the adventure of the speckled band-第4节

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not　been　wasted；　since　it　has　proved　that　he　has　the　very　strongest

motives　for　standing　in　the　way　of　anything　of　the　sort。　And　now；

Watson；　this　is　too　serious　for　dawdling；　especially　as　the　old　man　is

aware　that　we　are　interesting　ourselves　in　his　affairs；　so　if　you

are　ready；　we　shall　call　a　cab　and　drive　to　Waterloo。　I　should　be　very

much　obliged　if　you　would　slip　your　revolver　into　your　pocket。　An

Eley's　No。　2　is　an　excellent　argument　with　gentlemen　who　can　twist

steel　pokers　into　knots。　That　and　a　tooth…brush　are；　I　think；　all　that

we　need。〃

　　At　Waterloo　we　were　fortunate　in　catching　a　train　for　Leatherhead；

where　we　hired　a　trap　at　the　station　inn　and　drove　for　four　or　five

miles　through　the　lovely　Surrey　lanes。　It　was　a　perfect　day；　with　a

bright　sun　and　a　few　fleecy　clouds　in　the　heavens。　The　trees　and

wayside　hedges　were　just　throwing　out　their　first　green　shoots；　and

the　air　was　full　of　the　pleasant　smell　of　the　moist　earth。　To　me　at

least　there　was　a　strange　contrast　between　the　sweet　promise　of　the

spring　and　this　sinister　quest　upon　which　we　were　engaged。　My

companion　sat　in　the　front　of　the　trap；　his　arms　folded；　his　hat

pulled　down　over　his　eyes；　and　his　chin　sunk　upon　his　breast；　buried

in　the　deepest　thought。　Suddenly；　however；　he　started；　tapped　me　on

the　shoulder；　and　pointed　over　the　meadows。

　　〃Look　there！〃　said　he。

　　A　heavily　timbered　park　stretched　up　in　a　gentle　slope；　thickening

into　a　grove　at　the　highest　point。　From　amid　the　branches　there　jutted

out　the　gray　gables　and　high　roof…tree　of　a　very　old　mansion。

　　〃Stoke　Moran？〃　said　he。

　　〃Yes；　sir；　that　be　the　house　of　Dr。　Grimesby　Roylott；〃　remarked

the　driver。

　　〃There　is　some　building　going　on　there；〃　said　Holmes；　〃that　is　where

we　are　going。〃

　　〃There's　the　village；〃　said　the　driver；　pointing　to　a　cluster　of

roofs　some　distance　to　the　left；　〃but　if　you　want　to　get　to　the　house；

you'll　find　it　shorter　to　get　over　this　stile；　and　so　by　the　foot…path

over　the　fields。　There　it　is；　where　the　lady　is　walking。〃

　　〃And　the　lady；　I　fancy；　is　Miss　Stoner；〃　observed　Holmes；　shading

his　eyes。　〃Yes；　I　think　we　had　better　do　as　you　suggest。〃

　　We　got　off；　paid　our　fare；　and　the　trap　rattled　back　on　its　way　to

Leatherhead。

　　〃I　thought　it　as　well；〃　said　Holmes　as　we　climbed　the　stile；　〃that

this　fellow　should　think　we　had　come　here　as　architects；　or　on　some

definite　business。　It　may　stop　his　gossip。　Good…afternoon；　Miss

Stoner。　You　see　that　we　have　been　as　good　as　our　word。〃

　　Our　client　of　the　morning　had　hurried　forward　to　meet　us　with　a　face

which　spoke　her　joy。　〃I　have　been　waiting　so　eagerly　for　you；〃　she

cried；　shaking　hands　with　us　warmly。　〃All　has　turned　out　splendidly。

Dr。　Roylott　has　gone　to　town；　and　it　is　unlikely　that　he　will　be

back　before　evening。〃

　　〃We　have　had　the　pleasure　of　making　the　doctors　acquaintance；〃

said　Holmes；　and　in　a　few　words　he　sketched　out　what　had　occurred。

Miss　Stoner　turned　white　to　the　lips　as　she　listened。

　　〃Good　heavens！〃　she　cried；　〃he　has　followed　me；　then。〃

　　〃So　it　appears。〃

　　〃He　is　so　cunning　that　I　never　know　when　I　am　safe　from　him。　What

will　he　say　when　he　returns？〃

　　〃He　must　guard　himself；　for　he　may　find　that　there　is　someone　more

cunning　than　himself　upon　his　track。　You　must　lock　yourself　up　from

him　to…night。　If　he　is　violent；　we　shall　take　you　away　to　your

aunt's　at　Harrow。　Now；　we　must　make　the　best　use　of　our　time；　so

kindly　take　us　at　once　to　the　rooms　which　we　are　to　examine。〃

　　The　building　was　of　gray；　lichen…blotched　stone；　with　a　high　central

portion　and　two　curving　wings；　like　the　claws　of　a　crab；　thrown　out　on

each　side。　In　one　of　these　wings　the　windows　were　broken　and　blocked

with　wooden　boards；　while　the　roof　was　partly　caved　in；　a　picture　of

ruin。　The　central　portion　was　in　little　better　repair；　but　the

right…hand　block　was　comparatively　modern；　and　the　blinds　in　the

windows；　with　the　blue　smoke　curling　up　from　the　chimneys；　showed　that

this　was　where　the　family　resided。　Some　scaffolding　had　been　erected

against　the　end　wall；　and　the　stone…work　had　been　broken　into；　but

there　were　no　signs　of　any　workmen　at　the　moment　of　our　visit。

Holmes　walked　slowly　up　and　down　the　ill…trimmed　lawn　and　examined

with　deep　attention　the　outsides　of　the　windows。

　　〃This；　I　take　it；　belongs　to　the　room　in　which　you　used　to　sleep；

the　centre　one　to　your　sister's；　and　the　one　next　to　the　main　building

to　Dr。　Roylott's　chamber？〃

　　〃Exactly　so。　But　I　am　now　sleeping　in　the　middle　one。〃

　　〃Pending　the　alterations；　as　I　understand。　By　the　way；　there　does

not　seem　to　be　any　very　pressing　need　for　repairs　at　that　end　wall。〃

　　〃There　were　none。　I　believe　that　it　was　an　excuse　to　move　me　from　my

room。〃

　　〃Ah！　that　is　suggestive。　Now；　on　the　other　side　of　this　narrow

wing　runs　the　corridor　from　which　these　three　rooms　open。　There　are

windows　in　it；　of　course？〃

　　〃Yes；　but　very　small　ones。　Too　narrow　for　anyone　to　pass　through。〃

　　〃As　you　both　locked　your　doors　at　night；　your　rooms　were

unapproachable　from　that　side。　Now；　would　you　have　the　kindness　to

go　into　your　room　and　bar　your　shutters？〃

　　Miss　Stoner　did　so；　and　Holmes；　after　a　careful　examination

through　the　open　window；　endeavoured　in　every　way　to　force　the　shutter

open；　but　without　success。　There　was　no　slit　through　which　a　knife

could　be　passed　to　raise　the　bar。　Then　with　his　lens　he　tested　the

hinges；　but　they　were　of　solid　iron；　built　firmly　into　the　massive

masonry。　〃Hum！〃　said　he；　scratching　his　chin　in　some　perplexity；　〃my

theory　certainly　presents　some　difficulties。　No　one　could　pass　these

shutters　if　they　were　bolted。　Well；　we　shall　see　if　the　inside

throws　any　light　upon　the　matter。〃

　　A　small　side　door　led　into　the　whitewashed　corridor　from　which　the

three　bedrooms　opened。　Holmes　refused　to　examine　the　third　chamber；　so

we　passed　at　once　to　the　second；　that　in　which　Miss　Stoner　was　now

sleeping；　and　in　which　her　sister　had　met　with　her　fate。　It　was　a

homely　little　room；　with　a　low　ceiling　and　a　gaping　fireplace；　after

the　fashion　of　old　country…houses。　A　brown　chest　of　drawers　stood　in

one　corner；　a　narrow　white…counterpaned　bed　in　another；　and　a

dressing　table　on　the　left…hand　side　of　the　window。　These　articles；

with　two　small　wickerwork　chairs；　made　up　all　the　furniture　in　the

room　save　for　a　square　of　Wilton　carpet　in　the　centre。　The　boards

round　and　the　panelling　of　the　walls　were　of　brown；　worm…eaten　oak；　so

old　and　discoloured　that　it　may　have　dated　from　the　original

building　of　the　house。　Holmes　drew　one　of　the　chairs　into　a　corner　and

sat　silent；　while　his　eyes　travelled　round　and　round　and　up　and

down；　taking　in　every　detail　of　the　apartment。

　　〃Where　does　that　bell　communicate　with？〃　he　asked　at　last；

pointing　to　a　thick　bell…rope　which　hung　down　beside　the　bed；　the

tassel　actually　lying　upon　the　pillow。

　　〃It　goes　to　the　housekeeper's　room。〃

　　〃It　looks　newer　than　the　other　things？〃

　　〃Yes；　it　was　only　put　there　a　couple　of　years　ago。〃

　　〃Your　sister　asked　for　it　I　suppose？〃

　　〃No；　I　never　heard　of　her　using　it。　We　used　always　to　get　what　we

wanted　for　ourselves。〃

　　〃Indeed；　it　seemed　unnecessary　to　put　so　nice　a　bell…pull　there。　You

will　excuse　me　for　a　few　minutes　while　I　satisy　myself　as　to　this

floor。〃　He　threw　himself　down　upon　his　face　with　his　lens　in　his

hand　and　crawled　swiftly　backward　and　forward；　examining　minutely

the　cracks　between　the　boards。　Then　he　did　the　same　with　the　wood…work

with　which　the　chamber　was　panelled。　Finally　he　walked　over　to　the　bed

and　spent　some　time　in　staring　at　it　and　in　running　his　eye　up　and

down　the　wall。　Finally　he　took　the　bell…rope　in　his　hand　and　gave　it　a

brisk　tug。

　　〃Why；　it's　a　dummy；〃　said　he。

　　〃Won't　it　ring？〃

　　〃No；　it　is　not　even　attached　to　a　wire。　This　is　very　interesting。

You　can　see　now　that　it　is　fastened　to　a　hook　just　above　where　the

little　opening　for　the　ventilator　is。〃

　　〃How　very　absurd！　I　never　noticed　that　before。〃

　　〃Very　strange！〃　muttered　Holmes；　pulling　at　the　rope。　〃There　are　one

or　two　very　singular　points　about　this　room。　For　example；　what　a

fool　a　builder　must　be　to　open　a　ventilator　into　another　room；　when；

with　the　same　trouble；　he　might　have　communicated　with　the　outside

air！〃

　　〃That　is　also　quite　modern；〃　said　the　lady。

　　〃Done　about　the　same　time　as　the　bell…rope？〃　remarked　Holmes。

　　〃Yes；　there　were　several　little　changes　carried　out　about　that

time。〃

　　〃They　seem　to　have　been　of　a　most　interesting　character…dummy

bell…ropes；　and　ventilators　which　do　not　ventilate。　With　your

permission；　Miss　Stoner；　we　shall　now　carry　our　researches　into　the

inner　apartment。〃

　　Dr。　Grimesby　Roylott's　chamber　was　larger　than　that　of　his

stepdaughter；　but　was　as　plainly　furnished。　A　camp…bed；　a　small　wooden

shelf　full　of　books；　mostly　of　a　technical　character；　an　armchair

beside　the　bed；　a　plain　wooden　chair　against　the　wall；　a　round

table；　and　a　large　iron　safe　were　the　principal　things　which　met　the

eye。　Holmes　walked　slowly　round　and　examined　each　and　all　of　them　with

the　keenest　inte