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〃But Holmes said that he was not going to Briarbrae。〃
〃I have known him for some time；〃 said I； 〃but I never knew him do
anything yet without a very good reason；〃 and with that our
conversation drifted off on to other topics。
But it was a weary day for me。 Phelps was still weak after his
long illness； and his misfortunes made him querulous and nervous。 In
vain I endeavoured to interest him in Afghanistan； in India； in social
questions； in anything which might take his mind out of the groove。 He
would always come back to his lost treaty； wondering； guessing；
speculating as to what Holmes was doing； what steps Lord Holdhurst was
taking； what news we should have in the morning。 As the evening wore
on his excitement became quite painful。
〃You have implicit faith in Holmes？〃 he asked。
〃I have seen him do some remarkable things。〃
〃But he never brought light into anything quite so dark as this？〃
〃Oh； yes； I have known him solve questions which presented fewer
clues than yours。〃
〃But not where such large interests are at stake？〃
〃I don't know that。 To my certain knowledge he has acted on behalf
of three of the reigning houses of Europe in very vital matters。〃
〃But you know him well； Watson。 He is such an inscrutable fellow
that I never quite know what to make of him。 Do you think he is
hopeful？ Do you think he expects to make a success of it？〃
〃He has said nothing。〃
〃That is a bad sign。〃
〃On the contrary。 I have noticed that when he is off the trail he
generally says so。 It is when he is on a scent and is not quite
absolutely sure yet that it is the right one that he is most taciturn。
Now； my dear fellow； we can't help matters by making ourselves nervous
about them； so let me implore you to go to bed and so be fresh for
whatever may await us to…morrow。〃
I was able at last to persuade my companion to take my advice；
though I knew from his excited manner that there was not much hope
of sleep for him。 Indeed； his mood was infectious； for I lay tossing
half the night myself； brooding over this strange problem and
inventing a hundred theories； each of which was more impossible than
the last。 Why had Holmes remained at Woking？ Why had he asked Miss
Harrison to remain in the sick…room all day？ Why had he been so
careful not to inform the people at Briarbrae that he intended to
remain near them？ I cudgelled my brains until I fell asleep in the
endeavour to find some explanation which would cover all these facts。
It was seven o'clock when I awoke； and I set off at once for
Phelps's room to find him haggard and spent after a sleepless night。
His first question was whether Holmes had arrived yet。
〃He'll be here when he promised；〃 said I； 〃and not an instant sooner
or later。〃
And my words were true； for shortly after eight a hansom dashed up
to the door and our friend got out of it。 Standing in the window we
saw that his left hand was swathed in a bandage and that his face
was very grim and pale。 He entered the house； but it was some little
time before he came upstairs。
〃He looks like a beaten man；〃 cried Phelps。
I was forced to confess that he was right。 〃After all；〃 said I； 〃the
clue of the matter lies probably here in town。〃
Phelps gave a groan。
〃I don't know how it is；〃 said he； 〃but I had hoped for so much from
his return。 But surely his hand was not tied up like that yesterday。
What can be the matter？〃
〃You are not wounded； Holmes？〃 I asked as my friend entered the
room。
〃Tut； it is only a scratch through my own clumsiness；〃 he
answered； nodding his good…morning to us。 〃This case of yours； Mr。
Phelps； is certainly one of the darkest which I have ever
investigated。〃
〃I feared that you would find it beyond you。〃
〃It has been a most remarkable experience。〃
〃That bandage tells of adventures；〃 said I。 〃Won't you tell us
what has happened？〃
〃After breakfast； my dear Watson。 Remember that I have breathed
thirty miles of Surrey air this morning。 I suppose that there has been
no answer from my cabman advertisement？ Well； well； we cannot expect
to score every time。〃
The table was all laid； and just as I was about to ring Mrs。
Hudson entered with the tea and coffee。 A few minutes later she
brought in three covers； and we all drew up to the table； Holmes
ravenous； I curious； and Phelps in the gloomiest state of depression。
〃Mrs。 Hudson has risen to the occasion；〃 said Holmes； uncovering a
dish of curried chicken。 〃Her cuisine is a little limited； but she has
as good an idea of breakfast as a Scotchwoman。 What have you there；
Watson？〃
〃Ham and eggs；〃 I answered。
〃Good！ What are you going to take； Mr。 Phelps…curried fowl or
eggs； or will you help yourself？〃
〃Thank you。 I can eat nothing；〃 said Phelps。
〃Oh； come！ Try the dish before you。〃
〃Thank you； I would really rather not。〃
〃Well； then；〃 said Holmes with a mischievous twinkle； 〃I suppose
that you have no objection to helping me？〃
Phelps raised the cover； and as he did so he uttered a scream and
sat there staring with a face as white as the plate upon which he
looked。 Across the centre of it was lying a little cylinder of
blue…gray paper。 He caught it up； devoured it with his eyes； and
then danced madly about the room； pressing it to his bosom and
shrieking out in his delight。 Then he fell back into an armchair； so
limp and exhausted with his own emotions that we had to pour brandy
down his throat to keep him from fainting。
〃There！ there！〃 said Holmes soothingly； patting him upon the
shoulder。 〃It was too bad to spring it on you like this； but Watson
here will tell you that I never can resist a touch of the dramatic。〃
Phelps seized his hand and kissed it。 〃God bless you！〃 he cried。
〃You have saved my honour。〃
〃Well； my own was at stake； you know；〃 said Holmes。 〃I assure you it
is just as hateful to me to fail in a case as it can be to you to
blunder over a commission。〃
Phelps thrust away the precious document into the innermost pocket
of his coat。
〃I have not the heart to interrupt your breakfast any further； and
yet I am dying to know how you got it and where it was。〃
Sherlock Holmes swallowed a cup of coffee and turned his attention
to the ham and eggs。 Then he rose； lit his pipe； and settled himself
down into his chair。
〃I'll tell you what I did first； and how I came to do it
afterwards；〃 said he。 〃After leaving you at the station I went for a
charming walk through some admirable Surrey scenery to a pretty little
village called Ripley； where I had my tea at an inn and took the
precaution of filling my flask and of putting a paper of sandwiches in
my pocket。 There I remained until evening； when I set off for Woking
again and found myself in the highroad outside Briarbrae just after
sunset。
〃Well； I waited until the road was clear…it is never a very
frequented one at any time； I fancy…and then I clambered over the
fence into the grounds。〃
〃Surely the gate was open！' ejaculated Phelps。
〃Yes； but I have a peculiar taste in these matters。 I chose the
place where the three fir…trees stand； and behind their screen I got
over without the least chance of anyone in the house being able to see
me。 I crouched down among the bushes on the other side and crawled
from one to the other…witness the disreputable state of my trouser
knees…until I had reached the clump of rhododendrons just opposite
to your bedroom window。 There I squatted down and awaited
developments。
〃The blind was not down in your room； and I could see Miss
Harrison sitting there reading by the table。 It was quarter…past ten
when she closed her book； fastened the shutters； and retired。
〃I heard her shut the door and felt quite sure that she had turned
the key in the lock。〃
〃The key！〃 ejaculated Phelps。
〃Yes； I had given Miss Harrison instructions to lock the door on the
outside and take the key with her when she went to bed。 She carried
out every one of my injunctions to the letter； and certainly without
her cooperation you would not have that paper in your coat…pocket。 She
departed then and the lights went out； and I was left squatting in the
rhododendron…bush。
〃The night was fine； but still it was a very weary vigil。 Of
course it has the sort of excitement about it that the sportsman feels
when he lies beside the water course and waits for the big game。 It
was very long； though…almost as long； Watson； as when you and I waited
in that deadly room when we looked into the little problem of the
Speckled Band。 There was a church…clock down at Woking which struck
the quarters； and I thought more than once that it had stopped。 At
last； however； about two in the morning； I suddenly heard the gentle
sound of a bolt being pushed back and the creaking of a key。 A
moment later the servants' door was opened； and Mr。 Joseph Harrison
stepped out into the moonlight。〃
〃Joseph！〃 ejaculated Phelps。
〃He was bare…headed； but he had a black cloak thrown over his
shoulder； so that he could conceal his face in an instant if there
were any alarm。 He walked on tiptoe unde