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31 Charles Augustus Milverton from The Return of She · Sherlock Holmes

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Speaker 1: The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton. It is years since
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Speaker 1: the incidents of which I speak took place, and yet
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Speaker 1: it is with diffidence that I allude to them. For
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Speaker 1: a long time, even with the utmost discretion and reticence,
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Speaker 1: it would have been impossible to make the facts public.
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Speaker 1: But now the principal person concerned is beyond the reach
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Speaker 1: of human law, and with due suppression, the story may
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Speaker 1: be told in such fashion as to injure no one.
0:43
Speaker 1: It records an absolutely unique experience in the career, both
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Speaker 1: of mister Sherlock Holmes and of myself. The reader will
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Speaker 1: excuse me if I concealed the date or any other
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Speaker 1: fact by which he might trace the actual occurrence. We
1:00
Speaker 1: had been out for one of our evening rambles, Holmes
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Speaker 1: and I, and had returned about six o'clock on a cold,
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Speaker 1: frosty winter's evening. As Holmes turned up the lamp, the
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Speaker 1: light fell upon a card on the table. He glanced
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Speaker 1: at it, and then, with an ejaculation of disgust, threw
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Speaker 1: it on the floor. I picked it up and read
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Speaker 1: Charles Augustus Milverton, Apple Door Towers, Hampstead Agent. Who is he?
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Speaker 1: I asked the worst man in London. Holmes answered, as
1:35
Speaker 1: he sat down and stretched his legs before the fire.
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Speaker 1: Is anything on the back of the card? I turned
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Speaker 1: it over. We'll call at six thirty c a M.
1:45
Speaker 1: I read HM. He's about you. Do you feel a creeping,
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Speaker 1: shrinking sensation, Watson? When you stand before the serpents in
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Speaker 1: the zoo and see the slithery, gliding, venomous creatures with
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Speaker 1: their deadly eyes and wicked, flattened faces. Is well, that's
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Speaker 1: how Milverton impresses me. I've had to do with fifty
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Speaker 1: murderers in my career, but the worst of them never
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Speaker 1: gave me the repulsion which I have for this fellow.
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Speaker 1: And yet I can't get out of doing business with him. Indeed,
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Speaker 1: he is here at my invitation. But who is he?
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Speaker 1: I'll tell you Watson. He is the king of all
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Speaker 1: the blackmailers. Heaven help the man, and still more the
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Speaker 1: woman whose secret and reputation come into the power of Milverton.
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Speaker 1: With a smiling face and a heart of marble, he
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Speaker 1: will squeeze and squeeze until he has drained them dry.
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Speaker 1: The fellow is a genius in his way, and would
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Speaker 1: have made his mark in some more savory trade. His
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Speaker 1: method is as follows. He allows it to be known
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Speaker 1: that he is prepared to pay very high sums for
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Speaker 1: letters which compromise people of wealth and position. He receives
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Speaker 1: these wares not only from treacherous valets or maids, but
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Speaker 1: frequently from genteel ruffians who have gained the confidence and
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Speaker 1: affection of trusting women. He deals with no niggard hand.
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Speaker 1: I happen to know that he paid seven hundred pounds
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Speaker 1: to a footman for a note two lines in length,
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Speaker 1: and that the ruin of a noble family was the result.
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Speaker 1: Everything which is in the market goes to Milverton. And
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Speaker 1: there are hundreds in this great city who turn white
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Speaker 1: at his name. No one knows where his grip may fall,
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Speaker 1: for he is far too rich and far too cunning
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Speaker 1: to work from hand to mouth. He will hold a
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Speaker 1: card back for years in order to play it at
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Speaker 1: the moment when the stake is best worth winning. I
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Speaker 1: have said that he is the worst man in London,
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Speaker 1: and I would ask you how could one compare the
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Speaker 1: ruffian who, in hot blood bludgeons his mate with this
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Speaker 1: man who methodically, and at his leisure, tortures the soul
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Speaker 1: and wrings the nerves in order to add to his
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Speaker 1: already swollen money bags. I had seldom heard my friend
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Speaker 1: speak with such intensity of feeling, But surely, said I,
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Speaker 1: the fellow must be within the grasp of the law. Technically,
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Speaker 1: no doubt, but practically not. What would it profit a woman,
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Speaker 1: for example, to get him a few months imprisonment, if
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Speaker 1: her own ruin must immediately follow his victims, dare not
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Speaker 1: hit back? If ever he blackmailed an innocent person, then
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Speaker 1: indeed we should have him. But he is as cunning
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Speaker 1: as the evil one. No, no, we must find other
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Speaker 1: ways to fight him. And why is he here? Because
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Speaker 1: an illustrious client has placed her piteous case in my hands.
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Speaker 1: It is the Lady Eva Blackwell, the most beautiful debutante
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Speaker 1: of last season. She is to be married in a
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Speaker 1: fortnight to the Earl of Dovercourt. This fiend has several
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Speaker 1: imprudent letters imprudent Watson, nothing worse, which were written to
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Speaker 1: an impecunious young squire in the country, they would suffice
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Speaker 1: to break off the match. Milverton will send the letters
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Speaker 1: to the Earl unless a large sum of money is
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Speaker 1: paid him. I have been commissioned to meet him, and
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Speaker 1: to make the best terms I can. At that instant
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Speaker 1: there was a clatter and a rattle in the street below.
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Speaker 1: Looking down, I saw a stately carriage and pair the
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Speaker 1: brilliant lamps gleaming on the glossy haunches of the noble chestnuts.
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Speaker 1: A footman opened the door, and a small, stout man
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Speaker 1: in a shaggy Astrakhan overcoat descended. A minute later he
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Speaker 1: was in the room. Charles Augustus Milverton was a man
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Speaker 1: of fifty, with a large intellectual head, a round, plump,
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Speaker 1: hairless face, a perpetual frozen smile, and two keen gray
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Speaker 1: eyes which gleamed brightly from behind broad gold rimmed glasses.
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Speaker 1: There was some one thing of mister Pickwick's benevolence in
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Speaker 1: his appearance, marred only by the insincerity of the fixed
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Speaker 1: smile and by the hard glitter of those restless and
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Speaker 1: penetrating eyes. His voice was as smooth and suave as
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Speaker 1: his countenance, as he advanced with a plump little hand extended,
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Speaker 1: murmuring his regret for having missed us at his first visit.
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Speaker 1: Holmes disregarded the outstretched hand and looked at him with
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Speaker 1: a face of granite. Milverton's smile broadened. He shrugged his shoulders,
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Speaker 1: removed his overcoat, folded it with great deliberation over the
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Speaker 1: back of a chair, and then took a seat. This
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Speaker 1: gentleman said he with a wave in my direction. Is
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Speaker 1: it discreet? Is it right? Dr Watson is my friend
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Speaker 1: and partner. Very good, mister Holmes. It is only in
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Speaker 1: your client's interests that I protested. The matter is so
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Speaker 1: very delicate. Dr Watson has already heard of it. Then
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Speaker 1: we can proceed to business. You say that you are
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Speaker 1: acting for lady. Ever has she empowered you to accept
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Speaker 1: my terms? What are your terms? Seven thousand pounds and
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Speaker 1: the alternative? My dear sir, it is painful for me
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Speaker 1: to discuss it, but if the money is not paid
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Speaker 1: on the fourteenth, there certainly will be no marriage round
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Speaker 1: the eighteenth. His insufferable smile was more complaisant than ever.
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Speaker 1: Holmes thought, for a little you appear to me, he said,
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Speaker 1: at last, to be taking matters too much. For granted,
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Speaker 1: I am, of course familiar with the contents of these letters.
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Speaker 1: My client will certainly do what I may advise. I
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Speaker 1: shall counsel her to tell her future husband the whole
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Speaker 1: story and to trust to his generosity. Milverton chuckled. You
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Speaker 1: evidently do not know the earl, said he. From the
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Speaker 1: baffled look upon Holmes's face, I could clearly see that
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Speaker 1: he did. What harm is there in the letters? He asked?
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Speaker 1: They are sprightly? Ver is sprightly? Milverton answered, the lady
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Speaker 1: was a charming correspondent. But I can assure you that
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Speaker 1: the Earl of Dovercourt would fail to appreciate them. However,
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Speaker 1: since you think otherwise, we will let it rest at that.
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Speaker 1: It is purely a matter of business. If you think
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Speaker 1: that it is in the best interest of your client
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Speaker 1: that these letters should be placed in the hands of
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Speaker 1: the Earl, then you would indeed be foolish to pay
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Speaker 1: so large a sum of money to regain them. He
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Speaker 1: rose and seized his Astrakhan coat. Holmes was gray with
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Speaker 1: anger and mortification. Wait a little, he said, you go
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Speaker 1: too fast. We should certainly make every effort to avoid
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Speaker 1: scandal in so delicate a matter. Milverton relapsed into his chair.
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Speaker 1: I was sure you would see it in that light,
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Speaker 1: he purred. At the same time, Holmes continued, Lady Eva
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Speaker 1: is not a wealthy woman. I assure you that two
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Speaker 1: thousand pounds would be a drain upon her resources, and
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Speaker 1: that the sum you name is utterly beyond her power.
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Speaker 1: I beg therefore, that you will moderate your demands, and
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Speaker 1: that you will return the letters at the price I indicate,
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Speaker 1: which is, I assure you the highest that you can get.
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Speaker 1: Milverton smile broadened and his eyes twinkled humorously. I am
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Speaker 1: aware that what you say is true about the lady's resources,
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Speaker 1: said he. At the same time, you must admit that
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Speaker 1: the occasion of a lady's marriage is a very suitable
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Speaker 1: time for her friends and relatives to make some little
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Speaker 1: effort upon her behalf. They may hesitate as to an
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Speaker 1: acceptable wedding present. Let me assure them that this little
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Speaker 1: bundle of letters will give more joy than all the
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Speaker 1: candelabra and butter dishes in London. It is impossible, said Holmes.
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Speaker 1: Dear me, dear me, how unfortunate, cried Milverton, taking out
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Speaker 1: a bulky pocket book. I cannot help thinking that ladies
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Speaker 1: are ill advised in not making an effort. Look at this,
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Speaker 1: He held up a little note with a coat of
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Speaker 1: arms upon the envelope that belongs to well, perhaps it
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Speaker 1: is hardly fair to tell the name until to morrow morning.
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Speaker 1: But at that time it will be in the hands
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Speaker 1: of the lady's husband, and all because she will not
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Speaker 1: find a beggarly sum which she could get by turning
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Speaker 1: her diamonds into paste. It is such a pity. Now
10:36
Speaker 1: you remember the sudden end of the engagement between the
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Speaker 1: honorable Miss Miles and Colonel Dorking. Only two days before
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Speaker 1: the wedding, there was a paragraph in the Morning Post
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Speaker 1: to say that it was all half and why it
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Speaker 1: is almost incredible that the absurd sum of twelve hundred
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Speaker 1: pounds would have settled the whole question. Is it not pitiful?
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Speaker 1: And here I find you a man of sense, boggling
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Speaker 1: about terms when your client's future and honor are at stake.
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Speaker 1: You surprise me, mister Holmes. What I say is true,
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Speaker 1: Holmes answered, the money cannot be found. Surely it is
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Speaker 1: better for you to take the substantial sum which I
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Speaker 1: offer than to ruin this woman's career, which can profit
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Speaker 1: you in no way. There you make a mistake, mister Holmes.
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Speaker 1: An exposure would profit me indirectly to a considerable extent.
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Speaker 1: I have eight or ten similar cases, maturing if it
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Speaker 1: was circulated among them that I had made a severe
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Speaker 1: example of the lady Eva, I should find all of
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Speaker 1: them much more open to reason. You see my point?
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Speaker 1: Holmes sprang from his chair. Get behind him, Watson, don't
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Speaker 1: let him out now, sir, let us see the contents
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Speaker 1: of that notebook. Milverton had glided as quick as a
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Speaker 1: rat the side of the room and stood with his
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Speaker 1: back against the wall. Mister Holmes, Mister Holmes, he said,
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Speaker 1: turning the front of his coat and exhibiting the butt
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Speaker 1: of a large revolver which projected from the inside pocket.
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Speaker 1: I have been expecting you to do something original. This
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Speaker 1: has been done so often, and what good has ever
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Speaker 1: come from it. I assure you that I am armed
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Speaker 1: to the teeth, and I am perfectly prepared to use
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Speaker 1: my weapons, knowing that the law will support me. Besides,
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Speaker 1: your supposition that I would bring the letters here in
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Speaker 1: a note book is entirely mistaken. I would do nothing
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Speaker 1: so foolish. And now, gentlemen, I have one or two
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Speaker 1: little interviews this evening, and it is a long drive
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Speaker 1: to Hampstead. He stepped forward, took up his coat, laid
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Speaker 1: his hand on his revolver and turned to the door.
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Speaker 1: I picked up a chair, but Holmes shook his head,
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Speaker 1: and I laid it down again with bow, a smilele
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Speaker 1: and a twinkle. Milverton was out of the room, and
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Speaker 1: a few moments after we heard the slam of the
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Speaker 1: carriage door and the rattle of the wheels as he
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Speaker 1: drove away. Home. Sat motionless by the fire, his hands
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Speaker 1: buried deep in his trouser pocket, his chin sunk upon
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Speaker 1: his breast, his eyes fixed upon the glowing embers. For
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Speaker 1: half an hour, he was silent and still. Then, with
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Speaker 1: the gesture of a man who has taken his decision,
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Speaker 1: he sprang to his feet and passed into his bedroom.
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Speaker 1: A little later, a rakish young workman with a goatee
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Speaker 1: beard and a swagger, lit his clay pipe at the
13:40
Speaker 1: lamp before descending into the street. I'll be back some time, Watson,
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Speaker 1: said he, and vanished into the night. I understood that
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Speaker 1: he had opened his campaign against Charles Augustus Milverton, but
13:55
Speaker 1: I little dreamed the strange shape which that campaign was
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Speaker 1: destined to take. For some days Holmes came and went
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Speaker 1: at all hours in this attire, but beyond a remark
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Speaker 1: that his time was spent at Hampstead, and that it
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Speaker 1: was not wasted. I knew nothing of what he was doing.
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Speaker 1: At last. However, on a wild, tempestuous evening, when the
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Speaker 1: wind screamed and rattled against the windows, he returned from
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Speaker 1: his last expedition, and having removed his disguise, he sat
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Speaker 1: before the fire and laughed heartily in his silent, inward fashion.
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Speaker 1: You would not call me a marrying man, Watson. No, indeed,
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Speaker 1: you'll be interested to hear that I'm engaged, My dear fellow.
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Speaker 1: I congrat to Milverton's housemaid, Good heavens homes. I wanted information, Watson.
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Speaker 1: Surely you have gone too far. It was a most
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Speaker 1: necessary step. I am a plumber with a rising business,
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Speaker 1: Escott by name. I have walked out with her each evening,
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Speaker 1: and I have talked with her. Good Heavens those talks. However,
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Speaker 1: I have got all I wanted. I know Milverton's house
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Speaker 1: as I know the palm of my hand. But the
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Speaker 1: girl Holmes, he shrugged his shoulders. You can't help it,
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Speaker 1: my dear Watson. You must play your cards as best
15:18
Speaker 1: you can when such a stake is on the table. However,
15:21
Speaker 1: I rejoice to say that I have a hated rival
15:24
Speaker 1: who will certainly cut me out the instant that my
15:27
Speaker 1: back is turned. What a splendid night it is. You
15:32
Speaker 1: like this weather? It suits my purpose, Watson, I mean
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Speaker 1: to burgle Milverton's house to night. I had a catching
15:41
Speaker 1: of the breath, and my skin went cold at the words,
15:45
Speaker 1: which were slowly uttered in a tone of concentrated resolution.
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Speaker 1: As a flash of lightning in the night shows up
15:52
Speaker 1: in an instant every detail of a wild landscape. So
15:55
Speaker 1: at one glance I seem to see every possible result
15:58
Speaker 1: of such an action, the detection, the capture, the honored career,
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Speaker 1: ending in irreparable failure and disgrace, my friend himself lying
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Speaker 1: at the mercy of the odious Milverton. For Heaven's sake, Holmes,
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Speaker 1: think what you are doing, I cried, my dear fellow.
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Speaker 1: I have given it every consideration. I am never precipitate
16:21
Speaker 1: in my actions, nor would I adopt so energetic and
16:24
Speaker 1: indeed so dangerous a course if any other were possible.
16:29
Speaker 1: Let us look at the matter clearly and fairly. I
16:32
Speaker 1: suppose you will admit that the action is morally justifiable,
16:36
Speaker 1: though technically criminal to burgle his house is no more
16:40
Speaker 1: than to forcibly take his pocket book, an action in
16:44
Speaker 1: which you were prepared to aid me. I turned it
16:48
Speaker 1: over in my mind. Yes, I said, it is morally justifiable,
16:54
Speaker 1: so long as our object is to take no articles,
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Speaker 1: save those which are used for an illegal purpose. Exactly
17:02
Speaker 1: since it is morally justifiable, I have only to consider
17:05
Speaker 1: the question of personal risk. Surely a gentleman should not
17:09
Speaker 1: lay much stress upon this. When a lady is in
17:12
Speaker 1: most desperate need of his help, you will be in
17:16
Speaker 1: such a false position. Well, that is part of the risk.
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Speaker 1: There is no other possible way of regaining these letters.
17:23
Speaker 1: The unfortunate lady has not the money, and there are
17:26
Speaker 1: none of her people in whom she could confide to
17:29
Speaker 1: Morrow is the last day of grace, and unless we
17:32
Speaker 1: can get the letters to night, this villain will be
17:35
Speaker 1: as good as his word and will bring about her ruin.
17:38
Speaker 1: I must therefore abandon my client to her fate, or
17:42
Speaker 1: I must play this last card between ourselves. Watson, it's
17:47
Speaker 1: a sporting duel between this fellow Milverton and me. He had,
17:51
Speaker 1: as you saw, the best of the first exchanges. But
17:55
Speaker 1: my self, respect and my reputation are concerned to fight
17:58
Speaker 1: it to a finish. Well, I don't like it, but
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Speaker 1: I suppose it must be, said I, when do we start?
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Speaker 1: You are not coming? Then you are not going? Said I.
18:10
Speaker 1: I give you my word of honor, and I never
18:13
Speaker 1: broke it in my life that I will take a
18:15
Speaker 1: cab straight to the police station and give you away
18:18
Speaker 1: unless you let me share this adventure with you. You
18:21
Speaker 1: can't help me. How do you know that you can't
18:25
Speaker 1: tell what may happen? Anyway, My resolution is taken other
18:29
Speaker 1: people besides you have self respect and even reputations. Holmes
18:35
Speaker 1: had looked annoyed, but his brow cleared and he clapped
18:39
Speaker 1: me on the shoulder. Well, well, my dear fellow, be
18:42
Speaker 1: it so. We have shared this same room for some years,
18:46
Speaker 1: and it would be amusing if we ended by sharing
18:48
Speaker 1: the same cell. You know, Watson, I don't mind confessing
18:52
Speaker 1: to you that I have always had an idea that
18:54
Speaker 1: I would have made a highly efficient criminal. This is
18:58
Speaker 1: the chance of my lifetime in that direction. See here
19:03
Speaker 1: he took a neat little leather case out of a drawer,
19:06
Speaker 1: and opening it, he exhibited a number of shining instruments.
19:10
Speaker 1: This is a first class up to date burgling kit
19:13
Speaker 1: with nickel plated jemmy, diamond tipped glass cutter, adaptable keys,
19:19
Speaker 1: and every modern improvement which the much of civilization demands.
19:23
Speaker 1: Here too is my dark lantern. Everything is in order.
19:28
Speaker 1: Have you a pair of silent shoes? I have rubber
19:32
Speaker 1: soled tennis shoes excellent, and a mask. I can make
19:36
Speaker 1: a couple out of black silk. I can see that
19:40
Speaker 1: you have a strong natural turn for this sort of thing.
19:43
Speaker 1: Very good? Do you make the masks? We shall have
19:46
Speaker 1: some cold supper before we start. It is now nine thirty.
19:51
Speaker 1: At eleven we shall drive as far as Church Row.
19:54
Speaker 1: It is a quarter of an hour's walk from there
19:56
Speaker 1: to apple door towers. We shall be at work before midnight.
20:00
Speaker 1: Milverton is a heavy sleeper and retires punctually at ten thirty.
20:05
Speaker 1: With any luck, we should be back here by two.
20:08
Speaker 1: With the lady Eva's letters in my pocket. Holmes and
20:12
Speaker 1: I put on our dress clothes so that we might
20:15
Speaker 1: appear to be too theater go as homeward bound in
20:18
Speaker 1: Oxford Street, we picked up a hansom and drove to
20:21
Speaker 1: an address in Hampstead. Here we paid off our cab
20:25
Speaker 1: and with our great coats buttoned up, for it was
20:28
Speaker 1: bitterly cold, and the wind seemed to blow through us
20:31
Speaker 1: we walked along the edge of the heath. It's a
20:34
Speaker 1: business that needs delicate treatment, said Holmes. These documents are
20:38
Speaker 1: contained in a safe in the fellow's study, and the
20:41
Speaker 1: study is the ante room of his bed chamber. On
20:45
Speaker 1: the other hand, like all these stout little men who
20:47
Speaker 1: do themselves well, he is a plethoric sleeper. Agatha, that's
20:54
Speaker 1: my fiancee, says. It is a joke in the servants
20:57
Speaker 1: hall that it's impossible to wake the musk. He has
21:01
Speaker 1: a secretary who is devoted to his interests and never
21:04
Speaker 1: budges from the study all day. That's why we're going
21:08
Speaker 1: at night. Then he has a beast of a dog
21:11
Speaker 1: which roams the garden. I met Agatha late the last
21:15
Speaker 1: two evenings, and she locks the brute up so as
21:18
Speaker 1: to give me a clear run. This is the house,
21:22
Speaker 1: this big one, in its own grounds. Through the gate,
21:26
Speaker 1: and now to the right, among the laurels, we might
21:29
Speaker 1: put on our masks. Here. I think you see there
21:32
Speaker 1: is not a glimmer of light in any of the windows,
21:35
Speaker 1: and everything is working splendidly. With our black silk face coverings,
21:41
Speaker 1: which turned us into two of the most truculent figures
21:44
Speaker 1: in London. We stole up to the silent, gloomy house,
21:48
Speaker 1: a sort of tiled verandah extended along one side of it,
21:53
Speaker 1: lined by several windows and two doors. That's his bedroom,
21:58
Speaker 1: Holmes whispered. This door opened straight into the study. It
22:03
Speaker 1: would suit us best, but it's bolted as well as locked,
22:06
Speaker 1: and we should make too much noise getting in. Come
22:09
Speaker 1: round here there's a greenhouse which opens into the drawing room.
22:14
Speaker 1: The place was locked, but Holmes removed a circle of
22:17
Speaker 1: glass and turned the key from the inside. An instant afterwards,
22:22
Speaker 1: he had closed the door behind us, and we had
22:25
Speaker 1: become felons in the eyes of the law. The thick,
22:29
Speaker 1: warm air of the conservatory and the rich, choking fragrance
22:33
Speaker 1: of exotic plants took us by the throat. He seized
22:37
Speaker 1: my hand in the darkness and led me swiftly past
22:40
Speaker 1: banks of shrubs which brushed against our faces. Holmes had
22:44
Speaker 1: remarkable powers, carefully cultivated of seeing in the dark. Still
22:49
Speaker 1: holding my hand in one of his, he opened a door,
22:53
Speaker 1: and I was vaguely conscious that we had entered a
22:55
Speaker 1: large room in which a cigar had been smoked not
22:58
Speaker 1: long before. He felt his way among the furniture, opened
23:03
Speaker 1: another door and closed it behind it, putting out my hand.
23:07
Speaker 1: I felt several coats hanging from the wall, and I
23:11
Speaker 1: understood that I was in a passage. We passed along it,
23:14
Speaker 1: and homes very gently opened a door upon the right
23:17
Speaker 1: hand side. Something brushed out at us, and my heart
23:21
Speaker 1: sprang into my mouth, but I could have laughed when
23:24
Speaker 1: I realized that it was the cat. A fire was
23:28
Speaker 1: burning in this new room, and again the air was
23:32
Speaker 1: heavy with tobacco smoke. Holmes entered on tiptoe, waited for
23:37
Speaker 1: me to follow, and then very gently closed the door.
23:42
Speaker 1: We were in Milverton's study, and a portiere at the
23:45
Speaker 1: farther side showed the entrance to his bedroom. It was
23:50
Speaker 1: a good fire, and the room was illuminated by it.
23:54
Speaker 1: Near the door, I saw the gleam of an electric switch,
23:58
Speaker 1: but it was unnecessary, even if it had been safe
24:02
Speaker 1: to turn it on. At one side of the fireplace
24:05
Speaker 1: was a heavy curtain which covered the bay window we
24:07
Speaker 1: had seen from outside. On the other side was the
24:11
Speaker 1: door which communicated with the verandah. A desk stood in
24:16
Speaker 1: the center with a turning chair of shining red leather.
24:20
Speaker 1: Opposite was a large bookcase with a marble bust of
24:23
Speaker 1: athene on the top. In the corner between the bookcase
24:26
Speaker 1: and the wall there stood a tall green safe, the
24:30
Speaker 1: firelight flashing back from the polished brass knobs upon its face.
24:35
Speaker 1: Home stole across and looked at it. Then he crept
24:38
Speaker 1: to the door of the bedroom and stood with slanting head,
24:42
Speaker 1: listening intently. No sound came from within. Meanwhile, it had
24:47
Speaker 1: struck me that it would be wise to secure our
24:50
Speaker 1: retreat through the outer door, so I examined it. To
24:54
Speaker 1: my amazement, it was neither locked nor bolted. I touched
24:59
Speaker 1: Holmes on the arm and he turned his masked face
25:01
Speaker 1: in that direction. I saw him start, and he was
25:06
Speaker 1: evidently as surprised as I. I don't like it, he whispered,
25:10
Speaker 1: putting his lips to my very ear. I can't quite
25:13
Speaker 1: make it out anyhow. We have no time to lose.
25:18
Speaker 1: Can I do anything? Yes, stand by the door. If
25:21
Speaker 1: you hear any one come, bolt it on the inside
25:25
Speaker 1: and we can get away as we came. If they
25:27
Speaker 1: come the other way, we can get through the door.
25:29
Speaker 1: If our job is done, or hide behind these window
25:33
Speaker 1: curtains if it is not, Do you understand? I nodded
25:37
Speaker 1: and stood by the door. My first feeling of fear
25:41
Speaker 1: had passed away, and I thrilled now with a keener
25:44
Speaker 1: zest than I had ever enjoyed when we were the
25:46
Speaker 1: defenders of the law instead of its defires. The high
25:50
Speaker 1: object of our mission, the consciousness that it was unselfish
25:54
Speaker 1: and chivalrous, the villainous character of our opponent, all added
25:59
Speaker 1: to the sporting interest of the adventure. Far from feeling guilty,
26:03
Speaker 1: I rejoiced and exulted in our dangers with a glow
26:07
Speaker 1: of admiration. I watched Holmes unrolling his case of instruments
26:12
Speaker 1: and choosing his tool with the calm, scientific accuracy of
26:15
Speaker 1: a surgeon who performs a delicate operation. I knew that
26:19
Speaker 1: the opening of safes was a particular hobby with him,
26:23
Speaker 1: and I understood the joy which it gave him to
26:25
Speaker 1: be confronted with this green and gold monster, the dragon
26:29
Speaker 1: which held in its more the reputation of many fair ladies.
26:34
Speaker 1: Turning up the cuffs of his dress coat, he had
26:37
Speaker 1: placed his overcoat on a chair. Homes laid out two
26:40
Speaker 1: drills a jemmy and several skeleton keys. I stood at
26:46
Speaker 1: the center door, with my eyes glancing at each of
26:48
Speaker 1: the others, ready for any emergency, though indeed my plans
26:53
Speaker 1: were somewhat vague as to what I should do if
26:55
Speaker 1: we were interrupted. For half an hour, homes worked with
26:59
Speaker 1: concentrations energy, laying down one tool, picking up another, handling
27:04
Speaker 1: each with the strength and delicacy of the trained mechanic.
27:08
Speaker 1: Finally I heard a click. The broad green door swung open,
27:13
Speaker 1: and inside I had a glimpse of a number of
27:16
Speaker 1: paper packets, each tide sealed and inscribed. Holmes picked one out,
27:22
Speaker 1: but it was as hard to read by the flickering fire,
27:26
Speaker 1: and he drew out his little dark lantern, for it
27:29
Speaker 1: was too dangerous with Milverton in the next room to
27:32
Speaker 1: switch on the electric light. Suddenly I saw him halt,
27:36
Speaker 1: listen intently, and then in an instant he had swung
27:39
Speaker 1: the door of the safe two, picked up his coat
27:42
Speaker 1: that stuffed his tools into the pockets, and darted behind
27:45
Speaker 1: the window curtain, motioning me to do the same. It
27:50
Speaker 1: was only when I had joined him there that I
27:52
Speaker 1: heard what had alarmed his quicker senses. There was a noise.
27:56
Speaker 1: Somewhere within the house, a door slammed it the distance.
28:01
Speaker 1: Then a confused dull murmur broke itself into the measured
28:05
Speaker 1: thud of heavy footsteps rapidly approaching. They were in the
28:09
Speaker 1: passage outside the room. They paused at the door. The
28:14
Speaker 1: door opened, There was a sharp snick as the electric
28:18
Speaker 1: light was turned on. The door closed once more, and
28:22
Speaker 1: the pungent reek of a strong cigar was borne to
28:25
Speaker 1: our nostrils. Then the footsteps continued backward and forward, backward
28:30
Speaker 1: and forward, within a few yards of us. Finally there
28:34
Speaker 1: was a creak from a chair, and the footsteps ceased.
28:38
Speaker 1: Then a key clicked in a lock, and I heard
28:41
Speaker 1: the rustle of papers. So far I had not dared
28:45
Speaker 1: to look out, But now I gently parted the division
28:48
Speaker 1: of the curtains in front of me and peeped through.
28:52
Speaker 1: From the pressure of Holmes's shoulder against mine, I knew
28:55
Speaker 1: that he was sharing my observations. Right in front of us,
28:59
Speaker 1: and almost moist within our reach was the broad rounded
29:03
Speaker 1: back of Milverton. It was evident that we had entirely
29:07
Speaker 1: miscalculated his movements, that he had never been to his bedroom,
29:12
Speaker 1: but that he had been sitting up in some smoking
29:14
Speaker 1: or billiard room in the farther wing of the house,
29:17
Speaker 1: the windows of which we had not seen. His broad
29:22
Speaker 1: grizzled head, with its shining patch of baldness, was in
29:25
Speaker 1: the immediate foreground of our vision. He was leaning far
29:29
Speaker 1: back in the red leather chair, his legs outstretched, a
29:33
Speaker 1: long black cigar projecting at an angle from his mouth.
29:37
Speaker 1: He wore a semi military smoking jacket, claret colored with
29:41
Speaker 1: a black velvet collar. In his hand he held a
29:45
Speaker 1: long legal document which he was reading in an indolent fashion,
29:49
Speaker 1: blowing rings of tobacco smoke from his lips as he
29:52
Speaker 1: did so. There was no promise of a speedy departure.
29:56
Speaker 1: In his composed bearing and his comfortable attitude. I felt
30:02
Speaker 1: Holmes's hand steel into mine and give me a reassuring shake,
30:07
Speaker 1: as if to say that the situation was within his powers,
30:10
Speaker 1: and that he was easy in his mind. I was
30:14
Speaker 1: not sure whether he had seen what was only too
30:16
Speaker 1: obvious from my position, that the door of the safe
30:20
Speaker 1: was imperfectly closed, and that Milverton might at any moment
30:23
Speaker 1: observe it. In my own mind, I had determined that
30:27
Speaker 1: if I were sure from the rigidity of his gaze
30:31
Speaker 1: that it had caught his eye. I would at once
30:34
Speaker 1: spring out, throw my greatcoat over his head, pinion him,
30:38
Speaker 1: and leave the rest to Holmes. But Milverton never looked up.
30:44
Speaker 1: He was languidly interested by the papers in his hand,
30:47
Speaker 1: and page after page was turned as he followed the
30:50
Speaker 1: argument of the lawyer. At least, I thought, when he
30:54
Speaker 1: has finished the document and the cigar, he will go
30:57
Speaker 1: to his room. But before he had reached the end
31:01
Speaker 1: of either, there came a remarkable development which turned our
31:05
Speaker 1: thoughts into quite another channel. Several times I had observed
31:11
Speaker 1: that Milverton looked at his watch, and once he had
31:14
Speaker 1: risen and sat down again with a gesture of impatience.
31:18
Speaker 1: The idea, however, that he might have an appointment at
31:21
Speaker 1: so strange an hour, never occurred to me until a
31:24
Speaker 1: faint sound reached my ears from the verandah outside. Milverton
31:29
Speaker 1: dropped his papers and sat rigid in his chair. The
31:33
Speaker 1: sound was repeated, and then there came a gentle tap
31:37
Speaker 1: at the door. Milverton rose and opened it. Well, he said, curtly,
31:43
Speaker 1: you are nearly half an hour leg So this was
31:47
Speaker 1: the explanation of the unlocked door, and the nocturnal vigil
31:51
Speaker 1: of Milverton. There was the gentle rustle of a woman's dress.
31:56
Speaker 1: I had closed the slit between the curtains as Milverton's
31:59
Speaker 1: face had turned in our direction, But now I ventured
32:03
Speaker 1: very carefully to open it once more. He had resumed
32:08
Speaker 1: his seat, the cigar still projecting at an insolent angle
32:12
Speaker 1: from the corner of his mouth. In front of him,
32:15
Speaker 1: in the full glare of the electric light, there stood
32:18
Speaker 1: a tall, slim, dark woman, a veil over her face,
32:23
Speaker 1: a mantle drawn round her chin. Her breath came quick
32:27
Speaker 1: and fast, and every inch of the lithe figure was
32:30
Speaker 1: quivering with strong emotion. Well, said Milverton, you made me
32:35
Speaker 1: lose a good night's rest, my dear. I hope you'll
32:38
Speaker 1: prove worth it. You couldn't come any other time, eh,
32:43
Speaker 1: The woman shook her head. Well, if you couldn't, you couldn't.
32:48
Speaker 1: If the Countess is a hard mistress, you have your
32:50
Speaker 1: chance to get level with her. Now, bless the girl.
32:54
Speaker 1: What are you shivering about? That's right, pull yourself together,
32:58
Speaker 1: now let us get down to business. He took a
33:02
Speaker 1: note book from the drawer of his desk. You say,
33:05
Speaker 1: that you have five letters which compromised the Countess Dalbert.
33:09
Speaker 1: You want to sell them. I want to buy them.
33:13
Speaker 1: So far, so good. It only remains to fix a price.
33:17
Speaker 1: I should want to inspect the letters, of course, if
33:21
Speaker 1: they are really good specimens, great heavens, is it you?
33:26
Speaker 1: The woman, without a word, had raised her veil and
33:30
Speaker 1: dropped the mantle from her chin. It was a dark, handsome,
33:35
Speaker 1: clear cut face which confronted Milverton, the face with a
33:39
Speaker 1: curved nose, strong dark eyebrows shading hard glittering eyes, and
33:44
Speaker 1: a straight, thin lipped mouth set in a dangerous smile.
33:50
Speaker 1: It is I, she said, the woman whose life you
33:53
Speaker 1: have ruined. Milverton laughed, but fear vibrated in his voice.
33:59
Speaker 1: You were so very obstinate, said he. Why did you
34:03
Speaker 1: drive me to such extremities. I assure you I wouldn't
34:07
Speaker 1: hurt a fly of my own accord. But every man
34:10
Speaker 1: has his business, and what was I to do? I
34:14
Speaker 1: put the price well within your means. You would not pay.
34:19
Speaker 1: So you sent the letters to my husband, and he
34:23
Speaker 1: the noblest gentleman that ever lived, a man whose boots
34:26
Speaker 1: I was never worthy to lace. He broke his gallant heart.
34:31
Speaker 1: And died. You remember that last night when I came
34:35
Speaker 1: through that door, I begged and prayed you for mercy,
34:39
Speaker 1: and you laughed in my face. As you are trying
34:42
Speaker 1: to laugh now. Only your coward heart cannot keep your
34:45
Speaker 1: lips from twitching. Yes, you never thought to see me
34:49
Speaker 1: here again. But it was that night which taught me
34:52
Speaker 1: how I could meet you face to face and alone. Well,
34:57
Speaker 1: Charles Milverton, what have you to say. Don't imagine that
35:01
Speaker 1: you can bully me, said he, rising to his feet.
35:04
Speaker 1: I have only to raise my voice, and I could
35:07
Speaker 1: call my servants and have you arrested. But I will
35:10
Speaker 1: make allowance for your natural anger. Leave the room at
35:13
Speaker 1: once as you came, and I will say no more.
35:18
Speaker 1: The woman stood with her hand buried in her bosom,
35:21
Speaker 1: and the same deadly smile on her thin lips. You
35:25
Speaker 1: will ruin no more lives as you have ruined mine.
35:29
Speaker 1: You will wring no more hearts as you wrung mine.
35:33
Speaker 1: I will free the world of a poisonous thing. Take that,
35:37
Speaker 1: you hound, and that and that and that. She had
35:45
Speaker 1: drawn a little gleaming revolver and emptied barrel after barrel
35:49
Speaker 1: into Milverton's body. The muzzle within two feet of his
35:53
Speaker 1: shirt front. He shrank away and then fell forward upon
35:57
Speaker 1: the table, coughing furiously and clawing among the papers. Then
36:01
Speaker 1: he staggered to his feet, received another shot, and rolled
36:06
Speaker 1: upon the floor. You've done me, he cried, and lay still.
36:14
Speaker 1: The woman looked at him intently and ground her heel
36:18
Speaker 1: into his upturned face. She looked again, but there was
36:22
Speaker 1: no sound or movement. I heard a sharp rustle the
36:27
Speaker 1: night air blew into the heated room, and the avenger
36:31
Speaker 1: was gone. No interference upon our part could have saved
36:38
Speaker 1: the man from his fate. But as the woman poured
36:41
Speaker 1: bullet after bullet into Milverton's shrinking body, I was about
36:45
Speaker 1: to spring out when I felt Holmes's cold, strong grasp
36:49
Speaker 1: upon my wrist. I understood the whole argument of that
36:53
Speaker 1: firm restraining grip, that it was no affair of ours,
36:58
Speaker 1: The justice had overtaken a villain, That we had our
37:02
Speaker 1: own duties and our own objects which were not to
37:05
Speaker 1: be lost sight of. But hardly had the woman rushed
37:09
Speaker 1: from the room when Holmes, with swift, silent steps, was
37:12
Speaker 1: over at the other door. He turned the key in
37:15
Speaker 1: the lock. At the same instant we heard voices in
37:19
Speaker 1: the house and the sound of hurrying feet. The revolver
37:22
Speaker 1: shots had roused the household with perfect coolness. Homes slipped
37:26
Speaker 1: across to the safe, filled his two arms with bundles
37:29
Speaker 1: of letters, and poured them all into the fire. Again
37:33
Speaker 1: and again. He did it until the safe was empty.
37:37
Speaker 1: Someone turned the handle and beat upon the outside of
37:40
Speaker 1: the door. Holmes looked swiftly round the letter, which had
37:45
Speaker 1: been the messenger of death for Milverton lay All mottled
37:49
Speaker 1: with his blood upon the table. Holmes tossed it in
37:52
Speaker 1: among the blazing papers. Then he drew the key from
37:56
Speaker 1: the outer door, passed through after me, and locked it
38:00
Speaker 1: on the outside. This way, Watson said he we can
38:04
Speaker 1: scale the garden wall in this direction. I could not
38:08
Speaker 1: have believed that an alarm could have spread so swiftly.
38:12
Speaker 1: Looking back, the huge house was one blaze of light.
38:15
Speaker 1: The front door was open and figures were rushing down
38:18
Speaker 1: the drive. The whole garden was alive with people, and
38:23
Speaker 1: one fellow raised a view hello. As we emerged from
38:26
Speaker 1: the verandah and followed hard at our heels. Homes seemed
38:30
Speaker 1: to know the grounds perfectly, and he threaded his way
38:33
Speaker 1: swiftly among a plantation of small trees. I close at
38:37
Speaker 1: his heels, and our foremost pursuer panting behind us. It
38:42
Speaker 1: was a six foot wall which barred our path, but
38:45
Speaker 1: he sprang to the top and over. As I did
38:48
Speaker 1: the same, I felt the hand of the man behind
38:50
Speaker 1: me grab at my ankle, but I kicked myself free
38:54
Speaker 1: and scrambled over a grass strewn coping. I fell upon
38:58
Speaker 1: my face among some bushes, but Holmes had me on
39:01
Speaker 1: my feet in an instant, and together we dashed away
39:04
Speaker 1: across the huge expanse of Hampstead Heath. We had run
39:08
Speaker 1: two miles, I suppose, before Holmes at last halted and
39:12
Speaker 1: listened intently. All was absolute silence behind us. We had
39:18
Speaker 1: shaken off our pursuers and were safe. We had breakfasted
39:24
Speaker 1: and were smoking our morning pipe. On the day after
39:27
Speaker 1: the remarkable experience which I have recorded, when mister Lestrade
39:32
Speaker 1: of Scotland Yard, very solemn and impressive, was ushered into
39:37
Speaker 1: our modest sitting room. Good morning, mister Holmes, said he.
39:43
Speaker 1: Good morning. May I ask if you are very busy
39:46
Speaker 1: just now, not too busy to listen to you. I
39:51
Speaker 1: thought that perhaps if you had nothing particular on hand.
39:55
Speaker 1: You might care to assist us in a most remarkable
39:58
Speaker 1: case which occurred only last night at Hampstead. Dear me,
40:02
Speaker 1: said Holmes, what was that a murder? A most dramatic
40:08
Speaker 1: and remarkable murder. I know how keen you are upon
40:12
Speaker 1: these things, and I would take it as a great
40:15
Speaker 1: favor if you would step down to Appledore Towers and
40:18
Speaker 1: give us the benefit of your advice. It is no
40:21
Speaker 1: ordinary crime. We have had our eyes upon this mister
40:25
Speaker 1: Milverton for some time, and between ourselves it was a
40:28
Speaker 1: bit of a villain. He is known to have held
40:31
Speaker 1: papers which he used for blackmailing purposes. These papers have
40:36
Speaker 1: all been burned by the murderers. No article of value
40:40
Speaker 1: was taken, as it is probable that the criminals were
40:44
Speaker 1: men of good position whose sole object was to prevent
40:47
Speaker 1: social exposure. Criminals, said Holmes plural. Yes, there were two
40:54
Speaker 1: of them. They were as nearly as possible, captured red handed.
40:59
Speaker 1: We have their marks, we have their description. It's ten
41:03
Speaker 1: to one that we can trace them. The first fellow
41:06
Speaker 1: was a bit too active, but the second was caught
41:10
Speaker 1: by the under gardener and only got away after a struggle.
41:14
Speaker 1: It was a middle sized, strongly built man, square jaw,
41:19
Speaker 1: thick neck, mustache, a mask over his eyes. That's rather vague,
41:25
Speaker 1: said Sherlock Holmes. My it might be a description of Watson,
41:31
Speaker 1: It's true, said the inspector, with amusement. It might be
41:35
Speaker 1: a description of Watson. Well, I'm afraid I can't help you, Lestrade,
41:40
Speaker 1: said Holmes. The fact is that I knew this fellow Milverton,
41:45
Speaker 1: that I considered him one of the most dangerous men
41:48
Speaker 1: in London, and that I think there are certain crimes
41:52
Speaker 1: which the law cannot touch, and which therefore, to some extent,
41:56
Speaker 1: justify private revenge. Oh it's no use arguing. I have
42:02
Speaker 1: made up my mind. My sympathies are with the criminals
42:05
Speaker 1: rather than with the victim, and I will not handle
42:08
Speaker 1: this case. Holmes had not said one word to me
42:13
Speaker 1: about the tragedy which we had witnessed, but I observed
42:17
Speaker 1: all the morning that he was in his most thoughtful mood,
42:20
Speaker 1: and he gave me the impression from his vacant eyes
42:23
Speaker 1: and his abstracted manner of a man who is striving
42:26
Speaker 1: to recall something to his memory. We were in the
42:31
Speaker 1: middle of our lunch when he suddenly sprang to his feet.
42:35
Speaker 1: Bye Jove, Watson, I've got it, he cried, Take your hat,
42:39
Speaker 1: come with me. He hurried at his top speed down
42:43
Speaker 1: Baker Street and along Oxford Street, until we had almost
42:47
Speaker 1: reached Regent Circus. Here on the left hand there stands
42:52
Speaker 1: a shop window filled with photographs of the celebrities and
42:56
Speaker 1: beauties of the day. Holmes's eyes fixed them upon one
43:01
Speaker 1: of them, and following his gaze, I saw the picture
43:04
Speaker 1: of a regal and stately lady in court dress, with
43:08
Speaker 1: a high diamond tiara upon her noble head. I looked
43:13
Speaker 1: at that delicately curved nose, at the marked eyebrows, at
43:17
Speaker 1: the straight mouth, and the strong little chin beneath it.
43:22
Speaker 1: Then I caught my breath as I read the time
43:25
Speaker 1: honored title of the great nobleman and statesman whose wife
43:28
Speaker 1: she had been. My eyes met those of Holmes, and
43:33
Speaker 1: he put his finger to his lips as we turned
43:36
Speaker 1: away from the window.