The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plan* by Arthur Conan Doyle

The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plan* by Arthur Conan Doyle
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Cadogan Wests

small but well - kept house in_the outskirts of_the town sheltered the bereaved mother the old lady was too dazed with grief to_be any use to_us , but her side was white - faced young lady , who introduced herself miss violet Westbury, the fiancee of_the dead man , and_the last to_see him upon that fatal night

" I_cannot explain , Mr Holmes," she said " I_have_not shut eye since_the tragedy , thinking, thinking, thinking, night and day , what the true meaning can_be Arthur was_the most single - minded , chivalrous , patriotic man upon earth he_would_have cut his right hand off before sell state secret confided to_his keeping it_is absurd , impossible , preposterous anyone who knew him "

" but the facts, miss Westbury ? "

" yes , yes ; I admit I_cannot explain them "

" was any want money ? "

" ; his needs were very simple and_his salary ample had saved few hundreds, and were marry at_the new year "

" signs any mental excitement ? come , miss Westbury, absolutely frank with_us "

the quick eye of_my companion had noted some change her manner she coloured and hesitated

" yes ," she said last , "I had feeling that there_was something on_his mind "

" for long ? "

" only for_the_last week he_was thoughtful and worried once I pressed him about_it admitted that there_was something , and that_it_was concerned with_his official life ' it_is too serious for_me to_speak about , even to_you ,' said I_could get nothing more "

Holmes looked grave

" , miss Westbury even if_it seems to_tell against him , we_cannot_say what may lead ,"

" indeed , I_have nothing more to_tell once_or_twice seemed to_me that he_was on_the point telling something spoke one evening of_the importance of_the secret , and I_have some recollection that he_said that no_doubt foreign spies would pay great deal to_have "

friend 's face grew graver still

" anything else ? "

" he_said that were slack about such matters- that_it would_be easy for traitor to_get the plans "

" was_it only recently that he_made such remarks ? "

" yes , quite recently "

" now tell of_that last evening "

" were to_go to_the theatre the fog was thick that cab was useless walked , and_our way took to_the office suddenly darted away into_the fog "

" without word ? "

" he_gave exclamation ; that was all I waited but never returned then I walked home next morning , after_the office opened , they came inquire about twelve o'clock heard the terrible news Oh, Mr Holmes, if_you_could only , only save his honour ! it_was so_much him "

Holmes shook his head sadly

" come , Watson," said , " our ways lie elsewhere our next station must_be the office from_which the papers were taken

" it_was black enough before against this young man , but our inquiries make blacker ," remarked as_the cab lumbered off " his coming marriage gives motive for_the crime naturally wanted money the idea was in_his head , since spoke about_it nearly made the girl accomplice in_the treason telling her his plans it_is all very bad "

" but surely , Holmes, character goes for something ? then , again , why should leave the girl in_the street and dart away commit felony ? "

" exactly ! there_are certainly objections but it_is formidable case which_they_have meet "

Mr Sidney Johnson , the senior clerk , met at_the office and received with_that respect which companion 's card always commanded he_was thin , gruff , bespectacled man middle age , his cheeks haggard , and_his hands twitching from_the nervous strain to_which had_been subjected

" it_is bad , Mr Holmes, very bad ! have_you heard of_the death of_the chief ? "

" we_have just come from_his house "

" the place disorganized the chief dead , Cadogan west dead , our papers stolen and yet , when closed our door Monday evening , were efficient office any in_the government service good god , 's dreadful to_think off that west , all men , should_have done such thing ! "

" you_are_sure of_his guilt , then ? "

" I_can_see other way out and yet i_would_have trusted him I trust myself "

" what hour was_the office closed Monday ? "

" five "

" did you ? "

" I_am always the last man out "

" where were the plans ? "

" in_that safe I put them there myself "

" is_there watchman to_the building ? "

" there_is , but has other departments look after as_well he_is old soldier and most trustworthy man he_saw nothing that evening of_course the fog was very thick "

" suppose that Cadogan west wished to_make his way into_the building after hours; he_would need three keys, would not , before he_could reach the papers ? "

" yes , he_would the key of_the outer door , the key of_the office , and_the key of_the safe "

" only sir James Walter and you had those keys ? "

"I had keys of_the doors- only of_the safe "

" was sir James man who was orderly in_his habits ? "

" yes , i_think he_was I_know that so_far as_those three keys are concerned kept them on_the same ring I_have often seen them there "

" and_that ring went with_him London ? "

" he_said "

" and your key never left your possession ? "

" never "

" then west , is_the culprit , must_have had duplicate and yet none were found upon his body one other point : clerk in_this office desired to_sell the plans, would not simpler copy the plans for himself than take_the originals, was actually done ? "

" would take considerable technical knowledge copy the plans effective way "

" but I suppose either sir James, you , west had that technical knowledge ? "

" no_doubt had , but I beg you won 't try drag into_the matter , Mr Holmes what_is the use of_our speculating in_this_way when_the original plans were actually found west ? "

" well , it_is certainly singular that he_should run the risk taking originals he_could safely have taken copies, which would_have equally served his turn "

" singular , no_doubt - and yet he_did "

" every inquiry this_case reveals something inexplicable now there_are three papers still missing they_are , I understand , the vital ones "

" yes , that_is "

" do_you_mean to_say that anyone holding these three papers, and without the seven others, could construct Bruce-Partington submarine ? "

"I reported to_that effect to_the admiralty but - day I_have_been over the drawings again , and I_am not sure the double valves with_the automatic self -adjusting slots are drawn one_of_the papers which_have been returned until the foreigners had invented that for themselves they_could_not make_the boat of_course they_might soon get over the difficulty "

" but the three missing drawings are the most important ? "

" undoubtedly "

" i_think , with your permission , i_will now take stroll round the premises I_do_not recall any_other question which I desired ask "

examined the lock of_the safe , the door of_the room , and finally the iron shutters of_the window it_was only when were on_the lawn outside that his interest was strongly excited there_was laurel bush outside the window , and several of_the branches bore signs having been twisted snapped examined them carefully with_his lens , and then some dim and vague marks upon_the earth beneath finally asked the chief clerk the iron shutters, and pointed out to_me that_they hardly met in_the centre, and_that would_be possible for anyone outside to_see what_was going within_the room

" the indications are ruined by_the three days' delay they_may mean something nothing well , Watson, I_do_not_think that Woolwich can help_us further it_is small crop which we_have gathered let_us_see if_we_can better London "

yet added one more sheaf our harvest before left Woolwich station the clerk in_the ticket office was able_to_say with confidence that he_saw Cadogan west - whom he_knew well sight - upon_the Monday night , and_that went London by_the 8:15 London bridge he_was alone and took single third - class ticket the clerk was struck at_the_time his excited and nervous manner shaky was that he_could hardly pick his change , and_the clerk had helped him with reference to_the timetable showed that_the 8:15 was_the first train which it_was possible for west to_take after had left the lady about 7:30

" let_us reconstruct , Watson," said Holmes after half hour silence " I_am not aware that all our joint researches we_have ever had case which_was more difficult to_get every fresh advance which we_make only reveals fresh ridge beyond and yet we_have surely made some appreciable progress

" the effect of_our inquiries Woolwich has in_the main been against young Cadogan west ; but the indications at_the window would lend themselves more favourable hypothesis let_us suppose , for example , that had_been approached some foreign agent might_have_been done under such pledges would_have prevented him from speaking , and yet affected his thoughts in_the direction indicated his remarks to_his fiancee very_good we_will now suppose that went to_the theatre with_the young lady suddenly , in_the fog , caught glimpse of_this same agent going in_the of_the office he_was impetuous man , quick in_his decisions everything gave way to_his duty followed the man , reached the window , saw the abstraction of_the documents, and pursued the thief in_this_way get over the objection that one would take originals when he_could make copies this outsider had to_take originals so_far holds together "

" what_is the next step ? "

" then come into difficulties one would imagine that under such circumstances the first act young Cadogan west would_be seize the villain and raise the alarm why did not do_so ? could have_been official superior who took the papers ? that_would explain west 's conduct could the chief have given west the slip in_the fog , and west started once London head him off from_his own rooms, presuming that he_knew where the rooms were ? the call must_have been very pressing, since left his girl standing in_the fog and made effort communicate with her our scent runs cold here , and there_is vast gap between either hypothesis and_the laying west 's body , with seven papers in_his pocket , on_the roof metropolitan train instinct now work from_the other end Mycroft has_given the list addresses we_may_be_able pick our man and follow two tracks instead one "

surely enough , note awaited baker street government messenger had brought post - haste Holmes glanced and threw over to_me

" there_are numerous small fry , but few who_would handle big affair the only men worth considering are Adolph Meyer , 13 great George street , Westminster; Louis La Rothiere, Campden Mansions, Notting hill ; and Hugo Oberstein, 13 Caulfield Gardens, Kensington the latter was known to_be town Monday and_is now reported having left glad_to_hear you_have seen some light the cabinet awaits your final report with_the utmost anxiety urgent representations have arrived from_the very highest quarter the whole force of_the state your back you_should need

MYCROFT

"I'm afraid ," said Holmes, smiling, " that all the queen 's horses and all the queen 's men cannot avail in_this_matter " had spread out his big map London and leaned eagerly over " well , well ," said presently with exclamation satisfaction , " things are turning little in_our direction last why , Watson, I_do honestly believe that we_are going pull off , after all " slapped on_the shoulder with sudden burst hilarity , " I_am going out now it_is only reconnaissance i_will nothing serious without trusted comrade and biographer elbow do_you stay here , and_the odds are that you_will_see again hour two time hangs heavy get foolscap and pen , and begin your narrative how saved the state "

I_felt some reflection of_his elation own mind , for I_knew well that he_would_not depart so_far from_his usual austerity demeanour unless there_was good cause for exultation all the long November evening I waited , filled with impatience for_his return last , shortly after nine o'clock, there arrived messenger with note :

Am dining Goldini's restaurant , Gloucester road , Kensington please come once and join there

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