the adventure of the six napoleons-第4节

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the　Italian　Quarter。　Well；　this　dead　man　had　some　Catholic　emblem

round　his　neck；　and　that；　along　with　his　colour；　made　me　think　he

was　from　the　South。　Inspector　Hill　knew　him　the　moment　he　caught　sight

of　him。　His　name　is　Pietro　Venucci；　from　Naples；　and　he　is　one　of

the　greatest　cut…throats　in　London。　He　is　connected　with　the　Mafia；

which；　as　you　know；　is　a　secret　political　society；　enforcing　its

decrees　by　murder。　Now；　you　see　how　the　affair　begins　to　clear　up。　The

other　fellow　is　probably　an　Italian　also；　and　a　member　of　the　Mafia。

He　has　broken　the　rules　in　some　fashion。　Pietro　is　set　upon　his　track。

Probably　the　photograph　we　found　in　his　pocket　is　the　man　himself；

so　that　he　may　not　knife　the　wrong　person。　He　dogs　the　fellow；　he　sees

him　enter　a　house；　he　waits　outside　for　him；　and　in　the　scuffle　he

receives　his　own　death…wound。　How　is　that；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes？〃

　　Holmes　clapped　his　hands　approvingly。

　　〃Excellent；　Lestrade；　excellent！〃　he　cried。　〃But　I　didn't　quite

follow　your　explanation　of　the　destruction　of　the　busts。〃

　　〃The　busts！　You　never　can　get　those　busts　out　of　your　head。　After

all；　that　is　nothing；　petty　larceny；　six　months　at　the　most。　It　is　the

murder　that　we　are　really　investigating；　and　I　tell　you　that　I　am

gathering　all　the　threads　into　my　hands。〃

　　〃And　the　next　stage？〃

　　〃Is　a　very　simple　one。　I　shall　go　down　with　Hill　to　the　Italian

Quarter；　find　the　man　whose　photograph　we　have　got；　and　arrest　him

on　the　charge　of　murder。　Will　you　come　with　us？〃

　　〃I　think　not。　I　fancy　we　can　attain　our　end　in　a　simpler　way。　I

can't　say　for　certain；　because　it　all　depends…　well；　it　all　depends

upon　a　factor　which　is　completely　outside　our　control。　But　I　have

great　hopes…　in　fact；　the　betting　is　exactly　two　to　one…　that　if　you

will　come　with　us　to…night　I　shall　be　able　to　help　you　to　lay　him　by

the　heels。〃

　　〃In　the　Italian　Quarter？〃

　　〃No；　I　fancy　Chiswick　is　an　address　which　is　more　likely　to　find

him。　If　you　will　come　with　me　to　Chiswick　to…night；　Lestrade；　I'll

promise　to　go　to　the　Italian　Quarter　with　you　to…morrow；　and　no　harm

will　be　done　by　the　delay。　And　now　I　think　that　a　few　hours'　sleep

would　do　us　all　good；　for　I　do　not　propose　to　leave　before　eleven

o'clock；　and　it　is　unlikely　that　we　shall　be　back　before　morning。

You'll　dine　with　us；　Lestrade；　and　then　you　are　welcome　to　the　sofa

until　it　is　time　for　us　to　start。　In　the　meantime；　Watson；　I　should　be

glad　if　you　would　ring　for　an　express　messenger；　for　I　have　a　letter

to　send　and　it　is　important　that　it　should　go　at　once。〃

　　Holmes　spent　the　evening　in　rummaging　among　the　files　of　the　old

daily　papers　with　which　one　of　our　lumber…rooms　was　packed。　When　at

last　he　descended；　it　was　with　triumph　in　his　eyes；　but　he　said

nothing　to　either　of　us　as　to　the　result　of　his　researches。　For　my　own

part；　I　had　followed　step　by　step　the　methods　by　which　he　had　traced

the　various　windings　of　this　complex　case；　and；　though　I　could　not　yet

perceive　the　goal　which　we　would　reach；　I　understood　clearly　that

Holmes　expected　this　grotesque　criminal　to　make　an　attempt　upon　the

two　remaining　busts；　one　of　which；　I　remembered；　was　at　Chiswick。　No

doubt　the　object　of　our　journey　was　to　catch　him　in　the　very　act；

and　I　could　not　but　admire　the　cunning　with　which　my　friend　had

inserted　a　wrong　clue　in　the　evening　paper；　so　as　to　give　the　fellow

the　idea　that　he　could　continue　his　scheme　with　impunity。　I　was　not

surprised　when　Holmes　suggested　that　I　should　take　my　revolver　with

me。　He　had　himself　picked　up　the　loaded　hunting…crop；　which　was　his

favourite　weapon。

　　A　four…wheeler　was　at　the　door　at　eleven；　and　in　it　we　drove　to　a

spot　at　the　other　side　of　Hammersmith　Bridge。　Here　the　cabman　was

directed　to　wait。　A　short　walk　brought　us　to　a　secluded　road　fringed

with　pleasant　houses；　each　standing　in　its　own　grounds。　In　the　light

of　a　street　lamp　we　read　〃Laburnum　Villa〃　upon　the　gate…post　of　one　of

them。　The　occupants　had　evidently　retired　to　rest；　for　all　was　dark

save　for　a　fanlight　over　the　hall　door；　which　shed　a　single　blurred

circle　on　to　the　garden　path。　The　wooden　fence　which　separated　the

grounds　from　the　road　threw　a　dense　black　shadow　upon　the　inner

side；　and　here　it　was　that　we　crouched。

　　〃I　fear　that　you'll　have　a　long　wait；〃　Holmes　whispered。　〃We　may

thank　our　stars　that　it　is　not　raining。　I　don't　think　we　can　even

venture　to　smoke　to　pass　the　time。　However；　it's　a　two　to　one　chance

that　we　get　something　to　pay　us　for　our　trouble。〃

　　It　proved；　however；　that　our　vigil　was　not　to　be　so　long　as　Holmes

had　led　us　to　fear；　and　it　ended　in　a　very　sudden　and　singular

fashion。　In　an　instant；　without　the　least　sound　to　warn　us　of　his

coming；　the　garden　gate　swung　open；　and　a　lithe；　dark　figure；　as　swift

and　active　as　an　ape；　rushed　up　the　garden　path。　We　saw　it　whisk

past　the　light　thrown　from　over　the　door　and　disappear　against　the

black　shadow　of　the　house。　There　was　a　long　pause；　during　which　we

held　our　breath；　and　then　a　very　gentle　creaking　sound　came　to　our

ears。　The　window　was　being　opened。　The　noise　ceased；　and　again　there

was　a　long　silence。　The　fellow　was　making　his　way　into　the　house。　We

saw　the　sudden　flash　of　a　dark　lantern　inside　the　room。　What　he　sought

was　evidently　not　there；　for　again　we　saw　the　flash　through　another

blind；　and　then　through　another。

　　〃Let　us　get　to　the　open　window。　We　will　nab　him　as　he　climbs　out；〃

Lestrade　whispered。

　　But　before　we　could　move；　the　man　had　emerged　again。　As　he　came

out　into　the　glimmering　patch　of　light；　we　saw　that　he　carried

something　white　under　his　arm。　He　looked　stealthily　all　round　him。　The

silence　of　the　deserted　street　reassured　him。　Turning　his　back　upon　us

he　laid　down　his　burden；　and　the　next　instant　there　was　the　sound　of　a

sharp　tap；　followed　by　a　clatter　and　rattle。　The　man　was　so　intent

upon　what　he　was　doing　that　he　never　heard　our　steps　as　we　stole

across　the　grass　plot。　With　the　bound　of　a　tiger　Holmes　was　on　his

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　ear