the greek interpreter-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　GREEK　INTERPRETER

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　During　my　long　and　intimate　acquaintance　with　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes

I　had　never　heard　him　refer　to　his　relations；　and　hardly　ever　to　his

own　early　life。　This　reticence　upon　his　part　had　increased　the

somewhat　inhuman　effect　which　he　produced　upon　me；　until　sometimes　I

found　myself　regarding　him　as　an　isolated　phenomenon；　a　brain

without　a　heart；　as　deficient　in　human　sympathy　as　he　was　preeminent

in　intelligence。　His　aversion　to　women　and　his　disinclination　to

form　new　friendships　were　both　typical　of　his　unemotional　character；

but　not　more　so　than　his　complete　suppression　of　every　reference　to

his　own　people。　I　had　come　to　believe　that　he　was　an　orphan　with　no

relatives　living；　but　one　day；　to　my　very　great　surprise；　he　began

to　talk　to　me　about　his　brother。

　　It　was　after　tea　on　a　summer　evening；　and　the　conversation；　which

had　roamed　in　a　desultory；　spasmodic　fashion　from　golf　clubs　to　the

causes　of　the　change　in　the　obliquity　of　the　ecliptic；　came　round　at

last　to　the　question　of　atavism　and　hereditary　aptitudes。　The　point

under　discussion　was；　how　far　any　singular　gift　in　an　individual　was

due　to　his　ancestry　and　how　far　to　his　own　early　training。

　　〃In　your　own　case；〃　said　I；　〃from　all　that　you　have　told　me；　it

seems　obvious　that　your　faculty　of　observation　and　your　peculiar

facility　for　deduction　are　due　to　your　own　systematic　training。〃

　　〃To　some　extent〃　he　answered　thoughtfully。　〃My　ancestors　were

country　squires；　who　appear　to　have　led　much　the　same　life　as　is

natural　to　their　class。　But；　none　the　less；　my　turn　that　way　is　in

my　veins；　and　may　have　come　with　my　grandmother；　who　was　the　sister　of

Vernet；　the　French　artist。　Art　in　the　blood　is　liable　to　take　the

strangest　forms。〃

　　〃But　how　do　you　know　that　it　is　hereditary？〃

　　〃Because　my　brother　Mycroft　possesses　it　in　a　larger　degree　than　I

do。〃

　　This　was　news　to　me　indeed。　If　there　were　another　man　with　such

singular　powers　in　England；　how　was　it　that　neither　police　nor

public　had　heard　of　him？　I　put　the　question；　with　a　hint　that　it　was

my　companion's　modesty　which　made　him　acknowledge　his　brother　as　his

superior。　Holmes　laughed　at　my　suggestion。

　　〃My　dear　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃I　cannot　agree　with　those　who　rank

modesty　among　the　virtues。　To　the　logician　all　things　should　be　seen

exactly　as　they　are；　and　to　underestimate　one's　self　is　as　much　a

departure　from　truth　as　to　exaggerate　one's　own　powers。　When　I　say；

therefore；　that　Mycroft　has　better　powers　of　observation　than　I；　you

may　take　it　that　I　am　speaking　the　exact　and　literal　truth。〃

　　〃Is　he　your　junior？〃

　　〃Seven　years　my　senior。〃

　　〃How　comes　it　that　he　is　unknown？〃

　　〃Oh；　he　is　very　well　known　in　his　own　circle。〃

　　〃Where；　then？〃

　　Well；　in　the　Diogenes　Club；　for　example。〃

　　I　had　never　heard　of　the　institution；　and　my　face　must　have

proclaimed　as　much；　for　Sherlock　Holmes　pulled　out　his　watch。

　　〃The　Diogenes　Club　is　the　queerest　club　in　London；　and　Mycroft　one

of　the　queerest　men。　He's　always　there　from　quarter　to　five　to

twenty　to　eight。　It's　six　now；　so　if　you　care　for　a　stroll　this

beautiful　evening　I　shall　be　very　happy　to　introduce　you　to　two

curiosities。〃

　　Five　minutes　later　we　were　in　the　street　walking　towards　Regent's

Circus。

　　〃You　wonder；〃　said　my　companion；　〃why　it　is　that　Mycroft　does　not

use　his　powers　for　detective　work。　He　is　incapable　of　it。〃

　　〃But　I　thought　you　said…〃

　　〃I　said　that　he　was　my　superior　in　observation　and　deduction。　If　the

art　of　the　detective　began　and　ended　in　reasoning　from　an　armchair；　my

brother　would　be　the　greatest　criminal　agent　that　ever　lived。　But　he

has　no　ambition　and　no　energy。　He　will　not　even　go　out　of　his　way　to

verify　his　own　solutions；　and　would　rather　be　considered　wrong　than

take　the　trouble　to　prove　himself　right。　Again　and　again　I　have

taken　a　problem　to　him；　and　have　received　an　explanation　which　has

afterwards　proved　to　be　the　correct　one。　And　yet　he　was　absolutely

incapable　of　working　out　the　practical　points　which　must　be　gone

into　before　a　case　could　be　laid　before　a　judge　or　jury。〃

　　〃It　is　not　his　profession；　then？〃

　　〃By　no　means。　What　is　to　me　a　means　of　livelihood　is　to　him　the

merest　hobby　of　a　dilettante。　He　has　an　extraordinary　faculty　for

figures；　and　audits　the　books　in　some　of　the　government　departments。

Mycroft　lodges　in　Pall　Mall；　and　he　walks　round　the　corner　into

Whitehall　every　morning　and　back　every　evening。　From　year's　end　to

year's　end　he　takes　no　other　exercise；　and　is　seen　nowhere　else；

except　only　in　the　Diogenes　Club；　which　is　just　opposite　his　rooms。〃

　　〃I　cannot　recall　the　name。〃

　　〃Very　likely　not。　There　are　many　men　in　London；　you　know；　who；

some　from　shyness；　some　from　misanthropy；　have　no　wish　for　the　company

of　their　fellows。　Yet　they　are　not　averse　to　comfortable　chairs　and

the　latest　periodicals。　It　is　for　the　convenience　of　these　that　the

Diogenes　Club　was　started；　and　it　now　contains　the　most　unsociable　and

unclubable　men　in　town。　No　member　is　permitted　to　take　the　least

notice　of　any　other　one。　Save　in　the　Stranger's　Room；　no　talking　is；

under　any　circumstances；　allowed；　and　three　offences；　if　brought　to

the　notice　of　the　committee；　render　the　talker　liable　to　expulsion。　My

brother　was　one　of　the　founders；　and　I　have　myself　found　it　a　very

soothing　atmosphere。〃

　　We　had　reached　Pall　Mall　as　we　talked；　and　were　walking　down　it　from

the　St。　James's　end。　Sherlock　Holmes　stopped　at　a　door　some　little

distance　from　the　Carlton；　and；　cautioning　me　not　to　speak；　he　led　the

way　into　the　hall。　Through　the　glass　panelling　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a

large　and　luxurious　room；　in　which　a　considerable　number　of　men　were

sitting　about　and　reading　papers；　each　in　his　own　little　nook。

Holmes　showed　me　into　a　small　chamber　which　looked　out　into　Pall　Mall；

and　then；　leaving　me　for　a　minute；　he　came　back　with　a　companion

whom　I　knew　could　only　be　his　brother。

　　Mycroft　Holmes　was　a　much　larger　and　stouter　man　than　Sherlock。

His　body　was　absolutely　corpulent；　but　his　face；　though　massive；　had

preserved　something　of　the　sharpness　of　expression　which　was　so

remarkable　in　that　of　his　brother。　His　eyes；　which　were　of　a

peculiarly　light；　watery　gray；　seemed　to　always　retain　that

far…away；　introspective　look　which　I　had　only　observed　in　Sherlock's

when　he　was　exerting　his　full　powers。

　　〃I　am　glad　to　meet　you；　sir；〃　said　he；　putting　out　a　broad；　fat　hand

like　the　flipper　of　a　seal。　〃I　hear　of　Sherlock　everywhere　since　you

became　his　chronicler。　By　the　way；　Sherlock；　I　expected　to　see　you

round　last　week　to　consult　me　over　that　Manor　House　case。　I　thought

you　might　be　a　little　out　of　your　depth。〃

　　〃No；　I　solved　it；〃　said　my　friend；　smiling。

　　〃It　was　Adams；　of　course。〃

　　〃Yes；　it　was　Adams。〃

　　〃I　was　sure　of　it　from　the　first。〃　The　two　sat　down　together　in

the　bow…window　of　the　club。　To　anyone　who　wishes　to　study　mankind　this

is　the　spot；〃　said　Mycroft。　〃Look　at　the　magnificent　types！　Look　at

these　two　men　who　are　coming　towards　us；　for　example。〃

　　〃The　billiard…marker　and　the　other？〃

　　〃Precisely。　What　do　you　make　of　the　other？〃

　　The　two　men　had　stopped　opposite　the　window。　Some　chalk　marks　over

the　waistcoat　pocket　were　the　only　signs　of　billiards　which　I　could

see　in　one　of　them。　The　other　was　a　very　small；　dark　fellow；　with

his　hat　pushed　back　and　several　packages　under　his　arm。

　　〃An　old　soldier；　I　perceive；〃　said　Sherlock。

　　〃And　very　recently　discharged；〃　remarked　the　brother。

　　〃Served　in　India；　I　see。〃

　　〃And　a　non…commissioned　officer。〃

　　〃Royal　Artillery；　I　fancy；〃　said　Sherlock。

　　〃And　a　widower。〃

　　〃But　with　a　child。〃

　　〃Children；　my　dear　boy；　children。〃

　　〃Come；〃　said　I；　laughing；　〃this　is　a　little　too　much。〃

　　〃Surely；〃　answered　Holmes；　〃it　is　not　hard　to　say　that　a　man　with

that　bearing；　expression　of　authority；　and　sun…baked　skin；　is　a

soldier；　is　more　than　a　private；　and　is　not　long　from　India。〃

　　〃That　he　has　not　left　the　service　long　is　shown　by　his　still　wearing

his　ammunition　boots；　as　they　are　called；〃　observed　Mycroft。

　　〃He　had　not　the　cavalry　stride；　yet　he　wore　his　hat　on　one　side；

as　is　shown　by　the　lighter　skin　on　that　side　of　his　brow。　His　weight

is　against　his　being　a　sapper。　He　is　in　the　artillery。〃

　　〃Then；　of　course；　his　complete　mourning　shows　that　he　has　lost

someone　very　dear。　The　fact　that　he　is　doing　his　own　shopping　looks　as

though　it　were　his　wife。　He　has　been　buying　things　for　children；　you

perceive。　There　is　a　rattle；　which　shows　that　one　of　them　is　very

young。　The　wife　probably　died　in　childbed。　The　fact　that　he　has　a

picture…book　under　his　arm　shows　that　there　is　another　child　to　be

thought　of。〃

　　I　began　to　understand　what　my　friend　meant　when　he　said　that　his

brother　possessed　even　keener　faculties　than　he　did　himself。　He

glanced　across　at　me　and　smiled。　Mycroft　took　snuff　from　a

tortoise…shell　box　and　brushed　away　the　wandering　grains　from　his　coat

front　with　a　large；　red　silk　handkerchief。

　　〃By　the　way；　Sherlock；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　had　something　quite　after

your　own　heart…a　most　singular　problem…submitted　to　my　judgment。　I

really　had　not　the　energy　to　follow　it　up　save　in　a　very　incomplete

fashion；　but　it　gave　me　a　basis　for　some　pleasing　speculations。　If　you

would　care　to　hear　the　facts…〃

　　〃My　dear　Mycroft；　I　should　be　delighted。〃

　　The　brother　scribbled　a　note　upon　a　leaf　of　his　pocket…book；　and；

ringing　the　bell；　he　handed　it　to　the　waiter。

　　〃I　have　asked　Mr。　Melas　to　step　across；〃　said　he。　〃He　lodges　on

the　floor　above　me；　and　I　have　some　slight　acquaintance　with　him；

which　led　him　to　come　to　me　in　his　perplexity。　Mr。　Melas　is　a　Greek　by

extraction；　as　I　understand；　and　he　is　a　remarkable　linguist。　He　earns

his　living　partly　as　interpreter　in　the　law　courts　and　partly　by

acting　as　guide　to　any　wealthy　Orientals　who　may　visit　the

Northumberland　Avenue　hotels。　I　think　I　will　leave　him　to　tell　his

very　remarkable　experience　in　his　own　fashion。〃

　　A　few　minutes　later　we　were　joined　by　a　short；　stout　man　whose　olive

face　and　coal　black　hair　proclaimed　his　Southern　origin；　though　his

speech　was　that　of　an　educated　Englishman。　He　shook　hands　eagerly　with

Sherlock　Holmes；　and　his　dark　eyes　sparkled　with　pleasure　when　he

understood　that　the　specialist　was　anxious　to　hear　his　story。

　　〃I　do　not　believe　that　the　police　credit　me…on　my　word；　I　do　not；〃

said　he　in　a　wailing　voice。　〃Just　because　they　have　never　heard　of

it　before；　they　think　that　such　a　thing　cannot　be。　But　I　know　that　I

shall　never　be　easy　in　my　mind　until　I　know　what　has　become　of　my　poor

man　with　the　sticking…plaster　upon　his　face。〃

　　〃I　am　all　attention；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。

　　〃This　is　Wednesday　evening；〃　said　Mr。　Melas。　〃Well；　then；　it　was

Monday　night…only　two　days　ago；　you　understand…that　all　this　happened。

I　am　an　interpreter；　as　perhaps　my　neighbour　there　has　told　you。　I

interpret　all　languages…or　nearly　all…but　as　I　am　a　G