the adventure of the sussex vampire-第2节

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English　Sussex…　well；　all　this　can　be　discussed　with　you　in　the

morning。　Will　you　see　me？　Will　you　use　your　great　powers　in　aiding　a

distracted　man？　If　so；　kindly　wire　to　Ferguson；　Cheeseman's；

Lamberley；　and　I　will　be　at　your　rooms　by　ten　o'clock。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　faithfully；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ROBERT　FERGUSON。

　　P。　S。　I　believe　your　friend　Watson　played　Rugby　for　Blackheath

when　I　was　three…quarter　for　Richmond。　It　is　the　only　personal

introduction　which　I　can　give。



　　〃Of　course　I　remembered　him；〃　said　I　as　I　laid　down　the　letter。　〃Big

Bob　Ferguson；　the　finest　three…quarter　Richmond　ever　had。　He　was

always　a　good…natured　chap。　It's　like　him　to　be　so　concerned　over　a

friend's　case。〃

　　Holmes　looked　at　me　thoughtfully　and　shook　his　head。

　　〃I　never　get　your　limits；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃There　are　unexplored

possibilities　about　you。　Take　a　wire　down；　like　a　good　fellow。　'Will

examine　your　case　with　pleasure。'〃

　　〃Your　case！〃

　　〃We　must　not　let　him　think　that　this　agency　is　a　home　for　the

weak…minded。　Of　course　it　is　his　case。　Send　him　that　wire　and　let

the　matter　rest　till　morning。〃

　　Promptly　at　ten　o'clock　next　morning　Ferguson　strode　into　our

room。　I　had　remembered　him　as　a　long；　slab…sided　man　with　loose

limbs　and　a　fine　turn　of　speed　which　had　carried　him　round　many　an

opposing　back。　There　is　surely　nothing　in　life　more　painful　than　to

meet　the　wreck　of　a　fine　athlete　whom　one　has　known　in　his　prime。　This

great　frame　had　fallen　in；　his　flaxen　hair　was　scanty；　and　his

shoulders　were　bowed。　I　fear　that　I　roused　corresponding　emotions　in

him。

　　〃Hullo；　Watson；〃　said　he；　and　his　voice　was　still　deep　and　hearty。

〃You　don't　look　quite　the　man　you　did　when　I　threw　you　over　the

ropes　into　the　crowd　at　the　Old　Deer　Park。　I　expect　I　have　changed　a

bit　also。　But　it's　this　last　day　or　two　that　has　aged　me。　I　see　by

your　telegram；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　it　is　no　use　my　pretending　to　be

anyone's　deputy。〃

　　〃It　is　simpler　to　deal　direct；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Of　course　it　is。　But　you　can　imagine　how　difficult　it　is　when　you

are　speaking　of　the　one　woman　whom　you　are　bound　to　protect　and

help。　What　can　I　do？　How　am　I　to　go　to　the　police　with　such　a　story？

And　yet　the　kiddies　have　got　to　be　protected。　Is　it　madness；　Mr。

Holmes？　Is　it　something　in　the　blood？　Have　you　any　similar　case　in

your　experience？　For　God's　sake；　give　me　some　advice；　for　I　am　at　my

wit's　end。〃

　　〃Very　naturally；　Mr。　Ferguson。　Now　sit　here　and　pull　yourself

together　and　give　me　a　few　clear　answers。　I　can　assure　you　that　I　am

very　far　from　being　at　my　wit's　and；　and　that　I　am　confident　we

shall　find　some　solution。　First　of　all；　tell　me　what　steps　you　have

taken。　Is　your　wife　still　near　the　children？〃

　　〃We　had　a　dreadful　scene。　She　is　a　most　loving　woman；　Mr。　Holmes。　If

ever　a　woman　loved　a　man　with　all　her　heart　and　soul；　she　loves　me。

She　was　cut　to　the　heart　that　I　should　have　discovered　this

horrible；　this　incredible；　secret。　She　would　not　even　speak。　She

gave　no　answer　to　my　reproaches；　save　to　gaze　at　me　with　a　sort　of

wild；　despairing　look　in　her　eyes。　Then　she　rushed　to　her　room　and

locked　herself　in。　Since　then　she　has　refused　to　see　me。　She　has　a

maid　who　was　with　her　before　her　marriage；　Dolores　by　name…　a　friend

rather　than　a　servant。　She　takes　her　food　to　her。〃

　　〃Then　the　child　is　in　no　immediate　danger？〃

　　〃Mrs。　Mason；　the　nurse；　has　sworn　that　she　will　not　leave　it　night

or　day。　I　can　absolutely　trust　her。　I　am　more　uneasy　about　poor　little

Jack；　for；　as　I　told　you　in　my　note；　he　has　twice　been　assaulted　by

her。〃

　　〃But　never　wounded？〃

　　〃No；　she　struck　him　savagely。　It　is　the　more　terrible　as　he　is　a

poor　little　inoffensive　cripple。〃　Ferguson's　gaunt　features　softened

as　he　spoke　of　his　boy。　〃You　would　think　that　the　dear　lad's　condition

would　soften　anyone's　heart。　A　fall　in　childhood　and　a　twisted

spine；　Mr。　Holmes。　But　the　dearest；　most　loving　heart　within。〃

　　Holmes　had　picked　up　the　letter　of　yesterday　and　was　reading　it

over。　〃What　other　inmates　are　there　in　your　house；　Mr。　Ferguson？〃

　　〃Two　servants　who　have　not　been　long　with　us。　One　stable…hand；

Michael；　who　sleeps　in　the　house。　My　wife；　myself；　my　boy　Jack；

baby；　Dolores；　and　Mrs。　Mason。　That　is　all。〃

　　〃I　gather　that　you　did　not　know　your　wife　well　at　the　time　of　your

marriage？〃

　　〃I　had　only　known　her　a　few　weeks。〃

　　〃How　long　had　this　maid　Dolores　been　with　her？〃

　　〃Some　years。〃

　　〃Then　your　wife's　character　would　really　be　better　known　by

Dolores　than　by　you？〃

　　〃Yes；　you　may　say　so。〃

　　Holmes　made　a　note。

　　〃I　fancy；〃　said　he；　〃that　I　may　be　of　more　use　at　Lamberley　than

here。　It　is　eminently　a　case　for　personal　investigation。　If　the　lady

remains　in　her　room；　our　presence　could　not　annoy　or　inconvenience

her。　Of　course；　we　would　stay　at　the　inn。〃

　　Ferguson　gave　a　gesture　of　relief。

　　〃It　is　what　I　hoped；　Mr。　Holmes。　There　is　an　excellent　train　at

two　from　Victoria　if　you　could　come。〃

　　〃Of　course　we　could　come。　There　is　a　lull　at　present。　I　can　give　you

my　undivided　energies。　Watson；　of　course；　comes　with　us。　But　there　are

one　or　two　points　upon　which　I　wish　to　be　very　sure　before　I　start。

This　unhappy　lady；　as　I　understand　it；　has　appeared　to　assault　both

the　children；　her　own　baby　and　your　little　son？〃

　　〃That　is　so。〃

　　〃But　the　assaults　take　different　forms；　do　they　not？　She　has

beaten　your　son。〃

　　〃Once　with　a　stick　and　once　very　savagely　with　her　hands。〃

　　〃Did　she　give　no　explanation　why　she　struck　him？〃

　　〃None　save　that　she　hated　him。　Again　and　again　she　said　so。〃

　　〃Well；　that　is　not　unknown　among　stepmothers。　A　posthumous　jealousy；

we　will　say。　Is　the　lady　jealous　by　nature？〃

　　〃Yes；　she　is　very　jealous…　jealous　with　all　the　strength　of　her

fiery　tropical　love。〃

　　〃But　the　boy…　he　is　fifteen；　I　understand；　and　probably　very

developed　in　mind；　since　his　body　has　been　circumscribed　in　action。

Did　he　give　you　no　explanation　of　these　assaults？〃

　　〃No；　he　declared　there　was　no　reason。〃

　　〃Were　they　good　friends　at　other　times？〃

　　〃No；　there！　was　never　any　love　between　them。〃

　　〃Yet　you　say　he　is　affectionate？〃

　　〃Never　in　the　world　could　there　be　so　devoted　a　son。　My　life　is

his　life。　He　is　absorbed　in　what　I　say　or　do。〃

　　Once　again　Holmes　made　a　note。　For　some　time　he　sat　lost　in　thought。

　　〃No　doubt　you　and　the　boy　were　great　comrades　before　this　second

marriage。　You　were　thrown　very　close　together；　were　you　not？〃

　　〃Very　much　so。〃

　　〃And　the　boy；　having　so　affectionate　a　nature；　was　devoted；　no

doubt；　to　the　memory　of　his　mother？〃

　　〃Most　devoted。〃

　　〃He　would　certainly　seem　to　be　a　most　interesting　lad。　There　is

one　other　point　about　these　assaults。　Were　the　strange　attacks　upon

the　baby　and　the　assaults　upon　your　son　at　the　same　period？〃

　　〃In　the　first　case　it　was　so。　It　was　is　if　some　frenzy　had　seized

her；　and　she　had　vented　her　rage　upon　both。　In　the　second　case　it

was　only　Jack　who　suffered。　Mrs。　Mason　had　no　complaint　to　make

about　the　baby。〃

　　〃That　certainly　complicates　matters。〃

　　〃I　don't　quite　follow　you；　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃Possibly　not。　One　forms　provisional　theories　and　waits　for　time

or　fuller　knowledge　to　explode　them。　A　bad　habit；　Mr。　Ferguson；　but

human　nature　is　weak。　I　fear　that　your　old　friend　here　has　given　an

exaggerated　view　of　my　scientific　methods。　However；　I　will　only　say　at

the　present　stage　that　your　problem　does　not　appear　to　me　to　be

insoluble；　and　that　you　may　expect　to　find　us　at　Victoria　at　two

o'clock。〃

　　It　was　evening　of　a　dull；　foggy　November　day　when；　having　left　our

bags　at　the　Chequers；　Lamberley；　we　drove　through　the　Sussex　clay　of　a

long　winding　lane　and　finally　reached　the　isolated　and　ancient

farmhouse　in　which　Ferguson　dwelt。　It　was　a　large；　straggling

building；　very　old　in　the　centre；　very　new　at　the　wings　with

towering　Tudor　chimneys　and　a　lichen…spotted；　high…pitched　roof　of

Horsham　slabs。　The　doorsteps　were　worn　into　curves；　and　the　ancient

tiles　which　lined　the　porch　were　marked　with　the　rebus　of　a　cheese　and

a　man　after　the　original　builder。　Within；　the　ceilings　were　corrugated

with　heavy　oaken　beams；　and　the　uneven　floors　sagged　into　sharp

curves。　An　odour　of　age　and　decay　pervaded　the　whole　crumbling

building。

　　There　was　one　very　large　central　room　into　which　Ferguson　led　us。

Here；　in　a　huge　old…fashioned　fireplace　with　an　iron　screen　behind

it　dated　1670；　there　blazed　and　spluttered　a　splendid　log　fire。

　　The　room；　as　I　gazed　round；　was　a　most　singular　mixture　of　dates　and

of　places。　The　half…panelled　walls　may　well　have　belonged　to　the

original　yeoman　farmer　of　the　seventeenth　century。　They　were

ornamented；　however；　on　the　lower　part　by　a　line　of　well…chosen　modern

water…colours；　while　above；　where　yellow　plaster　took　the　place　of

oak；　there　was　hung　a　fine　collection　of　South　American　utensils　and

weapons；　which　had　been　brought；　no　doubt；　by　the　Peruvian　lady

upstairs。　Holmes　rose；　with　that　quick　curiosity　which　sprang　from　his

eager　mind；　and　examined　them　with　some　ca