第18章

heardthesoundofvoicesfromabove。Onenteringhisroom，I foundHolmesinanimatedconversationwithtwomen，oneofwhomI recognizedasPeterJones，theofficialpoliceagent；whiletheotherwasalong，thin，sad-facedman，withaveryshinyhatandoppressivelyrespectablefrockcoat。 “Ha！ourpartyiscomplete，“saidHolmes，buttoninguphispea- jacket，andtakinghisheavyhuntingcropfromtherack。“Watson，IthinkyouknowMr。Jones，ofScotlandYard？LetmeintroduceyoutoMr。Merryweather，whoistobeourcompanioninto-night’sadventure。“ “We’rehuntingincouplesagain，doctor，yousee，“saidJones，inhisconsequentialway。“Ourfriendhereisawonderfulmanforstartingachase。Allhewantsisanolddogtohelphimdotherunningdown。“ “Ihopeawildgoosemaynotprovetobetheendofourchase，“ observedMr。Merryweathergloomily。 “YoumayplaceconsiderableconfidenceinMr。Holmes，sir，“saidthepoliceagentloftily。“Hehashisownlittlemethods，whichare，ifhewon’tmindmysayingso，justalittletootheoreticalandfantastic，buthehasthemakingsofadetectiveinhim。Itisnottoomuchtosaythatonceortwice，asinthatbusinessoftheSholtomurderandtheAgratreasure，hehasbeenmorenearlycorrectthantheofficialforce。“ “Oh，ifyousayso，Mr。Jones，itisallright！“saidthestranger，withdeference。“Still，IconfessthatImissmyrubber。ItisthefirstSaturdaynightforseven-and-twentyyearsthatIhavenothadmyrubber。“ “Ithinkyouwillfind，“saidSherlockHolmes，“thatyouwillplayforahigherstaketo-nightthanyouhaveeverdoneyet，andthattheplaywillbemoreexciting。Foryou，Mr。Merryweather，thestakewillbesomethirtythousandpounds；andforyou，Jones，itwillbethemanuponwhomyouwishtolayyourhands。“ “JohnClay，themurderer，thief，smasher，andforger。He’sayoungman，Mr。Merryweather，butheisattheheadofhisprofession，andIwouldratherhavemybraceletsonhimthanonanycriminalinLondon。He’saremarkableman，isyoungJohnClay。HisgrandfatherwasaRoyalDuke，andhehimselfhasbeentoEtonandOxford。Hisbrainisascunningashisfingers，andthoughwemeetsignsofhimateveryturn，weneverknowwheretofindthemanhimself。He’llcrackacribinScotlandoneweek，andberaisingmoneytobuildanorphanageinCornwallthenext。I’vebeenonhistrackforyears，andhaveneverseteyesonhimyet。“ “IhopethatImayhavethepleasureofintroducingyouto-night。 I’vehadoneortwolittleturnsalsowithMr。JohnClay，andI agreewithyouthatheisattheheadofhisprofession。Itispastten，however，andquitetimethatwestarted。Ifyoutwowilltakethefirsthansom，WatsonandIwillfollowinthesecond。“ SherlockHolmeswasnotverycommunicativeduringthelongdrive，andlaybackinthecabhummingthetuneswhichhehadheardintheafternoon。WerattledthroughanendlesslabyrinthofgaslitstreetsuntilweemergedintoFarringdonStreet。 “Weareclosetherenow，“myfriendremarked。“ThisfellowMerryweatherisabankdirectorandpersonallyinterestedinthematter。IthoughtitaswelltohaveJoneswithusalso。Heisnotabadfellow，thoughanabsoluteimbecileinhisprofession。 Hehasonepositivevirtue。Heisasbraveasabulldog，andastenaciousasalobsterifhegetshisclawsuponanyone。Hereweare，andtheyarewaitingforus。“ Wehadreachedthesamecrowdedthoroughfareinwhichwehadfoundourselvesinthemorning。Ourcabsweredismissed，andfollowingtheguidanceofMr。Merryweather，wepasseddownanarrowpassage，andthroughasidedoorwhichheopenedforus。Withintherewasasmallcorridor，whichendedinaverymassiveirongate。Thisalsowasopened，andleddownaflightofwindingstonesteps，whichterminatedatanotherformidablegate。Mr。Merryweatherstoppedtolightalantern，andthenconductedusdownadark，earth-smellingpassage，andso，afteropeningathirddoor，intoahugevaultorcellar，whichwaspiledallroundwithcratesandmassiveboxes。 “Youarenotveryvulnerablefromabove，“Holmesremarked，asheheldupthelanternandgazedabouthim。 “Norfrombelow，“saidMr。Merryweather，strikinghisstickupontheflagswhichlinedthefloor。“Why，dearme，itsoundsquitehollow！“heremarked，lookingupinsurprise。 “Imustreallyaskyoutobealittlemorequiet，“saidHolmesseverely。“Youhavealreadyimperiledthewholesuccessofourexpedition。MightIbegthatyouwouldhavethegoodnesstositdownupononeofthoseboxes，andnottointerfere？“ ThesolemnMr。Merryweatherperchedhimselfuponacrate，withaveryinjuredexpressionuponhisface，whileHolmesfelluponhiskneesuponthefloor，and，withthelanternandamagnifyinglens，begantoexamineminutelythecracksbetweenthestones。Afewsecondssufficedtosatisfyhim，forhesprangtohisfeetagain，andputhisglassinhispocket。 “Wehaveatleastanhourbeforeus，“heremarked，“fortheycanhardlytakeanystepsuntilthegoodpawnbrokerissafelyinbed。 Thentheywillnotloseaminute，forthesoonertheydotheirworkthelongertimetheywillhavefortheirescape。Weareatpresent，doctor——asnodoubtyouhavedivined——inthecellaroftheCitybranchofoneoftheprincipalLondonbanks。Mr。Merryweatheristhechairmanofdirectors，andhewillexplaintoyouthattherearereasonswhythemoredaringcriminalsofLondonshouldtakeaconsiderableinterestinthiscellaratpresent。“ “ItisourFrenchgold，“whisperedthedirector。“Wehavehadseveralwarningsthatanattemptmightbemadeuponit。“ “YourFrenchgold？“ “Yes。Wehadoccasionsomemonthsagotostrengthenourresources，andborrowed，forthatpurpose，thirtythousandnapoleonsfromtheBankofFrance。Ithasbecomeknownthatwehaveneverhadoccasiontounpackthemoney，andthatitisstilllyinginourcellar。ThecrateuponwhichIsitcontainstwothousandnapoleonspackedbetweenlayersofleadfoil。Ourreserveofbullionismuchlargeratpresentthanisusuallykeptinasinglebranchoffice，andthedirectorshavehadmisgivingsuponthesubject。“ “Whichwereverywelljustified，“observedHolmes。“Andnowitistimethatwearrangedourlittleplans。Iexpectthatwithinanhourmatterswillcometoahead。Inthemeantime，Mr。 Merryweather，wemustputthescreenoverthatdarklantern。“ “Andsitinthedark？“ “Iamafraidso。Ihadbroughtapackofcardsinmypocket，andI thoughtthat，aswewereapartiecarree，youmighthaveyourrubberafterall。ButIseethattheenemy’spreparationshavegonesofarthatwecannotriskthepresenceofalight。And，firstofall，wemustchooseourpositions。Thesearedaringmen，and，thoughweshalltakethematadisadvantage，theymaydoussomeharm，unlesswearecareful。Ishallstandbehindthiscrate，anddoyouconcealyourselfbehindthose。Then，whenIflashalightuponthem，closeinswiftly。Iftheyfire，Watson，havenocompunctionaboutshootingthemdown。“ Iplacedmyrevolver，cocked，uponthetopofthewoodencasebehindwhichIcrouched。Holmesshottheslideacrossthefrontofhislantern，andleftusinpitchdarkness——suchanabsolutedarknessasIhaveneverbeforeexperienced。Thesmellofhotmetalremainedtoassureusthatthelightwasstillthere，readytoflashoutatamoment’snotice。Tome，withmynervesworkeduptoapitchofexpectancy，therewassomethingdepressingandsubduinginthesuddengloom，andinthecold，dankairofthevault。 “Theyhavebutoneretreat，“whisperedHolmes。“ThatisbackthroughthehouseintoSaxe-CoburgSquare。IhopethatyouhavedonewhatIaskedyou，Jones？“ “Ihaveaninspectorandtwoofficerswaitingatthefrontdoor。“ “Thenwehavestoppedalltheholes。Andnowwemustbesilentandwait。“ Whatatimeitseemed！Fromcomparingnotesafterwards，itwasbutanhourandaquarter，yetitappearedtomethatthenightmusthavealmostgone，andthedawnbebreakingaboveus。Mylimbswerewearyandstiff，forIfearedtochangemyposition，yetmynerveswereworkeduptothehighestpitchoftension，andmyhearingwassoacutethatIcouldnotonlyhearthegentlebreathingofmycompanions，butIcoulddistinguishthedeeper，heavierinbreathofthebulkyJonesfromthethin，sighingnoteofthebankdirector。 FrommypositionIcouldlookoverthecaseinthedirectionofthefloor。Suddenlymyeyescaughttheglintofalight。 Atfirstitwasbutaluridsparkuponthestonepavement。Thenitlengthenedoutuntilitbecameayellowline，andthen，withoutanywarningorsound，agashseemedtoopenandahandappeared，awhite，almostwomanlyhand，whichfeltaboutinthecenterofthelittleareaoflight。Foraminuteormorethehand，withitswrithingfingers，protrudedoutofthefloor。Thenitwaswithdrawnassuddenlyasitappeared，andallwasdarkagainsavethesingleluridspark，whichmarkedachinkbetweenthestones。 Itsdisappearance，however，wasbutmomentary。Witharending，tearingsound，oneofthebroadwhitestonesturnedoveruponitsside，andleftasquare，gapinghole，throughwhichstreamedthelightofalantern。Overtheedgetherepeepedaclean-cut，boyishface，whichlookedkeenlyaboutit，andthen，withahandoneithersideoftheaperture，drewitselfshoulder-highandwaist-high，untilonekneerestedupontheedge。Inanotherinstanthestoodatthesideofthehole，andwashaulingafterhimacompanion，litheandsmalllikehimself，withapalefaceandashockofveryredhair。 “It’sallclear，“hewhispered。“Haveyouthechiselandthebags？ GreatScott！Jump，Archie，jump，andI’llswingforit！“ SherlockHolmeshadsprungoutandseizedtheintruderbythecollar。Theotherdiveddownthehole，andIheardthesoundofrendingclothasJonesclutchedathisskirts。Thelightflasheduponthebarrelofarevolver，butHolmes’shuntingcropcamedownontheman’swrist，andthepistolclinkeduponthestonefloor。 “It’snouse，JohnClay，“saidHolmesblandly，“youhavenochanceatall。“ “SoIsee，“theotheranswered，withtheutmostcoolness。“Ifancythatmypalisallright，thoughIseeyouhavegothiscoat- tails。“ “Therearethreemenwaitingforhimatthedoor，“saidHolmes。 “Oh，indeed。Youseemtohavedonethethingverycompletely。I mustcomplimentyou。“ “AndIyou，“Holmesanswered。“Yourred-headedideawasverynewandeffective。“ “You’llseeyourpalagainpresently，“saidJones。“He’squickeratclimbingdownholesthanIam。JustholdoutwhileIfixthederbies。“ “Ibegthatyouwillnottouchmewithyourfilthyhands，“remarkedourprisoner，asthehandcuffsclattereduponhiswrists。“YoumaynotbeawarethatIhaveroyalbloodinmyveins。Havethegoodnessalso，whenyouaddressme，alwaystosay’sir’and’please。’“ “Allright，“saidJones，withastareandasnigger。“Well，wouldyouplease，sir，marchupstairswherewecangetacabtocarryyourhighnesstothepolicestation？“ “Thatisbetter，“saidJohnClayserenely。Hemadeasweepingbowtothethreeofus，andwalkedquietlyoffinthecustodyofthedetective。 “Really，Mr。Holmes，“saidMr。Merryweather，aswefollowedthemfromthecellar，“Idonotknowhowthebankcanthankyouorrepayyou。Thereisnodoubtthatyouhavedetectedanddefeatedinthemostcompletemanneroneofthemostdeterminedattemptsatbankrobberythathaveevercomewithinmyexperience。“ “IhavehadoneortwolittlescoresofmyowntosettlewithMr。 JohnClay，“saidHolmes。“Ihavebeenatsomesmallexpenseoverthismatter，whichIshallexpectthebanktorefund，butbeyondthatIamamplyrepaidbyhavinghadanexperiencewhichisinmanywaysunique，andbyhearingtheveryremarkablenarrativeoftheRed-headedLeague。“ “Yousee，Watson，“heexplained，intheearlyhoursofthemorning，aswesatoveraglassofwhiskyandsodainBakerStreet，“itwasperfectlyobviousfromthefirstthattheonlypossibleobjectofthisratherfantasticbusinessoftheadvertisementoftheLeague，andthecopyingofthe’Encyclopaedia，’mustbetogetthisnotover-brightpawnbrokeroutofthewayforanumberofhourseveryday。Itwasacuriouswayofmanagingit，butreallyitwouldbedifficulttosuggestabetter。ThemethodwasnodoubtsuggestedtoClay’singeniousmindbythecolorofhisaccomplice’shair。