the adventure of the beryl coronet-第2节

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confidence；　and　I　shall　call　for　it　in　person　on　Monday　morning。'

　　〃Seeing　that　my　client　was　anxious　to　leave；　I　said　no　more；　but；

calling　for　my　cashier；　I　ordered　him　to　pay　over　fifty　L1000　notes。

When　I　was　alone　once　more；　however；　with　the　precious　case　lying　upon

the　table　in　front　of　me；　I　could　not　but　think　with　some　misgivings

of　the　immense　responsibility　which　it　entailed　upon　me。　There　could

be　no　doubt　that；　as　it　was　a　national　possession；　a　horrible

scandal　would　ensue　if　any　misfortune　should　occur　to　it。　I　already

regretted　having　ever　consented　to　take　charge　of　it。　However；　it

was　too　late　to　alter　the　matter　now；　so　I　locked　it　up　in　my

private　safe　and　turned　once　more　to　my　work。

　　〃When　evening　came　I　felt　that　it　would　be　an　imprudence　to　leave　so

precious　a　thing　in　the　office　behind　me。　Bankers'　safes　had　been

forced　before　now；　and　why　should　not　mine　be？　If　so；　how　terrible

would　be　the　position　in　which　I　should　find　myself！　I　determined；

therefore；　that　for　the　next　few　days　I　would　always　carry　the　case

backward　and　forward　with　me；　so　that　it　might　never　be　really　out

of　my　reach。　With　this　intention；　I　called　a　cab　and　drove　out　to　my

house　at　Streatham；　carrying　the　jewel　with　me。　I　did　not　breathe

freely　until　I　had　taken　it　upstairs　and　locked　it　in　the　bureau　of　my

dressing…room。

　　〃And　now　a　word　as　to　my　household；　Mr。　Holmes；　for　I　wish　you　to

thoroughly　understand　the　situation。　My　groom　and　my　page　sleep　out　of

the　house；　and　may　be　set　aside　altogether。　I　have　three　maid…servants

who　have　been　with　me　a　number　of　years　and　whose　absolute　reliability

is　quite　above　suspicion。　Another；　Lucy　Parr；　the　second　waiting…maid；

has　only　been　in　my　service　a　few　months。　She　came　with　an　excellent

character；　however；　and　has　always　given　me　satisfaction。　She　is　a

very　pretty　girl　and　has　attracted　admirers　who　have　occasionally　hung

about　the　place。　That　is　the　only　drawback　which　we　have　found　to　her；

but　we　believe　her　to　be　a　thoroughly　good　girl　in　every　way。

　　〃So　much　for　the　servants。　My　family　itself　is　so　small　that　it　will

not　take　me　long　to　describe　it。　I　am　a　widower　and　have　an　only

son；　Arthur。　He　has　been　a　disappointment　to　me；　Mr。　Holmes…a　grievous

disappointment。　I　have　no　doubt　that　I　am　myself　to　blame。　People　tell

me　that　I　have　spoiled　him。　Very　likely　I　have。　When　my　dear　wife　died

I　felt　that　he　was　all　I　had　to　love。　I　could　not　bear　to　see　the

smile　fade　even　for　a　moment　from　his　face。　I　have　never　denied　him

a　wish。　Perhaps　it　would　have　been　better　for　both　of　us　had　I　been

sterner；　but　I　meant　it　for　the　best。

　　〃It　was　naturally　my　intention　that　he　should　succeed　me　in　my

business；　but　he　was　not　of　a　business　turn。　He　was　wild；　wayward；

and；　to　speak　the　truth；　I　could　not　trust　him　in　the　handling　of

large　sums　of　money。　When　he　was　young　he　became　a　member　of　an

aristocratic　club；　and　there；　having　charming　manners；　he　was　soon　the

intimate　of　a　number　of　men　with　long　purses　and　expensive　habits。

He　learned　to　play　heavily　at　cards　and　to　squander　money　on　the　turf；

until　he　had　again　and　again　to　come　to　me　and　implore　me　to　give

him　an　advance　upon　his　allowance；　that　he　might　settle　his　debts　of

honour。　He　tried　more　than　once　to　break　away　from　the　dangerous

company　which　he　was　keeping；　but　each　time　the　influence　of　his

friend；　Sir　George　Burnwell；　was　enough　to　draw　him　back　again。

　　〃And；　indeed；　I　could　not　wonder　that　such　a　man　as　Sir　George

Burnwell　should　gain　an　influence　over　him；　for　he　has　frequently

brought　him　to　my　house；　and　I　have　found　myself　that　I　could　hardly

resist　the　fascination　of　his　manner。　He　is　older　than　Arthur；　a　man

of　the　world　to　his　finger…tips；　one　who　had　been　everywhere；　seen

everything；　a　brilliant　talker；　and　a　man　of　great　personal　beauty。

Yet　when　I　think　of　him　in　cold　blood；　far　away　from　the　glamour　of

his　presence；　I　am　convinced　from　his　cynical　speech　and　the　look

which　I　have　caught　in　his　eyes　that　he　is　one　who　should　be　deeply

distrusted。　So　I　think；　and　so；　too；　thinks　my　little　Mary；　who　has

a　woman's　quick　insight　into　character。

　　〃And　now　there　is　only　she　to　be　described。　She　is　my　niece；　but

when　my　brother　died　five　years　ago　and　left　her　alone　in　the　world

I　adopted　her；　and　have　looked　upon　her　ever　since　as　my　daughter。　She

is　a　sunbeam　in　my　house　sweet；　loving；　beautiful；　a　wonderful　manager

and　housekeeper；　yet　as　tender　and　quiet　and　gentle　as　a　woman　could

be。　She　is　my　right　hand。　I　do　not　know　what　I　could　do　without　her。

In　only　one　matter　has　she　ever　gone　against　my　wishes。　Twice　my　boy

has　asked　her　to　marry　him；　for　he　loves　her　devotedly；　but　each

time　she　has　refused　him。　I　think　that　if　anyone　could　have　drawn

him　into　the　right　path　it　would　have　been　she；　and　that　his

marriage　might　have　changed　his　whole　life；　but　now；　alas！　it　is　too

late…forever　too　late！

　　〃Now；　Mr。　Holmes；　you　know　the　people　who　live　under　my　roof；　and

I　shall　continue　with　my　miserable　story。

　　〃When　we　were　taking　coffee　in　the　drawing…room　that　night　after

dinner；　I　told　Arthur　and　Mary　my　experience；　and　of　the　precious

treasure　which　we　had　under　our　roof；　suppressing　only　the　name　of

my　client。　Lucy　Parr；　who　had　brought　in　the　coffee；　had；　I　am　sure；

left　the　room；　but　I　cannot　swear　that　the　door　was　closed。　Mary　and

Arthur　were　much　interested　and　wished　to　see　the　famous　coronet；

but　I　thought　it　better　not　to　disturb　it。

　　〃'Where　have　you　put　it？'　asked　Arthur。

　　〃'In　my　own　bureau。'

　　〃'Well；　I　hope　to　goodness　the　house　won't　be　burgled　during　the

night；'　said　he。

　　〃'It　is　locked　up；'　I　answered。

　　〃'Oh；　any　old　key　will　fit　that　bureau。　When　I　was　a　youngster　I

have　opened　it　myself　with　the　key　of　the　box…room　cupboard。'

　　〃He　often　had　a　wild　way　of　talking；　so　that　I　thought　little　of

what　he　said。　He　followed　me　to　my　room；　however；　that　night　with　a

very　grave　face。

　　〃'Look　here；　dad；'　said　he　with　his　eyes　cast　down；　'can　you　let

me　have　L200？'

　　〃'No；　I　cannot！'　I　answered　sharply。　'I　have　been　far　too　generous

with　you　in　money　matters。'

　　〃'You　have　been　very　kind；'　said　he；　'but　I　must　have　this　money；　or

else　I　can　never　show　my　face　inside　the　club　again。'

　　〃'And　a　very　good　thing；　too！'　I　cried。

　　〃'Yes；　but　you　would　not　have　me　leave　it　a　dishonoured　man；'　said

he。　'I　could　not　bear　the　disgrace。　I　must　raise　the　money　in　some

way；　and　if　you　will　not　let　me　have　it；　then　I　must　try　other　means。'

　　〃I　was　very　angry；　for　this　was　the　third　demand　during　the　month。

'You　shall　not　have　a　farthing　from　me；'　cried；　on　which　he　bowed

and　left　the　room　without　another　word。

　　〃When　he　was　gone　I　unlocked　my　bureau；　made　sure　that　my　treasure

was　safe；　and　locked　it　again。　Then　I　started　to　go　round　the　house　to

see　that　all　was　secure…a　duty　which　I　usually　leave　to　Mary　but　which

I　thought　it　well　to　perform　myself　that　night。　As　I　came　down　the

stairs　I　saw　Mary　herself　at　the　side　window　of　the　hail；　which　she

closed　and　fastened　as　I　approached。

　　〃'Tell　me；　dad；'　said　she；　looking；　I　thought；　a　little　disturbed；

'did　you　give　Lucy；　the　maid；　leave　to　go　out　to…night？'

　　〃'Certainly　not。'

　　〃'She　came　in　just　now　by　the　back　door。　I　have　no　doubt　that　she

has　only　been　to　the　side　gate　to　see　someone；　but　I　think　that　it

is　hardly　safe　and　should　be　stopped。'

　　〃'You　must　speak　to　her　in　the　morning；　or　I　will　if　you　prefer

it。　Are　you　sure　that　everything　is　fastened？'

　　〃'Quite　sure；　dad。'

　　〃'Then；　good…night。'　I　kissed　her　and　went　up　to　my　bedroom　again；

where　I　was　soon　asleep。

　　〃I　am　endeavouring　to　tell　you　everything；　Mr。　Holmes；　which　may

have　any　bearing　upon　the　case；　but　I　beg　that　you　will　question　me

upon　any　point　which　I　do　not　make　clear。〃

　　〃On　the　contrary；　your　statement　is　singularly　lucid。〃

　　〃I　come　to　a　part　of　my　story　now　in　which　I　should　wish　to　be

particularly　so。　I　am　not　a　very　heavy　sleeper；　and　the　anxiety　in

my　mind　tended；　no　doubt；　to　make　me　even　less　so　than　usual。　About

two　in　the　morning；　then；　I　was　awakened　by　some　sound　in　the　house。

It　had　ceased　ere　I　was　wide　awake；　but　it　had　left　an　impression

behind　it　as　though　a　window　had　gently　closed　somewhere。　I　lay

listening　with　all　my　ears。　Suddenly；　to　my　horror；　there　was　a

distinct　sound　of　footsteps　moving　softly　in　the　next　room。　I

slipped　out　of　bed；　an　palpitating　with　fear；　and　peeped　round　the

corner　of　my　dressing…room　door。

　　〃'Arthur'　I　screamed；　'you　villain！　you　thief！　How　dare　you　touch

that　coronet？'

　　〃The　gas　was　half　up；　as　I　had　left　it；　and　my　unhappy　boy；

dressed　only　in　his　shirt　and　trousers；　was　standing　beside　the　light；

holding　the　coronet　in　his　hands。　He　appeared　to　be　wrenching　at　it；

or　bending　it　with　all　his　strength。　At　my　cry　he　dropped　it　from

his　grasp　and　turned　as　pale　as　death。　I　snatched　it　up　and　examined

it。　One　of　the　gold　corners；　with　three　of　the　beryls　in　it；　was

missing。

　　〃'You　blackguard！'　I　shouted；　beside　myself　with　rage。　'You　have

destroyed　it