the adventure of the blanced soldier-第5节

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if　he　knew　so　much　as　that　it　was　safer　that　he　should　know　all。〃

　　〃And　so　it　was；〃　said　I。　〃Who　knows　but　good　may　come　of　it？　I

understand　that　only　Mr。　Kent　has　seen　the　patient。　May　I　ask；　sir；　if

you　are　an　authority　on　such　complaints；　which　are；　I　understand；

tropical　or　semi…tropical　in　their　nature？〃

　　〃I　have　the　ordinary　knowledge　of　the　educated　medical　man；〃　he

observed　with　some　stiffness。

　　〃I　have　no　doubt；　sir；　that　you　are　fully　competent；　but　I　am　sure

that　you　will　agree　that　in　such　a　case　a　second　opinion　is

valuable。　You　have　avoided　this；　I　understand；　for　fear　that

pressure　should　be　put　upon　you　to　segregate　the　patient。〃

　　〃That　is　so；〃　said　Colonel　Emsworth。

　　〃I　foresaw　this　situation；〃　I　explained；　〃and　I　have　brought　with　me

a　friend　whose　discretion　may　absolutely　be　trusted。　I　was　able　once

to　do　him　a　professional　service；　and　he　is　ready　to　advise　as　a

friend　rather　than　as　a　specialist。　His　name　is　Sir　James　Saunders。〃

　　The　prospect　of　an　interview　with　Lord　Roberts　would　not　have

excited　greater　wonder　and　pleasure　in　a　raw　subaltern　than　was　now

reflected　upon　the　face　of　Mr。　Kent。

　　〃I　shall　indeed　be　proud；〃　he　murmured。

　　〃Then　I　will　ask　Sir　James　to　step　this　way。　He　is　at　present　in　the

carriage　outside　the　door。　Meanwhile；　Colonel　Emsworth；　we　may　perhaps

assemble　in　your　study；　where　I　could　give　the　necessary

explanations。〃

　　And　here　it　is　that　I　miss　my　Watson。　By　cunning　questions　and

ejaculations　of　wonder　he　could　elevate　my　simple　art；　which　is　but

systematized　common　sense；　into　a　prodigy。　When　I　tell　my　own　story

I　have　no　such　aid。　And　yet　I　will　give　my　process　of　thought　even

as　I　gave　it　to　my　small　audience；　which　included　Godfrey's　mother

in　the　study　of　Colonel　Emsworth。

　　〃That　process；〃　said　I；　〃starts　upon　the　supposition　that　when　you

have　eliminated　all　which　is　impossible；　then　whatever　remains；

however　improbable；　must　be　the　truth。　It　may　well　be　that　several

explanations　remain；　in　which　case　one　tries　test　after　test　until　one

or　other　of　them　has　a　convincing　amount　of　support。　We　will　now　apply

this　principle　to　the　case　in　point。　As　it　was　first　presented　to

me；　there　were　three　possible　explanations　of　the　seclusion　or

incarceration　of　this　gentleman　in　an　outhouse　of　his　father's

mansion。　There　was　the　explanation；　that　he　was　in　hiding　for　a　crime；

or　that　he　was　mad　and　that　they　wished　to　avoid　an　asylum；　or　that　he

had　some　disease　which　caused　his　segregation。　I　could　think　of　no

other　adequate　solutions。　These；　then；　had　to　be　sifted　and　balanced

against　each　other。

　　〃The　criminal　solution　would　not　bear　inspection。　No　unsolved

crime　had　been　reported　from　that　district。　I　was　sure　of　that。　If

it　were　some　crime　not　yet　discovered；　then　clearly　it　would　be　to　the

interest　of　the　family　to　get　rid　of　the　delinquent　and　send　him

abroad　rather　than　keep　him　concealed　at　home。　I　could　see　no

explanation　for　such　a　line　of　conduct。

　　〃Insanity　was　more　plausible。　The　presence　of　the　second　person　in

the　outhouse　suggested　a　keeper。　The　fact　that　he　locked　the　door　when

he　came　out　strengthened　the　supposition　and　gave　the　idea　of

constraint。　On　the　other　hand；　this　constraint　could　not　be　severe

or　the　young　man　could　not　have　got　loose　and　come　down　to　have　a　look

at　his　friend。　You；　will　remember；　Mr。　Dodd；　that　I　felt　round　for

points；　asking　you；　for　example；　about　the　paper　which　Mr。　Kent　was

reading。　Had　it　been　the　Lancet　or　the　British　Medical　Journal　it

would　have　helped　me。　It　is　not　illegal；　however；　to　keep　a　lunatic

upon　private　premises　so　long　as　there　is　a　qualified　person　in

attendance　and　that　the　authorities　have　been　duly　notified。　Why；

then；　all　this　desperate　desire　for　secrecy？　Once　again　I　could　not

get　the　theory　to　fit　the　facts。

　　〃There　remained　the　third　possibility；　into　which；　rare　and　unlikely

as　it　was；　everything　seemed　to　fit。　Leprosy　is　not　uncommon　in

South　Africa。　By　some　extraordinary　chance　this　youth　might　have

contracted　it。　His　people　would　be　placed　in　a　very　dreadful　position；

since　they　would　desire　to　save　him　from　segregation。　Great　secrecy

would　be　needed　to　prevent　rumours　from　getting　about　and　subsequent

interference　by　the　authorities。　A　devoted　medical　man；　if

sufficiently　paid；　would　easily　be　found　to　take　chance　of　the

sufferer。　There　would　be　no　reason　why　the　latter　should　not　he

allowed　freedom　after　dark。　Bleaching　of　the　skin　is　a　common　result

of　the　disease。　The　case　was　a　strong　one…　so　strong　that　I　determined

to　act　as　if　it　were　actually　proved。　When　on　arriving　here　I

noticed　that　Ralph；　who　carries　out　the　meals；　had　gloves　which　are

impregnated　with　disinfectants；　my　last　doubts　were　removed。　A

single　word　showed　you；　sir；　that　your　secret　was　discovered；　and　if　I

wrote　rather　than　said　it；　it　was　to　prove　to　you　that　my　discretion

was　to　be　trusted。〃

　　I　was　finishing　this　little　analysis　of　the　case　when　the　door　was

opened　and　the　austere　figure　of　the　great　dermatologist　was　ushered

in。　But　for　once　his　sphinx…like　features　had　relaxed　and　there　was

a　warm　humanity　in　his　eyes。　He　strode　up　to　Colonel　Emsworth　and

shook　him　by　the　hand。

　　〃It　is　often　my　lot　to　bring　ill…tidings　and　seldom　good；〃　said

he。　〃This　occasion　is　the　more　welcome。　It　is　not　leprosy。〃

　　〃A　well…marked　case　of　pseudo…leprosy　or　ichthyosis；　a　scale…like

affection　of　the　skin；　unsightly；　obstinate；　but　possibly　curable；　and

certainly　noninfective。　Yes；　Mr。　Holmes；　the　coincidence　is　a

remarkable　one。　But　is　it　coincidence？　Are　there　not　subtle　forces

at　work　of　which　we　know　little？　Are　we　assured　that　the

apprehension　from　which　this　young　man　has　no　doubt　suffered

terribly　since　his　exposure　to　its　contagion　may　not　produce　a

physical　effect　which　simulates　that　which　it　fears？　At　any　rate；　I

pledge　my　professional　reputation…　But　the　lady　has　fainted！　I　think

that　Mr。　Kent　had　better　be　with　her　until　she　recovers　from　this

joyous　shock。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

。