the adventure of the speckled band-第2节

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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

Moran。　The　money　which　my　mother　had　left　was　enough　for　all　our

wants；　and　there　seemed　to　be　no　obstacle　to　our　happiness。

　　〃But　a　terrible　change　came　over　our　stepfather　about　this　time。

Instead　of　making　friends　and　exchanging　visits　with　our　neighbours；

who　had　at　first　been　overjoyed　to　see　a　Roylott　of　Stoke　Moran　back

in　the　old　family　seat；　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　house　and　seldom

came　out　save　to　indulge　in　ferocious　quarrels　with　whoever　might

cross　his　path。　Violence　of　temper　approaching　to　mania　has　been

hereditary　in　the　men　of　the　family；　and　in　my　stepfather's　case　it

had；　I　believe；　been　intensified　by　his　long　residence　in　the　tropics。

A　series　of　disgraceful　brawls　took　place；　two　of　which　ended　in　the

police…court；　until　at　last　he　became　the　terror　of　the　village；　and

the　folks　would　fly　at　his　approach；　for　he　is　a　man　of　immense

strength；　and　absolutely　uncontrollable　in　his　anger。

　　〃Last　week　he　hurled　the　local　blacksmith　over　a　parapet　into　a

stream；　and　it　was　only　by　paying　over　all　the　money　which　I　could

gather　together　that　I　was　able　to　avert　another　public　exposure。　He

had　no　friends　at　all　save　the　wandering　gypsies；　and　he　would　give

these　vagabonds　leave　to　encamp　upon　the　few　acres　of

bramble…covered　land　which　represent　the　family　estate；　and　would

accept　in　return　the　hospitality　of　their　tents；　wandering　away　with

them　sometimes　for　weeks　on　end。　He　has　a　passion　also　for　Indian

animals；　which　are　sent　over　to　him　by　a　correspondent；　and　he　has

at　this　moment　a　cheetah　and　a　baboon；　which　wander　freely　over　his

grounds　and　are　feared　by　the　villagers　almost　as　much　as　their

master。

　　〃You　can　imagine　from　what　I　say　that　my　poor　sister　Julia　and　I　had

no　great　pleasure　in　our　lives。　No　servant　would　stay　with　us；　and　for

a　long　time　we　did　all　the　work　of　the　house。　She　was　but　thirty　at

the　time　of　her　death；　and　yet　her　hair　had　already　begun　to　whiten；

even　as　mine　has。〃

　　〃Your　sister　is　dead；　then？〃

　　〃She　died　just　two　years　ago；　and　it　is　of　her　death　that　I　wish

to　speak　to　you。　You　can　understand　that；　living　the　life　which　I　have

described；　we　were　little　likely　to　see　anyone　of　our　own　age　and

position。　We　had；　however；　an　aunt；　my　mother's　maiden　sister；　Miss

Honoria　Westphail；　who　lives　near　Harrow；　and　we　were　occasionally

allowed　to　pay　short　visits　at　this　lady's　house。　Julia　went　there

at　Christmas　two　years　ago；　and　met　there　a　half…pay　major　of　marines；

to　whom　she　became　engaged。　My　stepfather　learned　of　the　engagement

when　my　sister　returned　and　offered　no　objection　to　the　marriage；

but　within　a　fortnight　of　the　day　which　had　been　fixed　for　the

wedding；　the　terrible　event　occurred　which　has　deprived　me　of　my

only　companion。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　had　been　leaning　back　in　his　chair　with　his　eyes

closed　and　his　head　sunk　in　a　cushion；　but　he　half　opened　his　lids　now

and　glanced　across　at　his　visitor。

　　〃Pray　be　precise　as　to　details；〃　said　he。

　　〃It　is　easy　for　me　to　be　so；　for　every　event　of　that　dreadful　time

is　seared　into　my　memory。　The　manor…house　is；　as　I　have　already

said；　very　old；　and　only　one　wing　is　now　inhabited。　The　bedrooms　in

this　wing　are　on　the　ground　floor；　the　sitting…rooms　being　in　the

central　block　of　the　buildings。　Of　these　bedrooms　the　first　is　Dr。

Roylott's；　the　second　my　sister's；　and　the　third　my　own。　There　is　no

communication　between　them；　but　they　all　open　out　into　the　same

corridor。　Do　I　make　myself　plain？〃

　　〃Perfectly　so。〃

　　〃The　windows　of　the　three　rooms　open　out　upon　the　lawn。　That　fatal

night　Dr。　Roylott　had　gone　to　his　room　early；　though　we　knew　that　he

had　not　retired　to　rest；　for　my　sister　was　troubled　by　the　smell　of

the　strong　Indian　cigars　which　it　was　his　custom　to　smoke。　She　left

her　room；　therefore；　and　came　into　mine；　where　she　sat　for　some

time；　chatting　about　her　approaching　wedding。　At　eleven　o'clock　she

rose　to　leave　me；　but　she　paused　at　the　door　and　looked　back。

　　〃'Tell　me；　Helen；'　said　she；　'have　you　ever　heard　anyone　whistle

in　the　dead　of　the　night？'

　　〃'Never；'　said　I。

　　〃'I　suppose　that　you　could　not　possibly　whistle；　yourself；　in　your

sleep？'

　　〃'Certainly　not。　But　why？'

　　〃'Because　during　the　last　few　nights　I　have　always；　about　three　in

the　morning；　heard　a　low；　clear　whistle。　I　am　a　light　sleeper；　and

it　has　awakened　me。　I　cannot　tell　where　it　came　from…perhaps　from

the　next　room；　perhaps　from　the　lawn。　I　thought　that　I　would　just

ask　you　whether　you　had　heard　it。'

　　〃'No；　I　have　not。　It　must　be　those　wretched　gypsies　in　the

plantation。'

　　〃'Very　likely。　And　yet　if　it　were　on　the　lawn；　I　wonder　that　you　did

not　hear　it　also。'

　　〃'Ah；　but　I　sleep　more　heavily　than　you。'

　　〃'Well；　it　is　of　no　great　consequence；　at　any　rate。'　She　smiled　back

at　me；　closed　my　door；　and　a　few　moments　later　I　heard　her　key　turn　in

the　lock。〃

　　〃Indeed；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Was　it　your　custom　always　to　lock　yourselves

in　at　night？〃

　　〃Always。〃

　　〃And　why？〃

　　〃I　think　that　I　mentioned　to　you　that　the　doctor　kept　a　cheetah

and　a　baboon。　We　had　no　feeling　of　security　unless　our　doors　were

locked。〃

　　〃Quite　so。　Pray　proceed　with　your　statement。〃

　　〃I　could　not　sleep　that　night。　A　vague　feeling　of　impending

misfortune　impressed　me。　My　sister　and　I；　you　will　recollect；　were

twins；　and　you　know　how　subtle　are　the　links　which　bind　two　souls

which　are　so　closely　allied。　It　was　a　wild　night。　The　wind　was　howling

outside；　and　the　rain　was　beating　and　splashing　against　the　windows。

Suddenly；　amid　all　the　hubbub　of　the　gale；　there　burst　forth　the

wild　scream　of　a　terrified　woman。　I　knew　that　it　was　my　sister's

voice。　I　sprang　from　my　bed；　wrapped　a　shawl　round　me；　and　rushed　into

the　corridor。　As　I　opened　my　door　I　seemed　to　hear　a　low　whistle；　such

as　my　sister　described；　and　a　few　moments　later　a　clanging　sound；　as

if　a　mass　of　metal　had　fallen。　As　I　ran　down　the　passage；　my

sister's　door　was　unlocked；　and　revolved　slowly　upon　its　hinges。　I

stared　at　it　horror…stricken；　not　knowing　what　was　about　to　issue　from

it。　By　the　light　of　the　corridor…lamp　I　saw　my　sister　appear　at　the

opening；　her　face　blanched　with　terror；　her　hands　groping　for　help；

her　whole　figure　swaying　to　and　fro　like　that　of　a　drunkard。　I　ran

to　her　and　threw　my　arms　round　her；　but　at　that　moment　her　knees

seemed　to　give　way　and　she　fell　to　the　ground。　She　writhed　as　one

who　is　in　terrible　pain；　and　her　limbs　were　dreadfully　convulsed。　At

first　I　thought　that　she　had　not　recognized　me；　but　as　I　bent　over　her

she　suddenly　shrieked　out　in　a　voice　which　I　shall　never　forget；

'Oh；　my　God！　Helen！　It　was　the　band！　The　speckled　band！'　There　was

something　else　which　she　would　fain　have　said；　and　she　stabbed　with

her　finger　into　the　air　in　the　direction　of　the　doctors　room；　but　a

fresh　convulsion　seized　her　and　choked　her　words。　I　rushed　out；

calling　loudly　for　my　stepfather；　and　I　met　him　hastening　from　his

room　in　his　dressing…gown。　When　he　reached　my　sisters　side　she　was

unconscious；　and　though　he　poured　brandy　down　her　throat　and　sent

for　medical　aid　from　the　village；　all　efforts　were　in　vain；　for　she

slowly　sank　and　died　without　having　recovered　her　consciousness。

Such　was　the　dreadful　end　of　my　beloved　sister。〃

　　〃One　moment；〃　said　Holmes；　〃are　you　sure　about　this　whistle　and

metallic　sound？　Could　you　swear　to　it？〃

　　〃That　was　what　the　county　coroner　asked　me　at　the　inquiry。　It　is

my　strong　impression　that　I　heard　it；　and　yet；　among　the　crash　of

the　gale　and　the　creaking　of　an　old　house；　I　may　possibly　have　been

deceived。〃

　　〃Was　your　sister　dressed？〃

　　〃No；　she　was　in　her　night…dress。　In　her　right　hand　was　found　the

charred　stump　of　a　match；　and　in　her　left　a　match…box。〃

　　〃Showing　that　she　had　struck　a　light　and　looked　about　her　when　the

alarm　took　place。　That　is　important。　And　what　conclusions　did　the

coroner　come　to？〃

　　〃He　investigated　the　case　with　great　care；　for　Dr。　Roylott's　conduct

had　long　been　notorious　in　the　county；　but　he　was　unable　to　find　any

satisfactory　cause　of　death。　My　evidence　showed　that　the　door　had　been

fastened　upon　the　inner　side；　and　the　windows　were　blocked　by

old…fashioned　shutters　with　broad　iron　bars；　which　were　secured

every　night。　The　walls　were　carefully　sounded；　and　were　shown　to　be

quite　solid　all　round；　and　the　flooring　was　also　thoroughly

examined；　with　the　same　result。　The　chimney　is　wide；　but　is　barred

up　by　four　large　staples。　It　is　certain；　therefore；　that　my　sister　was

quite　alone　when　she　met　her　end。　Besides；　there　were　no　marks　of

any　violence　upon　her。〃

　　〃How　about　poison？〃

　　〃The　doctors　examined　her　for　it；　but　without　success。〃

　　〃What　do　you　think　that　this　unfortunate　lady　died　of；　then？〃

　　〃It　is　my　belief　that　she　died　of　pure　fear　and　nervous　shock；

though　what　it　was　that　frightened　her　I　cannot　imagine。〃

　　〃Were　there　gypsies　in　the　plantation　at　the　time？〃

　　〃Yes；　there　are　nearly　always　some　there。〃