His Last Bow* by Arthur Conan Doyle
Section [1 | 2 | 3]
the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes his last bow

1917

an epilogue of Sherlock Holmes

it_was nine o'clock at night upon_the second of August- the most terrible August in_the history of_the world . one might_have thought already that god's curse hung heavy over a degenerate world, for there_was an awesome hush and afeeling of vague expectation in_the sultry and stagnant air . the sun had long set, but one blood- red gash like an open wound lay low in_the distant west . above, the stars were shining brightly, and below, the lights of_the shipping glimmered in_the bay . the two famous Germans stood beside the stone parapet of_the garden walk, with_the long, low, heavily gabled house behind them, and_they looked down upon_the broad sweep of_the beach at_the foot of_the great chalk cliff on_which Von Bork, like some wandering eagle, had perched himself four years before . they stood with their heads close together, talking in low, confidential tones . from below the two glowing ends of_their cigars might_have_been the smouldering eyes of some malignant fiend looking down in_the darkness .

a remarkable man this Von Bork- a man who_could hardly be matched among all the devoted agents of_the kaiser . it_was his talents which had first recommended him for_the English mission, the most important mission of all, but since he had taken it over those talents had become more and more manifest to_the half- dozen people in_the_world who were really in touch with_the truth . one_of_these was his present companion, baron Von Herling, the chief secretary of_the legation, whose huge 100- horse- power Benz car was blocking the country lane as it waited to waft its owner back to London .

" so_far as I_can judge the trend of events, you_will probably be back in Berlin within_the week," the secretary was saying ." when_you get there, my dear Von Bork, i_think you_will_be surprised at_the welcome you_will receive .I happen to_know what_is thought in_the highest quarters of your work in_this country ." he_was a huge man, the secretary, deep, broad, and tall, with a slow, heavy fashion of speech which had_been his main asset in_his political career .

Von Bork laughed .

" they_are_not very hard to deceive," he remarked ."A more docile, simple folk could_not_be imagined ."

"I don't know about_that," said the other thoughtfully ." they_have strange limits and one must learn to observe them . it is_that surface simplicity of theirs which makes a trap for_the stranger . one's first impression is that_they_are entirely soft . then one comes suddenly upon something very hard, and you_know that you_have reached the limit and must adapt yourself to_the fact . they_have, for example, their insular conventions which simply must_be observed ."

"Meaning, ' good form' and_that sort of thing ? " Von Bork sighed as one who had suffered much .

"Meaning British prejudice in all its queer manifestations . as an example I_may quote one of_my own worst blunders- I_can afford to_talk of_my blunders, for you_know my work well enough to_be aware of_my successes . it_was on my first arrival . i_was invited to a week- end gathering at_the country house of a cabinet minister . the conversation was amazingly indiscreet ."

Von Bork nodded ."I've been there," said he dryly .

" exactly . well, I naturally sent a resume of_the information to Berlin . unfortunately our good chancellor is a little heavy- handed in_these matters, and he transmitted a remark which showed that he_was aware of what had_been said . this, of_course, took the trail straight up to_me . you've no idea the harm that_it did me . there_was nothing soft about our British hosts on_that occasion, I_can assure you . i_was two years living it down . now you, with_this sporting pose of yours-"

" no, no, don't call it a pose .a pose is an artificial thing . this_is quite natural . I_am a born sportsman .I enjoy it ."

" well, that makes it the more effective . you yacht against them, you hunt with_them, you play polo, you match them in every game, your four- in- hand takes the prize at Olympia . I_have even heard that you go the length of boxing with_the young officers . what_is the result ? nobody takes you seriously . you_are a' good old sport,' ' quite a decent fellow for a German,' a hard-drinking, night- club, knock- about- town, devil- may- care young fellow . and all the time this quiet country house of yours is_the centre of half the mischief in England, and_the sporting squire the most astute secret- service man in Europe . genius, my dear Von Bork- genius ! "

" you flatter me, baron . but certainly I_may claim that my four years in_this country have_not_been unproductive .I've never shown you my little store . would you mind stepping in for a moment ? "

the door of_the study opened straight on to_the terrace .Von Bork pushed it back, and, leading the way, he clicked the switch of_the electric light . he then closed the door behind the bulky form which followed him and carefully adjusted the heavy curtain over the latticed window . only when all these precautions had_been taken and tested did he turn his sunburned aquiline face to_his guest .

" some of_my papers have_gone," said he ." when my wife and_the household left yesterday for Flushing they took the less important with_them . I_must, of_course, claim the protection of_the embassy for_the others ."

" your_name has already been filed as one_of_the personal suite . there_will_be no difficulties for_you or your baggage . of_course, it_is just possible that we_may not have to_go . England may leave France to her fate . we_are_sure that_there_is no binding treaty between_them ."

" and Belgium ? "

" yes, and Belgium, too ."

Von Bork shook his head ."I don't see how that could_be . there_is a definite treaty there . she_could never recover from such a humiliation ."

" she_would at_least have peace for_the moment ."

" but her honour ? "

"Tut, my dear_Sir, we live in a utilitarian age .Honour is amediaeval conception . besides England is_not ready . it_is an inconceivable thing, but even our special war tax of fifty million, which one would think made our purpose as clear as_if we had advertised it on_the front page of_the Times, has_not roused these people from their slumbers . here and there one hears a question . it_is my business to_find an answer . here and there also there_is an irritation . it_is my business to soothe it . but I_can assure you that so_far as_the essentials go- the storage of munitions, the preparation for submarine attack, the arrangements for making high explosives- nothing is prepared . how, then, can England come in, especially when we_have stirred her up such a devil's brew of Irish civil war, window-breaking Furies, and god knows what to_keep her thoughts at home ."

" she_must think of her future ."

"Ah, that_is another matter .I fancy that in_the_future we_have our own very definite plans about England, and_that your information will_be very vital to_us . it_is to- day or to- morrow with Mr John bull . if he prefers to- day we_are perfectly ready . if_it_is to- morrow we_shall_be more ready still . i_should think they_would_be wiser to fight with allies than without them, but that_is their own affair . this week is their week of destiny . but you were speaking of your papers ." he sat in_the armchair with_the light shining upon his broad bald head, while he puffed sedately at his cigar .

the large oak-panelled, book- lined room had a curtain hung in_the further corner . when_this was drawn it disclosed a large, brass- bound safe .Von Bork detached a small key from_his watch chain, and after some considerable manipulation of_the lock he swung open the heavy door .

" look ! " said he, standing clear, with a wave of_his hand .

the light shone vividly into_the opened safe, and_the secretary of_the embassy gazed with an absorbed interest at_the rows of stuffed pigeon-holes with_which it_was furnished . each pigeon- hole had its label, and_his eyes as he glanced along them read a long series of_such titles as "Fords," "Harbour-defences," "Aeroplanes," "Ireland," " Egypt," " Portsmouth forts," " the channel," "Rosythe," and a score of others . each compartment was bristling with papers and plans .

" colossal ! " said the secretary .Putting down his cigar he softly clapped his fat hands .

" and all in four years, baron . not such a bad show for_the hard-drinking, hard-riding country squire . but the gem of_my collection is coming and there_is the setting all ready for_it ." he pointed to a space over which " naval Signals" was printed .

" but you_have a good dossier there already ."

" out_of_date and waste paper . the admiralty in some way got the alarm and every code has_been changed . it_was a blow, baron- the worst setback in my whole campaign . but thanks to my check- book and_the good Altamont all will_be well to- night ."

the baron looked at his watch and gave a guttural exclamation of disappointment .

" well, I really can wait no longer . you_can imagine that things are moving at present in Carlton terrace and_that we_have all to_be at our posts .I had hoped to_be_able to bring news of your great coup . did Altamont name no hour ? "

Von Bork pushed over a telegram .

will come without fail to- night and bring new sparking plugs .

ALTAMONT .

"Sparking plugs, eh ? "

" you_see he poses as a motor expert and I keep a full garage . in_our code everything likely to_come up is named after some spare part . if he talks of a radiator it_is a battleship, of an oil pump a cruiser, and so on .Sparking plugs are naval signals ."

" from Portsmouth at midday," said the secretary, examining the superscription ." by_the_way, what do_you give him ? "

"Five hundred pounds for_this particular job . of_course he has a salary as_well ."

" the greedy rogue . they_are useful, these traitors, but I grudge them their blood money ."

"I grudge Altamont nothing . he_is a wonderful worker . if I pay him well, at_least he delivers the goods, to use his own phrase . besides he_is_not a traitor .I assure you that_our most pan-Germanic Junker is asucking dove in_his feelings towards England as compared with a real bitter Irish- American ."

"Oh, an Irish- American ? "

" if_you heard him talk you_would_not doubt it .Sometimes I assure you I_can hardly understand him . he seems to_have declared war on_the king's English as_well as on_the English king . must you really go ? he_may_be here any moment ."

" no .I'm sorry, but I_have already overstayed my_time . we_shall expect you early to- morrow, and when_you get that signal book through_the little door on_the duke of York's steps you_can put a triumphant finis to your record in England . what ! Tokay ! " he indicated a heavily sealed dust- covered bottle which stood with two high glasses upon a salver .

" may I offer you a glass before_your journey ? "

" no, thanks . but it looks like revelry .

"Altamont has a nice taste in wines, and he_took a fancy to my Tokay . he_is a touchy fellow and needs humouring in small things . I_have to study him, I assure you ." they had strolled out on to_the terrace again, and along it to_the further end where at a touch from_the baron's chauffeur the great car shivered and chuckled ." those are the lights of Harwich, I suppose," said the secretary, pulling on_his dust coat ." how still and peaceful it all seems . there_may_be other lights within_the week, and_the English coast a less tranquil place ! the heavens, too, may not be quite so peaceful if all that_the good Zeppelin promises us comes true . by_the_way, who is_that ? "

only_one window showed a light behind them; in_it there stood a lamp, and beside it, seated at a table, was a dear old ruddy- faced woman in a country cap . she was bending over her knitting and stopping occasionally to stroke a large black cat upon a stool beside her .

" that_is Martha, the only servant I_have left ."

the secretary chuckled .

" she might almost personify Britannia," said he, " with her complete self- absorption and general air of comfortable somnolence . well, au revoir, Von Bork ! " with a final wave of_his hand he sprang into_the car, and a moment later the two golden cones from_the headlights shot forward through_the darkness . the secretary lay back in_the cushions of_the luxurious limousine, with_his thoughts so full of_the impending European tragedy that he hardly observed that as his car swung round the village street it nearly passed over a little Ford coming in_the opposite direction .

Von Bork walked slowly back to_the study when_the last gleams of_the motor lamps had faded into_the distance . as he passed he observed that his old housekeeper had put out her lamp and retired . it_was a new experience to him, the silence and darkness of_his widespread house for_his family and household had_been a large one . it_was a relief to him, however, to_think that_they were all in safety and_that, but for_that one old woman who had lingered in_the kitchen, he had the whole place to himself . there_was a good_deal of tidying up to_do inside his study and he set himself to_do_it until his keen, handsome face was flushed with_the heat of_the burning papers .a leather valise stood beside his table, and into_this he began

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