the adventure of the golden pince-nez-第6节

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discussed　with　him。〃

　　〃You　must　let　me　speak；〃　said　the　woman；　in　an　imperative　voice；　and

her　face　contracted　as　if　in　pain。　〃When　he　had　fallen　I　rushed　from

the　room；　chose　the　wrong　door；　and　found　myself　in　my　husband's　room。

He　spoke　of　giving　me　up。　I　showed　him　that　if　he　did　so；　his　life　was

in　my　hands。　If　he　gave　me　to　the　law；　I　could　give　him　to　the

Brotherhood。　It　was　not　that　I　wished　to　live　for　my　own　sake；　but

it　was　that　I　desired　to　accomplish　my　purpose。　He　knew　that　I　would

do　what　I　said…　that　his　own　fate　was　involved　in　mine。　For　that

reason；　and　for　no　other；　he　shielded　me。　He　thrust　me　into　that

dark　hiding…place…　a　relic　of　old　days；　known　only　to　himself。　He　took

his　meals　in　his　own　room；　and　so　was　able　to　give　me　part　of　his

food。　It　was　agreed　that　when　the　police　left　the　house　I　should

slip　away　by　night　and　come　back　no　more。　But　in　some　way　you　have

read　our　plans。〃　She　tore　from　the　bosom　of　her　dress　a　small

packet。　〃These　are　my　last　words；〃　said　she；　〃here　is　the　packet　which

will　save　Alexis。　I　confide　it　to　your　honour　and　to　your　love　of

justice。　Take　it！　You　will　deliver　it　at　the　Russian　Embassy。　Now；　I

have　done　my　duty；　and…〃

　　〃Stop　her！〃　cried　Holmes。　He　had　bounded　across　the　room　and　had

wrenched　a　small　phial　from　her　hand。

　　〃Too　late！〃　she　said；　sinking　back　on　the　bed。　〃Too　late！　I　took　the

poison　before　I　left　my　hiding…place。　My　head　swims！　I　am　going！　I

charge　you；　sir；　to　remember　the　packet。〃



　　〃A　simple　case；　and　yet；　in　some　ways；　an　instructive　one；〃　Holmes

remarked；　as　we　travelled　back　to　town。　〃It　hinged　from　the　outset

upon　the　pince…nez。　But　for　the　fortunate　chance　of　the　dying　man

having　seized　these；　I　am　not　sure　that　we　could　ever　have　reached　our

solution。　It　was　clear　to　me；　from　the　strength　of　the　glasses；　that

the　wearer　must　have　been　very　blind　and　helpless　when　deprived　of

them。　When　you　asked　me　to　believe　that　she　walked　along　a　narrow

strip　of　grass　without　once　making　a　false　step；　I　remarked；　as　you

may　remember；　that　it　was　a　noteworthy　performance。　In　my　mind　I　set

it　down　as　an　impossible　performance；　save　in　the　unlikely　case　that

she　had　a　second　pair　of　glasses。　I　was　forced；　therefore；　to　consider

seriously　the　hypothesis　that　she　had　remained　within　the　house。　On

perceiving　the　similarity　of　the　two　corridors；　it　became　clear　that

she　might　very　easily　have　made　such　a　mistake；　and；　in　that　case；

it　was　evident　that　she　must　have　entered　the　professor's　room。　I

was　keenly　on　the　alert；　therefore；　for　whatever　would　bear　out　this

supposition；　and　I　examined　the　room　narrowly　for　anything　in　the

shape　of　a　hiding…place。　The　carpet　seemed　continuous　and　firmly

nailed；　so　I　dismissed　the　idea　of　a　trap…door。　There　might　well　be

a　recess　behind　the　books。　As　you　are　aware；　such　devices　are　common

in　old　libraries。　I　observed　that　books　were　piled　on　the　floor　at　all

other　points；　but　that　one　bookcase　was　left　clear。　This；　then；

might　be　the　door。　I　could　see　no　marks　to　guide　me；　but　the　carpet

was　of　a　dun　colour；　which　lends　itself　very　well　to　examination。　I

therefore　smoked　a　great　number　of　those　excellent　cigarettes；　and　I

dropped　the　ash　all　over　the　space　in　front　of　the　suspected　bookcase。

It　was　a　simple　trick；　but　exceedingly　effective。　I　then　went

downstairs；　and　I　ascertained；　in　your　presence；　Watson；　without

your　perceiving　the　drift　of　my　remarks；　that　Professor　Coram's

consumption　of　food　had　increased…　as　one　would　expect　when　he　is

supplying　a　second　person。　We　then　ascended　to　the　room　again；　when；

by　upsetting　the　cigarette…box；　I　obtained　a　very　excellent　view　of

the　floor；　and　was　able　to　see　quite　clearly；　from　the　traces　upon　the

cigarette　ash；　that　the　prisoner　had　in　our　absence　come　out　from

her　retreat。　Well；　Hopkins；　here　we　are　at　Charing　Cross；　and　I

congratulate　you　on　having　brought　your　case　to　a　successful

conclusion。　You　are　going　to　headquarters；　no　doubt。　I　think；

Watson；　you　and　I　will　drive　together　to　the　Russian　Embassy。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

。