I remember.

　　"The principal difficulty in your case," remarked Holmes in hisdidactic fashion, "lay in the fact of there being too much evidence.What was vital was overlaid and hidden by what was irrelevant. Ofall the facts which were presented to us we had to pick just thosewhich we deemed to be essential, and then piece them together in theirorder, so as to reconstruct this very remarkable chain of events. Ihad already begun to suspect Joseph from the fact that you hadintended to travel home with him that night, and that therefore it wasa likely enough thing that he should call for you, knowing the ForeignOffice well, upon his way. When I heard that someone had been soanxious to get into the bedroom, in which no one but Joseph could haveconcealed anything-you told us in your narrative how you had turnedJoseph out when you arrived with the doctor-my suspicions allchanged to certainties, especially as the attempt was made on thefirst night upon which the nurse was absent, showing that the intruderwas well acquainted with the ways of the house."

　　"How blind I have been!"

　　"The facts of the case, as far as I have worked them out, are these:This Joseph Harrison entered the office through the Charles Streetdoor, and knowing his way he walked straight into your room theinstant after you left it. Finding no one there he promptly rang thebell, and at the instant that he did so his eyes caught the paper uponthe table. A glance showed him that chance had put in his way aState document of immense value, and in an instant he had thrust itinto his pocket and was gone. A few minutes elapsed, as youremember, before the sleepy commissionaire drew your attention tothe bell, and those were just enough to give the thief time to makehis escape.

　　"He made his way to Woking by the first train, and, havingexamined his booty and assured himself that it really was of immensevalue, he had concealed it in what he thought was a very safe place,with the intention of taking it out again in a day or two, andcarrying it to the French embassy, or wherever he thought that along price was to be had. Then came your sudden return. He, withouta moment's warning, was bundled out of his room, and from that timeonward there were always at least two of you there to prevent him fromregaining his treasure. The situation to him must have been amaddening one. But at last he thought he saw his chance. He tried tosteal in, but was baffled by your wakefulness. You may remember thatyou did not take your usual draught that night."

　　"I remember."

　　"I fancy that he had taken steps to make that draught efficacious,and that he quite relied upon your being unconscious. Of course, Iunderstood that he would repeat the attempt whenever it could bedone with safety. Your leaving the room gave him the chance he wanted.I kept Miss Harrison in it all day so that he might not anticipate us.Then, having given him the idea that the coast was clear, I kept guardas I have described. I already knew that the papers were probably inthe room, but I had no desire to rip up all the planking andskirting in search of them. I let him take them, therefore, from thehiding-place, and so saved myself an infinity of trouble. Is there anyother point which I can make clear?"

　　"Why did he try the window on the first occasion," I asked, "when hemight have entered by the door?"

　　"In reaching the door he would have to pass seven bedrooms. On theother hand, he could get out on to the lawn with case. Anything else?""You do not think," asked Phelps, "that he had any murderousintention? The knife was only meant as a tool."

　　"It may be so," answered Holmes, shrugging his shoulders. "I canonly say for certain that Mr. Joseph Harrison is a gentleman towhose mercy I should be extremely unwilling to trust."

　　THE END