”Itwasinvainthatsheprotestedandresisted。Afour-wheelerwasbrought，andweallthreedrovebackinit。Wehadfirstmadeanexaminationofthekitchen，andespeciallyofthekitchenfire，toseewhethershemighthavemadeawaywiththepapersduringtheinstantthatshewasalone。Therewerenosigns，however，ofanyashesorscraps。WhenwereachedScotlandYardshewashandedoveratoncetothefemalesearcher。Iwaitedinanagonyofsuspenseuntilshecamebackwithherreport。Therewerenosignsofthepapers。”Thenforthefirsttimethehorrorofmysituationcameinitsfullforce。HithertoIhadbeenacting，andactionhadnumbedthought。IhadbeensoconfidentofregainingthetreatyatoncethatIhadnotdaredtothinkofwhatwouldbetheconsequenceifIfailedtodoso。Butnowtherewasnothingmoretobedone，andIhadleisuretorealizemyposition。Itwashorrible。WatsontherewouldtellyouthatIwasanervous，sensitiveboyatschool。Itismynature。
IthoughtofmyuncleandofhiscolleaguesintheCabinet，oftheshamewhichIhadbroughtuponhim，uponmyself，uponeveryoneconnectedwithme。WhatthoughIwasthevictimofanextraordinaryaccident?
Noallowanceismadeforaccidentswherediplomaticinterestsareatstake。Iwasruined，shamefully，hopelesslyruined。Idon’tknowwhatIdid。IfancyImusthavemadeascene。Ihaveadimrecollectionofagroupofofficialswhocrowdedroundme，endeavoringtosootheme。OneofthemdrovedownwithmetoWaterloo，andsawmeintotheWokingtrain。I
believethathewouldhavecomeallthewayhaditnotbeenthatDr。Ferrier，wholivesnearme，wasgoingdownbythatverytrain。Thedoctormostkindlytookchargeofme，anditwaswellhedidso，forIhadafitinthestation，andbeforewereachedhomeIwaspracticallyaravingmaniac。”Youcanimaginethestateofthingsherewhentheywererousedfromtheirbedsbythedoctor’sringingandfoundmeinthiscondition。PoorAnniehereandmymotherwerebroken-hearted。Dr。Ferrierhadjustheardenoughfromthedetectiveatthestationtobeabletogiveanideaofwhathadhappened，andhisstorydidnotmendmatters。ItwasevidenttoallthatIwasinforalongillness，soJosephwasbundledoutofthischeerybedroom，anditwasturnedintoasick-roomforme。HereIhavelain，Mr。
Holmes，forovernineweeks，unconscious，andravingwithbrain-fever。IfithadnotbeenforMissHarrisonhereandforthedoctor’scareIshouldnotbespeakingtoyounow。Shehasnursedmebydayandahirednursehaslookedaftermebynight，forinmymadfitsIwascapableofanything。Slowlymyreasonhascleared，butitisonlyduringthelastthreedaysthatmymemoryhasquitereturned。SometimesIwishthatitneverhad。ThefirstthingthatIdidwastowiretoMr。Forbes，whohadthecaseinhand。Hecameout，andassuresmethat，thougheverythinghasbeendone，notraceofacluehasbeendiscovered。Thecommissionnaireandhiswifehavebeenexaminedineverywaywithoutanylightbeingthrownuponthematter。ThesuspicionsofthepolicethenresteduponyoungGorot，who，asyoumayremember，stayedovertimeintheofficethatnight。HisremainingbehindandisFrenchnamewerereallytheonlytwopointswhichcouldsuggestsuspicion；but，asamatteroffact，Ididnotbeginworkuntilhehadgone，andhispeopleareofHuguenotextraction，butasEnglishinsympathyandtraditionasyouandIare。Nothingwasfoundtoimplicatehiminanyway，andtherethematterdropped。Iturntoyou，Mr。Holmes，asabsolutelymylasthope。Ifyoufailme，thenmyhonoraswellasmypositionareforeverforfeited。”