Lestrade rose in his triumph and bent his head to look. "Why," heshrieked, "you're looking at the wrong side!"
"On the contrary, this is the right side."
"The right side? You're mad! Here is the note written in pencilover here."
"And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotelbill, which interests me deeply."
"There's nothing in it. I looked at it before," said Lestrade."'Oct. 4th, rooms 8s., breakfast 2s. 6d., cocktail 1s., lunch 2s.6d., glass sherry, 8d.' I see nothing in that."
"Very likely not. It is most important, all the same. As to thenote, it is important also, or at least the initials are, so Icongratulate you again."
"I've wasted time enough," said Lestrade, rising. "I believe inhard work and not in sitting by the fire spinning fine theories.Good-day, Mr. Holmes, and we shall see which gets to the bottomof the matter first." He gathered up the garments, thrust theminto the bag, and made for the door.
"Just one hint to you, Lestrade," drawled Holmes before his rivalvanished; "I will tell you the true solution of the matter. LadySt. Simon is a myth. There is not, and there never has been, anysuch person."
Lestrade looked sadly at my companion. Then he turned to me,tapped his forehead three times, shook his head solemnly, andhurried away.
He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put onhis overcoat. "There is something in what the fellow says aboutoutdoor work," he remarked, "so I think, Watson, that I mustleave you to your papers for a little."
It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me, but I hadno time to be lonely, for within an hour there arrived aconfectioner's man with a very large flat box. This he unpackedwith the help of a youth whom he had brought with him, andpresently, to my very great astonishment, a quite epicureanlittle cold supper began to be laid out upon our humblelodging-house mahogany. There were a couple of brace of coldwoodcock, a pheasant, a pate de foie gras pie with a group ofancient and cobwebby bottles. Having laid out all these luxuries,my two visitors vanished away, like the genii of the ArabianNights, with no explanation save that the things had been paidfor and were ordered to this address.
Just before nine o'clock Sherlock Holmes stepped briskly into theroom. His features were gravely set, but there was a light in hiseye which made me think that he had not been disappointed in hisconclusions.
"They have laid the supper, then," he said, rubbing his hands.
"You seem to expect company. They have laid for five."
"Yes, I fancy we may have some company dropping in," said he. "Iam surprised that Lord St. Simon has not already arrived. Ha! Ifancy that I hear his step now upon the stairs."
It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in,dangling his glasses more vigorously than ever, and with a veryperturbed expression upon his aristocratic features.
"My messenger reached you, then?" asked Holmes.
"Yes, and I confess that the contents startled me beyond measure.Have you good authority for what you say?"
"The best possible."
Lord St. Simon sank into a chair and passed his hand over hisforehead.
"What will the Duke say," he murmured, "when he hears that one ofthe family has been subjected to such humiliation?"
"It is the purest accident. I cannot allow that there is anyhumiliation."
"Ah, you look on these things from another standpoint."
"I fail to see that anyone is to blame. I can hardly see how thelady could have acted otherwise, though her abrupt method ofdoing it was undoubtedly to be regretted. Having no mother, shehad no one to advise her at such a crisis."
"It was a slight, sir, a public slight," said Lord St. Simon,tapping his fingers upon the table.
"You must make allowance for this poor girl, placed in sounprecedented a position."
"I will make no allowance. I am very angry indeed, and I havebeen shamefully used."
"I think that I heard a ring," said Holmes. "Yes, there are stepson the landing. If I cannot persuade you to take a lenient viewof the matter, Lord St. Simon, I have brought an advocate herewho may be more successful." He opened the door and ushered in alady and gentleman. "Lord St. Simon," said he "allow me tointroduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Francis Hay Moulton. The lady, Ithink, you have already met."
At the sight of these newcomers our client had sprung from hisseat and stood very erect, with his eyes cast down and his handthrust into the breast of his frock-coat, a picture of offendeddignity. The lady had taken a quick step forward and had held outher hand to him, but he still refused to raise his eyes. It wasas well for his resolution, perhaps, for her pleading face wasone which it was hard to resist.
"You're angry, Robert," said she. "Well, I guess you have everycause to be."