the adventure of the noble bachelor-第4章

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to　resist。

　　〃You're　angry；　Robert；〃　said　she。　〃Well；　I　guess　you　have　every

cause　to　be。〃

　　〃Pray　make　no　apology　to　me；〃　said　Lord　St。　Simon　bitterly。

　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　know　that　I　have　treated　you　real　bad　and　that　I

should　have　spoken　to　you　before　I　went；　but　I　was　kind　of　rattled；

and　from　the　time　when　I　saw　Frank　here　again　I　just　didn't　know

what　I　was　doing　or　saying。　I　only　wonder　I　didn't　fall　down　and　do

a　faint　right　there　before　the　altar。〃

　　〃Perhaps；　Mrs。　Moulton；　you　would　like　my　friend　and　me　to　leave　the

room　while　you　explain　this　matter？〃

　　〃If　I　may　give　an　opinion；〃　remarked　the　strange　gentleman；　〃we've

had　just　a　little　too　much　secrecy　over　this　business　already。　For

my　part；　I　should　like　all　Europe　and　America　to　hear　the　rights　of

it。〃　He　was　a　small；　wiry；　sunburnt　man；　clean…shaven；　with　a　sharp

face　and　alert　manner。

　　〃Then　I'll　tell　our　story　right　away；〃　said　the　lady。　〃Frank　here

and　I　met　in　'84；　in　McQuire's　camp；　near　the　Rockies；　where　pa　was

working　a　claim。　We　were　engaged　to　each　other；　Frank　and　I；　but

then　one　day　father　struck　a　rich　pocket　and　made　a　pile；　while　poor

Frank　here　had　a　claim　that　petered　out　and　came　to　nothing。　The

richer　pa　grew　the　poorer　was　Frank；　so　at　last　pa　wouldn't　hear　of

our　engagement　lasting　any　longer；　and　he　took　me　away　to　'Frisco。

Frank　wouldn't　throw　up　his　hand；　though；　so　he　followed　me　there；　and

he　saw　me　without　pa　knowing　anything　about　it。　It　would　only　have

made　him　mad　to　know；　so　we　just　fixed　it　all　up　for　ourselves。

Frank　said　that　he　would　go　and　make　his　pile；　too；　and　never　come

back　to　claim　me　until　he　had　as　much　as　pa。　So　then　I　promised　to

wait　for　him　to　the　end　of　time　and　pledged　myself　not　to　marry　anyone

else　while　he　lived。　'Why　shouldn't　we　be　married　right　away；　then；'

said　he；　'and　then　I　will　feel　sure　of　you；　and　I　won't　claim　to　be

your　husband　until　I　come　back？'　Well；　we　talked　it　over；　and　he　had

fixed　it　all　up　so　nicely；　with　a　clergyman　all　ready　in　waiting；　that

we　just　did　it　right　there；　and　then　Frank　went　off　to　seek　his

fortune；　and　I　went　back　to　pa。

　　〃The　next　I　heard　of　Frank　was　that　he　was　in　Montana；　and　then　he

went　prospecting　in　Arizona；　and　then　I　heard　of　him　from　New

Mexico。　After　that　came　a　long　newspaper　story　about　how　a　miners'

camp　had　been　attacked　by　Apache　Indians；　and　there　was　my　Frank's

name　among　the　killed。　I　fainted　dead　away；　and　I　was　very　sick　for

months　after。　Pa　thought　I　had　a　decline　and　took　me　to　half　the

doctors　in　'Frisco。　Not　a　word　of　news　came　for　a　year　and　more；　so

that　I　never　doubted　that　Frank　was　really　dead。　Then　Lord　St。　Simon

came　to　'Frisco；　and　we　came　to　London；　and　a　marriage　was　arranged；

and　pa　was　very　pleased；　but　I　felt　all　the　time　that　no　man　on　this

earth　would　ever　take　the　place　in　my　heart　that　had　been　given　to

my　poor　Frank。

　　〃Still；　if　I　had　married　Lord　St。　Simon；　of　course　I'd　have　done

my　duty　by　him。　We　can't　command　our　love；　but　we　can　our　actions。　I

went　to　the　altar　with　him　with　the　intention　to　make　him　just　as　good

a　wife　as　it　was　in　me　to　be。　But　you　may　imagine　what　I　felt　when；

just　as　I　came　to　the　altar　rails；　I　glanced　back　and　saw　Frank

standing　and　looking　at　me　out　of　the　first　pew。　I　thought　it　was

his　ghost　at　first；　but　when　I　looked　again　there　he　was　still；　with　a

kind　of　question　in　his　eyes；　as　if　to　ask　me　whether　I　were　glad　or

sorry　to　see　him。　I　wonder　I　didn't　drop。　I　know　that　everything　was

turning　round；　and　the　words　of　the　clergyman　were　just　like　the

buzz　of　a　bee　in　my　ear。　I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　Should　I　stop　the

service　and　make　a　scene　in　the　church？　I　glanced　at　him　again；　and　he

seemed　to　know　what　I　was　thinking；　for　he　raised　his　finger　to　his

lips　to　tell　me　to　be　still。　Then　I　saw　him　scribble　on　a　piece　of

paper；　and　I　knew　that　he　was　writing　me　a　note。　As　I　passed　his　pew

on　the　way　out　I　dropped　my　bouquet　over　to　him；　and　he　slipped　the

note　into　my　hand　when　he　returned　me　the　flowers。　It　was　only　a

line　asking　me　to　join　him　when　he　made　the　sign　to　me　to　do　so。　Of

course　I　never　doubted　for　a　moment　that　my　first　duty　was　now　to　him；

and　I　determined　to　do　just　whatever　he　might　direct。

　　〃When　I　got　back　I　told　my　maid；　who　had　known　him　in　California；

and　had　always　been　his　friend。　I　ordered　her　to　say　nothing；　but　to

get　a　few　things　packed　and　my　ulster　ready。　I　know　I　ought　to　have

spoken　to　Lord　St。　Simon；　but　it　was　dreadful　hard　before　his　mother

and　all　those　great　people。　I　just　made　up　my　mind　to　run　away　and

explain　afterwards。　I　hadn't　been　at　the　table　ten　minutes　before　I

saw　Frank　out　of　the　window　at　the　other　side　of　the　road。　He　beckoned

to　me　and　then　began　walking　into　the　Park。　I　slipped　out；　put　on　my

things；　and　followed　him。　Some　woman　came　talking　something　or　other

about　Lord　St。　Simon　to　me…seemed　to　me　from　the　little　I　heard　as

if　he　had　a　little　secret　of　his　own　before　marriage　also…but　I

managed　to　get　away　from　her　and　soon　overtook　Frank。　We　got　into　a

cab　together；　and　away　we　drove　to　some　lodgings　he　had　taken　in

Gordon　Square；　and　that　was　my　true　wedding　after　all　those　years　of

waiting。　Frank　had　been　a　prisoner　among　the　Apaches；　had　escaped；

came　on　to　'Frisco；　found　that　I　had　given　him　up　for　dead　and　had

gone　to　England；　followed　me　there；　and　had　come　upon　me　at　last　on

the　very　morning　of　my　second　wedding。〃

　　〃I　saw　it　in　a　paper；〃　explained　the　American。　〃It　gave　the　name　and

the　church　but　not　where　the　lady　lived。〃

　　〃Then　we　had　a　talk　as　to　what　we　should　do；　and　Frank　was　all　for

openness；　but　I　was　so　ashamed　of　it　all　that　I　felt　as　if　I　should

like　to　vanish　away　and　never　see　any　of　them　again…just　sending　a

line　to　pa；　perhaps；　to　show　him　that　I　was　alive。　It　was　awful　to

me　to　think　of　all　those　lords　and　ladies　sitting　round　that

breakfast…table　and　waiting　for　me　to　come　back。　So　Frank　took　my

wedding　clothes　and　things　and　made　a　bundle　of　them；　so　that　I　should

not　be　traced；　and　dropped　them　away　somewhere　where　no　one　could　find

them。　It　is　likely　that　we　should　have　gone　on　to　Paris　to…morrow；

only　that　this　good　gentleman；　Mr。　Holmes；　came　round　to　us　this

evening；　though　how　he　found　us　is　more　than　I　can　think；　and　he

showed　us　very　clearly　and　kindly　that　I　was　wrong　and　that　Frank

was　right；　and　that　we　should　be　putting　ourselves　in　the　wrong　if

we　were　so　secret。　Then　he　offered　to　give　us　a　chance　of　talking　to

Lord　St。　Simon　alone；　and　so　we　came　right　away　round　to　his　rooms

at　once。　Now；　Robert；　you　have　heard　it　all；　and　I　am　very　sorry　if

I　have　given　you　pain；　and　I　hope　that　you　do　not　think　very　meanly　of

me。〃

　　Lord　St。　Simon　had　by　no　means　relaxed　his　rigid　attitude；　but　had

listened　with　a　frowning　brow　and　a　compressed　lip　to　this　long

narrative。

　　〃Excuse　me；〃　be　said；　〃but　it　is　not　my　custom　to　discuss　my　most

intimate　personal　affairs　in　this　public　manner。〃

　　〃Then　you　won't　forgive　me？　You　won't　shake　hands　before　I　go？〃

　　〃Oh；　certainly；　if　it　would　give　you　any　pleasure。〃　He　put　out　his

hand　and　coldly　grasped　that　which　she　attended　to　him。

　　〃I　had　hoped；〃　suggested　Holmes；　〃that　you　would　have　joined　us　in　a

friendly　supper。〃

　　〃I　think　that　there　you　ask　a　little　too　much；〃　responded　his

Lordship。　〃I　may　be　forced　to　acquiesce　in　these　recent

developments；　but　I　can　hardly　be　expected　to　make　merry　over　them。

I　think　that　with　your　permission　I　will　now　wish　you　all　a　very

good…night。〃　He　included　us　all　in　a　sweeping　bow　and　stalked　out　of

the　room。

　　〃Then　I　trust　that　you　at　least　will　honour　me　with　your　company；〃

said　Sherlock　Holmes。　〃It　is　always　a　joy　to　meet　an　American；　Mr。

Moulton；　for　I　am　one　of　those　who　believe　that　the　folly　of　a　monarch

and　the　blundering　of　a　minister　in　far…gone　years　will　not　prevent

our　children　from　being　some　day　citizens　of　the　same　world…wide

country　under　a　flag　which　shall　be　a　quartering　of　the　Union　Jack

with　the　Stars　and　Stripes。〃



　　〃The　case　has　been　an　interesting　one；〃　remarked　Holmes　when　our

visitors　had　left　us；　〃because　it　serves　to　show　very　clearly　how

simple　the　explanation　may　be　of　an　affair　which　at　first　sight

seems　to　be　almost　inexplicable。　Nothing　could　be　more　natural　than

the　sequence　of　events　as　narrated　by　this　lady；　and　nothing

stranger　than　the　result　when　viewed；　for　instance；　by　Mr。　Lestrade；

of　Scotland　Yard。〃

　　〃You　were　not　yourself　at　fault　at　all；　then？〃

　　〃From　the　first；　two　facts　were　very　obvious　to　me；　the　one　that　the

lady　had　been　quite　willing　to　undergo　the　wedding　ceremony；　the　other

that　she　had　repented　of　it　within　a　few　minutes　of　returning　home。

Obviously　something　had　occurred　during　the　morning；　then；　to　cause

her　to　change　her　mind。　What　could　that　something　be？　She　could　not

have　spoken　to　anyone　when　she　was　out；　for　she　had　been　in　the

company　of　the　bridegroom。　Had　she　seen　someone；　then？　If　she　had；

it　must　be　someone　from　America　because　she　had　spent　so　short　a

time　in　this　country　that　she　could　hardly　have　allowed　anyone　to

acquire　so　deep　an　influence　over　her　that　the　mere　sight　of　him　would

induce　her　to　change　her　plans　so　completely。　You　see　we　have

already　arrived；　by　a　process　of　exclusion；　at　the　idea　that　she　might

have　seen　an　American。　Then　who　could　this　American　be；　and　why　should

he　possess　so　much　influence　over　her？　It　might　be　a　lover；　it　might

be　a　husband。　Her　young　womanhood　had；　I　knew；　been　spent　in　rough

scenes　and　under　strange　conditions。　So　far　I　had　got　before　I　ever

heard　Lord　St。　Simon's　narrative。　When　he　told　us　of　a　man　in　a　pew；

of　the　change　in　the　bride's　manner；　of　so　transparent　a　device　for

obtaining　a　note　as　the　dropping　of　a　bouquet；　of　her　resort　to　her

confidential　maid；　and　of　her　very　significant　allusion　to

claim…jumping…which　in　miners'　parlance　means　taking　possession　of

that　which　another　person　has　a　prior　claim　to…the　whole　situation

became　absolutely　clear。　She　had　gone　off　with　a　man；　and　the　man

was　either　a　lover　or　was　a　previous　husband…the　chances　being　in

favour　of　the　latter。〃

　　〃And　how　in　the　world　did　you　find　them？〃

　　〃It　might　have　been　difficult；　but　friend　Lestrade　held

information　in　his　hands　the　value　of　which　he　did　not　himself　know。

The　initials　were；　of　course；　of　the　highest　importance；　but　more

valuable　still　was　it　to　know　that　within　a　week　he　had　settled　his

bill　at　one　of　the　most　select　London　hotels。〃

　　〃How　did　you　deduce　the　select？〃

　　〃By　the　select　prices。　Eight　shillings　for　a　bed　and　eightpence

for　a　glass　of　sherry　pointed　to　one　of　the　most　expensive　hotels。

There　are　not　many　in　London　which　charge　at　that　rate。　In　the

second　one　which　I　visited　in　Northumberland　Avenue；　I　learned　by　an

inspection　of　the　book　that　Francis　H。　Moulton；　an　American　gentleman；

had　left　only　the　day　before；　and　on　looking　over　the　entries

against　him；　I　came　upon　the　very　items　which　I　had　seen　in　the

duplicate　bill。　His　letters　were　to　be　forwarded　to　226　Gordon　Square；

so　thit