the adventure of the second stain-第4节

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

part　of　the　way　seemed　probable　enough　in　view　of　the　fineness　of

the　night。　He　had　actually　arrived　at　twelve　o'clock；　and　appeared

to　be　overwhelmed　by　the　unexpected　tragedy。　He　had　always　been　on

good　terms　with　his　master。　Several　of　the　dead　man's　possessions…

notably　a　small　case　of　razors…　had　been　found　in　the　valet's　boxes；

but　he　explained　that　they　had　been　presents　from　the　deceased；　and

the　housekeeper　was　able　to　corroborate　the　story。　Mitton　had　been

in　Lucas's　employment　for　three　years。　It　was　noticeable　that　Lucas

did　not　take　Mitton　on　the　Continent　with　him。　Sometimes　he　visited

Paris　for　three　months　on　end；　but　Mitton　was　left　in　charge　of　the

Godolphin　Street　house。　As　to　the　housekeeper；　she　had　heard　nothing

on　the　night　of　the　crime。　If　her　master　had　a　visitor　he　had

himself　admitted　him。

　　So　for　three　mornings　the　mystery　remained；　so　far　as　I　could　follow

it　in　the　papers。　If　Holmes　knew　more；　he　kept　his　own　counsel；　but；

as　he　told　me　that　Inspector　Lestrade　had　taken　him　into　him　into

his　confidence　in　the　case；　I　knew　that　he　was　in　close　touch　with

every　development。　Upon　the　fourth　day　there　appeared　a　long

telegram　from　Paris　which　seemed　to　solve　the　whole　question。



　　A　discovery　has　just　been　made　by　the　Parisian　police　＇said　the

Daily　Telegraph＇　which　raises　the　veil　which　hung　round　the　tragic

fate　of　Mr。　Eduardo　Lucas；　who　met　his　death　by　violence　last　Monday

night　at　Godolphin　Street；　Westminster。　Our　readers　will　remember　that

the　deceased　gentleman　was　found　stabbed　in　his　room；　and　that　some

suspicion　attached　to　his　valet；　but　that　the　case　broke　down　on　an

alibi。　Yesterday　a　lady；　who　has　been　known　as　Mme。　Henri　Fournaye；

occupying　a　small　villa　in　the　Rue　Austerlitz；　was　reported　to　the

authorities　by　her　servants　as　being　insane。　An　examination　showed　she

had　indeed　developed　mania　of　a　dangerous　and　permanent　form。　On

inquiry；　the　police　have　discovered　that　Mme。　Henri　Fournaye　only

returned　from　a　journey　to　London　on　Tuesday　last；　and　there　is

evidence　to　connect　her　with　the　crime　at　Westminster。　A　comparison　of

photographs　has　proved　conclusively　that　M。　Henri　Fournaye　and　Eduardo

Lucas　were　really　one　and　the　same　person；　and　that　the　deceased　had

for　some　reason　lived　a　double　life　in　London　and　Paris。　Mme。

Fournaye；　who　is　of　Creole　origin；　is　of　an　extremely　excitable

nature；　and　has　suffered　in　the　past　from　attacks　of　jealousy　which

have　amounted　to　frenzy。　It　is　conjectured　that　it　was　in　one　of　these

that　she　committed　the　terrible　crime　which　has　caused　such　a

sensation　in　London。　Her　movements　upon　the　Monday　night　have　not

yet　been　traced；　but　it　is　undoubted　that　a　woman　answering　to　her

description　attracted　much　attention　at　Charing　Cross　Station　on

Tuesday　morning　by　the　wildness　of　her　appearance　and　the　violence

of　her　gestures。　It　is　probable；　therefore；　that　the　crime　was

either　committed　when　insane；　or　that　its　immediate　effect　was　to

drive　the　unhappy　woman　out　of　her　mind。　At　present　she　is　unable　to

give　any　coherent　account　of　the　past；　and　the　doctors　hold　out　no

hopes　of　the　reestablishment　of　her　reason。　There　is　evidence　that　a

woman；　who　might　have　been　Mme。　Fournaye；　was　seen　for　some　hours　upon

Monday　night　watching　the　house　in　Godolphin　Street。



　　〃What　do　you　think　of　that；　Holmes？〃　I　had　read　the　account　aloud　to

him；　while　he　finished　his　breakfast。

　　〃My　dear　Watson；〃　said　he；　as　he　rose　from　the　table　and　paced　up

and　down　the　room；　〃You　are　most　long…suffering；　but　if　I　have　told

you　nothing　in　the　last　three　days；　it　is　because　there　is　nothing

to　tell。　Even　now　this　report　from　Paris　does　not　help　us　much。〃

　　〃Surely　it　is　final　as　regards　the　man's　death。〃

　　〃The　man's　death　is　a　mere　incident…　a　trivial　episode…　in

comparison　with　our　real　task；　which　is　to　trace　this　document　and

save　a　European　catastrophe。　Only　one　important　thing　has　happened

in　the　last　three　days；　and　that　is　that　nothing　has　happened。　I　get

reports　almost　hourly　from　the　government；　and　it　is　certain　that

nowhere　in　Europe　is　there　any　sign　of　trouble。　Now；　if　this　letter

were　loose…　no；　it　can't　be　loose…　but　if　it　isn't　loose；　where　can　it

be？　Who　has　it？　Why　is　it　held　back？　That's　the　question　that　beats　in

my　brain　like　a　hammer。　Was　it；　indeed；　a　coincidence　that　Lucas

should　meet　his　death　on　the　night　when　the　letter　disappeared？　Did

the　letter　ever　reach　him？　If　so；　why　is　it　not　among　his　papers？

Did　this　mad　wife　of　his　carry　it　off　with　her？　If　so；　is　it　in　her

house　in　Paris？　How　could　I　search　for　it　without　the　French　police

having　their　suspicions　aroused？　It　is　a　case；　my　dear　Watson；　where

the　law　is　as　dangerous　to　us　as　the　criminals　are。　Every　man's　hand

is　against　us；　and　yet　the　interests　at　stake　are　colossal。　Should　I

bring　it　to　a　successful　conclusion；　it　will　certainly　represent　the

crowning　glory　of　my　career。　Ah；　here　is　my　latest　from　the　front！〃　He

glanced　hurriedly　at　the　note　which　had　been　handed　in。　〃Halloa！

Lestrade　seems　to　have　observed　something　of　interest。　Put　on　your

hat；　Watson；　and　we　will　stroll　down　together　to　Westminster。〃

　　It　was　my　first　visit　to　the　scene　of　the　crime…　a　high；　dingy；

narrow…chested　house；　prim；　formal；　and　solid；　like　the　century

which　gave　it　birth。　Lestrade's　bulldog　features　gazed　out　at　us

from　the　front　window；　and　he　greeted　us　warmly　when　a　big　constable

had　opened　the　door　and　let　us　in。　The　room　into　which　we　were　shown

was　that　in　which　the　crime　had　been　committed；　but　no　trace　of　it　now

remained　save　an　ugly；　irregular　stain　upon　the　carpet。　This　carpet

was　a　small　square　drugget　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　surrounded　by

a　broad　expanse　of　beautiful；　old…fashioned　wood…flooring　in　square

blocks；　highly　polished。　Over　the　fireplace　was　a　magnificent　trophy

of　weapons；　one　of　which　had　been　used　on　that　tragic　night。　In　the

window　was　a　sumptuous　writing…desk；　and　every　detail　of　the

apartment；　the　pictures；　the　rugs；　and　the　hangings；　all　pointed　to

a　taste　which　was　luxurious　to　the　verge　of　effeminacy。

　　〃Seen　the　Paris　news？'　asked　Lestrade。

　　Holmes　nodded。

　　〃Our　French　friends　seem　to　have　touched　the　spot　this　time。　No

doubt　it's　just　as　they　say。　She　knocked　at　the　door…　surprise

visit；　I　guess；　for　he　kept　his　life　in　water…tight　compartments…　he

let　her　in；　couldn't　keep　her　in　the　street。　She　told　him　how　she

had　traced　him；　reproached　him。　One　thing　led　to　another；　and　then

with　that　dagger　so　handy　the　end　soon　came。　It　wasn't　all　done　in

an　instant；　though；　for　these　chairs　were　all　swept　over　yonder；　and

he　had　one　in　his　hand　as　if　he　had　tried　to　hold　her　off　with　it。

We've　got　it　all　clear　as　if　we　had　seen　it。〃

　　Holmes　raised　his　eyebrows。

　　〃And　yet　you　have　sent　for　me？〃

　　〃Ah；　yes；　that's　another　matter…　a　mere　trifle；　but　the　sort　of

thing　you　take　an　interest　in…　queer；　you　know；　and　what　you　might

call　freakish。　It　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　main　fact…　can't　have；　on

the　face　of　it。〃

　　〃What　is　it；　then？〃

　　〃Well；　you　know；　after　a　crime　of　this　sort　we　are　very　careful　to

keep　things　in　their　position。　Nothing　has　been　moved。　Officer　in

charge　here　day　and　night。　This　morning；　as　the　man　was　buried　and　the

investigation　over…　so　far　as　this　room　is　concerned…　we　thought　we

could　tidy　up　a　bit。　This　carpet。　You　see；　it　is　not　fastened　down；

only　just　laid　there。　We　had　occasion　to　raise　it。　We　found…〃

　　〃Yes？　You　found…〃

　　Holmes's　face　grew　tense　with　anxiety。

　　〃Well；　I'm　sure　you　would　never　guess　in　a　hundred　years　what　we　did

find。　You　see　that　stain　on　the　carpet？　Well；　a　great　deal　must　have

soaked　through；　must　it　not？〃

　　〃Undoubtedly　it　must。〃

　　〃Well；　you　will　be　surprised　to　hear　that　there　is　no　stain　on　the

white　woodwork　to　correspond。〃

　　〃No　stain！　But　there　must…〃

　　〃Yes；　so　you　would　say。　But　the　fact　remains　that　there　isn't。〃

　　He　took　the　corner　of　the　carpet　in　his　hand　and；　turning　it　over；

he　showed　that　it　was　indeed　as　he　said。

　　〃But　the　under　side　is　as　stained　as　the　upper。　It　must　have　left

a　mark。〃

　　Lestrade　chuckled　with　delight　at　having　puzzled　the　famous　expert。

　　〃Now；　I'll　show　you　the　explanation。　There　is　a　second　stain；　but　it

does　not　correspond　with　the　other。　See　for　yourself。〃　As　he　spoke

he　turned　over　another　portion　of　the　carpet；　and　there；　sure

enough；　was　a　great　crimson　spill　upon　the　square　white　facing　of

the　old…fashioned　floor。　〃What　do　you　make　of　that；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃Why；　it　is　simple　enough。　The　two　stains　did　correspond；　but　the

carpet　has　been　turned　round。　As　it　was　square　and　unfastened　it　was

easily　done。〃

　　The　official　police　don't　need　you；　Mr。　Holmes；　to　tell　them　that

the　carpet　must　have　been　turned　round。　That's　clear　enough；　for　the

stains　lie　above　each　other…　if　you　lay　it　over　this　way。　But　what　I

want　to　know　is；　who　shifted　the　carpet；　and　why？〃

　　I　could　see　from　Holmes's　rigid　face　that　he　was　vibrating　with

inward　excitement。