Now, you remember the sudden end of the engagement betweenthe Honourable Miss Miles and Colonel Dorking? Only two daysbefore the wedding, there was a paragraph in the MORNINGPOST to say that it was all off. And why? It is almost incredible,but the absurd sum of twelve hundred pounds would have settledthe whole question. Is it not pitiful? And here I find you, a man ofsense, boggling about terms, when your client’s future and honourare at stake. You surprise me, Mr. Holmes.”
“What I say is true,” Holmes answered. “The money cannot befound. Surely it is better for you to take the substantial sum whichoffer than to ruin this woman’s career, which can profit you in noway?”
“There you make a mistake, Mr. Holmes. An exposure wouldprofit me indirectly to a considerable extent. I have eight or tensimilar cases maturing. If it was circulated among them that I hadmade a severe example of the Lady Eva, I should find all of themmuch more open to reason. You see my point?”
Holmes sprang from his chair.
“Get behind him, Watson! Don’t let him out! Now, sir, let us seethe contents of that notebook.”
Milverton had glided as quick as a rat to the side of the roomand stood with his back against the wall.
“Mr. Holmes, Mr. Holmes,” he said, turning the front of his coatand exhibiting the butt of a large revolver, which projected fromthe inside pocket. “I have been expecting you to do somethingoriginal. This has been done so often, and what good has evercome from it? I assure you that I am armed to the teeth, and Iam perfectly prepared to use my weapons, knowing that the lawwill support me. Besides, your supposition that I would bring theThe Return of Sherlock Holmes 971letters here in a notebook is entirely mistaken. I would do nothingso foolish. And now, gentlemen, I have one or two little interviewsthis evening, and it is a long drive to Hampstead.” He steppedforward, took up his coat, laid his hand on his revolver, and turnedto the door. I picked up a chair, but Holmes shook his head, andI laid it down again. With bow, a smile, and a twinkle, Milvertonwas out of the room, and a few moments after we heard the slamof the carriage door and the rattle of the wheels as he drove away.
Holmes sat motionless by the fire, his hands buried deep inhis trouser pockets, his chin sunk upon his breast, his eyes fixedupon the glowing embers. For half an hour he was silent and still.
Then, with the gesture of a man who has taken his decision, hesprang to his feet and passed into his bedroom. A little later arakish young workman, with a goatee beard and a swagger, lit hisclay pipe at the lamp before descending into the street. “I’ll beback some time, Watson,” said he, and vanished into the night.
I understood that he had opened his campaign against CharlesAugustus Milverton, but I little dreamed the strange shape whichthat campaign was destined to take.
For some days Holmes came and went at all hours in this attire,but beyond a remark that his time was spent at Hampstead, andthat it was not wasted, I knew nothing of what he was doing. Atlast, however, on a wild, tempestuous evening, when the windscreamed and rattled against the windows, he returned from hislast expedition, and having removed his disguise he sat before thefire and laughed heartily in his silent inward fashion.
“You would not call me a marrying man, Watson?”
“No, indeed!”
“You’ll be interested to hear that I’m engaged.”
“My dear fellow! I congrat——”
“To Milverton’s housemaid.”
“Good heavens, Holmes!”
“I wanted information, Watson.”
“Surely you have gone too far?”
“It was a most necessary step. I am a plumber with a risingbusiness, Escott, by name. I have walked out with her each evening,and I have talked with her. Good heavens, those talks! However, Ihave got all I wanted. I know Milverton’s house as I know the palmof my hand.”
“But the girl, Holmes?”
He shrugged his shoulders.
“You can’t help it, my dear Watson. You must play your cards asbest you can when such a stake is on the table. However, I rejoiceto say that I have a hated rival, who will certainly cut me out theinstant that my back is turned. What a splendid night it is!”
“You like thirlock Hols weather?”
“It suits my purpose. Watson, I mean to burgle Milverton’shouse to-night.”
I had a catching of the breath, and my skin went cold at thewords, which were slowly uttered in a tone of concentratedresolution. As a flash of lightning in the night shows up in aninstant every detail of a wild landscape, so at one glance I seemedto see every possible result of such an action—the detection,the capture, the honoured career ending in irreparable failureand disgrace, my friend himself lying at the mercy of the odiousMilverton.
“For heaven’s sake, Holmes, think what you are doing,” I cried.
“My dear fellow, I have given it every consideration. I am neverprecipitate in my actions, nor would I adopt so energetic and,indeed, so dangerous a course, if any other were possible. Letus look at the matter clearly and fairly. I suppose that you willadmit that the action is morally justifiable, though technicallycriminal. To burgle his house is no more than to forcibly take hispocketbook—an action in which you were prepared to aid me.”
I turned it over in my mind.
“Yes,” I said, “it is morally justifiable so long as our object is totake no articles save those which are used for an illegal purpose.”
“Exactly. Since it is morally justifiable, I have only to considerthe question of personal risk. Surely a gentleman should not laymuch stress upon this, when a lady is in most desperate need ofhis help?”
“You will be in such a false position.”
