the adventure of the bruce-partington plan-第2章

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be　stated　for　certain　that　this　young　man；　when　he　met　his　death；

was　travelling　in　this　direction　at　some　late　hour　of　the　night；　but

at　what　point　he　entered　the　train　it　is　impossible　to　state。〃

　　〃His　ticket；　of　course；　would　show　that。〃

　　〃There　was　no　ticket　in　his　pockets。〃

　　〃No　ticket！　Dear　me；　Watson；　this　is　really　very　singular。　According

to　my　experience　it　is　not　possible　to　reach　the　platform　of　a

Metropolitan　train　without　exhibiting　one's　ticket。　Presumably；

then；　the　young　man　had　one。　Was　it　taken　from　him　in　order　to　conceal

the　station　from　which　he　came？　It　is　possible。　Or　did　he　drop　it　in

the　carriage？　That　also　is　possible。　But　the　point　is　of　curious

interest。　I　understand　that　there　was　no　sign　of　robbery？〃

　　〃Apparently　not。　There　is　a　list　here　of　his　possessions。　His

purse　contained　two　pounds　fifteen。　He　had　also　a　check…book　on　the

Woolwich　branch　of　the　Capital　and　Counties　Bank。　Through　this　his

identity　was　established。　There　were　also　two　dress…circle　tickets　for

the　Woolwich　Theatre；　dated　for　that　very　evening。　Also　a　small　packet

of　technical　papers。〃

　　Holmes　gave　an　exclamation　of　satisfaction。

　　〃There　we　have　it　at　last；　Watson！　British　government…　Woolwich。

Arsenal…　technical　papers…　Brother　Mycroft；　the　chain　is　complete。　But

here　he　comes；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　to　speak　for　himself。〃

　　A　moment　later　the　tall　and　portly　form　of　Mycroft　Holmes　was

ushered　into　the　room。　Heavily　built　and　massive；　there　was　a

suggestion　of　uncouth　physical　inertia　in　the　figure；　but　above　this

unwieldy　frame　there　was　perched　a　head　so　masterful　in　its　brow；　so

alert　in　its　steel…gray；　deep…set　eyes；　so　firm　in　its　lips；　and　so

subtle　in　its　play　of　expression；　that　after　the　first　glance　one

forgot　the　gross　body　and　remembered　only　the　dominant　mind。

　　At　his　heels　came　our　old　friend　Lestrade；　of　Scotland　Yard…　thin

and　austere。　The　gravity　of　both　their　faces　foretold　some　weighty

quest。　The　detective　shook　hands　without　a　word。　Mycroft　Holmes

struggled　out　of　his　overcoat　and　subsided　into　an　armchair。

　　〃A　most　annoying　business；　Sherlock；〃　said　he。　〃I　extremely

dislike　altering　my　habits；　but　the　powers　that　be　would　take　no

denial。　In　the　present　state　of　Siam　it　is　most　awkward　that　I

should　be　away　from　the　office。　But　it　is　a　real　crisis。　I　have

never　seen　the　Prime　Minister　so　upset。　As　to　the　Admiralty…　it　is

buzzing　like　an　overturned　bee…hive。　Have　you　read　up　the　case？〃

　　〃We　have　just　done　so。　What　were　the　technical　papers？〃

　　〃Ah；　there's　the　point！　Fortunately；　it　has　not　come　out。　The

press　would　be　furious　if　it　did。　The　papers　which　this　wretched　youth

had　in　his　pocket　were　the　plans　of　the　Bruce…Partington　submarine。〃

　　Mycroft　Holmes　spoke　with　a　solemnity　which　showed　his　sense　of

the　importance　of　the　subject。　His　brother　and　I　sat　expectant。

　　〃Surely　you　have　heard　of　it？　I　thought　everyone　had　heard　of　it。〃

　　〃Only　as　a　name。〃

　　〃Its　importance　can　hardly　be　exaggerated。　It　has　been　the　most

jealously　guarded　of　all　government　secrets。　You　may　take　it　from　me

that　naval　warfare　becomes　impossible　within　the　radius　of　a

Bruce…Partington's　operation。　Two　years　ago　a　very　large　sum　was

smuggled　through　the　Estimates　and　was　expended　in　acquiring　a

monopoly　of　the　invention。　Every　effort　has　been　made　to　keep　the

secret。　The　plans；　which　are　exceedingly　intricate；　comprising　some

thirty　separate　patents；　each　essential　to　the　working　of　the　whole；

are　kept　in　an　elaborate　safe　in　a　confidential　office　adjoining　the

arsenal；　with　burglar…proof　doors　and　windows。　Under　no　conceivable

circumstances　were　the　plans　to　be　taken　from　the　office。　If　the　chief

constructor　of　the　Navy　desired　to　consult　them；　even　he　was　forced　to

go　to　the　Woolwich　office　for　the　purpose。　And　yet　here　we　find　them

in　the　pocket　of　a　dead　junior　clerk　in　the　heart　of　London。　From　an

official　point　of　view　it's　simply　awful。〃

　　〃But　you　have　recovered　them？〃

　　〃No；　Sherlock；　no！　That's　the　pinch。　We　have　not。　Ten　papers　were

taken　from　Woolwich。　There　were　seven　in　the　pocket　of　Cadogan　West。

The　three　most　essential　are　gone…　stolen；　vanished。　You　must　drop

everything；　Sherlock。　Never　mind　your　usual　petty　puzzles　of　the

police…court。　It's　a　vital　international　problem　that　you　have　to

solve。　Why　did　Cadogan　West　take　the　papers；　where　are　the　missing

ones；　how　did　he　die；　how　came　his　body　where　it　was　found；　how　can

the　evil　be　set　right？　Find　an　answer　to　all　these　questions；　and

you　will　have　done　good　service　for　your　country。〃

　　〃Why　do　you　not　solve　it　yourself；　Mycroft？　You　can　see　as　far　as

I。〃

　　〃Possibly；　Sherlock。　But　it　is　a　question　of　getting　details。　Give

me　your　details；　and　from　an　armchair　I　will　return　you　an　excellent

expert　opinion。　But　to　run　here　and　run　there；　to　cross…question

railway　guards；　and　lie　on　my　face　with　a　lens　to　my　eye…　it　is　not　my

metier。　No；　you　are　the　one　man　who　can　clear　the　matter　up。　If　you

have　a　fancy　to　see　your　name　in　the　next　honours　list…〃

　　My　friend　smiled　and　shook　his　head。

　　〃I　play　the　game　for　the　game's　own　sake；〃　said　he。　〃But　the　problem

certainly　presents　some　points　of　interest；　and　I　shall　be　very

pleased　to　look　into　it。　Some　more　facts；　please。〃

　　〃I　have　jotted　down　the　more　essential　ones　upon　this　sheet　of

paper；　together　with　a　few　addresses　which　you　will　find　of　service。

The　actual　official　guardian　of　the　papers　is　the　famous　government

expert；　Sir　James　Walter；　whose　decorations　and　sub…titles　fill　two

lines　of　a　book　of　reference。　He　has　grown　gray　in　the　service；　is　a

gentleman；　a　favoured　guest　in　the　most　exalted　houses；　and；　above

all；　a　man　whose　patriotism　is　beyond　suspicion。　He　is　one　of　two

who　have　a　key　of　the　safe。　I　may　add　that　the　papers　were　undoubtedly

in　the　office　during　working　hours　on　Monday；　and　that　Sir　James

left　for　London　about　three　o'clock　taking　his　key　with　him。　He　was　at

the　house　of　Admiral　Sinclair　at　Barclay　Square　during　the　whole　of

the　evening　when　this　incident　occurred。〃

　　〃Has　the　fact　been　verified？〃

　　〃Yes；　his　brother；　Colonel　Valentine　Walter；　has　testified　to　his

departure　from　Woolwich；　and　Admiral　Sinclair　to　his　arrival　in

London；　so　Sir　James　is　no　longer　a　direct　factor　in　the　problem。〃

　　〃Who　was　the　other　man　with　a　key？〃

　　〃The　senior　clerk　and　draughtsman；　Mr。　Sidney　Johnson。　He　is　a　man

of　forty；　married；　with　five　children。　He　is　a　silent；　morose　man；　but

he　has；　on　the　whole；　an　excellent　record　in　the　public　service。　He　is

unpopular　with　his　colleagues；　but　a　hard　worker。　According　to　his　own

account；　corroborated　only　by　the　word　of　his　wife；　he　was　at　home　the

whole　of　Monday　evening　after　office　hours；　and　his　key　has　never　left

the　watch…chain　upon　which　it　hangs。〃

　　〃Tell　us　about　Cadogan　West。〃

　　〃He　has　been　ten　years　in　the　service　and　has　done　good　work。　He　has

the　reputation　of　being　hot…headed　and　impetuous；　but　a　straight；

honest　man。　We　have　nothing　against　him。　He　was　next　Sidney　Johnson　in

the　office。　His　duties　brought　him　into　daily；　personal　contact　with

the　plans。　No　one　else　had　the　handling　of　them。〃

　　〃Who　locked　the　plans　up　that　night？〃

　　〃Mr。　Sidney　Johnson；　the　senior　clerk。〃

　　〃Well；　it　is　surely　perfectly　clear　who　took　them　away。　They　are

actually　found　upon　the　person　of　this　junior　clerk；　Cadogan　West。

That　seems　final；　does　it　not？〃

　　〃It　does；　Sherlock；　and　yet　it　leaves　so　much　unexplained。　In　the

first　place；　why　did　he　take　them？〃

　　〃I　presume　they　were　of　value？〃

　　〃He　could　have　got　several　thousands　for　them　very　easily。〃

　　〃Can　you　suggest　any　possible　motive　for　taking　the　papers　to　London

except　to　sell　them？〃

　　〃No；　I　cannot。〃

　　〃Then　we　must　take　that　as　our　working　hypothesis。　Young　West　took

the　papers。　Now　this　could　only　be　done　by　having　a　false　key…〃

　　〃Several　false　keys。　He　had　to　open　the　building　and　the　room。〃

　　〃He　had；　then；　several　false　keys。　He　took　the　papers　to　London　to

sell　the　secret；　intending；　no　doubt；　to　have　the　plans　themselves

back　in　the　safe