? ? ? ? A shadow passed over the expressive face of the statesman. "Very grave results indeed."
? ? ? ? "And have they occurred?"
? ? ? ? "Not yet."
? ? ? ? "If the treaty had reached, let us say, the French or Russian Foreign Office, you would expect to hear of it?"
? ? ? ? "I should," said Lord Holdhurst with a wry face.
? ? ? ? "Since nearly ten weeks have elapsed, then, and nothing has been heard, it is not unfair to suppose that for some reason the treaty has not reached them."
? ? ? ? Lord Holdhurst shrugged his shoulders.
? ? ? ? "We can hardly suppose, Mr. Holmes, that the thief took the treaty in order to frame it and hang it up."
? ? ? ? "Perhaps he is waiting for a better price."
? ? ? ? "If he waits a little longer he will get no price at all. The treaty will cease to be secret in a few months."
? ? ? ? "That is most important," said Holmes. "Of course, it is a possible supposition that the thief has had a sudden illness --"
? ? ? ? "An attack of brain-fever, for example?" asked the statesman, flashing a swift glance at him.
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