the adventure of the six napoleons-第4章

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back；　and　an　instant　later　Lestrade　and　I　had　him　by　either　wrist；　and

the　handcuffs　had　been　fastened。　As　we　turned　him　over　I　saw　a

hideous；　sallow　face；　with　writhing；　furious　features；　glaring　up　at

us；　and　I　knew　that　it　was　indeed　the　man　of　the　photograph　whom　we

had　secured。

　　But　it　was　not　our　prisoner　to　whom　Holmes　was　giving　his　attention。

Squatted　on　the　doorstep；　he　was　engaged　in　most　carefully　examining

that　which　the　man　had　brought　from　the　house。　It　was　a　bust　of

Napoleon；　like　the　one　which　we　had　seen　that　morning；　and　it　had　been

broken　into　similar　fragments。　Carefully　Holmes　held　each　separate

shard　to　the　light；　but　in　no　way　did　it　differ　from　any　other

shattered　piece　of　plaster。　He　had　just　completed　his　examination　when

the　hall　lights　flew　up；　the　door　opened；　and　the　owner　of　the

house；　a　jovial；　rotund　figure　in　shirt　and　trousers；　presented

himself。

　　〃Mr。　Josiah　Brown；　I　suppose？〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Yes；　sir；　and　you；　no　doubt；　are　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes？　I　had　the

note　which　you　sent　by　the　express　messenger；　and　I　did　exactly　what

you　told　me。　We　locked　every　door　on　the　inside　and　awaited

developments。　Well；　I'm　very　glad　to　see　that　you　have　got　the　rascal。

I　hope；　gentlemen；　that　you　will　come　in　and　have　some　refreshment。〃

　　However；　Lestrade　was　anxious　to　get　his　man　into　safe　quarters；

so　within　a　few　minutes　our　cab　had　been　summoned　and　we　were　all　four

upon　our　way　to　London。　Not　a　word　would　our　captive　say；　but　he

glared　at　us　from　the　shadow　of　his　matted　hair；　and　once；　when　my

hand　seemed　within　his　reach；　he　snapped　at　it　like　a　hungry　wolf。

We　stayed　long　enough　at　the　police…station　to　learn　that　a　search

of　his　clothing　revealed　nothing　save　a　few　shillings　and　a　long

sheath　knife；　the　handle　of　which　bore　copious　traces　of　recent　blood。

　　〃That's　all　right；〃　said　Lestrade；　as　we　parted。　〃Hill　knows　all

these　gentry；　and　he　will　give　a　name　to　him。　You'll　find　that　my

theory　of　the　Mafia　will　work　out　all　right。　But　I'm　sure　I　am

exceedingly　obliged　to　you；　Mr。　Holmes；　for　the　workmanlike　way　in

which　you　laid　hands　upon　him。　I　don't　quite　understand　it　all　yet。〃

　　〃I　fear　it　is　rather　too　late　an　hour　for　explanations；〃　said

Holmes。　〃Besides；　there　are　one　or　two　details　which　are　not

finished　off；　and　it　is　one　of　those　cases　which　are　worth　working　out

to　the　very　end。　If　you　will　come　round　once　more　to　my　rooms　at　six

o'clock　to…morrow；　I　think　I　shall　be　able　to　show　you　that　even　now

you　have　not　grasped　the　entire　meaning　of　this　business；　which

presents　some　features　which　make　it　absolutely　original　in　the

history　of　crime。　If　ever　I　permit　you　to　chronicle　any　more　of　my

little　problems；　Watson；　I　foresee　that　you　will　enliven　your　pages　by

an　account　of　the　singular　adventure　of　the　Napoleonic　busts。〃

　　When　we　met　again　next　evening；　Lestrade　was　furnished　with　much

information　concerning　our　prisoner。　His　name；　it　appeared；　was　Beppo；

second　name　unknown。　He　was　a　well…known　ne'er…do…well　among　the

Italian　colony。　He　had　once　been　a　skilful　sculptor　and　had　earned

an　honest　living；　but　he　had　taken　to　evil　courses　and　had　twice

already　been　in　jail…　once　for　a　petty　theft；　and　once；　as　we　had

already　heard；　for　stabbing　a　fellow…countryman。　He　could　talk　English

perfectly　well。　His　reasons　for　destroying　the　busts　were　still

unknown；　and　he　refused　to　answer　any　questions　upon　the　subject；

but　the　police　had　discovered　that　these　same　busts　might　very　well

have　been　made　by　his　own　hands；　since　he　was　engaged　in　this　class　of

work　at　the　establishment　of　Gelder　&　Co。　To　all　this　information；

much　of　which　we　already　knew；　Holmes　listened　with　polite

attention；　but　I；　who　knew　him　so　well；　could　clearly　see　that　his

thoughts　were　elsewhere；　and　I　detected　a　mixture　of　mingled

uneasiness　and　expectation　beneath　that　mask　which　he　was　wont　to

assume。　At　last　he　started　in　his　chair；　and　his　eyes　brightened。

There　had　been　a　ring　at　the　bell。　A　minute　later　we　heard　steps

upon　the　stairs；　and　an　elderly　red…faced　man　with　grizzled

side…whiskers　was　ushered　in。　In　his　right　hand　he　carried　an

old…fashioned　carpet…bag；　which　he　placed　upon　the　table。

　　〃Is　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes　here？〃

　　My　friend　bowed　and　smiled。　〃Mr。　Sandeford；　of　Reading；　I

suppose？〃　said　he。

　　〃Yes；　sir；　I　fear　that　I　am　a　little　late；　but　the　trains　were

awkward。　You　wrote　to　me　about　a　bust　that　is　in　my　possession。〃

　　〃Exactly。〃

　　〃I　have　your　letter　here。　You　said；　'I　desire　to　possess　a　copy　of

Devine's　Napoleon；　and　am　prepared　to　pay　you　ten　pounds　for　the　one

which　is　in　your　possession。'　Is　that　right？〃

　　〃Certainly。〃

　　〃I　was　very　much　surprised　at　your　letter；　for　I　could　not　imagine

how　you　knew　that　I　owned　such　a　thing。〃

　　〃Of　course　you　must　have　been　surprised；　but　the　explanation　is　very

simple。　Mr。　Harding；　of　Harding　Brothers；　said　that　they　had　sold

you　their　last　copy；　and　he　gave　me　your　address。〃

　　〃Oh；　that　was　it；　was　it？　Did　he　tell　you　what　I　paid　for　it？〃

　　〃No；　he　did　not。〃

　　〃Well；　I　am　an　honest　man；　though　not　a　very　rich　one。　I　only　gave

fifteen　shillings　for　the　bust；　and　I　think　you　ought　to　know　that

before　I　take　ten　pounds　from　you。

　　〃I　am　sure　the　scruple　does　you　honour；　Mr。　Sandeford。　But　I　have

named　that　price；　so　I　intend　to　stick　to　it。〃

　　〃Well；　it　is　very　handsome　of　you；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　brought　the　bust　up

with　me；　as　you　asked　me　to　do。　Here　it　is！〃　He　opened　his　bag；　and　at

last　we　saw　placed　upon　our　table　a　complete　specimen　of　that　bust

which　we　had　already　seen　more　than　once　in　fragments。

　　Holmes　took　a　paper　from　his　pocket　and　laid　a　ten…pound　note　upon

the　table。

　　〃You　will　kindly　sign　that　paper；　Mr。　Sandeford；　in　the　presence

of　these　witnesses。　It　is　simply　to　say　that　you　transfer　every

possible　right　that　you　ever　had　in　the　bust　to　me。　I　am　a

methodical　man；　you　see；　and　you　never　know　what　turn　events　might

take　afterwards。　Thank　you；　Mr。　Sandeford；　here　is　your　money；　and　I

wish　you　a　very　good　evening。〃

　　When　our　visitor　had　disappeared；　Sherlock　Holmes's　movements　were

such　as　to　rivet　our　attention。　He　began　by　taking　a　clean　white　cloth

from　a　drawer　and　laying　it　over　the　table。　Then　he　placed　his　newly

acquired　bust　in　the　centre　of　the　cloth。　Finally；　he　picked　up　his

hunting…crop　and　struck　Napoleon　a　shard　blow　on　the　top　of　the

head。　The　figure　broke　into　fragments；　and　Holmes　bent　eagerly　over

the　shattered　remains。　Next　instant；　with　a　loud　shout　of　triumph　he

held　up　one　splinter；　in　which　a　round；　dark　object　was　fixed　like　a

plum　in　a　pudding。

　　〃Gentlemen；〃　he　cried；　〃let　me　introduce　you　to　the　famous　black

pearl　of　the　Borgias。〃

　　Lestrade　and　I　sat　silent　for　a　moment；　and　then；　with　a　spontaneous

impulse；　we　both　broke　at　the　well…wrought　crisis　of　a　play。　A　flush

of　colour　sprang　to　Holmes's　pale　cheeks；　and　he　bowed　to　us　like

the　master　dramatist　who　receives　the　homage　of　his　audience。　It　was

at　such　moments　that　for　an　instant　he　ceased　to　be　a　reasoning

machine；　and　betrayed　his　human　love　for　admiration　and　applause。

The　same　singularly　proud　and　reserved　nature　which　turned　away　with

disdain　from　popular　notoriety　was　capable　of　being　moved　to　its

depths　by　spontaneous　wonder　and　praise　from　a　friend。

　　〃Yes；　gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃it　is　the　most　famous　pearl　now　existing

in　the　world；　and　it　has　been　my　good　fortune；　by　a　connected　chain　of

inductive　reasoning；　to　trace　it　from　the　Prince　of　Colonna's

bedroom　at　the　Dacre　Hotel；　where　it　was　lost；　to　the　interior　of

this；　the　last　of　the　six　busts　of　Napoleon　which　were　manufactured　by

Gelder　&　Co。；　of　Stepney。　You　will　remember；　Lestrade；　the　sensation

caused　by　the　disappearance　of　this　valuable　jewel　and　the　vain

efforts　of　the　London　police　to　recover　it。　I　was　myself　consulted

upon　the　case；　but　I　was　unable　to　throw　any　light　upon　it。

Suspicion　fell　upon　the　maid　of　the　Princess；　who　was　an　Italian；

and　it　was　proved　that　she　had　a　brother　in　London；　but　we　failed　to

trace　any　connection　between　them。　The　maid's　name　was　Lucretia

Venucci；　and　there　is　no　doubt　in　my　mind　that　this　Pietro　who　was

murdered　two　nights　ago　was　the　brother。　I　have　been　looking　up　the

dates　in　the　old　files　of　the　paper；　and　I　find　that　the　disappearance

of　pearl　was　exactly　two　days　before　the　arrest　of　Beppo；　for　some

crime　of　violence…　an　event　which　took　place　in　the　factory　of

Gelder　&　Co。；　at　the　very　moment　when　these　busts　were　being　made。　Now

you　clearly　see　the　sequence　of　events；　though　you　see　them；　of

course；　in　the　inverse　order　to　the　way　in　which　they　presented

themselves　to　me。　Beppo　had　the　pearl　in　his　possession。　He　may　have

stolen　it　from　Pietro；　he　may　have　been　Pietro's　confederate；　he　may

have　been　the　go…between　of　Pietro　and　his　sister。　It　is　of　no

consequence　to　us　which　is　the　correct　solution。

　　〃The　main　fact　is　that　he　had　the　pearl；　and　at　that　moment；　when　it

was　his　person；　he　was　pursued　by　the　police。　He　made　for　the

factory　in　which　worked；　and　he　knew　that　he　had　only　a　few　minutes　in

which　to　conceal　this　enormously　valuable　prize；　which　would　otherwise

be　found　on　him　when　he　was　searched。　Six　plaster　casts　of　Napoleon

were　drying　in　the　passage。　One　of　them　was　still　soft。　In　an

instant　Beppo；　a　skilful　workman；　made　a　small　hole　in　the　wet

plaster；　dropped　in　the　pearl；　and　with　a　few　touches　covered　over　the

aperture　once　more。　It　was　an　admirable　hiding…place。　No　one　could

possibly　find　it。　But　Beppo　was　condemned　to　a　year's　imprisonment；

and　in　the　meanwhile　his　six　busts　were　scattered　over　London。　He

could　not　tell　which　contained　his　treasure。　Only　by　breaking　them

could　he　see。　Even　shaking　would　tell　him　nothing；　for　as　the

plaster　was　wet　it　was　probable　that　the　pearl　would　adhere　to

it…as；　in　fact；　it　has　done。　Beppo　did　not　despair；　and　he　conducted

his　search　with　considerable　ingenuity　and　perseverance。　Through　a

cousin　who　works　with　Gelder；　he　found　out　the　retail　firms　who　had

bought　the　busts。　He　managed　to　find　employment　with　Morse　Hudson；　and

in　that　way　tracked　down　three　of　them。　The　pearl　was　not　there；　Then；

with　the　help　of　some　Italian　employee；　he　succeeded　in　finding　out

where　the　other　three　busts　had　gone。　The　first　was　at　Harker's。　There

he　was　dogged　by　his　confederate；　who　held　Beppo　responsible　for　the

loss　of　the　pearl；　and　he　stabbed　him　in　the　scuffle　which　followed。〃

　　〃If　he　was　his　confederate；　why　should　he　carry　his　photograph？〃　I

asked。

　　〃As　a　means　of　tracing　him；　if　he　wished　to　inquire　about　him　from

any　third　person。　That　was　the　obvious　reason。　Well；　after　the

murder　I　calculated　that　Beppo　would　probably　hurry　rather　than

delay　his　movements。　He　would　fear　that　the　police　would　read　his

secret；　and　so　he　hastened　on　before　they　should　get　ahead　of　him。

Of　course；　I　could　not　say　that　he　had　not　found　the　pearl　in　Harker's

bust。　I　had　not　even　concluded　for　certain　that　it　was　the　pearl；

but　it　was　evident　to　me　that　he　was　looking　for　something；　since　he

c