the adventure of the sussex vampire-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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

eager　mind；　and　examined　them　with　some　care。　He　returned　with　his

eyes　full　of　thought。

　　〃Hullo！〃　he　cried。　〃Hullo！〃

　　A　spaniel　had　lain　in　a　basket　in　the　corner。　It　came　slowly　forward

towards　its　master；　walking　with　difficulty。　Its　hind　legs　moved

irregularly　and　its　tail　was　on　the　ground。　It　licked　Ferguson's　hand。

　　〃What　is　it；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃The　dog。　What's　the　matter　with　it？〃

　　〃That's　what　puzzled　the　vet。　A　sort　of　paralysis。　Spinal

meningitis；　he　thought。　But　it　is　passing。　He'll　be　all　right　soon…

won't　you；　Carlo？〃

　　A　shiver　of　assent　passed　through　the　drooping　tail。　The　dog's

mournful　eyes　passed　from　one　of　us　to　the　other。　He　knew　that　we　were

discussing　his　case。

　　〃Did　it　come　on　suddenly？〃

　　〃In　a　single　night。〃

　　〃How　long　ago？〃

　　〃It　may　have　been　four　months　ago。〃

　　〃Very　remarkable。　Very　suggestive。〃

　　〃What　do　you　see　in　it；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃A　confirmation　of　what　I　had　already　thought。〃

　　〃For　God's　sake；　what　do　you　think；　Mr。　Holmes？　It　may　be　a　mere

intellectual　puzzle　to　you；　but　it　is　life　and　death　to　me！　My　wife

a　would…be　murderer…　my　child　in　constant　danger！　Don't　play　with

me；　Mr。　Holmes。　It　is　too　terribly　serious。〃

　　The　big　Rugby　three…quarter　was　trembling　all　over。　Holmes　put　his

hand　soothingly　upon　his　arm。

　　〃I　fear　that　there　is　pain　for　you；　Mr。　Ferguson；　whatever　the

solution　may　be；〃　said　he。　〃I　would　spare　you　all　I　can。　I　cannot

say　more　for　the　instant；　but　before　I　leave　this　house　I　hope　I　may

have　something　definite。〃

　　〃Please　God　you　may！　If　you　will　excuse　me；　gentlemen；　I　will　go

up　to　my　wife's　room　and　see　if　there　has　been　any　change。〃

　　He　was　away　some　minutes；　during　which　Holmes　resumed　his

examination　of　the　curiosities　upon　the　wall。　When　our　host　returned

it　was　clear　from　his　downcast　face　that　he　had　made　no　progress。　He

brought　with　him　a　tall；　slim；　brownfaced　girl。

　　〃The　tea　is　ready；　Dolores；〃　said　Ferguson。　〃See　that　your

mistress　has　everything　she　can　wish。〃

　　〃She　verra　ill；〃　cried　the　girl；　looking　with　indignant　eyes　at

her　master。　〃She　no　ask　for　food。　She　verra　ill。　She　need　doctor。　I

frightened　stay　alone　with　her　without　doctor。〃

　　Ferguson　looked　at　me　with　a　question　in　his　eyes。

　　〃I　should　be　so　glad　if　I　could　be　of　use。〃

　　〃Would　your　mistress　see　Dr。　Watson？〃

　　〃I　take　him。　I　no　ask　leave。　She　needs　doctor。〃

　　〃Then　I'll　come　with　you　at　once。〃

　　I　followed　the　girl；　who　was　quivering　with　strong　emotion；　up　the

staircase　and　down　an　ancient　corridor。　At　the　end　was　an　iron…clamped

and　massive　door。　It　struck　me　as　I　looked　at　it　that　if　Ferguson

tried　to　force　his　way　to　his　wife　he　would　find　it　no　easy　matter。

The　girl　drew　a　key　from　her　pocket；　and　the　heavy　oaken　planks

creaked　upon　their　old　hinges。　I　passed　in　and　she　swiftly　followed；

fastening　the　door　behind　her。

　　On　the　bed　a　woman　was　lying　who　was　clearly　in　a　high　fever。　She

was　only　half　conscious；　But　as　I　entered　she　raised　a　pair　of

frightened　but　beautiful　eyes　and　glared　at　me　in　apprehension。　Seeing

a　stranger；　she　appeared　to　be　relieved　and　sank　back　with　a　sigh　upon

the　pillow。　I　stepped　up　to　her　with　a　few　reassuring　words；　and　she

lay　still　while　I　took　her　pulse　and　temperature。　Both　were　high；

and　yet　my　impression　was　that　the　condition　was　rather　that　of　mental

and　nervous　excitement　than　of　any　actual　seizure。

　　〃She　lie　like　that　one　day；　two　day。　I　'fraid　she　die；〃　said　the

girl。

　　The　woman　turned　her　flushed　and　handsome　face　towards　me。

　　〃Where　is　my　husband？〃

　　〃He　is　below　and　would　wish　to　see　you。〃

　　〃I　will　not　see　him。　I　will　not　see　him。〃　Then　she　seemed　to

wander　off　into　delirium。　〃A　fiend！　A　fiend！　Oh；　what　shall　I　do

with　this　devil？〃

　　〃Can　I　help　you　in　any　way？〃

　　〃No。　No　one　can　help。　It　is　finished。　All　is　destroyed。　Do　what　I

will；　all　is　destroyed。〃

　　The　woman　must　have　some　strange　delusion。　I　could　not　see　honest

Bob　Ferguson　in　the　character　of　fiend　or　devil。

　　〃Madame；〃　I　said；　〃your　husband　loves　you　dearly。　He　is　deeply

grieved　at　this　happening。〃

　　Again　she　turned　on　me　those　glorious　eyes。

　　〃He　loves　me。　Yes。　But　do　I　not　love　him？　Do　I　not　love　him　even

to　sacrifice　myself　rather　than　break　his　dear　heart？　That　is　how　I

love　him。　And　yet　he　could　think　of　me…　he　could　speak　of　me　so。〃

　　〃He　is　full　of　grief；　but　he　cannot　understand。〃

　　〃No；　he　cannot　understand。　But　he　should　trust。〃

　　〃Will　you　not　see　him？〃　I　suggested。

　　〃No；　no；　I　cannot　forget　those　terrible　words　nor　the　look　upon

his　face。　I　will　not　see　him。　Go　now。　You　can　do　nothing　for　me。

Tell　him　only　one　thing。　I　want　my　child。　I　have　a　right　to　my

child。　That　is　the　only　message　I　can　send　him。〃　She　turned　her　face

to　the　wall　and　would　say　no　more。

　　I　returned　to　the　room　downstairs；　where　Ferguson　and　Holmes　still

sat　by　the　fire。　Ferguson　listened　moodily　to　my　account　of　the

interview。

　　〃How　can　I　send　her　the　child？〃　he　said。　〃How　do　I　know　what　strange

impulse　might　come　upon　her？　How　can　I　ever　forget　how　she　rose　from

beside　it　with　its　blood　upon　her　lips？〃　He　shuddered　at　the

recollection。　〃The　child　is　safe　with　Mrs。　Mason；　and　there　he　must

remain。〃

　　A　smart　maid；　the　only　modern　thing　which　we　had　seen　in　the

house；　had　brought　in　some　tea。　As　she　was　serving　it　the　door

opened　and　a　youth　entered　the　room。　He　was　a　remarkable　lad；

pale…faced　and　fair…haired；　with　excitable　light　blue　eyes　which

blazed　into　a　sudden　flame　of　emotion　and　joy　as　they　rested　upon

his　father。　He　rushed　forward　and　threw　his　arms　round　his　neck　with

the　abandon　of　a　loving　girl。

　　〃Oh；　daddy；〃　he　cried；　〃I　did　not　know　that　you　were　due　yet。　I

should　have　been　here　to　meet　you。　Oh；　I　am　so　glad　to　see　you！〃

　　Ferguson　gently　disengaged　himself　from　the　embrace　with　some　little

show　of　embarrassment。

　　〃Dear　old　chap；〃　said　he；　patting　the　flaxen　head　with　a　very　tender

hand。　〃I　came　early　because　my　friends；　Mr。　Holmes　and　Dr。　Watson；

have　been　persuaded　to　come　down　and　spend　an　evening　with　us。〃

　　〃Is　that　Mr。　Holmes；　the　detective？〃

　　〃Yes。〃

　　The　youth　looked　at　us　with　a　very　penetrating　and；　as　it　seemed

to　me；　unfriendly　gaze。

　　〃What　about　your　other　child；　Mr。　Ferguson？〃　asked　Holmes。　〃Might　we

make　the　acquaintance　of　the　baby？〃

　　〃Ask　Mrs。　Mason　to　bring　baby　down；〃　said　Ferguson。　The　boy　went　off

with　a　curious；　shambling　gait　which　told　my　surgical　eyes　that　he　was

suffering　from　a　weak　spine。　Presently　he　returned；　and　behind　him

came　a　tall；　gaunt　woman　bearing　in　her　arms　a　very　beautiful　child；

dark…eyed；　golden…haired；　a　wonderful　mixture　of　the　Saxon　and　the

Latin。　Ferguson　was　evidently　devoted　to　it；　for　he　took　it　into　his

arms　and　fondled　it　most　tenderly。

　　Fancy　anyone　having　the　heart　to　hurt　him；〃　he　muttered　as　he

glanced　down　at　the　small；　angry　red　pucker　upon　the　cherub　throat。

　　It　was　at　this　moment　that　I　chanced　to　glance　at　Holmes　and　saw　a

most　singular　intentness　in　his　expression。　His　face　was　as　set　as

if　it　had　been　carved　out　of　old　ivory；　and　his　eyes；　which　had

glanced　for　a　moment　at　father　and　child；　were　now　fixed　with　eager

curiosity　upon　something　at　the　other　side　of　the　room。　Following

his　gaze　I　could　only　guess　that　he　was　looking　out　through　the　window

at　the　melancholy；　dripping　garden。　It　is　true　that　a　shutter　had　half

closed　outside　and　obstructed　the　view；　but　none　the　less　it　was

certainly　at　the　window　that　Holmes　was　fixing　his　concentrated

attention。　Then　he　smiled；　and　his　eyes　came　back　to　the　baby。　On

its　chubby　neck　there　was　this　small　puckered　mark。　Without

speaking；　Holmes　examined　it　with　care。　Finally　he　shook　one　of　the

dimpled　fists　which　waved　in　front　of　him。

　　〃Good…bye；　little　man。　You　have　made　a　strange　start　in　life。　Nurse；

I　should　wish　to　have　a　word　with　you　in　private。〃

　　He　took　her　aside　and　spoke　earnestly　for　a　few　minutes。　I　only

heard　the　last　words；　which　were：　〃Your　anxiety　will　soon；　I　hope；

be　set　at　rest。〃　The　woman；　who　seemed　to　be　a　sour；　silent　kind　of

creature；　withdrew　with　the　child。

　　〃What　is　Mrs。　Mason　like？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　〃Not　very　prepossessing　externally；　as　you　can　see；　but　a　heart　of

gold；　and　devoted　to　the　child。〃

　　〃Do　you　like　her；　Jack？〃　Holmes　turned　suddenly　upon　the　boy。　His

expressive　mobile　face　shadowed　over；　and　he　shook　his　head。

　　〃Jacky　has　very　strong　likes　and　dislikes；〃　said　Ferguson；　putting

his　arm　round　the　boy。　〃Luckily　I　am　one　of　his　likes。〃

　　The　boy　cooed　and　nestled　his　head　upon　his　father's　breast。

Ferguson　gently　disengaged　him。

　　〃Run　away；　little　Jacky；〃　said　he；　and　he　watched　his　son　with

loving　eyes　until　he　disappeared。　〃Now；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　he　continued　when

the　boy　was　gone；　〃I　really　feel　that　I　have　brought　you　on　a　fool's

errand；　for　what　can　you　possibly　do　save　give　me　your　sympathy？　It

must　be　an　exceedingly　delicate　and　complex　affair　from　your　point

of　view。〃

　　〃It　is　certainly　delicate；〃　said　my　friend　with　an　amused　smil