〃No。　I　had　not　been　back　to　Woking　between　getting　the　order　and
  executing　the　commission。〃
  〃And　none　of　your　people　had　by　chance　been　to　see　you？〃
  〃None。〃
  〃Did　any　of　them　know　their　way　about　in　the　office？〃
  〃Oh；　yes；　all　of　them　had　been　shown　over　it。〃
  〃Still；　of　course；　if　you　said　nothing　to　anyone　about　the　treaty
  these　inquiries　are　irrelevant。〃
  〃I　said　nothing。〃
  〃Do　you　know　anything　of　the　commissionaire？〃
  〃Nothing　except　that　he　is　an　old　soldier。〃
  〃What　regiment？〃
  〃Oh；　I　have　heard…Coldstream　Guards。〃
  〃Thank　you。　I　have　no　doubt　I　can　get　details　from　Forbes。　The
  authorities　are　excellent　at　amassing　facts；　though　they　do　not　always
  use　them　to　advantage。　What　a　lovely　thing　a　rose　is！〃
  He　walked　past　the　couch　to　the　open　window　and　held　up　the　drooping
  stalk　of　a　moss…rose；　looking　down　at　the　dainty　blend　of　crimson
  and　green。　It　was　a　new　phase　of　his　character　to　me；　for　I　had
  never　before　seen　him　show　any　keen　interest　in　natural　objects。
  〃There　is　nothing　in　which　deduction　is　so　necessary　as　in
  religion；〃　said　he；　leaning　with　his　back　against　the　shutters。　〃It
  can　be　built　up　as　an　exact　science　by　the　reasoner。　Our　highest
  assurance　of　the　goodness　of　Providence　seems　to　me　to　rest　in　the
  flowers。　All　other　things；　our　powers；　our　desires；　our　food；　are
  all　really　necessary　for　our　existence　in　the　first　instance。　But　this
  rose　is　an　extra。　Its　smell　and　its　colour　are　an　embellishment　of
  life；　not　a　condition　of　it。　It　is　only　goodness　which　gives　extras；
  and　so　I　say　again　that　we　have　much　to　hope　from　the　flowers。〃
  Percy　Phelps　and　his　nurse　looked　at　Holmes　during　this
  demonstration　with　surprise　and　a　good　deal　of　disappointment
  written　upon　their　faces。　He　had　fallen　into　a　reverie；　with　the
  moss…rose　between　his　fingers。　It　had　lasted　some　minutes　before　the
  young　lady　broke　in　upon　it。
  〃Do　you　see　any　prospect　of　solving　this　mystery；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　she
  asked　with　a　touch　of　asperity　in　her　voice。
  〃Oh；　the　mystery！〃　he　answered；　coming　back　with　a　start　to　the
  realities　of　life。　〃Well；　it　would　be　absurd　to　deny　that　the　case
  is　a　very　abstruse　and　complicated　one；　but　I　can　promise　you　that　I
  will　look　into　the　matter　and　let　you　know　any　points　which　may　strike
  me。〃
  〃Do　you　see　any　clue？〃
  〃You　have　furnished　me　with　seven；　but　of　course　I　must　test　them
  before　I　can　pronounce　upon　their　value。〃
  〃You　suspect　someone？〃
  〃I　suspect　myself。〃
  〃What！〃
  〃Of　coming　to　conclusions　too　rapidly。〃
  〃Then　go　to　London　and　test　your　conclusions。〃
  〃Your　advice　is　very　excellent；　Miss　Harrison；〃　said　Holmes；　rising。
  〃I　think；　Watson；　we　cannot　do　better。　Do　not　allow　yourself　to
  indulge　in　false　hopes；　Mr。　Phelps。　The　affair　is　a　very　tangled　one。〃
  〃I　shall　be　in　a　fever　until　I　see　you　again；〃　cried　the
  diplomatist。
  〃Well；　I'll　come　out　by　the　same　train　to…morrow；　though　it's　more
  than　likely　that　my　report　will　be　a　negative　one。〃
  〃God　bless　you　for　promising　to　come；〃　cried　our　client。　〃It　gives
  me　fresh　life　to　know　that　something　is　being　done。　By　the　way；　I　have
  had　a　letter　from　Lord　Holdhurst。〃
  〃Ha！　what　did　he　say？'
  〃He　was　cold；　but　not　harsh。　I　dare　say　my　severe　illness
  prevented　him　from　being　that。　He　repeated　that　the　matter　was　of
  the　utmost　importance；　and　added　that　no　steps　would　be　taken　about　my
  future…by　which　he　means；　of　course；　my　dismissal…until　my　health
  was　restored　and　I　had　an　opportunity　of　repairing　my　misfortune。〃
  〃Well；　that　was　reasonable　and　considerate；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Come；
  Watson；　for　we　have　a　good　day's　work　before　us　in　town。〃
  Mr。　Joseph　Harrison　drove　us　down　to　the　station；　and　we　were　soon
  whirling　up　in　a　Portsmouth　train。　Holmes　was　sunk　in　profound　thought
  and　hardly　opened　his　mouth　until　we　had　passed　Clapham　Junction。
  〃It's　a　very　cheery　thing　to　come　into　London　by　any　of　these
  lines　which　run　high　and　allow　you　to　look　down　upon　the　houses　like
  this。〃
  I　thought　he　was　joking；　for　the　view　was　sordid　enough；　but　he　soon
  explained　himself。
  〃Look　at　those　big；　isolated　clumps　of　buildings　rising　up　above　the
  slates；　like　brick　islands　in　a　lead…coloured　sea。〃
  〃The　board…schools。〃
  〃Light…houses；　my　boy！　Beacons　of　the　future！　Capsules　with　hundreds
  of　bright　little　seeds　in　each；　out　of　which　will　spring　the　wiser；
  better　England　of　the　future。　I　suppose　that　man　Phelps　does　not
  drink？〃
  〃I　should　not　think　so。〃
  〃Nor　should　I；　but　we　are　bound　to　take　every　possibility　into
  account。　The　poor　devil　has　certainly　got　himself　into　very　deep
  water；　and　it's　a　question　whether　we　shall　ever　be　able　to　get　him
  ashore。　What　do　you　think　of　Miss　Harrison？〃
  〃A　girl　of　strong　character。〃
  〃Yes；　but　she　is　a　good　sort；　or　I　am　mistaken。　She　and　her
  brother　are　the　only　children　of　an　iron…master　somewhere　up
  Northumberland　way。　He　got　engaged　to　her　when　travelling　last　winter；
  and　she　came　down　to　be　introduced　to　his　people；　with　her　brother
  as　escort。　Then　came　the　smash；　and　she　stayed　on　to　nurse　her
  lover；　while　brother　Joseph；　finding　himself　pretty　snug；　stayed　on；
  too。　I've　been　making　a　few　independent　inquiries；　you　see。　But　to…day
  must　be　a　day　of　inquiries。〃
  〃My　practice…〃　I　began。
  〃Oh；　if　you　find　your　own　cases　more　interesting　than　mine…〃　said
  Holmes　with　some　asperity。
  〃I　was　going　to　say　that　my　practice　could　get　along　very　well　for　a
  day　or　two；　since　it　is　the　slackest　time　in　the　year。〃
  〃Excellent；〃　said　he；　recovering　his　good…humour。　〃Then　we'll　look
  into　this　matter　together。　I　think　that　we　should　begin　by　seeing
  Forbes。　He　can　probably　tell　us　all　the　details　we　want　until　we
  know　from　what　side　the　case　is　to　be　approached。〃
  〃You　said　you　had　a　clue？〃
  〃Well；　we　have　several；　but　we　can　only　test　their　value　by
  further　inquiry。　The　most　difficult　crime　to　track　is　the　one　which　is
  purposeless。　Now　this　is　not　purposeless。　Who　is　it　who　profits　by　it？
  There　is　the　French　ambassador；　there　is　the　Russian；　there　is　whoever
  might　sell　it　to　either　of　these；　and　there　is　Lord　Holdhurst。〃
  〃Lord　Holdhurst！〃
  〃Well；　it　is　just　conceivable　that　a　statesman　might　find　himself　in
  a　position　where　he　was　not　sorry　to　have　such　a　document　accidentally
  destroyed。〃
  〃Not　a　statesman　with　the　honourable　record　of　Lord　Holdhurst？〃
  〃It　is　a　possibility　and　we　cannot　afford　to　disregard　it。　We
  shall　see　the　noble　lord　to…day　and　find　out　if　he　can　tell　us
  anything。　Meanwhile　I　have　already　set　inquiries　on　foot。〃
  〃Already？〃
  〃Yes；　I　sent　wires　from　Woking　station　to　every　evening　paper　in
  London。　This　advertisement　will　appear　in　each　of　them。〃
  He　handed　over　a　sheet　torn　from　a　notebook。　On　it　was　scribbled　in
  pencil：
  L10　reward。　The　number　of　the　cab　which　dropped　a　fare　at　or　about
  the　door　of　the　Foreign　Office　in　Charles　Street　at　quarter　to　ten
  in　the　evening　of　May　23rd。　Apply　221B；　Baker　Street。
  〃You　are　confident　that　the　thief　came　in　a　cab？〃
  〃If　not；　there　is　no　harm　done。　But　if　Mr。　Phelps　is　correct　in
  stating　that　there　is　no　hiding…place　either　in　the　room　or　the
  corridors；　then　the　person　must　have　come　from　outside。　If　he　came
  from　outside　on　so　wet　a　night；　and　yet　left　no　trace　of　damp　upon　the
  linoleum；　which　was　examined　within　a　few　minutes　of　his　passing；　then
  it　is　exceedingly　probable　that　he　came　in　a　cab。　Yes；　I　think　that　we
  may　safely　deduce　a　cab。〃
  〃It　sounds　plausible。〃
  〃That　is　one　of　the　clues　of　which　I　spoke。　It　may　lead　us　to
  something。　And　then；　of　course；　there　is　the　bell…which　is　the　most
  distinctive　feature　of　the　case。　Why　should　the　bell　ring？　Was　it
  the　thief　who　did　it　out　of　bravado？　Or　was　it　someone　who　was　with
  the　thief　who　did　it　in　order　to　prevent　the　crime？　Or　was　it　an
  accident？　Or　was　it…？〃　He　sank　back　into　the　state　of　intense　and
  silent　thought　from　which　he　had　emerged；　but　it　seemed　to　me；
  accustomed　as　I　was　to　his　every　mood；　that　some　new　possibility　had
  dawned　suddenly　upon　him。
  It　was　twenty　past　three　when　we　reached　our　terminus；　and　after　a
  hasty　luncheon　at　the　buffet　we　pushed　on　at　once　to　Scotland　Yard。
  Holmes　had　already　wired　to　Forbes；　and　we　found　him　waiting　to
  receive　us…a　small；　foxy　man　with　a　sharp　but　by　no　means　amiable
  expression。　He　was　decidedly　frigid　in　his　manner　to　us；　especially
  when　he　heard　the　errand　upon　which　we　had　come。
  〃I've　heard　of　your　methods　before　now；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　he　tartly。
  〃You　are　ready　enough　to　use　all　the　information　that　the　police　can
  lay　at　your　disposal；　and　then　you　try　to　finish　the　case　yourself　and
  bring　discredit　on　them。〃
  〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Holmes；　〃out　of　my　last　fifty…three　cases　my
  name　has　only　appeared　in　four；　and　the　police　have　had　all　the　credit
  in　forty…nine。　I　don't　blame　you　for　not　knowing　this；　for　you　are
  young　and　inexperienced；　but　if　you　wish　to　get　on　in　your　new
  duties　you　will　work　with　me　and　not　against　me。〃
  〃I'd　be　very　glad　of　a　hint　or　two；〃　said　the　detective；　changing
  his　manner。