No. 11 The Adventure of Beryl Coronet by Arthur Conan Doyle
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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 .Josef Friedrich, 1906

" 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 . his name is Francis prosper ."

" he stood," said Holmes, " to_the left of_the door-- that_is_to_say, farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door ? "

" yes, he_did ."

" and he_is a man with a wooden leg ? "

something like fear sprang up in_the young lady's expressive black eyes ." why, you_are like a magician," said she ." how do_you_know that ? " she smiled, but there_was no answering smile in Holmes's thin, eager face .

" i_should_be very_glad now to_go upstairs," said he ." I_shall probably wish to_go over the outside of_the house again . perhaps I had better take a look at_the lower windows before I go up ."

he walked swiftly round from one to_the other, pausing only at_the large one which looked from_the hall onto the stable lane . this he opened and made a very careful examination of_the sill with_his powerful magnifying lens ." now we_shall go upstairs," said he at last .

the banker's dressing- room was a plainly furnished little chamber, with agrey carpet, a large bureau, and a long mirror .Holmes went to_the bureau first and looked hard at_the lock .

" which key was used to open it ? " he asked .

" that which my son himself indicated-- that of_the cupboard of_the lumber- room ."

" have_you it here ? "

" that_is it on_the dressing- table ."

Sherlock Holmes took it up and opened the bureau .

" it_is a noiseless lock," said he ." it_is no wonder that_it did_not wake you . this_case, I presume, contains the coronet . we_must_have a look at it ." he opened the case, and taking out the diadem he laid it upon_the table . it_was a magnificent specimen of_the jeweller's art, and_the thirty-six stones were the finest that I_have ever seen . at one side of_the coronet was a cracked edge, where a corner holding three gems had_been torn away .

" now, Mr holder," said Holmes, " here_is_the corner which corresponds to_that which_has been so unfortunately lost . might I beg that you_will break it off ."

the banker recoiled in horror ."I should_not dream of trying," said he .

" then i_will ." Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it, but without result ." I_feel it give a little," said he; " but, though I_am exceptionally strong in_the fingers, it would take me all my_time to break it . an ordinary man could_not do_it . now, what do_you_think would happen if I_did break it, Mr holder ? there would_be a noise like a pistol shot . do_you tell me that all this happened within a few yards of your bed and_that you heard nothing of it ? "

" I_do_not know what to_think . it_is all dark to_me ."

" but perhaps it may grow lighter as_we go . what do_you_think, miss holder ? "

"I confess that I still share my uncle's perplexity ."

" your son had no shoes or slippers on when_you saw him ? "

" he had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt ."

" thank_you . we_have certainly been favoured with extraordinary luck during this inquiry, and it_will_be entirely our own fault if we_do_not succeed in clearing the matter up . with your pemmission, Mr holder, I_shall now continue my investigations outside ."

he went alone, at his own request, for he explained that any unnecessary footmarks might make his task more difficult . for an hour or more he_was at work, returning at last with_his feet heavy with snow and_his features as inscrutable as ever .

" i_think that I_have_seen now all that_there_is to_see, Mr holder," said he; " I_can serve you best by returning to my rooms ."

" but the gems, Mr Holmes . where are they ? "

" I_cannot tell ."

the banker wrung his hands ." I_shall never see them again ! " he cried ." and my son ? you give_me hopes ? "

" my opinion is in no way altered ."

" then, for god's sake, what_was this dark business which_was acted in my house last night ? "

" if_you_can call upon me at my baker street rooms to- morrow morning between nine and ten I_shall_be happy to_do what I_can to_make it clearer .I understand that you give_me carte blanche to act for_you, provided only that I get back the gems, and_that you place no limit on_the sum I_may draw ."

" i_would give my fortune to_have them back ."

" very_good . I_shall look into_the matter between this and then . good-bye; it_is just possible that I_may_have to_come over here again before evening ."

it_was obvious to_me that my companion's mind was now made up about_the case, although what his conclusions were was more than I_could even dimly imagine . several_times during our homeward journey I endeavoured to sound him upon_the point, but he always glided away to some other topic, until at last I_gave it over in despair . it_was not yet three when we_found ourselves in_our rooms once more . he hurried to_his chamber and was down again in_a_few_minutes dressed as a common loafer . with_his collar turned up, his shiny, seedy coat, his red cravat, and_his worn boots, he_was a perfect sample of_the class .

" i_think that_this should do," said he, glancing into_the glass above the fireplace ."I only wish that you_could come with me, Watson, but I_fear that_it won't do . I_may_be on_the trail in_this_matter, or I_may_be following a will-o'- the- wisp, but I_shall soon know which it_is . I_hope_that I_may_be back in a few hours ." he cut a slice of beef from_the joint upon_the sideboard, sandwiched it between two rounds of bread, and thrusting this rude meal into his pocket he started off upon his expedition .

I had just finished my tea when he returned, evidently in excellent spirits, swinging an old elastic- sided boot in_his hand . he chucked it down into a corner and helped himself to a cup of tea .

"I only looked in as I passed," said he ." I_am going right on ."

" where to ? "

"Oh, to_the other side of_the west end . it may_be some_time before I get back .Don't wait up for_me in_case i_should_be late ."

" how are_you getting on ? "

"Oh, so so . nothing to complain of . I_have_been out to Streatham since I_saw you last, but I_did_not call at_the house . it_is a very sweet little problem, and i_would_not have missed it for a good_deal . however, I_must not sit gossiping here, but must get these disreputable clothes off and return to my highly respectable self ."

I could_see by his manner that he had stronger reasons for satisfaction than his words alone would imply . his eyes twinkled, and there_was even a touch of colour upon his sallow cheeks . he hastened upstairs, and a few_minutes later I heard the slam of_the hall door, which told me that he_was off once more upon his congenial hunt .

I waited until midnight, but there_was no sign of_his return, so I retired to my room . it_was no uncommon thing for him to_be away for days and nights on end when he_was hot upon a scent, so_that his lateness caused me no surprise . I_do_not know at what hour he_came in, but when I_came down to breakfast in_the morning there he_was with a cup of coffee in one hand and_the paper in_the other, as fresh and trim as possible .

" you_will excuse my beginning without you, Watson," said he, " but you remember that_our client has rather an early appointment this_morning ."

" why, it_is after nine now," I answered ."I should_not_be surprised if_that were he . i_thought I heard a ring ."

it_was, indeed, our friend the financier . i_was shocked by_the change which had come over him, for_his face which_was naturally of a broad and massive mould, was now pinched and fallen in, while his hair seemed to_me at_least a shade whiter . he entered with a weariness and lethargy which_was even more painful than his violence of_the morning before, and he dropped heavily into_the armchair which I pushed forward for him .

" I_do_not know what I_have_done to_be so severely tried," said he ." only two days_ago i_was a happy and prosperous man, without a care in_the_world . now I_am left to a lonely and dishonoured age . one sorrow comes close upon_the heels of another . my niece, Mary, has deserted me ."

" deserted you ? "

" yes . her bed this_morning had_not_been slept in, her room was empty, and a note for_me lay upon_the hall table .I had said to her last night, in sorrow and not in anger, that if she had married my boy all might_have_been well with_him . perhaps it_was thoughtless of me to_say so . it_is to_that remark that she refers in_this note:

"' my dearest uncle:-- I_feel that I_have brought trouble upon you, and_that if I had acted differently this terrible misfortune might never have occurred . I_cannot, with_this thought in my mind, ever again be happy under your roof, and I_feel that I_must leave you forever . do_not worry about_my future, for_that is provided for; and, above all, do_not search for_me, for it_will_be fruitless labour and an ill- service to_me . in life or in death, I_am ever your loving MARY .'

" what could she mean by_that note, Mr Holmes ? do_you_think it points to suicide ? "

" no, no, nothing of_the kind . it_is perhaps the best possible solution .I trust, Mr holder, that you_are nearing the end of your troubles ."

"Ha ! you say so ! you_have heard something, Mr Holmes; you_have learned something ! where are the gems ? "

" you_would_not think 1000 pounds apiece an

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