‘We need not hurry ourselves, Watson. We are safe from interruption. Would you mind touching the bell? There is no one in the house except old Martha, who has played her part to admiration. I got her the situation here when first I took the matter up. Ah, Martha, you will be glad to hear that all is well.’
The pleasant old lady had appeared in the doorway. She curtseyed with a smile to Mr Holmes, but glanced with some apprehension at the figure upon the sofa.
‘It is all right, Martha. He has not been hurt at all.’
‘I am glad of that, Mr Holmes. According to his lights he has been a kind master. He wanted me to go with his wife to Germany yesterday, but that would hardly have suited your plans, would it, sir?’
‘No, indeed, Martha. So long as you were here I was easy in my mind. We waited some time for your signal to-night.’
‘It was the secretary, sir; the stout gentleman from London.’
‘I know. His car passed ours. But for your excellent driving, Watson, we should have been the very type of Europe under the Prussian Juggernant. What more, Martha?’
‘I thought he would never go. I knew that it would not suit your plans, sir, to find him here.’
‘No, indeed. Well, it only meant that we waited half an hour or so on the hill until I saw your lamp go out and knew that the coast was clear. You can report to me to-morrow in London, Martha, at Claridge’s Hotel.’
‘Very good, sir.’
‘I suppose you have everything ready to leave?’
‘Yes, sir. He posted seven letters to-day. I have the addresses, as usual. He received nine; I have these also.’
‘Very good, Martha. I will look into them tomorrow. Good-night. These papers,’ he continued, as the old lady vanished, ‘are not of very great importance for, of course, the information which they represent has been sent off long ago to the German Government. These are the originals which could not safely be got out of the country.’
‘Then they are of no use?’
‘I should not go so far as to say that, Watson. They will at least show our people what is known and what is not. I may say that a good many of these papers have come to him through me, and I need not add are thoroughly untrustworthy. It would brighten my declining years to see a German cruiser navigating the Solent according to the mine-field plans which I have furnished. But you, Watson’—he stopped his work and took his old friend by the shoulders—‘I’ve hardly seen you in the light yet. How have the years used you? You look the same blithe boy as ever.’
‘I feel twenty years younger, Holmes. I have seldom felt so happy as when I got your wire asking me to meet you at Harwich with the car. But you, Holmes—you have changed very little—save for that horrible goatee.’
‘These are the sacrifices one makes for one’s country, Watson,’ said Holmes, pulling at his little tuft. ‘To- morrow it will be but a dreadful memory. With my hair cut and a few other superficial changes I shall no doubt reappear at Claridge’s to-morrow 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.’