the boscombe valley mystery-第2节

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would　have　noted　even　so　self…evident　a　thing　as　that。〃

　　〃How　on　earth…〃

　　〃My　dear　fellow；　I　know　you　well。　I　know　the　military　neatness　which

characterizes　you。　You　shave　every　morning；　and　in　this　season　you

shave　by　the　sunlight；　but　since　your　shaving　is　less　and　less

complete　as　we　get　farther　back　on　the　left　side；　until　it　becomes

positively　slovenly　as　we　get　round　the　angle　of　the　jaw；　it　is　surely

very　clear　that　that　is　less　illuminated　than　the　other。　I　could　not

imagine　a　man　of　your　habits　looking　at　himself　in　an　equal　light

and　being　satisfied　with　such　a　result。　I　only　quote　this　as　a　trivial

example　of　observation　and　inference。　Therein　lies　my　metier；　and　it

is　just　possible　that　it　may　be　of　some　service　in　the　investigation

which　lies　before　us。　There　are　one　or　two　minor　points　which　were

brought　out　in　the　inquest；　and　which　are　worth　considering。〃

　　〃What　are　they？〃

　　〃It　appears　that　his　arrest　did　not　take　place　at　once；　but　after

the　return　to　Hatherley　Farm。　On　the　inspector　of　constabulary

informing　him　that　he　was　a　prisoner；　he　remarked　that　he　was　not

surprised　to　hear　it；　and　that　it　was　no　more　than　his　deserts。　His

observation　of　his　had　the　natural　effect　of　removing　any　traces　of

doubt　which　might　have　remained　in　the　minds　of　the　coroner's　jury。〃

　　〃It　was　a　confession；〃　I　ejaculated。

　　〃No；　for　it　was　followed　by　a　protestation　of　innocence。〃

　　〃Coming　on　the　top　of　such　a　damning　series　of　events；　it　was　at

least　a　most　suspicious　remark。〃

　　〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Holmes；　〃it　is　the　brightest　rift　which　I

can　at　present　see　in　the　clouds。　However　innocent　he　might　be；　he

could　not　be　such　an　absolute　imbecile　as　not　to　see　that　the

circumstances　were　very　black　against　him。　Had　he　appeared　surprised

at　his　own　arrest　or　feigned　indignation　at　it；　I　should　have　looked

upon　it　as　highly　suspicious；　because　such　surprise　or　anger　would　not

be　natural　under　the　circumstances；　and　yet　might　appear　to　be　the

best　policy　to　a　scheming　man。　His　frank　acceptance　of　the　situation

marks　him　as　either　an　innocent　man；　or　else　as　a　man　of

considerable　self…restraint　and　firmness。　As　to　his　remark　about　his

deserts；　it　was　also　not　unnatural　if　you　consider　that　he　stood

beside　the　dead　body　of　his　father；　and　that　there　is　no　doubt　that　he

had　that　very　day　so　far　forgotten　his　filial　duty　as　to　bandy　words

with　him；　and　even；　according　to　the　little　girl　whose　evidence　is

so　important；　to　raise　his　hand　as　if　to　strike　him。　The　self…reproach

and　contrition　which　are　displayed　in　his　remark　appear　to　me　to　be

the　signs　of　a　healthy　mind　rather　than　of　a　guilty　one。〃

　　I　shook　my　head。　〃Many　men　have　been　hanged　on　far　slighter

evidence；〃　I　remarked。

　　〃So　they　have。　And　many　men　have　been　wrongfully　hanged。〃

　　〃What　is　the　young　man's　own　account　of　the　matter？〃

　　〃It　is；　I　am　afraid；　not　very　encouraging　to　his　supporters；

though　there　are　one　or　two　points　in　it　which　are　suggestive。　You

will　find　it　here；　and　may　read　it　for　yourself。〃

　　He　picked　out　from　his　bundle　a　copy　of　the　local　Herefordshire

paper；　and　having　turned　down　the　sheet　he　pointed　out　the　paragraph

in　which　the　unfortunate　young　man　had　given　his　own　statement　of　what

had　occurred。　I　settled　myself　down　in　the　corner　of　the　carriage

and　read　it　very　carefully。　It　ran　in　this　way：



　　Mr。　James　McCarthy；　the　only　son　of　the　deceased；　was　then　called

and　gave　evidence　as　follows：　〃I　had　been　away　from　home　for　three

days　at　Bristol；　and　had　only　just　returned　upon　the　morning　of　last

Monday；　the　3rd。　My　father　was　absent　from　home　at　the　time　of　my

arrival；　and　I　was　informed　by　the　maid　that　he　had　driven　over　to

Ross　with　John　Cobb；　the　groom。　Shortly　after　my　return　I　heard　the

wheels　of　his　trap　in　the　yard；　and；　looking　out　of　my　window；　I　saw

him　get　out　and　walk　rapidly　out　of　the　yard；　though　I　was　not　aware

in　which　direction　he　was　going。　I　then　took　my　gun　and　strolled　out

in　the　direction　of　the　Boscombe　Pool；　with　the　intention　of

visiting　the　rabbit…warren　which　is　upon　the　other　side。　On　my　way　I

saw　William　Crowder；　the　game…keeper；　as　he　had　stated　in　his

evidence；　but　he　is　mistaken　in　thinking　that　I　was　following　my

father。　I　had　no　idea　that　he　was　in　front　of　me。　When　about　a　hundred

yards　from　the　pool　I　heard　a　cry　of　'Cooee！'　which　was　a　usual　signal

between　my　father　and　myself。　I　then　hurried　forward；　and　found　him

standing　by　the　pool。　He　appeared　to　be　much　surprised　at　seeing　me

and　asked　me　rather　roughly　what　I　was　doing　there。　A　conversation

ensued　which　led　to　high　words　and　almost　to　blows；　for　my　father

was　a　man　of　a　very　violent　temper。　Seeing　that　his　passion　was

becoming　ungovernable；　I　left　him　and　returned　towards　Hatherley　Farm。

I　had　not　gone　more　than　150　yards；　however；　when　I　heard　a　hideous

outcry　behind　me；　which　caused　me　to　run　back　again。　I　found　my　father

expiring　upon　the　ground；　with　his　head　terribly　injured。　I　dropped　my

gun　and　held　him　in　my　arms；　but　he　almost　instantly　expired。　I

knelt　beside　him　for　some　minutes；　and　then　made　my　way　to　Mr。

Turner's　lodge…keeper；　his　house　being　the　nearest；　to　ask　for

assistance。　I　saw　no　one　near　my　father　when　I　returned；　and　I　have　no

idea　how　he　came　by　his　injuries。　He　was　not　a　popular　man；　being

somewhat　cold　and　forbidding　in　his　manners；　but　he　had；　as　far　as　I

know；　no　active　enemies。　I　know　nothing　further　of　the　matter。〃

　　The　Coroner：　Did　your　father　make　any　statement　to　you　before　he

died？

　　Witness：　He　mumbled　a　few　words；　but　I　could　only　catch　some

allusion　to　a　rat。

　　The　Coroner：　What　did　you　understand　by　that？

　　Witness：　It　conveyed　no　meaning　to　me。　I　thought　that　he　was

delirious。

　　The　Coroner：　What　was　the　point　upon　which　you　and　your　father　had

this　final　quarrel？

　　Witness：　I　should　prefer　not　to　answer。

　　The　Coroner：　I　am　afraid　that　I　must　press　it。

　　Witness：　It　is　really　impossible　for　me　to　tell　you。　I　can　assure

you　that　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　sad　tragedy　which　followed。

　　The　Coroner：　That　is　for　the　court　to　decide。　I　need　not　point　out

to　you　that　your　refusal　to　answer　will　prejudice　your　case

considerably　in　any　future　proceedings　which　may　arise。

　　Witness：　I　must　still　refuse。

　　The　Coroner：　I　understand　that　the　cry　of　'Cooee'　was　a　common

signal　between　you　and　your　father？

　　Witness：　It　was。

　　The　Coroner：　How　was　it；　then；　that　he　uttered　it　before　he　saw　you；

and　before　he　even　knew　that　you　had　returned　from　Bristol？

　　Witness　（with　considerable　confusion）：　I　do　not　know。

　　A　Juryman：　Did　you　see　nothing　which　aroused　your　suspicions　when

you　returned　on　hearing　the　cry　and　found　your　father　fatally　injured？

　　Witness：　Nothing　definite。

　　The　Coroner：　What　do　you　mean？

　　Witness：　I　was　so　disturbed　and　excited　as　I　rushed　out　into　the

open；　that　I　could　think　of　nothing　except　of　my　father。　Yet　I　have

a　vague　impression　that　as　I　ran　forward　something　lay　upon　the　ground

to　the　left　of　me。　It　seemed　to　me　to　be　something　gray　in　colour；　a

coat　of　some　sort；　or　a　plaid　perhaps。　When　I　rose　from　my　father　I

looked　round　for　it；　but　it　was　gone。

　　〃Do　you　mean　that　it　disappeared　before　you　went　for　help？〃

　　〃Yes；　it　was　gone。〃

　　〃You　cannot　say　what　it　was？〃

　　〃No；　I　had　a　feeling　something　was　there。〃

　　〃How　far　from　the　body？〃

　　〃A　dozen　yards　or　so。〃

　　〃And　how　far　from　the　edge　of　the　wood？〃

　　〃About　the　same。〃

　　〃Then　if　it　was　removed　it　was　while　you　were　within　a　dozen　yards

of　it？〃

　　〃Yes；　but　with　my　back　towards　it。〃

　　This　concluded　the　examination　of　the　witness。



　　〃I　see；〃　said　I　as　I　glanced　down　the　column；　〃that　the　coroner　in

his　concluding　remarks　was　rather　severe　upon　young　McCarthy。　He　calls

attention；　and　with　reason；　to　the　discrepancy　about　his　father　having

signalled　to　him　before　seeing　him；　also　to　his　refusal　to　give

details　of　his　conversation　with　his　father；　and　his　singular

account　of　his　father's　dying　words。　They　are　all；　as　he　remarks；　very

much　against　the　son。〃

　　Holmes　laughed　softly　to　himself　and　stretched　himself　out　upon

the　cushioned　seat。　〃Both　you　and　the　coroner　have　been　at　some

pains；〃　said　he；　〃to　single　out　the　very　strongest　points　in　the　young

man's　favour。　Don't　you　see　that　you　alternately　give　him　credit　for

having　too　much　imagination　and　too　little？　Too　little；　if　he　could

not　invent　a　cause　of　quarrel　which　would　give　him　the　sympathy　of　the

jury；　too　much；　if　he　evolved　from　his　own　inner　consciousness

anything　so　outre　as　a　dying　reference　to　a　rat；　and　the　incident　of

the　vanishing　cloth。　No；　sir；　I　shall　approach　this　case　from　the

point　of　view　that　what　this　young　man　says　is　true；　and　we　shall

see　whither　that　hypothesis　will　lead　us。　And　now　here　is　my　pocket

Petrarch；　and　not　another　word　shall　I　say　of　this　case　until　we　are

on　the　scene　of　action。　We　lunch　at　Swindon；　and　I　see　that　we　shall

be　there　in　twenty　minutes。〃

　　It　was　nearly　four　o'clock　when　we　at　last；　after　passing　through

the　beautiful　Stroud　Valley；　and