the adventure of the empty house-第3节

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had　endeavoured　to　succeed　where　his　comrade　had　failed。

　　〃I　did　not　take　long　to　think　about　it；　Watson。　Again　I　saw　that

grim　face　look　over　the　cliff；　and　I　knew　that　it　was　the　precursor　of

another　stone。　I　scrambled　down　on　to　the　path。　I　don't　think　I

could　have　done　it　in　cold　blood。　It　was　a　hundred　times　more

difficult　than　getting　up。　But　I　had　no　time　to　think　of　the　danger；

for　another　stone　sang　past　me　as　I　hung　by　my　hands　from　the　edge

of　the　ledge。　Halfway　down　I　slipped；　but；　by　the　blessing　of　God；　I

landed；　torn　and　bleeding；　upon　the　path。　I　took　to　my　heels；　did

ten　miles　over　the　mountains　in　the　darkness；　and　a　week　later　I　found

myself　in　Florence；　with　the　certainty　that　no　one　in　the　world　knew

what　had　become　of　me。

　　〃I　had　only　one　confidant…　my　brother　Mycroft。　I　owe　you　many

apologies；　my　dear　Watson；　but　it　was　all…important　that　it　should

be　thought　I　was　dead；　and　it　is　quite　certain　that　you　would　not　have

written　so　convincing　an　account　of　my　unhappy　end　had　you　not

yourself　thought　that　it　was　true。　Several　times　during　the　last　three

years　I　have　taken　up　my　pen　to　write　to　you；　but　always　I　feared　lest

your　affectionate　regard　for　me　should　tempt　you　to　some

indiscretion　which　would　betray　my　secret。　For　that　reason　I　turned

away　from　you　this　evening　when　you　upset　my　books；　for　I　was　in

danger　at　the　time；　and　any　show　of　surprise　and　emotion　upon　your

part　might　have　drawn　attention　to　my　identity　and　led　to　the　most

deplorable　and　irreparable　results。　As　to　Mycroft；　I　had　to　confide　in

him　in　order　to　obtain　the　money　which　I　needed。　The　course　of

events　in　London　did　not　run　so　well　as　I　had　hoped；　for　the　trial

of　the　Moriarty　gang　left　two　of　its　most　dangerous　members；　my　own

most　vindictive　enemies；　at　liberty。　I　travelled　for　two　years　in

Tibet；　therefore；　and　amused　myself　by　visiting　Lhassa；　and　spending

some　days　with　the　head　lama。　You　may　have　read　of　the　remarkable

explorations　of　a　Norwegian　named　Sigerson；　but　I　am　sure　that　it

never　occurred　to　you　that　you　were　receiving　news　of　your　friend。　I

then　passed　through　Persia；　looked　in　at　Mecca；　and　paid　a　short　but

interesting　visit　to　the　Khalifa　at　Khartoum　the　results　of　which　I

have　communicated　to　the　Foreign　Office。　Returning　to　France；　I

spent　some　months　in　a　research　into　the　coal…tar　derivatives；　which　I

conducted　in　a　laboratory　at　Montpellier；　in　the　south　of　France。

Having　concluded　this　to　my　satisfaction　and　learning　that　only　one　of

my　enemies　was　now　left　in　London　I　was　about　to　return　when　my

movements　were　hastened　by　the　news　of　this　very　remarkable　Park

Lane　Mystery；　which　not　only　appealed　to　me　by　its　own　merits；　but

which　seemed　to　offer　some　most　peculiar　personal　opportunities。　I

came　over　at　once　to　London；　called　in　my　own　person　at　Baker

Street；　threw　Mrs。　Hudson　into　violent　hysterics；　and　found　that

Mycroft　had　preserved　my　rooms　and　my　papers　exactly　as　they　had

always　been。　So　it　was；　my　dear　Watson；　that　at　two　o'clock　to…day　I

found　myself　in　my　old　armchair　in　my　own　old　room；　and　only　wishing

that　I　could　have　seen　my　old　friend　Watson　in　the　other　chair　which

he　has　so　often　adorned。〃

　　Such　was　the　remarkable　narrative　to　which　I　listened　on　that

April　evening…　a　narrative　which　would　have　been　utterly　incredible　to

me　had　it　not　been　confirmed　by　the　actual　sight　of　the　tall；　spare

figure　and　the　keen；　eager　face；　which　I　had　never　thought　to　see

again。　In　some　manner　he　had　learned　of　my　own　sad　bereavement；　and

his　sympathy　was　shown　in　his　manner　rather　than　in　his　words。　〃Work

is　the　best　antidote　to　sorrow；　my　dear　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃and　I

have　a　piece　of　work　for　us　both　to…night　which；　if　we　can　bring　it　to

a　successful　conclusion；　will　in　itself　justify　a　man's　life　on　this

planet。〃　In　vain　I　begged　him　to　tell　me　more。　〃You　will　hear　and

see　enough　before　morning；〃　he　answered。　〃We　have　three　years　of　the

past　to　discuss。　Let　that　suffice　until　half…past　nine；　when　we

start　upon　the　notable　adventure　of　the　empty　house。〃

　　It　was　indeed　like　old　times　when；　at　that　hour；　I　found　myself

seated　beside　him　in　a　hansom；　my　revolver　in　my　pocket；　and　the

thrill　of　adventure　in　my　heart。　Holmes　was　cold　and　stern　and　silent。

As　the　gleam　of　the　street…lamps　flashed　upon　his　austere　features；

I　saw　that　his　brows　were　drawn　down　in　thought　and　his　thin　lips

compressed。　I　knew　not　what　wild　beast　we　were　about　to　hunt　down　in

the　dark　jungle　of　criminal　London；　but　I　was　well　assured；　from　the

bearing　of　this　master　huntsman；　that　the　adventure　was　a　most　grave

one…　while　the　sardonic　smile　which　occasionally　broke　through　his

ascetic　gloom　boded　little　good　for　the　object　of　our　quest。

　　I　had　imagined　that　we　were　bound　for　Baker　Street；　but　Holmes

stopped　the　cab　at　the　corner　of　Cavendish　Square。　I　observed　that

as　he　stepped　out　he　gave　a　most　searching　glance　to　right　and　left；

and　at　every　subsequent　street　corner　he　took　the　utmost　pains　to

assure　that　he　was　not　followed。　Our　route　was　certainly　a　singular

one。　Holmes's　knowledge　of　the　byways　of　London　was　extraordinary；　and

on　this　occasion　he　passed　rapidly　and　with　an　assured　step　through

a　network　of　mews　and　stables；　the　very　existence　of　which　I　had　never

known。　We　emerged　at　last　into　a　small　road；　lined　with　old；　gloomy

houses；　which　led　us　into　Manchester　Street；　and　so　to　Blandford

Street。　Here　he　turned　swiftly　down　a　narrow　passage；　passed　through　a

wooden　gate　into　a　deserted　yard；　and　then　opened　with　a　key　the

back　door　of　a　house。　We　entered　together；　and　he　closed　it　behind　us。

　　The　place　was　pitch　dark；　but　it　was　evident　to　me　that　it　was　an

empty　house。　Our　feet　creaked　and　crackled　over　the　bare　planking；　and

my　outstretched　hand　touched　a　wall　from　which　the　paper　was　hanging

in　ribbons。　Holmes's　cold；　thin　fingers　closed　round　my　wrist　and

led　me　forward　down　a　long　hall；　until　I　dimly　saw　the　murky

fanlight　over　the　door。　Here　Holmes　turned　suddenly　to　the　right　and

we　found　ourselves　in　a　large；　square；　empty　room；　heavily　shadowed　in

the　corners；　but　faintly　lit　in　the　centre　from　the　lights　of　the

street　beyond。　There　was　no　lamp　near；　and　the　window　was　thick　with

dust；　so　that　we　could　only　just　discern　each　other's　figures

within。　My　companion　put　his　hand　upon　my　shoulder　and　his　lips

close　to　my　ear。

　　〃Do　you　know　where　we　are？〃　he　whispered。

　　〃Surely　that　is　Baker　Street〃　I　answered；　staring　through　the　dim

window。

　　〃Exactly。　We　are　in　Camden　House；　which　stands　opposite　to　our　own

old　quarters。〃

　　〃But　why　are　we　here？〃

　　〃Because　it　commands　so　excellent　a　view　of　that　picturesque　pile。

Might　I　trouble　you；　my　dear　Watson；　to　draw　a　little　nearer　to　the

window；　taking　every　precaution　not　to　show　yourself；　and　then　to　look

up　at　our　old　rooms…　the　starting　point　of　so　many　of　your　little

fairy…tales？　We　will　see　if　my　three　years　of　absence　have　entirely

taken　away　my　power　to　surprise　you。〃

　　I　crept　forward　and　looked　across　at　the　familiar　window。　As　my　eyes

fell　upon　it；　I　gave　a　gasp　and　a　cry　of　amazement。　The　blind　was

down；　and　a　strong　light　was　burning　in　the　room。　The　shadow　of　a

man　who　was　seated　in　a　chair　within　was　thrown　in　hard；　black　outline

upon　the　luminous　screen　of　the　window。　There　was　no　mistaking　the

poise　of　the　head；　the　squareness　of　the　shoulders；　the　sharpness　of

the　features。　The　face　was　turned　half…round；　and　the　effect　was

that　of　one　of　those　black　silhouettes　which　our　grandparents　loved　to

frame。　It　was　a　perfect　reproduction　of　Holmes。　So　amazed　was　I　that　I

threw　out　my　hand　to　make　sure　that　the　man　himself　was　standing

beside　me。　He　was　quivering　with　silent　laughter。

　　〃Well？〃　said　he。

　　〃Good　heavens！〃　I　cried。　〃It　is　marvellous。〃

　　〃I　trust　that　age　doth　not　wither　nor　custom　stale　my　infinite

variety；〃　said　he；　and　I　recognized　in　his　voice　the　joy　and　pride

which　the　artist　takes　in　his　own　creation。　〃It　really　is　rather

like　me；　is　it　not？〃

　　〃I　should　be　prepared　to　swear　that　it　was　you。〃

　　〃The　credit　of　the　execution　is　due　to　Monsieur　Oscar　Meunier；　of

Grenoble；　who　spent　some　days　in　doing　the　moulding。　It　is　a　bust　in

wax。　The　rest　I　arranged　myself　during　my　visit　to　Baker　Street　this

afternoon。〃

　　〃But　why？〃

　　〃Because；　my　dear　Watson；　I　had　the　strongest　possible　reason　for

wishing　certain　people　to　think　that　I　was　there　when　I　was　really

elsewhere。〃

　　〃And　you　thought　the　rooms　were　watched？〃

　　〃I　knew　that　they　were　watched。〃

　　〃By　whom？〃

　　〃By　my　old　enemies；　Watson。　By　the　charming　society　whose　leader

lies　in　the　Reichenbach　Fall。　You　must　remember　that　they　knew；　and

only　they　knew；　that　I　was　still　alive。　Sooner　or　later　they

believed　that　I　should　come　back　to　my　rooms。　They　watched　them

continuously；　and　this　morning　they　saw　me　arrive。〃

　　〃How　do　you　know？〃

　　〃Because　I　recognized　their　sentinel　when　I　glanced　out　of　my

window。　He　is　a　harmless　enough　fellow；　Parker　by　name；　a　garroter

by　trade；　and　a　remarkable　performer　upon　the　jew's…h