against the windows, he returned from his last expedition,
and having removed his disguise he sat before the fire and
laughed heartily in his silent inward fashion.
"you would not call me a marrying man, watson?"
"no, indeed!"
"you'll be interested to hear that i am engaged."
"my dear fellow! i congrat ----"
"to milverton's housemaid."
"good heavens, holmes!"
"i wanted information, watson."
"surely you have gone too far?"
"it was a most necessary step. i am a plumber with a
rising business, escott by name. i have walked out with
her each evening, and i have talked with her. good
heavens, those talks! however, i have got all i wanted.
i know milverton's house as i know the palm of my hand."
"but the girl, holmes?"
he shrugged his shoulders.
"you can't help it, my dear watson. you must play your
cards as best you can when such a stake is on the table.
however, i rejoice to say that i have a hated rival who
will certainly cut me out the instant that my back is
turned. what a splendid night it is!"
"you like this weather?"
"it suits my purpose. watson, i mean to burgle milverton's
house to-night."
i had a catching of the breath, and my skin went cold at
the words, which were slowly uttered in a tone of
concentrated resolution. as a flash of lightning in the
night shows up in an instant every detail of a wide
landscape, so at one glance i seemed to see every possible
result of such an action -- the detection, the capture, the
honoured career ending in irreparable failure and disgrace,
my friend himself lying at the mercy of the odious
milverton.
"for heaven's sake, holmes, think what you are doing," i cried.
"my dear fellow, i have given it every consideration.
i am never precipitate in my actions, nor would i adopt so
energetic and indeed so dangerous a course if any other
were possible. let us look at the matter clearly and
fairly. i suppose that you will admit that the action is
morally justifiable, though technically criminal.
to burgle his house is no more than to forcibly take his
pocket-book -- an action in which you were prepared to aid me."
i turned it over in my mind.
"yes," i said; "it is morally justifiable so long as our
object is to take no articles save those which are used for
an illegal purpose."
"exactly. since it is morally justifiable i have only to
consider the question of personal risk. surely a gentleman
should not lay much stress upon this when a lady is in most
desperate need of his help?"
"you will be in such a false position."
"well, that is part of the risk. there is no other
possible way of regaining these letters. the unfortunate
lady has not the money, and there are none of her people in
whom she could confide. to-morrow is the last day of
grace, and unless we can get the letters to-night this
villain will be as good as his word and will bring about
her ruin. i must, therefore, abandon my client to her fate
or i must play this last card. between ourselves, watson,
it's a sporting duel between this fellow milverton and me.
he had, as you saw, the best of the first exchanges; but my
self-respect and my reputation are concerned to fight it to
a finish."
"well, i don't like it; but i suppose it must be," said i.
"when do we start?"
"you are not coming."
"then you are not going," said i. "i give you my word of
honour -- and i never broke it in my life -- that i will
take a cab straight to the police-station and give you away
unless you let me share this adventure with you."
"you can't help me."
"how do you know that? you can't tell what may happen.
anyway, my resolution is taken. other people beside you
have self-respect and even reputations."
holmes had looked annoyed, but his brow cleared, and he
clapped me on the shoulder.
"well, well, my dear fellow, be it so. we have shared the
same room for some years, and it would be amusing if we
ended by sharing the same cell. you know, watson, i don't
mind confessing to you that i have always had an idea that
i would have made a highly efficient criminal. this is the
chance of my lifetime in that direction. see here!" he
took a neat little leather case out of a drawer, and
opening it he exhibited a number of shining instruments.
"this is a first-class, up-to-date burgling kit, with
nickel-plated jemmy, diamond-tipped glass-cutter, adaptable
keys, and every modern improvement which the march of
civilization demands. here, too, is my dark lantern.
everything is in order. have you a pair of silent shoes?"
"i have rubber-soled tennis shoes."
"excellent. and a mask?"
"i can make a couple out of black silk."
"i can see that you have a strong natural turn for this
sort of thing. very good; do you make the masks.
we shall have some cold supper before we start. it is now
nine-thirty. at eleve
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