"A remarkable wine, Watson. Our friend upon the sofa has assured methat it is from Franz Josef's special cellar at the Schoenbrunn Palace.Might I trouble you to open the window, for chloroform vapour does nothelp the palate."
The safe was ajar, and Holmes standing in front of it was removingdossier after dossier, swiftly examining each, and then packing itneatly in Von Bork's valise. The German lay upon the sofa sleepingstertorously with a strap round his upper arms and another round hislegs.
"We need not hurry ourselves, Watson. We are safe from interruption.Would you mind touching the bell? There is no one in the house exceptold Martha, who has played her part to admiration. I got her thesituation here when first I took the matter up. Ah, Martha, you will beglad to hear that all is well."
The pleasant old lady had appeared in the doorway. She curtseyed witha smile to Mr. Holmes, but glanced with some apprehension at the figureupon the sofa.
"It is all right, Martha. He has not been hurt at all."
"I am glad of that, Mr. Holmes. According to his lights he has been akind master. He wanted me to go with his wife to Germany yesterday,but that would hardly have suited your plans, would it, sir?"
"No, indeed, Martha. So long as you were here I was easy in my mind.We waited some time for your signal to-night."
"It was the secretary, sir."
"I know. His car passed ours."
"I thought he would never go. I knew that it would not suit yourplans, sir, to find him here."
"No, indeed. Well, it only meant that we waited half an hour or sountil I saw your lamp go out and knew that the coast was clear. Youcan report to me to-morrow in London, Martha, at Claridge's Hotel."
"Very good, sir."
"I suppose you have everything ready to leave."
"Yes, sir. He posted seven letters to-day. I have the addresses asusual."
"Very good, Martha. I will look into them to-morrow. Good-night.These papers," he continued as the old lady vanished, "are not of verygreat importance, for, of course, the information which they representhas been sent off long ago to the German government. These are theoriginals which could not safely be got out of the country."
"Then they are of no use."
"I should not go so far as to say that, Watson. They will at leastshow our people what is known and what is not. I may say that a goodmany of these papers have come through me, and I need not add arethoroughly untrustworthy. It would brighten my declining years to seea German cruiser navigating the Solent according to the mine-fieldplans which I have furnished. But you, Watson"--he stopped his workand took his old friend by the shoulders--"I've hardly seen you in thelight yet. How have the years used you? You look the same blithe boyas ever."
"I feel twenty years younger, Holmes. I have seldom felt so happy aswhen I got your wire asking me to meet you at Harwich with the car.But you, Holmes--you have changed very little--save for that horriblegoatee."
"These are the sacrifices one makes for one's country, Watson," saidHolmes, pulling at his little tuft. "To-morrow it will be but adreadful memory. With my hair cut and a few other superficial changesI shall no doubt reappear at Claridge's to-morrow as I was before thisAmerican stunt--I beg your pardon, Watson, my well of English seems tobe permanently defiled--before this American job came my way."
"But you have retired, Holmes. We heard of you as living the life of ahermit among your bees and your books in a small farm upon the SouthDowns."
"Exactly, Watson. Here is the fruit of my leisured ease, the magnumopus of my latter years!" He picked up the volume from the table andread out the whole title, Practical Handbook of Bee Culture, with SomeObservations upon the Segregation of the Queen. "Alone I did it.Behold the fruit of pensive nights and laborious days when I watchedthe little working gangs as once I watched the criminal world ofLondon."
"But how did you get to work again?"
"Ah, I have often marvelled at it myself. The Foreign Minister alone Icould have withstood,
but when the Premier also deigned to visit myhumble roof--! The fact is, Watson, that this gentleman upon the sofawas a bit too good for our people. He was in a class by himself.Things were going wrong, and no one could understand why they weregoing wrong. Agents were suspected or even caught, but there wasevidence of some strong and secret central force. It was absolutelynecessary to expose it. Strong pressure was brought upon me to lookinto the matter. It has cost me two years, Watson, but they have notbeen devoid of excitement. When I say that I started my pilgrimage atChicago, graduated in an Irish
secret society at Buffalo, gave serioustrouble to the constabulary at Skibbareen, and so eventually caught theeye of a subordinate agent of Von Bork, who recommended me as a likelyman, you will realize that the matter was complex. Since then I havebeen honoured by his confidence, which has not prevented most of hisplans going subtly wrong and five of his best agents being in prison.I watched them, Watson, and I picked them as they ripened. Well, sir,I hope that you are none the worse!"
The last remark was addressed to Von Bork himself, who after muchgasping and blinking had lain quietly listening to Holmes's statement.He broke out now into a furious stream of German invective, his faceconvulsed with passion. Holmes continued his swift investigation ofdocuments while his prisoner cursed and swore.
"Though unmusical, German is the most expressive of all languages," heobserved when Von Bork had stopped from pure exhaustion. "Hullo!Hullo!" he added as he looked hard at the corner of a tracing beforeputting it in the box. "This should put another bird in the cage. Ihad no idea that the paymaster was such a rascal, though I have longhad an eye upon him. Mister Von Bork, you have a great deal to answerfor."
The prisoner had raised himself with some difficulty upon the sofa andwas staring with a strange mixture of amazement and hatred at hiscaptor.
"I shall get level with you, Altamont," he said, speaking with slowdeliberation. "If it takes me all my life I shall get level with you!"
"The old sweet song," said Holmes. "How often have I heard it in daysgone by. It was a favorite ditty of the late lamented ProfessorMoriarty. Colonel Sebastian Moran has also been known to warble it.And yet I live and keep bees upon the South Downs."