the adventure of the speckled band-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　SPECKLED　BAND

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　On　glancing　over　my　notes　of　the　seventy　odd　cases　in　which　I　have

during　the　last　eight　years　studied　the　methods　of　my　friend

Sherlock　Holmes；　I　find　many　tragic；　some　comic；　a　large　number　merely

strange；　but　none　commonplace；　for；　working　as　he　did　rather　for　the

love　of　his　art　than　for　the　acquirement　of　wealth；　he　refused　to

associate　himself　with　any　investigation　which　did　not　tend　towards

the　unusual；　and　even　the　fantastic。　Of　all　these　varied　cases；

however；　I　cannot　recall　any　which　presented　more　singular　features

than　that　which　was　associated　with　the　well…known　Surrey　family　of

the　Roylotts　of　Stoke　Moran。　The　events　in　question　occurred　in　the

early　days　of　my　association　with　Holmes；　when　we　were　sharing　rooms

as　bachelors　in　Baker　Street。　It　is　possible　that　I　might　have

placed　them　upon　record　before；　but　a　promise　of　secrecy　was　made　at

the　time；　from　which　I　have　only　been　freed　during　the　last　month　by

the　untimely　death　of　the　lady　to　whom　the　pledge　was　given。　It　is

perhaps　as　well　that　the　facts　should　now　come　to　light；　for　I　have

reasons　to　know　that　there　are　widespread　rumours　as　to　the　death　of

Dr。　Grimesby　Roylott　which　tend　to　make　the　matter　even　more

terrible　than　the　truth。

　　It　was　early　in　April　in　the　year　'83　that　I　woke　one　morning　to

find　Sherlock　Holmes　standing；　fully　dressed；　by　the　side　of　my　bed。

He　was　a　late　riser；　as　a　rule；　and　as　the　clock　on　the　mantelpiece

showed　me　that　it　was　only　a　quarter…past　seven；　I　blinked　up　at　him

in　some　surprise；　and　perhaps　just　a　little　resentment；　for　I　was

myself　regular　in　my　habits。

　　〃Very　sorry　to　knock　you　up；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃but　it's　the

common　lot　this　morning。　Mrs。　Hudson　has　been　knocked　up；　she　retorted

upon　me；　and　I　on　you。〃

　　〃What　is　it；　then…a　fire？〃

　　〃No；　a　client。　It　seems　that　a　young　lady　has　arrived　in　a

considerable　state　of　excitement；　who　insists　upon　seeing　me。　She　is

waiting　now　in　the　sitting…room。　Now；　when　young　ladies　wander　about

the　metropolis　at　this　hour　of　the　morning；　and　knock　sleepy　people　up

out　of　their　beds；　I　presume　that　it　is　something　very　pressing

which　they　have　to　communicate。　Should　it　prove　to　be　an　interesting

case；　you　would；　I　am　sure；　wish　to　follow　it　from　the　outset。　I

thought；　at　any　rate；　that　I　should　call　you　and　give　you　the　chance。〃

　　〃My　dear　fellow；　I　would　not　miss　it　for　anything。〃

　　I　had　no　keener　pleasure　than　in　following　Holmes　in　his

professional　investigations；　and　in　admiring　the　rapid　deductions；

as　swift　as　intuitions；　and　yet　always　founded　on　a　logical　basis；

with　which　he　unravelled　the　problems　which　were　submitted　to　him。　I

rapidly　threw　on　my　clothes　and　was　ready　in　a　few　minutes　to

accompany　my　friend　down　to　the　sitting…room。　A　lady　dressed　in

black　and　heavily　veiled；　who　had　been　sitting　in　the　window；　rose

as　we　entered。

　　〃Good…morning；　madam；〃　said　Holmes　cheerily。　〃My　name　is　Sherlock

Holmes。　This　is　my　intimate　friend　and　associate；　Dr。　Watson；　before

whom　you　can　speak　as　freely　as　before　myself。　Ha！　I　am　glad　to　see

that　Mrs。　Hudson　has　had　the　good　sense　to　light　the　fire。　Pray　draw

up　to　it；　and　I　shall　order　you　a　cup　of　hot　coffee；　for　I　observe

that　you　are　shivering。〃

　　〃It　is　not　cold　which　makes　me　shiver；〃　said　the　woman　in　a　low

voice；　changing　her　seat　as　requested。

　　〃What；　then？〃

　　〃It　is　fear；　Mr。　Holmes。　It　is　terror。〃　She　raised　her　veil　as　she

spoke；　and　we　could　see　that　she　was　indeed　in　a　pitiable　state　of

agitation；　her　face　all　drawn　and　gray；　with　restless；　frightened

eyes；　like　those　of　some　hunted　animal。　Her　features　and　figure　were

those　of　a　woman　of　thirty；　but　her　hair　was　shot　with　premature　gray；

and　her　expression　was　weary　and　haggard。　Sherlock　Holmes　ran　her　over

with　one　of　his　quick；　all…comprehensive　glances。

　　〃You　must　not　fear；〃　said　he　soothingly；　bending　forward　and　patting

her　forearm。　〃We　shall　soon　set　matters　right；　I　have　no　doubt。　You

have　come　in　by　train　this　morning；　I　see。〃

　　〃You　know　me；　then？〃

　　〃No；　but　I　observe　the　second　half　of　a　return　ticket　in　the　palm　of

your　left　glove。　You　must　have　started　early；　and　yet　you　had　a　good

drive　in　a　dog…cart；　along　heavy　roads；　before　you　reached　the

station。〃

　　The　lady　gave　a　violent　start　and　stared　in　bewilderment　at　my

companion。

　　〃There　is　no　mystery；　my　dear　madam；〃　said　he；　smiling。　〃The　left

arm　of　your　jacket　is　spattered　with　mud　in　no　less　than　seven　places。

The　marks　are　perfectly　fresh。　There　is　no　vehicle　save　a　dog…cart

which　throws　up　mud　in　that　way；　and　then　only　when　you　sit　on　the

left…hand　side　of　the　driver。〃

　　〃Whatever　your　reasons　may　be；　you　are　perfectly　correct；〃　said　she。

〃I　started　from　home　before　six　reached　Leatherhead　at　twenty　past；

and　came　in　by　the　first　train　to　Waterloo。　Sir；　I　can　stand　this

strain　no　longer；　I　shall　go　mad　if　it　continues。　I　have　no　one　to

turn　to…none；　save　only　one；　who　cares　for　me；　and　he；　poor　fellow；

can　be　of　little　aid。　I　have　heard　of　you；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　have　heard　of

you　from　Mrs。　Farintosh；　whom　you　helped　in　the　hour　of　her　sore　need。

It　was　from　her　that　I　had　your　address。　Oh；　sir；　do　you　not　think

that　you　could　help　me；　too；　and　at　least　throw　a　little　light　through

the　dense　darkness　which　surrounds　me？　At　present　it　is　out　of　my

power　to　reward　you　for　your　services；　but　in　a　month　or　six　weeks　I

shall　be　married；　with　the　control　of　my　own　income；　and　then　at　least

you　shall　not　find　me　ungrateful。〃

　　Holmes　turned　to　his　desk　and；　unlocking　it；　drew　out　a　small

case…book；　which　he　consulted。

　　〃Farintosh；〃　said　he。　〃Ah　yes；　I　recall　the　case；　it　was　concerned

with　an　opal　tiara。　I　think　it　was　before　your　time；　Watson。　I　can

only　say；　madam；　that　I　shall　be　happy　to　devote　the　same　care　to　your

case　as　I　did　to　that　of　your　friend。　As　to　reward；　my　profession　is

its　own　reward；　but　you　are　at　liberty　to　defray　whatever　expenses　I

may　be　put　to；　at　the　time　which　suits　you　best。　And　now　I　beg　that

you　will　lay　before　us　everything　that　may　help　us　in　forming　an

opinion　upon　the　matter。〃

　　〃Alas！〃　replied　our　visitor；　〃the　very　horror　of　my　situation　lies

in　the　fact　that　my　fears　are　so　vague；　and　my　suspicions　depend　so

entirely　upon　small　points；　which　might　seem　trivial　to　another；

that　even　he　to　whom　of　all　others　I　have　a　right　to　look　for　help　and

advice　looks　upon　all　that　I　tell　him　about　it　as　the　fancies　of　a

nervous　woman。　He　does　not　say　so；　but　I　can　read　it　from　his　soothing

answers　and　averted　eyes。　But　I　have　heard；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　you　can

see　deeply　into　the　manifold　wickedness　of　the　human　heart。　You　may

advise　me　how　to　walk　amid　the　dangers　which　encompass　me。〃

　　〃I　am　all　attention；　madam。〃

　　〃My　name　is　Helen　Stoner；　and　I　am　living　with　my　stepfather；　who　is

the　last　survivor　of　one　of　the　oldest　Saxon　families　in　England；

the　Roylotts　of　Stoke　Moran；　on　the　western　border　of　Surrey。〃

　　Holmes　nodded　his　head。　〃The　name　is　familiar　to　me；〃　said　he。

　　〃The　family　was　at　one　time　among　the　richest　in　England；　and　the

estates　extended　over　the　borders　into　Berkshire　in　the　north；　and

Hampshire　in　the　west。　In　the　last　century；　however；　four　successive

heirs　were　of　a　dissolute　and　wasteful　disposition；　and　the　family

ruin　was　eventually　completed　by　a　gambler　in　the　days　of　the　Regency。

Nothing　was　left　save　a　few　acres　of　ground；　and　the

two…hundred…year…old　house；　which　is　itself　crushed　under　a　heavy

mortgage。　The　last　squire　dragged　out　his　existence　there；　living

the　horrible　life　of　an　aristocratic　pauper；　but　his　only　son；　my

stepfather；　seeing　that　he　must　adapt　himself　to　the　new　conditions；

obtained　an　advance　from　a　relative；　which　enabled　him　to　take　a

medical　degree　and　went　out　to　Calcutta；　where；　by　his　professional

skill　and　his　force　of　character；　he　established　a　large　practice。

In　a　fit　of　anger；　however；　caused　by　some　robberies　which　had　been

perpetrated　in　the　house；　he　beat　his　native　butler　to　death　and

narrowly　escaped　a　capital　sentence。　As　it　was；　he　suffered　a　long

term　of　imprisonment　and　afterwards　returned　to　England　a　morose　and

disappointed　man。

　　〃When　Dr。　Roylott　was　in　India　he　married　my　mother；　Mrs。　Stoner；

the　young　widow　of　Major　General　Stoner；　of　the　Bengal　Artillery。　My

sister　Julia　and　I　were　twins；　and　we　were　only　two　years　old　at　the

time　of　my　mother's　re…marriage。　She　had　a　considerable　sum　of

money…not　less　than　L1000　a　year…and　this　she　bequeathed　to　Dr。

Roylott　entirely　while　we　resided　with　him；　with　a　provision　that　a

certain　annual　sum　should　be　allowed　to　each　of　us　in　the　event　of　our

marriage。　Shortly　after　our　return　to　England　my　mother　died…she　was

killed　eight　years　ago　in　a　railway　accident　near　Crewe。　Dr。　Roylott

then　abandoned　his　attempts　to　establish　himself　in　practice　in　London

and　took　us　to　live　with　him　in　the　old　ancestral　house　at　Stoke

Mora