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

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London。〃

〃When？〃

〃The　body　was　found　at　six　on　Tuesday　morning。　　It　was　lying　wide
of　the　metals　upon　the　left　hand　of　the　track　as　one　goes
eastward；　at　a　point　close　to　the　station；　where　the　line　emerges
from　the　tunnel　in　which　it　runs。　　The　head　was　badly　crushed……an
injury　which　might　well　have　been　caused　by　a　fall　from　the
train。　　The　body　could　only　have　e　on　the　line　in　that　way。
Had　it　been　carried　down　from　any　neighbouring　street；　it　must
have　passed　the　station　barriers；　where　a　collector　is　always
standing。　　This　point　seems　absolutely　certain。〃

〃Very　good。　　The　case　is　definite　enough。　　The　man；　dead　or
alive；　either　fell　or　was　precipitated　from　a　train。　　So　much　is
clear　to　me。　　Continue。〃

〃The　trains　which　traverse　the　lines　of　rail　beside　which　the
body　was　found　are　those　which　run　from　west　to　east；　some　being
purely　Metropolitan；　and　some　from　Willesden　and　outlying
junctions。　　It　can　be　stated　for　certain　that　this　young　man；
when　he　met　his　death；　was　travelling　in　this　direction　at　some
late　hour　of　the　night；　but　at　what　point　he　entered　the　train　it
is　impossible　to　state。〃

〃His　ticket；　of　course；　would　show　that。〃

〃There　was　no　ticket　in　his　pockets。〃

〃No　ticket！　　Dear　me；　Watson；　this　is　really　very　singular。
According　to　my　experience　it　is　not　possible　to　reach　the
platform　of　a　Metropolitan　train　without　exhibiting　one's　ticket。
Presumably；　then；　the　young　man　had　one。　　Was　it　taken　from　him
in　order　to　conceal　the　station　from　which　he　came？　　It　is
possible。　　Or　did　he　drop　it　in　the　carriage？　　That　is　also
possible。　　But　the　point　is　of　curious　interest。　　I　understand
that　there　was　no　sign　of　robbery？〃

〃Apparently　not。　　There　is　a　list　here　of　his　possessions。　　His
purse　contained　two　pounds　fifteen。　　He　had　also　a　check…book　on
the　Woolwich　branch　of　the　Capital　and　Counties　Bank。　　Through
this　his　identity　was　established。　　There　were　also　two　dress…
circle　tickets　for　the　Woolwich　Theatre；　dated　for　that　very
evening。　　Also　a　small　packet　of　technical　papers。〃

Holmes　gave　an　exclamation　of　satisfaction。

〃There　we　have　it　at　last；　Watson！　　British　government……Woolwich。
Arsenal……technical　papers……Brother　Mycroft；　the　chain　is
plete。　　But　here　he　es；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　to　speak　for
himself。〃

A　moment　later　the　tall　and　portly　form　of　Mycroft　Holmes　was
ushered　into　the　room。　　Heavily　built　and　massive；　there　was　a
suggestion　of　uncouth　physical　inertia　in　the　figure；　but　above
this　unwieldy　frame　there　was　perched　a　head　so　masterful　in　its
brow；　so　alert　in　its　steel…gray；　deep…set　eyes；　so　firm　in　its
lips；　and　so　subtle　in　its　play　of　expression；　that　after　the
first　glance　one　forgot　the　gross　body　and　remembered　only　the
dominant　mind。

At　his　heels　came　our　old　friend　Lestrade；　of　Scotland　Yard……thin
and　austere。　　The　gravity　of　both　their　faces　foretold　some
weighty　quest。　　The　detective　shook　hands　without　a　word。
Mycroft　Holmes　struggled　out　of　his　overcoat　and　subsided　into　an
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　Admi