She swept across the room and seated herself with her backto the window. It was a queenly presence—tall, graceful, andintensely womanly. “Mr. Holmes,” she said—and her white-glovedhands clasped and unclasped as she spoke— “I will speak franklyto you in the hopes that it may induce you to speak frankly inreturn. There is complete confidence between my husband andme on all matters save one. That one is politics. On this his lipsare sealed. He tells me nothing. Now, I am aware that there was amost deplorable occurrence in our house last night. I know thata paper has disappeared. But because the matter is political myhusband refuses to take me into his complete confidence. Now itis essential—essential, I say—that I should thoroughly understandit. You are the only other person, save only these politicians,who knows the true facts. I beg you then, Mr. Holmes, to tell meexactly what has happened and what it will lead to. Tell me all, Mr.
Holmes. Let no regard for your client’s interests keep you silent,for I assure you that his interests, if he would only see it, would bebest served by taking me into his complete confidence. What wasthis paper which was stolen?”
1074 The Complete Sherlock Holmes
“Madam, what you ask me is really impossible.”
She groaned and sank her face in her hands.
“You must see that this is so, madam. If your husband thinks fitto keep you in the dark over this matter, is it for me, who has onlylearned the true facts under the pledge of professional secrecy, totell what he has withheld? It is not fair to ask it. It is him whomyou must ask.”
“I have asked him. I come to you as a last resource. But withoutyour telling me anything definite, Mr. Holmes, you may do a greatservice if you would enlighten me on one point.”
“What is it, madam?”
“Is my husband’s political career likely to suffer through thisincident?”
“Well, madam, unless it is set right it may certainly have a veryunfortunate effect.”
“Ah!” She drew in her breath sharply as one whose doubts areresolved.
“One more question, Mr. Holmes. From an expression which myhusband dropped in the first shock of this disaster I understoodthat terrible public consequences might arise from the loss of thisdocument.”
“If he said so, I certainly cannot deny it.”
“Of what nature are they?”
“Nay, madam, there again you ask me more than I can possiblyanswer.”
“Then I will take up no more of your time. I cannot blame you,Mr. Holmes, for having refused to speak more freely, and you onyour side will not, I am sure, think the worse of me because Idesire, even against his will, to share my husband’s anxieties. Oncemore I beg that you will say nothing of my visit.”
She looked back at us from the door, and I had a last impressionof that beautiful haunted face, the startled eyes, and the drawnmouth. Then she was gone.
“Now, Watson, the fair sex is your department,” said Holmes,with a smile, when the dwindling frou-frou of skirts had ended inthe slam of the front door. “What was the fair lady’s game? Whatdid she really want?”
“Surely her own statement is clear and her anxiety very natural.”
“Hum! Think of her appearance, Watson—her manner, hersuppressed excitement, her restlessness, her tenacity in askingquestions. Remember that she comes of a caste who do not lightlyshow emotion.”
“She was certainly much moved.”
“Remember also the curious earnestness with which she assuredus that it was best for her husband that she should know all. WhatThe Return of Sherlock Holmes 1075
did she mean by that? And you must have observed, Watson, howshe manoeuvred to have the light at her back. She did not wish usto read her expression.”
“Yes, she chose the one chair in the room.”
“And yet the motives of women are so inscrutable. You rememberthe woman at Margate whom I suspected for the same reason. Nopowder on her nose—that proved to be the correct solution. Howcan you build on such a quicksand? Their most trivial action maymean volumes, or their most extraordinary conduct may dependupon a hairpin or a curling tongs. Good-morning, Watson.”
“You are off?”
“Yes, I will while away the morning at Godolphin Street withour friends of the regular establishment. With Eduardo Lucas liesthe solution of our problem, though I must admit that I have notan inkling as to what form it may take. It is a capital mistake totheorize in advance of the facts. Do you stay on guard, my goodWatson, and receive any fresh visitors. I’ll join you at lunch if I amable.”
All that day and the next and the next Holmes was in a moodwhich his friends would call taciturn, and others morose. Heran out and ran in, smoked incessantly, played snatches on hisviolin, sank into reveries, devoured sandwiches at irregular hours,and hardly answered the casual questions which I put to him.
It was evident to me that things were not going well with himor his quest. He would say nothing of the case, and it was fromthe papers that I learned the particulars of the inquest, and thearrest with the subsequent release of John Mitton, the valet ofthe deceased. The coroner’s jury brought in the obvious WilfulMurder, but the parties remained as unknown as ever. No motivewas suggested. The room was full of articles of value, but nonehad been taken. The dead man’s papers had not been tamperedwith. They were carefully examined, and showed that he was akeen student of international politics, an indefatigable gossip, aremarkable linguist, and an untiring letter writer. He had been onintimate terms with the leading politicians of several countries.
But nothing sensational was discovered among the documentswhich filled his drawers. As to his relations with women, theyappeared to have been promiscuous but superficial. He had manyacquaintances among them, but few friends, and no one whom heloved. His habits were regular, his conduct inoffensive. His deathwas an absolute mystery and likely to remain so.
