<s> THE ROOM INTO WHICH WE WERE SHOWN WAS THAT IN WHICH THE CRIME HAD BEEN COMMITTED BUT NO TRACE OF IT NOW REMAINED SAVE AN UGLY IRREGULAR STAIN UPON THE CARPET </s><s> THIS CARPET WAS A SMALL SQUARE DRUGGET IN THE CENTRE OF THE ROOM SURROUNDED BY A BROAD EXPANSE OF BEAUTIFUL OLD FASHIONED WOOD FLOORING IN SQUARE BLOCKS HIGHLY POLISHED </s><s> OVER THE FIREPLACE WAS A MAGNIFICENT TROPHY OF WEAPONS ONE OF WHICH HAD BEEN USED ON THAT TRAGIC NIGHT </s><s> IN THE WINDOW WAS A SUMPTUOUS WRITING DESK AND EVERY DETAIL OF THE APARTMENT THE PICTURES THE RUGS AND THE HANGINGS ALL POINTED TO A TASTE WHICH WAS LUXURIOUS TO THE VERGE OF EFFEMINACY </s><s> SEEN THE PARIS NEWS ASKED LESTRADE </s><s> HOLMES NODDED </s><s> OUR FRENCH FRIENDS SEEM TO HAVE TOUCHED THE SPOT THIS TIME </s><s> NO DOUBT IT'S JUST AS THEY SAY </s><s> SHE KNOCKED AT THE DOOR SURPRISE VISIT I GUESS FOR HE KEPT HIS LIFE IN WATER TIGHT COMPARTMENTS HE LET HER IN COULDN'T KEEP HER IN THE STREET </s><s> SHE TOLD HIM HOW SHE HAD TRACED HIM REPROACHED HIM </s><s> ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER AND THEN WITH THAT DAGGER SO HANDY THE END SOON CAME </s><s> IT WASN'T ALL DONE IN AN INSTANT THOUGH FOR THESE CHAIRS WERE ALL SWEPT OVER YONDER AND HE HAD ONE IN HIS HAND AS IF HE HAD TRIED TO HOLD HER OFF WITH IT </s><s> WE'VE GOT IT ALL CLEAR AS IF WE HAD SEEN IT </s><s> HOLMES RAISED HIS EYEBROWS </s><s> AND YET YOU HAVE SENT FOR ME </s><s> QUOTE AH YES THAT'S ANOTHER MATTER A MERE TRIFLE BUT THE SORT OF THING YOU TAKE AN INTEREST IN QUEER YOU KNOW AND WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL FREAKISH </s><s> IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MAIN FACT CAN'T HAVE ON THE FACE OF IT </s><s> WHAT IS IT THEN </s><s> WELL YOU KNOW AFTER A CRIME OF THIS SORT WE ARE VERY CAREFUL TO KEEP THINGS IN THEIR POSITION </s><s> NOTHING HAS BEEN MOVED </s><s> OFFICER IN CHARGE HERE DAY AND NIGHT </s><s> THIS MORNING AS THE MAN WAS BURIED AND THE INVESTIGATION OVER SO FAR AS THIS ROOM IS CONCERNED WE THOUGHT WE COULD TIDY UP A BIT </s><s> THIS CARPET </s><s> YOU SEE IT IS NOT FASTENED DOWN ONLY JUST LAID THERE </s><s> WE HAD OCCASION TO RAISE IT </s><s> WE FOUND </s><s> YES </s><s> YOU FOUND QUOTE </s><s> HOLMES'S FACE GREW TENSE WITH ANXIETY </s><s> WELL I'M SURE YOU WOULD NEVER GUESS IN A HUNDRED YEARS WHAT WE DID FIND </s><s> YOU SEE THAT STAIN ON THE CARPET </s><s> WELL A GREAT DEAL MUST HAVE SOAKED THROUGH MUST IT NOT </s><s> UNDOUBTEDLY IT MUST </s><s> WELL YOU WILL BE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THERE IS NO STAIN ON THE WHITE WOODWORK TO CORRESPOND </s><s> NO STAIN </s><s> BUT THERE MUST QUOTE </s><s> YES SO YOU WOULD SAY </s><s> BUT THE FACT REMAINS THAT THERE ISN'T </s><s> HE TOOK THE CORNER OF THE CARPET IN HIS HAND AND TURNING IT OVER HE SHOWED THAT IT WAS INDEED AS HE SAID </s><s> BUT THE UNDER SIDE IS AS STAINED AS THE UPPER </s><s> IT MUST HAVE LEFT A MARK </s><s> LESTRADE CHUCKLED WITH DELIGHT AT HAVING PUZZLED THE FAMOUS EXPERT </s><s> NOW I'LL SHOW YOU THE EXPLANATION </s><s> THERE IS A SECOND STAIN BUT IT DOES NOT CORRESPOND WITH THE OTHER </s><s> SEE FOR YOURSELF QUOTE </s><s> AS HE SPOKE HE TURNED OVER ANOTHER PORTION OF THE CARPET AND THERE SURE ENOUGH WAS A GREAT CRIMSON SPILL UPON THE SQUARE WHITE FACING OF THE OLD FASHIONED FLOOR </s><s> WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT MR. HOLMES </s><s> WHY IT IS SIMPLE ENOUGH </s><s> THE TWO STAINS DID CORRESPOND BUT THE CARPET HAS BEEN TURNED ROUND </s><s> AS IT WAS SQUARE AND UNFASTENED IT WAS EASILY DONE </s><s> THE OFFICIAL POLICE DON'T NEED YOU MR. HOLMES TO TELL THEM THAT THE CARPET MUST HAVE BEEN TURNED ROUND </s><s> THAT'S CLEAR ENOUGH FOR THE STAINS LIE ABOVE EACH OTHER IF YOU LAY IT OVER THIS WAY </s><s> BUT WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS WHO SHIFTED THE CARPET AND WHY </s><s> I COULD SEE FROM HOLMES'S RIGID FACE THAT HE WAS VIBRATING WITH INWARD EXCITEMENT </s><s> QUOTE LOOK HERE LESTRADE QUOTE SAID HE QUOTE HAS THAT CONSTABLE IN THE PASSAGE BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE PLACE ALL THE TIME QUOTE </s><s> YES HE HAS </s><s> WELL TAKE MY ADVICE </s><s> EXAMINE HIM CAREFULLY </s><s> DON'T DO IT BEFORE US </s><s> WE'LL WAIT HERE </s><s> YOU TAKE HIM INTO THE BACK ROOM </s><s> YOU'LL BE MORE LIKELY TO GET A CONFESSION OUT OF HIM ALONE </s><s> ASK HIM HOW HE DARED TO ADMIT PEOPLE AND LEAVE THEM ALONE IN THIS ROOM </s><s> DON'T ASK HIM IF HE HAS DONE IT </s><s> TAKE IT FOR GRANTED </s><s> TELL HIM YOU KNOW SOMEONE HAS BEEN HERE </s><s> PRESS HIM </s><s> TELL HIM THAT A FULL CONFESSION IS HIS ONLY CHANCE OF FORGIVENESS </s><s> DO EXACTLY WHAT I TELL YOU </s><s> BY GEORGE IF HE KNOWS I'LL HAVE IT OUT OF HIM CRIED LESTRADE </s><s> HE DARTED INTO THE HALL AND A FEW MOMENTS LATER HIS BULLYING VOICE SOUNDED FROM THE BACK ROOM </s><s> NOW WATSON NOW CRIED HOLMES WITH FRENZIED EAGERNESS </s><s> ALL THE DEMONIACAL FORCE OF THE MAN MASKED BEHIND THAT LISTLESS MANNER BURST OUT IN A PAROXYSM OF ENERGY </s><s> HE TORE THE DRUGGET FROM THE FLOOR AND IN AN INSTANT WAS DOWN ON HIS HANDS AND KNEES CLAWING AT EACH OF THE SQUARES OF WOOD BENEATH IT </s><s> ONE TURNED SIDEWAYS AS HE DUG HIS NAILS INTO THE EDGE OF IT </s><s> IT HINGED BACK LIKE THE LID OF A BOX </s><s> A SMALL BLACK CAVITY OPENED BENEATH IT </s><s> HOLMES PLUNGED HIS EAGER HAND INTO IT AND DREW IT OUT WITH A BITTER SNARL OF ANGER AND DISAPPOINTMENT </s><s> IT WAS EMPTY </s><s> QUOTE QUICK WATSON QUICK </s><s> GET IT BACK AGAIN </s><s> THE WOODEN LID WAS REPLACED AND THE DRUGGET HAD ONLY JUST BEEN DRAWN STRAIGHT WHEN LESTRADE'S VOICE WAS HEARD IN THE PASSAGE </s><s> HE FOUND HOLMES LEANING LANGUIDLY AGAINST THE MANTELPIECE RESIGNED AND PATIENT ENDEAVOURING TO CONCEAL HIS IRREPRESSIBLE YAWNS </s><s> SORRY TO KEEP YOU WAITING MR. HOLMES </s><s> I CAN SEE THAT YOU ARE BORED TO DEATH WITH THE WHOLE AFFAIR </s><s> WELL HE HAS CONFESSED ALL RIGHT </s><s> COME IN HERE MACPHERSON </s><s> LET THESE GENTLEMEN HEAR OF YOUR MOST INEXCUSABLE CONDUCT </s><s> THE BIG CONSTABLE VERY HOT AND PENITENT SIDLED INTO THE ROOM </s><s> I MEANT NO HARM SIR I'M SURE </s><s> THE YOUNG WOMAN CAME TO THE DOOR LAST EVENING MISTOOK THE HOUSE SHE DID </s><s> AND THEN WE GOT TALKING </s><s> IT'S LONESOME WHEN YOU'RE ON DUTY HERE ALL DAY </s><s> QUOTE WELL WHAT HAPPENED THEN QUOTE </s><s> SHE WANTED TO SEE WHERE THE CRIME WAS DONE HAD READ ABOUT IT IN THE PAPERS SHE SAID </s><s> SHE WAS A VERY RESPECTABLE WELL SPOKEN YOUNG WOMAN SIR AND I SAW NO HARM IN LETTING HER HAVE A PEEP </s><s> WHEN SHE SAW THAT MARK ON THE CARPET DOWN SHE DROPPED ON THE FLOOR AND LAY AS IF SHE WERE DEAD </s><s> I RAN TO THE BACK AND GOT SOME WATER BUT I COULD NOT BRING HER TO </s><s> THEN I WENT ROUND THE CORNER TO THE IVY PLANT FOR SOME BRANDY AND BY THE TIME I HAD BROUGHT IT BACK THE YOUNG WOMAN HAD RECOVERED AND WAS OFF ASHAMED OF HERSELF I DARESAY AND DARED NOT FACE ME </s><s> HOW ABOUT MOVING THAT DRUGGET </s><s> WELL SIR IT WAS A BIT RUMPLED CERTAINLY WHEN I CAME BACK </s><s> YOU SEE SHE FELL ON IT AND IT LIES ON A POLISHED FLOOR WITH NOTHING TO KEEP IT IN PLACE </s><s> I STRAIGHTENED IT OUT AFTERWARDS </s><s> QUOTE IT'S A LESSON TO YOU THAT YOU CAN'T DECEIVE ME CONSTABLE MACPHERSON QUOTE SAID LESTRADE WITH DIGNITY </s><s> NO DOUBT YOU THOUGHT THAT YOUR BREACH OF DUTY COULD NEVER BE DISCOVERED AND YET A MERE GLANCE AT THAT DRUGGET WAS ENOUGH TO CONVINCE ME THAT SOMEONE HAD BEEN ADMITTED TO THE ROOM </s><s> IT'S LUCKY FOR YOU MY MAN THAT NOTHING IS MISSING OR YOU WOULD FIND YOURSEIF IN QUEER STREET </s><s> I'M SORRY TO HAVE CALLED YOU DOWN OVER SUCH A PETTY BUSINESS MR. HOLMES BUT I THOUGHT THE POINT OF THE SECOND STAIN NOT CORRESPONDING WITH THE FIRST WOULD INTEREST YOU </s><s> CERTAINLY IT WAS MOST INTERESTING </s><s> HAS THIS WOMAN ONLY BEEN HERE ONCE CONSTABLE </s><s> YES SIR ONLY ONCE </s><s> QUOTE WHO WAS SHE QUOTE </s><s> DON'T KNOW THE NAME SIR </s><s> WAS ANSWERING AN ADVERTISEMENT ABOUT TYPEWRITING AND CAME TO THE WRONG NUMBER VERY PLEASANT GENTEEL YOUNG WOMAN SIR </s><s> TALL </s><s> HANDSOME </s><s> YES SIR SHE WAS A WELL GROWN YOUNG WOMAN </s><s> I SUPPOSE YOU MIGHT SAY SHE WAS HANDSOME </s><s> PERHAPS SOME WOULD SAY SHE WAS VERY HANDSOME </s><s> OH OFFICER DO LET ME HAVE A PEEP SAYS SHE </s><s> SHE HAD PRETTY COAXING WAYS AS YOU MIGHT SAY AND I THOUGHT THERE WAS NO HARM IN LETTING HER JUST PUT HER HEAD THROUGH THE DOOR </s><s> QUOTE HOW WAS SHE DRESSED QUOTE </s><s> QUIET SIR A LONG MANTLE DOWN TO HER FEET </s><s> WHAT TIME WAS IT </s><s> IT WAS JUST GROWING DUSK AT THE TIME </s><s> THEY WERE LIGHTING THE LAMPS AS I CAME BACK WITH THE BRANDY </s><s> VERY GOOD SAID HOLMES </s><s> QUOTE COME WATSON I THINK THAT WE HAVE MORE IMPORTANT WORK ELSEWHERE QUOTE </s><s> AS WE LEFT THE HOUSE LESTRADE REMAINED IN THE FRONT ROOM WHILE THE REPENTANT CONSTABLE OPENED THE DOOR TO LET US OUT </s><s> HOLMES TURNED ON THE STEP AND HELD UP SOMETHING IN HIS HAND </s><s> THE CONSTABLE STARED INTENTLY </s><s> GOOD LORD SIR HE CRIED WITH AMAZEMENT ON HIS FACE </s><s> HOLMES PUT HIS FINGER ON HIS LIPS REPLACED HIS HAND IN HIS BREAST POCKET AND BURST OUT LAUGHING AS WE TURNED DOWN THE STREET </s><s> EXCELLENT SAID HE </s><s> COME FRIEND WATSON THE CURTAIN RINGS UP FOR THE LAST ACT </s><s> YOU WILL BE RELIEVED TO HEAR THAT THERE WILL BE NO WAR THAT THE RIGHT HONOURABLE TRELAWNEY HOPE WILL SUFFER NO SETBACK IN HIS BRILLIANT CAREER THAT THE INDISCREET SOVEREIGN WILL RECEIVE NO PUNISHMENT FOR HIS INDISCRETION THAT THE PRIME MINISTER WILL HAVE NO EUROPEAN COMPLICATION TO DEAL WITH AND THAT WITH A LITTLE TACT AND MANAGEMENT UPON OUR PART NOBODY WILL BE A PENNY THE WORSE FOR WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A VERY UGLY INCIDENT </s><s> MY MIND FILLED WITH ADMIRATION FOR THIS EXTRAORDINARY MAN </s><s> YOU HAVE SOLVED IT </s><s> I CRIED </s><s> QUOTE HARDLY THAT WATSON </s><s> THERE ARE SOME POINTS WHICH ARE AS DARK AS EVER </s><s> BUT WE HAVE SO MUCH THAT IT WILL BE OUR OWN FAULT IF WE CANNOT GET THE REST </s><s> WE WIIL GO STRAIGHT TO WHITEHALL TERRACE AND BRING THE MATTER TO A HEAD </s><s> WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE RESIDENCE OF THE EUROPEAN SECRETARY IT WAS FOR LADY HILDA TRELAWNEY HOPE THAT SHERLOCK HOLMES INQUIRED </s><s> WE WERE SHOWN INTO THE MORNING ROOM </s><s> MR. HOLMES SAID THE LADY AND HER FACE WAS PINK WITH HER INDIGNATION </s><s> THIS IS SURELY MOST UNFAIR AND UNGENEROUS UPON YOUR PART </s><s> I DESIRED AS I HAVE EXPLAINED TO KEEP MY VISIT TO YOU A SECRET LEST MY HUSBAND SHOULD THINK THAT I WAS INTRUDING INTO HIS AFFAIRS </s><s> AND YET YOU COMPROMISE ME BY COMING HERE AND SO SHOWING THAT THERE ARE BUSINESS RELATIONS BETWEEN US </s><s> UNFORTUNATELY MADAM I HAD NO POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVE </s><s> I HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED TO RECOVER THIS IMMENSELY IMPORTANT PAPER </s><s> I MUST THEREFORE ASK YOU MADAM TO BE KIND ENOUGH TO PLACE IT IN MY HANDS QUOTE </s><s> THE LADY SPRANG TO HER FEET WITH THE COLOUR ALL DASHED IN AN INSTANT FROM HER BEAUTIFUL FACE </s><s> HER EYES GLAZED SHE TOTTERED I THOUGHT THAT SHE WOULD FAINT </s><s> THEN WITH A GRAND EFFORT SHE RALLIED FROM THE SHOCK AND A SUPREME ASTONISHMENT AND INDIGNATION CHASED EVERY OTHER EXPRESSION FROM HER FEATURES </s><s> YOU YOU INSULT ME MR. HOLMES </s><s> COME COME MADAM IT IS USELESS </s><s> GIVE UP THE LETTER </s><s> SHE DARTED TO THE BELL </s><s> THE BUTLER SHALL SHOW YOU OUT </s><s> DO NOT RING LADY HILDA </s><s> IF YOU DO THEN ALL MY EARNEST EFFORTS TO AVOID A SCANDAL WILL BE FRUSTRATED </s><s> GIVE UP THE LETTER AND ALL WILL BE SET RIGHT </s><s> IF YOU WILL WORK WITH ME I CAN ARRANGE EVERYTHING </s><s> IF YOU WORK AGAINST ME I MUST EXPOSE YOU QUOTE </s><s> SHE STOOD GRANDLY DEFIANT A QUEENLY FIGURE HER EYES FIXED UPON HIS AS IF SHE WOULD READ HIS VERY SOUL </s><s> HER HAND WAS ON THE BELL BUT SHE HAD FORBORNE TO RING IT </s><s> YOU ARE TRYING TO FRIGHTEN ME </s><s> IT IS NOT A VERY MANLY THING MR. HOLMES TO COME HERE AND BROWBEAT A WOMAN </s><s> YOU SAY THAT YOU KNOW SOMETHING </s><s> WHAT IS IT THAT YOU KNOW </s><s> PRAY SIT DOWN MADAM </s><s> YOU WILL HURT YOURSELF THERE IF YOU FALL </s><s> I WILL NOT SPEAK UNTIL YOU SIT DOWN </s><s> THANK YOU </s><s> I GIVE YOU FIVE MINUTES MR. HOLMES </s><s> QUOTE ONE IS ENOUGH LADY HILDA </s><s> I KNOW OF YOUR VISIT TO EDUARDO LUCAS OF YOUR GIVING HIM THIS DOCUMENT OF YOUR INGENIOUS RETURN TO THE ROOM LAST NIGHT AND OF THE MANNER IN WHICH YOU TOOK THE LETTER FROM THE HIDING PLACE UNDER THE CARPET </s><s> SHE STARED AT HIM WITH AN ASHEN FACE AND GULPED TWICE BEFORE SHE COULD SPEAK </s><s> YOU ARE MAD MR. HOLMES YOU ARE MAD SHE CRIED AT LAST </s><s> HE DREW A SMALL PIECE OF CARDBOARD FROM HIS POCKET </s><s> IT WAS THE FACE OF A WOMAN CUT OUT OF A PORTRAIT </s><s> I HAVE CARRIED THIS BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE USEFUL SAID HE </s><s> THE POLICEMAN HAS RECOGNIZED IT </s><s> SHE GAVE A GASP AND HER HEAD DROPPED BACK IN THE CHAIR </s><s> COME LADY HILDA </s><s> YOU HAVE THE LETTER </s>