the adventure of the copper beeches-第5章

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there　is　only　one　feasible　explanation。　You　have　been　brought　there　to

personate　someone；　and　the　real　person　is　imprisoned　in　this

chamber。　That　is　obvious。　As　to　who　this　prisoner　is；　I　have　no

doubt　that　it　is　the　daughter；　Miss　Alice　Rucastle；　if　I　remember

right；　who　was　said　to　have　gone　to　America。　You　were　chosen；

doubtless；　as　resembling　her　in　height；　figure；　and　the　colour　of　your

hair。　Hers　had　been　cut　off；　very　possibly　in　some　illness　through

which　she　has　passed；　and　so；　of　course；　yours　had　to　be　sacrificed

also。　By　a　curious　chance　you　came　upon　her　tresses。　The　man　in　the

road　was　undoubtedly　some　friend　of　hers…possibly　her　fiance…and　no

doubt；　as　you　wore　the　girl's　dress　and　were　so　like　her；　he　was

convinced　from　your　laughter；　whenever　he　saw　you；　and　afterwards　from

your　gesture；　that　Miss　Rucastle　was　perfectly　happy；　and　that　she

no　longer　desired　his　attentions。　The　dog　is　let　loose　at　night　to

prevent　him　from　endeavouring　to　communicate　with　her。　So　much　is

fairly　clear。　The　most　serious　point　in　the　case　is　the　disposition　of

the　child。〃

　　〃What　on　earth　has　that　to　do　with　it？〃　I　ejaculated。

　　〃My　dear　Watson；　you　as　a　medical　man　are　continually　gaining

light　as　to　the　tendencies　of　a　child　by　the　study　of　the　parents。

Don't　you　see　that　the　converse　is　equally　valid。　I　have　frequently

gained　my　first　real　insight　into　the　character　of　parents　by　studying

their　children。　This　child's　disposition　is　abnormally　cruel；　merely

for　cruelty's　sake；　and　whether　he　derives　this　from　his　smiling

father；　as　I　should　suspect；　or　from　his　mother；　it　bodes　evil　for　the

poor　girl　who　is　in　their　power。〃

　　〃I　am　sure　that　you　are　right　Mr。　Holmes；〃　cried　our　client。　〃A

thousand　things　come　back　to　me　which　make　me　certain　that　you　have

hit　it。　Oh；　let　us　lose　not　an　instant　in　bringing　help　to　this　poor

creature。〃

　　〃We　must　be　circumspect　for　we　are　dealing　with　a　very　cunning

man。　We　can　do　nothing　until　seven　o'clock。　At　that　hour　we　shall　be

with　you；　and　it　will　not　be　long　before　we　solve　the　mystery。〃

　　We　were　as　good　as　our　word；　for　it　was　just　seven　when　we　reached

the　Copper　Beeches；　having　put　up　our　trap　at　a　wayside

public…house。　The　group　of　trees；　with　their　dark　leaves　shining

like　burnished　metal　in　the　light　of　the　setting　sun；　were

sufficient　to　mark　the　house　even　had　Miss　Hunter　not　been　standing

smiling　on　the　door…step。

　　〃Have　you　managed　it？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　A　loud　thudding　noise　came　from　somewhere　downstairs。　〃That　is

Mrs。　Toller　in　the　cellar；〃　said　she。　〃Her　husband　lies　snoring　on　the

kitchen　rug。　Here　are　his　keys；　which　are　the　duplicates　of　Mr。

Rucastle's。〃

　　〃You　have　done　well　indeed！〃　cried　Holmes　with　enthusiasm。　〃Now　lead

the　way；　and　we　shall　soon　see　the　end　of　this　black　business。〃

　　We　passed　up　the　stair；　unlocked　the　door；　followed　on　down　a

passage；　and　found　ourselves　in　front　of　the　barricade　which　Miss

Hunter　had　described。　Holmes　cut　the　cord　and　removed　the　transverse

bar。　Then　he　tried　the　various　keys　in　the　lock；　but　without

success。　No　sound　came　from　within；　and　at　the　silence　Holmes's　face

clouded　over。

　　〃I　trust　that　we　are　not　too　late；〃　said　he。　〃I　think；　Miss

Hunter；　that　we　had　better　go　in　without　you。　Now；　Watson；　put　your

shoulder　to　it；　and　we　shall　see　whether　we　cannot　make　our　way　in。〃

　　It　was　an　old　rickety　door　and　gave　at　once　before　our　united

strength。　Together　we　rushed　into　the　room。　It　was　empty。　There　was　no

furniture　save　a　little　pallet　bed；　a　small　table；　and　a　basketful

of　linen。　The　skylight　above　was　open；　and　the　prisoner　gone。

　　〃There　has　been　some　villainy　here；〃　said　Holmes；　〃this　beauty　has

guessed　Miss　Hunter's　intentions　and　has　carried　his　victim　off。〃

　　〃But　how？〃

　　〃Through　the　skylight。　We　shall　soon　see　how　he　managed　it。〃　He

swung　himself　up　onto　the　roof。　〃Ah；　yes；〃　he　cried；　〃here's　the　end

of　a　long　light　ladder　against　the　eaves。　That　is　how　he　did　it。〃

　　〃But　it　is　impossible；〃　said　Miss　Hunter；　〃the　ladder　was　not

there　when　the　Rucastles　went　away。

　　〃He　has　come　back　and　done　it。　I　tell　you　that　he　is　a　clever　and

dangerous　man。　I　should　not　be　very　much　surprised　if　this　were　he

whose　step　I　hear　now　upon　the　stair。　I　think；　Watson；　that　it　would

be　as　well　for　you　to　have　your　pistol　ready。〃

　　The　words　were　hardly　out　of　his　mouth　before　a　man　appeared　at

the　door　of　the　room；　a　very　fat　and　burly　man；　with　a　heavy　stick

in　his　hand。　Miss　Hunter　screamed　and　shrunk　against　the　wall　at　the

sight　of　him；　but　Sherlock　Holmes　sprang　forward　and　confronted　him。

　　〃You　villain！〃　said　he；　〃where's　your　daughter？〃

　　The　fat　man　cast　his　eyes　round；　and　then　up　at　the　open　skylight。

　　〃It　is　for　me　to　ask　you　that；〃　he　shrieked；　〃you　thieves！　Spies　and

thieves！　I　have　caught　you；　have　I？　You　are　in　my　power。　I'll　serve

you！〃　He　turned　and　clattered　down　the　stairs　as　hard　as　he　could　go。

　　〃He's　gone　for　the　dog！〃　cried　Miss　Hunter。

　　〃I　have　my　revolver；〃　said　I。

　　〃Better　close　the　front　door；〃　cried　Holmes；　and　we　all　rushed

down　the　stairs　together。　We　had　hardly　reached　the　hall　when　we　heard

the　baying　of　a　hound；　and　then　a　scream　of　agony；　with　a　horrible

worrying　sound　which　it　was　dreadful　to　listen　to。　An　elderly　man　with

a　red　face　and　shaking　limbs　came　staggering　out　at　a　side　door。

　　〃My　God〃　he　cried。　〃Someone　has　loosed　the　dog。　He's　not　been　fed

for　two　days。　Quick；　quick；　or　we'll　be　too　late！〃

　　Holmes　and　I　rushed　out　and　round　the　angle　of　the　house；　with

Toller　hurrying　behind　us。　There　was　the　huge　famished　brute；　its

black　muzzle　buried　in　Rucastle's　throat；　while　he　writhed　and

screamed　upon　the　ground。　Running　up；　I　blew　its　brains　out；　and　it

fell　over　with　its　keen　white　teeth　still　meeting　in　the　great　creases

of　his　neck。　With　much　labour　we　separated　them　and　carried　him；

living　but　horribly　mangled；　into　the　house。　We　laid　him　upon　the

drawing…room　sofa；　and　having　dispatched　the　sobered　Toller　to　bear

the　news　to　his　wife；　I　did　what　I　could　to　relieve　his　pain。　We

were　all　assembled　round　him　when　the　door　opened　and　a　tall；　gaunt

woman　entered　the　room。

　　〃Mrs。　Toller！〃　cried　Miss　Hunter。

　　〃Yes；　miss。　Mr。　Rucastle　let　me　out　when　he　came　back　before　he　went

up　to　you。　Ah；　miss；　it　is　a　pity　you　didn't　let　me　know　what　you　were

planning；　for　I　would　have　told　you　that　your　pains　were　wasted。〃

　　〃Ha！〃　said　Holmes；　looking　keenly　at　her。　〃It　is　clear　that　Mrs。

Toller　knows　more　about　this　matter　than　anyone　else。〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　I　do；　and　I　am　ready　enough　to　tell　what　I　know。〃

　　〃Then；　pray；　sit　down；　and　let　us　hear　it；　for　there　are　several

points　on　which　I　must　confess　that　I　am　still　in　the　dark。〃

　　〃I　will　soon　make　it　clear　to　you；〃　said　she；　〃and　I'd　have　done

so　before　now　if　I　could　ha'　got　out　from　the　cellar。　If　there's

police…court　business　over　this；　you'll　remember　that　I　was　the　one

that　stood　your　friend；　and　that　I　was　Miss　Alice's　friend　too。

　　〃She　was　never　happy　at　home；　Miss　Alice　wasn't；　from　the　time

that　her　father　married　again。　She　was　slighted　like　and　had　no　say　in

anything；　but　it　never　really　became　bad　for　her　until　after　she　met

Mr。　Fowler　at　a　friend's　house。　As　well　as　I　could　learn；　Miss　Alice

had　rights　of　her　own　by　will；　but　she　was　so　quiet　and　patient；　she

was；　that　she　never　said　a　word　about　them；　but　just　left　everything

in　Mr。　Rucastle's　hands。　He　knew　he　was　safe　with　her；　but　when

there　was　a　chance　of　a　husband　coming　forward；　who　would　ask　for

all　that　the　law　would　give　him；　then　her　father　thought　it　time　to

put　a　stop　on　it。　He　wanted　her　to　sign　a　paper；　so　that　whether　she

married　or　not；　he　could　use　her　money。　When　she　wouldn't　do　it；　he

kept　on　worrying　her　until　she　got　brain…fever；　and　for　six　weeks

was　at　death's　door。　Then　she　got　better　at　last；　all　worn　to　a

shadow；　and　with　her　beautiful　hair　cut　off；　but　that　didn't　make　no

change　in　her　young　man；　and　he　stuck　to　her　as　true　as　man　could　be。〃

　　〃Ah；〃　said　Holmes；　〃I　think　that　what　you　have　been　good　enough　to

tell　us　makes　the　matter　fairly　clear；　and　that　I　can　deduce　all

that　remains。　Mr。　Rucastle　then；　I　presume；　took　to　this　system　of

imprisonment？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。〃

　　〃And　brought　Miss　Hunter　down　from　London　in　order　to　get　rid　of　the

disagreeable　persistence　of　Mr。　Fowler。〃

　　〃That　was　it；　sir。〃

　　〃But　Mr。　Fowler　being　a　persevering　man；　as　a　good　seaman　should　be；

blockaded　the　house；　and　having　met　you　succeeded　by　certain

arguments；　metallic　or　otherwise；　in　convincing　you　that　your

interests　were　the　same　as　his。〃

　　〃Mr。　Fowler　was　a　very　kind…spoken；　free…handed　gentleman；〃　said

Mrs。　Toller　serenely。

　　〃And　in　this　way　he　managed　that　your　good　man　should　have　no　want

of　drink；　and　that　a　ladder　should　be　ready　at　the　moment　when　your

master　had　gone　out。〃

　　〃You　have　it；　sir；　just　as　it　happened。〃

　　〃I　am　sure　we　owe　you　an　apology；　Mrs。　Toller；〃　said　Holmes；　〃for

you　have　certainly　cleared　up　everything　which　puzzled　us。　And　here

comes　the　country　surgeon　and　Mrs。　Rucastle；　so　I　think；　Watson；

that　we　had　best　escort　Miss　Hunter　back　to　Winchester；　as　it　seems　to

me　that　our　locus　standi　now　is　rather　a　questionable　one。〃

　　And　thus　was　solved　the　mystery　of　the　sinister　house　with　the

copper　beeches　in　front　of　the　door。　Mr。　Rucastle　survived；　but　was

always　a　broken　man；　kept　alive　solely　through　the　care　of　his　devoted

wife。　They　still　live　with　their　old　servants；　who　probably　know　so

much　of　Rucastle's　past　life　that　he　finds　it　difficult　to　part　from

them。　Mr。　Fowler　and　Miss　Rucastle　were　married；　by　special　license；

in　Southampton　the　day　after　their　flight；　and　he　is　now　the　holder　of

a　government　appointment　in　the　island　of　Mauritius。　As　to　Miss　Violet

Hunter；　my　friend　Holmes；　rather　to　my　disappointment；　manifested　no

further　interest　in　her　when　once　she　had　ceased　to　be　the　centre　of

one　of　his　problems；　and　she　is　now　the　head　of　a　private　school　at

Walsall；　where　I　believe　that　she　has　met　with　considerable　success。

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