nMr.BartholomewSholto’schemicallaboratory.Icameatonceandhadalookattheplace,butIcouldnotseehowwithmywoodenlegIwastomakemywayuptoit.Ilearned,however,aboutatrap-doorintheroof,andalsoaboutMr.Sholto’ssupper-hour.ItseemedtomethatIcouldmanagethethingeasilythroughTonga.Ibroughthimoutwithmewithalongropewoundroundhiswaist.Hecouldclimblikeacat,andhesoonmadehiswaythroughtheroof,but,asillluckwouldhaveit,BartholomewSholtowasstillintheroom,tohiscost.Tongathoughthehaddonesomethingverycleverinkillinghim,forwhenIcameupbytheropeIfoundhimstruttingaboutasproudasapeacock.VerymuchsurprisedwashewhenImadeathimwiththerope’sendandcursedhimforalittleblood-thirstyimp.Itookthetreasure-boxandletitdown,andthensliddownmyself,havingfirstleftthesignofthefouruponthetable,toshowthatthejewelshadcomebackatlasttothosewhohadmostrighttothem.Tongathenpulleduptherope,closedthewindow,andmadeoffthewaythathehadcome.
“Idon’tknowthatIhaveanythingelsetotellyou.IhadheardawatermanspeakofthespeedofSmith’slaunchtheAurora,soIthoughtshewouldbeahandycraftforourescape.IengagedwitholdSmith,andwastogivehimabigsumifhegotussafetoourship.Heknew,nodoubt,thattherewassomescrewloose,buthewasnotinoursecrets.Allthisisthetruth,andifItellittoyou,gentlemen,itisnottoamuseyou,—foryouhavenotdonemeaverygoodturn,—butitisbecauseIbelievethebestdefenceIcanmakeisjusttoholdbacknothing,butletalltheworldknowhowbadlyIhavemyselfbeenservedbyMajorSholto,andhowinnocentIamofthedeathofhisson.”
“Averyremarkableaccount,”saidSherlockHolmes.“Afittingwind-uptoanextremelyinterestingcase.Thereisnothingatallnewtomeinthelatterpartofyournarrative,exceptthatyoubroughtyourownrope.ThatIdidnotknow.Bytheway,IhadhopedthatTongahadlostallhisdartsyethemanagedtoshootoneatusintheboat.”
“Hehadlostthemall,sir,excepttheonewhichwasinhisblow-pipeatthetime.”
“Ah,ofcourse,”saidHolmes.“Ihadnotthoughtofthat.”
“Isthereanyotherpointwhichyouwouldliketoaskabout?”askedtheconvict,affably.
“Ithinknot,thankyou,”mycompanionanswered.
“Well,Holmes,”saidAthelneyJones,“Youareamantobehumoured,andweallknowthatyouareaconnoisseurofcrime,butdutyisduty,andIhavegoneratherfarindoingwhatyouandyourfriendaskedme.Ishallfeelmoreateasewhenwehaveourstory-tellerheresafeunderlockandkey.Thecabstillwaits,andtherearetwoinspectorsdownstairs.Iammuchobligedtoyoubothforyourassistance.Ofcourseyouwillbewantedatthetrial.Good-nighttoyou.”
“Good-night,gentlemenboth,”saidJonathanSmall.
“Youfirst,Small,”remarkedthewaryJonesastheylefttheroom.“I’lltakeparticularcarethatyoudon’tclubmewithyourwoodenleg,whateveryoumayhavedonetothegentlemanattheAndamanIsles.”
“Well,andthereistheendofourlittledrama,”Iremarked,afterwehadsetsometimesmokinginsilence.“IfearthatitmaybethelastinvestigationinwhichIshallhavethechanceofstudyingyourmethods.MissMorstanhasdonemethehonourtoacceptmeasahusbandinprospective.”
Hegaveamostdismalgroan.“Ifearedasmuch,”saidhe.“Ireallycannotcongratulateyou.”
Iwasalittlehurt.“Haveyouanyreasontobedissatisfiedwithmychoice?”Iasked.
“Notatall.IthinksheisoneofthemostcharmingyoungladiesIevermet,andmighthavebeenmostusefulinsuchworkaswehavebeendoing.Shehadadecidedgeniusthatway:witnessthewayinwhichshepreservedthatAgraplanfromalltheotherpapersofherfather.Butloveisanemotionalthing,andwhateverisemotionalisopposedtothattruecoldreasonwhichIplaceaboveallthings.Ishouldnevermarrymyself,lestIbiasmyjudgment.”
“Itrust,”saidI,laughing,“thatmyjudgmentmaysurvivetheordeal.Butyoulookweary.”
“Yes,thereactionisalreadyuponme.Ishallbeaslimpasaragforaweek.”
“Strange,”saidI,“howtermsofwhatinanothermanIshouldcalllazinessalternatewithyourfitsofsplendidenergyandvigour.”
“Yes,”heanswered,“thereareinmethemakingsofaveryfineloaferandalsoofaprettysprysortoffellow.IoftenthinkofthoselinesofoldGoethe,—
SchadedassdieNaturnureinenMenschausDirschuf,
DennzumwürdigenMannwarundzumSchelmenderStoff.
“Bytheway,àproposofthisNorwoodbusiness,youseethattheyhad,asIsurmised,aconfederateinthehouse,whocouldbenoneotherthanLalRao,thebutler:soJonesactuallyhastheundividedhonourofhavingcaughtonefishinhisgreathaul.”
“Thedivisionseemsratherunfair,”Iremarked.“Youhavedonealltheworkinthisbusiness.Igetawifeoutofit,Jonesgetsthecredit,praywhatremainsforyou?”
“Forme,”saidSherlockHolmes,“therestillremainsthecocaine-bottle.”Andhestretchedhislongwhitehandupforit.