the adventure of the priory school-第4节

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clearly　marked　on　the　sodden　soil；　was　the　track　of　a　bicycle。

　　〃Hurrah！〃　I　cried。　〃We　have　it。〃

　　But　Holmes　was　shaking　his　head；　and　his　face　was　puzzled　and

expectant　rather　than　joyous。

　　〃A　bicycle；　certainly；　but　not　the　bicycle；〃　said　he。　〃I　am　familiar

with　forty…two　different　impressions　left　by　tyres。　This；　as　you

perceive；　is　a　Dunlop；　with　a　patch　upon　the　outer　cover。

Heidegger's　tyres　were　Palmer's；　leaving　longitudinal　stripes。

Aveling；　the　mathematical　master；　was　sure　upon　the　point。

Therefore；　it　is　not　Heidegger's　track。〃

　　〃The　boy's；　then？〃

　　〃Possibly；　if　we　could　prove　a　bicycle　to　have　been　in　his

possession。　But　this　we　have　utterly　failed　to　do。　This　track；　as

you　perceive；　was　made　by　a　rider　who　was　going　from　the　direction

of　the　school。〃

　　〃Or　towards　it？〃

　　〃No；　no；　my　dear　Watson。　The　more　deeply　sunk　impression　is；　of

course；　the　hind　wheel；　upon　which　the　weight　rests。　You　perceive

several　places　where　it　has　passed　across　and　obliterated　the　more

shallow　mark　of　the　front　one。　It　was　undoubtedly　heading　away　from

the　school。　It　may　or　may　not　be　connected　with　our　inquiry；　but　we

will　follow　it　backwards　before　we　go　any　farther。〃

　　We　did　so；　and　at　the　end　of　a　few　hundred　yards　lost　the　tracks

as　we　emerged　from　the　boggy　portion　of　the　moor。　Following　the　path

backwards；　we　picked　out　another　spot；　where　a　spring　trickled

across　it。　Here；　once　again；　was　the　mark　of　the　bicycle；　though

nearly　obliterated　by　the　hoofs　of　cows。　After　that　there　was　no　sign；

but　the　path　ran　right　on　into　Ragged　Shaw；　the　wood　which　backed　on

to　the　school。　From　this　wood　the　cycle　must　have　emerged。　Holmes

sat　down　on　a　boulder　and　rested　his　chin　in　his　hands。　I　had　smoked

two　cigarettes　before　he　moved。

　　〃Well；　well；〃　said　he；　at　last。　〃It　is；　of　course；　possible　that　a

cunning　man　might　change　the　tyres　of　his　bicycle　in　order　to　leave

unfamiliar　tracks。　A　criminal　who　was　capable　of　such　a　thought　is　a

man　whom　I　should　be　proud　to　do　business　with。　We　will　leave　this

question　undecided　and　hark　back　to　our　morass　again；　for　we　have　left

a　good　deal　unexplored。〃

　　We　continued　our　systematic　survey　of　the　edge　of　the　sodden　portion

of　the　moor；　and　soon　our　perseverance　was　gloriously　rewarded。

Right　across　the　lower　part　of　the　bog　lay　a　miry　path。　Holmes　gave

a　cry　of　delight　as　he　approached　it。　An　impression　like　a　fine　bundle

of　telegraph　wires　ran　down　the　centre　of　it。　It　was　the　Palmer　tyres。

　　〃Here　is　Herr　Heidegger；　sure　enough！〃　cried　Holmes；　exultantly。　〃My

reasoning　seems　to　have　been　pretty　sound；　Watson。〃

　　〃I　congratulate　you。〃

　　〃But　we　have　a　long　way　still　to　go。　Kindly　walk　clear　of　the

path。　Now　let　us　follow　the　trail。　I　fear　that　it　will　not　lead　very

far。〃

　　We　found；　however；　as　we　advanced　that　this　portion　of　the　moor　is

intersected　with　soft　patches；　and；　though　we　frequently　lost　sight　of

the　track；　we　always　succeeded　in　picking　it　up　once　more。

　　〃Do　you　observe；〃　said　Holmes；　〃that　the　rider　is　now　undoubtedly

forcing　the　pace？　There　can　be　no　doubt　of　it。　Look　at　this

impression；　where　you　get　both　tires　clear。　The　one　is　as　deep　as

the　other。　That　can　only　mean　that　the　rider　is　throwing　his　weight　on

to　the　handle…bar；　as　a　man　does　when　he　is　sprinting。　By　Jove！　he　has

had　a　fall。〃

　　There　was　a　broad；　irregular　smudge　covering　some　yards　of　the

track。　Then　there　were　a　few　footmarks；　and　the　tyres　reappeared

once　more。

　　〃A　side…slip；〃　I　suggested。

　　Holmes　held　up　a　crumpled　branch　of　flowering　gorse。　To　my　horror

I　perceived　that　the　yellow　blossoms　were　all　dabbled　with　crimson。　On

the　path；　too；　and　among　the　heather　were　dark　stains　of　clotted

blood。

　　〃Bad！〃　said　Holmes。　〃Bad！　Stand　clear；　Watson！　Not　an　unnecessary

footstep！　What　do　I　read　here？　He　fell　wounded…　he　stood　up…　he

remounted…　he　proceeded。　But　there　is　no　other　track。　Cattle　on　this

side　path。　He　was　surely　not　gored　by　a　bull？　Impossible！　But　I　see　no

traces　of　anyone　else。　We　must　push　on；　Watson。　Surely；　with　stains　as

well　as　the　track　to　guide　us；　he　cannot　escape　us　now。〃

　　Our　search　was　not　a　very　long　one。　The　tracks　of　the　tyre　began

to　curve　fantastically　upon　the　wet　and　shining　path。　Suddenly；　as　I

looked　ahead；　the　gleam　of　caught　my　eye　from　amid　the　thick

gorse…bushes。　Out　of　them　we　dragged　a　bicycle；　Palmer…tyred；　one

pedal　bent；　and　the　whole　front　of　it　horribly　smeared　and　slobbered

with　blood。　On　the　other　side　of　the　bushes　a　shoe　was　projecting。

We　ran　round；　and　there　lay　the　unfortunate　rider。　He　was　a　tall

man；　full…bearded；　with　spectacles；　one　glass　of　which　had　been

knocked　out。　The　cause　of　his　death　was　a　frightful　blow　upon　the

head；　which　had　crushed　in　part　of　his　skull。　That　he　could　have

gone　on　after　receiving　such　an　injury　said　much　for　the　vitality

and　courage　of　the　man。　He　wore　shoes；　but　no　socks；　and　his　open　coat

disclosed　a　nightshirt　beneath　it。　It　was　undoubtedly　the　German

master。

　　Holmes　turned　the　body　over　reverently；　and　examined　it　with　great

attention。　He　then　sat　in　deep　thought　for　a　time；　and　I　could　see

by　his　ruffied　brow　that　this　grim　discovery　had　not；　in　his

opinion；　advanced　us　much　in　our　inquiry。

　　〃It　is　a　little　difficult　to　know　what　to　do；　Watson；〃　said　he；　at

last。　〃My　own　inclinations　are　to　push　this　inquiry　on；　for　we　have

already　lost　so　much　time　that　we　cannot　afford　to　waste　another　hour。

On　the　other　hand；　we　are　bound　to　inform　the　police　of　the　discovery；

and　to　see　that　this　poor　fellow's　body　is　looked　after。〃

　　〃I　could　take　a　note　back。〃

　　〃But　I　need　your　company　and　assistance。　Wait　a　bit！　There　is　a

fellow　cutting　peat　up　yonder。　Bring　him　over　here；　and　he　will

guide　the　police。〃

　　I　brought　the　peasant　across；　and　Holmes　dispatched　the　frightened

man　with　a　note　to　Dr。　Huxtable。

　　〃Now；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃we　have　picked　up　two　clues　this　morning。

One　is　the　bicycle　with　the　Palmer　tyre；　and　we　see　what　that　has

led　to。　The　other　is　the　bicycle　with　the　patched　Dunlop。　Before　we

start　to　investigate　that；　let　us　try　to　realize　what　we　do　know；　so

as　to　make　the　most　of　it；　and　to　separate　the　essential　from　the

accidental。〃

　　〃First　of　all；　I　wish　to　impress　upon　you　that　the　boy　certainly

left　of　his　own　free…will。　He　got　down　from　his　window　and　he　went

off；　either　alone　or　with　someone。　That　is　sure。〃

　　I　assented。

　　〃Well；　now；　let　us　turn　to　this　unfortunate　German　master。　The　boy

was　fully　dressed　when　he　fled。　Therefore；　he　foresaw　what　he　would

do。　But　the　German　went　without　his　socks。　He　certainly　acted　on

very　short　notice。〃

　　〃Undoubtedly。〃

　　〃Why　did　he　go？　Because；　from　his　bedroom　window；　he　saw　the

flight　of　the　boy；　because　he　wished　to　overtake　him　and　bring　him

back。　He　seized　his　bicycle；　pursued　the　lad；　and　in　pursuing　him

met　his　death。〃

　　〃So　it　would　seem。〃

　　〃Now　I　come　to　the　critical　part　of　my　argument。　The　natural

action　of　a　man　in　pursuing　a　little　boy　would　be　to　run　after　him。　He

would　know　that　he　could　overtake　him。　But　the　German　does　not　do

so。　He　turns　to　his　bicycle。　I　am　told　that　he　was　an　excellent

cyclist。　He　would　not　do　this；　if　he　did　not　see　that　the　boy　had　some

swift　means　of　escape。〃

　　〃The　other　bicycle。〃

　　〃Let　us　continue　our　reconstruction。　He　meets　his　death　five　miles

from　the　school…　not　by　a　bullet；　mark　you；　which　even　a　lad　might

conceivably　discharge；　but　by　a　savage　blow　dealt　by　a　vigorous　arm。

The　lad；　then；　had　a　companion　his　flight。　And　the　flight　was　a

swift　one；　since　it　took　five　miles　before　an　expert　cyclist　could

overtake　them。　Yet　we　survey　the　ground　round　the　scene　of　the

tragedy。　What　do　we　find？　A　few　cattle…tracks；　nothing　more。　I　took

a　wide　sweep　round；　and　there　is　no　path　within　fifty　yards。　Another

cyclist　could　have　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　actual　murder；　nor

were　there　any　human　footmarks。〃

　　〃Holmes；〃　I　cried；　〃this　is　impossible。〃

　　〃Admirable！〃　he　said。　〃A　most　illuminating　remark。　It　is

impossible　as　I　state　it；　and　therefore　I　must　in　some　respect　have

stated　it　wrong。　Yet　you　saw　for　yourself。　Can　you　suggest　any

fallacy？〃

　　〃He　could　not　have　fractured　his　skull　in　a　fall？〃

　　〃In　a　morass；　Watson？〃

　　〃I　am　at　my　wit's　end。〃

　　〃Tut；　tut；　we　have　solved　some　worse　problems。　At　least　we　have

plenty　of　material；　if　we　can　only　use　it。　Come；　then；　and；　having

exhausted　the　Palmer；　let　us　see　what　the　Dunlop　with　the　patched

cover　has　to　offer　us。〃

　　We　picked　up　the　track　and　followed　it　onward　for　some　distance；　but

soon　the　moor　rose　into　a　long；　heather…tufted　curve；　and　we　left

the　watercourse　behind　us。　No　further　help　from　tracks　could　be

boped　for。　At　the　spot　where　we　saw　the　last　of　the　Dunlop　tyre　it

might　equally　have　led　to　Holdernesse　Hall；　the　stately　towers　of

which　rose　some　miles　to　our　left；　or　to　a　low；　gray　village　which　lay

in　front　of　us　and　marked　the　position　of　the　Chesterfield　high　road。

　　As　we　approached　the　forbidding　and　squalid　inn；　with　the　sign　of

a　game…cock　above　the　door；　Holmes　gav