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〃I shall never let it drop until the gems are found…never； Mary！
Your affection for Arthur blinds you as to the awful consequences to
me。 Far from hushing the thing up； I have brought a gentleman down
from London to inquire more deeply into it。〃
〃This gentleman？〃 she asked； facing round to me。
〃No； his friend。 He wished us to leave him alone。 He is round in the
stable lane now。〃
〃The stable lane？〃 She raised her dark eyebrows。 〃What can he hope
to find there？ Ah！ this； I suppose； is he。 I trust； sir； that you will
succeed in proving； what I feel sure is the truth。 that my cousin
Arthur is innocent of this crime。〃
〃I fully share your opinion； and I trust； with you； that we may
prove it；〃 returned Holmes； going back to the mat to knock the snow
from his shoes。 〃I believe I have the honour of addressing Miss Mary
Holder。 Might I ask you a question or two？〃
〃Pray do； sir； if it may help to clear this horrible affair up。〃
〃You heard nothing yourself last night？〃
〃Nothing； until my uncle here began to speak loudly。 I heard that；
and I came down。〃
〃You shut up the windows and doors the night before。 Did you
fasten all the windows？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Were they all fastened this morning？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You have a maid who has a sweetheart？ I think that you remarked
to your uncle last night that she had been out to see him？〃
〃Yes； and she was the girl who waited in the drawing…room； and who
may have heard uncle's remarks about the coronet。〃
〃I see。 You infer that she may have gone out to tell her sweetheart；
and that the two may have planned the robbery。〃
〃But what is the good of all these vague theories；〃 cried the banker
impatiently； 〃When I have told you that I saw Arthur with the
coronet in his hands？〃
〃Wait a little； Mr。 Holder。 We must come back to that。 About this
girl； Miss Holder。 You saw her return by the kitchen door； I presume？〃
〃Yes； when I went to see if the door was fastened for the night I
met her slipping in。 I saw the man； too； in the gloom。〃
〃Do you know him？〃
〃Oh； yes！ he is the green…grocer who brings our vegetables round。
His name is Francis Prosper。〃
〃He stood；〃 said Holmes； 〃to the left of the door…that is to say；
farther up the path than is necessary to reach the door？〃
〃Yes； he did。〃
〃And he is a man with a wooden leg？〃
Something like fear sprang up in the young lady's expressive black
eyes。 〃Why； you are like a magician；〃 said she。 〃How do you know
that？〃 She smiled； but there was no answering smile in Holmes's
thin； eager face。
〃I should be very glad now to go upstairs；〃 said he。 〃I shall
probably wish to go over the outside of the house again。 Perhaps I had
better take a look at the lower windows before I go up。〃
He walked swiftly round from one to the other； pausing only at the
large one which looked from the hall onto the stable lane。 This he
opened and made a very careful examination of the sill with his
powerful magnifying lens。 〃Now we shall go upstairs；〃 said he at last。
The banker's dressing…room was a plainly furnished little chamber；
with a gray carpet； a large bureau； and a long mirror。 Holmes went
to the bureau first and looked hard at the lock。
〃Which key was used to open it？〃 he asked。
〃That which my son himself indicated…that of the cupboard of the
lumber room。〃
〃Have you it here？〃
〃That is it on the dressing…table。〃
Sherlock Holmes took it up and opened the bureau。
〃It is a noiseless lock；〃 said he。 〃It is no wonder that it did
not wake you。 This case； I presume； contains the coronet。 We must have
a look at it。〃 He opened the case； and taking out the diadem he laid
it upon the table。 It was a magnificent specimen of the jeweller's
art； and the thirty…six stones were the finest that I have ever
seen。 At one side of the coronet was a cracked edge； where a corner
holding three gems had been torn away。
〃Now； Mr。 Holder；〃 said Holmes； 〃here is the corner which
corresponds to that which has been so unfortunately lost。 Might I
beg that you will break it off。〃
The banker recoiled in horror。 〃I should not dream of trying；〃
said he。
〃Then I will。〃 Holmes suddenly bent his strength upon it； but
without result。 〃I feel it give a little；〃 said he； 〃but； though I
am exceptionally strong in the fingers； it would take me all my time
to break it。 An ordinary man could not do it。 Now； what do you think
would happen if I did break it； Mr。 Holder？ There would be a noise
like a pistol shot。 Do you tell me that all this happened within a few
yards of your bed and that you heard nothing of it？〃
〃I do not know what to think。 It is all dark to me。〃
〃But perhaps it may grow lighter as we go。 What do you think； Miss
Holder？〃
〃I confess that I still share my uncle's perplexity。〃
〃Your son had no shoes or slippers on when you saw him？〃
〃He had nothing on save only his trousers and shirt。〃
〃Thank you。 We have certainly been favoured with extraordinary
luck during this inquiry； and it will be entirely our own fault if
we do not succeed in clearing the matter up。 With your permission； Mr。
Holder； I shall now continue my investigations outside。〃
He went alone； at his own request； for he explained that any
unnecessary footmarks might make his task more difficult。 For an
hour or more he was at work； returning at last with his feet heavy
with snow and his features as inscrutable as ever。
〃I think that I have seen now all that there is to see； Mr。 Holder；〃
said he； 〃I can serve you best by returning to my rooms。〃
〃But the gems； Mr。 Holmes。 Where are they？〃
〃I cannot tell。〃
The banker wrung his hands。 〃I shall never see them again！〃 he
cried。 〃And my son？ You give me hopes？〃
〃My opinion is in no way altered。〃
〃Then； for God's sake； what was this dark business which was acted
in my house last night？〃
〃If you can call upon me at my Baker Street rooms to…morrow
morning between nine and ten I shall be happy to do what I can to make
it clearer。 I understand that you give me carte blanche to act for
you； provided only that I get back the gems； and that you place no
limit on the sum I may draw。〃
〃I would give my fortune to have them back。〃
〃Very good。 I shall look into the matter between this and then。
Good…bye； it is just possible that I may have to come over here
again before evening。〃
It was obvious to me that my companion's mind was now made up
about the case； although what his conclusions were was more than I
could even dimly imagine。 Several times during our homeward journey
I endeavoured to sound him upon the point； but he always glided away
to some other topic； until at last I gave it over in despair。 It was
not yet three when we found ourselves in our room once more。 He
hurried to his chamber； and was down again in a few minutes dressed as
a common loafer。 With his collar turned up； his shiny； seedy coat； his
red cravat； and his worn boots； he was a perfect sample of the class。
〃I think that this should do；〃 said he； glancing into the glass
above the fireplace。 〃I only wish that you could come wit