the adventure of the second stain-第3节

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　　〃Well；　Watson；　what　do　you　make　of　this？〃　asked　Holmes；　after　a　long

pause。

　　〃It　is　an　amazing　coincidence。〃

　　〃A　coincidence！　Here　is　one　of　the　three　men　whom　we　had　named　as

possible　actors　in　this　drama；　and　he　meets　a　violent　death　during　the

very　hours　when　we　know　that　that　drama　was　being　enacted。　The　odds

are　enormous　against　its　being　coincidence。　No　figures　could　express

them。　No；　my　dear　Watson；　the　two　events　are　connected…　must　be

connected。　It　is　for　us　to　find　the　connection。〃

　　〃But　now　the　official　police　must　know　all。〃

　　〃Not　at　all。　They　know　all　they　see　at　Godolphin　Street。　They

know…　and　shall　know…　nothing　of　Whitehall　Terrace。　Only　we　know　of

both　events；　and　can　trace　the　relation　between　them。　There　is　one

obvious　point　which　would；　in　any　case；　have　turned　my　suspicions

against　Lucas。　Godolphin　Street；　Westminster；　is　only　a　few　minutes'

walk　from　Whitehall　Terrace。　The　other　secret　agents　whom　I　have　named

live　in　the　extreme　West　End。　It　was　easier；　therefore；　for　Lucas　than

for　the　others　to　establish　a　connection　or　receive　a　message　from　the

European　Secretary's　household…　a　small　thing；　and　yet　where　events

are　compressed　into　a　few　hours　it　may　prove　essential。　Halloa！　what

have　we　here？〃

　　Mrs。　Hudson　had　appeared　with　a　lady's　card　upon　her　salver。

Holmes　glanced　at　it；　raised　his　eyebrows；　and　handed　it　over　to　me。

　　〃Ask　Lady　Hilda　Trelawney　Hope　if　she　will　be　kind　enough　to　step

up；〃　said　he。

　　A　moment　later　our　modest　apartment；　already　so　distinguished　that

morning；　was　further　honoured　by　the　entrance　of　the　most　lovely　woman

in　London。　I　had　often　heard　of　the　beauty　of　the　youngest　daughter　of

the　Duke　of　Belminster；　but　no　description　of　it；　and　no　contemplation

of　colourless　photographs；　had　prepared　me　for　the　subtle；　delicate

charm　and　the　beautiful　colouring　of　that　exquisite　head。　And　yet　as

we　saw　it　that　autumn　morning；　it　was　not　its　beauty　which　would　be

the　first　thing　to　impress　the　observer。　The　cheek　was　lovely　but　it

was　paled　with　emotion；　the　eyes　were　bright　but　it　was　the　brightness

of　fever；　the　sensitive　mouth　was　tight　and　drawn　in　an　effort　after

self…command。　Terror…　not　beauty…　was　what　sprang　first　to　the　eye

as　our　fair　visitor　stood　framed　for　an　instant　in　the　open　door。

　　〃Has　my　husband　been　here；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃Yes；　madam。　he　has　been　here。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes。　I　implore　you　not　to　tell　him　that　I　came　here。〃　Holmes

bowed　coldly；　and　motioned　the　lady　to　a　chair。

　　〃Your　ladyship　places　me　in　a　very　delicate　position。　I　beg　that　you

will　sit　down　and　tell　me　what　you　desire；　but　I　fear　that　I　cannot

make　any　unconditional　promise。〃

　　She　swept　across　the　room　and　seated　herself　with　her　back　to　the

window。　It　was　a　queenly　presence…　tall；　graceful；　and　intensely

womanly。

　〃Mr。　Holmes；〃　she　said…　and　her　white…gloved　hands　clasped　and

unclasped　as　she　spoke…　〃I　will　speak　frankly　to　you　in　the　hopes　that

it　may　induce　you　to　speak　frankly　in　return。　There　is　complete

confidence　between　my　husband　and　me　on　all　matters　save　one。　That　one

is　politics。　On　this　his　lips　are　sealed。　He　tells　me　nothing。　Now；

I　am　aware　that　there　was　a　most　deplorable　occurrence　in　our　house

last　night。　I　know　that　a　paper　has　disappeared。　But　because　the

matter　is　political　my　husband　refuses　to　take　me　into　his　complete

confidence。　Now　it　is　essential…　essential；　I　say…　that　I　should

thoroughly　understand　it。　You　are　the　only　other　person；　save　only

these　politicians；　who　knows　the　true　facts。　I　beg　you　then；　Mr。

Holmes；　to　tell　me　exactly　what　has　happened　and　what　it　will　lead　to。

Tell　me　all；　Mr。　Holmes。　Let　no　regard　for　your　client's　interests

keep　you　silent；　for　I　assure　you　that　his　interests；　if　he　would　only

see　it；　would　be　best　served　by　taking　me　into　his　complete

confidence。　What　was　this　paper　which　was　stolen？〃

　　〃Madam；　what　you　ask　me　is　really　impossible。〃

　　She　groaned　and　sank　her　face　in　her　hands。

　　〃You　must　see　that　this　is　so；　madam。　If　your　husband　thinks　fit

to　keep　you　in　the　dark　over　this　matter；　is　it　for　me；　who　has　only

learned　the　true　facts　under　the　pledge　of　professional　secrecy；　to

tell　what　he　has　withheld？　It　is　not　fair　to　ask　it。　It　is　him　whom

you　must　ask。〃

　　〃I　have　asked　him。　I　come　to　you　as　a　last　resource。　But　without

your　telling　me　anything　definite；　Mr。　Holmes；　you　may　do　a　great

service　if　you　would　enlighten　me　on　one　point。〃

　　〃What　is　it；　madam？〃

　　〃Is　my　husband's　political　career　likely　to　suffer　through　this

incident？〃

　　〃Well；　madam；　unless　it　is　set　right　it　may　certainly　have　a　very

unfortunate　effect。〃

　　〃Ah！〃　She　drew　in　her　breath　sharply　as　one　whose　doubts　are

resolved。

　　〃One　more　question；　Mr。　Holmes。　From　an　expression　which　my

husband　dropped　in　the　first　shock　of　this　disaster　I　understood

that　terrible　public　consequences　might　arise　from　the　loss　of　this

document。〃

　　〃If　he　said　so；　I　certainly　cannot　deny　it。〃

　　〃Of　what　nature　are　they？〃

　　〃Nay；　madam；　there　again　you　ask　me　more　than　I　can　possibly

answer。〃

　　〃Then　I　will　take　up　no　more　of　your　time。　I　cannot　blame　you；　Mr。

Holmes；　for　having　refused　to　speak　more　freely；　and　you　on　your

side　will　not；　I　am　sure；　think　the　worse　of　me　because　I　desire；　even

against　his　will；　to　share　my　husband's　anxieties。　Once　more　I　beg

that　you　will　say　nothing　of　my　visit。〃

　　She　looked　back　at　us　from　the　door；　and　I　had　a　last　impression

of　that　beautiful　haunted　face；　the　startled　eyes；　and　the　drawn

mouth。　Then　she　was　gone。

　　〃Now；　Watson；　the　fair　sex　is　your　department；〃　said　Holmes；　with

a　smile；　when　the　dwindling　frou…frou　of　skirts　had　ended　in　the

slam　of　the　front　door。　〃What　was　the　fair　lady's　game？　What　did　she

really　want？〃

　　〃Surely　her　own　statement　is　clear　and　her　anxiety　very　natural。〃

　　〃Hum！　Think　of　her　appearance；　Watson…　her　manner；　her　suppressed

excitement；　her　restlessness；　her　tenacity　in　asking　questions。

Remember　that　she　comes　of　a　caste　who　do　not　lightly　show　emotion。〃

　　〃She　was　certainly　much　moved。〃

　　〃Remember　also　the　curious　earnestness　with　which　she　assured　us

that　it　was　best　for　her　husband　that　she　should　know　all。　What　did

she　mean　by　that？　And　you　must　have　observed；　Watson；　how　she

manoeuvred　to　have　the　light　at　her　back。　She　did　not　wish　us　to

read　her　expression。〃

　　〃Yes；　she　chose　the　one　chair　in　the　room。〃

　　〃And　yet　the　motives　of　women　are　so　inscrutable。　You　remember　the

woman　at　Margate　whom　I　suspected　for　the　same　reason。　No　powder　on

her　nose…　that　proved　to　be　the　correct　solution。　How　can　you　build　on

such　a　quicksand？　Their　most　trivial　action　may　mean　volumes；　or　their

most　extraordinary　conduct　may　depend　upon　a　hairpin　or　a　curling

tongs。　Good…morning；　Watson。〃

　　〃You　are　off？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　will　while　away　the　morning　at　Godolphin　Street　with　our

friends　of　the　regular　establishment。　With　Eduardo　Lucas　lies　the

solution　of　our　problem；　though　I　must　admit　that　I　have　not　an

inkling　as　to　what　form　it　may　take。　It　is　a　capital　mistake　to

theorize　in　advance　of　the　facts。　Do　you　stay　on　guard；　my　good

Watson；　and　receive　any　fresh　visitors。　I'll　join　you　at　lunch　if　I　am

able。〃

　　All　that　day　and　the　next　and　the　next　Holmes　was　in　a　mood　which

his　friends　would　can　taciturn；　and　others　morose。　He　ran　out　and

ran　in；　smoked　incessantly；　played　snatches　on　his　violin；　sank　into

reveries；　devoured　sandwiches　at　irregular　hours；　and　hardly

answered　the　casual　questions　which　I　put　to　him。　It　was　evident　to　me

that　things　were　not　going　well　with　him　or　his　quest。　He　would　say

nothing　of　the　case；　and　it　was　from　the　papers　that　I　learned　the

particulars　of　the　inquest；　and　the　arrest　with　the　subsequent　release

of　John　Mitton；　the　valet　of　the　deceased。　The　coroner's　jury

brought　in　the　obvious　Wilful　Murder；　but　the；parties　remained　as

unknown　as　ever。　No　motive　was　suggested。　The　room　was　full　of

articles　of　value；　but　none　had　been　taken。　The　dead　man's　papers

had　not　been　tampered　with。　They　were　carefully　examined；　and　showed

that　he　was　a　keen　student　of　international　politics；　an　indefatigable

gossip；　a　remarkable　linguist；　and　an　untiring　letter　writer。　He　had

been　on　intimate　terms　with　the　leading　politicians　of　several

countries。　But　nothing　sensational　was　discovered　among　the

documents　which　filled　his　drawers。　As　to　his　relations　with　women；

they　appeared　to　have　been　promiscuous　but　superficial。　He　had　many

acquaintances　among　them；　but　few　friends；　and　no　one　whom　he　loved。

His　habits　were　regular；　his　conduct　inoffensive。　His　death　was　an

absolute　mystery　and　likely　to　remain　so。

　　As　to　the　arrest　of　John　Mitton；　the　valet；　it　was　a　council　of

despair　as　an　alternative　to　absolute　inaction。　But　no　case　could　be

sustained　against　him。　He　had　visited　friends　in　Hammersmith　that

night。　The　alibi　was　complete。　It　is　true　that　he　started　home　at　an

hour　which　should　have　brought　him　to　Westminster　before　the　time　when

the　crime　was　discovered；　but　his　own　explanation　that　he　had　walked

part