adventure11-第3节

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〃If　necessary。〃



〃Oh　yes；　it　is　most　necessary。　　Then　these　are　your

instructions；　and　I　beg；　my　dear　Watson；　that　you　will

obey　them　to　the　letter；　for　you　are　now　playing　a

double…handed　game　with　me　against　the　cleverest　rogue

and　the　most　powerful　syndicate　of　criminals　in

Europe。　　Now　listen！　　You　will　despatch　whatever

luggage　you　intend　to　take　by　a　trusty　messenger

unaddressed　to　Victoria　to…night。　　In　the　morning　you

will　send　for　a　hansom；　desiring　your　man　to　take

neither　the　first　nor　the　second　which　may　present

itself。　　Into　this　hansom　you　will　jump；　and　you　will

drive　to　the　Strand　end　of　the　Lowther　Arcade；

handling　the　address　to　the　cabman　upon　a　slip　of

paper；　with　a　request　that　he　will　not　throw　it　away。　

Have　your　fare　ready；　and　the　instant　that　your　cab

stops；　dash　through　the　Arcade；　timing　yourself　to

reach　the　other　side　at　a　quarter…past　nine。　　You　will

find　a　small　brougham　waiting　close　to　the　curb；

driven　by　a　fellow　with　a　heavy　black　cloak　tipped　at

the　collar　with　red。　　Into　this　you　will　step；　and　you

will　reach　Victoria　in　time　for　the　Continental

express。〃



〃Where　shall　I　meet　you？〃



〃At　the　station。　　The　second　first…class　carriage　from

the　front　will　be　reserved　for　us。〃



〃The　carriage　is　our　rendezvous；　then？〃



〃Yes。〃



It　was　in　vain　that　I　asked　Holmes　to　remain　for　the

evening。　　It　was　evident　to　me　that　he　though　he　might

bring　trouble　to　the　roof　he　was　under；　and　that　that

was　the　motive　which　impelled　him　to　go。　　With　a　few

hurried　words　as　to　our　plans　for　the　morrow　he　rose

and　came　out　with　me　into　the　garden；　clambering　over

the　wall　which　leads　into　Mortimer　Street；　and

immediately　whistling　for　a　hansom；　in　which　I　heard

him　drive　away。



In　the　morning　I　obeyed　Holmes's　injunctions　to　the

letter。　　A　hansom　was　procured　with　such　precaution　as

would　prevent　its　being　one　which　was　placed　ready　for

us；　and　I　drove　immediately　after　breakfast　to　the

Lowther　Arcade；　through　which　I　hurried　at　the　top　of

my　speed。　　A　brougham　was　waiting　with　a　very　massive

driver　wrapped　in　a　dark　cloak；　who；　the　instant　that

I　had　stepped　in；　whipped　up　the　horse　and　rattled　off

to　Victoria　Station。　　On　my　alighting　there　he　turned

the　carriage；　and　dashed　away　again　without　so　much　as

a　look　in　my　direction。



So　far　all　had　gone　admirably。　　My　luggage　was　waiting

for　me；　and　I　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　the

carriage　which　Holmes　had　indicated；　the　less　so　as　it

was　the　only　one　in　the　train　which　was　marked

〃Engaged。〃　　My　only　source　of　anxiety　now　was　the

non…appearance　of　Holmes。　　The　station　clock　marked

only　seven　minutes　from　the　time　when　we　were　due　to

start。　　In　vain　I　searched　among　the　groups　of

travellers　and　leave…takers　for　the　little　figure　of

my　friend。　　There　was　no　sign　of　him。　　I　spent　a　few

minutes　in　assisting　a　venerable　Italian　priest；　who

was　endeavoring　to　make　a　porter　understand；　in　his

broken　English；　that　his　luggage　was　to　be　booked

through　to　Paris。　　Then；　having　taken　another　look

round；　I　returned　to　my　carriage；　where　I　found　that

the　porter；　in　spite　of　the　ticket；　had　given　me　my

decrepit　Italian　friend　as　a　traveling　companion。　　It

was　useless　for　me　to　explain　to　him　that　his　presence

was　an　intrusion；　for　my　Italian　was　even　more　limited

than　his　English；　so　I　shrugged　my　shoulders

resignedly；　and　continued　to　look　out　anxiously　for　my

friend。　　A　chill　of　fear　had　come　over　me；　as　I

thought　that　his　absence　might　mean　that　some　blow　had

fallen　during　the　night。　　Already　the　doors　had　all

been　shut　and　the　whistle　blown；　when



〃My　dear　Watson；〃　said　a　voice；　〃you　have　not　even

condescended　to　say　good…morning。〃



I　turned　in　uncontrollable　astonishment。　　The　aged

ecclesiastic　had　turned　his　face　towards　me。　　For　an

instant　the　wrinkles　were　smoothed　away；　the　nose　drew

away　from　the　chin；　the　lower　lip　ceased　to　protrude

and　the　mouth　to　mumble；　the　dull　eyes　regained　their

fire；　the　drooping　figure　expanded。　　The　next　the

whole　frame　collapsed　again；　and　Holmes　had　gone　as

quickly　as　he　had　come。



〃Good　heavens！〃　I　cried；　〃how　you　startled　me！〃



〃Every　precaution　is　still　necessary；〃　he　whispered。　

〃I　have　reason　to　think　that　they　are　hot　upon　our

trail。　　Ah；　there　is　Moriarty　himself。〃



The　train　had　already　begun　to　move　as　Holmes　spoke。　

Glancing　back；　I　saw　a　tall　man　pushing　his　way

furiously　through　the　crowd；　and　waving　his　hand　as　if

he　desired　to　have　the　train　stopped。　　It　was　too

late；　however；　for　we　were　rapidly　gathering　momentum；

and　an　instant　later　had　shot　clear　of　the　station。



〃With　all　our　precautions；　you　see　that　we　have　cut　it

rather　fine；〃　said　Holmes；　laughing。　　He　rose；　and

throwing　off　the　black　cassock　and　hat　which　had

formed　his　disguise；　he　packed　them　away　in　a

hand…bag。



〃Have　you　seen　the　morning　paper；　Watson？〃



〃No。〃



〃You　haven't'　seen　about　Baker　Street；　then？〃



〃Baker　Street？〃



〃They　set　fire　to　our　rooms　last　night。　　No　great　harm

was　done。〃



〃Good　heavens；　Holmes！　this　is　intolerable。〃



〃They　must　have　lost　my　track　completely　after　their

bludgeon…man　was　arrested。　　Otherwise　they　could　not

have　imagined　that　I　had　returned　to　my　rooms。　　They

have　evidently　taken　the　precaution　of　watching　you；

however；　and　that　is　what　has　brought　Moriarty　to

Victoria。　　You　could　not　have　made　any　slip　in

coming？〃



〃I　did　exactly　what　you　advised。〃



〃Did　you　find　your　brougham？〃



〃Yes；　it　was　waiting。〃



〃Did　you　recognize　your　coachman？〃



〃No。〃



〃It　was　my　brother　Mycroft。　　It　is　an　advantage　to　get

about　in　such　a　case　without　taking　a　mercenary　into

your　confidence。　　But　we　must　plant　what　we　are　to　do

about　Moriarty　now。〃



〃As　this　is　an　express；　and　as　the　boat　runs　in

connection　with　it；　I　should　think　we　have　shaken　him

off　very　effectively。〃



〃My　dear　Watson；　you　evidently　did　not　realize　my

meaning　when　I　said　that　this　man　may　be　taken　as

being　quite　on　the　same　intellectual　plane　as　myself。　

You　do　not　imagine　that　if　I　were　the　pursuer　I　should

allow　myself　to　be　baffled　by　so　slight　an　obstacle。　

Why；　then；　should　you　think　so　meanly　of　him？〃



〃What　will　he　do？〃



〃What　I　should　do？〃



〃What　would　you　do；　then？〃



〃Engage　a　special。〃



〃But　it　must　be　late。〃



〃By　no　means。　　This　train　stops　at　Canterbury；　and

there　is　always　at　least　a　quarter　of　an　hour's　delay

at　the　boat。　　He　will　catch　us　there。〃



〃One　would　think　that　we　were　the　criminals。　　Let　us

have　him　arrested　on　his　arrival。〃



〃It　would　be　to　ruin　the　work　of　three　months。　　We

should　get　the　big　fish；　but　the　smaller　would　dart

right　and　left　out　of　the　net。　　On　Monday　we　should

have　them　all。　　No；　an　arrest　is　inadmissible。〃



〃What　then？〃



〃We　shall　get　out　at　Canterbury。〃



〃And　then？〃



〃Well；　then　we　must　make　a　cross…country　journey　to

Newhaven；　and　so　over　to　Dieppe。　　Moriarty　will　again

do　what　I　should　do。　　He　will　get　on　to　Paris；　mark

down　our　luggage；　and　wait　for　two　days　at　the　depot。　

In　the　meantime　we　shall　treat　ourselves　to　a　couple

of　carpet…bags；　encourage　the　manufactures　of　the

countries　through　which　we　travel；　and　make　our　way　at

our　leisure　into　Switzerland；　via　Luxembourg　and

Basle。〃



At　Canterbury；　therefore；　we　alighted；　only　to　find

that　we　should　have　to　wait　an　hour　before　we　could

get　a　train　to　Newhaven。



I　was　still　looking　rather　ruefully　after　the　rapidly

disappearing　luggage…van　which　contained　my　wardrobe；

when　Holmes　pulled　my　sleeve　and　pointed　up　the　line。



〃Already；　you　see；〃　said　he。



Far　away；　from　among　the　Kentish　woods　there　rose　a

thin　spray　of　smoke。　　A　minute　later　a　carriage　and

engine　could　be　seen　flying　along　the　open　curve　which

leads　to　the　station。　　We　had　hardly　time　to　take　our

place　behind　a　pile　of　luggage　when　it　passed　with　a

rattle　and　a　roar；　beating　a　blast　of　hot　air　into　our

faces。



〃There　he　goes；〃　said　Holmes；　as　we　watched　the

carriage　swing　and　rock　over　the　point。　〃There　are

limits；　you　see；　to　our　friend's　intelligence。　　It

would　have　been　a　coup…de…ma顃re　had　he　deduced　what　I

would　deduce　and　acted　accordingly。〃



〃And　what　would　he　have　done　had　he　overtaken　us？〃



〃There　cannot　be　the　least　doubt　that　he　would　have

made　a　murderous　attack　upon　me。　　It　is；　however；　a

game　at　which　two　may　play。　　The　question；　now　is

whether　we　should　take　a　premature　lunch　here；　or　run

our　chance　of　starving　before　we　reach　the　buffet　at

Newhaven。〃





We　made　our　way　to　Brussels　that　night　and　spent　two

days　there；　moving　on　upon　the　third　day　as　far　as

Strasburg。　　On　the　Monday　morning　Holmes　had

telegraphed　to　the　London　police；　and　in　the　evening

we　found　a　reply　waiting　for　us　at　our　hotel。　　Holmes

tore　it　ope