Adventure　X
  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
  interest　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；　finished
  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　honor　until　a
  horrible　misfortune　came　suddenly　to　blast　my　career。
  There　is　no　use　writing　of　the　details　of　that
  dreadful　event。　　In　the　event　of　your　acceding　to　my
  request　it　is　probably　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　arm…chair　and　waited。
  He　dipped　into　this　bottle　or　that；　drawing　out　a　few
  drops　of　each　with　his　glass　pipette；　and　finally
  brought　a　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　some　one　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　in　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　dare　say　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　st