Pagina 482 di 657

"Well, at least," said Holmes, "you have had your revenge upon

them. There can be no question that it was your oil-lamp which,

when it was crushed in the press, set fire to the wooden walls,

though no doubt they were too excited in the chase after you to

observe it at the time. Now keep your eyes open in this crowd for

your friends of last night, though I very much fear that they are

a good hundred miles off by now."

And Holmes' fears came to be realised, for from that day to this

no word has ever been heard either of the beautiful woman, the

sinister German, or the morose Englishman. Early that morning a

peasant had met a cart containing several people and some very

bulky boxes driving rapidly in the direction of Reading, but

there all traces of the fugitives disappeared, and even Holmes'

ingenuity failed ever to discover the least clue as to their

whereabouts.