When she saw that mark on the carpet, down she dropped on thefloor, and lay as if she were dead. I ran to the back and got somewater, but I could not bring her to. Then I went round the cornerto the Ivy Plant for some brandy, and by the time I had broughtback the young woman had recovered and was off—ashamed ofherself, I daresay, and dared not face me.”
“How about moving that drugget?”
“Well, sir, it was a bit rumpled, certainly, when I came back. Yousee, she fell on it and it lies on a polished floor with nothing tokeep it in place. I straightened it out afterwards.”
“It’s a lesson to you that you can’t deceive me, ConstableMacPherson,” said Lestrade, with dignity. “No doubt you thoughtthat your breach of duty could never be discovered, and yet a mereglance at that drugget was enough to convince me that someonehad been admitted to the room. It’s lucky for you, my man, thatnothing 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 notcorresponding with the first would interest you.”
“Certainly, it was most interesting. Has this woman only beenhere once, constable?”
“Yes, sir, only once.”
“Who was she?”
“Don’t know the name, sir. Was answering an advertisementabout typewriting 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 youThe Return of Sherlock Holmes 1081
might say she was handsome. Perhaps some would say she wasvery handsome. ‘Oh, officer, do let me have a peep!’ says she. Shehad pretty, coaxing ways, as you might say, and I thought there wasno 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 thelamps as I came back with the brandy.”
“Very good,” said Holmes. “Come, Watson, I think that we havemore important work elsewhere.”
As we left the house Lestrade remained in the front room, whilethe repentant constable opened the door to let us out. Holmes turnedon the step and held up something in his hand. The constable staredintently.
“Good Lord, sir!” he cried, with amazement on his face. Holmesput 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 lastact. You will be relieved to hear that there will be no war, thatthe Right Honourable Trelawney Hope will suffer no setback inhis brilliant career, that the indiscreet Sovereign will receive nopunishment for his indiscretion, that the Prime Minister will haveno European complication to deal with, and that with a little tactand management upon our part nobody will be a penny the worsefor what might have been a very ugly incident.”
My mind filled with admiration for this extraordinary man.
“You have solved it!” I cried.
“Hardly that, Watson. There are some points which are as darkas ever. But we have so much that it will be our own fault if wecannot get the rest. We will go straight to Whitehall Terrace andbring the matter to a head.”
When we arrived at the residence of the European Secretaryit was for Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope that Sherlock Holmesinquired. We were shown into the morning-room.
“Mr. Holmes!” said the lady, and her face was pink with herindignation. “This is surely most unfair and ungenerous uponyour part. I desired, as I have explained, to keep my visit to youa secret, lest my husband should think that I was intruding intohis affairs. And yet you compromise me by coming here and soshowing that there are business relations between us.”
“Unfortunately, madam, I had no possible alternative. I havebeen commissioned to recover this immensely important paper. Imust therefore ask you, madam, to be kind enough to place it inmy hands.”
1082 The Complete Sherlock Holmes
The lady sprang to her feet, with the colour all dashed in aninstant from her beautiful face. Her eyes glazed—she tottered—Ithought that she would faint. Then with a grand effort she ralliedfrom the shock, and a supreme astonishment and indignationchased every other expression from her features.
“You—you insult me, Mr. Holmes.”
“Come, come, madam, it is useless. Give up the letter.”
She darted to the bell.
“The butler shall show you out.”
“Do not ring, Lady Hilda. If you do, then all my earnest effortsto avoid a scandal will be frustrated. Give up the letter and all willbe set right. If you will work with me I can arrange everything. Ifyou work against me I must expose you.”
She stood grandly defiant, a queenly figure, her eyes fixed uponhis as if she would read his very soul. Her hand was on the bell,but she had forborne to ring it.
“You are trying to frighten me. It is not a very manly thing, Mr.
Holmes, to come here and browbeat a woman. You say that youknow something. What is it that you know?”
“Pray sit down, madam. You will hurt yourself there if you fall. Iwill not speak until you sit down. Thank you.”
“I give you five minutes, Mr. Holmes.”
“One is enough, Lady Hilda. I know of your visit to EduardoLucas, of your giving him this document, of your ingenious returnto the room last night, and of the manner in which you took theletter from the hiding-place under the carpet.”
She stared at him with an ashen face and gulped twice beforeshe could speak.
“You are mad, Mr. Holmes—you are mad!” she cried, at last.
He drew a small piece of cardboard from his pocket. It was theface of a woman cut out of a portrait.
“I have carried this because I thought it might be useful,” saidhe. “The policeman has recognized it.”
She gave a gasp, and her head dropped back in the chair.
“Come, Lady Hilda. You have the letter. The matter may still beadjusted. I have no desire to bring trouble to you. My duty endswhen I have returned the lost letter to your husband. Take myadvice and be frank with me. It is your only chance.”