the adventure of the blanced soldier-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　BLANCHED　SOLDIER

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　The　ideas　of　my　friend　Watson；　though　limited；　are　exceedingly

pertinacious。　For　a　long　time　he　has　worried　me　to　write　an　experience

of　my　own。　Perhaps　I　have　rather　invited　this　persecution；　since　I

have　often　had　occasion　to　point　out　to　him　how　superficial　are　his

own　accounts　and　to　accuse　him　of　pandering　to　popular　taste　instead

of　confining　himself　rigidly　to　facts　and　figures。　〃Try　it　yourself；

Holmes！〃　he　has　retorted；　and　I　am　compelled　to　admit　that；　having

taken　my　pen　in　my　hand；　I　do　begin　to　realize　that　the　matter　must　be

presented　in　such　a　way　as　may　interest　the　reader。　The　following　case

can　hardly　fail　to　do　so；　as　it　is　among　the　strangest　happenings　in

my　collection；　though　it　chanced　that　Watson　had　no　note　of　it　in

his　collection。　Speaking　of　my　old　friend　and　biographer；　I　would　take

this　opportunity　to　remark　that　if　I　burden　myself　with　a　companion　in

my　various　little　inquiries　it　is　not　done　out　of　sentiment　or

caprice；　but　it　is　that　Watson　has　some　remarkable　characteristics

of　his　own　to　which　in　his　modesty　he　has　given　small　attention　amid

his　exaggerated　estimates　of　my　own　performances。　A　confederate　who

foresees　your　conclusions　and　course　of　action　is　always　dangerous；

but　one　to　whom　each　development　comes　as　a　perpetual　surprise；　and　to

whom　the　future　is　always　a　closed　book；　is　indeed　an　ideal　helpmate。

　　I　find　from　my　notebook　that　it　was　in　January；　1903；　just　after　the

conclusion　of　the　Boer　War；　that　I　had　my　visit　from　Mr。　James　M。

Dodd；　a　big；　fresh；　sunburned；　upstanding　Briton。　The　good　Watson

had　at　that　time　deserted　me　for　a　wife；　the　only　selfish　action　which

I　can　recall　in　our　association。　I　was　alone。

　　It　is　my　habit　to　sit　with　my　back　to　the　window　and　to　place　my

visitors　in　the　opposite　chair；　where　the　light　falls　full　upon

them。　Mr。　James　M。　Dodd　seemed　somewhat　at　a　loss　how　to　begin　the

interview。　I　did　not　attempt　to　help　him；　for　his　silence　gave　me　more

time　for　observation。　I　have　found　it　wise　to　impress　clients　with　a

sense　of　power；　and　so　I　gave　him　some　of　my　conclusions。

　　〃From　South　Africa；　sir；　I　perceive。〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　he　answered；　with　some　surprise。

　　〃Imperial　Yeomanry；　I　fancy。〃

　　〃Exactly。〃

　　〃Middlesex　Corps；　no　doubt。〃

　　〃That　is　so。　Mr。　Holmes；　you　are　a　wizard。〃

　　I　smiled　at　his　bewildered　expression。

　　〃When　a　gentleman　of　virile　appearance　enters　my　room　with　such

tan　upon　his　face　as　an　English　sun　could　never　give；　and　with　his

handkerchief　in　his　sleeve　instead　of　in　his　pocket；　it　is　not

difficult　to　place　him。　You　wear　a　short　beard；　which　shows　that　you

were　not　a　regular。　You　have　the　cut　of　a　riding…man。　As　to　Middlesex；

your　card　has　already　shown　me　that　you　are　a　stockbroker　from

Throgmorton　Street。　What　other　regiment　would　you　join？〃

　　〃You　see　everything。〃

　　〃I　see　no　more　than　you；　but　I　have　trained　myself　to　notice　what

I　see。　However；　Mr。　Dodd；　it　was　not　to　discuss　the　science　of

observation　that　you　called　upon　me　this　morning。　What　has　been

happening　at　Tuxbury　Old　Park？〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes…！〃

　　〃My　dear　sir；　there　is　no　mystery。　Your　letter　came　with　that

heading；　and　as　you　fixed　this　appointment　in　very　pressing　terms　it

was　clear　that　something　sudden　and　important　had　occurred。〃

　　〃Yes；　indeed。　But　the　letter　was　written　in　the　afternoon；　and　a

good　deal　has　happened　since；　then。　If　Colonel　Emsworth　had　not　kicked

me　out…〃

　　〃Kicked　you　out！〃

　　〃Well　that　was　what　it　amounted　to。　He　is　a　hard　nail；　is　Colonel

Emsworth。　The　greatest　martinet　in　the　Army　in　his　day；　and　it　was　a

day　of　rough　language；　too。　I　couldn't　have　stuck　the　colonel　if　it

had　not　been　for　Godfrey's　sake。〃

　　I　lit　my　pipe　and　leaned　back　in　my　chair。

　　〃Perhaps　you　will　explain　what　you　are　talking　about。〃

　　My　client　grinned　mischievously。

　　〃I　had　got　into　the　way　of　supposing　that　you　knew　everything

without　being　told；〃　said　he。　〃But　I　will　give　you　the　facts；　and　I

hope　to　God　that　you　will　be　able　to　tell　me　what　they　mean。　I've　been

awake　all　night　puzzling　my　brain；　and　the　more　I　think　the　more

incredible　does　it　become。

　　〃When　I　joined　up　in　January；　1901…　just　two　years　ago…　young

Godfrey　Emsworth　had　joined　the　same　squadron。　He　was　Colonel

Emsworth's　only　son…　Emsworth；　the　Crimean　V。C。…　and　he　had　the

fighting　blood　in　him；　so　it　is　no　wonder　he　volunteered。　There　was

not　a　finer　lad　in　the　regiment。　We　formed　a　friendship…　the　sort　of

friendship　which　can　only　be　made　when　one　lives　the　same　life　and

shares　the　same　joys　and　sorrows。　He　was　my　mate…　and　that　means　a

good　deal　in　the　Army。　We　took　the　rough　and　the　smooth　together　for　a

year　of　hard　fighting。　Then　he　was　hit　with　a　bullet　from　an

elephant　gun　in　the　action　near　Diamond　Hill　outside　Pretoria。　I　got

one　letter　from　the　hospital　at　Cape　Town　and　one　from　South

Hampton。　Since　then　not　a　word…　not　one　word；　Mr。　Holmes；　for　six

months　and　more；　and　he　my　closest　pal。

　　〃Well；　when　the　war　was　over；　and　we　all　got　back；　I　wrote　to　his

father　and　asked　where　Godfrey　was。　No　answer。　I　waited　a　bit　and　then

I　wrote　again。　This　time　I　had　a　reply；　short　and　gruff。　Godfrey　had

gone　on　a　voyage　round　the　world；　and　it　was　not　likely　that　he

would　be　back　for　a　year。　That　was　all。

　　〃I　wasn't　satisfied；　Mr。　Holmes。　The　whole　thing　seemed　to　me　so

damned　unnatural。　He　was　a　good　lad；　and　he　would　not　drop　a　pal

like　that。　It　was　not　like　him。　Then；　again；　I　happened　to　know　that

he　was　heir　to　a　lot　of　money；　and　also　that　his　father　and　he　did　not

always　hit　it　off　too　well。　The　old　man　was　sometimes　a　bully；　and

young　Godfrey　had　too　much　spirit　to　stand　it。　No；　I　wasn't　satisfied；

and　I　determined　that　I　would　get　to　the　root　of　the　matter。　It

happened；　however；　that　my　own　affairs　needed　a　lot　of　straightening

out；　after　two　years'　absence；　and　so　it　is　only　this　week　that　I　have

been　able　to　take　up　Godfrey's　case　again。　But　since　I　have　taken　it

up　I　mean　to　drop　everything　in　order　to　see　it　through。〃

　　Mr。　James　M。　Dodd　appeared　to　be　the　sort　of　person　whom　it　would　be

better　to　have　as　a　friend　than　as　an　enemy。　His　blue　eyes　were

stern　and　his　square　jaw　had　set　hard　as　he　spoke。

　　〃Well；　what　have　you　done？〃　I　asked。

　　〃My　first　move　was　to　get　down　to　his　home；　Tuxbury　Old　Park；　near

Bedford；　and　to　see　for　myself　how　the　ground　lay。　I　wrote　to　the

mother；　therefore…　I　had　had　quite　enough　of　the　curmudgeon　of　a

father…　and　I　made　a　clean　frontal　attack：　Godfrey　was　my　chum；　I

had　a　great　deal　of　interest　which　I　might　tell　her　of　our　common

experiences；　I　should　be　in　the　neighbourhood；　would　there　be　any

objection；　et　cetera？　In　reply　I　had　quite　an　amiable　answer　from

her　and　an　offer　to　put　me　up　for　the　night。　That　was　what　took　me

down　on　Monday。

　　〃Tuxbury　Old　Hall　is　inaccessible…　five　miles　from　anywhere。　There

was　no　trap　at　the　station；　so　I　had　to　walk；　carrying　my　suitcase；

and　it　was　nearly　dark　before　I　arrived。　It　is　a　great　wandering

house；　standing　in　a　considerable　park。　I　should　judge　it　was　of　all

sorts　of　ages　and　styles；　starting　on　a　half…timbered　Elizabethan

foundation　and　ending　in　a　Victorian　portico。　Inside　it　was　all

panelling　and　tapestry　and　half…effaced　old　pictures；　a　house　of

shadows　and　mystery。　There　was　a　butler；　old　Ralph；　who　seemed　about

the　same　age　as　the　house；　and　there　was　his　wife；　who　might　have　been

older。　She　had　been　Godfrey's　nurse；　and　I　had　heard　him　speak　of

her　as　second　only　to　his　mother　in　his　affections；　so　I　was　drawn

to　her　in　spite　of　her　queer　appearance。　The　mother　I　liked　also…　a

gentle　little　white　mouse　of　a　woman。　It　was　only　the　colonel

himself　whom　I　barred。

　　〃We　had　a　bit　of　barney　right　away；　and　I　should　have　walked　back　to

the　station　if　I　had　not　felt　that　it　might　be　playing　his　game　for　me

to　do　so。　I　was　shown　straight　into　his　study；　and　there　I　found

him；　a　huge；　bow…backed　man　with　a　smoky　skin　and　a　straggling　gray

beard；　seated　behind　his　littered　desk。　A　red…veined　nose　jutted　out

like　a　vulture's　beak；　and　two　fierce　gray　eyes　glared　at　me　from

under　tufted　brows。　I　could　understand　now　why　Godfrey　seldom　spoke　of

his　father。

　　〃'Well；　sir；'　said　he　in　a　rasping　voice；　'I　should　be　interested　to

know　the　real　reasons　for　this　visit。'

　　〃I　answered　that　I　had　explained　them　in　my　letter　to　his　wife。

　　〃'Yes；　yes；　you　said　that　you　had　known　Godfrey　in　Africa。　We

have；　of　course；　only　your　word　for　that。'

　　〃'I　have　his　letters　to　me　in　my　pocket。'

　　〃'Kindly　let　me　see　them。'

　　〃He　glanced　at　the　two　which　I　handed　him；　and　then　he　tossed　them

back。

　　〃'Well；　what　then？'　he　asked。

　　〃'I　was　fond　of　your　son　Godfrey；　sir。　Many　ties　and　memories　united

us。　Is　it　not　natural　that　I　should　wonder　at　his　sudden　silence　and

should　wish　to　know　what　has　become　of　him？'

　　〃'I　have　some　recollections；　sir；　that　I　had　already　corresponded

wit