adventure10-第6章

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I　don't　believe　it　was　an　ordinary　thief。〃



〃What　is　your　own　idea；　then？〃



〃Upon　my　word；　you　may　put　it　down　to　my　weak　nerves

or　not；　but　I　believe　there　is　some　deep　political

intrigue　going　on　around　me；　and　that　for　some　reason

that　passes　my　understanding　my　life　is　aimed　at　by

the　conspirators。　　It　sounds　high…flown　and　absurd；

but　consider　the　fats！　　Why　should　a　thief　try　to

break　in　at　a　bedroom　window；　where　there　could　be　no

hope　of　any　plunder；　and　why　should　he　come　with　a

long　knife　in　his　hand？〃



〃You　are　sure　it　was　not　a　house…breaker's　jimmy？〃



〃Oh；　no；　it　was　a　knife。　　I　saw　the　flash　of　the　blade

quite　distinctly。〃



〃But　why　on　earth　should　you　be　pursued　with　such

animosity？〃



〃Ah；　that　is　the　question。〃



〃Well；　if　Holmes　takes　the　same　view；　that　would

account　for　his　action；　would　it　not？　　Presuming　that

your　theory　is　correct；　if　he　can　lay　his　hands　upon

the　man　who　threatened　you　last　night　he　will　have

gone　a　long　way　towards　finding　who　took　the　naval

treaty。　　It　is　absurd　to　suppose　that　you　have　two

enemies；　one　of　whom　robs　you；　while　the　other

threatens　your　life。〃



〃But　Holmes　said　that　he　was　not　going　to　Briarbrae。〃



〃I　have　known　him　for　some　time；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　never

knew　him　do　anything　yet　without　a　very　good　reason；〃

and　with　that　our　conversation　drifted　off　on　to　other

topics。



But　it　was　a　weary　day　for　me。　　Phelps　was　still　weak

after　his　long　illness；　and　his　misfortune　made　him

querulous　and　nervous。　　In　vain　I　endeavored　to

interest　him　in　Afghanistan；　in　India；　in　social

questions；　in　anything　which　might　take　his　mind　out

of　the　groove。　　He　would　always　come　back　to　his　lost

treaty；　wondering；　guessing；　speculating；　as　to　what

Holmes　was　doing；　what　steps　Lord　Holdhurst　was

taking；　what　news　we　should　have　in　the　morning。　　As

the　evening　wore　on　his　excitement　became　quite

painful。



〃You　have　implicit　faith　in　Holmes？〃　he　asked。



〃I　have　seen　him　do　some　remarkable　things。〃



〃But　he　never　brought　light　into　anything　quite　so

dark　as　this？〃



〃Oh；　yes；　I　have　known　him　solve　questions　which

presented　fewer　clues　than　yours。〃



〃But　not　where　such　large　interests　are　at　stake？〃



〃I　don't　know　that。　　To　my　certain　knowledge　he　has

acted　on　behalf　of　three　of　the　reigning　houses　of

Europe　in　very　vital　matters。〃



〃But　you　know　him　well；　Watson。　　He　is　such　an

inscrutable　fellow　that　I　never　quite　know　what　to

make　of　him。　　Do　you　think　he　is　hopeful？　　Do　you

think　he　expects　to　make　a　success　of　it？〃



〃He　has　said　nothing。〃



〃That　is　a　bad　sign。〃



〃On　the　contrary；　I　have　noticed　that　when　he　is　off

the　trail　he　generally　says　so。　　It　is　when　he　is　on　a

scent　and　is　not　quite　absolutely　sure　yet　that　it　is

the　right　one　that　he　is　most　taciturn。　　Now；　my　dear

fellow；　we　can't　help　matter　by　making　ourselves

nervous　about　them；　so　let　me　implore　you　to　go　to　bed

and　so　be　fresh　for　whatever　may　await　us　to…morrow。〃



I　was　able　at　last　to　persuade　my　companion　to　take　my

advice；　though　I　knew　from　his　excited　manner　that

there　was　not　much　hope　of　sleep　for　him。　　Indeed；　his

mood　was　infectious；　for　I　lay　tossing　half　the　night

myself；　brooding　over　this　strange　problem；　and

inventing　a　hundred　theories；　each　of　which　was　more

impossible　than　the　last。　　Why　had　Holmes　remained　at

Woking？　　Why　had　he　asked　Miss　Harrison　to　remain　in

the　sick…room　all　day？　　Why　had　he　been　so　careful　not

to　inform　the　people　at　Briarbrae　that　he　intended　to

remain　near　them？　　I　cudgelled　my　brains　until　I　fell

asleep　in　the　endeavor　to　find　some　explanation　which

would　cover　all　these　facts。



It　was　seven　o'clock　when　I　awoke；　and　I　set　off　at

once　for　Phelps's　room；　to　find　him　haggard　and　spent

after　a　sleepless　night。　　His　first　question　was

whether　Holmes　had　arrived　yet。



〃He'll　be　here　when　he　promised；〃　said　I；　〃and　not　an

instant　sooner　or　later。〃



And　my　words　were　true；　for　shortly　after　eight　a

hansom　dashed　up　to　the　door　and　our　friend　got　out　of

it。　　Standing　in　the　window　we　saw　that　his　left　hand

was　swathed　in　a　bandage　and　that　his　face　was　very

grim　and　pale。　　He　entered　the　house；　but　it　was　some

little　time　before　he　came　upstairs。



〃He　looks　like　a　beaten　man；〃　cried　Phelps。



I　was　forced　to　confess　that　he　was　right。　　〃After

all；〃　said　I；　〃the　clue　of　the　matter　lies　probably

here　in　town。〃



Phelps　gave　a　groan。



〃I　don't　know　how　it　is；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　had　hoped

for　so　much　from　his　return。　　But　surely　his　hand　was

not　tied　up　like　that　yesterday。　　What　can　be　the

matter？〃



〃You　are　not　wounded；　Holmes？〃　I　asked；　as　my　friend

entered　the　room。



〃Tut；　it　is　only　a　scratch　through　my　own　clumsiness；〃

he　answered；　nodding　his　good…mornings　to　us。　　〃This

case　of　yours；　Mr。　Phelps；　is　certainly　one　of　the

darkest　which　I　have　ever　investigated。〃



〃I　feared　that　you　would　find　it　beyond　you。〃



〃It　has　been　a　most　remarkable　experience。〃



〃That　bandage　tells　of　adventures；〃　said　I。　　〃Won't

you　tell　us　what　has　happened？〃



〃After　breakfast；　my　dear　Watson。　　Remember　that　I

have　breathed　thirty　mile　of　Surrey　air　this　morning。　

I　suppose　that　there　has　been　no　answer　from　my　cabman

advertisement？　　Well；　well；　we　cannot　expect　to　score

every　time。〃



The　table　was　all　laid；　and　just　as　I　was　about　to

ring　Mrs。　Hudson　entered　wit　the　tea　and　coffee。　　A

few　minutes　later　she　brought　in　three　covers；　and　we

all　drew　up　to　the　table；　Holmes　ravenous；　I　curious；

and　Phelps　in　the　gloomiest　state　of　depression。



〃Mrs。　Hudson　has　risen　to　the　occasion；〃　said　Holmes；

uncovering　a　dish　of　curried　chicken。　　〃Her　cuisine　is

a　little　limited；　but　she　has　as　good　an　idea　of

breakfast　as　a　Scotch…woman。　　What　have　you　here；

Watson？〃



〃Ham　and　eggs；〃　I　answered。



〃Good！　　What　are　you　going　to　take；　Mr。

Phelpscurried　fowl　or　eggs；　or　will　you　help

yourself？〃



〃Thank　you。　　I　can　eat　nothing；〃　said　Phelps。



〃Oh；　come！　　Try　the　dish　before　you。〃



〃Thank　you；　I　would　really　rather　not。〃



〃Well；　then；〃　said　Holmes；　with　a　mischievous　twinkle；

〃I　suppose　that　you　have　no　objection　to　helping　me？〃



Phelps　raised　the　cover；　and　as　hi　did　so　he　uttered　a

scream；　and　sat　there　staring　with　a　face　as　white　as

the　plate　upon　which　he　looked。　　Across　the　centre　of

it　was　lying　a　little　cylinder　of　blue…gray　paper。　　He

caught　it　up；　devoured　it　with　his　eyes；　and　then

danced　madly　about　the　room；　passing　it　to　his　bosom

and　shrieking　out　in　his　delight。　　Then　he　fell　back

into　an　arm…chair　so　limp　and　exhausted　with　his　own

emotions　that　we　had　to　pour　brandy　down　his　throat　to

keep　him　from　fainting。



〃There！　　there！〃　said　Holmes；　soothing；　patting　him

upon　the　shoulder。　　〃It　was　too　bad　to　spring　it　on

you　like　this；　but　Watson　here　will　tell　you　that　I

never　can　resist　a　touch　of　the　dramatic。〃



Phelps　seized　his　hand　and　kissed　it。　　〃God　bless

you！〃　he　cried。　　〃You　have　saved　my　honor。〃



〃Well；　my　own　was　at　stake；　you　know；〃　said　Holmes。　

〃I　assure　you　it　is　just　as　hateful　to　me　to　fail　in　a

case　as　it　can　be　to　you　to　blunder　over　a

commission。〃



Phelps　thrust　away　the　precious　document　into　the

innermost　pocket　of　his　coat。



〃I　have　not　the　heart　to　interrupt　your　breakfast　any

further；　and　yet　I　am　dying　to　know　how　you　got　it　and

where　it　was。〃



Sherlock　Holmes　swallowed　a　cup　of　coffee；　and　turned

his　attention　to　the　ham　and　eggs。　　Then　he　rose；　lit

his　pipe；　and　settled　himself　down　into　his　chair。



〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　did　first；　and　how　I　came　to　do

it　afterwards；〃　said　he。　　〃After　leaving　you　at　the

station　I　went　for　a　charming　walk　through　some

admirable　Surrey　scenery　to　a　pretty　little　village

called　Ripley；　where　I　had　my　tea　at　an　inn；　and　took

the　precaution　of　filling　my　flask　and　of　putting　a

paper　of　sandwiches　in　my　pocket。　　There　I　remained

until　evening；　when　I　set　off　for　Woking　again；　and

found　myself　in　the　high…road　outside　Briarbrae　just

after　sunset。



〃Well；　I　waited　until　the　road　was　clearit　is　never

a　very　frequented　one　at　any　time；　I　fancyand　then　I

clambered　over　the　fence　into　the　grounds。〃



〃Surely　the　gate　was　open！〃　ejaculated　Phelps。



〃Yes；　but　I　have　a　peculiar　taste　in　these　matters。　　I

chose　the　place　where　the　three　fir…trees　stand；　and

behind　their　screen　I　got　over　without　the　least

chance　of　any　one　in　the　house　being　able　to　see　me。　

I　crouched　down　among　the　bushes　on　the　other　side；

and　crawled　from　one　to　the　otherwitness　the

disreputable　state　of　my　trouser　kneesuntil　I　had

reached　the　clump　of　rhododendrons　just　opposite　to

your　bedroom　window。　　There　I　squatted　down　and

awaited　developments。



〃The　blind　was　not　down　in　your　room；　and　I　could　see

Miss　Harrison　sitting　there　reading　by　the　table。　　It

was　quarter…past　ten　when　she　closed　her　book；

fastened　the　shutters；　and　retired。



〃I　heard　her　shut　the　door；　and　felt　quite　sure　that

she　had　turned　the　key　in　the　lock。〃



〃The　key！〃　ejaculated　Phelps。



〃Yes；　I　had　given　Miss　Harrison　instructions　to　lock

the　door　on　the　outside　and　take　the　key　with　her　when

she　went　to　bed。　　She　carried　out　every　one　of　my

injunctions　to　the　letter；　and　certainly　without　her

cooperation　you　would　not　have　that　paper　in　you

coat…pocket。　　She　departed　then　and　the　lights　went

out；　and　I　was　left　squatting　in　the

rhododendron…bush。



〃The　night　was　fine；　but　still　it　was　a　very　weary

vigil。　　Of　course　it　has　the　sort　of　excitement　about

it　that　the　sportsman　feels　when　he　lies　beside　the

water…course　and　waits　for　the　big　game。　　It　was　very

long；　thoughalmost　as　long；　Watson；　as　when　you　and

I　waited　in　that　deadly　room　when　we　looked　into　the

little　problem　of　the　Speckled　Band。　　There　was　a

church…clock　down　at　Woking　which　struck　the　quarters；

and　I　thought　more　than　once　that　it　had　stopped。　　At

last　however　about　two　in　the　morning；　I　suddenly

heard　the　gentle　sound　of　a　bolt　being　pushed　back　and

the　creaking　of　a　key。　　A　moment　later　the　servant's

door　was　opened；　and　Mr。　Joseph　Harrison　stepped　out

into　the　moonlight。〃



〃Joseph！〃　ejaculated　Phelps。



〃He　was　bare…headed；　but　he　had　a　black　coat　thrown

over　his　shoulder　so　that　he　could　conceal　his　face　in

an　instant　if　there　were　any　alarm。　　He　walked　on

tiptoe　under　the　shadow　of　the　wall；　and　when　he

reached　the　window　he　worked　a　long…bladed　knife

through　the　sash　and　pushed　back　the　catch。　　Then　he

flung　open　the　window；　and　putting　his　knife　through

the　crack　in　the　shutters；　he　thrust　the　bar　up　and

swung　them　open。



〃From　where　I　lay　I　had　a　perfect　view　of　the　inside

of　the　room　and　of　every　one　of　his　movements。　　He　lit

the　two　candles　whi