the adventure of the blanced soldier-第2节

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should　wish　to　know　what　has　become　of　him？'

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

with　you　and　had　told　you　what　had　become　of　him。　He　has　gone　upon　a

voyage　round　the　world。　His　health　was　in　a　poor　way　after　his　African

experiences；　and　both　his　mother　and　I　were　of　opinion　that　complete

rest　and　change　were　needed。　Kindly　pass　that　explanation　on　to　any

other　friends　who　may　be　interested　in　the　matter。'

　　〃'Certainly；'　I　answered。　'But　perhaps　you　would　have　the　goodness

to　let　me　have　the　name　of　the　steamer　and　of　the　line　by　which　he

sailed；　together　with　the　date。　I　have　no　doubt　that　I　should　be

able　to　get　a　letter　through　to　him。'

　　〃My　request　seemed　both　to　puzzle　and　to　irritate　my　host。　His　great

eyebrows　came　down　over　his　eyes；　and　he　tapped　his　fingers

impatiently　on　the　table。　He　looked　up　at　last　with　the　expression

of　one　who　has　seen　his　adversary　make　a　dangerous　move　at　chess；

and　has　decided　how　to　meet　it。

　　〃'Many　people；　Mr。　Dodd；'　said　he；　'would　take　offence　at　your

infernal　pertinacity　and　would　think　that　this　insistence　had

reached　the　point　of　damned　impertinence。'

　　〃'You　must　put　it　down；　sir；　to　my　real　love　for　your　son。'

　　〃'Exactly。　I　have　already　made　every　allowance　upon　that　score。　I

must　ask　you；　however；　to　drop　these　inquiries。　Every　family　has　its

own　inner　knowledge　and　its　own　motives；　which　cannot　always　be　made

clear　to　outsiders；　however　well…intentioned。　My　wife　is　anxious　to

hear　something　of　Godfrey's　past　which　you　are　in　a　position　to　tell

her；　but　I　would　ask　you　to　let　the　present　and　the　future　alone；　Such

inquiries　serve　no　useful　purpose；　sir；　and　place　us　in　a　delicate　and

difficult　position。'

　　〃So　I　came　to　a　dead　end；　Mr。　Holmes。　There　was　no　getting　past

it。　I　could　only　pretend　to　accept　the　situation　and　register　a　vow

inwardly　that　I　would　never　rest　until　my　friend's　fate　had　been

cleared　up。　It　was　a　dull　evening。　We　dined　quietly；　the　three　of

us；　in　a　gloomy　faded　old　room。　The　lady　questioned　me　eagerly　about

her　son；　but　the　old　man　seemed　morose　and　depressed。　I　was　so　bored

by　the　whole　proceeding　that　I　made　an　excuse　as　soon　as　I　decently

could　and　retired　to　my　bedroom。　It　was　a　large；　bare　room　on　the

ground　floor；　as　gloomy　as　the　rest　of　the　house；　but　after　a　year

of　sleeping　upon　the　veldt；　Mr。　Holmes；　one　is　not　too　particular

about　one's　quarters。　I　opened　the　curtains　and　looked　out　into　the

garden；　remarking　that　it　was　a　fine　night　with　a　bright　half…moon。

Then　I　sat　down　by　the　roaring　fire　with　the　lamp　on　a　table　beside

me；　and　endeavoured　to　distract　my　mind　with　a　novel。　I　was

interrupted；　however；　by　Ralph；　the　old　butler；　who　came　in　with　a

fresh　supply　of　coals。

　　〃'I　thought　you　might　run　short　in　the　night…time；　sir。　It　is　bitter

weather　and　these　rooms　are　cold。'

　　〃He　hesitated　before　leaving　the　room；　and　when　I　looked　round　he

was　standing　facing　me　with　a　wistful　look　upon　his　wrinkled　face。

　　〃'Beg　your　pardon；　sir；　but　I　could　not　help　hearing　what　you　said

of　young　Master　Godfrey　at　dinner。　You　know；　sir；　that　my　wife

nursed　him；　and　so　I　may　say　I　am　his　foster…father。　It's　natural　we

should　take　an　interest。　And　you　say　he　carried　himself　well；　sir？'

　　〃'There　was　never　a　braver　man　in　the　regiment。　He　pulled　me　out

once　from　under　the　rifles　of　the　Boers；　or　maybe　I　should　not　be

here。'

　　〃The　old　butler　rubbed　his　skinny　hands。

　　〃'Yes；　sir；　yes；　that　is　Master　Godfrey　all　over。　He　was　always

courageous。　There's　not　a　tree　in　the　park；　sir；　that　he　has　not

climbed。　Nothing　would　stop　him。　He　was　a　fine　boy…　and　oh；　sir；　he

was　a　fine　man。'

　　〃I　sprang　to　my　feet。

　　〃'Look　here！'　I　cried。　'You　say　he　was。　You　speak　as　if　he　were

dead。　What　is　all　this　mystery？　What　has　become　of　Godfrey　Emsworth？'

　　〃I　gripped　the　old　man　by　the　shoulder；　but　he　shrank　away。

　　〃'I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　sir。　Ask　the　master　about　Master

Godfrey。　He　knows。　It　is　not　for　me　to　interfere。'

　　〃He　was　leaving　the　room；　but　I　held　his　arm。

　　〃'Listen；'　I　said。　'You　are　going　to　answer　one　question　before

you　leave　if　I　have　to　hold　you　all　night。　Is　Godfrey　dead？'

　　〃He　could　not　face　my　eyes。　He　was　like　a　man　hypnotized。　The　answer

was　dragged　from　his　lips。　It　was　a　terrible　and　unexpected　one。

　　〃'I　wish　to　God　he　was！'　he　cried；　and；　tearing　himself　free；　he

dashed　from　the　room。

　　〃You　will　think；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　I　returned　to　my　chair　in　no

very　happy　state　of　mind。　The　old　man's　words　seemed　to　me　to　bear

only　one　interpretation。　Clearly　my　poor　friend　had　become　involved　in

some　criminal　or；　at　the　least；　disreputable　transaction　which　touched

the　family　honour。　That　stern　old　man　had　sent　his　son　away　and　hidden

him　from　the　world　lest　some　scandal　should　come　to　light。　Godfrey　was

a　reckless　fellow。　He　was　easily　influenced　by　those　around　him。　No

doubt　he　had　fallen　into　bad　hands　and　been　misled　to　his　ruin。　It　was

a　piteous　business；　if　it　was　indeed　so；　but　even　now　it　was　my　duty

to　hunt　him　out　and　see　if　I　could　aid　him。　I　was　anxiously

pondering　the　matter　when　I　looked　up；　and　there　was　Godfrey

Emsworth　standing　before　me。〃

　　My　client　had　paused　as　one　in　deep　emotion。

　　〃Pray　continue；〃　I　said。　〃Your　problem　presents　some　very　unusual

features。〃

　　〃He　was　outside　the　window；　Mr。　Holmes；　with　his　face　pressed

against　the　glass。　I　have　told　you　that　I　looked　out　at　the　night。

When　I　did　so　I　left　the　curtains　partly　open。　His　figure　was　framed

in　this　gap。　The　window　came　down　to　the　ground　and　I　could　see　the

whole　length　of　it；　but　it　was　his　face　which　held　my　gaze。　He　was

deadly　pale…　never　have　I　seen　a　man　so　white。　I　reckon　ghosts　may

look　like　that；　but　his　eyes　met　mine；　and　they　were　the　eyes　of　a

living　man。　He　sprang　back　when　he　saw　that　I　was　looking　at　him；

and　he　vanished　into　the　darkness。

　　〃There　was　something　shocking　about　the　man；　Mr。　Holmes。　It　wasn't

merely　that　ghastly　face　glimmering　as　white　as　cheese　in　the

darkness。　It　was　more　subtle　than　that…　something　slinking；

something　furtive；　something　guilty…　something　very　unlike　the

frank；　manly　lad　that　I　had　known。　It　left　a　feeling　of　horror　in　my

mind。

　　〃But　when　a　man　has　been　soldiering　for　a　year　or　two　with　brother

Boer　as　a　playmate；　he　keeps　his　nerve　and　acts　quickly。　Godfrey　had

hardly　vanished　before　I　was　at　the　window。　There　was　an　awkward

catch；　and　I　was　some　little　time　before　I　could　throw　it　up。　Then　I

nipped　through　and　ran　down　the　garden　path　in　the　direction　that　I

thought　he　might　have　taken。

　　〃It　was　a　long　path　and　the　light　was　not　very　good；　but　it　seemed

to　me　something　was　moving　ahead　of　me。　I　ran　on　and　called　his

name；　but　it　was　no　use。　When　I　got　to　the　end　of　the　path　there

were　several　others　branching　in　different　directions　to　various

outhouses。　I　stood　hesitating；　and　as　I　did　so　I　heard　distinctly

the　sound　of　a　closing　door。　It　was　not　behind　me　in　the　house；　but

ahead　of　me；　somewhere　in　the　darkness。　That　was　enough；　Mr。　Holmes；

to　assure　me　that　what　I　had　seen　was　not　a　vision。　Godfrey　had　run

away　from　me；　and　he　had　shut　a　door　behind　him。　Of　that　I　was

certain。

　　〃There　was　nothing　more　I　could　do；　and　I　spent　an　uneasy　night

turning　the　matter　over　in　my　mind　and　trying　to　find　some　theory

which　would　cover　the　facts。　Next　day　I　found　the　colonel　rather

more　conciliatory；　and　as　his　wife　remarked　that　there　were　some

places　of　interest　in　the　neighbourhood；　it　gave　me　an　opening　to

ask　whether　my　presence　for　one　more　night　would　incommode　them。　A

somewhat　grudging　acquiescence　from　the　old　man　gave　me　a　clear　day　in

which　to　make　my　observations。　I　was　already　perfectly　convinced

that　Godfrey　was　in　hiding　somewhere　near；　but　where　and　why

remained　to　be　solved。

　　〃The　house　was　so　large　and　so　rambling　that　a　regiment　might　be　hid

away　in　it　and　no　one　the　wiser。　If　the　secret　lay　there　it　was

difficult　for　me　to　penetrate　it。　But　the　door　which　I　had　heard　close

was　certainly　not　in　the　house。　I　must　explore　the　garden　and　see　what

I　could　find。　There　was　no　difficulty　in　the　way；　for　the　old　people

were　busy　in　their　own　fashion　and　left　me　to　my　own　devices。

　　〃There　were　several　small　outhouses；　but　at　the　end　of　the　garden

there　was　a　detached　building　of　some　size…　large　enough　for　a

gardener's　or　a　gamekeeper's　residence。　Could　this　be　the　place　whence

the　sound　of　that　shutting　door　had　come？　I　approached　it　in　a

careless　fashion　as　though　I　were　strolling　aimlessly　round　the

grounds。　As　I　did　so；　a　small；　brisk；　bearded　man　in　a　black　coat

and　bowler　hat…　not　at　all　the　gardener　type…　came　out　of　the　door。　To

my　surprise；　he　locked　it　after　him　and　put　the　key　in　his　pocket。

Then　he　looked　at　me　with　some　surprise　on　his　face。

　　〃'Are　you　a　visitor　here？'　he　asked。

　　〃I　explained　that　I　was　and　that　I　was　a　friend　of　Godfrey's。

　　〃'What　a　pity　that　he　should　be　away　on　his　travels；　for　he　would

have　so　liked　to　see　me；'　I　continued。

　　〃'Quite　so。　Exactly；'　said　he　with　a　r