the boscombe valley mystery-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！


be　there　in　twenty　minutes。〃

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

the　beautiful　Stroud　Valley；　and　over　the　broad　gleaming　Severn；　found

ourselves　at　the　pretty　little　country…town　of　Ross。　A　lean

ferret…like　man；　furtive　and　sly…looking；　was　waiting　for　us　upon

the　platform。　In　spite　of　the　light　brown　dustcoat　and　leather

leggings　which　he　wore　in　deference　to　his　rustic　surroundings；　I

had　no　difficulty　in　recognizing　Lestrade；　of　Scotland　Yard。　With

him　we　drove　to　the　Hereford　Arms　where　a　room　had　already　been

engaged　for　us。

　　〃I　have　ordered　a　carriage；〃　said　Lestrade　as　we　sat　over　a　cup　of

tea。　〃I　knew　your　energetic　nature；　and　that　you　would　not　be　happy

until　you　had　been　on　the　scene　of　the　crime。〃

　　〃It　was　very　nice　and　complimentary　of　you；〃　Holmes　answered。　〃It　is

entirely　a　question　of　barometric　pressure。〃

　　Lestrade　looked　startled。　〃I　do　not　quite　follow；〃　he　said。

　　〃How　is　the　glass？　Twenty…nine；　I　see。　No　wind；　and　not　a　cloud　in

the　sky。　I　have　a　caseful　of　cigarettes　here　which　need　smoking；　and

the　sofa　is　very　much　superior　to　the　usual　country　hotel　abomination。

I　do　not　think　that　it　is　probable　that　I　shall　use　the　carriage

to…night。〃

　　Lestrade　laughed　indulgently。　〃You　have；　no　doubt；　already　formed

your　conclusions　from　the　newspapers；〃　he　said。　〃The　case　is　as

plain　as　a　pikestaff；　and　the　more　one　goes　into　it　the　plainer　it

becomes。　Still；　of　course；　one　can't　refuse　a　lady；　and　such　a　very

positive　one；　too。　She　had　heard　of　you；　and　would　have　your

opinion；　though　I　repeatedly　told　her　that　there　was　nothing　which　you

could　do　which　I　had　not　already　done。　Why；　bless　my　soul！　here　is　her

carriage　at　the　door。〃

　　He　had　hardly　spoken　before　there　rushed　into　the　room　one　of　the

most　lovely　young　women　that　I　have　ever　seen　in　my　life。　Her　violet

eyes　shining；　her　lips　parted；　a　pink　flush　upon　her　cheeks；　all

thought　of　her　natural　reserve　lost　in　her　overpowering　excitement　and

concern。

　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes！〃　she　cried；　glancing　from　one　to　the　other

of　us；　and　finally；　with　a　woman's　quick　intuition；　fastening　upon

my　companion；　〃I　am　so　glad　that　you　have　come。　I　have　driven　down

to　tell　you　so。　I　know　that　James　didn't　do　it。　I　know　it；　and　I

want　you　to　start　upon　your　work　knowing　it；　too。　Never　let　yourself

doubt　upon　that　point。　We　have　known　each　other　since　we　were　little

children；　and　I　know　his　faults　as　no　one　else　does；　but　he　is　too

tenderhearted　to　hurt　a　fly。　Such　a　charge　is　absurd　to　anyone　who

really　knows　him。〃

　　〃I　hope　we　may　clear　him；　Miss　Turner；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。　〃You

may　rely　upon　my　doing　all　that　I　can。〃

　　〃But　you　have　read　the　evidence；　You　have　formed　some　conclusion？　Do

you　not　see　some　loophole；　some　flaw？　Do　you　not　yourself　think　that

he　is　innocent？〃

　　〃I　think　that　it　is　very　probable。〃

　　〃There；　now！〃　she　cried；　throwing　back　her　head　and　looking

defiantly　at　Lestrade。　〃You　hear！　He　gives　me　hopes。〃

　　Lestrade　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃I　am　afraid　that　my　colleague

has　been　a　little　quick　in　forming　his　conclusions；〃　he　said。

　　〃But　he　is　right。　Oh！　I　know　that　he　is　right。　James　never　did　it。

And　about　his　quarrel　with　his　father；　I　am　sure　that　the　reason　why

he　would　not　speak　about　it　to　the　coroner　was　because　I　was　concerned

in　it。〃

　　〃In　what　way？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　〃It　is　no　time　for　me　to　hide　anything。　James　and　his　father　had

many　disagreements　about　me。　Mr。　McCarthy　was　very　anxious　that

there　should　be　a　marriage　between　us。　James　and　I　have　always　loved

each　other　as　brother　and　sister；　but　of　course　he　is　young　and　has

seen　very　little　of　life　yet；　and…and…well；　he　naturally　did　not

wish　to　do　anything　like　that　yet。　So　there　were　quarrels；　and　this；　I

am　sure；　was　one　of　them。〃

　　〃And　your　father？〃　asked　Holmes。　〃Was　he　in　favour　of　such　a　union？〃

　　〃No；　he　was　averse　to　it　also。　No　one　but　Mr。　McCarthy　was　in　favour

of　it。〃　A　quick　blush　passed　over　her　fresh　young　face　as　Holmes

shot　one　of　his　keen；　questioning　glances　at　her。

　　〃Thank　you　for　this　information；〃　said　he。　〃May　I　see　your　father　if

I　call　tomorrow？〃

　　〃I　am　afraid　the　doctor　won't　allow　it。〃

　　〃The　doctor？〃

　　〃Yes；　have　you　not　heard？　Poor　father　has　never　been　strong　for

years　back；　but　this　has　broken　him　down　completely。　He　has　taken　to

his　bed；　and　Dr。　Willows　says　that　he　is　a　wreck　and　that　his

nervous　system　is　shattered。　Mr。　McCarthy　was　the　only　man　alive　who

had　known　dad　in　the　old　days　in　Victoria。〃

　　〃Ha！　In　Victoria！　That　is　important。〃

　　〃Yes；　at　the　mines。〃

　　〃Quite　so；　at　the　gold…mines；　where；　as　I　understand；　Mr。　Turner

made　his　money。〃

　　〃Yes；　certainly。〃

　　〃Thank　you；　Miss　Turner。　You　have　been　of　material　assistance　to

me。〃

　　〃You　will　tell　me　if　you　have　any　news　to…morrow。　No　doubt　you

will　go　to　the　prison　to　see　James。　Oh；　if　you　do；　Mr。　Holmes；　do　tell

him　that　I　know　him　to　be　innocent。〃

　　〃I　will；　Miss　Turner。〃

　　〃I　must　go　home　now；　for　dad　is　very　ill；　and　he　misses　me　so　if　I

leave　him。　Good…bye；　and　God　help　you　in　your　undertaking。〃　She

hurried　from　the　room　as　impulsively　as　she　had　entered；　and　we

heard　the　wheels　of　her　carriage　rattle　off　down　the　street。

　　〃I　am　ashamed　of　you；　Holmes；〃　said　Lestrade　with　dignity　after　a

few　minutes'　silence。　〃Why　should　you　raise　up　hopes　which　you　are

bound　to　disappoint？　I　am　not　over…tender　of　heart；　but　I　call　it

cruel。〃

　　〃I　think　that　I　see　my　way　to　clearing　James　McCarthy；〃　said　Holmes。

〃Have　you　an　order　to　see　him　in　prison？〃

　　〃Yes；　but　only　for　you　and　me。〃

　　〃Then　I　shall　reconsider　my　resolution　about　going　out。　We　have

still　time　to　take　a　train　to　Hereford　and　see　him　to…night？〃

　　〃Ample。〃

　　〃Then　let　us　do　so。　Watson；　I　fear　that　you　will　find　it　very

slow；　but　I　shall　only　be　away　a　couple　of　hours。〃

　　I　walked　down　to　the　station　with　them；　and　then　wandered　through

the　streets　of　the　little　town；　finally　returning　to　the　hotel；

where　I　lay　upon　the　sofa　and　tried　to　interest　myself　in　a

yellow…backed　novel。　The　puny　plot　of　the　story　was　so　thin；

however；　when　compared　to　the　deep　mystery　through　which　we　were

groping；　and　I　found　my　attention　wander　so　continually　from　the

fiction　to　the　fact；　that　I　at　last　flung　it　across　the　room　and

gave　myself　up　entirely　to　a　consideration　of　the　events　of　the　day。

Supposing　that　this　unhappy　young　man's　story　were　absolutely　true；

then　what　hellish　thing；　what　absolutely　unforeseen　and

extraordinary　calamity　could　have　occurred　between　the　time　when　he

parted　from　his　father；　and　the　moment　when；　drawn　back　by　his

screams；　he　rushed　into　the　glade？　It　was　something　terrible　and

deadly。　What　could　it　be？　Might　not　the　nature　of　the　injuries

reveal　something　to　my　medical　instincts？　I　rang　the　bell　and　called

for　the　weekly　county　paper；　which　contained　a　verbatim　account　of　the

inquest。　In　the　surgeon's　deposition　it　was　stated　that　the

posterior　third　of　the　left　parietal　bone　and　the　left　half　of　the

occipital　bone　had　been　shattered　by　a　heavy　blow　from　a　blunt　weapon。

I　marked　the　spot　upon　my　own　head。　Clearly　such　a　blow　must　have　been

struck　from　behind。　That　was　to　some　extent　in　favour　of　the

accused；　as　when　seen　quarrelling　he　was　face　to　face　with　his　father。

Still；　it　did　not　go　for　very　much；　for　the　older　man　might　have

turned　his　back　before　the　blow　fell。　Still；　it　might　be　worth　while

to　call　Holmes's　attention　to　it。　Then　there　was　the　peculiar　dying

reference　to　a　rat。　What　could　that　mean？　It　could　not　be　delirium。

A　man　dying　from　a　sudden　blow　does　not　commonly　become　delirious。　No；

it　was　more　likely　to　be　an　attempt　to　explain　how　he　met　his　fate。

But　what　could　it　indicate？　I　cudgelled　my　brains　to　find　some

possible　explanation。　And　then　the　incident　of　the　gray　cloth　seen

by　young　McCarthy。　If　that　were　true　the　murderer　must　have　dropped

some　part　of　his　dress；　presumably　his　overcoat；　in　his　flight　and

must　have　had　the　hardihood　to　return　and　to　carry　it　away　at　the

instant　when　the　son　was　kneeling　with　his　back　turned　not　a　dozen

paces　off。　What　a　tissue　of　mysteries　and　improbabilities　the　whole

thing　was！　I　did　not　wonder　at　Lestrade's　opinion；　and　yet　I　had　so

much　faith　in　Sherlock　Holmes's　insight　that　I　could　not　lose　hope

as　long　as　every　fresh　fact　seemed　to　strengthen　his　conviction　of

young　McCarthy's　innocence。

　　It　was　late　before　Sherlock　Holmes　returned。　He　came　back　alone；　for

Lestrade　was　staying　in　lodgings　in　the　town。

　　〃The　glass　still　keeps　very　high；〃　he　remarked　as　he　sat　down。　〃It

is　of　importance　that　it　should　not　rain　before　we　are　able　to　go　over

the　ground。　On　the　other　hand；　a　man　should　be　at　his　very　best　and

keenest　for　such　nice　work　as　that；　and　I　did　not　wish　to　do　it　when

fagged　by　a　long　journey。　I　have　seen　young　McCarthy。〃

　　〃And　what　did　you　learn　from　him？〃

　　〃Nothing。〃

　　〃Could　he　throw　no　light？〃

　　〃None　at　all。　I　was　inclined　to　think　at　one　time　that　he　knew　who

had　done　it　and　was　screening　him　or　her；　but　I　am　convinced　now