the adventure of shoscombe old place-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！


hear　me？〃　he　cried。　〃Who　are　you？　What　are　you　doing　here？〃　His　cudgel

quivered　in　the　air。

　　But　instead　of　shrinking　Holmes　advanced　to　meet　him。

　　〃I　also　have　a　question　to　ask　you；　Sir　Robert；〃　he　said　in　his

sternest　tone。　〃Who　is　this？　And　what　is　it　doing　here？〃

　　He　turned　and　tore　open　the　coffin…lid　behind　him。　In　the　glare　of

the　lantern　I　saw　a　body　swathed　in　a　sheet　from　head　to　foot；　with

dreadful；　witchlike　features；　all　nose　and　chin；　projecting　at　one

end；　the　dim；　glazed　eyes　staring　from　a　discoloured　and　crumbling

face。

　　The　baronet　had　staggered　back　with　a　cry　and　supported　himself

against　a　stone　sarcophagus。

　　〃How　came　you　to　know　of　this？〃　he　cried。　And　then；　with　some　return

of　his　truculent　mariner：　〃What　business　is　it　of　yours？〃

　　〃My　name　is　Sherlock　Holmes；〃　said　my　companion。　〃Possibly　it　is

familiar　to　you。　In　any　case；　my　business　is　that　of　every　other

good　citizen…　to　uphold　the　law。　It　seems　to　me　that　you　have　much

to　answer　for。〃

　　Sir　Robert　glared　for　a　moment；　but　Holmes's　quiet　voice　and　cool；

assured　manner　had　their　effect。

　　〃'Fore　God；　Mr。　Holmes；　it's　all　right；〃　said　he。　〃Appearances　are

against　me；　I'll　admit；　but　I　could　act　no　otherwise。〃

　　〃I　should　be　happy　to　think　so；　but　I　fear　your　explanations　must　be

before　the　police。〃

　　Sir　Robert　shrugged　his　broad　shoulders。

　　〃Well；　if　it　must　be；　it　must。　Come　up　to　the　house　and　you　can

judge　for　yourself　how　the　matter　stands。〃

　　A　quarter　of　an　hour　later　we　found　ourselves　in　what　I　judge；

from　the　lines　of　polished　barrels　behind　glass　covers；　to　be　the

gun…room　of　the　old　house。　It　was　comfortably　furnished；　and　here

Sir　Robert　left　us　for　a　few　moments。　When　he　returned　he　had　two

companions　with　him；　the　one；　the　florid　young　woman　whom　we　had

seen　in　the　carriage；　the　other；　a　small　rat…faced　man　with　a

disagreeably　furtive　manner。　These　two　wore　an　appearance　of　utter

bewilderment；　which　showed　that　the　baronet　had　not　yet　had　time　to

explain　to　them　the　turn　events　had　taken。

　　〃There；〃　said　Sir　Robert　with　a　wave　of　his　hand；　〃are　Mr。　and

Mrs。　Norlett。　Mrs。　Norlett；　under　her　maiden　name　of　Evans；　has　for

some　years　been　my　sister's　confidential　maid。　I　have　brought　them

here　because　I　feel　that　my　best　course　is　to　explain　the　true

position　to　you；　and　they　are　the　two　people　upon　earth　who　can

substantiate　what　I　say。〃

　　〃Is　this　necessary；　Sir　Robert？　Have　you　thought　what　you　are

doing？〃　cried　the　woman。

　　〃As　to　me；　I　entirely　disclaim　all　responsibility；〃　said　her

husband。

　　Sir　Robert　gave　him　a　glance　of　contempt。　〃I　will　take　all

responsibility；〃　said　he。　〃Now；　Mr。　Holmes；　listen　to　a　plain

statement　of　the　facts。

　　〃You　have　clearly　gone　pretty　deeply　into　my　affairs　or　I　should　not

have　found　you　where　I　did。　Therefore；　you　know　already；　in　all

probability；　that　I　am　running　a　dark　horse　for　the　Derby　and　that

everything　depends　upon　my　success。　If　I　win；　all　is　easy。　If　I

lose…　well；　I　dare　not　think　of　that！〃

　　〃I　understand　the　position；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃I　am　dependent　upon　my　sister；　Lady　Beatrice；　for　everything。　But

it　is　well　known　that　her　interest　in　the　estate　is　for　her　own　life

only。　For　myself；　I　am　deeply　in　the　hands　of　the　Jews。　I　have

always　known　that　if　my　sister　were　to　die　my　creditors　would　be　on　to

my　estate　like　a　flock　of　vultures。　Everything　would　be　seized…　my

stables；　my　horses…　everything。　Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　my　sister　did　die

just　a　week　ago。〃

　　〃And　you　told　no　one！〃

　　〃What　could　I　do？　Absolute　ruin　faced　me。　If　I　could　stave　things

off　for　three　weeks　all　would　be　well。　Her　maid's　husband…　this　man

here…　is　an　actor。　It　came　into　our　heads…　it　came　into　my　head…

that　he　could　for　that　short　period　personate　my　sister。　It　was　but

a　case　of　appearing　daily　in　the　carriage；　for　no　one　need　enter　her

room　save　the　maid。　It　was　not　difficult　to　arrange。　My　sister　died　of

the　dropsy　which　had　long　afflicted　her。〃

　　〃That　will　be　for　a　coroner　to　decide。〃

　　〃Her　doctor　would　certify　that　for　months　her　symptoms　have

threatened　such　an　end。〃

　　〃Well；　what　did　you　do？〃

　　〃The　body　could　not　remain　there。　On　the　first　night　Norlett　and　I

carried　it　out　to　the　old　well…house；　which　is　now　never　used。　We　were

followed；　however；　by　her　pet　spaniel；　which　yapped　continually　at　the

door；　so　I　felt　some　safer　place　was　needed。　I　got　rid　of　the　spaniel；

and　we　carried　the　body　to　the　crypt　of　the　church。　There　was　no

indignity　or　irreverence；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　do　not　feel　that　I　have

wronged　the　dead。〃

　　〃Your　conduct　seems　to　me　inexcusable；　Sir　Robert。〃

　　The　baronet　shook　his　head　impatiently。　〃It　is　easy　to　preach；〃　said

he。　〃Perhaps　you　would　have　felt　differently　if　you　had　been　in　my

position。　One　cannot　see　all　one's　hopes　and　all　one's　plans　shattered

at　the　last　moment　and　make　no　effort　to　save　them。　It　seemed　to　me

that　it　would　be　no　unworthy　resting…place　if　we　put　her　for　the

time　in　one　of　the　coffins　of　her　husband's　ancestors　lying　in　what　is

still　consecrated　ground。　We　opened　such　a　coffin；　removed　the

contents；　and　placed　her　as　you　have　seen　her。　As　to　the　old　relics

which　we　took　out；　we　could　not　leave　them　on　the　floor　of　the

crypt。　Norlett　and　I　removed　them；　and　he　descended　at　night　and

burned　them　in　the　central　furnace。　There　is　my　story；　Mr。　Holmes；

though　how　you　forced　my　hand　so　that　I　have　to　tell　it　is　more　than　I

can　say。〃

　　Holmes　sat　for　some　time　lost　in　thought。

　　〃There　is　one　flaw　in　your　narrative；　Sir　Robert；〃　he　said　at

last。　〃Your　bets　on　the　race；　and　therefore　your　hopes　for　the　future；

would　hold　good　even　if　your　creditors　seized　your　estate。〃

　　〃The　horse　would　be　part　of　the　estate。　What　do　they　care　for　my

bets？　As　likely　as　not　they　would　not　run　him　at　all。　My　chief

crediter　is；　unhappily；　my　most　bitter　enemy…　a　rascally　fellow；　Sam

Brewer；　whom　I　was　once　compelled　to　horsewhip　on　Newmarket　Heath。

Do　you　suppose　that　he　would　try　to　save　me？〃

　　〃Well；　Sir　Robert；〃　said　Holmes；　rising；　〃this　matter　must；　of

course；　be　referred　to　the　police。　It　was　my　duty　to　bring　the　facts

to　light；　and　there　I　must　leave　it。　As　to　the　morality　or　decency

of　your　conduct；　it　is　not　for　me　to　express　an　opinion。　It　is

nearly　midnight；　Watson；　and　I　think　we　may　make　our　way　back　to　our

humble　abode。〃

　　It　is　generally　known　now　that　this　singular　episode　ended　upon　a

happier　note　than　Sir　Robert's　actions　deserved。　Shoscombe　Prince

did　win　the　Derby；　the　sporting　owner　did　net　eighty　thousand　pounds

in　bets；　and　the　creditors　did　hold　their　hand　until　the　race　was

over；　when　they　were　paid　in　full；　and　enough　was　left　to

reestablish　Sir　Robert　in　a　fair　position　in　life。　Both　police　and

coroner　took　a　lenient　view；　of　the　transaction；　and　beyond　a　mild

censure　for　the　delay　in　registering　the　lady's　decease；　the　lucky

owner　got　away　scatheless　from　this　strange　incident　in　a　career　which

has　now　outlived　its　shadows　and　promises　to　end　in　an　honoured　old

age。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

。