the adventure of the speckled band-第6节

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　　〃The　least　sound　would　be　fatal　to　our　plans。〃

　　I　nodded　to　show　that　I　had　heard。

　　〃We　must　sit　without　light。　He　would　see　it　through　the　ventilator。〃

　　I　nodded　again。

　　〃Do　not　go　asleep；　your　very　life　may　depend　upon　it。　Have　your

pistol　ready　in　case　we　should　need　it。　I　will　sit　on　the　side　of

the　bed；　and　you　in　that　chair。〃

　　I　took　out　my　revolver　and　laid　it　on　the　corner　of　the　table。

　　Holmes　had　brought　up　a　long　thin　cane；　and　this　he　placed　upon

the　bed　beside　him。　By　it　he　laid　the　box　of　matches　and　the　stump

of　a　candle。　Then　he　turned　down　the　lamp；　and　we　were　left　in

darkness。

　　How　shall　I　ever　forget　that　dreadful　vigil？　I　could　not　hear　a

sound；　not　even　the　drawing　of　a　breath；　and　yet　I　knew　that　my

companion　sat　open…eyed；　within　a　few　feet　of　me；　in　the　same　state　of

nervous　tension　in　which　I　was　myself。　The　shutters　cut　off　the

least　ray　of　light　and　we　waited　in　absolute　darkness。　From　outside

came　the　occasional　cry　of　a　night…bird；　and　once　at　our　very　window　a

long　drawn　catlike　whine；　which　told　us　that　the　cheetah　was　indeed　at

liberty。　Far　away　we　could　hear　the　deep　tones　of　the　parish　clock；

which　boomed　out　every　quarter　of　an　hour。　How　long　they　seemed；　those

quarters！　Twelve　struck；　and　one　and　two　and　three；　and　still　we　sat

waiting　silently　for　whatever　might　befall。

　　Suddenly　there　was　the　momentary　gleam　of　a　light　up　in　the

direction　of　the　ventilator；　which　vanished　immediately；　but　was

succeeded　by　a　strong　smell　of　burning　oil　and　heated　metal。　Someone

in　the　next　room　had　lit　a　dark…lanten。　I　heard　a　gentle　sound　of

movement；　and　then　all　was　silent　once　more；　though　the　smell　grew

stronger。　For　half　an　hour　I　sat　with　straining　ears。　Then　suddenly

another　sound　became　audible…a　very　gentle；　soothing　sound；　like

that　of　a　small　jet　of　steam　escaping　continually　from　a　kettle。　The

instant　that　we　heard　it；　Holmes　sprang　from　the　bed；　struck　a

match；　and　lashed　furiously　with　his　cane　at　the　bell…pull。

　　〃You　see　it；　Watson？〃　he　yelled。　〃You　see　it？〃

　　But　I　saw　nothing。　At　the　moment　when　Holmes　struck　the　light　I

heard　a　low；　clear　whistle；　but　the　sudden　glare　flashing　into　my

weary　eyes　made　it　impossible　for　me　to　tell　what　it　was　at　which　my

friend　lashed　so　savagely。　I　could；　however；　see　that　his　face　was

deadly　pale　and　filled　with　horror　and　loathing。

　　He　had　ceased　to　strike　and　was　gazing　up　at　the　ventilator　when

suddenly　there　broke　from　the　silence　of　the　night　the　most　horrible

cry　to　which　I　have　ever　listened。　It　swelled　up　louder　and　louder；

a　hoarse　yell　of　pain　and　fear　and　anger　all　mingled　in　the　one

dreadful　shriek。　They　say　that　away　down　in　the　village；　and　even　in

the　distant　parsonage；　that　cry　raised　the　sleepers　from　their　beds。

It　struck　cold　to　our　hearts；　and　I　stood　gazing　at　Holmes；　and　he

at　me；　until　the　last　echoes　of　it　had　died　away　into　the　silence　from

which　it　rose。

　　〃What　can　it　mean？〃　I　gasped。

　　〃It　means　that　it　is　all　over；〃　Holmes　answered。　〃And　perhaps；　after

all；　it　is　for　the　best。　Take　your　pistol；　and　we　will　enter　Dr。

Roylott's　room。〃

　　With　a　grave　face　he　lit　the　lamp　and　led　the　way　down　the　corridor。

Twice　he　struck　at　the　chamber　door　without　any　reply　from　within。

Then　he　turned　the　handle　and　entered；　I　at　his　heels；　with　the　cocked

pistol　in　my　hand。

　　It　was　a　singular　sight　which　met　our　eyes。　On　the　table　stood　a

dark…lantern　with　the　shutter　half　open；　throwing　a　brilliant　beam

of　light　upon　the　iron　safe；　the　door　of　which　was　ajar。　Beside　this

table；　on　the　wooden　chair；　sat　Dr。　Grimesby　Roylott；　clad　in　a　long

gray　dressing…gown；　his　bare　ankles　protruding　beneath；　and　his　feet

thrust　into　red　heelless　Turkish　slippers。　Across　his　lap　lay　the

short　stock　with　the　long　lash　which　we　had　noticed　during　the　day。

His　chin　was　cocked　upward　and　his　eyes　were　fixed　in　a　dreadful；

rigid　stare　at　the　corner　of　the　ceiling。　Round　his　brow　he　had　a

peculiar　yellow　band；　with　brownish　speckles；　which　seemed　to　be　bound

tightly　round　his　head。　As　we　entered　he　made　neither　sound　nor

motion。

　　〃The　band！　The　speckled　band！〃　whispered　Holmes。

　　I　took　a　step　forward。　In　an　instant　his　strange　headgear　began　to

move；　and　there　reared　itself　from　among　his　hair　the　squat

diamond…shaped　head　and　puffed　neck　of　a　loathsome　serpent。

　　〃It　is　a　swamp　adder！〃　cried　Holmes；　〃the　deadliest　snake　in

India。　He　has　died　within　ten　seconds　of　being　bitten。　Violence

does；　in　truth；　recoil　upon　the　violent　and　the　schemer　falls　into　the

pit　which　he　digs　for　another。　Let　us　thrust　this　creature　back　into

its　den；　and　we　can　then　remove　Miss　Stoner　to　some　place　of　shelter

and　let　the　county　police　know　what　has　happened。〃

　　As　he　spoke　he　drew　the　dog…whip　swiftly　from　the　dead　man's　lap；

and　throwing　the　noose　round　the　reptile's　neck　he　drew　it　from　its

horrid　perch　and；　carrying　it　at　arm's　length；　threw　it　into　the

iron　safe；　which　he　closed　upon　it。



　　Such　are　the　true　facts　of　the　death　of　Dr。　Grimesby　Roylott；　of

Stoke　Moran。　It　is　not　necessary　that　I　should　prolong　a　narrative

which　has　already　run　to　too　great　a　length　by　telling　how　we　broke

the　sad　news　to　the　terrified　girl；　how　we　conveyed　her　by　the　morning

train　to　the　care　of　her　good　aunt　at　Harrow；　of　how　the　slow

process　of　official　inquiry　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　doctor　met

his　fate　while　indiscreetly　playing　with　a　dangerous　pet。　The　little

which　I　had　yet　to　learn　of　the　case　was　told　me　by　Sherlock　Holmes　as

we　travelled　back　next　day。

　　〃I　had；〃　said　he；　〃come　to　an　entirely　erroneous　conclusion　which

shows；　my　dear　Watson；　how　dangerous　it　always　is　to　reason　from

insufficient　data。　The　presence　of　the　gypsies；　and　the　use　of　the

word　'band；'　which　was　used　by　the　poor　girl；　no　doubt　to　explain

the　appearance　which　she　had　caught　a　hurried　glimpse　of　by　the

light　of　her　match；　were　sufficient　to　put　me　upon　an　entirely　wrong

scent。　I　can　only　claim　the　merit　that　I　instantly　reconsidered　my

position　when；　however；　it　became　clear　to　me　that　whatever　danger

threatened　an　occupant　of　the　room　could　not　come　either　from　the

window　or　the　door。　My　attention　was　speedily　drawn；　as　I　have　already

remarked　to　you；　to　this　ventilator；　and　to　the　bell…rope　which　hung

down　to　the　bed。　The　discovery　that　this　was　a　dummy；　and　that　the　bed

was　clamped　to　the　floor；　instantly　gave　rise　to　the　suspicion　that

the　rope　was　there　as　a　bridge　for　something　passing　through　the

hole　and　coming　to　the　bed。　The　idea　of　a　snake　instantly　occurred

to　me；　and　when　I　coupled　it　with　my　knowledge　that　the　doctor　was

furnished　with　a　supply　of　creatures　from　India；　I　felt　that　I　was

probably　on　the　right　track。　The　idea　of　using　a　form　of　poison

which　could　not　possibly　be　discovered　by　any　chemical　test　was　just

such　a　one　as　would　occur　to　a　clever　and　ruthless　man　who　had　had

an　Eastern　training。　The　rapidity　with　which　such　a　poison　would

take　effect　would　also；　from　his　point　of　view；　be　an　advantage。　It

would　be　a　sharp…eyed　coroner；　indeed；　who　could　distinguish　the　two

little　dark　punctures　which　would　show　where　the　poison　fangs　had　done

their　work。　Then　I　thought　of　the　whistle。　Of　course　he　must　recall

the　snake　before　the　morning　light　revealed　it　to　the　victim。　He　had

trained　it；　probably　by　the　use　of　the　milk　which　we　saw；　to　return　to

him　when　summoned。　He　would　put　it　through　this　ventilator　at　the　hour

that　he　thought　best；　with　the　certainty　that　it　would　crawl　down

the　rope　and　land　on　the　bed。　It　might　or　might　not　bite　the　occupant；

perhaps　she　might　escape　every　night　for　a　week；　but　sooner　or　later

she　must　fall　a　victim。

　　〃I　had　come　to　these　conclusions　before　ever　I　had　entered　his　room。

An　inspection　of　his　chair　showed　me　that　he　had　been　in　the　habit

of　standing　on　it；　which　of　course　would　be　necessary　in　order　that　he

should　reach　the　ventilator。　The　sight　of　the　safe；　the　saucer　of

milk；　and　the　loop　of　whipcord　were　enough　to　finally　dispel　any

doubts　which　may　have　remained。　The　metallic　clang　heard　by　Miss

Stoner　was　obviously　caused　by　her　stepfather　hastily　closing　the　door

of　his　safe　upon　its　terrible　occupant。　Having　once　made　up　my　mind；

you　know　the　steps　which　I　took　in　order　to　put　the　matter　to　the

proof。　I　heard　the　creature　hiss　as　I　have　no　doubt　that　you　did　also；

and　I　instantly　lit　the　light　and　attacked　it。〃

　　〃With　the　result　of　driving　it　through　the　ventilator。〃

　　〃And　also　with　the　result　of　causing　it　to　turn　upon　its　master　at

the　other　side。　Some　of　the　blows　of　my　cane　came　home　and　roused

its　snakish　temper；　so　that　it　flew　upon　the　first　person　it　saw。　In

this　way　I　am　no　doubt　indirectly　responsible　for　Dr。　Grimesby

Roylott's　death；　and　I　cannot　say　that　it　is　likely　to　weigh　very

heavily　upon　my　conscience。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

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