<s> MIGHT I TROUBLE YOU TO OPEN THE WINDOW FOR CHLOROFORM VAPOUR DOES NOT HELP THE PALATE </s><s> THE SAFE WAS AJAR AND HOLMES STANDING IN FRONT OF IT WAS REMOVING DOSSIER AFTER DOSSIER SWIFTLY EXAMINING EACH AND THEN PACKING IT NEATLY IN VON BORK'S VALISE </s><s> THE GERMAN LAY UPON THE SOFA SLEEPING STERTOROUSLY WITH A STRAP ROUND HIS UPPER ARMS AND ANOTHER ROUND HIS LEGS </s><s> WE NEED NOT HURRY OURSELVES WATSON </s><s> WE ARE SAFE FROM INTERRUPTION </s><s> WOULD YOU MIND TOUCHING THE BELL </s><s> THERE IS NO ONE IN THE HOUSE EXCEPT OLD MARTHA WHO HAS PLAYED HER PART TO ADMIRATION </s><s> I GOT HER THE SITUATION HERE WHEN FIRST I TOOK THE MATTER UP </s><s> AH MARTHA YOU WILL BE GLAD TO HEAR THAT ALL IS WELL </s><s> THE PLEASANT OLD LADY HAD APPEARED IN THE DOORWAY </s><s> SHE CURTSEYED WITH A SMILE TO MR. HOLMES BUT GLANCED WITH SOME APPREHENSION AT THE FIGURE UPON THE SOFA </s><s> QUOTE IT IS ALL RIGHT MARTHA </s><s> HE HAS NOT BEEN HURT AT ALL </s><s> I AM GLAD OF THAT MR. HOLMES </s><s> ACCORDING TO HIS LIGHTS HE HAS BEEN A KIND MASTER </s><s> HE WANTED ME TO GO WITH HIS WIFE TO GERMANY YESTERDAY BUT THAT WOULD HARDLY HAVE SUITED YOUR PLANS WOULD IT SIR </s><s> NO INDEED MARTHA </s><s> SO LONG AS YOU WERE HERE I WAS EASY IN MY MIND </s><s> WE WAITED SOME TIME FOR YOUR SIGNAL TO NIGHT </s><s> QUOTE IT WAS THE SECRETARY SIR QUOTE </s><s> I KNOW </s><s> HIS CAR PASSED OURS </s><s> I THOUGHT HE WOULD NEVER GO </s><s> I KNEW THAT IT WOULD NOT SUIT YOUR PLANS SIR TO FIND HIM HERE </s><s> NO INDEED </s><s> WELL IT ONLY MEANT THAT WE WAITED HALF AN HOUR OR SO UNTIL I SAW YOUR LAMP GO OUT AND KNEW THAT THE COAST WAS CLEAR </s><s> YOU CAN REPORT TO ME TO MORROW IN LONDON MARTHA AT CLARIDGE'S HOTEL QUOTE </s><s> VERY GOOD SIR </s><s> I SUPPOSE YOU HAVE EVERYTHING READY TO LEAVE </s><s> YES SIR </s><s> HE POSTED SEVEN LETTERS TO DAY </s><s> I HAVE THE ADDRESSES AS USUAL </s><s> VERY GOOD MARTHA </s><s> I WILL LOOK INTO THEM TO MORROW </s><s> GOODNIGHT </s><s> THESE PAPERS QUOTE HE CONTINUED AS THE OLD LADY VANISHED QUOTE ARE NOT OF VERY GREAT IMPONANCE FOR OF COURSE THE INFORMATION WHICH THEY REPRESENT HAS BEEN SENT OFF LONG AGO TO THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT </s><s> THESE ARE THE ORIGINALS WHICH COULD NOT SAFELY BE GOT OUT OF THE COUNTRY </s><s> THEN THEY ARE OF NO USE </s><s> I SHOULD NOT GO SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT WATSON </s><s> THEY WILL AT LEAST SHOW OUR PEOPLE WHAT IS KNOWN AND WHAT IS NOT </s><s> I MAY SAY THAT A GOOD MANY OF THESE PAPERS HAVE COME TBROUGH ME AND I NEED NOT ADD ARE THOROUGHLY UNTRUSTWORTHY </s><s> IT WOULD BRIGHTEN MY DECLINING YEARS TO SEE A GERMAN CRUISER NAVIGATING THE SOLENT ACCORDING TO THE MINE FIELD PLANS WHICH I HAVE FURNISHED </s><s> BUT YOU WATSON HE STOPPED HIS WORK AND TOOK HIS OLD FRIEND BY THE SHOULDERS I'VE HARDLY SEEN YOU IN THE LIGHT YET </s><s> HOW HAVE THE YEARS USED YOU </s><s> YOU LOOK THE SAME BLITHE BOY AS EVER </s><s> QUOTE I FEEL TWENTY YEARS YOUNGER HOLMES </s><s> I HAVE SELDOM FELT SO HAPPY AS WHEN I GOT YOUR WIRE ASKING ME TO MEET YOU AT HARWICH WITH THE CAR </s><s> BUT YOU HOLMES YOU HAVE CHANGED VERY LITTLE SAVE FOR THAT HORRIBLE GOATEE </s><s> THESE ARE THE SACRIFICES ONE MAKES FOR ONE'S COUNTRY WATSON SAID HOLMES PULLING AT HIS LITTLE TUFT </s><s> TO MORROW IT WILL BE BUT A DREADFUL MEMORY </s><s> WITH MY HAIR CUT AND A FEW OTHER SUPERFICIAL CHANGES I SHALL NO DOUBT REAPPEAR AT CLARIDGE'S TOMORROW AS I WAS BEFORE THIS AMERICAN STUNT I BEG YOUR PARDON WATSON MY WELL OF ENGLISH SEEMS TO BE PERMANENTLY DEFILED BEFORE THIS AMERICAN JOB CAME MY WAY </s><s> BUT YOU HAVE RETIRED HOLMES </s><s> WE HEARD OF YOU AS LIVING THE LIFE OF A HERMIT AMONG YOUR BEES AND YOUR BOOKS IN A SMALL FARM UPON THE SOUTH DOWNS QUOTE </s><s> EXACTLY WATSON </s><s> HERE IS THE FRUIT OF MY LEISURED EASE THE MAGNUM OPUS OF MY LATTER YEARS </s><s> HE PICKED UP THE VOLUME FROM THE TABLE AND READ OUT THE WHOLE TITLE PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BEE CULTURE WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS UPON THE SEGREGATION OF THE QUEEN </s><s> ALONE I DID IT </s><s> BEHOLD THE FRUIT OF PENSIVE NIGHTS AND LABORIOUS DAYS WHEN I WATCHED THE LITTLE WORKING GANGS AS ONCE I WATCHED THE CRIMINAL WORLD OF LONDON </s><s> BUT HOW DID YOU GET TO WORK AGAIN </s><s> QUOTE AH I HAVE OFTEN MARVELLED AT IT MYSELF </s><s> THE FOREIGN MINISTER ALONE I COULD HAVE WITHSTOOD BUT WHEN THE PREMIER ALSO DEIGNED TO VISIT MY HUMBLE ROOF </s><s> THE FACT IS WATSON THAT THIS GENTLEMAN UPON THE SOFA WAS A BIT TOO GOOD FOR OUR PEOPLE </s><s> HE WAS IN A CLASS BY HIMSELF </s><s> THINGS WERE GOING WRONG AND NO ONE COULD UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WERE GOING WRONG </s><s> AGENTS WERE SUSPECTED OR EVEN CAUGHT BUT THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF SOME STRONG AND SECRET CENTRAL FORCE </s><s> IT WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO EXPOSE IT </s><s> STRONG PRESSURE WAS BROUGHT UPON ME TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER </s><s> IT HAS COST ME TWO YEARS WATSON BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN DEVOID OF EXCITEMENT </s><s> WHEN I SAY THAT I STARTED MY PILGRIMAGE AT CHICAGO GRADUATED IN AN IRISH SECRET SOCIETY AT BUFFALO GAVE SERIOUS TROUBLE TO THE CONSTABULARY AT SKIBBAREEN AND SO EVENTUALLY CAUGHT THE EYE OF A SUBORDINATE AGENT OF VON BORK WHO RECOMMENDED ME AS A LIKELY MAN YOU WILL REALIZE THAT THE MATTER WAS COMPLEX </s><s> SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN HONOURED BY HIS CONFIDENCE WHICH HAS NOT PREVENTED MOST OF HIS PLANS GOING SUBTLY WRONG AND FIVE OF HIS BEST AGENTS BEING IN PRISON </s><s> I WATCHED THEM WATSON AND I PICKED THEM AS THEY RIPENED </s><s> WELL SIR I HOPE THAT YOU ARE NONE THE WORSE </s><s> THE LAST REMARK WAS ADDRESSED TO VON BORK HIMSELF WHO AFTER MUCH GASPING AND BLINKING HAD LAIN QUIETLY LISTENING TO HOLMES'S STATEMENT </s><s> HE BROKE OUT NOW INTO A FURIOUS STREAM OF GERMAN INVECTIVE HIS FACE CONVULSED WITH PASSION </s><s> HOLMES CONTINUED HIS SWIFT INVESTIGATION OF DOCUMENTS WHILE HIS PRISONER CURSED AND SWORE </s><s> THOUGH UNMUSICAL GERMAN IS THE MOST EXPRESSIVE OF ALL LANGUAGES HE OBSERVED WHEN VON BORK HAD STOPPED FROM PURE EXHAUSTION </s><s> HULLO </s><s> HULLO HE ADDED AS HE LOOKED HARD AT THE CORNER OF A TRACING BEFORE PUTTING IT IN THE BOX </s><s> THIS SHOULD PUT ANOTHER BIRD IN THE CAGE </s><s> I HAD NO IDEA THAT THE PAYMASTER WAS SUCH A RASCAL THOUGH I HAVE LONG HAD AN EYE UPON HIM </s><s> MISTER VON BORK YOU HAVE A GREAT DEAL TO ANSWER FOR QUOTE </s><s> THE PRISONER HAD RAISED HIMSELF WITH SOME DIFFICULTY UPON THE SOFA AND WAS STARING WITH A STRANGE MIXTURE OF AMAZEMENT AND HATRED AT HIS CAPTOR </s><s> I SHALL GET LEVEL WITH YOU ALTAMONT HE SAID SPEAKING WITH SLOW DELIBERATION </s><s> IF IT TAKES ME ALL MY LIFE I SHALL GET LEVEL WITH YOU </s><s> THE OLD SWEET SONG SAID HOLMES </s><s> HOW OFTEN HAVE I HEARD IT IN DAYS GONE BY </s><s> IT WAS A FAVOURITE DITTY OF THE LATE LAMENTED PROFESSOR MORIARTY </s><s> COLONEL SEBASTIAN MORAN HAS ALSO BEEN KNOWN TO WARBLE IT </s><s> AND YET I LIVE AND KEEP BEES UPON THE SOUTH DOWNS </s><s> QUOTE CURSE YOU YOU DOUBLE TRAITOR QUOTE CRIED THE GERMAN STRAINING AGAINST HIS BONDS AND GLARING MURDER FROM HIS FURIOUS EYES </s><s> NO NO IT IS NOT SO BAD AS THAT SAID HOLMES SMILING </s><s> AS MY SPEECH SURELY SHOWS YOU MR. ALTAMONT AF CHICAGO HAD NO EXISTENCE IN FACT </s><s> I USED HIM AND HE IS GONE </s><s> THEN WHO ARE YOU </s><s> IT IS REALLY IMMATERIAL WHO I AM BUT SINCE THE MATTER SEEMS TO INTEREST YOU MR. VON BORK I MAY SAY THAT THIS IS NOT MY FIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH THE MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY </s><s> I HAVE DONE A GOOD DEAL OF BUSINESS IN GERMANY IN THE PAST AND MY NAME IS PROBABLY FAMILIAR TO YOU QUOTE </s><s> I WOULD WISH TO KNOW IT SAID THE PRUSSIAN GRIMLY </s><s> IT WAS I WHO BROUGHT ABOUT THE SEPARATION BETWEEN IRENE ADLER AND THE LATE KING OF BOHEMIA WHEN YORUR COUSIN HEINRICH WAS THE IMPERIAL ENVOY </s><s> IT WAS I ALSO WHO SAVED FROM MURDER BY THE NIHILIST KLOPMAN COUNT VON UND ZU GRAFENSTEIN WHO WAS YOUR MOTHER'S ELDER BROTHER </s><s> IT WAS I </s><s> VON BORK SAT UP IN AMAZEMENT </s><s> THERE IS ONLY ONE MAN HE CRIED </s><s> EXACTLY SAID HOLMES </s><s> VON BORK GROANED AND SANK BACK ON THE SOFA </s><s> QUOTE AND MOST OF THAT INFORMATION CAME THROUGH YOU QUOTE HE CRIED </s><s> WHAT IS IT WORTH </s><s> WHAT HAVE I DONE </s><s> IT IS MY RUIN FOREVER </s><s> IT IS CERTAINLY A LITTLE UNTRUSTWORTHY SAID HOLMES </s><s> IT WILL REQUIRE SOME CHECKING AND YOU HAVE LITTLE TIME TO CHECK IT </s><s> YOUR ADMIRAL MAY FIND THE NEW GUNS RATHER LARGER THAN HE EXPECTS AND THE CRUISERS PERHAPS A TRIFLE FASTER </s><s> VON BORK CLUTCHED AT HIS OWN THROAT IN DESPAIR </s><s> QUOTE THERE ARE A GOOD MANY OTHER POINTS OF DEFAIL WHICH WILL NO DOUBT COME TO LIGHT IN GOOD TIME </s><s> BUT YOUL HAVE ONE QUALITY WHICH IS VERY RARE IN A GERMAN MR. VON BORK YOU ARE A SPORTSMAN AND YOU WILL BEAR ME NO ILL WILL WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU WHO HAVE OUTWITTED SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE AT LAST BEEN OUTWITTED YOURSELF </s><s> AFTER ALL YOU HAVE DONE VOUR BEST FOR YOUR COUNTRY AND I HAVE DONE MY BEST FOR MINE AND WHAT COULD BE MORE NATURAL </s><s> BESIDES HE ADDED NOT UNKINDLY AS HE LAID HIS HAND UPON THE SHOULDER OF THE PROSTRATE MAN IT IS BETTER THAN TO FALL BEFORE SOME MORE IGNOBLE FOE </s><s> THESE PAPERS ARE NOW READY </s><s> WATSON </s><s> IF YOU WILL HELP ME WITH OUR PRISONER I THINK THAT WE MAY GET STARTED FOR LONDON AT ONCE </s><s> IT WAS NO EASY TASK TO MOVE VON BORK FOR HE WAS A STRONG AND A DESPERATE MAN </s><s> FINALLY HOLDING EITHER ARM THE TWO FRIENDS WALKED HIM VERY SLOWLY DOWN THE GARDEN WALK WHICH HE HAD TROD WITH SUCH PROUD CONFIDENCE WHEN HE RECEIVED THE CONGRATULATIONS OF THE FAMOUS DIPLOMATIST ONLY A FEW HOURS BEFORE </s><s> AFTER A SHORT FINAL STRUGGLE HE WAS HOISTED STILL BOUND HAND AND FOOT INTO THE SPARE SEAT OF THE LITTLE CAR </s><s> HIS PRECIOUS VALISE WAS WEDGED IN BESIDE HIM </s><s> I TRUST THAT YOU ARE AS COMFORTABLE AS CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT SAID HOLMES WHEN THE FINAL ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE </s><s> SHOULD I BE GUILTY OF A LIBERTY IF I LIT A CIGAR AND PLACED IT BETWEEN YOUR LIPS </s><s> BUT ALL AMENITIES WERE WASTED UPON THE ANGRY GERMAN </s><s> I SUPPOSE YOU REALIZE MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES SAID HE THAT IF YOUR GOVERNMENT BEARS YOU OUT IN THIS TREATMENT IT BECOMES AN ACT OF WAR </s><s> QUOTE WHAT ABOUT YOUR GOVERNMENT AND ALL THIS TREATMENT QUOTE SAID HOLMES TAPPING THE VALISE </s><s> YOU ARE A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL </s><s> YOU HAVE NO WARRANT FOR MY ARREST </s><s> THE WHOLE PROCEEDING IS ABSOLUTELY ILLEGAL AND OUTRAGEOUS </s><s> ABSOLUTELY SAID HOLMES </s><s> KIDNAPPING A GERMAN SUBJECT </s><s> AND STEALING HIS PRIVATE PAPERS </s><s> QUOTE WELL YOU REALIZE YOUR POSITION YOU AND YOUR ACCOMPLICE HERE </s><s> IF I WERE TO SHOUT FOR HELP AS WE PASS THROUGH THE VILLAGE </s><s> MY DEAR SIR IF YOU DID ANYTHING SO FOOLISH YOU WOULD PROBABLY ENLARGE THE TWO LIMITED TITLES OF OUR VILLAGE INNS BY GIVING US THE DANGLING PRUSSIAN AS A SIGNPOST </s><s> THE ENGLISHMAN IS A PATIENT CREATURE BUT AT PRESENT HIS TEMPER IS A LITTLE INFLAMED AND IT WOULD BE AS WELL NOT TO TRY HIM TOO FAR </s><s> NO MR. VON BORK YOU WILL GO WITH US IN A QUIET SENSIBLE FASHION TO SCOTLAND YARD WHENCE YOU CAN SEND FOR YOUR FRIEND BARON VON HERLING AND SEE IF EVEN NOW YOU MAY NOT FILL THAT PLACE WHICH HE HAS RESERVED FOR YOU IN THE AMBASSADORIAL SUITE </s><s> AS TO YOU WATSON YOU ARE JOINING US WITH YOUR OLD SERVICE AS I UNDERSTAND SO LONDON WON'T BE OUT OF YOUR WAY </s><s> STAND WITH ME HERE UPON THE TERRACE FOR IT MAY BE THE LAST QUIET TALK THAT WE SHALL EVER HAVE </s><s> THE TWO FRIENDS CHATTED IN INTIMATE CONVERSE FOR A FEW MINUTES RECALLING ONCE AGAIN THE DAYS OF THE PAST WHILE THEIR PRISONER VAINLY WRIGGLED TO UNDO THE BONDS THAT HELD HIM </s><s> AS THEY TURNED TO THE CAR HOLMES POINTED BACK TO THE MOONLIT SEA AND SHOOK A THOUGHTFUL HEAD </s><s> THERE'S AN EAST WIND COMING WATSON </s><s> L. THINK NOT HOLMES </s><s> IT IS VERY WARM QUOTE </s><s> GOOD OLD WATSON </s><s> YOU ARE THE ONE FIXED POINT IN A CHANGING AGE </s><s> THERE'S AN EAST WIND COMING ALL THE SAME SUCH A WIND AS NEVER BLEW ON ENGLAND YET </s><s> IT WILL BE COLD AND BITTER WATSON AND A GOOD MANY OF US MAY WITHER BEFORE ITS BLAST </s><s> BUT IT'S GOD'S OWN WIND NONE THE LESS AND A CLEANER BETTER STRONGER LAND WILL LIE IN THE SUNSHINE WHEN THE STORM HAS CLEARED </s><s> START HER UP WATSON FOR IT'S TIME THAT WE WERE ON OUR WAY </s><s> I HAVE A CHECK FOR FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS WHICH SHOULD BE CASHED EARLY FOR THE DRAWER IS QUITE CAPABLE OF STOPPING IT IF HE CAN </s>