太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the adventure of the sussex vampire >

第4节

the adventure of the sussex vampire-第4节

小说: the adventure of the sussex vampire 字数: 每页4000字

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!



of view。〃

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

〃but I have not been struck up to now with its complexity。 It has been

a case for intellectual deduction; but when this original intellectual

deduction is confirmed point by point by quite a number of independent

incidents; then the subjective becomes objective and we can say

confidently that we have reached our goal。 I had; in fact; reached

it before we left Baker Street; and the rest has merely been

observation and confirmation。〃

  Ferguson put his big hand to his furrowed forehead。

  〃For heaven's sake; Holmes;〃 he said hoarsely; 〃if you can see the

truth in this matter; do not keep me in suspense。 How do I stand? What

shall I do? I care nothing as to how you have found your facts so long

as you have really got them。〃

  〃Certainly I owe you an explanation; and you shall have it。 But

you will permit me to handle the matter in my own way? Is the lady

capable of seeing us; Watson?〃

  〃She is ill; but she is quite rational。〃

  〃Very good。 It is only in her presence that we can clear the

matter up。 Let us go up to her。〃

  〃She will not see me;〃 cried Ferguson。

  〃Oh; yes; she will;〃 said Holmes。 He scribbled a few lines upon a

sheet of paper。 〃You at least have the entree; Watson。 Will you have

the goodness to give the lady this note?〃

  I ascended again and handed the note to Dolores; who cautiously

opened the door。 A minute later I heard a cry from within; a cry in

which joy and surprise seemed to be blended。 Dolores looked out。

  〃She will see them。 She will leesten;〃 said she。

  At my summons Ferguson and Holmes came up。 As we entered the room

Ferguson took a step or two towards his wife; who had raised herself

in the bed; but she held out her hand to repulse him。 He sank into

an armchair; while Holmes seated himself beside him; after bowing to

the lady; who looked at him with wide…eyed amazement。

  〃I think we can dispense with Dolores;〃 said Holmes。 〃Oh; very well;

madame; if you would rather she stayed I can see no objection。 Now;

Mr。 Ferguson; I am a busy man with many calls; and my methods have

to be short and direct。 The swiftest surgery is the least painful。 Let

me first say what will ease your mind。 Your wife is a very good; a

very loving; and a very ill…used woman。〃

  Ferguson sat up with a cry of joy。

  〃Prove that; Mr。 Holmes; and I am your debtor forever。〃

  〃I will do so; but in doing so I must wound you deeply in another

direction。〃

  〃I care nothing so long as you clear my wife。 Everything on earth is

insignificant compared to that。〃

  〃Let me tell you; then; the train of reasoning which passed

through my mind in Baker Street。 The idea of a vampire was to me

absurd。 Such things do not happen in criminal practice in England。 And

yet your observation was precise。 You had seen the lady rise from

beside the child's cot with the blood upon her lips。〃

  〃I did。〃

  〃Did it not occur to you that a bleeding wound may be sucked for

some other purpose than to draw the blood from it? Was there not a

queen in English history who sucked such a wound to draw poison from

it?〃

  〃Poison!〃

  〃A South American household。 My instinct felt the presence of

those weapons upon the wall before; my eyes ever saw them。 It might

have been other poison; but that was what occurred to me。 When I saw

that little empty quiver beside the small bird…bow; it was just what I

expected to see。 If the child were pricked with one of those arrows

dipped in curare or some other devilish drug; it would mean death if

the venom were not sucked out。

  〃And the dog! If one were to use such a poison; would one not try it

first in order to see that it had not lost its power? I did not

foresee the dog; but at least I understand him and he fitted into my

reconstruction。

  〃Now do you understand? Your wife feared such all attack。 She saw it

made and saved the child's life; and yet she shrank from telling you

all the truth; for she knew how you loved the boy and feared lest it

break your heart。〃

  〃Jacky!〃

  〃I watched him as you fondled the child just now。 His face was

clearly reflected in the glass of the window where the shutter

formed a background。 I saw such jealousy; such cruel hatred; as I have

seldom seen in a human face。〃

  〃My Jacky!〃

  〃You have to face it; Mr。 Ferguson。 It is the more painful because

it is a distorted love; a maniacal exaggerated love for you; and

possibly for his dead mother; which has prompted his action。 His

very soul is consumed with hatred for this splendid child; whose

health and beauty are a contrast to his own weakness。〃

  〃Good God! It is incredible!〃

  〃Have I spoken the truth; madame?〃

  The lady was sobbing; with her face buried in the pillows。 Now she

turned to her husband。

  〃How could I tell you; Bob? I felt the blow it would be to you。 It

was better that I should wait and that it should come from some

other lips than mine。 When this gentleman; who seems to have powers of

magic; wrote that he knew all; I was glad。〃

  〃I think a year at sea would be my prescription for Master Jacky;〃

said Holmes; rising from his chair。 〃Only one thing is still

clouded; madame。 We can quite understand your attacks upon Master

Jacky。 There is a limit to a mother's patience。 But how did you dare

to leave the child these last two days?〃

  〃I had told Mrs。 Mason。 She knew。〃

  〃Exactly。 So I imagined。〃

  Ferguson was standing by the bed; choking; his hands outstretched

and quivering。

  〃This; I fancy; is the time for our exit; Watson;〃 said Holmes in

a whisper。 〃If you will take one elbow of the too faithful Dolores;

I will take the other。 There; now;〃 he added as he closed the door

behind him; 〃I think we may leave them to settle the rest among

themselves。〃

  I have only one further note of this case。 It is the letter which

Holmes wrote in final answer to that with which the narrative

begins。 It ran thus:



                                             BAKER STREET;

                                                    Nov。 21st。

                       Re Vampires

  SIR:

  Referring to your letter of the 19th; I beg to state that I have

looked into the inquiry of your client; Mr。 Robert Ferguson; of

Ferguson and Muirhead; tea brokers; of Mincing Lane; and that the

matter has been brought to a satisfactory conclusion。 With thanks

for your recommendation; I am; sir;

                                            Faithfully yours;

                                             SHERLOCK HOLMES。

                             …THE END…




返回目录 上一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的