the adventure of the red circle-第3节

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say：　that　it　is　no　ordinary　love　escapade。　You　saw　the　woman's　face　at

the　sign　of　danger。　We　have　heard；　too；　of　the　attack　upon　the

landlord；　which　was　undoubtedly　meant　for　the　lodger。　These　alarms；

and　the　desperate　need　for　secrecy；　argue　that　the　matter　is　one　of

life　or　death。　The　attack　upon　Mr。　Warren　further　shows　that　the

enemy；　whoever　they　are；　are　themselves　not　aware　of　the

substitution　of　the　female　lodger　for　the　male。　It　is　very　curious　and

complex；　Watson。〃

　　〃Why　should　you　go　further　in　it？　What　have　you　to　gain　from　it？〃

　　〃What；　indeed？　It　is　art　for　art's　sake；　Watson。　I　suppose　when

you　doctored　you　found　yourself　studying　cases　without　thought　of　a

fee？〃

　　〃For　my　education；　Holmes。〃

　　〃Education　never　ends；　Watson。　It　is　a　series　of　lessons　with　the

greatest　for　the　last。　This　is　an　instructive　case。　There　is　neither

money　nor　credit　in　it；　and　yet　one　would　wish　to　tidy　it　up。　When

dusk　comes　we　should　find　ourselves　one　stage　advanced　in　our

investigation。〃

　　When　we　returned　to　Mrs。　Warren's　rooms；　the　gloom　of　a　London

winter　evening　had　thickened　into　one　gray　curtain；　a　dead　monotone　of

colour；　broken　only　by　the　sharp　yellow　squares　of　the　windows　and　the

blurred　haloes　of　the　gas…lamps。　As　we　peered　from　the　darkened

sitting…room　of　the　lodging…house；　one　more　dim　light　glimmered　high

up　through　the　obscurity。

　　〃Someone　is　moving　in　that　room；〃　said　Holmes　in　a　whisper；　his

gaunt　and　cager　face　thrust　forward　to　the　window…pane。　〃Yes；　I　can

see　his　shadow。　There　he　is　again！　He　has　a　candle　in　his　hand。　Now　he

is　peering　across。　He　wants　to　be　sure　that　she　is　on　the　lookout。　Now

he　begins　to　flash。　Take　the　message　also；　Watson；　that　we　may　check

each　other。　A　single　flash…　that　is　A；　surely。　Now；　then。　How　many　did

you　make　it？　Twenty。　So　did　I。　That　should　mean　T。　AT…　that's

intelligible　enough！　Another　T。　Surely　this　is　the　beginning　of　a

second　word。　Now；　then…　TENTA。　Dead　stop。　That　can't　be　all；　Watson？

ATTENTA　gives　no　sense。　Nor　is　it　any　better　as　three　words　AT；　TEN；

TA；　unless　T。　A。　are　a　person's　initials。　There　it　goes　again！

What's　that？　ATTE…　why；　it　is　the　same　message　over　again。　Curious；

Watson；　very　curious！　Now　he　is　off　once　more！　AT…　why；　he　is

repeating　it　for　the　third　time。　ATTENTA　three　times！　How　often　will

be　repeat　it？　No；　that　seems　to　be　the　finish。　He　has　withdrawn　from

the　window。　What　do　you　make　of　it；　Watson？〃

　　〃A　cipher　message；　Holmes。〃

　　My　companion　gave　a　sudden　chuckle　of　comprehension。　〃And　not　a　very

obscure　cipher；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃Why；　of　course；　it　is　Italian！

The　A　means　that　it　is　addressed　to　a　woman。　'Beware！　Beware！　Beware！'

How's　that；　Watson？〃

　　〃I　believe　you　have　hit　it。〃

　　〃Not　a　doubt　of　it。　It　is　a　very　urgent　message；　thrice　repeated

to　make　it　more　so。　But　beware　of　what？　Wait　a　bit；　he　is　coming　to

the　window　once　more。〃

　　Again　we　saw　the　dim　silhouette　of　a　crouching　man　and　the　whisk

of　the　small　flame　across　the　window　as　the　signals　were　renewed。　They

came　more　rapidly　than　before…　so　rapid　that　it　was　hard　to　follow

them。

　　　PERICOLO…　pericolo…　eh；　what's　that；　Watson？　'Danger；'　isn't　it？

Yes；　by　Jove；　it's　a　danger　signal。　There　he　goes　again！　PERI。　Halloa；

what　on　earth…〃

　　The　light　had　suddenly　gone　out；　the　glimmering　square　of　window　had

disappeared；　and　the　third　floor　formed　a　dark　band　round　the　lofty

building；　with　its　tiers　of　shining　casements。　That　last　warning　cry

had　been　suddenly　cut　short。　How；　and　by　whom？　The　same　thought

occurred　on　the　instant　to　us　both。　Holmes　sprang　up　from　where　he

crouched　by　the　window。

　　〃This　is　serious；　Watson；〃　he　cried。　〃There　is　some　devilry　going

forward！　Why　should　such　a　message　stop　in　such　a　way？　I　should　put

Scotland　Yard　in　touch　with　this　business…　and　yet；　it　is　too　pressing

for　us　to　leave。〃

　　〃Shall　I　go　for　the　police？〃

　　〃We　must　define　the　situation　a　little　more　clearly。　It　may　bear

some　more　innocent　interpretation。　Come；　Watson；　let　us　go　across

ourselves　and　see　what　we　can　make　of　it。〃

　　As　we　walked　rapidly　down　Howe　Street　I　glanced　back　at　the　building

which　we　had　left。　There；　dimly　outlined　at　the　top　window；　I　could

see　the　shadow　of　a　head；　a　woman's　head；　gazing　tensely；　rigidly；　out

into　the　night；　waiting　with　breathless　suspense　for　the　renewal　of

that　interrupted　message。　At　the　doorway　of　the　Howe　Street　flats　a

man；　muffled　in　a　cravat　and　greatcoat；　was　leaning　against　the

railing。　He　started　as　the　hall…light　fell　upon　our　faces。

　　〃Holmes！〃　he　cried。

　　〃Why；　Gregson！〃　said　my　companion　as　he　shook　hands　with　the

Scotland　Yard　detective。　〃Journeys　end　with　lovers'　meetings。　What

brings　you　here？〃

　　〃The　same　reasons　that　bring　you；　I　expect；〃　said　Gregson。　〃How

you　got　on　to　it　I　can't　imagine。〃

　　〃Different　threads；　but　leading　up　to　the　same　tangle。　I've　been

taking　the　signals。〃

　　〃Signals？〃

　　〃Yes；　from　that　window。　They　broke　off　in　the　middle。　We　came　over

to　see　the　reason。　But　since　it　is　safe　in　your　hands　I　see　no

object　in　continuing　the　business。〃

　　〃Wait　a　bit！〃　cried　Gregson　eagerly。　〃I'll　do　you　this　justice；

Mr。　Holmes；　that　I　was　never　in　a　case　yet　that　I　didn't　feel　stronger

for　having　you　on　my　side。　There's　only　the　one　exit　to　these　flats；

so　we　have　him　safe。〃

　　〃Who　is　he？〃

　　〃Well；　well；　we　score　over　you　for　once；　Mr。　Holmes。　You　must　give

us　best　this　time。〃　He　struck　his　stick　sharply　upon　the　ground；　on

which　a　cabman；　his　whip　in　his　band；　sauntered　over　from　a

four…wheeler　which　stood　on　the　far　side　of　the　street。　〃May　I

introduce　you　to　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes？〃　he　said　to　the　cabman。　This

is　Mr。　Leverton；　of　Pinkerton's　American　Agency。〃

　　〃The　hero　of　the　Long　Island　cave　mystery？〃　said　Holmes。　〃Sir；　I

am　pleased　to　meet　you。〃

　　The　American；　a　quiet；　businesslike　young　man；　with　a

clean…shaven；　hatchet　face；　flushed　up　at　the　words　of　commendation。

〃I　am　on　the　trail　of　my　life　now；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　he。　〃If　I　can　get

Gorgiano…〃

　　〃What！　Gorgiano　of　the　Red　Circle？〃

　　〃Oh；　he　has　a　European　fame；　has　he？　Well；　we've　learned　all　about

him　in　America。　We　know　he　is　at　the　bottom　of　fifty　murders；　and

yet　we　have　nothing　positive　we　can　take　him　on。　I　tracked　him　over

from　New　York；　and　I've　been　close　to　him　for　a　week　in　London；

waiting　some　excuse　to　get　my　hand　on　his　collar。　Mr。　Gregson　and　I

ran　him　to　ground　in　that　big　tenement　house；　and　there's　only　the　one

door；　so　he　can't　slip　us。　There's　three　folk　come　out　since　he　went

in；　but　I'll　swear　he　wasn't　one　of　them。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes　talks　of　signals；〃　said　Gregson。　〃I　expect；　as　usual；　he

knows　a　good　deal　that　we　don't。〃

　　In　a　few　clear　words　Holmes　explained　the　situation　as　it　had

appeared　to　us。　The　American　struck　his　hands　together　with　vexation。

　　〃He's　on　to　us！〃　he　cried。

　　〃Why　do　you　think　so？〃

　　〃Well；　it　figures　out　that　way；　does　it　not？　Here　he　is；　sending　out

messages　to　an　accomplice…　there　are　several　of　his　gang　in　London。

Then　suddenly；　just　as　by　your　own　account　he　was　telling　them　that

there　was　danger；　he　broke　short　off。　What　could　it　mean　except　that

from　the　window　he　had　suddenly　either　caught　sight　of　us　in　the

street；　or　in　some　way　come　to　understand　how　close　the　danger　was；

and　that　he　must　act　right　away　if　he　was　to　avoid　it？　What　do　you

suggest；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃That　we　go　up　at　once　and　see　for　ourselves。〃

　　〃But　we　have　no　warrant　for　his　arrest。〃

　　〃He　is　in　unoccupied　premises　under　suspicious　circumstances；〃

said　Gregson。　〃That　is　good　enough　for　the　moment。　When　we　have　him　by

the　heels　we　can　see　if　New　York　can't　help　us　to　keep　him。　I'll

take　the　responsibility　of　arresting　him　now。〃

　　Our　official　detectives　may　blunder　in　the　matter　of　intelligence；

but　never　in　that　of　courage。　Gregson　climbed　the　stair　to　arrest　this

desperate　murderer　with　the　same　absolutely　quiet　and　businesslike

bearing　with　which　he　would　have　ascended　the　official　staircase　of

Scotland　Yard。　The　Pinkerton　man　had　tried　to　push　past　him；　but

Gregson　had　firmly　elbowed　him　back。　London　dangers　were　the　privilege

of　the　London　force。

　　The　door　of　the　left…hand　flat　upon　the　third　landing　was　standing

ajar。　Gregson　pushed　it　open。　Within　all　was　absolute　silence　and

darkness。　I　struck　a　match　and　lit　the　detective's　lantern。　As　I　did

so；　and　as　the　flicker　steadied　into　a　flame；　we　all　gave　a　gasp　of

surprise。　On　the　deal　boards　of　the　carpetless　floor　there　was

outlined　a　fresh　track　of　blood。　The　red　steps　pointed　towards　us

and　led　away　from　an　inner　room；　the　door　of　which　was　closed。　Gregson

flung　it　open　and　held　his　light　full　blaze　in　front　of　him；　while

we　all　peered　eagerly　over　his　shoulders。

　　In　the　middle　of　the　floor　of　the　empty　room　was　huddled　the

figure　of　an　enormous　man；　his　clean…shaven；　swarthy　face

grotesquely　horrible　in　its　contortion　and　his　head　encircled　by　a

gh