The Complete Sherlock Holmes

“That will do very well. I shall be very much
surprised if it does not fetch our man.”
And it did! It is a matter of history—that secret
history of a nation which is often so much more
intimate and interesting than its public chronicles—that
Oberstein, eager to complete the coup
of his lifetime, came to the lure and was safely engulfed
for fifteen years in a British prison. In his
trunk were found the invaluable Bruce-Partington
plans, which he had put up for auction in all the
naval centres of Europe.
Colonel Walter died in prison towards the end
of the second year of his sentence. As to Holmes,
he returned refreshed to his monograph upon the
Polyphonic Motets of Lassus, which has since been
printed for private circulation, and is said by experts
to be the last word upon the subject. Some
weeks afterwards I learned incidentally that my
friend spent a day at Windsor, whence be returned
with a remarkably fine emerald tie-pin. When
I asked him if he had bought it, he answered
that it was a present from a certain gracious lady
in whose interests he had once been fortunate
enough to carry out a small commission. He said
no more; but I fancy that I could guess at that
lady’s august name, and I have little doubt that the
emerald pin will forever recall to my friend’s memory
the adventure of the Bruce-Partington plans.