My friend rose lazily from his armchair and stood with his handsin the pockets of his dressing-gown, looking over my shoulder. Itwas a bright, crisp February morning, and the snow of the daybefore still lay deep upon the ground, shimmering brightly in thewintry sun. Down the centre of Baker Street it had been ploughedinto a brown crumbly band by the traffic, but at either side andon the heaped-up edges of the foot-paths it still lay as white aswhen it fell. The grey pavement had been cleaned and scraped, butwas still dangerously slippery, so that there were fewerpassengers than usual. Indeed, from the direction of theMetropolitan Station no one was coming save the single gentlemanwhose eccentric conduct had drawn my attention.
He was a man of about fifty, tall, portly, and imposing, with amassive, strongly marked face and a commanding figure. He wasdressed in a sombre yet rich style, in black frock-coat, shininghat, neat brown gaiters, and well-cut pearl-grey trousers. Yethis actions were in absurd contrast to the dignity of his dressand features, for he was running hard, with occasional littlesprings, such as a weary man gives who is little accustomed toset any tax upon his legs. As he ran he jerked his hands up anddown, waggled his head, and writhed his face into the mostextraordinary contortions.
"What on earth can be the matter with him?" I asked. "He islooking up at the numbers of the houses."
"I believe that he is coming here," said Holmes, rubbing hishands.
"Here?"
"Yes; I rather think he is coming to consult me professionally. Ithink that I recognise the symptoms. Ha! did I not tell you?" Ashe spoke, the man, puffing and blowing, rushed at our door andpulled at our bell until the whole house resounded with theclanging.
A few moments later he was in our room, still puffing, stillgesticulating, but with so fixed a look of grief and despair inhis eyes that our smiles were turned in an instant to horror andpity. For a while he could not get his words out, but swayed hisbody and plucked at his hair like one who has been driven to theextreme limits of his reason. Then, suddenly springing to hisfeet, he beat his head against the wall with such force that weboth rushed upon him and tore him away to the centre of the room.Sherlock Holmes pushed him down into the easy-chair and, sittingbeside him, patted his hand and chatted with him in the easy,soothing tones which he knew so well how to employ.
"You have come to me to tell your story, have you not?" said he."You are fatigued with your haste. Pray wait until you haverecovered yourself, and then I shall be most happy to look intoany little problem which you may submit to me."
The man sat for a minute or more with a heaving chest, fightingagainst his emotion. Then he passed his handkerchief over hisbrow, set his lips tight, and turned his face towards us.
"No doubt you think me mad?" said he.
"I see that you have had some great trouble," responded Holmes.
"God knows I have!--a trouble which is enough to unseat myreason, so sudden and so terrible is it. Public disgrace I mighthave faced, although I am a man whose character has never yetborne a stain. Private affliction also is the lot of every man;but the two coming together, and in so frightful a form, havebeen enough to shake my very soul. Besides, it is not I alone.The very noblest in the land may suffer unless some way be foundout of this horrible affair."
"Pray compose yourself, sir," said Holmes, "and let me have aclear account of who you are and what it is that has befallenyou."
"My name," answered our visitor, "is probably familiar to yourears. I am Alexander Holder, of the banking firm of Holder &Stevenson, of Threadneedle Street."
The name was indeed well known to us as belonging to the seniorpartner in the second largest private banking concern in the Cityof London. What could have happened, then, to bring one of theforemost citizens of London to this most pitiable pass? Wewaited, all curiosity, until with another effort he bracedhimself to tell his story.
"I feel that time is of value," said he; "that is why I hastenedhere when the police inspector suggested that I should secureyour co-operation. I came to Baker Street by the Underground andhurried from there on foot, for the cabs go slowly through thissnow. That is why I was so out of breath, for I am a man whotakes very little exercise. I feel better now, and I will put thefacts before you as shortly and yet as clearly as I can.
"It is, of course, well known to you that in a successful bankingbusiness as much depends upon our being able to find remunerativeinvestments for our funds as upon our increasing our connectionand the number of our depositors. One of our most lucrative meansof laying out money is in the shape of loans, where the securityis unimpeachable. We have done a good deal in this directionduring the last few years, and there are many noble families towhom we have advanced large sums upon the security of theirpictures, libraries, or plate.
"Yesterday morning I was seated in my office at the bank when acard was brought in to me by one of the clerks. I started when Isaw the name, for it was that of none other than--well, perhapseven to you I had better say no more than that it was a namewhich is a household word all over the earth--one of the highest,noblest, most exalted names in England. I was overwhelmed by thehonour and attempted, when he entered, to say so, but he plungedat once into business with the air of a man who wishes to hurryquickly through a disagreeable task.
"'Mr. Holder,' said he, 'I have been informed that you are in thehabit of advancing money.'
"'The firm does so when the security is good.' I answered.
"'It is absolutely essential to me,' said he, 'that I should have50,000 pounds at once. I could, of course, borrow so trifling asum ten times over from my friends, but I much prefer to make ita matter of business and to carry out that business myself. In myposition you can readily understand that it is unwise to placeone's self under obligations.'
"'For how long, may I ask, do you want this sum?' I asked.
"'Next Monday I have a large sum due to me, and I shall then mostcertainly repay what you advance, with whatever interest youthink it right to charge. But it is very essential to me that themoney should be paid at once.'
"'I should be happy to advance it without further parley from myown private purse,' said I, 'were it not that the strain would berather more than it could bear. If, on the other hand, I am to doit in the name of the firm, then in justice to my partner I mustinsist that, even in your case, every businesslike precautionshould be taken.'
"'I should much prefer to have it so,' said he, raising up asquare, black morocco case which he had laid beside his chair.'You have doubtless heard of the Beryl Coronet?'
"'One of the most precious public possessions of the empire,'said I.
"'Precisely.' He opened the case, and there, imbedded in soft,flesh-coloured velvet, lay the magnificent piece of jewellerywhich he had named. 'There are thirty-nine enormous beryls,' saidhe, 'and the price of the gold chasing is incalculable. Thelowest estimate would put the worth of the coronet at double thesum which I have asked. I am prepared to leave it with you as mysecurity.'
"I took the precious case into my hands and looked in someperplexity from it to my illustrious client.
"'You doubt its value?' he asked.
"'Not at all. I only doubt--'