《布鲁斯-帕廷顿计划-the bruce-partington plans》帕廷顿计划-the bruce-partington plans-第3章

were　taken　from　Woolwich。 There　were　seven　in　the　pocket　of
Cadogan　West。 The　three　most　essential　are　gone……stolen；
vanished。 You　must　drop　everything；　Sherlock。 Never　mind　your
usual　petty　puzzles　of　the　police…court。 It"s　a　vital
international　problem　that　you　have　to　solve。 Why　did　Cadogan
West　take　the　papers；　where　are　the　missing　ones；　how　did　he　die；
how　came　his　body　where　it　was　found；　how　can　the　evil　be　set
right？ Find　an　answer　to　all　these　questions；　and　you　will　have
done　good　service　for　your　country。〃
〃Why　do　you　not　solve　it　yourself；　Mycroft？ You　can　see　as　far
as　I。〃
〃Possibly；　Sherlock。 But　it　is　a　question　of　getting　details。
Give　me　your　details；　and　from　an　armchair　I　will　return　you　an
excellent　expert　opinion。 But　to　run　here　and　run　there；　to
cross…question　railway　guards；　and　lie　on　my　face　with　a　lens　to
my　eye……it　is　not　my　metier。 No；　you　are　the　one　man　who　can
clear　the　matter　up。 If　you　have　a　fancy　to　see　your　name　in　the
next　honours　list……〃
My　friend　smiled　and　shook　his　head。
〃I　play　the　game　for　the　game"s　own　sake；〃　said　he。 〃But　the
problem　certainly　presents　some　points　of　interest；　and　I　shall
be　very　pleased　to　look　into　it。 Some　more　facts；　please。〃
〃I　have　jotted　down　the　more　essential　ones　upon　this　sheet　of
paper；　together　with　a　few　addresses　which　you　will　find　of
service。 The　actual　official　guardian　of　the　papers　is　the
famous　government　expert；　Sir　James　Walter；　whose　decorations　and
sub…titles　fill　two　lines　of　a　book　of　reference。 He　has　grown
gray　in　the　service；　is　a　gentleman；　a　favoured　guest　in　the　most
exalted　houses；　and；　above　all；　a　man　whose　patriotism　is　beyond
suspicion。 He　is　one　of　two　who　have　a　key　of　the　safe。 I　may
add　that　the　papers　were　undoubtedly　in　the　office　during　working
hours　on　Monday；　and　that　Sir　James　left　for　London　about　three
o"clock　taking　his　key　with　him。 He　was　at　the　house　of　Admiral
Sinclair　at　Barclay　Square　during　the　whole　of　the　evening　when
this　incident　occurred。〃
〃Has　the　fact　been　verified？〃
〃Yes；　his　brother；　Colonel　Valentine　Walter；　has　testified　to　his
departure　from　Woolwich；　and　Admiral　Sinclair　to　his　arrival　in
London；　so　Sir　James　is　no　longer　a　direct　factor　in　the
problem。〃
〃Who　was　the　other　man　with　a　key？〃
〃The　senior　clerk　and　draughtsman；　Mr。　Sidney　Johnson。 He　is　a
man　of　forty；　married；　with　five　children。 He　is　a　silent；
morose　man；　but　he　has；　on　the　whole；　an　excellent　record　in　the
public　service。 He　is　unpopular　with　his　colleagues；　but　a　hard
worker。 According　to　his　own　account；　corroborated　only　by　the
word　of　his　wife；　he　was　at　home　the　whole　of　Monday　evening
after　office　hours；　and　his　key　has　never　left　the　watch…chain
upon　which　it　hangs。〃
〃Tell　us　about　Cadogan　West。〃
〃He　has　been　ten　years　in　the　service　and　has　done　good　work。 He
has　the　reputation　of　being　hot…headed　and　imperious；　but　a
straight；　honest　man。 We　have　nothing　against　him。 He　was　next
Sidney　Johnson　in　the　office。 His　duties　brought　him　into　daily；
personal　contact　with　the　plans。 No　one　else　had　the　handling　of
them。〃
〃Who　locked　up　the　plans　that　night？〃
〃Mr。　Sidney　Johnson；　the　senior　clerk。〃
〃Well；　it　is　surely　perfectly　clear　who　took　them　away。 They　are
actually　found　upon　the　person　of　this　junior　clerk；　Cadogan
West。 That　seems　final；　does　it　not？〃
〃It　does；　Sherlock；　and　yet　it　leaves　so　much　unexplained。 In
the　first　place；　why　did　he　take　them？〃
〃I　presume　they　were　of　value？〃
〃He　could　have　got　several　thousands　for　them　very　easily。〃
〃Can　you　suggest　any　possible　motive　for　taking　the　papers　to
London　except　to　sell　them？〃
〃No；　I　cannot。〃
〃Then　we　must　take　that　as　our　working　hypothesis。 Young　West
took　the　papers。 Now　this　could　only　be　done　by　having　a　false
key……〃
〃Several　false　keys。 He　had　to　open　the　building　and　the　room。〃
〃He　had；　then；　several　false　keys。 He　took　the　papers　to　London
to　sell　the　secret；　intending；　no　doubt；　to　have　the　plans
themselves　back　in　the　safe　next　morning　before　they　were　missed。
While　in　London　on　this　treasonable　mission　he　met　his　end。〃
〃How？〃
〃We　will　suppose　that　he　was　travelling　back　to　Woolwich　when　he
was　killed　and　thrown　out　of　the　partment。〃
〃Aldgate；　where　the　body　was　found；　is　considerably　past　the
station　London　Bridge；　which　would　be　his　route　to　Woolwich。〃
〃Many　circumstances　could　be　imagined　under　which　he　would　pass
London　Bridge。 There　was　someone　in　the　carriage；　for　example；
with　whom　he　was　having　an　absorbing　interview。 This　interview
led　to　a　violent　scene　in　which　he　lost　his　life。 Possibly　he
tried　to　leave　the　carriage；　fell　out　on　the　line；　and　so　met　his
end。 The　other　closed　the　door。 There　was　a　thick　fog；　and
nothing　could　be　seen。〃
〃No　better　explanation　can　be　given　with　our　present　knowledge；
and　yet　consider；　Sherlock；　how　much　you　leave　untouched。 We
will　suppose；　for　argument"s　sake；　that　young　Cadogan　West　HAD
determined　to　convey　these　papers　to　London。 He　would　naturally
have　made　an　appointment　with　the　foreign　agent　and　kept　his
evening　clear。 Instead　of　that　he　took　two　tickets　for　the
theatre；　escorted　his　fiancee　halfway　there；　and　then　suddenly
disappeared。〃
〃A　blind；〃　said　Lestrade；　who　had　sat　listening　with　some
impatience　to　the　conversation。
〃A　very　singular　one。 That　is　objection　No。　1。 Objection　No。　2：
We　will　suppose　that　he　reaches　London　and　sees　the　foreign
agent。 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　thr