His Last Bow Part 15 (2/2)
”No, indeed, Martha So long as you were here I was easy in ht”
”It was the secretary, sir”
”I know His car passed ours”
”I thought he would never go I knew that it would not suit your plans, sir, to find him here”
”No, indeed Well, it only meant that aited half an hour or so until I saw your lao out and knew that the coast was clear You can report to e's Hotel”
”Very good, sir”
”I suppose you have everything ready to leave”
”Yes, sir He posted seven letters to-day I have the addresses as usual”
”Very good, Martha I will look into theht These papers,” he continued as the old lady vanished, ”are not of very great importance, for, of course, the inforo to the Gerinals which cold not safely be got out of the country”
”Then they are of no use”
”I should not go so far as to say that, Watson They will at least show our people what is known and what is not I h hly untrustworthy It would brightenthe Solent according to the mine-field plans which I have furnished But you, Watson”--he stopped his work and took his old friend by the shoulders--”I've hardly seen you in the light yet How have the years used you? You look the saer, Holot your wire asking me to meet you at Harith the car But you, Holoatee”
”These are the sacrifices oneat his little tuft ”To-morroill be but a dreadful es I shall no doubt reappear at Claridge's to-your pardon, Watson, lish seems to be permanently defiled-- before this American job came my way”
”But you have retired, Hol your bees and your books in a small farm upon the South Downs”
”Exactly, Watson Here is the fruit of num opus of my latter years!” He picked up the volume from the table and read out the whole title, Practical Handbook of Bee Culture, with Soation of the Queen ”Alone I did it Behold the fruit of pensive nights and laborious days when I watched the little working gangs as once I watched the criain?”
”Ah, I have often n Minister alone I could have withstood, but when the Prened to visit entleood for our people He was in a class by hi, and no one could understand why they were going wrong Agents were suspected or even caught, but there was evidence of so and secret central force It was absolutely necessary to expose it Strong pressure was brought upon me to look into the matter It has cost me two years, Watson, but they have not been devoid of exciteraduated in an Irish secret society at Buffalo, gave serious trouble to the constabulary at Skibbareen, and so eventually caught the eye of a subordinate agent of Von Bork, who recommended me as a likely man, you will realize that the matter was complex Since then I have been honoured by his confidence, which has not prevented ents being in prison I watched them, Watson, and I picked them as they ripened Well, sir, I hope that you are none the worse!”
The last re and blinking had lain quietly listening to Holmes's statement He broke out now into a furious stream of German invective, his face convulsed with passion Holation of docuh unes,” he observed when Von Bork had stopped from pure exhaustion ”Hullo! Hullo!” he added as he looked hard at the corner of a tracing before putting it in the box ”This should put another bird in the cage I had no idea that the pay had an eye upon hireat deal to answer for”
The prisoner had raised hi with a strange mixture of aet level with you, Alta with slow deliberation ”If it takes et level with you!”
”The old sweet song,” said Holone by It was a favorite ditty of the late lamented Professor Moriarty Colonel Sebastian Moran has also been known to warble it And yet I live and keep bees upon the South Downs”
”Curse you, you double traitor!” cried the Ger murder from his furious eyes
”No, no, it is not so bad as that,” said Hol ”As o had no existence in fact I used hione”
”Then who are you?”
”It is really immaterial who I am, but since the matter seems to interest you, Mr Von Bork, I may say that this is not my first acquaintance with the ood deal of business in Germany in the past and my name is probably familiar to you”
”I would wish to know it,” said the Prussian griht about the separation between Irene Adler and the late King of Bohemia when your cousin Heinrich was the Imperial Envoy It was I also who saved from murder, by the Nihilist Klopman, Count Von und Zu Grafenstein, as your mother's elder brother It was I--”
Von Bork sat up in amazement
”There is only one roaned and sank back on the sofa ”And h you,” he cried ”What is it worth? What have I done? It is my ruin forever!”
”It is certainly a little untrustworthy,” said Hol and you have little tier than he expects, and the cruisers perhaps a trifle faster”
Von Bork clutched at his own throat in despair
”There are a good ht in good time But you have one quality which is very rare in a German, Mr Von Bork: you are a sportsman and you will bear me no ill-hen you realize that you, who have outwitted so many other people, have at last been outwitted yourself After all, you have done your best for your country, and I have done my best for mine, and what could be more natural? Besides,” he added, not unkindly, as he laid his hand upon the shoulder of the prostrate noble foe These papers are now ready, Watson If you will help et started for London at once”
It was no easy task toand a desperateeither ararden hich he had trod with such proud confidence when he received the congratulations of the famous diplole he was hoisted, still bound hand and foot, into the spare seat of the little car His precious valise edged in beside him
”I trust that you are as comfortable as circueuilty of a liberty if I lit a cigar and placed it between your lips?”
But all ary German
”I suppose you realize, Mr Sherlock Holovernment bears you out in this treatovern the valise
”You are a private individual You have no warrant for al and outrageous”
”Absolutely,” said Hol his private papers”
”Well, you realize your position, you and your accoh the village--”
”My dear sir, if you did anything so foolish you would probably enlarge the two li Prussian' as a signpost The Englishman is a patient creature, but at present his temper is a little inflamed, and it would be as well not to try hio with us in a quiet, sensible fashi+on to Scotland Yard, whence you can send for your friend, Baron Von Herling, and see if even now you may not fill that place which he has reserved for you in the a us with your old service, as I understand, so London won't be out of your way Stand with me here upon the terrace, for it may be the last quiet talk that we shall ever have”
The two friends chatted in intiain the days of the past, while their prisoner vainly wriggled to undo the bonds that held him As they turned to the car Holhtful head
”There's an east wind co, Watson”
”I think not, Holmes It is very warm”
”Good old Watson! You are the one fixed point in a changing age There's an east wind coland yet It will be cold and bitter, Watson, and a good many of us may wither before its blast But it's God's oind none the less, and a cleaner, better, stronger land will lie in the sunshi+ne when the storm has cleared Start her up, Watson, for it's time that ere on our way I have a check for five hundred pounds which should be cashed early, for the drawer is quite capable of stopping it if he can”