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44 The War Service of Sherlock Holmes from His Last · Sherlock Holmes

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Speaker 1: His last bow the war service of Sherlock Holmes. It
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Speaker 1: was nine o'clock at night upon the second of August,
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Speaker 1: the most terrible August in the history of the world.
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Speaker 1: One might have thought already that God's curse hung heavy
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Speaker 1: over a degenerate world. For there was an awesome hush
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Speaker 1: and a feeling of vague expectancy in the sultry and
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Speaker 1: stagnant air. The sun had long set, but one blood
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Speaker 1: red gash, like an open wound, lay low in the
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Speaker 1: distant west. Above, the stars were shining brightly, and below
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Speaker 1: the lights of the shipping glimmered in the bay. The
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Speaker 1: two famous Germans stood beside the stone parapet of the
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Speaker 1: garden walk, with the long, low, heavily gabled house behind them,
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Speaker 1: and they looked down upon the broad sweep of the
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Speaker 1: beach at the foot of the great chalk cliff, in
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Speaker 1: which von Bork, like some wandering eagle, had perched himself
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Speaker 1: four years before. They stood with their heads close together,
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Speaker 1: talking in low, confidential tones. From below, the two glowing
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Speaker 1: ends of their cigars might have been the smoldering eyes
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Speaker 1: of some malignant fiend looking down into the darkness. A
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Speaker 1: remarkable man, this von Bork, a man who could hardly
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Speaker 1: be matched among all the devoted agents of the Kaiser.
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Speaker 1: It was his talents which at first recommended him for
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Speaker 1: the English mission, the most important mission of all. But
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Speaker 1: since he had taken it over, those talents had become
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Speaker 1: more and more manifest to the half dozen people in
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Speaker 1: the world who were really in touch with the truth.
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Speaker 1: One of these was his present companion, Baron von Hurling,
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Speaker 1: the chief secretary of the legation, whose huge one hundred
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Speaker 1: horsepower Ben's car was blocking the country lane as it
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Speaker 1: waited to waft its owner back to London. So far
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Speaker 1: as I can judge the trend of events, you will
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Speaker 1: probably be back in Berlin within the week, the secretary
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Speaker 1: was saying. When you get there, my dear von Bork,
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Speaker 1: I think you will be surprised that the welcome you
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Speaker 1: will receive. I happen to know what is thought in
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Speaker 1: the highest quarters of your work in this country. He
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Speaker 1: was a huge man, the secretary, deep, broad and tall,
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Speaker 1: with a slow, heavy fashion of speech, which had been
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Speaker 1: his main asset in his political career. Von Bork laughed,
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Speaker 1: They are not very hard to deceive, he remarked. A
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Speaker 1: more docile simple folk could not be imagined. I don't
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Speaker 1: know that, said the other thoughtfully. They have strange limits,
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Speaker 1: and one must learn to observe them. It is that
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Speaker 1: surface simplicity of theirs which makes a trap for the stranger.
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Speaker 1: One's first impression is that they are entirely soft. Then
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Speaker 1: one comes suddenly upon something very hard, and you know
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Speaker 1: that you have reached the limit and must adapt yourself
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Speaker 1: to the fact. They have, for example, their insular conventions,
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Speaker 1: which simply must be observed, meaning good form and that
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Speaker 1: sort of thing. Von Borg's side, as one who had
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Speaker 1: suffered much meaning a British prejudice in all its queer manifestations.
3:49
Speaker 1: As an example, I may quote from one of my
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Speaker 1: own worst blunders. I can afford to talk of my blunders,
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Speaker 1: for you know my work well enough to be aware
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Speaker 1: of my successes. It was on my first arrival I
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Speaker 1: was invited to a weekend gathering at the country house
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Speaker 1: of a cabinet minister. The conversation was amazingly indiscreet. Von
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Speaker 1: Bork nodded, I've been there, he said, dryly, exactly well.
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Speaker 1: I naturally sent the resume of the information to Berlin. Unfortunately,
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Speaker 1: our good Chancellor is a little heavy handed in these matters,
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Speaker 1: and he transmitted the remark which showed that he was
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Speaker 1: aware of what had been said. This, of course, took
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Speaker 1: the trail straight up to me. You've no idea the
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Speaker 1: harm that it did me. There was nothing soft about
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Speaker 1: our British hosts on that occasion. I can assure you
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Speaker 1: I was two years living it down. Now you with
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Speaker 1: this sporting pose of yours. No, no, don't call to
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Speaker 1: pose A pose is an artificial thing. This is quite natural.
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Speaker 1: I am a born sportsman. I enjoy it well. That
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Speaker 1: makes it the more effective. You yacht against them, you
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Speaker 1: hunt with them, you play polo, you match them in
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Speaker 1: every game. Your four in hand takes the prize at Olympia.
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Speaker 1: I have even heard that you go the length of
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Speaker 1: boxing with the young officers. What is the result. Nobody
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Speaker 1: takes you seriously. You are a good old sport quite
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Speaker 1: a decent fellow for a German, a hard drinking nightclub,
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Speaker 1: knock about town. Devil may care, young fellow. And all
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Speaker 1: the time this quiet country house of yours is the
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Speaker 1: center of half the mischief in England, and the supporting
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Speaker 1: squire the most distute secret serviceman in Europe. Genius, my
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Speaker 1: dear von Bork, genius, you flatter me, baron, but certainly
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Speaker 1: I may claim my four years in this country have
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Speaker 1: not been unproductive. I've never shown you my little store.
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Speaker 1: Would you mind stepping in for a moment. The door
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Speaker 1: of the study opened straight on to the terrace. Von
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Speaker 1: Bork pushed it back, and leading the way, he clicked
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Speaker 1: the switch of the electric light. He then closed the
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Speaker 1: door behind the bulky form which followed him, and carefully
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Speaker 1: adjusted the heavy curtain over the latticed window. Only when
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Speaker 1: all these precautions had been taken and tested did he
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Speaker 1: turn his sunburned, aquiline face to his guest. Some of
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Speaker 1: my papers have gone, said he, When my wife and
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Speaker 1: the household left yesterday for flushing, they took the less
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Speaker 1: important with them. I must of course claim the protection
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Speaker 1: of the embassy for the others. Your name has already
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Speaker 1: been filed as one of the personal suite. There will
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Speaker 1: be no difficulties for you or your baggage. Of course,
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Speaker 1: it is just possible that we may not have to go.
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Speaker 1: England may leave France to her fate. We are sure
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Speaker 1: that there is no binding treaty between them and Belgium. Yes,
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Speaker 1: and Belgium too, von Borg shook his head. I don't
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Speaker 1: see how that could be. There is a definite treaty there.
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Speaker 1: She could never recover from such a humiliation. She would
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Speaker 1: at least have peace for the moment. But her honor, tut,
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Speaker 1: my dear sir. We live in a utilitarian age. Honor
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Speaker 1: is a medieval conception. Besides, England is not ready. It
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Speaker 1: is an inconceivable thing. But even our special war tax
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Speaker 1: of fifty million, which one would think made our purpose
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Speaker 1: as clear as if we had advertised it on the
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Speaker 1: front page of the Times, has not roused these people
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Speaker 1: from their slumbers. Here and there, one hears a question.
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Speaker 1: It is my business to find an answer. Here and
7:57
Speaker 1: there also there is an irritation. It is my business
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Speaker 1: to soothe it. But I can assure you that so
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Speaker 1: far as the essentials go, the storage of munitions, the
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Speaker 1: preparation for submarine attack, the arrangements for making high explosives,
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Speaker 1: nothing is prepared. How then can England come in, especially
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Speaker 1: when we have stirred her up such a devil's brew
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Speaker 1: of Irish Civil war, window breaking furies, and God knows
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Speaker 1: what To keep her thoughts at home, She must think
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Speaker 1: of her future. Ah, that is another matter. I fancy
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Speaker 1: that in the future we have our own, very definite
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Speaker 1: plans about England, and that your information will be very
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Speaker 1: vital to us. It is to day or to morrow, viz.
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Speaker 1: Mister John Bull. If he prefers to day, we are
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Speaker 1: perfectly ready. If it is to morrow, he shall be
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Speaker 1: more ready still. I should think they would advise her
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Speaker 1: to fight with allies than without them, But that is
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Speaker 1: their own affair. This week is their week of destiny.
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Speaker 1: But you were speaking of your papers. He sat in
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Speaker 1: the armchair, with the light shining upon his broad bald head,
9:14
Speaker 1: while he puffed sedately at his cigar. The large oak paneled,
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Speaker 1: book lined room had a curtain hung in the further corner.
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Speaker 1: When this was drawn, it disclosed a large brass bound safe.
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Speaker 1: Von Borg detached a small key from his watch chain,
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Speaker 1: and after some considerable manipulation of the lock, he swung
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Speaker 1: open the heavy door. Look said, he standing clear. With
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Speaker 1: a wave of his hand. The light shone vividly into
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Speaker 1: the open safe, and the secretary of the embassy gazed
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Speaker 1: with an absorbed interest at the rows of stuffed pigeonholes
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Speaker 1: with which it was furnished. Each pigeonhole had its label,
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Speaker 1: and his eyes as he glanced along them, read a
10:01
Speaker 1: long series of such titles as Fords, Harbor, Defenses, Aeroplanes, Ireland, Egypt, Portsmouth, Forts,
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Speaker 1: the Channel, rosythe and a score of others. Each compartment
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Speaker 1: was bristling with papers and plans. Colossal, said the Secretary,
10:27
Speaker 1: putting down his cigar, he softly clapped his fat hands,
10:32
Speaker 1: and all in four years, Baron, not such a bad
10:36
Speaker 1: show for the hard drinking, hard riding country squire. But
10:41
Speaker 1: the gem of my collection is coming, and there is
10:44
Speaker 1: the setting already for it. He pointed to a space
10:48
Speaker 1: over which naval signals was printed. But you have a
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Speaker 1: good dossier there, already out of date and waste paper.
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Speaker 1: The Admiralty in some way got the all arm, and
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Speaker 1: every code has been changed. It was a blow, Baron,
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Speaker 1: the verse setback in my whole campaign. Thanks to my
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Speaker 1: check book and the good Altamont, all will be well tonight.
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Speaker 1: The Baron looked at his watch and gave a guttural
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Speaker 1: explanation of disappointment. Well, I really can't wait no longer.
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Speaker 1: You can imagine that things are moving at present in Carlton, Terris,
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Speaker 1: and that we all have to be at our posts.
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Speaker 1: I had hoped to be able to bring news of
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Speaker 1: your great coup. Did Altamont name no hour? Von Bork
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Speaker 1: pushed over a telegram, will come without fail tonight and
11:43
Speaker 1: bring new sparking plugs Altamont sparking plugs, eh. You see,
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Speaker 1: he poses as a motor expert, and I keep a
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Speaker 1: full garage. In our code, everything likely to come up
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Speaker 1: is named after some spare part. If it talked of
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Speaker 1: a radiator, it is a battleship of an oil pump,
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Speaker 1: a cruiser, and so on. Sparking plugs are naval signals
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Speaker 1: from Portsmouth at midday, said the secretary examining the superscription.
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Speaker 1: By the way, what do you give him five hundred
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Speaker 1: pounds for this particular job? Of course he has a
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Speaker 1: salary as well. The greedy rogue. They are useful, these traitors,
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Speaker 1: but I grudge them their blood money. I grudge Altamont nothing.
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Speaker 1: He's a wonderful worker. If I pay him well, at
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Speaker 1: least he delivers the goods, to use his own phrase. Besides,
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Speaker 1: he is not a traitor. I assure you that our
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Speaker 1: most pan Germanic yunker is a sucking dove in his
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Speaker 1: feelings towards England as compared with a real bitter Irish American. Oh,
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Speaker 1: an Irish American. If you heard him talk, you would
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Speaker 1: not doubt it. Sometimes, I assure you, I can hardly
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Speaker 1: underst stand him. He seems to have declared war on
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Speaker 1: the King's English as well as on the English King.
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Speaker 1: Must you really go? He may be here any moment. No,
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Speaker 1: I'm sorry, but I have already overstayed my time. We
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Speaker 1: shall expect you early to morrow. And when you get
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Speaker 1: that signal book through the little door on the Duke
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Speaker 1: of York's steps, you can put a triumphant finny to
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Speaker 1: your record in England. What tokay? He indicated a heavily sealed,
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Speaker 1: dust covered bottle which stood with two high glasses upon
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Speaker 1: a salver. May I offer you a glass before your journey? No? Thanks,
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Speaker 1: But it looks like revelry Valtamont has a nice taste
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Speaker 1: in wines, and he took a fancy to my toke.
13:47
Speaker 1: He's a touchy fellow and needs humoring in small things.
13:51
Speaker 1: I have to study him, I'll assure you. They had
13:55
Speaker 1: strolled out on to the terrace again and along it
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Speaker 1: to the further end, where At a touch from the
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Speaker 1: baron's chauffeur, the great car shivered and chuckled. Those are
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Speaker 1: the lights of Harritch, I suppose, said the secretary, pulling
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Speaker 1: on his dust coat, are still and peaceful. It all
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Speaker 1: seems there may be other lights within the weak and
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Speaker 1: the English coast, a less tranquil place. The heavens, too
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Speaker 1: may not be quite so peaceful. Of all that the
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Speaker 1: good zeppelin promises us comes true. By the way, who
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Speaker 1: is that only one window showed a light? Behind them?
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Speaker 1: In it there stood a lamp, and beside it, seated
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Speaker 1: at a table, was a dear, old, ruddy faced woman
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Speaker 1: in a country cap. She was bending over her knitting
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Speaker 1: and stopping occasionally to stroke a large black cat upon
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Speaker 1: a stool beside her. That is Martha, the only servant
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Speaker 1: I have left, The secretary chuckled. She might almost personify Britagnia,
15:05
Speaker 1: said he, with her complete self absorption and general air
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Speaker 1: of comfortable somnolence. Well au Revoir von Pork. With the
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Speaker 1: final wave of his hand, he sprang into the car,
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Speaker 1: and a moment later the two golden cones from the
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Speaker 1: head lights shot through the darkness. The secretary lay back
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Speaker 1: in the cushions of the luxurious limousine, with his thoughts
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Speaker 1: so full of the impending European tragedy that he hardly
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Speaker 1: observed that, as his car swung round the village street,
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Speaker 1: it nearly passed over a little ford coming in the
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Speaker 1: opposite direction. Von Bork walked slowly back to the study
15:49
Speaker 1: when the last gleams of the motor lamps had faded
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Speaker 1: into the distance. As he passed, he observed that his
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Speaker 1: old housekeeper had put out her lamp and retired. It
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Speaker 1: was a new experience to him, the silence and darkness
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Speaker 1: of his widespread house. For his family and household had
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Speaker 1: been a large one. It was a relief to him, however,
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Speaker 1: to think that they were all in safety, and that
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Speaker 1: but for that one old woman who had lingered in
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Speaker 1: the kitchen, he had the whole place to himself. There
16:24
Speaker 1: was a good deal of tidying up to do inside
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Speaker 1: his study, and he set himself to do it until
16:30
Speaker 1: his keen, handsome face was flushed with the heat of
16:34
Speaker 1: the burning papers. A leather valise stood beside his table,
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Speaker 1: and into this he began to pack very neatly and
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Speaker 1: systematically the precious contents of his safe. He had hardly
16:47
Speaker 1: got started with the work, however, when his quick ears
16:50
Speaker 1: caught the sounds of a distant car. Instantly he gave
16:54
Speaker 1: an exclamation of satisfaction, strapped up the valise, shut the safe,
16:59
Speaker 1: locked it, and hurried out unto the terrace. He was
17:03
Speaker 1: just in time to see the lights of a small
17:05
Speaker 1: car come to a halt at the gate. A passenger
17:09
Speaker 1: sprang out of it and advanced swiftly towards him, while
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Speaker 1: the chauffeur, a heavily built elderly man with a gray mustache,
17:16
Speaker 1: settled down like one who resigns himself to a long vigil. Well,
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Speaker 1: asked von Bork, eagerly, running forward to meet his visitor.
17:26
Speaker 1: For answer, the man waved a small brown paper parcel
17:30
Speaker 1: triumphantly above his head. You can give me the glad
17:33
Speaker 1: hand to night, mister, he cried, I'm bringing home the
17:36
Speaker 1: bacon at last. The signals same as I said in
17:40
Speaker 1: my cable, every last one of them. Semaphore lamp colled
17:43
Speaker 1: Marconi a copy, mind you, not the original. That was
17:46
Speaker 1: too dangerous. But it's the real goods and you can
17:48
Speaker 1: layter that. He slapped the German upon the shoulder with
17:52
Speaker 1: a rough familiarity, from which the other winced come in.
17:56
Speaker 1: I'm all alone in the house. I was only waiting
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Speaker 1: for this. Of course, a copy is better than the original.
18:03
Speaker 1: If an original were missing, they would change the whole thing.
18:07
Speaker 1: You think it's all safe about the copy. The Irish
18:11
Speaker 1: American had entered the study and stretched his long limbs
18:15
Speaker 1: from the armchair. He was a tall, gaunt man of sixty,
18:20
Speaker 1: with clear cut features and a small goaty beard, which
18:24
Speaker 1: gave him a general resemblance to the caricatures of Uncle Sam.
18:29
Speaker 1: A half smoked sotten cigar hung from the corner of
18:32
Speaker 1: his mouth, and as he sat down he struck a
18:36
Speaker 1: match and ReLit it. Making ready for a move, he remarked,
18:40
Speaker 1: as he looked round him. Say, mister, he added, as
18:44
Speaker 1: his eyes fell upon the safe from which the curtain
18:47
Speaker 1: was now removed. You don't tell me you keep your
18:50
Speaker 1: papers in that? Why not? Gosh, and a wide open
18:54
Speaker 1: contraption like that, and they reckon you to be some spy.
18:58
Speaker 1: Why a Yankee crook would be into that with a
19:01
Speaker 1: can opener. If I'd known that any letter of mine
19:04
Speaker 1: was going to lie loose in a thing like that,
19:06
Speaker 1: I'd have been a mug to write to you at all.
19:09
Speaker 1: It would puzzle any crook to force that safe. Von
19:13
Speaker 1: Borg answered, you won't cut that metal with any tool,
19:17
Speaker 1: but the lock. No, it's a double combination lock. You
19:21
Speaker 1: know what that is, search me, said the American. Well,
19:26
Speaker 1: you need a word as well as a set of
19:28
Speaker 1: figures before you can get the lock to work. He
19:31
Speaker 1: rose and showed a double radiating disc round the keyhole.
19:36
Speaker 1: This outer one is for the letters, the inner one
19:38
Speaker 1: for the figures. Well, well that's fine. So it's not
19:42
Speaker 1: as simple as you thought. It was four years ago
19:46
Speaker 1: that I had it made. And what do you think
19:49
Speaker 1: I chose for the word and figures? It's beyond me.
19:53
Speaker 1: Well I chose August for the word and nineteen fourteen
19:58
Speaker 1: for the figures, and here we are. The Americans face
20:02
Speaker 1: showed his surprise and admiration. My but that was smart.
20:07
Speaker 1: You had it down to a fine thing. Yes, a
20:10
Speaker 1: few of us even then could have guessed the date
20:14
Speaker 1: it is. And I'm shutting down tomorrow morning. Well I
20:18
Speaker 1: guess you'll have to fix me up. Also, I'm not
20:20
Speaker 1: staying in this go down country all on my lonesome.
20:24
Speaker 1: In a week or less. From what I see John
20:26
Speaker 1: Bull will be on his hind legs and fair ramping.
20:30
Speaker 1: I'd rather watch him from over the water. But you're
20:33
Speaker 1: an American citizen. Well so was Jack James, an American citizen.
20:38
Speaker 1: But he's doing time in Portland all the same. It
20:42
Speaker 1: cuts no ice with a British copper to tell him
20:44
Speaker 1: you're an American citizen. It's British law and order over here,
20:48
Speaker 1: says he. By the way, mister, talking of Jack James,
20:52
Speaker 1: it seems to me you don't do much to cover
20:54
Speaker 1: your men. What do you mean, Von Bork asked sharply. Well,
20:59
Speaker 1: you are there in lawyer, ain't you. It's up to
21:01
Speaker 1: you to see that they don't fall down. But they
21:03
Speaker 1: do fall down, and when did you ever pick them up?
21:06
Speaker 1: There's James. It was James's own fault. You know that yourself.
21:11
Speaker 1: He was too self willed for the job. James was
21:13
Speaker 1: a bonehead, I'll give you that. Then there was Hollis.
21:17
Speaker 1: The man was mad. Well, he went a bit woozy
21:20
Speaker 1: towards the end. It's enough to make a man bug
21:23
Speaker 1: house when he has to play a part from morning
21:25
Speaker 1: to night with a hundred guys all ready to set
21:27
Speaker 1: the coppers wise to him, But now there is Steiner.
21:30
Speaker 1: Von Bork started violently, and his ruddy face turned a
21:34
Speaker 1: shade paler, What about Steiner, Well they've got him, that's all.
21:40
Speaker 1: They rated his store last night and in his papers
21:43
Speaker 1: are all in Portsmouth jail. You'll go off and he,
21:47
Speaker 1: poor devil, will have to stand the racket and lucky
21:50
Speaker 1: if he gets off with his life. And that's why
21:53
Speaker 1: I want to get over the water as soon as
21:55
Speaker 1: you do. Von Bork was a strong, self contained man,
22:00
Speaker 1: but it was easy to see that the news had
22:02
Speaker 1: shaken him. How could they have got on to Steiner?
22:05
Speaker 1: He muttered, that's the first blow. Yet, well you nearly
22:09
Speaker 1: had a worse one, for I believe they're not far
22:12
Speaker 1: off me. You don't mean that, sure thing. My landlady
22:16
Speaker 1: down Frattenway had some inquiries and when I heard of it,
22:20
Speaker 1: I guessed it was time for me to hustle. But
22:23
Speaker 1: what I want to know, mister, it's how the coppers
22:26
Speaker 1: know these things. Steiner is the fifth man you've lost
22:30
Speaker 1: since I signed on with you, and I know the
22:32
Speaker 1: name of the sixth. If I don't get a move on,
22:34
Speaker 1: how do you explain it? And ain't you ashamed to
22:37
Speaker 1: see your men go down like this, Von Bork flushed Crimson.
22:42
Speaker 1: How dare you speak in such a way. If I
22:44
Speaker 1: didn't dare things, mister, I wouldn't be in your service.
22:47
Speaker 1: But I'll tell you straight what is in my mind.
22:50
Speaker 1: I've heard that with you German politicians. When an agent
22:53
Speaker 1: has done his work, you're not sorry to see him
22:55
Speaker 1: put away. Von Bork sprang to his feet. Do you
22:59
Speaker 1: dare to suggest that I have given away my own agents?
23:02
Speaker 1: I don't stand for that, mister. But there's a stool
23:04
Speaker 1: pigeon for a cross somewhere, and it's up to you
23:08
Speaker 1: to find out where it is. Anyhow, I'm taking no
23:12
Speaker 1: more chances. It's me for little Holland, and the sooner
23:16
Speaker 1: the better. Von Bork had mastered his anger. We have
23:21
Speaker 1: been allies too long to quarrel. Now, at the very
23:23
Speaker 1: hour of victory, he said, you've done splendid work and
23:28
Speaker 1: taken risks, and I can't forget it. By all means.
23:32
Speaker 1: Go to Holland and you can get a boat from
23:35
Speaker 1: Rotterdam to New York. No other line will be safe.
23:38
Speaker 1: A week from now. I'll take that book and pack
23:41
Speaker 1: it with the rest. The American held the small parcel
23:45
Speaker 1: in his hand, but made no motion to give it up.
23:49
Speaker 1: What about the dough, he asked the what the boodle?
23:53
Speaker 1: The reward? The five hundred pound? The gunner turned quite
23:58
Speaker 1: nasty at the last, and I had to square him
24:01
Speaker 1: with an extra hundred dollars, or it would have been
24:04
Speaker 1: nitsky for you and me. Nothing doing, says he. And
24:07
Speaker 1: he meant it too, But the last hundred did. It
24:10
Speaker 1: must cost me two hundred pounds from first to last,
24:13
Speaker 1: so it isn't likely I'd give it up without getting
24:15
Speaker 1: my ward. Von Bork smiled with some bitterness. You don't
24:20
Speaker 1: seem to have a very high opinion of my honor,
24:23
Speaker 1: said he. You want the money before you give up
24:26
Speaker 1: the book? Well, mister, it is a business proposition, all right,
24:31
Speaker 1: have your way. He sat down at the table and
24:33
Speaker 1: scribbled a check, which he tore from the book, but
24:37
Speaker 1: he refrained from handing it to his companion. After all,
24:41
Speaker 1: since we are to be on such terms, mister Altamont
24:45
Speaker 1: said he. I don't see why I should trust you
24:48
Speaker 1: any more than you trust me. Do you understand, he added,
24:52
Speaker 1: looking back over his shoulder at the American. There's the
24:56
Speaker 1: check upon the table. I claim the right to examine
24:58
Speaker 1: that parcel before you pick the money up. The American
25:02
Speaker 1: passed it over without a word. Von bork undid a
25:05
Speaker 1: winding of string and two wrappers of paper. Then he
25:10
Speaker 1: sat gazing for a moment in silent amazement at a
25:13
Speaker 1: small blue book which lay before him. Across the cover
25:17
Speaker 1: was printed in golden letters, practical Handbook of b Culture.
25:23
Speaker 1: Only for one instant did the master spy glare at
25:26
Speaker 1: this strangely irrelevant inscription. The next he was gripped at
25:31
Speaker 1: the back of his neck by a grasp of iron,
25:35
Speaker 1: and a chloroformed sponge was held in front of his
25:38
Speaker 1: writhing face. Another glass, Watson, said mister Sherlock Holmes, as
25:44
Speaker 1: he extended the bottle of Imperial touquet. The thick set chauffeur,
25:49
Speaker 1: who had seated himself by the table, pushed forward his
25:53
Speaker 1: glass with some eagerness. It is a good wine, Holmes,
25:57
Speaker 1: a remarkable wine, Watson. Our friend upon the sofa has
26:01
Speaker 1: assured me that it is from Franz Joseph's special cellar
26:06
Speaker 1: at the Shernbroune Palace. Might I trouble you to open
26:09
Speaker 1: the window, for chloroform vapor does not help the palette.
26:14
Speaker 1: The safe was ajar, and Holmes, standing in front of it,
26:18
Speaker 1: was removing dossier after dossier, swiftly examining each and then
26:24
Speaker 1: packing it neatly. In von Bork's valise, the German lay
26:28
Speaker 1: upon the sofa, sleeping stertorously, with a strap round his
26:32
Speaker 1: upper arms and another round his legs. We need not
26:36
Speaker 1: hurry ourselves, Watson. We are safe from interruption. Would you
26:40
Speaker 1: mind touching the bell. There is no one in the
26:43
Speaker 1: house except old Martha, who has played her part to admiration.
26:47
Speaker 1: I got her the situation here when first I took
26:49
Speaker 1: the matter up. Ah, Martha, you will be glad to
26:53
Speaker 1: hear that all is well. The pleasant old lady had
26:56
Speaker 1: appeared in the doorway. She curtsied with a smile to
27:00
Speaker 1: mister Holmes, but glanced with some apprehension at the figure
27:04
Speaker 1: upon the sofa. It is all right, Martha. He has
27:07
Speaker 1: not been hurt at all. I am glad of that,
27:09
Speaker 1: mister Holmes. According to his lights, he has been a
27:12
Speaker 1: kind master. He wanted me to go with his wife
27:15
Speaker 1: to Germany yesterday. That that would hardly have suited your plans,
27:19
Speaker 1: would it? Say? No? Indeed, Martha, so long as you
27:22
Speaker 1: were here. I was easy in my mind. We waited
27:26
Speaker 1: some time for your signal tonight it was the secretary, Sir.
27:30
Speaker 1: I know his car passed hours. I thought he would
27:33
Speaker 1: never go. I knew that it would not suit your plans, sir,
27:36
Speaker 1: to find him here. No, indeed, well, it only meant
27:39
Speaker 1: that we waited half an hour or so until I
27:41
Speaker 1: saw your lamp go out and knew that the coast
27:44
Speaker 1: was clear. You can report to me tomorrow in London,
27:47
Speaker 1: Martha at Clarridge's Hotel. Very good, sir. I suppose you
27:52
Speaker 1: have everything ready to leave, Yes, sir, he boasted, seven
27:56
Speaker 1: letters to day. I have the addresses as usual. Very
27:59
Speaker 1: good man. I will look into them tomorrow. Good Night.
28:04
Speaker 1: These papers, he continued, as the old lady vanished, are
28:08
Speaker 1: not of very great importance, for of course the information
28:11
Speaker 1: which they represent has been sent off long ago to
28:14
Speaker 1: the German government. These are the originals which could not
28:18
Speaker 1: safely be got out of the country. Then they are
28:21
Speaker 1: of no use. I should not go so far as
28:24
Speaker 1: to say that, Watson, they will at least show our
28:27
Speaker 1: people what is known and what is not. I may
28:30
Speaker 1: say that a good many of these papers have come
28:32
Speaker 1: through me, and I need not add are thoroughly untrustworthy.
28:37
Speaker 1: It would brighten my declining years to see a German
28:40
Speaker 1: cruiser navigating the Solent according to the minefield plans which
28:45
Speaker 1: I have furnished. But you, Watson, He stopped his work
28:49
Speaker 1: and took his old friend by the shoulders. I've hardly
28:53
Speaker 1: seen you in the light, yet how have the years
28:56
Speaker 1: used you? You look the same blithe boy as I
29:01
Speaker 1: feel twenty years younger. Homes, I've seldom felt so happy
29:05
Speaker 1: as when I got your wire asking me to meet
29:07
Speaker 1: you at Harrit's with the car. But you, Holmes, you've
29:11
Speaker 1: changed very little save for that horrible goateee. These are
29:16
Speaker 1: the sacrifices one makes for one's country, Watson, said Holmes,
29:19
Speaker 1: pulling at his little tuft. Tomorrow it will be but
29:23
Speaker 1: a dreadful memory. With my hair cut and a few
29:27
Speaker 1: other superficial changes, I shall no doubt reappear at Clarage's
29:31
Speaker 1: tomorrow as I was before this American stunt. I beg
29:35
Speaker 1: your pardon, Watson. My well of English seems to be
29:38
Speaker 1: permanently defiled before this American job came my way. But
29:44
Speaker 1: you have retired, Homes. We heard of you as living
29:48
Speaker 1: the life of a hermit among your bees and your
29:51
Speaker 1: books in a small farm upon the South Downs. Exactly, Watson,
29:56
Speaker 1: here is the fruit of my leisured ease, the magnum
30:01
Speaker 1: opus of my latter years. He picked up the volume
30:05
Speaker 1: from the table and read out the whole title, Practical
30:09
Speaker 1: Handbook of b Culture, with some observations upon the segregation
30:14
Speaker 1: of the Queen. Alone, I did it behold the fruit
30:18
Speaker 1: of pensive nights and laborious days when I watched the
30:22
Speaker 1: little working gangs, as once I watched the criminal world
30:27
Speaker 1: of London. But how did you get to work again? Ah?
30:32
Speaker 1: I have often marveled at it myself. The Foreign Minister
30:36
Speaker 1: alone I could have withstood. But when the Premiere also
30:40
Speaker 1: deigned to visit my humble roof the fact is Watson,
30:44
Speaker 1: that this gentleman upon the sofa was a bit too
30:47
Speaker 1: good for our people. He was in a class by himself.
30:52
Speaker 1: Things were going wrong, agents were suspected or even caught,
30:56
Speaker 1: But there was evidence of some strong and secret center force.
31:01
Speaker 1: It was absolutely necessary to expose it. Strong pressure was
31:05
Speaker 1: brought upon me to look into the matter. It has
31:07
Speaker 1: cost me two years, Watson, but they have not been
31:11
Speaker 1: devoid of excitement. When I say that I started my
31:15
Speaker 1: pilgrimage at Chicago, graduated in an Irish secret society at Buffalo,
31:22
Speaker 1: gave serious trouble to the constabulary at Skibberine, and so
31:27
Speaker 1: eventually caught the eye of a subordinate agent of von Bork,
31:31
Speaker 1: who recommended me as a likely man. You will realize
31:35
Speaker 1: that the matter was complex. Since then I have been
31:39
Speaker 1: honored by his confidence, which has not prevented most of
31:43
Speaker 1: his plans going subtly wrong, and five of his best
31:47
Speaker 1: agents being in prison. I watched them, Watson, and I
31:51
Speaker 1: picked them as they ripened. Well, sir, I hope that
31:55
Speaker 1: you are none the worse. The last remark was addressed
31:59
Speaker 1: to von Bork himself, who, after much gasping and blinking,
32:04
Speaker 1: had lain quietly listening to Holmes's statement. He broke out
32:08
Speaker 1: now into a furious stream of German invective, his face
32:12
Speaker 1: convulsed with passion. Holmes continued his swift investigation of documents
32:18
Speaker 1: while his prisoner cursed and swore. Though unmusical, German is
32:23
Speaker 1: the most expressive of all languages, he observed when von
32:27
Speaker 1: Bork had stopped from pure exhaustion. Hello, Hello, he added,
32:34
Speaker 1: as he looked hard at the corner of a tracing
32:36
Speaker 1: before putting it in the box. This should put another
32:40
Speaker 1: bird in the cage. I had no idea that the
32:43
Speaker 1: paymaster was such a rascal, though I have long had
32:47
Speaker 1: an eye upon him. Mister von Bork, you have a
32:51
Speaker 1: great deal to answer for the prisoner had raised himself
32:55
Speaker 1: with some difficulty upon the sofa and was staring with
32:58
Speaker 1: a strange mixture of amazement and hatred at his captor.
33:03
Speaker 1: I shall get level with you, Altamont, he said, speaking
33:08
Speaker 1: with slow deliberation. If it takes me all my life,
33:12
Speaker 1: I shall get level with you. The old sweet song,
33:16
Speaker 1: said Holmes. How often have I heard it in days
33:19
Speaker 1: gone by? It was a favorite ditty of the late
33:22
Speaker 1: lamented Professor Moriarty. Colonel Sebastian Moran has also been known
33:27
Speaker 1: to warble it. And yet I live and keep bees
33:32
Speaker 1: upon the South Downs. Curse you, you double traitor, cried
33:36
Speaker 1: the German, straining against his bonds and glaring murder from
33:40
Speaker 1: his furious eyes. No, no, it is not so bad
33:44
Speaker 1: as that, said Holmes, smiling, as my speech surely shows you.
33:49
Speaker 1: Mister Altamont of Chicago had no existence. In fact, I
33:54
Speaker 1: used him, and he is gone. Then who are you?
33:58
Speaker 1: It is really immaterial who I am. But since the
34:02
Speaker 1: matter seems to interest you, mister von Bork, I may
34:05
Speaker 1: say that this is not my first acquaintance with the
34:07
Speaker 1: members of your family. I have done a good deal
34:10
Speaker 1: of business in Germany in the past, and my name
34:13
Speaker 1: is probably familiar to you. I would wish to know it,
34:17
Speaker 1: said the Prussian grimly. It was I who brought about
34:21
Speaker 1: the separation between Irene Adler and the late King of
34:25
Speaker 1: Bohemia when your cousin Heinrich was the imperial envoy. It
34:31
Speaker 1: was I also who saved from murder by the nihilist Klopman,
34:36
Speaker 1: Count von un su Krafenstein, who was your mother's elder brother.
34:42
Speaker 1: It was I. Von Bork sat up in amazement. There
34:45
Speaker 1: is only one man, he cried, exactly, said Holmes. Von
34:51
Speaker 1: Bork groaned and sank back on the sofa. And most
34:55
Speaker 1: of that information came through you. He cried, What is
34:59
Speaker 1: it worth? What have I done? It is my ruin
35:03
Speaker 1: for ever, it is certainly a little untrustworthy, said Holmes.
35:08
Speaker 1: It will require some checking, and you have little time
35:11
Speaker 1: to check it. Your admiral may find the new guns
35:14
Speaker 1: rather larger than he expects. And the cruisers perhaps a
35:19
Speaker 1: trifle faster. Von Borg clutched at his own throat in despair.
35:25
Speaker 1: There are a good many other points of detail, which
35:27
Speaker 1: will no doubt come to light in good time. But
35:30
Speaker 1: you have one quality which is very rare in a German.
35:35
Speaker 1: Mister von Bork, you are a sportsman, and you will
35:40
Speaker 1: bear me no ill will when you realize that you,
35:44
Speaker 1: who have outwitted so many other people, have at last
35:48
Speaker 1: been outwitted yourself. After all, you have done your best
35:52
Speaker 1: for your country, and I have done my best for mine.
35:55
Speaker 1: And what could be more natural? Besides, he added, not unkindly,
36:02
Speaker 1: as he laid his hand upon the shoulder of the
36:04
Speaker 1: prostrate man, it is better than to fall before some
36:08
Speaker 1: ignoble foe. These papers are now ready, Watson. If you
36:13
Speaker 1: will help me with our prisoner, I think that we
36:15
Speaker 1: may get started for London at once. It was no
36:19
Speaker 1: easy task to move von Bork, for he was a
36:22
Speaker 1: strong and a desperate man. Finally holding either arm, the
36:28
Speaker 1: two friends walked him very slowly down the garden walk,
36:31
Speaker 1: which he had trod with such proud confidence when he
36:35
Speaker 1: received the congratulations of the famous diplomatist only a few
36:38
Speaker 1: hours before. After a short final struggle, he was hoisted,
36:44
Speaker 1: still bound hand and foot, into the spare seat of
36:47
Speaker 1: the little car. His precious valise was wedged in beside him.
36:53
Speaker 1: I trust that you are as comfortable as circumstances permit,
36:57
Speaker 1: said Holmes, when the final arrangements were Should I be
37:01
Speaker 1: guilty of a liberty if I lit a cigar and
37:04
Speaker 1: placed it between your lips? But all amenities were wasted
37:09
Speaker 1: upon the angry German. I suppose you realize, mister Sherlock
37:13
Speaker 1: Holmes said, he that if your government bears you out
37:18
Speaker 1: in this treatment, it becomes an act of war. What
37:22
Speaker 1: about your governments and all this treatment, said Holmes, tapping
37:26
Speaker 1: the valise. You are a private individual. You have no
37:30
Speaker 1: warrant for my arrest. The whole proceeding is absolutely illegal
37:34
Speaker 1: and outrageous, absolutely, said Holmes, kidnapping a German subject and
37:41
Speaker 1: stealing his private papers. Well, you realize your position, you
37:45
Speaker 1: and your accomplice here. If I were to shout for
37:47
Speaker 1: help as we passed through the village, my dear sir,
37:51
Speaker 1: if you did anything so foolish, you would probably enlarge
37:54
Speaker 1: the two limited titles of our village inns by giving
37:57
Speaker 1: us the dangling Prussian as a signpost. The Englishman is
38:03
Speaker 1: a patient creature, but at present his temper is a
38:08
Speaker 1: little inflamed, and it would be as well not to
38:12
Speaker 1: try him too far. No, mister von Bork, you will
38:16
Speaker 1: go with us in a quiet, sensible fashion to Scotland Yard.
38:20
Speaker 1: Whence you can send for your friend Baron von Hurling,
38:24
Speaker 1: and see if even now you may not fill that
38:26
Speaker 1: place which he has reserved for you in the ambassadorial suite.
38:30
Speaker 1: As to you, Watson, you are joining us with your
38:33
Speaker 1: old service, as I understand, so London won't be out
38:37
Speaker 1: of your way. Stand with me here upon the terrace,
38:42
Speaker 1: or it may be the last quiet talk that we
38:44
Speaker 1: shall ever have. The two friends chatted in intimate converse
38:49
Speaker 1: for a few minutes, recalling once again the days of
38:52
Speaker 1: the past, while their prisoner vainly wriggled to undo the
38:57
Speaker 1: bonds that held him. As they turned to the car,
39:01
Speaker 1: Holmes pointed back to the moonlit sea and shook a
39:05
Speaker 1: thoughtful head. There's an east wind coming, Watson, I think, not, Holmes.
39:11
Speaker 1: It is very warm, good old Watson, you are the
39:15
Speaker 1: one fixed point in a changing age. There's an east
39:19
Speaker 1: wind coming all the same such a wind as never
39:23
Speaker 1: blew on England. Yet it will be cold and bitter. Watson,
39:30
Speaker 1: the good many of us may wither before its blast,
39:33
Speaker 1: But it's God's own wind none the less, and a cleaner, better,
39:38
Speaker 1: stronger Land will lie in the sunshine when the storm
39:42
Speaker 1: has cleared. Start up, Watson, for it's time that we
39:47
Speaker 1: were on our way. I have a check for five
39:50
Speaker 1: hundred pounds, which should be cashed early, for the drawer
39:54
Speaker 1: is quite capable of stopping it if he can. That
40:03
Speaker 1: is the end of the War Service of Sherlock Holmes
40:07
Speaker 1: by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, read by Greg Wagland for
40:13
Speaker 1: Magpie Audio twenty nineteen.