第2部分(第5/7 頁)

。 He　must　bring　back　the　papers　before　morning　or　the　loss

will　be　discovered。 He　took　away　ten。 Only　seven　were　in　his

pocket。 What　had　bee　of　the　other　three？ He　certainly　would

not　leave　them　of　his　own　free　will。 Then；　again；　where　is　the

price　of　his　treason？ Once　would　have　expected　to　find　a　large

sum　of　money　in　his　pocket。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　perfectly　clear；〃　said　Lestrade。 〃I　have　no

doubt　at　all　as　to　what　occurred。 He　took　the　papers　to　sell

them。 He　saw　the　agent。　They　could　not　agree　as　to　price。 He

started　home　again；　but　the　agent　went　with　him。 In　the　train

the　agent　murdered　him；　took　the　more　essential　papers；　and　threw

his　body　from　the　carriage。 That　would　account　for　everything；

would　it　not？〃

〃Why　had　he　no　ticket？〃

〃The　ticket　would　have　shown　which　station　was　nearest　the

agent's　house。 Therefore　he　took　it　from　the　murdered　man's

pocket。〃

〃Good；　Lestrade；　very　good；〃　said　Holmes。 〃Your　theory　holds

together。 But　if　this　is　true；　then　the　case　is　at　an　end。 On

the　one　hand；　the　traitor　is　dead。 On　the　other；　the　plans　of

the　Bruce…Partington　submarine　are　presumably　already　on　the

Continent。 What　is　there　for　us　to　do？〃

〃To　act；　Sherlock……to　act！〃　cried　Mycroft；　springing　to　his　feet。

〃All　my　instincts　are　against　this　explanation。 Use　your　powers！

Go　to　the　scene　of　the　crime！ See　the　people　concerned！ Leave

no　stone　unturned！ In　all　your　career　you　have　never　had　so

great　a　chance　of　serving　your　country。〃

〃Well；　well！〃　said　Holmes；　shrugging　his　shoulders。 〃e；

Watson！ And　you；　Lestrade；　could　you　favour　us　with　your　pany