The Return of Sherlock Holmes Part 24 (1/2)
I glanced atpaper
”Is that Eduardo Lucas of Godolphin Street?”
”Yes”
”You will not see him”
”Why not?”
”He was ht”
My friend has so often astonished me in the course of our adventures that it ith a sense of exultation that I realized how completely I had astonished him He stared in amazement, and then snatched the paper froed in reading when he rose from his chair
MURDER IN WESTMINSTER A criht at 16 Godolphin Street, one of the old-fashi+oned and secluded rows of eighteenth century houses which lie between the river and the Abbey, alreat Tower of the Houses of Parliament This small but select mansion has been inhabited for some years by Mr Eduardo Lucas, well known in society circles both on account of his char personality and because he has the well-deserved reputation of being one of the best amateur tenors in the country Mr Lucas is an une, and his establishle, an elderly housekeeper, and of Mitton, his valet The former retires early and sleeps at the top of the house The valet was out for the evening, visiting a friend at Hammersmith From ten o'clock onward Mr Lucas had the house to hi that time has not yet transpired, but at a quarter to twelve Police-constable Barrett, passing along Godolphin Street observed that the door of No 16 was ajar He knocked, but received no answer Perceiving a light in the front rooain knocked, but without reply He then pushed open the door and entered The roo all swept to one side, and one chair lying on its back in the centre Beside this chair, and still grasping one of its legs, lay the unfortunate tenant of the house He had been stabbed to the heart and must have died instantly The knife hich the crier, plucked down from a trophy of Oriental arms which adorned one of the walls Robbery does not appear to have been the motive of the crime, for there had been no attempt to remove the valuable contents of the room Mr Eduardo Lucas was so well known and popular that his violent and mysterious fate will arouse painful interest and intense sympathy in a widespread circle of friends
”Well, Watson, what do youpause
”It is an a coincidence”
”A coincidence! Here is one of the three men e had named as possible actors in this dra the very hours e know that that dra coincidence No figures could express them No, my dear Watson, the two events are connected--MUST be connected It is for us to find the connection”
”But now the official police must know all”
”Not at all They know all they see at Godolphin Street They know--and shall know--nothing of Whitehall Terrace Only WE know of both events, and can trace the relation between them There is one obvious point which would, in any case, have turned ainst Lucas Godolphin Street, Westminster, is only a few ents whom I have named live in the extreme West End It was easier, therefore, for Lucas than for the others to establish a connection or receive a , and yet where events are compressed into a few hours it may prove essential Halloa! what have we here?”
Mrs Hudson had appeared with a lady's card upon her salver Hollanced at it, raised his eyebrows, and handed it over to me
”Ask Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope if she will be kind enough to step up,” said he
A uished that , was further honoured by the entrance of the most lovely woest daughter of the Duke of Belminster, but no description of it, and no conteraphs, had preparedof that exquisite head And yet asit that autu, it was not its beauty which would be the first thing to impress the observer The cheek was lovely but it was paled with ehtness of fever, the sensitive ht and drawn in an effort after self-co first to the eye as our fair visitor stood framed for an instant in the open door
”Has my husband been here, Mr Holmes?”
”Yes, madam, he has been here”
”Mr Holmes I implore you not to tell him that I came here” Holmes bowed coldly, and motioned the lady to a chair
”Your ladyshi+p placesthat you will sit down and tell me what you desire, but I fear that I cannot make any unconditional promise”
She swept across the room and seated herself with her back to theIt was a queenly presence--tall, graceful, and intensely woloved hands clasped and unclasped as she spoke--”I will speak frankly to you in the hopes that it may induce you to speak frankly in return There is complete confidence between my husband and me on all matters save one That one is politics On this his lips are sealed He tellsNow, I am aware that there was a ht I know that a paper has disappeared But because the matter is political my husband refuses to take me into his complete confidence Now it is essential--essential, I say--that I should thoroughly understand it You are the only other person, save only these politicians, who knows the true facts I beg you then, Mr Holmes, to tell me exactly what has happened and what it will lead to Tell ard for your client's interests keep you silent, for I assure you that his interests, if he would only see it, would be best served by taking me into his complete confidence What was this paper which was stolen?”
”Madaroaned and sank her face in her hands
”You must see that this is so, madam If your husband thinks fit to keep you in the dark over this matter, is it for e of professional secrecy, to tell what he has withheld? It is not fair to ask it It is him whom you must ask”
”I have asked hi reat service if you would enlighten me on one point”
”What is it, madam?”
”Is h this incident?”
”Well, ht it may certainly have a very unfortunate effect”
”Ah!” She drew in her breath sharply as one whose doubts are resolved
”One more question, Mr Holmes From an expression which my husband dropped in the first shock of this disaster I understood that terrible public consequences ht arise from the loss of this document”
”If he said so, I certainly cannot deny it”
”Of what nature are they?”
”Nay, ain you ask me more than I can possibly answer”
”Then I will take up norefused to speak more freely, and you on your side will not, I aainst his will, to sharethat you will say nothing of my visit”
She looked back at us from the door, and I had a last impression of that beautiful haunted face, the startled eyes, and the drawn one
”Now, Watson, the fair sex is your depart frou-frou of skirts had ended in the slaame? What did she really want?”
”Surely her own statement is clear and her anxiety very natural”
”Hum! Think of her appearance, Watson--her manner, her suppressed excite questions Rehtly show emotion”
”She was certainly much moved”
”Remember also the curious earnestness hich she assured us that it was best for her husband that she should know all What did she mean by that? And you ht at her back She did not wish us to read her expression”
”Yes, she chose the one chair in the room”
”And yet the motives of woate whom I suspected for the same reason No powder on her nose--that proved to be the correct solution How can you build on such a quicksand? Their most trivial action may mean volumes, or their most extraordinary conduct , Watson”
”You are off?”
”Yes, I hile away the ular establishment With Eduardo Lucas lies the solution of our proble as to what form it may take It is a capital uard, ood Watson, and receive any fresh visitors I'll join you at lunch if I am able”
All that day and the next and the next Holmes was in a mood which his friends would call taciturn, and others morose He ran out and ran in, smoked incessantly, played snatches on his violin, sank into reveries, devoured sandwiches at irregular hours, and hardly answered the casual questions which I put to hi ith hi of the case, and it was from the papers that I learned the particulars of the inquest, and the arrest with the subsequent release of John Mitton, the valet of the deceased The coroner's jury brought in the obvious Wilful Murder, but the parties reested The room was full of articles of value, but none had been taken The dead man's papers had not been tampered with They were carefully examined, and showed that he was a keen student of international politics, an indefatigable gossip, a re letter writer He had been on inti politicians of several countries But nothing sensational was discovered a the documents which filled his drawers As to his relations omen, they appeared to have been pro them, but few friends, and no one whoular, his conduct inoffensive His death was an absolute mystery and likely to remain so