“There we have it at last, Watson! British government—Woolwich. Arsenal—technical papers—Brother Mycroft, the chainis complete. But here he comes, if I am not mistaken, to speak forhimself.”
A moment later the tall and portly form of Mycroft Holmeswas ushered into the room. Heavily built and massive, there wasa suggestion of uncouth physical inertia in the figure, but abovethis unwieldy frame there was perched a head so masterful in itsbrow, so alert in its steel-gray, deep-set eyes, so firm in its lips, andso subtle in its play of expression, that after the first glance oneforgot the gross body and remembered only the dominant mind.
At his heels came our old friend Lestrade, of ScotlandYard—thin and austere. The gravity of both their faces foretoldsome weighty quest. The detective shook hands without a word.
Mycroft Holmes struggled out of his overcoat and subsided intoan armchair.
“A most annoying business, Sherlock,” said he. “I extremelydislike altering my habits, but the powers that be would take nodenial. In the present state of Siam it is most awkward that Ishould be away from the office. But it is a real crisis. I have neverseen the Prime Minister so upset. As to the Admiralty—it isbuzzing like an overturned bee-hive. Have you read up the case?”
“We have just done so. What were the technical papers?”
“Ah, there’s the point! Fortunately, it has not come out. Thepress would be furious if it did. The papers which this wretchedyouth had in his pocket were the plans of the Bruce-Partingtonsubmarine.”
Mycroft Holmes spoke with a solemnity which showed his senseof the importance of the subject. His brother and I sat expectant.
“Surely you have heard of it? I thought everyone had heard ofit.”
“Only as a name.”
“Its importance can hardly be exaggerated. It has been the mostjealously guarded of all government secrets. You may take it fromme that naval warfare becomes impossible withing the radius of aBruce-Partington’s operation. Two years ago a very large sum was1150 The Complete Sherlock Holmes smuggled through the Estimates and was expended in acquiringmonopoly of the invention. Every effort has been made to keepthe secret. The plans, which are exceedingly intricate, comprisingsome thirty separate patents, each essential to the working ofthe whole, are kept in an elaborate safe in a confidential officeadjoining the arsenal, with burglar-proof doors and windows.
Under no conceivable circumstances were the plans to be takenfrom the office. If the chief constructor of the Navy desired toconsult them, even he was forced to go to the Woolwich office forthe purpose. And yet here we find them in the pocket of a deadjunior clerk in the heart of London. From an official point of viewit’s simply awful.”
“But you have recovered them?”
“No, Sherlock, no! That’s the pinch. We have not. Ten paperswere taken from Woolwich. There were seven in the pocketof Cadogan West. The three most essential are gone—stolen,vanished. You must drop everything, Sherlock. Never mind yourusual petty puzzles of the police-court. It’s a vital internationalproblem that you have to solve. Why did Cadogan West take thepapers, where are the missing ones, how did he die, how came hisbody where it was found, how can the evil be set right? Find ananswer to all these questions, and you will have done good servicefor your country.”
“Why do you not solve it yourself, Mycroft? You can see as far as.”
“Possibly, Sherlock. But it is a question of getting details.
Give me your details, and from an armchair I will return you anexcellent expert opinion. But to run here and run there, to crossquestionrailway guards, and lie on my face with a lens to myeye—it is not my metier. No, you are the one man who can clearthe matter up. If you have a fancy to see your name in the nexthonours list—”
My friend smiled and shook his head.
“I play the game for the game’s own sake,” said he. “But theproblem certainly presents some points of interest, and I shall bevery pleased to look into it. Some more facts, please.”
“I have jotted down the more essential ones upon this sheetof paper, together with a few addresses which you will find ofservice. The actual official guardian of the papers is the famousgovernment expert, Sir James Walter, whose decorations andsub-titles fill two lines of a book of reference. He has growngray in the service, is a gentleman, a favoured guest in the mostexalted houses, and, above all, a man whose patriotism is beyondsuspicion. He is one of two who have a key of the safe. I may addthat the papers were undoubtedly in the office during workingThe Adventure of Wisteria Lodge 1151
hours on Monday, and that Sir James left for London about threeo’clock taking his key with him. He was at the house of AdmiralSinclair at Barclay Square during the whole of the evening whenthis incident occurred.”
“Has the fact been verified?”
“Yes; his brother, Colonel Valentine Walter, has testified to hisdeparture from Woolwich, and Admiral Sinclair to his arrival inLondon; 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 isa man of forty, married, with five children. He is a silent, moroseman, but he has, on the whole, an excellent record in the publicservice. He is unpopular with his colleagues, but a hard worker.
According to his own account, corroborated only by the word ofhis wife, he was at home the whole of Monday evening after officehours, and his key has never left the watch-chain upon which ithangs.”
“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 astraight, honest man. We have nothing against him. He was nextSidney Johnson in the office. His duties brought him into daily,personal contact with the plans. No one else had the handling ofthem.”
“Who locked the plans up that night?”
“Mr. Sidney Johnson, the senior clerk.”