the adventure of the empty house-第4节

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by　trade；　and　a　remarkable　performer　upon　the　jew's…harp。　I　cared

nothing　for　him。　But　I　cared　a　great　deal　for　the　much　more　formidable

person　who　was　behind　him；　the　bosom　friend　of　Moriarty；　the　man　who

dropped　the　rocks　over　the　cliff；　the　most　cunning　and　dangerous

criminal　in　London。　That　is　the　man　who　is　after　me　to…night　Watson；

and　that　is　the　man　who　is　quite　unaware　that　we　are　after　him。〃

　　My　friend's　plans　were　gradually　revealing　themselves。　From　this

convenient　retreat；　the　watchers　were　being　watched　and　the　trackers

tracked。　That　angular　shadow　up　yonder　was　the　bait；　and　we　were　the

hunters。　In　silence　we　stood　together　in　the　darkness　and　watched

the　hurrying　figures　who　passed　and　repassed　in　front　of　us。　Holmes

was　silent　and　motionless；　but　I　could　tell　that　he　was　keenly

alert；　and　that　his　eyes　were　fixed　intently　upon　the　stream　of

passers…by。　It　was　a　bleak　and　boisterous　night　and　the　wind

whistled　shrilly　down　the　long　street。　Many　people　were　moving　to

and　fro；　most　of　them　muffled　in　their　coats　and　cravats。　Once　or

twice　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　seen　the　same　figure　before；　and　I

especially　noticed　two　men　who　appeared　to　be　sheltering　themselves

from　the　wind　in　the　doorway　of　a　house　some　distance　up　the　street。　I

tried　to　draw　my　companion's　attention　to　them；　but　he　gave　a　little

ejaculation　of　impatience；　and　continued　to　stare　into　the　street。

More　than　once　he　fidgeted　with　his　feet　and　tapped　rapidly　with　his

fingers　upon　the　wall。　It　was　evident　to　me　that　he　was　becoming

uneasy；　and　that　his　plans　were　not　working　out　altogether　as　he　had

hoped。　At　last；　as　midnight　approached　and　the　street　gradually

cleared；　he　paced　up　and　down　the　room　in　uncontrollable　agitation。

I　was　about　to　make　some　remark　to　him；　when　I　raised　my　eyes　to　the

lighted　window；　and　again　experienced　almost　as　great　a　surprise　as

before。　I　clutched　Holmes's　arm；　and　pointed　upward。

　　〃The　shadow　has　moved！〃　I　cried。

　　It　was　indeed　no　longer　the　profile；　but　the　back；　which　was

turned　towards　us。

　　Three　years　had　certainly　not　smoothed　the　asperities　of　his

temper　or　his　impatience　with　a　less　active　intelligence　than　his　own。

　　〃Of　course　it　has　moved；〃　said　he。　〃Am　I　such　a　farcical　bungler；

Watson；　that　I　should　erect　an　obvious　dummy；　and　expect　that　some

of　the　sharpest　men　in　Europe　would　be　deceived　by　it？　We　have　been　in

this　room　two　hours；　and　Mrs。　Hudson　has　made　some　change　in　that

figure　eight　times；　or　once　in　every　quarter　of　an　hour。　She　works

it　from　the　front；　so　that　her　shadow　may　never　be　seen。　Ah！〃　He

drew　in　his　breath　with　a　shrill；　excited　intake。　In　the　dim　light　I

saw　his　head　thrown　forward；　his　whole　attitude　rigid　with

attention。　Outside　the　street　was　absolutely　deserted。　Those　two　men

might　still　be　crouching　in　the　doorway；　but　I　could　no　longer　see

them。　All　was　still　and　dark；　save　only　that　brilliant　yellow　screen

in　front　of　us　with　the　black　figure　outlined　upon　its　centre。　Again

in　the　utter　silence　I　heard　that　thin；　sibilant　note　which　spoke　of

intense　suppressed　excitement。　An　instant　later　he　pulled　me　back　into

the　blackest　corner　of　the　room；　and　I　felt　his　warning　hand　upon　my

lips。　The　fingers　which　clutched　me　were　quivering。　Never　had　I

known　my　friend　more　moved；　and　yet　the　dark　street　still　stretched

lonely　and　motionless　before　us。

　　But　suddenly　I　was　aware　of　that　which　his　keener　senses　had　already

distinguished。　A　low；　stealthy　sound　came　to　my　ears；　not　from　the

direction　of　Baker　Street；　but　from　the　back　of　the　very　house　in

which　we　lay　concealed。　A　door　opened　and　shut。　An　instant　later　steps

crept　down　the　passage…　steps　which　were　meant　to　be　silent；　but　which

reverberated　harshly　through　the　empty　house。　Holmes　crouched　back

against　the　wall；　and　I　did　the　same；　my　hand　closing　upon　the

handle　of　my　revolver。　Peering　through　the　gloom；　I　saw　the　vague

outline　of　a　man；　a　shade　blacker　than　the　blackness　of　the　open　door。

He　stood　for　an　instant；　and　then　he　crept　forward；　crouching；

menacing；　into　the　room。　He　was　within　three　yards　of　us；　this

sinister　figure；　and　I　had　braced　myself　to　meet　his　spring；　before

I　realized　that　he　had　no　idea　of　our　presence。　He　passed　close　beside

us；　stole　over　to　the　window；　and　very　softly　and　noiselessly　raised

it　for　half　a　foot。　As　he　sank　to　the　level　of　this　opening；　the　light

of　the　street；　no　longer　dimmed　by　the　dusty　glass；　fell　full　upon　his

face。　The　man　seemed　to　be　beside　himself　with　excitement。　His　two

eyes　shone　like　stars；　and　his　features　were　working　convulsively。

He　was　an　elderly　man；　with　a　thin；　projecting　nose；　a　high；　bald

forehead；　and　a　huge　grizzled　moustache。　An　opera　hat　was　pushed　to

the　back　of　his　head；　and　an　evening　dress　shirt…front　gleamed　out

through　his　open　overcoat。　His　face　was　gaunt　and　swarthy；　scored　with

deep；　savage　lines。　In　his　hand　he　carried　what　appeared　to　be　a

stick；　but　as　he　laid　it　down　upon　the　floor　it　gave　a　metallic　clang。

Then　from　the　pocket　of　his　overcoat　he　drew　a　bulky　object；　and　he

busied　himself　in　some　task　which　ended　with　a　loud；　sharp　click；　as

if　a　spring　or　bolt　had　fallen　into　its　place。　Still　kneeling　upon　the

floor　he　bent　forward　and　threw　all　his　weight　and　strength　upon

some　lever；　with　the　result　that　there　came　a　long；　whirling；　grinding

noise；　ending　once　more　in　a　powerful　click。　He　straightened　himself

then；　and　I　saw　that　what　he　held　in　his　hand　was　a　sort　of　gun；

with　a　curiously　misshapen　butt。　He　opened　it　at　the　breech；　put

something　in；　and　snapped　the　breech…lock。　Then；　crouching　down；　he

rested　the　end　of　the　barrel　upon　the　ledge　of　the　open　window；　and

I　saw　his　long　moustache　droop　over　the　stock　and　his　eye　gleam　as

it　peered　along　the　sights。　I　heard　a　little　sigh　of　satisfaction　as

he　cuddled　the　butt　into　his　shoulder；　and　saw　that　amazing　target；

the　black　man　on　the　yellow　ground；　standing　clear　at　the　end　of　his

foresight。　For　an　instant　he　was　rigid　and　motionless。　Then　his　finger

tightened　on　the　trigger。　There　was　a　strange；　loud　whiz　and　a　long；

silvery　tinkle　of　broken　glass。　At　that　instant　Holmes　sprang　like　a

tiger　on　to　the　marksman's　back；　and　hurled　him　flat　upon　his　face。　He

was　up　again　in　a　moment；　and　with　convulsive　strength　he　seized

Holmes　by　the　throat；　but　I　struck　him　on　the　head　with　the　butt　of　my

revolver；　and　he　dropped　again　upon　the　floor。　I　fell　upon　him；　and　as

I　held　him　my　comrade　blew　a　shrill　call　upon　a　whistle。　There　was　the

clatter　of　running　feet　upon　the　pavement；　and　two　policemen　in

uniform；　with　one　plain…clothes　detective；　rushed　through　the　front

entrance　and　into　the　room。

　　〃That　you；　Lestrade？〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Yes；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　took　the　job　myself。　It's　good　to　see　you　back

in　London；　sir。〃

　　〃I　think　you　want　a　little　unofficial　help。　Three　undetected　murders

in　one　year　won't　do；　Lestrade。　But　you　handled　the　Molesey　Mystery

with　less　than　your　usual…　that's　to　say；　you　handled　it　fairly　well。〃

　　We　had　all　risen　to　our　feet；　our　prisoner　breathing　hard；　with　a

stalwart　constable　on　each　side　of　him。　Already　a　few　loiterers　had

begun　to　collect　in　the　street。　Holmes　stepped　up　to　the　window；

closed　it；　and　dropped　the　blinds。　Lestrade　had　produced　two

candles；　and　the　policemen　had　uncovered　their　lanterns。　I　was　able　at

last　to　have　a　good　look　at　our　prisoner。

　　It　was　a　tremendously　virile　and　yet　sinister　face　which　was

turned　towards　us。　With　the　brow　of　a　philosopher　above　and　the　jaw　of

a　sensualist　below；　the　man　must　have　started　with　great　capacities

for　good　or　for　evil。　But　one　could　not　look　upon　his　cruel　blue　eyes；

with　their　drooping；　cynical　lids；　or　upon　the　fierce；　aggressive　nose

and　the　threatening；　deep…lined　brow；　without　reading　Nature's

plainest　danger…signals。　He　took　no　heed　of　any　of　us；　but　his　eyes

were　fixed　upon　Holmes's　face　with　an　expression　in　which　hatred　and

amazement　were　equally　blended。　〃You　fiend！〃　he　kept　on　muttering。

〃You　clever；　clever　fiend！〃

　　〃Ah；　Colonel！〃　said　Holmes；　arranging　his　rumpled　collar。　〃‘Journeys

end　in　lovers'　meetings；'　as　the　old　play　says。　I　don't　think　I　have

had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　since　you　favoured　me　with　those

attentions　as　I　lay　on　the　ledge　above　the　Reichenbach　Fall。〃

　　The　colonel　still　stared　at　my　friend　like　a　man　in　a　trance。　〃You

cunning；　cunning　fiend！〃　was　all　that　he　could　say。

　　〃I　have　not　introduced　you　yet；〃　said　Holmes。　〃This；　gentlemen；　is

Colonel　Sebastian　Moran；　once　of　Her　Majesty's　Indian　Army；　and　the

best　heavy…game　shot　that　our　Eastern　Empire　has　ever　produced。　I

believe　I　am　correct　Colonel；　in　saying　that　your　bag　of　tigers

still　remains　unrivalled？〃

　　The　fierce　old　man　said　nothing；　but　still　glared　at　my　companion。

With　his　savage　eyes　and　bristling　moustache　he　was　wonderfully　like　a

tiger　himself。

　　〃I　wonder　that　my　very　simple　stratagem　could　deceive　so　old　a

shikari；〃　said　Holmes。　〃It　must　be　very　familiar　to　you。　Have　you

not　tethered　a　young　kid　under　a　tree；　lain　above　it　with　yo