the adventure of shoscombe old place-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　SHOSCOMBE　OLD　PLACE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　Sherlock　Holmes　had　been　bending　for　a　long　time　over　a　low…power

microscope。　Now　he　straightened　himself　up　and　looked　round　at　me　in

triumph。

　　〃It　is　glue；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃Unquestionably　it　is　glue。　Have　a

look　at　these　scattered　objects　in　the　field！〃

　　I　stooped　to　the　eyepiece　and　focussed　for　my　vision。

　　〃Those　hairs　are　threads　from　a　tweed　coat。　The　irregular　gray

masses　are　dust。　There　are　epithelial　scales　on　the　left。　Those

brown　blobs　in　the　centre　are　undoubtedly　glue。〃

　　〃Well；〃　I　said；　laughing；　〃I　am　prepared　to　take　your　word　for　it。

Does　anything　depend　upon　it？〃

　　〃It　is　a　very　fine　demonstration；〃　he　answered。　〃In　the　St。

Pancras　case　you　may　remember　that　a　cap　was　found　beside　the　dead

policeman。　The　accused　man　denies　that　it　is　his。　But　he　is　a

picture…frame　maker　who；　habitually　handles　glue。〃

　　〃Is　it　one　of　your　cases？〃

　　〃No；　my　friend；　Merivale；　of　the　Yard；　asked　me　to　look　into　the

case。　Since　I　ran　down　that　coiner　by　the　zinc　and　copper　filings　in

the　seam　of　his　cuff　they　have　begun　to　realize　the　importance　of

the　microscope。〃　He　looked　impatiently　at　his　watch。　〃I　had　a　new

client　calling；　but　he　is　overdue。　By　the　way；　Watson；　you　know

something　of　racing？〃

　　〃I　ought　to。　I　pay　for　it　with　about　half　my　wound　pension。〃

　　〃Then　I'll　make　you　my　'Handy　Guide　to　the　Turf。'　What　about　Sir

Robert　Norberton？　Does　the　name　recall　anything？〃

　　〃Well；　I　should　say　so。　He　lives　at　Shoscombe　Old　Place；　and　I

know　it　well；　for　my　summer　quarters　were　down　there　once。　Norberton

nearly；　came　within　your　province　once。〃

　　〃How　was　that？〃

　　〃It　was　when　he　horsewhipped　Sam　Brewer；　the　well…known　Curzon

Street　money…lender；　on　Newmarket　Heath。　He　nearly　killed　the　man。〃

　　〃Ah；　he　sounds　interesting！　Does　he　often　indulge　in　that　way？〃

　　〃Well；　he　has　the　name　of　being　a　dangerous　man。　He　is　about　the

most　daredevil　rider　in　England…　second　in　the　Grand　National　a　few

years　back。　He　is　one　of　those　men　who　have　overshot　their　true

generation。　He　should　have　been　a　buck　in　the　days　of　the　Regency…　a

boxer；　an　athlete；　a　plunger　on　the　turf；　a　lover　of　fair　ladies；　and；

by　all　account；　so　far　down　Queer　Street　that　he　may　never　find　his

way　back　again。〃

　　〃Capital；　Watson！　A　thumb…nail　sketch。　I　seem　to　know　the　man。

Now；　can　you　give　me　some　idea　of　Shoscombe　Old　Place？〃

　　〃Only　that　it　is　in　the　centre　of　Shoscombe　Park；　and　that　the

famous　Shoscombe　stud　and　training　quarters　are　to　be　found　there。〃

　　〃And　the　head　trainer；〃　said　Holmes；　〃is　John　Mason。　You　need　not

look　surprised　at　my　knowledge；　Watson；　for　this　is　a　letter　from

him　which　I　am　unfolding。　But　let　us　have　some　more　about　Shoscombe。　I

seem　to　have　struck　a　rich　vein。〃

　　〃There　are　the　Shoscombe　spaniels；〃　said　I。　〃You　hear　of　them　at

every　dog　show。　The　most　exclusive　breed　in　England。　They　are　the

special　pride　of　the　lady　of　Shoscombe　Old　Place。〃

　　〃Sir　Robert　Norberton's　wife；　I　presume！〃

　　〃Sir　Robert　has　never　married。　Just　as　well；　I　think；　considering

his　prospects。　He　lives　with　his　widowed　sister；　Lady　Beatrice

Falder。〃

　　〃You　mean　that　she　lives　with　him？〃

　　〃No；　no。　The　place　belonged　to　her　late　husband；　Sir　James　Norberton

has　no　claim　on　it　at　all。　It　is　only　a　life　interest　and　reverts　to

her　husband's　brother。　Meantime；　she　draws　the　rents　every　year。〃

　　〃And　brother　Robert；　I　suppose；　spends　the　said　rents？〃

　　〃That　is　about　the　size　of　it。　He　is　a　devil　of　a　fellow　and　must

lead　her　a　most　uneasy　life。　Yet　I　have　heard　that　she　is　devoted　to

him。　But　what　is　amiss　at　Shoscombe？〃

　　〃Ah；　that　is　just　what　I　want　to　know。　And　here；　I　expect；　is　the

man　who　can　tell　us。〃

　　The　door　had　opened　and　the　page　had　shown　in　a　tall；　clean…shaven

man　with　the　firm；　austere　expression　which　is　only　seen　upon　those

who　have　to　control　horses　or　boys。　Mr。　John　Mason　had　many　of　both

Linder　his　sway；　and　he　looked　equal　to　the　task。　He　bowed　with　cold

self…possession　and　seated　himself　upon　the　chair　to　which　Holmes

had　waved　him。

　　〃You　had　my　note；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃Yes；　but　it　explained　nothing。〃

　　〃It　was　too　delicate　a　thing　for　me　to　put　the　details　on　paper。　And

too　complicated。　It　was　only　face　to　face　I　could　do　it。〃

　　〃Well；　we　are　at　your　disposal。〃

　　〃First　of　all；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　think　that　my　employer；　Si　Robert；

has　gone　mad。〃

　　Holmes　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃This　is　Baker　Street；　not　Harley

Street；〃　said　he。　〃But　why　do　you　say　so？〃

　　〃Well；　sir；　when　a　man　does　one　queer　thing；　or　two　queer　things；

there　may　be　a　meaning　to　it；　but　when　everything　he　does　is　queer；

then　you　begin　to　wonder。　I　believe　Shoscombe　Prince　and　the　Derby

have　turned　his　brain。〃

　　〃That　is　a　colt　you　are　running？〃

　　〃Best　in　England；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　should　know；　if　anyone　does。　Now；

I'll　be　plain　with　you；　for　I　know　you　are　gentlemen　of　honour　and

that　it　won't　go　beyond　the　room。　Sir　Robert　has　got　to　win　this

Derby。　He's　up　to　the　neck；　and　it's　his　last　chance。　Everything　he

could　raise　or　borrow　is　on　the　horse…　and　at　fine　odds；　too！　You

can　get　forties　now；　but　it　was　nearer　the　hundred　when　he　began　to

back　him。〃

　　〃But　how　is　that　if　the　horse　is　so　good？〃

　　〃The　public　don't　know　how　good　he　is。　Sir　Robert　has　been　too

clever　for　the　touts。　He　has　the　Prince's　half…brother　out　for

spins。　You　can't　tell　'em　apart。　But　there　are　two　lengths　in　a

furlong　between　them　when　it　comes　to　a　gallop。　He　thinks　of　nothing

but　the　horse　and　the　race。　His　whole　life　is　on　it。　He's　holding

off　the　Jews　till　then。　If　the　Prince　falls　him　he　is　done。〃

　　〃It　seems　a　rather　desperate　gamble；　but　where　does　the　madness　come

in？〃

　　〃Well；　first　of　all；　you　have　only　to　look　at　him。　I　don't　believe

he　sleeps　at　night。　He　is　down　at　the　stables　at　all　hours。　His　eyes

are　wild。　It　has　all　been　too　much　for　his　nerves。　Then　there　is　his

conduct　to　Lady　Beatrice！〃

　　〃Ah！　What　is　that？〃

　　〃They　have　always　been　the　best　of　friends。　They　had　the　same

tastes；　the　two　of　them；　and　she　loved　the　horses　as　much　as　he　did。

Every　day　at　the　same　hour　she　would　drive　down　to　see　them…　and；

above　all；　she　loved　the　Prince。　He　would　prick　up　his　ears　when　he

heard　the　wheels　on　the　gravel；　and　he　would　trot　out　each　morning

to　the　carriage　to　get　his　lump　of　sugar。　But　that's　all　over　now。〃

　　〃Why？〃

　　〃Well；　she　seems　to　have　lost　all　interest　in　the　horses。　For　a　week

now　she　has　driven　past　the　stables　with　never　so　much　as

'Good…morning'！〃

　　〃You　think　there　has　been　a　quarrel？〃

　　〃And　a　bitter；　savage；　spiteful　quarrel　at　that。　Why　else　would　he

give　away　her　pet　spaniel　that　she　loved　as　if　he　were　her　child？　He

gave　it　a　few　days　ago　to　old　Barnes；　what　keeps　the　Green　Dragon；

three　miles　off；　at　Crendall。〃

　　〃That　certainly　did　seem　strange。〃

　　〃Of　course；　with　her　weak　heart　and　dropsy　one　couldn't　expect

that　she　could　get　about　with　him；　but　he　spent　two　hours　every

evening　in　her　room。　He　might　well　do　what　he　could；　for　she　has

been　a　rare　good　friend　to　him。　But　that's　all　over；　too。　He　never

goes　near　her。　And　she　takes　it　to　heart。　She　is　brooding　and　sulky

and　drinking；　Mr。　Holmes…　drinking　like　a　fish。〃

　　〃Did　she　drink　before　this　estrangement？〃

　　〃Well；　she　took　her　glass；　but　now　it　is　often　a　whole　bottle　of

an　evening。　So　Stephens；　the　butler；　told　me。　It's　all　changed；　Mr。

Holmes；　and　there　is　something　damned　rotten　about　it。　But　then；

again；　what　is　master　doing　down　at　the　old　church　crypt　at　night？　And

who　is　the　man　that　meets　him　there？〃

　　Holmes　rubbed　his　hands。

　　〃Go　on；　Mr。　Mason。　You　get　more　and　more　interesting。〃

　　〃It　was　the　butler　who　saw　him　go。　Twelve　o'clock　at　night　and

raining　hard。　So　next　night　I　was　up　at　the　house　and；　sure　enough；

master　was　off　again。　Stephens　and　I　went　after　him；　but　it　was

jumpy　work；　for　it　would　have　been　a　bad　job　if　he　had　seen　us。　He's　a

terrible　man　with　his　fists　if　he　gets　started；　and　no　respecter　of

persons。　So　we　were　shy　of　getting　too　near；　but　we　marked　him　down

all　right。　It　was　the　haunted　crypt　that　he　was　making　for；　and

there　was　a　man　waiting　for　him　there。〃

　　〃What　is　this　haunted　crypt？〃

　　〃Well；　sir；　there　is　an　old　ruined　chapel　in　the　park。　It　is　so

old　that　nobody　could　fix　its　date。　And　under　it　there's　a　crypt　which

has　a　bad　name　among　us。　It's　a　dark；　damp；　lonely　place　by　day；　but

there　are　few　in　that　county　that　would　have　the　nerve　to　go　near　it

at　night。　But　master's　not　afraid。　He　never　feared　anything　in　his

life。　But　what　is　he　doing　there　in　the　night…time？〃

　　〃Wait　a　bit！〃　said　Holmes。　〃You　say　there　is　another　man　there。　It

must　be　one　of　your　own　stablemen；　or　someone　from　the　house！　Surely

you　have　only　to　spot　who　it　is　and　question　him？〃

　　〃It's　no　one　I　know。〃

　　〃How　can　you　say　that？〃

　　〃Because　I　have　seen　him；　Mr。　Holmes。　It　was　on　that　second　night。

Sir　Robert　turned　and　passed　us…　me　and　Stephen