布鲁斯-帕廷顿计划-the bruce-partington plans-第2章

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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　e　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　bees　impossible　withing　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；　prising　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　imperious；　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　up　the　plans　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　next　morning　before　they　were　missed。
While　in　London　on　this　treasonable　mission　he　met　his　end。〃

〃How？〃

〃We　will　suppose　that　he　was　travelling　back　to　Woolwich　when　he
was　killed　and　thrown　out　of　the　partment。〃

〃Aldgate；　where　the　body　was　found；　is　considerably　past　the
station　London　Bridge；　which　would　be　his　route　to　Woolwich。〃

〃Many　circumstances　could　be　imagined　under　which　he　would　pass
London　Bridge。　　There　was　someone　in　the　carriage；　for　example；
with　whom　he　was　having　an　absorbing　interview。　　This　interview
led　to　a　violent　scene　in　which　he　lost　his　life。　　Possibly　he
tried　to　leave　the　carriage；　fell　out　on　the　line；　and　so　met　his
end。　　The　other　closed　the　door。　　There　was　a　thick　fog；　and
nothing　could　be　seen。〃

〃No　better　explanation　can　be　given　with　our　present　knowledge；
and　yet　consider；　Sherlock；　how　much　you　leave　untouched。　　We
will　suppose；　for　argument's　sake；　that　young　Cadogan　West　HAD
determined　to　convey　these　papers　to　London。　　He　would　naturally
have　made　an　appointment　with　the　foreign　agent　and　kept　his
evening　clear。　　Instead　of　that　he　took　two　tickets　for　the
theatre；　escorted　his　fiancee　halfway　there；　and　then　suddenly
disappeared。〃

〃A　blind；〃　said　Lestrade；　who　had　sat　listening　with　some
impatience　to　the　conversation。

〃A　very　singular　one。　　That　is　objection　No。　1。　　Objection　No。　2：
We　will　suppose　that　he　reaches　London　and　sees　the　foreign
agent。　　He　must　bring　back　the　papers　before　morning　or　the　loss
will　be　discovered。　　He　took　away　ten。　　Only　seven　were　in　his
pocket。　　What　had　bee　of　the　other　three？　　He　certainly　would
not　leave　them　of　his　own　free　will。　　Then；　again；　where　is　the
price　of　his　treason？　　Once　would　have　expected　to　find　a　large
sum　of　money　in　his　pocket。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　perfectly　clear；〃　said　Lestrade。　　〃I　have　no
doubt　at　all　as　to　what　occurred。　　He　took　the　papers　to　sell
them。　　He　saw　the　agent。　They　could　not　agree　as　to　price。　　He
started　home　again；　but　the　agent　went　with　him。　　In　the　train
the　agent　murdered　him；　took　the　more　essential　papers；　and　threw
his　body　from　the　carriage。　　That　would　account　for　everything；
would　it　not？〃

〃Why　had　he　no　ticket？〃

〃The　ticket　would　have　shown　which　station　was　nearest　the
agent's　house。　　Therefore　he　took　it　from　the　murdered　man's
pocket。〃

〃Good；　Lestrade；　very　good；〃　said　Holmes。　　〃Your　theory　holds
together。　　But　if　this　is　true；　then　the　case　is　at　an　end。　　On
the　one　hand；　the　traitor　is　dead。　　On　the　other；　the　plans　of
the　Bruce…Partington　submarine　are　presumably　already　on　the
Continent。　　What　is　there　for　us　to　do？〃

〃To　act；　Sherlock……to　act！〃　cried　Mycroft；　springing　to　his　feet。
〃All　my　instincts　are　against　this　explanation。　　Use　your　powers！
Go　to　the　scene　of　the　crime！　　See　the　people　concerned！　　Leave
no　stone　unturned！　　In　all　your　career　you　have　never　had　so
great　a　chance　of　serving　your　country。〃

〃Well；　well！〃　said　Holmes；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　　〃e；
Watson！　　And　you；　Lestrade；　could　you　favour　us　with　your　pany
for　an　hour　or　two？　　We　will　begin　our　investigation　by　a　visit
to　Aldgate　Station。　　Good…bye；　Mycroft。　　I　shall　let　you　have　a
report　before　evening；　but　I　warn　you　in　advance　that　you　have
little　to　expect。〃

An　hour　later　Holmes；　Lestrade　and　I　stood　upon　the　Underground
railroad　at　the　point　where　it　emerges　from　the　tunnel
immediately　before　Aldgate　Station。　　A　courteous　red…faced　old
gentleman　represented　the　railway　pany。

〃This　is　where　the　young　man's　body　lay；〃　said　he；　indicating　a
spot　about　three　feet　from　the　metals。　　〃It　could　not　have　fallen
from　above；　for　these；　as　you　see；　are　all　blank　walls。
Therefore；　it　could　only　have　e　from　a　train；　and　that　train；
so　far　as　we　can　trace　it；　must　have　passed　about　midnight　on
Monday。〃

〃Have　the　carriages　been　examined　for　any　sign　of　violence？〃

〃There　are　no　such　signs；　and　no　ticket　has　been　found。〃

〃No　record　of　a　door　being　found　open？〃

〃None。〃

〃We　have　had　some　fresh　evidence　this　morning；〃　said　Lestrade。
〃A　passenger　who　passed　Aldgate　in　an　ordinary　Metropolitan　train
about　11：40　on　Monday　night　de