My friend’s temper had not improved since he had been deprived of the congenial surroundings of Baker Street.  Without his scrapbooks, 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 stirred for the first time.

“The first page on the floor, the second in the window, the third where you left it,” said he.

“Exactly, Mr. Holmes.  You amaze me.  How could you possibly know that?”

“Pray continue your very interesting statement.”

“For an instant I imagined that Bannister had taken the unpardonable liberty of examining my papers.  He denied it, however, with the utmost earnestness, and I am convinced that he was speaking the truth.  The alternative was that someone passing had observed the key in the door, had known that I was out, and had entered to look at the papers.  A large sum of money is at stake, for the scholarship is a very valuable one, and an unscrupulous man might very well run a risk in order to gain an advantage over his fellows.