Mr. Holmes, to
do what you can."

My friend's temper had not improved since he had been deprived of the
congenial surroundings of Baker Street. Without his scrap-books, his
chemicals, and his homely untidiness, he was an uncomfortable man. He
shrugged his shoulders in ungracious acquiescence, while our visitor
in hurried words and with much excitable gesticulation poured forth his
story.

"I must explain to you, Mr. Holmes, that to-morrow is the first day
of the examination for the Fortescue Scholarship. I am one of the
examiners. My subject is Greek, and the first of the papers consists of
a large passage of Greek translation which the candidate has not seen.
This passage is printed on the examination paper, and it would naturally
be an immense advantage if the candidate could prepare it in advance.
For this reason great care is taken to keep the paper secret.

"To-day about three o'clock the proofs of this paper arrived from the
printers. The exercise consists of half a chapter of Thucydides. I had
to read it over carefully, as the text must be absolutely correct. At
four-thirty my task was not yet completed. I had, however, promised to
take tea in a friend's rooms, so I left the proof upon my desk. I was
absent rather more than an hour.

"You are aware, Mr. Holmes, that our college doors are double--a green
baize one within and a heavy oak one without. As I approached my outer
door I was amazed to see a key in it. For an instant I imagined that I
had left my own there, but on feeling in my pocket I found that it was
all right. The only duplicate which existed, so far as I knew, was that
which belonged to my servant, Bannister, a man who has looked after my
room for ten years, and whose honesty is absolutely above suspicion. I
found that the key was indeed his, that he had entered my room to know
if I wanted tea, and that he had very carelessly left the key in the
door when he came out. His visit to my room must have been within a very
few minutes of my leaving it. His forgetfulness about the key would
have mattered little upon any other occasion, but on this one day it has
produced the most deplorable consequences.

"The moment I looked at my table I was aware that someone had rummaged
among my papers. The proof was in three long slips. I had left them all
together. Now, I found that one of them was lying on the floor, one was
on the side table near the window, and the third was where I had left
it."

Holmes