the adventure of the golden pince-nez-第4章

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young　Mr。　Smith　lying　there　on　the　floor；　I　couldn't　bear　to　look　at

food。　Well；　it　takes　all　sorts　to　make　a　world；　and　the　professor

hasn't　let　it　take　his　appetite　away。〃

　　We　loitered　the　morning　away　in　the　garden。　Stanley　Hopkins　had　gone

down　to　the　village　to　look　into　some　rumours　of　a　strange　woman　who

had　been　seen　by　some　children　on　the　Chatham　Road　the　previous

morning。　As　to　my　friend；　all　his　usual　energy　seemed　to　have　deserted

him。　I　had　never　known　him　handle　a　case　in　such　a　half…hearted

fashion。　Even　the　news　brought　back　by　Hopkins　that　he　had　found　the

children；　and　that　they　had　undoubtedly　seen　a　woman　exactly

corresponding　with　Holmes's　description；　and　wearing　either　spectacles

or　eyeglasses；　failed　to　rouse　any　sign　of　keen　interest。　He　was

more　attentive　when　Susan；　who　waited　upon　us　at　lunch；　volunteered

the　information　that　she　believed　Mr。　Smith　had　been　out　for　a　walk

yesterday　morning；　and　that　he　had　only　returned　half　an　hour　before

the　tragedy　occurred。　I　could　not　myself　see　the　bearing　of　this

incident；　but　I　clearly　perceived　that　Holmes　was　weaving　it　into

the　general　scheme　which　he　had　formed　in　his　brain。　Suddenly　he

sprang　from　his　chair　and　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Two　o'clock；

gentlemen；〃　said　he。　〃We　must　go　up　and　have　it　out　with　our　friend；

the　professor。〃

　　The　old　man　had　just　finished　his　lunch；　and　certainly　his　empty

dish　bore　evidence　to　the　good　appetite　with　which　his　housekeeper　had

credited　him。　He　was；　indeed；　a　weird　figure　as　he　turned　his　white

mane　and　his　glowing　eyes　towards　us。　The　eternal　cigarette　smouldered

in　his　mouth。　He　had　been　dressed　and　was　seated　in　an　armchair　by　the

fire。

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　have　you　solved　this　mystery　yet？〃　He　shoved

the　large　tin　of　cigarettes　which　stood　on　a　table　beside　him

towards　my　companion。　Holmes　stretched　out　his　hand　at　the　same

moment；　and　between　them　they　tipped　the　box　over　the　edge。　For　a

minute　or　two　we　were　all　on　our　knees　retrieving　stray　cigarettes

from　impossible　places。　When　we　rose　again；　I　observed　Holmes's　eyes

were　shining　and　his　cheeks　tinged　with　colour。　Only　at　a　crisis

have　I　seen　those　battle…signals　flying。

　　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　solved　it。〃

　　Stanley　Hopkins　and　I　stared　in　amazement。　Something　like　a　sneer

quivered　over　the　gaunt　features　of　the　old　professor。

　　〃Indeed！　In　the　garden？〃

　　〃No；　here。〃

　　〃Here！　When？〃

　　〃This　instant。〃

　　〃You　are　surely　joking；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes。　You　compel　me　to　tell

you　that　this　is　too　serious　a　matter　to　be　treated　in　such　a

fashion。〃

　　〃I　have　forged　and　tested　every　link　of　my　chain；　Professor　Coram；

and　I　am　sure　that　it　is　sound。　What　your　motives　are；　or　what　exact

part　you　play　in　this　strange　business；　I　am　not　yet　able　to　say。　In　a

few　minutes　I　shall　probably　hear　it　from　your　own　lips。　Meanwhile　I

will　reconstruct　what　is　past　for　your　benefit；　so　that　you　may　know

the　information　which　I　still　require。

　　〃A　lady　yesterday　entered　your　study。　She　came　with　the　intention　of

possessing　herself　of　certain　documents　which　were　in　your　bureau。　She

had　a　key　of　her　own。　I　have　had　an　opportunity　of　examining　yours；

and　I　do　not　find　that　slight　discolouration　which　the　scratch　made

upon　the　varnish　would　have　produced。　You　were　not　an　accessory；

therefore；　and　she　came；　so　far　as　I　can　read　the　evidence；　without

your　knowledge　to　rob　you。〃

　　The　professor　blew　a　cloud　from　his　lips。　〃This　is　most

interesting　and　instructive；〃　said　he。　〃Have　you　no　more　to　add？

Surely；　having　traced　this　lady　so　far；　you　can　also　say　what　has

become　of　her。〃

　　〃I　will　endeavour　to　do　so。　In　the　first　place　she　was　seized　by

your　secretary；　and　stabbed　him　in　order　to　escape。　This　catastrophe　I

am　inclined　to　regard　as　an　unhappy　accident；　for　I　am　convinced

that　the　lady　had　no　intention　of　inflicting　so　grievous　an　injury。　An

assassin　does　not　come　unarmed。　Horrified　by　what　she　had　done；　she

rushed　wildly　away　from　the　scene　of　the　tragedy。　Unfortunately　for

her；　she　had　lost　her　glasses　in　the　scuffle；　and　as　she　was　extremely

shortsighted　she　was　really　helpless　without　them。　She　ran　down　a

corridor；　which　she　imagined　to　be　that　by　which　she　had　come…　both

were　lined　with　cocoanut　matting…　and　it　was　only　when　it　was　too　late

that　she　understood　that　she　had　taken　the　wrong　passage；　and　that　her

retreat　was　cut　off　behind　her。　What　was　she　to　do？　She　could　not　go

back。　She　could　not　remain　where　she　was。　She　must　go　on。　She　went　on。

She　mounted　a　stair；　pushed　open　a　door；　and　found　herself　in　your

room。〃

　　The　old　man　sat　with　his　mouth　open；　staring　wildly　at　Holmes。

Amazement　and　fear　were　stamped　upon　his　expressive　features。　Now；

with　an　effort；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　burst　into　insincere

laughter。

　　〃All　very　fine；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　he。　〃But　there　is　one　little

flaw　in　your　splendid　theory。　I　was　myself　in　my　room；　and　I　never

left　it　during　the　day。〃

　　〃I　am　aware　of　that；　Professor　Coram。〃

　　〃And　you　mean　to　say　that　I　could　lie　upon　that　bed　and　not　be　aware

that　a　woman　had　entered　my　room？〃

　　〃I　never　said　so。　You　were　aware　of　it。　You　spoke　with　her。　You

recognized　her。　You　aided　her　to　escape。〃

　　Again　the　professor　burst　into　high…keyed　laughter。　He　had　risen

to　his　feet；　and　his　eyes　glowed　like　embers。

　　〃You　are　mad！〃　he　cried。　〃You　are　talking　insanely。　I　helped　her

to　escape？　Where　is　she　now？〃

　　〃She　is　there；〃　said　Holmes；　and　he　pointed　to　a　high　bookcase　in

the　corner　of　the　room。

　　I　saw　the　old　man　throw　up　his　arms；　a　terrible　convulsion　passed

over　his　grim　face；　and　he　fell　back　in　his　chair。　At　the　same　instant

the　bookcase　at　which　Holmes　pointed　swung　round　upon　a　hinge；　and　a

woman　rushed　out　into　the　room。　〃You　are　right！〃　she　cried；　in　a

strange　foreign　voice。　〃You　are　right！　I　am　here。〃

　　She　was　brown　with　the　dust　and　draped　with　the　cobwebs　which　had

come　from　the　walls　of　her　hiding…place。　Her　face；　too；　was　streaked

with　grime；　and　at　the　best　she　could　never　have　been　handsome；　for

she　had　the　exact　physical　characteristics　which　Holmes　had　divined；

with；　in　addition；　a　long　and　obstinate　chin。　What　with　her　natural

blindness；　and　what　with　the　change　from　dark　to　light；　she　stood　as

one　dazed；　blinking　about　her　to　see　where　and　who　we　were。　And　yet；

in　spite　of　all　these　disadvantages；　there　was　a　certain　nobility　in

the　woman's　bearing…　a　gallantry　in　the　defiant　chin　and　in　the

upraised　head；　which　compelled　something　of　respect　and　admiration。

　　Stanley　Hopkins　had　laid　his　hand　upon　her　arm　and　claimed　her　as

his　prisoner；　but　she　waved　him　aside　gently；　and　yet　with　an

over…mastering　dignity　which　compelled　obedience。　The　old　man　lay　back

in　his　chair　with　a　twitching　face；　and　stared　at　her　with　brooding

eyes。

　　〃Yes；　sir；　I　am　your　prisoner；〃　she　said。　〃From　where　I　stood　I

could　hear　everything；　and　I　know　that　you　have　learned　the　truth。　I

confess　it　all。　It　was　I　who　killed　the　young　man。　But　you　are

right…　you　who　say　it　was　an　accident。　I　did　not　even　know　that　it　was

a　knife　which　I　held　in　my　hand；　for　in　my　despair　I　snatched　anything

from　the　table　and　struck　at　him　to　make　him　let　me　go。　It　is　the

truth　that　I　tell。〃

　　〃Madam；〃　said　Holmes；　〃I　am　sure　that　it　is　the　truth。　I　fear　that

you　are　far　from　well。〃

　　She　had　turned　a　dreadful　colour；　the　more　ghastly　under　the　dark

dust…streaks　upon　her　face。　She　seated　herself　on　the　side　of　the　bed；

then　she　resumed。

　　〃I　have　only　a　little　time　here；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　would　have　you　to

know　the　whole　truth。　I　am　this　man's　wife。　He　is　not　an　Englishman。

He　is　a　Russian。　His　name　I　will　not　tell。〃

　　For　the　first　time　the　old　man　stirred。　〃God　bless　you；　Anna！〃　he

cried。　〃God　bless　you！〃

　　She　cast　a　look　of　the　deepest　disdain　in　his　direction。　〃Why　should

you　cling　so　hard　to　that　wretched　life　of　yours；　Sergius？〃　said

she。　〃It　has　done　harm　to　many　and　good　to　none…　not　even　to　yourself。

However；　it　is　not　for　me　to　cause　the　frail　thread　to　be　snapped

before　God's　time。　I　have　enough　already　upon　my　soul　since　I

crossed　the　threshold　of　this　cursed　house。　But　I　must　speak　or　I

shall　be　too　late。

　　〃I　have　said；　gentlemen；　that　I　am　this　man's　wife。　He　was　fifty　and

I　a　foolish　girl　of　twenty　when　we　married。　It　was　in　a　city　of

Russia；　a　university…　I　will　not　name　the　place。〃

　　〃God　bless　you；　Anna！〃　murmured　the　old　man　again。

　　〃We　were　reformers…　revolutionists…　Nihilists；　you　understand。　He

and　I　and　many　more。　Then　there　came　a　time　of　trouble；　a　police

officer　was　killed；　many　were　arrested；　evidence　was　wanted；　and　in

order　to　save　his　own　life　and　to　earn　a　great　reward；　my　husband

betrayed　his　own　wife　and　his　companions。　Yes；　we　were　all　arrested

upon　his　confession。　Some　of　us　found　our　way　to　the　gallows；　and　some

to　Siberia。　I　was　among　these　last；　but　my　term　was　not　for　life。　My

husband　came　to　England　with　his　ill…gotten　gains　and　has　lived　in

quiet　ever　since；　knowing　well　that　if　the　Brotherhood　knew　where　he

was　not　a　week　would　pass　before　justice　would　be　done。〃

　　The　old　man　reached　out　a　trembling　hand　and　helped　himself　to　a

cigarette。　〃I　am　in　your　hands；　Anna；〃　said　he。　〃You　were　always

good　to　me。〃

　　〃I　have　not　yet　told　you　the　height　of　his　villainy；〃　said　she。

〃Among　our　comrades　of　the　Order；　there　was　one　who　was　the　friend

of　my　heart。　He　was　noble；　unselfish；　loving…　all　that　my　husband

was　not。　He　hated　violence。　We　were　all　guilty…　if　that　is　guilt…

but　he　was　not。　He　wrote　forever　dissuading　us　from　such　a　course。

These　letters　would　have　saved　him。　So　would　my　diary；　in　which；

from　day　to　day；　I　had　entered　both　my　feelings　towards　him　and　the

view　which　each　of　us　had　taken。　My　husband　found　and　kept　both

diary　and　letters。　He　hid　them；　and　he　tried　hard　to　swear　away　the

young　man's　life。　In　this　he　failed；　but　Alexis　was　sent　a　convict

to　Siberia；　where　now；　at　this　moment；　he　works　in　a　salt　mine。

Think　of　that；　you　villain；　you　villain！…　now；　now；　at　this　very

moment；　Alexis；　a　man　whose　name　you　are　not　worthy　to　speak；　works

and　lives　like　a　slave；　and　yet　I　have　your　life　in　my　hands；　and　I

let　you　go。〃

　　〃You　were　always　a　noble　woman；　Anna；〃　said　the　old　man；　puffing

at　his　cigarette。

　　She　had　risen；　but　she　fell　back　again　with　a　little　cry　of　pain。

　　〃I　must　finish；〃　she　said。　〃When　my　term　was　over　I　set　myself　to

get　the　diary　and　letters　which；　if　sent　to　the　Russian　government；

would　procure　my　friend's　release。　I　knew　that　my　husband　had　come

to　England。　After　months　of　searching　I　discovered　where　he　was。　I

knew　that　he　still　had　the　diary；　for　when　I　was　in　Siberia　I　had　a

letter　from　him　once；　reproaching　me　and　quoting　some　passages　from

its　pages。　Yet　I　was　sure　that；　with　his　revengeful　nature；　he　would

never　give　it　to　me　of　his　own　free…will。　I　must　get　it　for　myself。

With　this　object　I　engaged　an　agent　from　a　private　detective　firm；　who

entered　my　husband's　house　as　a　secretary…　it　was　your　second

secretary；　Sergius；　the　one　who　left　you