When I say that I started my pilgrimage at Chicago, graduatedin an Irish secret society at Buffalo, gave serious trouble to theconstabulary at Skibbareen, and so eventually caught the eye of asubordinate agent of Von Bork, who recommended me as a likelyman, you will realize that the matter was complex. Since then Ihave been honoured by his confidence, which has not preventedmost of his plans going subtly wrong and five of his best agentsbeing in prison. I watched them, Watson, and I picked them asthey ripened. Well, sir, I hope that you are none the worse!”
The last remark was addressed to Von Bork himself, who aftermuch gasping and blinking had lain quietly listening to Holmes’sstatement. He broke out now into a furious stream of Germaninvective, his face convulsed with passion. Holmes continued his swiftinvestigation of documents while his prisoner cursed and swore.
“Though unmusical, German is the most expressive of alllanguages,” he observed when Von Bork had stopped from pureexhaustion. “Hullo! Hullo!” he added as he looked hard at thecorner of a tracing before putting it in the box. “This should putanother bird in the cage. I had no idea that the paymaster wassuch a rascal, though I have long had an eye upon him. Mister VonBork, you have a great deal to answer for.”
The prisoner had raised himself with some difficulty upon thesofa and was staring with a strange mixture of amazement andhatred at his captor.
“I shall get level with you, Altamont,” he said, speaking withslow deliberation. “If it takes me all my life I shall get level withyou!”
“The old sweet song,” said Holmes. “How often have I heardit in days gone by. It was a favorite ditty of the late lamentedProfessor Moriarty. Colonel Sebastian Moran has also been knownto warble it. And yet I live and keep bees upon the South Downs.”
“Curse you, you double traitor!” cried the German, strainingagainst his bonds and glaring murder from his furious eyes.
“No, no, it is not so bad as that,” said Holmes, smiling. “Asmy speech surely shows you, Mr. Altamont of Chicago had noexistence in fact. I used him and he is gone.”
“Then who are you?”
“It is really immaterial who I am, but since the matter seemsto interest you, Mr. Von Bork, I may say that this is not my firstacquaintance with the members of your family. I have done a gooddeal of business in Germany in the past and my name is probablyfamiliar to you.”
“I would wish to know it,” said the Prussian grimly.
“It was I who brought about the separation between Irene Adlerand the late King of Bohemia when your cousin Heinrich wasthe Imperial Envoy. It was I also who saved from murder, by theNihilist Klopman, Count Von und Zu Grafenstein, who was yourmother’s elder brother. It was I—”
Von Bork sat up in amazement.
“There is only one man,” he cried.
“Exactly,” said Holmes.
Von Bork groaned and sank back on the sofa. “And most ofthat information came through you,” he cried. “What is it worth?
What have I done? It is my ruin forever!”
“It is certainly a little untrustworthy,” said Holmes. “It willrequire some checking and you have little time to check it. Youradmiral may find the new guns rather larger than he expects, andthe cruisers perhaps a trifle faster.”
Von Bork clutched at his own throat in despair.
