”Itwasinvainthatsheprotestedandresisted。Afour-wheelerwasbrought，andweallthreedrovebackinit。Wehadfirstmadeanexaminationofthekitchen，andespeciallyofthekitchenfire，toseewhethershemighthavemadeawaywiththepapersduringtheinstantthatshewasalone。Therewerenosigns，however，ofanyashesorscraps。WhenwereachedScotlandYardshewashandedoveratoncetothefemalesearcher。Iwaitedinanagonyofsuspenseuntilshecamebackwithherreport。Therewerenosignsofthepapers。”Thenforthefirsttimethehorrorofmysituationcameinitsfullforce。HithertoIhadbeenacting，andactionhadnumbedthought。IhadbeensoconfidentofregainingthetreatyatoncethatIhadnotdaredtothinkofwhatwouldbetheconsequenceifIfailedtodoso。Butnowtherewasnothingmoretobedone，andIhadleisuretorealizemyposition。Itwashorrible。WatsontherewouldtellyouthatIwasanervous，sensitiveboyatschool。Itismynature。
IthoughtofmyuncleandofhiscolleaguesintheCabinet，oftheshamewhichIhadbroughtuponhim，uponmyself，uponeveryoneconnectedwithme。WhatthoughIwasthevictimofanextraordinaryaccident?
Noallowanceismadeforaccidentswherediplomaticinterestsareatstake。Iwasruined，shamefully，hopelesslyruined。Idon’tknowwhatIdid。IfancyImusthavemadeascene。Ihaveadimrecollectionofagroupofofficialswhocrowdedroundme，endeavoringtosootheme。OneofthemdrovedownwithmetoWaterloo，andsawmeintotheWokingtrain。I
believethathewouldhavecomeallthewayhaditnotbeenthatDr。Ferrier，wholivesnearme，wasgoingdownbythatverytrain。Thedoctormostkindlytookchargeofme，anditwaswellhedidso，forIhadafitinthestation，andbeforewereachedhomeIwaspracticallyaravingmaniac。”Youcanimaginethestateofthingsherewhentheywererousedfromtheirbedsbythedoctor’sringingandfoundmeinthiscondition。PoorAnniehereandmymotherwerebroken-hearted。Dr。Ferrierhadjustheardenoughfromthedetectiveatthestationtobeabletogiveanideaofwhathadhappened，andhisstorydidnotmendmatters。ItwasevidenttoallthatIwasinforalongillness，soJosephwasbundledoutofthischeerybedroom，anditwasturnedintoasick-roomforme。HereIhavelain，Mr。
Holmes，forovernineweeks，unconscious，andravingwithbrain-fever。IfithadnotbeenforMissHarrisonhereandforthedoctor’scareIshouldnotbespeakingtoyounow。Shehasnursedmebydayandahirednursehaslookedaftermebynight，forinmymadfitsIwascapableofanything。Slowlymyreasonhascleared，butitisonlyduringthelastthreedaysthatmymemoryhasquitereturned。SometimesIwishthatitneverhad。ThefirstthingthatIdidwastowiretoMr。Forbes，whohadthecaseinhand。Hecameout，andassuresmethat，thougheverythinghasbeendone，notraceofacluehasbeendiscovered。Thecommissionnaireandhiswifehavebeenexaminedineverywaywithoutanylightbeingthrownuponthematter。ThesuspicionsofthepolicethenresteduponyoungGorot，who，asyoumayremember，stayedovertimeintheofficethatnight。HisremainingbehindandisFrenchnamewerereallytheonlytwopointswhichcouldsuggestsuspicion；but，asamatteroffact，Ididnotbeginworkuntilhehadgone，andhispeopleareofHuguenotextraction，butasEnglishinsympathyandtraditionasyouandIare。Nothingwasfoundtoimplicatehiminanyway，andtherethematterdropped。Iturntoyou，Mr。Holmes，asabsolutelymylasthope。Ifyoufailme，thenmyhonoraswellasmypositionareforeverforfeited。”
Theinvalidsankbackuponhiscushions，tiredoutbythislongrecital，whilehisnursepouredhimoutaglassofsomestimulatingmedicine。Holmessatsilently，withhisheadthrownbackandhiseyesclosed，inanattitudewhichmightseemlistlesstoastranger，butwhichIknewbetokenedthemostintenseself-absorption。”Youstatementhasbeensoexplicit，”saidheatlast，”thatyouhavereallyleftmeveryfewquestionstoask。Thereisoneoftheveryutmostimportance，however。Didyoutellanyonethatyouhadthisspecialtasktoperform?””Noone。””NotMissHarrisonhere，forexample?””No。IhadnotbeenbacktoWokingbetweengettingtheorderandexecutingthecommission。””Andnoneofyourpeoplehadbychancebeentoseeyou?””None。””Didanyofthemknowtheirwayaboutintheoffice?””Oh，yes，allofthemhadbeenshownoverit。””Still，ofcourse，ifyousaidnothingtoanyoneaboutthetreatytheseinquiriesareirrelevant。””Isaidnothing。””Doyouknowanythingofthecommissionnaire?””Nothingexceptthatheisanoldsoldier。””Whatregiment?””Oh，Ihaveheard——ColdstreamGuards。””Thankyou。IhavenodoubtIcangetdetailsfromForbes。Theauthoritiesareexcellentatamassingfacts，thoughtheydonotalwaysusethemtoadvantage。Whatalovelythingaroseis！”
Hewalkedpastthecouchtotheopenwindow，andheldupthedroopingstalkofamoss-rose，lookingdownatthedaintyblendofcrimsonandgreen。Itwasanewphaseofhischaractertome，forIhadneverbeforeseenhimshowanykeeninterestinnaturalobjects。”Thereisnothinginwhichdeductionissonecessaryasinreligion，”saidhe，leaningwithhisbackagainsttheshutters。”Itcanbebuiltupasanexactsciencebythereasoner。OurhighestassuranceofthegoodnessofProvidenceseemstometorestintheflowers。Allotherthings，ourpowersourdesires，ourfood，areallreallynecessaryforourexistenceinthefirstinstance。Butthisroseisanextra。
Itssmellanditscolorareanembellishmentoflife，notaconditionofit。Itisonlygoodnesswhichgivesextras，andsoIsayagainthatwehavemuchtohopefromtheflowers。
PercyPhelpsandhisnurselookedatHolmesduringthisdemonstrationwithsurpriseandagooddealofdisappointmentwrittenupontheirfaces。Hehadfallenintoareverie，withthemoss-rosebetweenhisfingers。Ithadlastedsomeminutesbeforetheyoungladybrokeinuponit。”Doyouseeanyprospectofsolvingthismystery，Mr。
Holmes?”sheasked，withatouchofasperityinhervoice。”Oh，themystery！”heanswered，comingbackwithastarttotherealitiesoflife。”Well，itwouldbeabsurdtodenythatthecaseisaveryabstruseandcomplicatedone，butIcanpromiseyouthatIwilllookintothematterandletyouknowanypointswhichmaystrikeme。””Doyouseeanyclue?””Youhavefurnishedmewithseven，but，ofcourse，I
musttestthembeforeIcanpronounceupontheirvalue。””Yoususpectsomeone?””Isuspectmyself。””What！””Ofcomingtoconclusionstorapidly。””ThengotoLondonandtestyourconclusions。””Youradviceisveryexcellent，MissHarrison，”saidHolmes，rising。”Ithink，Watson，wecannotdobetter。Donotallowyourselftoindulgeinfalsehopes，Mr。Phelps。Theaffairisaverytangledone。””IshallbeinafeveruntilIseeyouagain，”criedthediplomatist。”Well，I’llcomeoutbethesametrainto-morrow，thoughit’smorethanlikelythatmyreportwillbeanegativeone。””Godblessyouforpromisingtocome，”criedourclient。”Itgivesmefreshlifetoknowthatsomethingisbeingdone。Bytheway，IhavehadaletterfromLordHoldhurst。””Ha！Whatdidhesay?””Hewascold，butnotharsh。Idaresaymysevereillnesspreventedhimfrombeingthat。Herepeatedthatthematterwasoftheutmostimportance，andaddedthatnostepswouldbetakenaboutmyfuture——bywhichhemeans，ofcourse，mydismissal——untilmyhealthwasrestoredandIhadanopportunityofrepairingmymisfortune。””Well，thatwasreasonableandconsiderate，”saidHolmes。”Come，Watson，forwehaveagoodyday’sworkbeforeusintown。”
Mr。JosephHarrisondroveusdowntothestation，andweweresoonwhirlingupinaPortsmouthtrain。
Holmeswassunkinprofoundthought，andhardlyopenedhismouthuntilwehadpassedClaphamJunction。”It’saverycheerythingtocomeintoLondonbyanyoftheselineswhichrunhigh，andallowyoutolookdownuponthehouseslikethis。”
Ithoughthewasjoking，fortheviewwassordidenough，buthesoonexplainedhimself。”Lookatthosebig，isolatedclumpsofbuildingrisingupabovetheslates，likebrickislandsinalead-coloredsea。””Theboard-schools。””Light-houses，myboy！Beaconsofthefuture！