SHERLOCK　HOLMES
  THE　NAVAL　TREATY
  by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle
  THE　NAVAL　TREATY
  The　July　which　immediately　succeeded　my　marriage　was　made
  memorable　by　three　cases　of　interest；　in　which　I　had　the　privilege
  of　being　associated　with　Sherlock　Holmes　and　of　studying　his
  methods。　I　find　them　recorded　in　my　notes　under　the　headings　of　〃The
  Adventure　of　the　Second　Stain；〃　〃The　Adventure　of　the　Naval　Treaty；〃
  and　〃The　Adventure　of　the　Tired　Captain。〃　The　first　of　these；　however；
  deals　with　interests　of　such　importance　and　implicates　so　many　of
  the　first　families　in　the　kingdom　that　for　many　years　it　will　be
  impossible　to　make　it　public。　No　case；　however；　in　which　Holmes　was
  engaged　has　ever　illustrated　the　value　of　his　analytical　methods　so
  clearly　or　has　impressed　those　who　were　associated　with　him　so　deeply。
  I　still　retain　an　almost　verbatim　report　of　the　interview　in　which
  he　demonstrated　the　true　facts　of　the　case　to　Monsieur　Dubugue　of
  the　Paris　police；　and　Fritz　von　Waldbaum；　the　well…known　specialist　of
  Dantzig；　both　of　whom　had　wasted　their　energies　upon　what　proved　to　be
  side…issues。　The　new　century　will　have　come；　however；　before　the　story
  can　be　safely　told。　Meanwhile　I　pass　on　to　the　second　on　my　list；
  which　promised　also　at　one　time　to　be　of　national　importance　and　was
  marked　by　several　incidents　which　give　it　a　quite　unique　character。
  During　my　school…days　I　had　been　intimately　associated　with　a　lad
  named　Percy　Phelps；　who　was　of　much　the　same　age　as　myself；　though
  he　was　two　classes　ahead　of　me。　He　was　a　very　brilliant　boy　and
  carried　away　every　prize　which　the　school　had　to　offer；　finishing
  his　exploits　by　winning　a　scholarship　which　sent　him　on　to　continue
  his　triumphant　career　at　Cambridge。　He　was；　I　remember；　extremely　well
  connected；　and　even　when　we　were　all　little　boys　together　we　knew　that
  his　mother's　brother　was　Lord　Holdhurst；　the　great　conservative
  politician。　This　gaudy　relationship　did　him　little　good　at　school。
  On　the　contrary；　it　seemed　rather　a　piquant　thing　to　us　to　chevy　him
  about　the　playground　and　hit　him　over　the　shins　with　a　wicket。　But
  it　was　another　thing　when　he　came　out　into　the　world。　I　heard
  vaguely　that　his　abilities　and　the　influences　which　he　commanded　had
  won　him　a　good　position　at　the　Foreign　Office；　and　then　he　passed
  completely　out　of　my　mind　until　the　following　letter　recalled　his
  existence：
  Briarbrae；　Woking。
  MY　DEAR　WATSON：
  I　have　no　doubt　that　you　can　remember　〃Tadpole〃　Phelps；　who　was　in
  the　fifth　form　when　you　were　in　the　third。　It　is　possible　even　that
  you　may　have　heard　that　through　my　uncle's　influence　I　obtained　a　good
  appointment　at　the　Foreign　Office；　and　that　I　was　in　a　situation　of
  trust　and　honour　until　a　horrible　misfortune　came　suddenly　to　blast　my
  career。
  There　is　no　use　writing　the　details　of　that　dreadful　event。　In　the
  event　of　your　acceding　to　my　request　it　is　probable　that　I　shall
  have　to　narrate　them　to　you。　I　have　only　just　recovered　from　nine
  weeks　of　brain…fever　and　am　still　exceedingly　weak。　Do　you　think
  that　you　could　bring　your　friend　Mr。　Holmes　down　to　see　me？　I　should
  like　to　have　his　opinion　of　the　case；　though　the　authorities　assure　me
  that　nothing　more　can　be　done。　Do　try　to　bring　him　down；　and　as　soon
  as　possible。　Every　minute　seems　an　hour　while　I　live　in　this　state
  of　horrible　suspense。　Assure　him　that　if　I　have　not　asked　his　advice
  sooner　it　was　not　because　I　did　not　appreciate　his　talents；　but
  because　I　have　been　off　my　head　ever　since　the　blow　fell。　Now　I　am
  clear　again；　though　I　dare　not　think　of　it　too　much　for　fear　of　a
  relapse。　I　am　still　so　weak　that　I　have　to　write；　as　you　see；　by
  dictating。　Do　try　to　bring　him。
  Your　old　school…fellow；
  PERCY　PHELPS。
  There　was　something　that　touched　me　as　I　read　this　letter；　something
  pitiable　in　the　reiterated　appeals　to　bring　Holmes。　So　moved　was　I
  that　even　had　it　been　a　difficult　matter　I　should　have　tried　it；　but
  of　course　I　knew　well　that　Holmes　loved　his　art；　so　that　he　was　ever
  as　ready　to　bring　his　aid　as　his　client　could　be　to　receive　it。　My
  wife　agreed　with　me　that　not　a　moment　should　be　lost　in　laying　the
  matter　before　him；　and　so　within　an　hour　of　breakfast…time　I　found
  myself　back　once　more　in　the　old　rooms　in　Baker　Street。
  Holmes　was　seated　at　his　side…table　clad　in　his　dressing…gown　and
  working　hard　over　a　chemical　investigation。　A　large　curved　retort
  was　boiling　furiously　in　the　bluish　flame　of　a　Bunsen　burner；　and
  the　distilled　drops　were　condensing　into　a　two…litre　measure。　My
  friend　hardly　glanced　up　as　I　entered；　and　I；　seeing　that　his
  investigation　must　be　of　importance；　seated　myself　in　an　armchair
  and　waited。　He　dipped　into　this　bottle　or　that；　drawing　out　a　few
  drops　of　each　with　his　glass　pipette；　and　finally　brought　the
  test…tube　containing　a　solution　over　to　the　table。　In　his　right　hand
  he　held　a　slip　of　litmus…paper。
  〃You　come　at　a　crisis　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃If　this　paper　remains　blue；
  all　is　well。　If　it　turns　red；　it　means　a　man's　life。〃　He　dipped　it
  into　the　test…tube　and　it　flushed　at　once　into　a　dull；　dirty
  crimson。　〃Hum！　I　thought　as　much！〃　he　cried。　〃I　will　be　at　your
  service　in　an　instant；　Watson。　You　will　find　tobacco　in　the　Persian
  slipper。〃　He　turned　to　his　desk　and　scribbled　off　several　telegrams；
  which　were　handed　over　to　the　page…boy。　Then　he　threw　himself　down
  into　the　chair　opposite　and　drew　up　his　knees　until　his　fingers
  clasped　round　his　long；　thin　shins。
  〃A　very　commonplace　little　murder；〃　said　he。　〃You've　got　something
  better；　I　fancy。　You　are　the　stormy　petrel　of　crime；　Watson。　What　is
  it？〃　I　handed　him　the　letter；　which　he　read　with　the　most　concentrated
  attention。
  〃It　does　not　tell　us　very　much；　does　it？〃　he　remarked　as　he　handed
  it　back　to　me。
  〃Hardly　anything。〃
  〃And　yet　the　writing　is　of　interest。〃
  〃But　the　writing　is　not　his　own。〃
  〃Precisely。　It　is　a　woman's。〃
  〃A　man's　surely；〃　I　cried。
  〃No；　a　woman's；　and　a　woman　of　rare　character。　You　see；　at　the
  commencement　of　an　investigation　it　is　something　to　know　that　your
  client　is　in　close　contact　with　someone　who；　for　good　or　evil；　has
  an　exceptional　nature。　My　interest　is　already　awakened　in　the　case。　If
  you　are　ready　we　will　start　at　once　for　Woking　and　see　this
  diplomatist　who　is　in　such　evil　case　and　the　lady　to　whom　he
  dictates　his　letters。〃
  We　were　fortunate　enough　to　catch　an　early　train　at　Waterloo；　and　in
  a　little　under　an　hour　we　found　ourselves　among　the　fir…woods　and
  the　heather　of　Woking。　Briarbrae　proved　to　be　a　large　detached　house
  standing　in　extensive　grounds　within　a　few　minutes'　walk　of　the
  station。　On　sending　in　our　cards　we　were　shown　into　an　elegantly
  appointed　drawing…room；　where　we　were　joined　in　a　few　minutes　by　a
  rather　stout　man　who　received　us　with　much　hospitality。　His　age　may
  have　been　nearer　forty　than　thirty；　but　his　cheeks　were　so　ruddy　and
  his　eyes　so　merry　that　he　still　conveyed　the　impression　of　a　plump　and
  mischievous　boy。
  〃I　am　so　glad　that　you　have　come；〃　said　he；　shaking　our　hands　with
  effusion。　〃Percy　has　been　inquiring　for　you　all　morning。　Ah；　poor
  old　chap；　he　clings　to　any　straw！　His　father　and　his　mother　asked　me
  to　see　you；　for　the　mere　mention　of　the　subject　is　very　painful　to
  them。〃
  〃We　have　had　no　details　yet；〃　observed　Holmes。　〃I　perceive　that
  you　are　not　yourself　a　member　of　the　family。〃
  Our　acquaintance　looked　surprised；　and　then；　glancing　down；　he　began
  to　laugh。
  〃Of　course　you　saw　the　J　H　monogram　on　my　locket；〃　said　he。　〃For　a
  moment　I　thought　you　had　done　something　clever。　Joseph　Harrison　is
  my　name；　and　as　Percy　is　to　marry　my　sister　Annie　I　shall　at　least
  be　a　relation　by　marriage。　You　will　find　my　sister　in　his　room；　for
  she　has　nursed　him　hand　and　foot　this　two　months　back。　Perhaps　we'd
  better　go　in　at　once；　for　I　know　how　impatient　he　is。〃
  The　chamber　into　which　we　were　shown　was　on　the　same　floor　as　the
  drawing…room。　It　was　furnished　partly　as　a　sitting　and　partly　as　a
  bedroom；　with　flowers　arranged　daintily　in　every　nook　and　corner。　A
  young　man；　very　pale　and　worn　was　lying　upon　a　sofa　near　the　open
  window；　through　which　came　the　rich　scent　of　the　garden　and　the
  balmy　summer　air。　A　woman　was　sitting　beside　him；　who　rose　as　we
  entered。
  〃Shall　I　leave；　Percy？〃　she　asked。
  He　clutched　her　hand　to　detain　her。　〃How　are　you；　Watson？'　said　he
  cordially。　〃I　should　never　have　known　you　under　that　moustache；　and
  I　daresay　you　would　not　be　prepared　to　swear　to　me。　This　I　presume
  is　your　celebrated　friend；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes？〃
  I　introduced　him　in　a　few　words；　and　we　both　sat　down。　The　stout
  young　man　had　left　us；　but　his　sister　still　remained　with　her　hand
  in　that　of　the　invalid。　She　was　a　smug…looking　woman；　a　little　short
  and　thick　for　symmetry；　but　with　a　beautiful　olive　complexion；
  l