the adventure of the golden pince-nez-第4节

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exclaimed。　〃Alas！　what　a　fatal　interruption！　Who　could　have　foreseen

such　a　terrible　catastrophe？　So　estimable　a　young　man！　I　assure　you

that；　after　a　few　months'　training；　he　was　an　admirable　assistant。

What　do　you　think　of　the　matter；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃I　have　not　yet　made　up　my　mind。〃

　　〃I　shall　indeed　be　indebted　to　you　if　you　can　throw　a　light　where

all　is　so　dark　to　us。　To　a　poor　bookworm　and　invalid　like　myself

such　a　blow　is　paralyzing。　I　seem　to　have　lost　the　faculty　of　thought。

But　you　are　a　man　of　action…　you　are　a　man　of　affairs。　It　is　part　of

the　everyday　routine　of　your　life。　You　can　preserve　your　balance　in

every　emergency。　We　are　fortunate；　indeed；　in　having　you　at　our　side。〃

　　Holmes　was　pacing　up　and　down　one　side　of　the　room　whilst　the　old

professor　was　talking。　I　observed　that　he　was　smoking　with

extraordinary　rapidity。　It　was　evident　that　he　shared　our　host's

liking　for　the　fresh　Alexandrian　cigarettes。

　　〃Yes；　sir；　it　is　a　crushing　blow；〃　said　the　old　man。　〃That　is　my

magnum　opus…　the　pile　of　papers　on　the　side　table　yonder。　It　is　my

analysis　of　the　documents　found　in　the　Coptic　monasteries　of　Syria　and

Egypt；　a　work　which　will　cut　deep　at　the　very　foundation　of　revealed

religion。　With　my　enfeebled　health　I　do　not　know　whether　I　shall

ever　be　able　to　complete　it；　now　that　my　assistant　has　been　taken　from

me。　Dear　me！　Mr。　Holmes；　why；　you　are　even　a　quicker　smoker　than　I

am　myself。〃

　　Holmes　smiled。

　　〃I　am　a　connoisseur；〃　said　he；　taking　another　cigarette　from　the

box…　his　fourth…　and　lighting　it　from　the　stub　of　that　which　he　had

finished。　〃I　will　not　trouble　you　with　any　lengthy

cross…examination；　Professor　Coram；　since　I　gather　that　you　were　in

bed　at　the　time　of　the　crime；　and　could　know　nothing　about　it。　I　would

only　ask　this：　What　do　you　imagine　that　this　poor　fellow　meant　by

his　last　words：　'The　professor…　it　was　she'？〃

　　The　professor　shook　his　head。

　　〃Susan　is　a　country　girl；〃　said　he；　〃and　you　know　the　incredible

stupidity　of　that　class。　I　fancy　that　the　poor　fellow　murmured　some

incoherent　delirious　words；　and　that　she　twisted　them　into　this

meaningless　message。〃

　　〃I　see。　You　have　no　explanation　yourself　of　the　tragedy？〃

　　〃Possibly　an　accident；　possibly…　I　only　breathe　it　among

ourselves…　a　suicide。　Young　men　have　their　hidden　troubles…　some

affair　of　the　heart；　perhaps；　which　we　have　never　known。　It　is　a

more　probable　supposition　than　murder。〃

　　〃But　the　eyeglasses？〃

　　〃Ah！　I　am　only　a　student…　a　man　of　dreams。　I　cannot　explain　the

practical　things　of　life。　But　still；　we　are　aware；　my　friend；　that

love…gages　may　take　strange　shapes。　By　all　means　take　another

cigarette。　It　is　a　pleasure　to　see　anyone　appreciate　them　so。　A　fan；　a

glove；　glasses…　who　knows　what　article　may　be　carried　as　a　token　or

treasured　when　a　man　puts　an　end　to　his　life？　This　gentleman　speaks　of

footsteps　in　the　grass；　but；　after　all；　it　is　easy　to　be　mistaken　on

such　a　point。　As　to　the　knife；　it　might　well　be　thrown　far　from　the

unfortunate　man　as　he　fell。　It　is　possible　that　I　speak　as　a　child；

but　to　me　it　seems　that　Willoughby　Smith　has　met　his　fate　by　his　own

hand。〃

　　Holmes　seemed　struck　by　the　theory　thus　put　forward；　and　he

continued　to　walk　up　and　down　for　some　time；　lost　in　thought　and

consuming　cigarette　after　cigarette。

　　〃Tell　me；　Professor　Coram；〃　he　said；　at　last；　〃what　is　in　that

cupboard　in　the　bureau？〃

　　〃Nothing　that　would　help　a　thief。　Family　papers；　letters　from　my

poor　wife；　diplomas　of　universities　which　have　done　me　honour。　Here　is

the　key。　You　can　look　for　yourself。〃

　　Holmes　picked　up　the　key；　and　looked　at　it　for　an　instant；　then　he

handed　it　back。

　　〃No；　I　hardly　think　that　it　would　help　me；〃　said　he。　〃I　should

prefer　to　go　quietly　down　to　your　garden；　and　turn　the　whole　matter

over　in　my　head。　There　is　something　to　be　said　for　the　theory　of

suicide　which　you　have　put　forward。　We　must　apologize　for　having

intruded　upon　you；　Professor　Coram；　and　I　promise　that　we　won't

disturb　you　until　after　lunch。　At　two　o'clock　we　will　come　again；

and　report　to　you　anything　which　may　have　happened　in　the　interval。〃

　　Holmes　was　curiously　distrait；　and　we　walked　up　and　down　the

garden　path　for　some　time　in　silence。

　　〃Have　you　a　clue？〃　I　asked；　at　last。

　　〃It　depends　upon　those　cigarettes　that　I　smoked；〃　said　he。　〃It　is

possible　that　I　am　utterly　mistaken。　The　cigarettes　will　show　me。〃

　　〃My　dear　Holmes；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃how　on　earth…〃

　　〃Well；　well；　you　may　see　for　yourself。　If　not；　there's　no　harm　done。

Of　course；　we　always　have　the　optician　clue　to　fall　back　upon；　but　I

take　a　short　cut　when　I　can　get　it。　Ah；　here　is　the　good　Mrs。

Marker！　Let　us　enjoy　five　minutes　of　instructive　conversation　with

her。〃

　　I　may　have　remarked　before　that　Holmes　had；　when　he　liked；　a

peculiarly　ingratiating　way　with　women；　and　that　he　very　readily

established　terms　of　confidence　with　them。　In　half　the　time　which　he

had　named；　he　had　captured　the　housekeeper's　goodwill　and　was　chatting

with　her　as　if　he　had　known　her　for　years。

　　〃Yes；　Mr。　Holmes；　it　is　as　you　say；　sir。　He　does　smoke　something

terrible。　All　day　and　sometimes　all　night；　sir。　I've　seen　that　room　of

a　morning…　well；　sir；　you'd　have　thought　it　was　a　London　fog。　Poor

young　Mr。　Smith；　he　was　a　smoker　also；　but　not　as　bad　as　the

professor。　His　health…　well；　I　don't　know　that　it's　better　nor　worse

for　the　smoking。〃

　　〃Ah！〃　said　Holmes；　〃but　it　kills　the　appetite。〃

　　〃Well；　I　don't　know　about　that；　sir。〃

　　〃I　suppose　the　professor　eats　hardly　anything？〃

　　〃Well；　he　is　variable。　I'll　say　that　for　him。〃

　　〃I'll　wager　he　took　no　breakfast　this　morning；　and　won't　face　his

lunch　after　all　the　cigarettes　I　saw　him　consume。〃

　　〃Well；　you're　out　there；　sir；　as　it　happens；　for　he　ate　a　remarkable

big　breakfast　this　morning。　I　don't　know　when　I've　known　him　make　a

better　one；　and　he's　ordered　a　good　dish　of　cutlets　for　his　lunch。　I'm

surprised　myself；　for　since　I　came　into　that　room　yesterday　and　saw

young　Mr。　Smith　lying　there　on　the　floor；　I　couldn't　bear　to　look　at

food。　Well；　it　takes　all　sorts　to　make　a　world；　and　the　professor

hasn't　let　it　take　his　appetite　away。〃

　　We　loitered　the　morning　away　in　the　garden。　Stanley　Hopkins　had　gone

down　to　the　village　to　look　into　some　rumours　of　a　strange　woman　who

had　been　seen　by　some　children　on　the　Chatham　Road　the　previous

morning。　As　to　my　friend；　all　his　usual　energy　seemed　to　have　deserted

him。　I　had　never　known　him　handle　a　case　in　such　a　half…hearted

fashion。　Even　the　news　brought　back　by　Hopkins　that　he　had　found　the

children；　and　that　they　had　undoubtedly　seen　a　woman　exactly

corresponding　with　Holmes's　description；　and　wearing　either　spectacles

or　eyeglasses；　failed　to　rouse　any　sign　of　keen　interest。　He　was

more　attentive　when　Susan；　who　waited　upon　us　at　lunch；　volunteered

the　information　that　she　believed　Mr。　Smith　had　been　out　for　a　walk

yesterday　morning；　and　that　he　had　only　returned　half　an　hour　before

the　tragedy　occurred。　I　could　not　myself　see　the　bearing　of　this

incident；　but　I　clearly　perceived　that　Holmes　was　weaving　it　into

the　general　scheme　which　he　had　formed　in　his　brain。　Suddenly　he

sprang　from　his　chair　and　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Two　o'clock；

gentlemen；〃　said　he。　〃We　must　go　up　and　have　it　out　with　our　friend；

the　professor。〃

　　The　old　man　had　just　finished　his　lunch；　and　certainly　his　empty

dish　bore　evidence　to　the　good　appetite　with　which　his　housekeeper　had

credited　him。　He　was；　indeed；　a　weird　figure　as　he　turned　his　white

mane　and　his　glowing　eyes　towards　us。　The　eternal　cigarette　smouldered

in　his　mouth。　He　had　been　dressed　and　was　seated　in　an　armchair　by　the

fire。

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　have　you　solved　this　mystery　yet？〃　He　shoved

the　large　tin　of　cigarettes　which　stood　on　a　table　beside　him

towards　my　companion。　Holmes　stretched　out　his　hand　at　the　same

moment；　and　between　them　they　tipped　the　box　over　the　edge。　For　a

minute　or　two　we　were　all　on　our　knees　retrieving　stray　cigarettes

from　impossible　places。　When　we　rose　again；　I　observed　Holmes's　eyes

were　shining　and　his　cheeks　tinged　with　colour。　Only　at　a　crisis

have　I　seen　those　battle…signals　flying。

　　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　solved　it。〃

　　Stanley　Hopkins　and　I　stared　in　amazement。　Something　like　a　sneer

quivered　over　the　gaunt　features　of　the　old　professor。

　　〃Indeed！　In　the　garden？〃

　　〃No；　here。〃

　　〃Here！　When？〃

　　〃This　instant。〃

　　〃You　are　surely　joking；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes。　You　compel　me　to　tell

you　that　this　is　too　serious　a　matter　to　be　treated　in　such　a

fashion。〃

　　〃I　have　forged　and　tested　every　link　of　my　chain；　Professor　Coram；

and　I　am　sure　that　it　is　sound。　What　your　motives　are；　or　what　exact

part　you　play　in　this　strange　business；　I　am　not　yet　able　to　say。　In　a

few　minutes　I　shall　probably　hear　it　from　your　own　lips。　Meanwhile　I

will　reconstruct　what　is　past　for　your　benefit；　so　that　you　may　know

the　information　which　I　still　require。

　　〃A　lady　yesterday　entered　your　study。　She　came　with　the　intention　of

possessing　herself　of　certain　document