。 I already knew that the papers were probably in
the room； but I had no desire to rip up all the planking and
skirting in search of them。 I let him take them； therefore； from the
hiding…place； and so saved myself an infinity of trouble。 Is there any
other point which I can make clear？〃
〃Why did he try the window on the first occasion；〃 I asked； 〃when he
might have entered by the door？〃
〃In reaching the door he would have to pass seven bedrooms。 On the
other hand； he could get out on to the lawn with case。 Anything else？〃
〃You do not think；〃 asked Phelps； 〃that he had any murderous
intention？ The knife was only meant as a tool。〃
〃It may be so；〃 answered Holmes； shrugging his shoulders。 〃I can
only say for certain that Mr。 Joseph Harrison is a gentleman to
whose mercy I should be extremely unwilling to trust。〃
THE END
。