"THE SECOND STAIN" "One Tuesday morning in autumn at precisely half past eight," "Sherlock Holmes received a mysterious message that two men of great public distinction would be visiting Baker's Street in their private capacity and under circumstances of complete secrecy." "Holmes, they're here." "In brief, Mr. Holmes." "A document has been stolen from my private dispatch box and when I discovered my loss, which was at eight o'clock this morning," "I at once informed the Prime Minister." "It was at his suggestion that we both come to you." "You have informed the police?" "No sir, we have not done so, nor is it possible that we should do so." "To inform the police must, in the long run, mean to inform the public." "And that is what we particularly desire to avoid." "And why, sir?" "Because the document in question is of such immense importance that its publication might very easily," "I might almost say probably, lead to European complications of the utmost moment." "Unless its recovery is attended by the utmost secrecy, then it may as well not be recovered at all, for all that is aimed at by those who have taken it is that its contents should be generally known." "I understand." "Watson, do sit down." "Now, Mr. Trelawney Hope," "I'd be much obliged if you would tell me the exact circumstances under which this document disappeared." "As Secretary of State for European affairs," "I received the letter six days ago." "It was a letter from the foreign potentate you understand." "It was of such importance that I never left it in my safe, but I have taken each evening from my office, back to my house in Whitehall Terrace, and kept it in my bedroom, locked in my dispatch box." "And you are sure it was there last night?" "Yes, I'm quite certain of that fact." "I actually opened the dispatch box while I was dressing for dinner, and I saw the letter inside." "It then remained upon my bedside table." "Both my wife and I are light sleepers and are prepared to swear that no one could have entered the room during the night." "And yet this morning the paper is gone." "What time did you dine?" "Seven-thirty." "How long was it before you went to bed?" "My wife had gone to the theatre." "I had waited up for her." "It was eleven-thirty before we went our room." "So for four hours the dispatch box had lain unguarded?" "Mr. Holmes, no one is ever permitted to enter that room save the housemaid in the morning, and my valet during the rest of the day." "They are both trusty servants who have been with us for many years." "Besides, neither of them could have possibly known that there was anything more valuable than the ordinary departmental papers in my box." "Surely your wife knew?" "Mr. Holmes?" "I have long known how high" "Mr. Hope's sense of public duty." "I am convinced that in the case of this importance it would rise superior to the most intimate domestic ties." "You do me no more than justice, Prime Minister." "Until this morning I have never breathed one word to my wife upon this matter." "Who is there in England who did know the existence of this letter?" "Each member of the Cabinet was informed of it yesterday but the pledge of secrecy, which attends every Cabinet meeting, was increased by the solemn warning given by the Prime Minister." "My God, to think that within a few hours" "I myself should have lost it." "Besides the members of the Cabinet there are two, possibly three, departmental officials who know of the letter." "No one else in England, I assure you." "But abroad?" "I believe that no one abroad has seen the letter except the man who wrote it." "I am well convinced that his ministers that the usual official channels have not been employed in this case." "Now, sir, I must ask you more particularly what this document is, and why its disappearance should have such momentous consequences?" "Mr. Holmes, the envelope is a long, thin one of pale blue color." "There's a seal of red wax stamped with a crouching lion." "It is addressed in large, bold handwriting..." "Interesting and indeed essential as these details are, my inquiries must go more to the root of things." "What was the letter?" "That is a State secret of the utmost importance, which we cannot tell you, nor do I see that it is necessary." "If by the powers which you are said to possess you can find such an envelope as I describe with its enclosure then you will have deserved well of your country, and earned any reward, which it is within our power to bestow." "Gentlemen, you are two of the most busy men in the country and in my own small way" "I have a good many calls upon me." "I regret exceedingly that I am unable to help you in this matter, and any continuation of this interview would be a waste of time." "I am not accustomed sir to such things." "Dear Mr. Holmes, we must accept your terms." "No doubt you are right, and it is unreasonable for us to expect you to act unless you have our full confidence." "I agree with you, Prime Minister." "Then I will tell you, relying entirely upon your honour and that of your colleague, Dr. Watson." "I must appeal to your patriotism also, for I cannot imagine a greater misfortune for this country than that this affair should come out." "You may safely trust us." "The letter, then, is from a certain foreign potentate who has been ruffled by some recent colonial developments of this country." "It is written hurriedly and upon his own responsibility entirely." "At the same time it is couched in so unfortunate a manner that its publication would undoubtedly lead to the most dangerous feeling in this country." "There would be such ferment, sir that I do not hesitate to say that within a week of the publication of this letter this country would be involved in a great war." "And it is this letter, which may well mean the expenditure of a thousand million pounds and the lives of a hundred thousand men." "Have you informed the sender?" "A cipher telegraph has been dispatched." "Perhaps he desires the publication of the letter." "No, Doctor, we have strong reason to believe that he already understands that he has acted in an indiscreet and hotheaded manner." "It would be a far greater blow to him and his country than to us if this letter were to come out." "If this is so, in who's interest is it that the letter should come out?" "Why should anyone desire to steal it or publish it?" "There, Doctor Watson, you take me into the realms of high international politics." "But if you consider the European situation you will have no difficulty in perceiving the motive." "The whole of Europe is an armed camp." "Great Britain holds the scales." "If Britain were driven into war with one confederacy, it would assure the supremacy of the other, whether they were joined in the war or not." "So does the enemies of this potentate who want to secure and publish this letter, so as to make a breach between his country and ours?" "Yes sir." "And to whom would the document be sent if it fell into the wrong hands?" "To any of the great chancelleries of Europe." "It is probably speeding its way thither at the present instant as fast as steam can take it." "It is your misfortune, my dear fellow." "No one can blame you." "There's no precaution which you have neglected." "But now, Mr. Holmes, you are in full possession of the facts." "What course do you recommend?" "You think that if this document is not recovered there will be war?" "I think it is very probable." "Then, sir, prepare for war." "That is a hard saying, Mr. Holmes." "Consider the facts." "It seems no doubt this document was taken between half past seven and half past eleven yesterday evening, so where can it be now?" "No one has any reason to retain it." "It has been passed from hand to hand rapidly to those who need it and who will pay well for it." "What chance do we have to overtake it or even trace it?" "It is beyond our reach." "What you say is perfectly logical, Mr. Holmes." "I feel that the matter is indeed out of our hands." "Meanwhile, Hope, we cannot ignore all our other duties on account of this one misfortune." "Should there be any fresh developments during the day we will communicate with you and you no doubt will let us know the results of your own inquiries." "Thank you." "Telegraph!" "Westminster murder!" "Westminster murder!" "Telegraph!" "Westminster murder!" "Telegraph!" "The situation is desperate, but not hopeless." "There are only three men capable of playing so bold a game" "Oberstein, La Rothiere, and Eduardo Lucas." "Even now, if we could be sure which one of them has taken it, it is just possible that it has not passed out of their hands." "It's a question of money with these fellows, isn't it?" "Well we have the British Treasure behind us." "Oh if it's on the market I'll buy it if it means another penny on the income tax." "Come in." "Excuse, Mr. Holmes." "Mrs. Hudson, what is it?" "Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope, show her in." "Has my husband been here, Mr. Holmes?" "Madam, yes he has been here." "Mr. Holmes," "I implore you not to tell him I came here." "Your ladyship puts me in a very delicate position." "I beg of you to sit down and tell me what it is you desire but I cannot make you any unconditional promise." "Gentlemen, I will speak frankly to you in the hope that it will induce you to speak frankly in return." "There is complete confidence between my husband and myself on all matters except one." "That one is politics." "On this his lips are sealed." "He tells me nothing." "Now, I am aware that there was a most deplorable occurrence in our house last night." "I know that a paper has disappeared." "But because the matter is political my husband refuses to take me into his complete confidence." "Now it is essential essential, I say that I should thoroughly understand it." "You are the only people, save these politicians, who know the true facts, at least I presume you do." "You presume correctly, madam." "I beg you then, tell me exactly what has happened and what it may lead to." "Tell me all, Mr. Holmes." "Let no regard for my husband's interest keep you silent, for I assure you that his interests, if he would only see it, would be best served by taking me into his complete confidence." "What was this paper, which was stolen?" "Madam, what you ask me is really impossible." "You must see that this so." "If your husband thinks fit to keep you in the dark over this matter, is it for me, who has only learned the true facts under the pledge of professional secrecy, to tell what he has withheld?" "It is not fair to ask it." "It is he who you must ask." "I have asked him." "I come to you as a last resort." "But without your telling me anything definite you may do me a great service if you would enlighten me on one point." "What is it, madam?" "Is my husband's political career likely to suffer through this incident?" "Well let me say if it is not put right it may have a very unfortunate effect." "Oh." "One more question, Mr. Holmes." "From an expression which my husband dropped in the first shock of the disaster" "I understood that terrible public consequences might arise from the loss this document." "If he said so, I cannot deny it." "Of what nature are they?" "There again you ask me more than I can possibly answer." "Then I will waste no more of your time." "I cannot blame you, Mr. Holmes, for refusing to speak more freely, and you on your side will not," "I am sure, think the worst of me because I desire to share my husband's anxieties, even against his will." "Once more I beg you will say nothing of my visit." "I say, what a really remarkable and beautiful woman." "The fair sex is your department, Watson." "What did she really want?" "Surely her own statement was clear and her anxiety very natural." "Think of her appearance, Watson, her manner, her suppressed excitement, her restlessness, her tenacity in asking questions." "Remember she is the youngest daughter of the Duke of Belminster and comes of a cast that does not likely show emotion." "She was certainly much moved." "And you observed, of course, how she maneuvered to have her back to the light." "She did not wish us to read her expression too closely." "Yes; she choose that chair in the whole room." "And yet the motives of women are so inscrutable." "I mean, how could build on such a quicksand?" "Their most trivial action may mean volumes, or their most extraordinary conduct may depend upon a hairpin or a curling tong." "Good morning, Watson." "You off then?" "Yes." "Holmes?" "Was one of the agents you spoke of called Eduardo Lucas?" "Yes." "Of Godolphin Street?" "Yes." "You'll not see him." "Why not?" "He was murdered in his house last night." "Does it say murdered?" "Murdered in Westminster." "Crime of a mysterious character." "Eduardo Lucas, unmarried, thirty-four, well known in society circles on account of his charming personality." "Valet out for the evening." "They always are." "Elderly housekeeper sleeps at the top of the house, heard nothing." "They never do." "Just before midnight police constable, Barrett, saw a door ajar," "Found Lucas stabbed to the heart." "Awe, let me see." "Prussian dagger." "Robbery does not appear to be the motive." "Valuable collection untouched." "What do you make of this, Watson?" "Well it's an... it's an amazing coincidence." "Coincidence?" "Here is one of the three men whom we have named as possible actors in this drama, and he meets a violent end during the very hours we know that drama is enacted." "The odds are enormously against it being a coincidence." "The two events are connected must be connected." "It is for us to find the connection." "By now the police must know all." "No, not at all." "They know all they see at Godolphin Street." "They know, and shall know nothing of Whitehall Terrace." "Only we know of both events, and can trace the relation between them." "It is with the late Eduardo Lucas that the solution to our problem lies." "But it is a capital mistake to theorize in advance of the facts." "You stay here my good, Watson," "I will join you when I'm able." "Watson, they've arrested the valet." "Lestrade has been put in charge of the case." "He's buzzing around like a blue bottle." "I've got to know him rather well." "Would it help if I spoke to him?" "No, no it would not." "This is a case where the law is as dangerous to us as the criminals are." "We must be patient and wait." "Lucas murder case." "The Evening Standard." "Lucas murder case." "Suspect released." "Murder case." "Suspect released." "The Evening Standard." "Lucas murder case." "Breakfast, Mr. Holmes." "No, no," "No thank you, Mrs. Hudson." "I don't want any." "I don't know." "You'll fade away at this rate." "I say, Holmes, they've found the murderer or rather the murderess." "Indeed." "There's a wire from Paris." "Apparently Lucas was leading a double life." "He had a Creole wife in France where he called himself Henri Fournaye." "The woman was reported to the police yesterday by her servants, she is quite insane, a mania of a dangerous and permanent form." "Poor woman." "But listen to this." "The same woman was seen in the neighborhood of Godolphin Street on the night of the murder and later made an emotional scene at Charing Cross Station." "Now what do you think of that?" "Oh my dear Watson, you are so long-suffering, if I've told you nothing over these last few days it is because there is nothing to tell." "Even now this report from Paris doesn't help us much." "Well surely it's final as regards to Lucas' death." "The man's death is a mere incident a trivial episode in comparison with our real task, which is to trace the document and save a European catastrophe." "Now if the letter were loose no, it cannot be loose but if it isn't loose, where can it be?" "Who has it?" "Why is it held back?" "Look if Lestrade found it amongst Lucas' papers he's not such a fool as to announce it." "He would inform the chief commissioner." "The chief commissioner would inform the Home Secretary and he, in turn, the Prime Minister." "No it's not among Lucas' papers." "But why is it held back?" "That is the question which beats in my brain like a hammer." "Was it a mere coincidence that Lucas should meet his death on the night when the letter disappeared?" "Did it ever reach him?" "Has this mad wife of his taken it with her to Paris?" "If so, is it in her house in Paris?" "Shall I go to Paris?" "That would alert the French police." "Every man's hand is against us, and yet," "the interest at stake are colossal." "Should I bring this to a successful conclusion, it will certainly represent the crowning glory of my career." "Holmes, look!" "Thank you." "There you go gov." "Thank you." "Mr. Holmes." "Doctor Watson!" "You've no doubt been following the Lucas case?" "Lucas?" "Lucas?" "Awe yes, the name does seem familiar to me." "Eduardo Lucas found murdered last Tuesday night at his house in Godolphin Street." "Rather a distinguished gentlemen." "Student of international politics and a remarkable linguist, so they say." "I've been in charge of the case, matter of fact." "Not an easy task by any means." "Some delicate problems you understand?" "But to the aid of our French friends" "I will be able to bring the case to a satisfactory conclusion." "All the loose ends tied up." "Oh we've got it, clear as if we'd seen it." "Congratulations, Lestrade." "Another feather in your cap." "Thank you." "Yes indeed." "Oh before you go, Mr. Holmes, it's a mere trifle, but the sort of thing you take an interest in queer, you know, what you might call freakish." "It has nothing to do with the main fact, can't have, on the face of it." "What is it, then?" "Well if you gentlemen could come down to Godolphin Street" "I think I could explain it better on the spot." "For a few minutes perhaps." "Oh good, it's only just around the corner." "Thank you cabbie, keep the change." "Here it all is." "Now the woman must have knocked on the door after she saw the valet had gone out." "Surprise visit no doubt." "Lucas let her in." "He couldn't keep her on the street could he, his own wife?" "She started screaming at him being French." "Excuse me." "Saying how'd she traced him and reproaching him and so on." "Anyway they came in here and one thing led to another and with the daggers being so handy the end came soon." "It didn't happen in an instant though for these chairs were swept over to the wall and he had this one in his hand, as if he did try to hold her off with it." "Yes Lestrade, thank you." "Now tell me about this trifle." "Well, you know in crimes of this sort we keep things in their position." "Nothing has moved." "Officers in charge day and night." "I'm always very particular on that point." "Oh yes, you're meticulous in your investigations, Inspector." "Well this morning we thought we could tidy up a bit." "Post-mortem over, all the evidence gathered, investigation complete, however, this carpet." "As you can see it's not been fastened down, it's just been laid there." "Now we had occasion to raise it." "And we found..." "Yes?" "You'll never guess in a hundred years what we did find, Mr. Holmes." "Now you see this stain?" "Now a good deal of blood must have soaked through, must it not?" "Undoubtedly it must." "Then you'll be surprised to hear that there is no stain on the woodwork to correspond." "No stain?" "But there must be." "So you would say." "Fact remains there isn't." "But the under side is as stained as the upper." "It must have left a mark." "Now I will show you the explanation." "There is a second stain, but it does not correspond with this one." "Doctor Watson, will you take that side of the carpet?" "Now we will move round in an empty clockwise direction." "What I want to know is, Mr. Holmes, who shifted the carpet and why?" "Lestrade, who was on duty the day after the murder?" "The day after?" "MacPherson." "He's out there now." "Take my advice." "Examine him carefully." "I'll get him." "Don't do it before us." "We'll wait here." "Tell him you know someone has been here." "Press him." "Tell him a full confession is his only chance of forgiveness." "Do exactly as I tell you." "By George, if he knows" "I'll have it out of him." "Watson, quick get the table!" "Empty." "Holmes!" "In here, Constable." "MacPherson." "How's the family?" "Very well, thank you sir." "Well come out with it." "Let these gentlemen hear of your inexcusable conduct." "Well I meant no harm sir, I'm sure." "This young woman came to the door answering an advertisement about typewriting." "It was mistook, the house she said." "While we were talking, sir, you know how it is?" "It's a bit lonely when you're out there on duty all day." "What happened, MacPherson?" "Well, sir, we got talking about the crime." "She had read about it in the paper, she said, and wanted to see where it was done." "So I saw no harm in letting her have a wee peep." "She got just about in the door there, spotted that mark in the carpet and down she dropped on the floor, and lay for dead." "And no wonder." "Go on, MacPherson." "Well sir, I was away around at the lvy Plant for some brandy, and by the time I had brought it back the young woman had... well she wasn't here anymore." "She had recovered and was off." "Ashamed of herself, and dared not face me." "MacPherson, did you move the carpet?" "No sir, I only straightened it out." "You see she had fell on it and the polished floor being slippery." "Let that be a lesson to you, Constable, that you can't deceive me." "No doubt that you thought your breach of duty would never be discovered, and yet a mere glance at that carpet was enough to convince me that someone had been admitted to this room." "Lucky for you, my man, that nothing's missing." "Otherwise you would find yourself in Queer Street." "That will do." "Watson, what are we doing here?" "We have work elsewhere." "Another feather in your cap, Lestrade." "Oh thank you, Mr. Holmes." "Good Lord, Mr. Holmes!" "Hey." "Have you solved it?" "Hardly, Watson, hardly." "Two gentlemen wish to speak to you, my lady." "They do not have an appointment." "Who are they, Bates?" "Mr. Sherlock Holmes and a Doctor Watson, my lady." "Very well." "You may show them in." "Very well, my lady." "Excuse me." "Mr. Holmes and Doctor Watson, my lady." "Mr. Holmes." "This is surely most unfair and ungenerous on your part." "I have desired, as I have explained, to keep my visit to you a secret and yet you compromise me by coming here, and so showing that there are business relations between us." "Unfortunately, madam," "I have no possible alternative." "I've been commissioned to recover an immensely important document." "I must ask you, therefore, to be kind enough to place it in my hands." "You insult me, Mr. Holmes." "Do not ring, Lady Hilda." "If you work with me I can arrange everything." "If you work against me," "I must expose you." "You're trying to frighten me." "It's not a very manly thing, Mr. Holmes, to come here and browbeat a woman." "You say you have something to tell me." "Very well, I give you five minutes." "One is enough, Lady Hilda." "I know of your visit to Eduardo Lucas, of your giving him this letter, of your ingenious return to the room on the evening after the murder, and of the manner in which you took this letter from it's hiding place under the carpet." "I have kept this because" "I thought it might be useful." "The policeman recognized you." "Once again, Mr. Holmes," "I tell you you're under some absurd illusion." "Oh I am so sorry, Lady Hilda." "I have done my best, but I feel that I'm in vain." "Is Mr. Trelawney Hope at home?" "He'll be back at half past twelve, sir." "Then we have a quarter of an hour." "We will wait here." "Oh, spare me, Mr. Holmes." "Spare me." "For heaven's sake don't tell him." "I love him so." "I would not bring one shadow on his life, and this I know would break his noble heart." "We have not an instant to lose." "Where is the letter?" "Here it is." "I wish to heaven I'd never seen it." "And the dispatch box?" "With my husband." "Wherever he goes he takes it with him." "We only have a few minutes left." "Now, Lady Hilda, I'm going far to screen you." "In return you will spend the time telling me frankly the real meaning of this extraordinary affair." "It was on the afternoon of that day, that terrible day." "The day Eduardo Lucas was murdered?" "Yes." "I was just going out to pay some calls when a confidential note arrived for me." "It was from Lucas asking me to visit him urgently, as he had important and private information for my ears alone." "He had obtained, in some way, a letter of mine," "Mr. Holmes." "An indiscreet letter written before my marriage." "Foolish letter." "Letter of an impulsive, loving girl." "I meant no harm, yet my husband would have thought it criminal." "Had he read that letter his confidence would have been forever destroyed." "It's years since I wrote it." "I thought the whole matter was forgotten." "No doubt you remember to content very well." "Very sprightly, I must say, very sprightly." "You make a charming correspondent." "What do you want with me, Mr. Lucas?" "May I have my letter back please?" "Of course you may, Lady Hilda." "But this is a very valuable piece of paper, would you not agree?" "I'm sure if it was laid before your husband he would hardly fail to appreciate the contents." "You're a blackmailer." "A businessman, Lady Hilda." "This is purely a business transaction on my side." "I can assure you I wish no ill to you or your husband." "How much money do you want for that letter," "Mr. Lucas?" "Let's not speak of money, madam." "My business is not so simple as that." "Well the matter is an easy one." "Every evening when your husband returns from his ministry he brings with him his private dispatch box." "Is that not so?" "Yes." "When he comes home tonight this box will contain a long, blue envelope sealed in red wax with a crouching lion stamped on it." "Bring me that long, blue envelope with its contents and I will return you this." "But my husband?" "No harm will come to him." "I can assure you." "Put yourselves in my position." "What was I to do?" "Take your husband into your confidence." "I could not, Doctor Watson, I could not." "On the one side seemed certain ruin on the other, terrible as it seemed to take my husband's paper, in a matter of politics" "I could not understand it." "While in the matter of love and trust it was only too clear to me." "I did it, Mr. Holmes." "I did it." "I invented a story about going to the theatre." "[Screaming in French]" "The next morning" "I realized I'd only exchanged one trouble for another." "I followed my husband to Baker Street and then came to you myself in order to understand the full enormity of the events." "I alone in the world knew where the paper was hidden." "My whole mind was turned to the one thought of getting it back." "What I did, here he is now." "Any news Mr. Holmes?" "Any news?" "I have some hopes." "This is a matter of politics, my dear." "We shall not be long." "The Prime Minister is lunching with us." "May he share your hopes." "He has nerves of steel and yet I know that he's hardly slept since this terrible event." "Mr. Holmes has some news for us, sir." "What have you to report, Mr. Holmes?" "Purely negative as yet." "I have made inquiries at every point where it might be, and I'm sure there's no danger to be apprehended." "That's not enough, Mr. Holmes." "We cannot live on this volcano." "We must have something definite." "I have high hopes of getting the letters back." "That is why I'm here." "The more I think of it the more I am convinced that the letter has never left this house." "Oh really, Mr. Holmes." "But why should anybody take it in order to keep it in this house?" "I'm not convinced that anybody has taken it." "Mr. Holmes, this joking is very ill timed." "You have my assurance it was taken." "Have you examined the box carefully since last Tuesday morning?" "No not thoroughly." "I did not consider it necessary." "You could conceivably have overlooked the letter." "That is impossible, sir." "I have known such things happening." "You have other papers in the box?" "Yes, all my confidential papers." "It could have got mixed with them." "It was on the top." "The box could have been shaken." "I had everything out." "It's easily settled." "Let's go and look." "This is a farcical waste of time, but still, if nothing else will satisfy you, it shall be done." "Here are all my confidential papers as you can see." "It's a letter from Lord Merrow, report from Sir Charles Hardy, memorandum from Belgrade, that's the one we were discussing this morning, Prime Minister, note on the Russo-German grain taxes, letter from Madrid," "note from Lord Flowers..." "Yes, this is it." "And the letter is intact." "Remarkable." "This is inconceivable." "Impossible, Mr. Holmes." "Hilda?" "How did you know it was here?" "Because I knew it was nowhere else." "I cannot believe my eyes!" "Hilda, we have found the letter and I know it is difficult for you to understand but it is the most wonderful news." "It's quite extraordinary." "I went through every paper in here." "I checked and I rechecked." "It's incomprehensible that I should have overlooked it in this manner." "Oh gentlemen." "Come, there's more in this than meets the eye." "Prime Minister, we too have our diplomatic secrets."