第18章
heardthesoundofvoicesfromabove。Onenteringhisroom，I
foundHolmesinanimatedconversationwithtwomen，oneofwhomI
recognizedasPeterJones，theofficialpoliceagent；whiletheotherwasalong，thin，sad-facedman，withaveryshinyhatandoppressivelyrespectablefrockcoat。
“Ha！ourpartyiscomplete，“saidHolmes，buttoninguphispea-
jacket，andtakinghisheavyhuntingcropfromtherack。“Watson，IthinkyouknowMr。Jones，ofScotlandYard？LetmeintroduceyoutoMr。Merryweather，whoistobeourcompanioninto-night’sadventure。“
“We’rehuntingincouplesagain，doctor，yousee，“saidJones，inhisconsequentialway。“Ourfriendhereisawonderfulmanforstartingachase。Allhewantsisanolddogtohelphimdotherunningdown。“
“Ihopeawildgoosemaynotprovetobetheendofourchase，“
observedMr。Merryweathergloomily。
“YoumayplaceconsiderableconfidenceinMr。Holmes，sir，“saidthepoliceagentloftily。“Hehashisownlittlemethods，whichare，ifhewon’tmindmysayingso，justalittletootheoreticalandfantastic，buthehasthemakingsofadetectiveinhim。Itisnottoomuchtosaythatonceortwice，asinthatbusinessoftheSholtomurderandtheAgratreasure，hehasbeenmorenearlycorrectthantheofficialforce。“
“Oh，ifyousayso，Mr。Jones，itisallright！“saidthestranger，withdeference。“Still，IconfessthatImissmyrubber。ItisthefirstSaturdaynightforseven-and-twentyyearsthatIhavenothadmyrubber。“
“Ithinkyouwillfind，“saidSherlockHolmes，“thatyouwillplayforahigherstaketo-nightthanyouhaveeverdoneyet，andthattheplaywillbemoreexciting。Foryou，Mr。Merryweather，thestakewillbesomethirtythousandpounds；andforyou，Jones，itwillbethemanuponwhomyouwishtolayyourhands。“
“JohnClay，themurderer，thief，smasher，andforger。He’sayoungman，Mr。Merryweather，butheisattheheadofhisprofession，andIwouldratherhavemybraceletsonhimthanonanycriminalinLondon。He’saremarkableman，isyoungJohnClay。HisgrandfatherwasaRoyalDuke，andhehimselfhasbeentoEtonandOxford。Hisbrainisascunningashisfingers，andthoughwemeetsignsofhimateveryturn，weneverknowwheretofindthemanhimself。He’llcrackacribinScotlandoneweek，andberaisingmoneytobuildanorphanageinCornwallthenext。I’vebeenonhistrackforyears，andhaveneverseteyesonhimyet。“
“IhopethatImayhavethepleasureofintroducingyouto-night。
I’vehadoneortwolittleturnsalsowithMr。JohnClay，andI
agreewithyouthatheisattheheadofhisprofession。Itispastten，however，andquitetimethatwestarted。Ifyoutwowilltakethefirsthansom，WatsonandIwillfollowinthesecond。“
SherlockHolmeswasnotverycommunicativeduringthelongdrive，andlaybackinthecabhummingthetuneswhichhehadheardintheafternoon。WerattledthroughanendlesslabyrinthofgaslitstreetsuntilweemergedintoFarringdonStreet。
“Weareclosetherenow，“myfriendremarked。“ThisfellowMerryweatherisabankdirectorandpersonallyinterestedinthematter。IthoughtitaswelltohaveJoneswithusalso。Heisnotabadfellow，thoughanabsoluteimbecileinhisprofession。
Hehasonepositivevirtue。Heisasbraveasabulldog，andastenaciousasalobsterifhegetshisclawsuponanyone。Hereweare，andtheyarewaitingforus。“
Wehadreachedthesamecrowdedthoroughfareinwhichwehadfoundourselvesinthemorning。Ourcabsweredismissed，andfollowingtheguidanceofMr。Merryweather，wepasseddownanarrowpassage，andthroughasidedoorwhichheopenedforus。Withintherewasasmallcorridor，whichendedinaverymassiveirongate。Thisalsowasopened，andleddownaflightofwindingstonesteps，whichterminatedatanotherformidablegate。Mr。Merryweatherstoppedtolightalantern，andthenconductedusdownadark，earth-smellingpassage，andso，afteropeningathirddoor，intoahugevaultorcellar，whichwaspiledallroundwithcratesandmassiveboxes。
“Youarenotveryvulnerablefromabove，“Holmesremarked，asheheldupthelanternandgazedabouthim。
“Norfrombelow，“saidMr。Merryweather，strikinghisstickupontheflagswhichlinedthefloor。“Why，dearme，itsoundsquitehollow！“heremarked，lookingupinsurprise。
“Imustreallyaskyoutobealittlemorequiet，“saidHolmesseverely。“Youhavealreadyimperiledthewholesuccessofourexpedition。MightIbegthatyouwouldhavethegoodnesstositdownupononeofthoseboxes，andnottointerfere？“
ThesolemnMr。Merryweatherperchedhimselfuponacrate，withaveryinjuredexpressionuponhisface，whileHolmesfelluponhiskneesuponthefloor，and，withthelanternandamagnifyinglens，begantoexamineminutelythecracksbetweenthestones。Afewsecondssufficedtosatisfyhim，forhesprangtohisfeetagain，andputhisglassinhispocket。
“Wehaveatleastanhourbeforeus，“heremarked，“fortheycanhardlytakeanystepsuntilthegoodpawnbrokerissafelyinbed。
Thentheywillnotloseaminute，forthesoonertheydotheirworkthelongertimetheywillhavefortheirescape。Weareatpresent，doctor——asnodoubtyouhavedivined——inthecellaroftheCitybranchofoneoftheprincipalLondonbanks。Mr。Merryweatheristhechairmanofdirectors，andhewillexplaintoyouthattherearereasonswhythemoredaringcriminalsofLondonshouldtakeaconsiderableinterestinthiscellaratpresent。“
“ItisourFrenchgold，“whisperedthedirector。“Wehavehadseveralwarningsthatanattemptmightbemadeuponit。“
“YourFrenchgold？“
“Yes。Wehadoccasionsomemonthsagotostrengthenourresources，andborrowed，forthatpurpose，thirtythousandnapoleonsfromtheBankofFrance。Ithasbecomeknownthatwehaveneverhadoccasiontounpackthemoney，andthatitisstilllyinginourcellar。ThecrateuponwhichIsitcontainstwothousandnapoleonspackedbetweenlayersofleadfoil。Ourreserveofbullionismuchlargeratpresentthanisusuallykeptinasinglebranchoffice，andthedirectorshavehadmisgivingsuponthesubject。“
“Whichwereverywelljustified，“observedHolmes。“Andnowitistimethatwearrangedourlittleplans。Iexpectthatwithinanhourmatterswillcometoahead。Inthemeantime，Mr。
Merryweather，wemustputthescreenoverthatdarklantern。“
“Andsitinthedark？“
“Iamafraidso。Ihadbroughtapackofcardsinmypocket，andI
thoughtthat，aswewereapartiecarree，youmighthaveyourrubberafterall。ButIseethattheenemy’spreparationshavegonesofarthatwecannotriskthepresenceofalight。And，firstofall，wemustchooseourpositions。Thesearedaringmen，and，thoughweshalltakethematadisadvantage，theymaydoussomeharm，unlesswearecareful。Ishallstandbehindthiscrate，anddoyouconcealyourselfbehindthose。Then，whenIflashalightuponthem，closeinswiftly。Iftheyfire，Watson，havenocompunctionaboutshootingthemdown。“
Iplacedmyrevolver，cocked，uponthetopofthewoodencasebehindwhichIcrouched。Holmesshottheslideacrossthefrontofhislantern，andleftusinpitchdarkness——suchanabsolutedarknessasIhaveneverbeforeexperienced。Thesmellofhotmetalremainedtoassureusthatthelightwasstillthere，readytoflashoutatamoment’snotice。Tome，withmynervesworkeduptoapitchofexpectancy，therewassomethingdepressingandsubduinginthesuddengloom，andinthecold，dankairofthevault。
“Theyhavebutoneretreat，“whisperedHolmes。“ThatisbackthroughthehouseintoSaxe-CoburgSquare。IhopethatyouhavedonewhatIaskedyou，Jones？“
“Ihaveaninspectorandtwoofficerswaitingatthefrontdoor。“
“Thenwehavestoppedalltheholes。Andnowwemustbesilentandwait。“
Whatatimeitseemed！Fromcomparingnotesafterwards，itwasbutanhourandaquarter，yetitappearedtomethatthenightmusthavealmostgone，andthedawnbebreakingaboveus。Mylimbswerewearyandstiff，forIfearedtochangemyposition，yetmynerveswereworkeduptothehighestpitchoftension，andmyhearingwassoacutethatIcouldnotonlyhearthegentlebreathingofmycompanions，butIcoulddistinguishthedeeper，heavierinbreathofthebulkyJonesfromthethin，sighingnoteofthebankdirector。
FrommypositionIcouldlookoverthecaseinthedirectionofthefloor。Suddenlymyeyescaughttheglintofalight。
Atfirstitwasbutaluridsparkuponthestonepavement。Thenitlengthenedoutuntilitbecameayellowline，andthen，withoutanywarningorsound，agashseemedtoopenandahandappeared，awhite，almostwomanlyhand，whichfeltaboutinthecenterofthelittleareaoflight。Foraminuteormorethehand，withitswrithingfingers，protrudedoutofthefloor。Thenitwaswithdrawnassuddenlyasitappeared，andallwasdarkagainsavethesingleluridspark，whichmarkedachinkbetweenthestones。
Itsdisappearance，however，wasbutmomentary。Witharending，tearingsound，oneofthebroadwhitestonesturnedoveruponitsside，andleftasquare，gapinghole，throughwhichstreamedthelightofalantern。Overtheedgetherepeepedaclean-cut，boyishface，whichlookedkeenlyaboutit，andthen，withahandoneithersideoftheaperture，drewitselfshoulder-highandwaist-high，untilonekneerestedupontheedge。Inanotherinstanthestoodatthesideofthehole，andwashaulingafterhimacompanion，litheandsmalllikehimself，withapalefaceandashockofveryredhair。
“It’sallclear，“hewhispered。“Haveyouthechiselandthebags？
GreatScott！Jump，Archie，jump，andI’llswingforit！“
SherlockHolmeshadsprungoutandseizedtheintruderbythecollar。Theotherdiveddownthehole，andIheardthesoundofrendingclothasJonesclutchedathisskirts。Thelightflasheduponthebarrelofarevolver，butHolmes’shuntingcropcamedownontheman’swrist，andthepistolclinkeduponthestonefloor。
“It’snouse，JohnClay，“saidHolmesblandly，“youhavenochanceatall。“
“SoIsee，“theotheranswered，withtheutmostcoolness。“Ifancythatmypalisallright，thoughIseeyouhavegothiscoat-
tails。“
“Therearethreemenwaitingforhimatthedoor，“saidHolmes。
“Oh，indeed。Youseemtohavedonethethingverycompletely。I
mustcomplimentyou。“
“AndIyou，“Holmesanswered。“Yourred-headedideawasverynewandeffective。“
“You’llseeyourpalagainpresently，“saidJones。“He’squickeratclimbingdownholesthanIam。JustholdoutwhileIfixthederbies。“
“Ibegthatyouwillnottouchmewithyourfilthyhands，“remarkedourprisoner，asthehandcuffsclattereduponhiswrists。“YoumaynotbeawarethatIhaveroyalbloodinmyveins。Havethegoodnessalso，whenyouaddressme，alwaystosay’sir’and’please。’“
“Allright，“saidJones，withastareandasnigger。“Well，wouldyouplease，sir，marchupstairswherewecangetacabtocarryyourhighnesstothepolicestation？“
“Thatisbetter，“saidJohnClayserenely。Hemadeasweepingbowtothethreeofus，andwalkedquietlyoffinthecustodyofthedetective。
“Really，Mr。Holmes，“saidMr。Merryweather，aswefollowedthemfromthecellar，“Idonotknowhowthebankcanthankyouorrepayyou。Thereisnodoubtthatyouhavedetectedanddefeatedinthemostcompletemanneroneofthemostdeterminedattemptsatbankrobberythathaveevercomewithinmyexperience。“
“IhavehadoneortwolittlescoresofmyowntosettlewithMr。
JohnClay，“saidHolmes。“Ihavebeenatsomesmallexpenseoverthismatter，whichIshallexpectthebanktorefund，butbeyondthatIamamplyrepaidbyhavinghadanexperiencewhichisinmanywaysunique，andbyhearingtheveryremarkablenarrativeoftheRed-headedLeague。“
“Yousee，Watson，“heexplained，intheearlyhoursofthemorning，aswesatoveraglassofwhiskyandsodainBakerStreet，“itwasperfectlyobviousfromthefirstthattheonlypossibleobjectofthisratherfantasticbusinessoftheadvertisementoftheLeague，andthecopyingofthe’Encyclopaedia，’mustbetogetthisnotover-brightpawnbrokeroutofthewayforanumberofhourseveryday。Itwasacuriouswayofmanagingit，butreallyitwouldbedifficulttosuggestabetter。ThemethodwasnodoubtsuggestedtoClay’singeniousmindbythecolorofhisaccomplice’shair。