The Return of Sherlock Holmes Part 24 (2/2)
As to the arrest of John Mitton, the valet, it was a council of despair as an alternative to absolute inaction But no case could be sustained against hiht The ALIBI was complete It is true that he started hoht him to Westminster before the time when the crime was discovered, but his own explanation that he had walked part of the way seeht He had actually arrived at twelve o'clock, and appeared to be overwhelood terms with his master Several of the dead man's possessions--notably a small case of razors--had been found in the valet's boxes, but he explained that they had been presents from the deceased, and the housekeeper was able to corroborate the story Mitton had been in Lucas's employment for three years It was noticeable that Lucas did not take Mitton on the Continent with him Sometimes he visited Paris for three e 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 his 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 him into his confidence in the case, I knew that he was in close touch with every developram 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 ht at Godolphin Street, Westentleman 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 M a small villa in the Rue Austerlitz, was reported to the authorities by her servants as being insane An exaerous 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 criraphs 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 Min, 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 ht have not yet been traced, but it is undoubted that a wo to her description attractedby 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 woive any coherent account of the past, and the doctors hold out no hopes of the reestablishht have been Mht 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 fro-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 ards the man's death”
”The man's death is a mere incident--a trivial episode--in comparison with our real task, which is to trace this docu has happened in the last three days, and that is that nothing has happened I get reports alovernment, 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 ht when the letter disappeared? Did the letter ever reach hi 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, erous to us as the criainst 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 lanced hurriedly at the note which had been handed in ”Halloa! Lestrade see of interest Put on your hat, Watson, and ill stroll down together to Westminster”
It was y, narrow-chested house, priave it birth Lestrade's bulldog features gazed out at us fro constable had opened the door and let us in The room into which ere shoas that in which the crime had been coular stain upon the carpet This carpet was a set in the centre of the room, surrounded by a broad expanse of beautiful, old-fashi+oned wood-flooring in square blocks, highly polished Over the fireplace was a nificent trophy of weapons, one of which had been used on that tragic night In the as a su-desk, and every detail of the aparts, 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 hi led to another, and then with that dagger so handy the end soon cah, 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 anotheryou take an interest in--queer, you know, and what youto do with the main fact--can't have, on the face of it”
”What is it, then?”
”Well, you know, after a cris in their position Nothing has been , as the ation over--so far as this rooht 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----”
Holrew tense with anxiety
”Well, I'uess in a hundred years e did find You see that stain on the carpet? Well, a great deal h, must it not?”
”Undoubtedly it must”
”Well, you will be surprised to hear that there is no stain on the white ork 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 under side is as stained as the upper It ht 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 cri of the old-fashi+oned floor ”What do you h 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 h, for the stains lie above each other--if you lay it over this way But what I want to know is, who shi+fted the carpet, and why?”
I could see fro 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 Well wait here You take hiet a confession out of him alone Ask him how he dared to admit people and leave them alone in this rooranted Tell him you KNOW someone has been here Press hiiveness 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 fewvoice sounded from the back rooerness All the demoniacal force of the man masked behind that listless et 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 ser hand into it and drew it out with a bitter snarl of anger and disappointment It was eain!” 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 Holned and patient, endeavouring to conceal his irrepressible yawns
”Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr HolmesI can see that you are bored to death with the whole affair Well, he has confessed, all right Coentle constable, very hot and penitent, sidled into the roo wo-- 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 wo 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 so her to Then I went round the corner to the Ivy Plant for so woman had recovered and was off--ashamed of herself, I daresay, and dared not face et?”
”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 nity ”No doubt you thought that your breach of duty could never be discovered, and yet a h to convince me that someone had been ad is , or you would find yourself in Queer Street I'm sorry to have called you down over such a petty business, Mr Holht the point of the second stain not corresponding with the first would interest you”
”Certainly, it wasHas this woman only been here once, constable?”
”Yes, sir, only once”
”Who was she?”
”Don't know the na and ca woman, sir”
”Tall? Handso woht say she was handsome Perhaps some would say she was very handsome `Oh, officer, do letways, as youher just put her head through the door”
”Hoas she dressed?”
”Quiet, sir--a long mantle down to her feet”
”What ti dusk at the ti the laood,” said Holmes ”Come, Watson, I think that we have more important work elsewhere”