the adventure of the cardboard box-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


that　the　male　ear　was　pierced　for　an　earring　which　is　so　much　more

common　among　sailors　than　landsmen；　I　was　quite　certain　that　an　the

actors　in　the　tragedy　were　to　be　found　among　our　seafaring　classes。

　　〃When　I　came　to　examine　the　address　of　the　packet　I　observed　that　it

was　to　Miss　S。　Cushing。　Now；　the　oldest　sister　would；　of　course；　be

Miss　Cushing；　and　although　her　initial　was　'S'　it　might　belong　to

one　of　the　others　as　well。　In　that　case　we　should　have　to　commence　our

investigation　from　a　fresh　basis　altogether。　I　therefore　went　into　the

house　with　the　intention　of　clearing　up　this　point。　I　was　about　to

assure　Miss　Cushing　that　I　was　convinced　that　a　mistake　had　been

made　when　you　may　remember　that　I　came　suddenly　to　a　stop。　The　fact

was　that　I　had　just　seen　something　which　filled　me　with　surprise　and

at　the　same　time　narrowed　the　field　of　our　inquiry　immensely。

　　〃As　a　medical　man；　you　are　aware；　Watson；　that　there　is　no　part　of

the　body　which　varies　so　much　as　the　human　ear。　Each　ear　is　as　a

rule　quite　distinctive　and　differs　from　all　other　ones。　In　last

years　Anthropological　Journal　you　will　find　two　short　monographs

from　my　pen　upon　the　subject。　I　had；　therefore；　examined　the　ears　in

the　box　with　the　eyes　of　an　expert　and　had　carefully　noted　their

anatomical　peculiarities。　Imagine　my　surprise；　then；　when　on　looking

at　Miss　Cushing　I　perceived　that　her　ear　corresponded　exactly　with　the

female　ear　which　I　had　just　inspected。　The　matter　was　entirely

beyond　coincidence。　There　was　the　same　shortening　of　the　pinna；　the

same　broad　curve　of　the　upper　lobe；　the　same　convolution　of　the

inner　cartilage。　In　all　essentials　it　was　the　same　ear。

　　〃Of　course　I　at　once　saw　the　enormous　importance　of　the　observation。

It　was　evident　that　the　victim　was　a　blood　relation；　and　probably　a

very　close　one。　I　began　to　talk　to　her　about　her　family；　and　you

remember　that　she　at　once　gave　us　some　exceedingly　valuable　details。

　　〃In　the　first　place；　her　sisters　name　was　Sarah；　and　her　address　had

until　recently　been　the　same；　so　that　it　was　quite　obvious　how　the

mistake　had　occurred　and　for　whom　the　packet　was　meant。　Then　we

heard　of　this　steward；　married　to　the　third　sister；　and　learned　that

he　had　at　one　time　been　so　intimate　with　Miss　Sarah　that　she　had

actually　gone　up　to　Liverpool　to　be　near　the　Browners；　but　a　quarrel

had　afterwards　divided　them。　This　quarrel　had　put　a　stop　to　all

communications　for　some　months；　so　that　if　Browner　had　occasion　to

address　a　packet　to　Miss　Sarah；　he　would　undoubtedly　have　done　so　to

her　old　address。

　　〃And　now　the　matter　had　begun　to　straighten　itself　out

wonderfully。　We　had　learned　of　the　existence　of　this　steward；　an

impulsive　man；　of　strong　passions…　you　remember　that　he　threw　up

what　must　have　been　a　very　superior　berth　in　order　to　be　nearer　to　his

wife…　subject；　too；　to　occasional　fits　of　hard　drinking。　We　had　reason

to　believe　that　his　wife　had　been　murdered；　and　that　a　man…　presumably

a　seafaring　man…　had　been　murdered　at　the　same　time。　Jealousy；　of

course；　at　once　suggests　itself　as　the　motive　for　the　crime。　And　why

should　these　proofs　of　the　deed　be　sent　to　Miss　Sarah　Cushing？

Probably　because　during　her　residence　in　Liverpool　she　had　some　hand

in　bringing　about　the　events　which　led　to　the　tragedy。　You　will

observe　that　this　line　of　boats　calls　at　Belfast　Dublin；　and

Waterford；　so　that；　presuming　that　Browner　had　committed　the　deed

and　had　embarked　at　once　upon　his　steamer；　the　May　Day；　Belfast

would　be　the　first　place　at　which　he　could　post　his　terrible　packet。

　　〃A　second　solution　was　at　this　stage　obviously　possible；　and

although　I　thought　it　exceedingly　unlikely；　I　was　determined　to

elucidate　it　before　going　further。　An　unsuccessful　lover　might　have

killed　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Browner；　and　the　male　ear　might　have　belonged　to

the　husband。　There　were　many　grave　objections　to　this　theory；　but　it

was　conceivable。　I　therefore　sent　off　a　telegram　to　my　friend　Algar；

of　the　Liverpool　force；　and　asked　him　to　find　out　if　Mrs。　Browner　were

at　home；　and　if　Browner　had　departed　in　the　May　Day。　Then　we　went　on

to　Wallington　to　visit　Miss　Sarah。

　　〃I　was　curious；　in　the　first　place；　to　see　how　far　the　family　ear

had　been　reproduced　in　her。　Then；　of　course；　she　might　give　us　very

important　information；　but　I　was　not　sanguine　that　she　would。　She　must

have　heard　of　the　business　the　day　before；　since　all　Croydon　was

ringing　with　it；　and　she　alone　could　have　understood　for　whom　the

packet　was　meant。　If　she　had　been　willing　to　help　justice　she　would

probably　have　communicated　with　the　police　already。　However；　it　was

clearly　our　duty　to　see　her；　so　we　went。　We　found　that　the　news　of　the

arrival　of　the　packet…　for　her　illness　dated　from　that　time…　had

such　an　effect　upon　her　as　to　bring　on　brain　fever。　It　was　clearer

than　ever　that　she　understood　its　full　significance；　but　equally　clear

that　we　should　have　to　wait　some　time　for　any　assistance　from　her。

　　〃However；　we　were　really　independent　of　her　help。　Our　answers　were

waiting　for　us　at　the　police…station；　where　I　had　directed　Algar　to

send　them。　Nothing　could　be　more　conclusive。　Mrs。　Browner's　house

had　been　closed　for　more　than　three　days；　and　the　neighbours　were　of

opinion　that　she　had　gone　south　to　see　her　relatives。　It　had　been

ascertained　at　the　shipping　offices　that　Browner　had　left　aboard　of

the　May　Day；　and　I　calculate　that　she　is　due　in　the　Thames　tomorrow

night。　When　he　arrives　he　will　be　met　by　the　obtuse　but　resolute

Lestrade；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　we　shall　have　all　our　details

filled　in。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　was　not　disappointed　in　his　expectations。　Two　days

later　he　received　a　bulky　envelope；　which　contained　a　short　note

from　the　detective；　and　a　typewritten　document　which　covered　several

pages　of　foolscap。

　　〃Lestrade　has　got　him　all　right；〃　said　Holmes；　glancing　up　at　me。

〃Perhaps　it　would　interest　you　to　hear　what　he　says。



My　Dear　Holmes：

　　〃In　accordance　with　the　scheme　which　we　had　formed　in　order　to

test　our　theories〃　＇〃the　'we'　is　rather　fine；　Watson；　is　it　not？〃＇

〃I　went　down　to　the　Albert　Dock　yesterday　at　6　P。M。；　and　boarded　the

S。S。　May　Day；　belonging　to　the　Liverpool；　Dublin；　and　London　Steam

Packet　Company。　On　inquiry；　I　found　that　there　was　a　steward　on

board　of　the　name　of　James　Browner　and　that　he　had　acted　during　the

voyage　in　such　an　extraordinary　manner　that　the　captain　had　been

compelled　to　relieve　him　of　his　duties。　On　descending　to　his　berth；

I　found　him　seated　upon　a　chest　with　his　head　sunk　upon　his　hands；

rocking　himself　to　and　fro。　He　is　a　big；　powerful　chap；

clean…shaven；　and　very　swarthy…　something　like　Aldridge；　who　helped　us

in　the　bogus　laundry　affair。　He　jumped　up　when　he　heard　my　business；

and　I　had　my　whistle　to　my　lips　to　call　a　couple　of　river　police；

who　were　round　the　corner；　but　he　seemed　to　have　no　heart　in　him；

and　he　held　out　his　hands　quietly　enough　for　the　darbies。　We　brought

him　along　to　the　cells；　and　his　box　as　well　for　we　thought　there　might

be　something　incriminating；　but；　bar　a　big　sharp　knife　such　as　most

sailors　have；　we　got　nothing　for　our　trouble。　However；　we　find　that　we

shall　want　no　more　evidence；　for　on　being　brought　before　the　inspector

at　the　station　he　asked　leave　to　make　a　statement　which　was；　of

course；　taken　down；　just　as　he　made　it；　by　our　shorthand　man。　We　had

three　copies　typewritten；　one　of　which　I　enclose。　The　affair　proves；

as　I　always　thought　it　would；　to　be　an　extremely　simple　one；　but　I

am　obliged　to　you　for　assisting　me　in　my　investigation。　With　kind

regards；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yours　very　truly；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃G。　LESTRADE。



　　〃Hum！　The　investigation　really　was　a　very　simple　one；〃　remarked

Holmes；　〃but　I　don't　think　it　struck　him　in　that　light　when　he　first

called　us　in。　However；　let　us　see　what　Jim　Browner　has　to　say　for

himself。　This　is　his　statement　as　made　before　Inspector　Montgomery

at　the　Shadwell　Police　Station；　and　it　has　the　advantage　of　being

verbatim。〃



　　〃'Have　I　anything　to　say？　Yes；　I　have　a　deal　to　say。　I　have　to

make　a　clean　breast　of　it　all。　You　can　hang　me；　or　you　can　leave　me

alone。　I　don't　care　a　plug　which　you　do。　I　tell　you　I've　not　shut　an

eye　in　sleep　since　I　did　it；　and　I　don't　believe　I　ever　will　again

until　I　get　past　all　waking。　Sometimes　it's　his　face；　but　most

generally　it's　hers。　I'm　never　without　one　or　the　other　before　me。

He　looks　frowning　and　black…like；　but　she　has　a　kind　o'　surprise

upon　her　face。　Ay；　the　white　lamb；　she　might　well　be　surprised　when

she　read　death　on　a　face　that　had　seldom　looked　anything　but　love　upon

her　before。

　　〃'But　it　was　Sarah's　fault　and　may　the　curse　of　a　broken　man　put　a

blight　on　her　and　set　the　blood　rotting　in　her　veins！　It's　not　that

I　want　to　clear　myself。　I　know　that　I　went　back　to　drink；　like　the

beast　that　I　was。　But　she　would　have　forgiven　me；　she　would　have　stuck

as　close　to　me　as　a　rope　to　a　block　if　that　woman　had　never　darkened

our　door。　For　Sarah　Cushing　loved　me…　that's　the　root　of　the　b