No. 13 The Adventure of the Second Stain by Arthur Conan Doyle
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of_the Godolphin street house . as_to_the housekeeper, she had heard nothing on_the night of_the crime . if her master had a visitor he had himself admitted him .

so for three mornings the mystery remained, so_far as I_could follow it in_the papers . if Holmes knew more he kept his own counsel, but, as he_told me that inspector Lestrade had taken him into his confidence in_the case, I_knew that he_was in close touch with every development . upon_the fourth day there appeared a long telegram from Paris which seemed to solve the whole question .

"A discovery has just been made by_the Parisian police," said the daily telegraph, " which raises the veil which hung round the tragic fate of Mr Eduardo Lucas, who met his death by violence last Monday night at Godolphin street, Westminster . our readers will remember that_the deceased gentleman was found stabbed in_his room, and_that some suspicion attached to_his valet, but that_the case broke down on an alibi . yesterday a lady, who has_been known as Mme .Henri Fournaye, occupying a small villa in_the rue Austerlitz, was reported to_the authorities by her servants as being insane . an examination showed that she had indeed developed mania of a dangerous and permanent form . on inquiry the police have discovered that Mme .Henri Fournaye only returned from a journey to London on Tuesday last, and there_is evidence to connect her with_the crime at Westminster .a comparison of photographs has proved conclusively that M .Henri Fournaye and Eduardo Lucas were really one and_the same person, and_that the deceased had for some reason lived a double life in London and Paris .Mme .Fournaye, who_is of creole origin, is of an extremely excitable nature, and has suffered in_the_past from attacks of jealousy which_have amounted to frenzy . it_is conjectured that_it_was in one_of_these that she committed the terrible crime which_has caused such a sensation in London . her movements upon_the Monday night have_not_yet_been traced, but it_is undoubted that a woman answering to her description attracted much attention at Charing cross station on Tuesday morning by_the wildness of her appearance and_the violence of her gestures . it_is probable, therefore, that_the crime was either committed when insane, or that its immediate effect was to drive the unhappy woman out of her mind . at present she_is unable to_give any coherent account of_the past, and_the doctors hold out no hopes of_the re- establishment of her reason . there_is evidence that a woman, who might_have_been Mme .Fournaye, was seen for some hours on Monday night watching the house in Godolphin street ."

" what do_you_think of_that, Holmes ? " I had read the account aloud to him, while he finished his breakfast .

" my dear Watson," said he, as he rose from_the table and paced up and down the room, " you_are most long-suffering, but if I_have told you nothing in_the last three days it_is because there_is nothing to_tell . even now this report from Paris does_not help_us much ."

" surely it_is final as regards the man's death ."

" the man's death is amere incident -- a trivial episode -- in comparison with_our real task, which_is to trace this document and save a European catastrophe . only_one important thing has happened in_the last three days, and_that is_that nothing has happened .I get reports almost hourly from_the government, and it_is certain that nowhere in Europe is_there any sign of trouble . now, if_this letter were loose -- no, it can'T be loose -- but if_it isn't loose, where can it be ? who has it ? why is_it held back ? that's the question that beats in my brain like a hammer . was_it, indeed, a coincidence that Lucas should meet his death on_the night when_the letter disappeared ? did the letter ever reach him ? if_so, why is_it not among his papers ? did this mad wife of_his carry it off with her ? if_so, is_it in her house in Paris ? how could I search for_it without the French police having their suspicions aroused ? it_is a case, my dear Watson, where the law is as dangerous to_us as_the criminals are . every man's hand is against us, and yet the interests at stake are colossal . should I bring it to a successful conclusion it_will certainly represent the crowning glory of_my career .Ah, here_is my latest from_the front ! " he glanced hurriedly at_the note which had_been handed in ."Halloa ! Lestrade seems to_have observed something of interest . put on_your hat, Watson, and we_will stroll down together to Westminster ."

it_was my first visit to_the scene of_the crime -- a high, dingy, narrow-chested house, prim, formal, and solid, like the century which gave it birth .Lestrade's bulldog features gazed out at us from_the front window, and he greeted us warmly when a big constable had opened the door and_let_us in . the room into which we were shown was_that in_which_the crime had_been committed, but no trace of it now remained, save an ugly, irregular stain upon_the carpet . this carpet was a small square drugget in_the centre of_the room, surrounded by a broad expanse of beautiful, old- fashioned wood-flooring in square blocks highly polished . over the fireplace was a magnificent trophy of weapons, one of_which had_been used on_that tragic night . in_the window was a sumptuous writing- desk, and every detail of_the apartment, the pictures, the rugs, and_the hangings, all pointed to a taste which_was luxurious to_the verge of effeminacy .

" seen the Paris news ? " asked Lestrade .

Holmes nodded .

" our French friends seem to_have touched the spot this_time . no_doubt it's just as_they say . she knocked at_the door -- surprise visit, I guess, for he kept his life in water- tight compartments . he let her in -- couldn't keep her in_the street . she told him how she had traced him, reproached him, one_thing led to another, and then with_that dagger so handy the end soon came . it wasn't all done in an instant, though, for_these chairs were all swept over yonder, and he had one in_his hand as_if he had tried to hold her off with it . we've got it all clear as_if we had seen it ."

Holmes raised his eyebrows .

" and yet you_have sent for_me ? "

"Ah, yes, that's another matter -- amere trifle, but the sort of thing you take an interest in -- queer, you_know, and what you_might call freakish . it has nothing to_do with_the main fact -- can't have, on_the face of it ."

" what_is it, then ? "

" well, you_know, after a crime of_this sort we_are very careful to_keep things in their position . nothing has_been moved . officer in charge here day and night . this_morning, as_the man was buried and_the investigation over -- so_far as_this room is concerned -- we thought we_could tidy up a bit . this carpet . you_see, it_is_not fastened down; only just laid there . we had occasion to raise it . we_found ----"

" yes ? you found ----"

Holmes's face grew tense with anxiety .

" well, I'm sure you_would never guess in a hundred years what we_did find . you_see that stain on_the carpet ? well, a great deal must_have soaked through, must it not ? "

" undoubtedly it must ."

" well, you_will_be surprised to hear that_there_is no stain on_the white woodwork to correspond ."

" no stain ! but there must ----"

" yes; so you_would say . but the fact remains that there isn't ."

he_took the corner of_the carpet in_his hand and, turning it over, he showed that_it_was indeed as he_said .

" but the underside is as stained as_the upper . it must_have left a mark ."

Lestrade chuckled with delight at having puzzled the famous expert .

" now I'll show you the explanation . there_is a second stain, but it does_not correspond with_the other . see for_yourself ." as he spoke he turned over another portion of_the carpet, and there, sure enough, was a great crimson spill upon_the square white facing of_the old- fashioned floor ." what do_you make of_that, Mr Holmes ? "

" why, it_is simple enough . the two stains did correspond, but the carpet has_been turned round . as it_was square and unfastened it_was easily done ."

the official police don't need you, Mr Holmes, to_tell them that_the carpet must_have been turned round . that's clear enough, for_the stains lie above each_other -- if_you lay it over this_way . but what i_want to_know is, who shifted the carpet, and why ? "

I could_see from Holmes's rigid face that he_was vibrating with inward excitement .

" look here, Lestrade," said he, " has_that constable in_the passage been in charge of_the place all the time ? "

" yes, he has ."

" well, take my advice . examine him carefully .Don't do_it before_us . we'll wait here . you take him into_the back room . you'll be more likely to_get a confession out of him alone . ask him how he dared to admit people and leave them alone in_this room .Don't ask him if he has_done it . take it for granted . tell him you_know someone has_been here . press him . tell him that a full confession is his only chance of forgiveness . do exactly what I tell you ! "

" by George, if he_knows I'll have it out of him ! " cried Lestrade . he darted into_the hall, and a few_moments later his bullying voice sounded from_the back room .

" now, Watson, now ! " cried Holmes, with frenzied eagerness . all the demonical force of_the man masked behind that listless manner burst out in a paroxysm of energy . he tore the drugget from_the floor, and in an instant was down on_his hands and knees clawing at each of_the squares of wood beneath it . one turned sideways as he dug his nails into_the edge of it . it hinged back like the lid of a box .a small black cavity opened beneath it .Holmes plunged his eager hand into_it, and drew it out with a bitter snarl of anger and disappointment . it_was empty .

" quick, Watson, quick ! get it back again ! " the wooden lid was replaced, and_the drugget had only just been drawn straight when Lestrade's voice was heard in_the passage . he_found Holmes leaning languidly against the mantelpiece, resigned and patient, endeavouring to conceal his irrepressible yawns .

" sorry to_keep you waiting, Mr Holmes . I_can_see that you_are bored to death with_the whole affair . well, he has confessed, all right . come in here, MacPherson . let these gentlemen hear of your most inexcusable conduct ."

the big constable, very hot and penitent, sidled into_the room .

"I meant no harm, sir, I'm sure . the young woman came to_the door last evening -- mistook the house, she did . and then we got talking . it's lonesome, when_you're on duty here all day ."

" well, what happened then ? "

" she wanted to_see where the crime was_done -- had read about_it in_the papers, she said . she was a very respectable, well- spoken young woman, sir, and I_saw no harm in letting her have a peep . when she saw that mark on_the carpet, down she dropped on_the floor, and lay as_if she were dead .I ran to_the back and got some water, but I_could_not bring her to . then I went round the corner to_the Ivy plant for some brandy, and by_the_time I had brought it back the young woman had recovered and was off -- ashamed of herself, I dare say, and dared not face me ."

" how about moving that drugget ? "

" well, sir, it_was a bit rumpled, certainly, when I_came back . you_see, she fell on_it, and it lies on a polished floor with nothing to_keep it in place .I straightened it out afterwards ."

" it's a lesson to_you that you_can't deceive me, constable MacPherson," said Lestrade, with dignity ." no_doubt you thought that your breach of duty could never be discovered, and yet amere glance at_that drugget was enough to_convince me that someone had_been admitted to_the room . it's lucky for_you, my man, that nothing is missing, or you_would find yourself in queer street .I'm sorry to_have called you down over such a petty business, Mr Holmes, but i_thought the point of_the second stain not corresponding with_the first would interest you ."

" certainly, it_was most interesting . has_this woman only been here once, constable ? "

" yes, sir, only once ."

" who was she ? "

"Don't know the name, sir . was answering an advertisement about type-writing, and came to_the wrong number -- very pleasant, genteel young woman, sir ."

" tall ? handsome ? "

" yes, sir; she was a well- grown young woman .I suppose you_might say she was handsome . perhaps some would say she was very handsome .`Oh, officer, do let me have a peep ! ' says she . she had pretty, coaxing ways, as_you_might say, and i_thought there_was no harm in letting her just put her head through_the door ."

" how was she dressed ? "

" quiet, sir -- a long mantle down to her feet ."

" what time was_it ? "

" it_was just growing dusk at_the_time . they were lighting the lamps as I_came back with_the brandy ."

" very_good," said Holmes ." come, Watson, i_think that we_have more important work elsewhere ."

as_we left the house Lestrade remained in_the front room, while the repentant constable opened the door to let_us out .Holmes turned on_the step and held up something in_his hand . the constable stared intently .

" good lord, sir ! " he cried, with amazement on_his face .Holmes put his finger on_his lips, replaced his hand in_his breast- pocket, and burst out laughing as_we turned down the street ." excellent ! " said he ." come, friend Watson, the curtain rings up for_the_last act . you_will_be relieved to hear that there_will_be no war, that_the right Honourable Trelawney hope will suffer no

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