the adventure of wisteria lodge-第4节

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An　instant　later　a　white…faced；　hard…breathing　policeman　had　opened

the　door；　the　candle　wavering　in　his　trembling　hand。

　　〃What's　the　matter；　Walters？〃　asked　Baynes　sharply。

　　The　man　mopped　his　forehead　with　his　handkerchief　and　gave　a　long

sigh　of　relief。

　　〃I　am　glad　you　have　come；　sir。　It　has　been　a　long　evening；　and　I

don't　think　my　nerve　is　as　good　as　it　was。〃

　　〃Your　nerve；　Walters？　I　should　not　have　thought　you　had　a　nerve　in

your　body。〃

　　〃Well；　sir；　it's　this　lonely；　silent　house　and　the　queer　thing　in

the　kitchen。　Then　when　you　tapped　at　the　window　I　thought　it　had

come　again。〃

　　〃That　what　had　come　again？〃

　　〃The　devil；　sir；　for　all　I　know。　It　was　at　the　window。〃

　　〃What　was　at　the　window；　and　when？〃

　　〃It　was　just　about　two　hours　ago。　The　light　was　just　fading。　I　was

sitting　reading　in　the　chair。　I　don't　know　what　made　me　look　up；　but

there　was　a　face　looking　in　at　me　through　the　lower　pane。　Lord；　sir；

what　a　face　it　was！　I'll　see　it　in　my　dreams。〃

　　〃Tut；　tut；　Walters。　This　is　not　talk　for　a　police…constable。〃

　　〃I　know；　sir；　I　know；　but　it　shook　me；　sir；　and　there's　no　use　to

deny　it。　It　wasn't　black；　sir；　nor　was　it　white；　nor　any　colour　that　I

know；　but　a　kind　of　queer　shade　like　clay　with　a　splash　of　milk　in　it。

Then　there　was　the　size　of　it…　it　was　twice　yours；　sir。　And　the　look

of　it…　the　great　staring　goggle　eyes；　and　the　line　of　white　teeth　like

a　hungry　beast。　I　tell　you；　sir；　I　couldn't　move　a　finger；　nor　get

my　breath；　till　it　whisked　away　and　was　gone。　Out　I　ran　and　through

the　shrubbery；　but　thank　God　there　was　no　one　there。〃

　　〃If　I　didn't　know　you　were　a　good　man；　Walters；　I　should　put　a　black

mark　against　you　for　this。　If　it　were　the　devil　himself　a　constable　on

duty　should　never　thank　God　that　he　could　not　lay　his　hands　upon

him。　I　suppose　the　whole　thing　is　not　a　vision　and　a　touch　of　nerves？〃

　　〃That；　at　least；　is　very　easily　settled；〃　said　Holmes；　lighting

his　little　pocket　lantern。　〃Yes；〃　he　reported；　after　a　short

examination　of　the　grass　bed；　〃a　number　twelve　shoe；　I　should　say。

If　he　was　all　on　the　same　scale　as　his　foot　he　must　certainly　have

been　a　giant。〃

　　〃What　became　of　him？〃

　　〃He　seems　to　have　broken　through　the　shrubbery　and　made　for　the

road。〃

　　〃Well〃　said　the　inspector　with　a　grave　and　thoughtful　face；　〃whoever

he　may　have　been；　and　whatever　he　may　have　wanted；　he's　gone　for　the

present　and　we　have　more　immediate　things　to　attend　to。　Now；　Mr。

Holmes；　with　your　permission；　I　will　show　you　round　the　house。〃

　　The　various　bedrooms　and　sitting…rooms　had　yielded　nothing　to　a

careful　search。　Apparently　the　tenants　had　brought　little　or　nothing

with　them；　and　all　the　furniture　down　to　the　smallest　detail　had

been　taken　over　with　the　house。　A　good　deal　of　clothing　with　the　stamp

of　Marx　and　Co。；　High　Holborn；　had　been　left　behind。　Telegraphic

inquiries　had　been　already　made　which　showed　that　Marx　knew　nothing　of

his　customer　save　that　he　was　a　good　payer。　Odds　and　ends；　some　pipes；

a　few　novels；　two　of　them　in　Spanish；　an　old…fashioned　pinfire

revolver；　and　a　guitar　were　among　the　personal　property。

　　〃Nothing　in　all　this〃　said　Baynes；　stalking；　candle　in　hand；　from

room　to　room。　〃But　now；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　invite　your　attention　to　the

kitchen。〃

　　It　was　a　gloomy；　high…ceilinged　room　at　the　back　of　the　house；

with　a　straw　litter　in　one　corner；　which　served　apparently　as　a　bed

for　the　cook。　The　table　was　piled　with　half…eaten　dishes　and　dirty

plates；　the　debris　of　last　night's　dinner。

　　〃Look　at　this；〃　said　Baynes。　〃What　do　you　make　of　it？〃

　　He　held　up　his　candle　before　an　extraordinary　object　which　stood

at　the　back　of　the　dresser。　It　was　so　wrinkled　and　shrunken　and

withered　that　it　was　difficult　to　say　what　it　might　have　been。　One

could　but　say　that　it　was　black　and　leathery　and　that　it　bore　some

resemblance　to　a　dwarfish；　human　figure。　At　first；　as　I　examined　it；　I

thought　that　it　was　a　mummified　negro　baby；　and　then　it　seemed　a

very　twisted　and　ancient　monkey。　Finally　I　was　left　in　doubt　as　to

whether　it　was　animal　or　human。　A　double　band　of　white　shells　was

strung　round　the　centre　of　it。

　　〃Very　interesting…　very　interesting；　indeed！〃　said　Holmes；　peering

at　this　sinister　relic。　〃Anything　more？〃

　　In　silence　Baynes　led　the　way　to　the　sink　and　held　forward　his

candle。　The　limbs　and　body　of　some　large；　white　bird；　torn　savagely　to

pieces　with　the　feathers　still　on；　were　littered　all　over　it。　Holmes

pointed　to　the　wattles　on　the　severed　head。

　　〃A　white　cock；〃　said　he。　〃Most　interesting！　It　is　really　a　very

curious　case。〃

　　　But　Mr。　Baynes　had　kept　his　most　sinister　exhibit　to　the　last。　From

under　the　sink　he　drew　a　zinc　pail　which　contained　a　quantity　of

blood。　Then　from　the　table　he　took　a　platter　heaped　with　small

pieces　of　charred　bone。

　　〃Something　has　been　killed　and　something　has　been　burned。　We　raked

all　these　out　of　the　fire。　We　had　a　doctor　in　this　morning。　He　says

that　they　are　not　human。〃

　　Holmes　smiled　and　rubbed　his　hands。

　　〃I　must　congratulate　you；　Inspector；　on　handling　so　distinctive

and　instructive　a　case。　Your　powers；　if　I　may　say　so　without

offence；　seem　superior　to　your　opportunities。〃

　　Inspector　Baynes's　small　eyes　twinkled　with　pleasure。

　　〃You're　right；　Mr。　Holmes。　We　stagnate　in　the　provinces。　A　case　of

this　sort　gives　a　man　a　chance；　and　I　hope　that　I　shall　take　it。

What　do　you　make　of　these　bones？〃

　　〃A　lamb；　I　should　say；　or　a　kid。〃

　　〃And　the　white　cock？〃

　　〃Curious；　Mr。　Baynes；　very　curious。　I　should　say　almost　unique。〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　there　must　have　been　some　very　strange　people　with　some

very　strange　ways　in　this　house。　One　of　them　is　dead。　Did　his

companions　follow　him　and　kill　him？　If　they　did　we　should　have　them；

for　every　port　is　watched。　But　my　own　views　are　different。　Yes；　sir；

my　own　views　are　very　different。〃

　　〃You　have　a　theory　then？〃

　　〃And　I'll　work　it　myself；　Mr。　Holmes。　It's　only　due　to　my　own　credit

to　do　so。　Your　name　is　made；　but　I　have　still　to　make　mine。　I　should

be　glad　to　be　able　to　say　afterwards　that　I　had　solved　it　without　your

help。〃

　　Holmes　laughed　good…humouredly。

　　〃Well；　well；　Inspector；〃　said　he。　〃Do　you　follow　your　path　and　I

will　follow　mine。　My　results　are　always　very　much　at　your　service　if

you　care　to　apply　to　me　for　them。　I　think　that　I　have　seen　all　that

I　wish　in　this　house；　and　that　my　time　may　be　more　profitably　employed

elsewhere。　Au　revoir　and　good　luck！〃

　　I　could　tell　by　numerous　subtle　signs；　which　might　have　been　lost

upon　anyone　but　myself；　that　Holmes　was　on　a　hot　scent。　As　impassive

as　ever　to　the　casual　observer；　there　were　none　the　less　a　subdued

eagerness　and　suggestion　of　tension　in　his　brightened　eyes　and　brisker

manner　which　assured　me　that　the　game　was　a　foot。　After　his　habit　he

said　nothing；　and　after　mine　I　asked　no　questions。　Sufficient　for　me

to　share　the　sport　and　lend　my　humble　help　to　the　capture　without

distracting　that　intent　brain　with　needless　interruption。　All　would

come　round　to　me　in　due　time。

　　I　waited；　therefore…　but　to　my　ever…deepening　disappointment　I

waited　in　vain。　Day　succeeded　day；　and　my　friend　took　no　step　forward。

One　morning　he　spent　in　town；　and　I　learned　from　a　casual　reference

that　he　had　visited　the　British　Museum。　Save　for　this　one　excursion；

he　spent　his　days　in　long　and　often　solitary　walks；　or　in　chatting

with　a　number　of　village　gossips　whose　acquaintance　he　had　cultivated。

　　〃I'm　sure；　Watson；　a　week　in　the　country　will　be　invaluable　to　you；〃

he　remarked。　〃It　is　very　pleasant　to　see　the　first　green　shoots　upon

the　hedges　and　the　catkins　on　the　hazels　once　again。　With　a　spud；　a

tin　box；　and　an　elementary　book　on　botany；　there　are　instructive

days　to　be　spent。〃　He　prowled　about　with　this　equipment　himself；　but

it　was　a　poor　show　of　plants　which　he　would　bring　back　of　an　evening。

　　Occasionally　in　our　rambles　we　came　across　Inspector　Baynes。　His

fat；　red　face　wreathed　itself　in　smiles　and　his　small　eyes　glittered

as　he　greeted　my　companion。　He　said　little　about　the　case；　but　from

that　little　we　gathered　that　he　also　was　not　dissatisfied　at　the

course　of　events。　I　must　admit；　however；　that　I　was　somewhat　surprised

when；　some　five　days　after　the　crime；　I　opened　my　morning　paper　to

find　in　large　letters：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　OXSHOTT　MYSTERY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　SOLUTION

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ARREST　OF　SUPPOSED　ASSASSIN



　　Holmes　sprang　in　his　chair　as　if　he　had　been　stung　when　I　read　the

headlines。

　　〃By　Jove！〃　he　cried。　〃You　don't　mean　that　Baynes　has　got　him？〃

　　〃Apparently；〃　said　I　as　I　read　the　following　report：



　　〃Great　excitement　was　caused　in　Esher　and　the　neighbouring

district　when　it　was　learned　late　last　night　that　an　arrest　had　been

effected　in　connection　with　the　Oxshott　murder。　It　will　be

remembered　that　Mr。　Garcia；　of　Wisteria　Lodge；　was　found　dead　on

Oxshott　Common；　his　body　showing　signs　of　extreme　violence；　and　that

on　the　same　night　his　servant　and　his　cook　fled；　which　appeared　to

show　participation　in　the　crime。　It　was　suggested；　but　never　proved；