"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 eleven we shall drive as far as Church Row.It is a quarter of an hour's walk from there to Appledore Towers.We shall be at work before midnight.Milverton is a heavy sleeper and retires punctually at ten-thirty.With any luck we should be back here by two, with the Lady Eva's letters in my pocket."Holmes and I put on our dress-clothes, so that we might appear to be two theatre-goers homeward bound.In Oxford Street we picked up a hansom and drove to an address in Hampstead.
Here we paid off our cab, and with our great-coats buttoned up, for it was bitterly cold and the wind seemed to blow through us, we walked along the edge of the Heath.
"It's a business that needs delicate treatment," said Holmes.
