the adventure of the priory school-第6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！


Watson；　we　must　really　take　a　risk　and　try　to　investigate　this　a

little　more　closely。〃

　　Together　we　stole　down　to　the　road　and　crept　across　to　the　door　of

the　inn。　The　bicycle　still　leaned　against　the　wall。　Holmes　struck　a

match　and　held　it　to　the　back　wheel；　and　I　heard　him　chuckle　as　the

light　fell　upon　a　patched　Dunlop　tyre。　Up　above　us　was　the　lighted

window。

　　〃I　must　have　a　peep　through　that；　Watson。　If　you　bend　your　back

and　support　yourself　upon　the　wall；　I　think　that　I　can　manage。〃

　　An　instant　later；　his　feet　were　on　my　shoulders；　but　he　was　hardly

up　before　he　was　down　again。

　　〃Come；　my　friend；〃　said　he；　〃our　day's　work　has　been　quite　long

enough。　I　think　that　we　have　gathered　all　that　we　can。　It's　a　long

walk　to　the　school；　and　the　sooner　we　get　started　the　better。〃

　　He　hardly　opened　his　lips　during　that　weary　trudge　across　the

moor；　nor　would　he　enter　the　school　when　he　reached　it；　but　went　on　to

Mackleton　Station；　whence　he　could　send　some　telegrams。　Late　at

night　I　heard　him　consoling　Dr。　Huxtable；　prostrated　by　the　tragedy　of

his　master's　death；　and　later　still　he　entered　my　room　as　alert　and

vigorous　as　he　had　been　when　he　started　in　the　morning。　〃All　goes

well；　my　friend；〃　said　he。　〃I　promise　that　before　to…morrow　evening　we

shall　have　reached　the　solution　of　the　mystery。〃



　　At　eleven　o'clock　next　morning　my　friend　and　I　were　walking　up　the

famous　yew　avenue　of　Holdernesse　Hall。　We　were　ushered　through　the

magnificent　Elizabethan　doorway　and　into　his　Grace's　study。　There　we

found　Mr。　James　Wilder；　demure　and　courtly；　but　with　some　trace　of

that　wild　terror　of　the　night　before　still　lurking　in　his　furtive　eyes

and　in　his　twitching　features。

　　〃You　have　come　to　see　his　Grace？　I　am　sorry；　but　the　fact　is　that

the　Duke　is　far　from　well。　He　has　been　very　much　upset　by　the　tragic

news。　We　received　a　telegram　from　Dr。　Huxtable　yesterday　afternoon；

which　told　us　of　your　discovery。〃

　　〃I　must　see　the　Duke；　Mr。　Wilder。〃

　　〃But　he　is　in　his　room。〃

　　〃Then　I　must　go　to　his　room。〃

　　〃I　believe　he　is　in　his　bed。〃

　　〃I　will　see　him　there。〃

　　Holmes's　cold　and　inexorable　manner　showed　the　secretary　that　it　was

useless　to　argue　with　him。

　　〃Very　good；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　will　tell　him　that　you　are　here。〃

　　After　an　hour's　delay；　the　great　nobleman　appeared。　His　face　was

more　cadaverous　than　ever；　his　shoulders　had　rounded；　and　he　seemed　to

me　to　be　an　altogether　older　man　than　he　had　been　the　morning

before。　He　greeted　us　with　a　stately　courtesy　and　seated　himself　at

his　desk；　his　red　beard　streaming　down　on　the　table。

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　said　he。

　　But　my　friend's　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　secretary；　who　stood　by　his

master's　chair。

　　〃I　think；　your　Grace；　that　I　could　speak　more　freely　in　Mr。　Wilder's

absence。〃

　　The　man　turned　a　shade　paler　and　cast　a　malignant　glance　at　Holmes。

　　〃If　your　Grace　wishes…〃

　　〃Yes；　yes；　you　had　better　go。　Now；　Mr。　Holmes；　what　have　you　to

say？〃

　　My　friend　waited　until　the　door　had　closed　behind　the　retreating

secretary。

　　〃The　fact　is；　your　Grace；〃　said　he；　〃that　my　colleague；　Dr。

Watson；　and　myself　had　an　assurance　from　Dr。　Huxtable　that　a　reward

had　been　offered　in　this　case。　I　should　like　to　have　this　confirmed

from　your　own　lips。〃

　　〃Certainly；　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃It　amounted；　if　I　am　correctly　informed；　to　five　thousand　pounds　to

anyone　who　will　tell　you　where　your　son　is？〃

　　〃Exactly。〃

　　〃And　another　thousand　to　the　man　who　will　name　the　person　or　persons

who　keep　him　in　custody？〃

　　〃Exactly。〃

　　〃Under　the　latter　heading　is　included；　no　doubt；　not　only　those

who　may　have　taken　him　away；　but　also　those　who　conspire　to　keep　him

in　his　present　position？〃

　　〃Yes；　yes；〃　cried　the　Duke；　impatiently。　〃If　you　do　your　work

well；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes；　you　will　have　no　reason　to　complain　of

niggardly　treatment。〃

　　My　friend　rubbed　his　thin　hands　together　with　an　appearance　of

avidity　which　was　a　surprise　to　me；　who　knew　his　frugal　tastes。

　　〃I　fancy　that　I　see　your　Grace's　check…book　upon　the　table；〃　said

he。　〃I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　make　me　out　a　check　for　six

thousand　pounds。　It　would　be　as　well；　perhaps；　for　you　to　cross　it。

The　Capital　and　Counties　Bank；　Oxford　Street　branch　are　my　agents。〃

　　His　Grace　sat　very　stern　and　upright　in　his　chair　and　looked　stonily

at　my　friend。

　　〃Is　this　a　joke；　Mr。　Holmes？　It　is　hardly　a　subject　for　pleasantry。〃

　　〃Not　at　all；　your　Grace。　I　was　never　more　earnest　in　my　life。〃

　　〃What　do　you　mean；　then？〃

　　〃I　mean　that　I　have　earned　the　reward。　I　know　where　your　son　is；　and

I　know　some；　at　least；　of　those　who　are　holding　him。〃

　　The　Duke's　beard　had　turned　more　aggressively　red　than　ever

against　his　ghastly　white　face。

　　〃Where　is　he？〃　he　gasped。

　　〃He　is；　or　was　last　night；　at　the　Fighting　Cock　Inn；　about　two　miles

from　your　park　gate。〃

　　The　Duke　fell　back　in　his　chair。

　　〃And　whom　do　you　accuse？〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes's　answer　was　an　astounding　one。　He　stepped　swiftly

forward　and　touched　the　Duke　upon　the　shoulder。

　　〃I　accuse　you；〃　said　he。　〃And　now；　your　Grace；　I'll　trouble　you

for　that　check。〃

　　Never　shall　I　forget　the　Duke's　appearance　as　he　sprang　up　and

clawed　with　his　hands；　like　one　who　is　sinking　into　an　abyss。　Then；

with　an　extraordinary　effort　of　aristocratic　self…command；　he　sat　down

and　sank　his　face　in　his　hands。　It　some　minutes　before　he　spoke。

　　〃How　much　do　you　know？〃　he　asked　at　last；　without　raising　his　head。

　　〃I　saw　you　together　last　night。〃

　　〃Does　anyone　else　beside　your　friend　know？〃

　　〃I　have　spoken　to　no　one。〃

　　The　Duke　took　a　pen　in　his　quivering　fingers　and　opened　his

check…book。

　　〃I　shall　be　as　good　as　my　word；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　am　about　to　write　your

check；　however　unwelcome　the　information　which　you　have　gained　may

be　to　me。　When　the　offer　was　first　made；　I　little　thought　the　turn

which　events　might　take。　But　you　and　your　friend　are　men　of

discretion；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃I　hardly　understand　your　Grace。〃

　　〃I　must　put　it　plainly；　Mr。　Holmes。　If　only　you　two　know　of　this

incident；　there　is　no　reason　why　it　should　go　any　farther。　I　think

twelve　thousand　pounds　is　the　sum　that　I　owe　you；　is　it　not？〃

　　But　Holmes　smiled　and　shook　his　head。

　　〃I　fear；　your　Grace；　that　matters　can　hardly　be　arranged　so

easily。　There　is　the　death　of　this　schoolmaster　to　be　accounted　for。〃

　　〃But　James　knew　nothing　of　that。　You　cannot　hold　him　responsible　for

that。　It　was　the　work　of　this　brutal　ruffian　whom　he　had　the

misfortune　to　employ。〃

　　〃I　must　take　the　view；　your　Grace；　that　when　a　man　embarks　upon　a

crime；　he　is　morally　guilty　of　any　other　crime　which　may　spring　from

it。〃

　　〃Morally；　Mr。　Holmes。　No　doubt　you　are　right。　But　surely　not　in

the　eyes　of　the　law。　A　man　cannot　be　condemned　for　a　murder　at　which

he　was　not　present；　and　which　he　loathes　and　abhors　as　much　as　you　do。

The　instant　that　he　heard　of　it　he　made　a　complete　confession　to　me；

so　filled　was　he　with　horror　and　remorse。　He　lost　not　an　hour　in

breaking　entirely　with　the　murderer。　Oh；　Mr。　Holmes；　you　must　save

him…　you　must　save　him！　I　tell　you　that　you　must　save　him！〃　The　Duke

had　dropped　the　last　attempt　at　self…command；　and　was　pacing　the

room　with　a　convulsed　face　and　with　his　clenched　hands　raving　in　the

air。　At　last　he　mastered　himself　and　sat　down　once　more　at　his　desk。

〃I　appreciate　your　conduct　in　coming　here　before　you　spoke　to　anyone

else；〃　said　he。　〃At　least；　we　may　take　counsel　how　far　we　can　minimize

this　hideous　scandal。〃

　　〃Exactly；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I　think；　your　Grace；　that　this　can　only

be　done　by　absolute　frankness　between　us。　I　am　disposed　to　help　your

Grace　to　the　best　of　my　ability；　but；　in　order　to　do　so；　I　must

understand　to　the　last　detail　how　the　matter　stands。　I　realize　that

your　words　applied　to　Mr。　James　Wilder；　and　that　he　is　not　the

murderer。〃

　　〃No；　the　murderer　has　escaped。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　smiled　demurely。

　　〃Your　Grace　can　hardly　have　heard　of　any　small　reputation　which　I

possess；　or　you　would　not　imagine　that　it　is　so　easy　to　escape　me。　Mr。

Reuben　Hayes　was　arrested　at　Chesterfield；　on　my　information；　at

eleven　o'clock　last　night。　I　had　a　telegram　from　the　head　of　the　local

police　before　I　left　the　school　this　morning。〃

　　The　Duke　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　stared　with　amazement　at　my

friend。

　　〃You　seem　to　have　powers　that　are　hardly　human；〃　said　he。　〃So　Reuben

Hayes　is　taken？　I　am　right　glad　to　hear　it；　if　it　will　not　react

upon　the　fate　of　James。〃

　　〃Your　secretary？〃

　　〃No；　sir；　my　son。〃

　　It　was　Holmes's　turn　to　look　astonished。

　　〃I　confess　that　this　is　entirely　new　to　me；　your　Grace。　I　must　beg

you　to　be　more　explicit。〃

　　〃I　will　conceal　nothing　from　you。　I　agree　with　you　that　complete

frankness；　however　painful　it　may　be　to　me；　is　the　best　policy　in　this

desperate　situation　to　which　James's　folly　and　jealousy　have　reduced

us。　When　I　was　a　very　young　man；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　loved　with　such　a

love　as　comes　only　once　in　a　lifetime。　I　offered　the　lady　marriage；

but　she　refused　it　on　the　grounds　that　such　a　match　might　mar　my

career。　Had　she