the boscombe valley mystery-第6节

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who　required　my　presence　here；　and　I　am　acting　in　her　interests。　Young

McCarthy　must　be　got　off；　however。〃

　　〃I　am　a　dying　man；〃　said　old　Turner。　〃I　have　had　diabetes　for　years。

My　doctor　says　it　is　a　question　whether　I　shall　live　a　month。　Yet　I

would　rather　die　under　my　own　roof　than　in　a　jail。〃

　　Holmes　rose　and　sat　down　at　the　table　with　his　pen　in　his　hand　and　a

bundle　of　paper　before　him。　〃Just　tell　us　the　truth；〃　he　said。　〃I

shall　jot　down　the　facts。　You　will　sign　it；　and　Watson　here　can

witness　it。　Then　I　could　produce　your　confession　at　the　last　extremity

to　save　young　McCarthy。　I　promise　you　that　I　shall　not　use　it　unless

it　is　absolutely　needed。〃

　　〃It's　as　well；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃it's　a　question　whether　I　shall

live　to　the　Assizes；　so　it　matters　little　to　me；　but　I　should　wish

to　spare　Alice　the　shock。　And　now　I　will　make　the　thing　clear　to

you；　it　has　been　a　long　time　in　the　acting；　but　will　not　take　me

long　to　tell。〃

　　〃You　didn't　know　this　dead　man；　McCarthy。　He　was　a　devil

incarnate。　I　tell　you　that。　God　keep　you　out　of　the　clutches　of　such　a

man　as　he。　His　grip　has　been　upon　me　these　twenty　years；　and　he　has

blasted　my　life。　I'll　tell　you　first　how　I　came　to　be　in　his　power。

　　〃It　was　in　the　early　'60's　at　the　diggings。　I　was　a　young　chap　then；

hot…blooded　and　reckless；　ready　to　turn　my　hand　at　anything；　I　got

among　bad　companions；　took　to　drink；　had　no　luck　with　my　claim；　took

to　the　bush；　and　in　a　word　became　what　you　would　call　over　here　a

highway　robber。　There　were　six　of　us；　and　we　had　a　wild；　free　life

of　it；　sticking　up　a　station　from　time　to　time；　or　stopping　the　wagons

on　the　road　to　the　diggings。　Black　Jack　of　Ballarat　was　the　name　I

went　under；　and　our　party　is　still　remembered　in　the　colony　as　the

Ballarat　Gang。

　　〃One　day　a　gold　convoy　came　down　from　Ballust　to　Melbourne；　and　we

lay　in　wait　for　it　and　attacked　it。　There　were　six　troopers　and　six　of

us；　so　it　was　a　close　thing；　but　we　emptied　four　of　their　saddles　at

the　first　volley。　Three　of　our　boys　were　killed；　however；　before　we

got　the　swag。　I　put　my　pistol　to　the　head　of　the　wagon…driver；　who　was

this　very　man　McCarthy。　I　wish　to　the　Lord　that　I　had　though　him

shot　him　then；　but　I　spared　him；　though　I　saw　his　wicked　little　eyes

fixed　on　my　face；　as　though　to　remember　every　feature。　We　got　away

with　the　gold；　became　wealthy　men；　and　made　our　way　over　to　England

without　being　suspected。　There　I　parted　from　my　old　pals　and

determined　to　settle　down　to　a　quiet　and　respectable　life。　I　bought

this　estate；　which　chanced　to　be　in　the　market；　and　I　set　myself　to　do

a　little　with　my　money；　to　make　up　for　the　way　in　which　I　had　earned

it。　I　married；　too；　and　though　my　wife　died　young　she　left　me　my

dear　little　Alice。　Even　when　she　was　just　a　baby　her　wee　hand　seemed

to　lead　me　down　the　right　path　as　nothing　else　had　ever　done。　In　a

word；　I　turned　over　a　new　leaf　and　did　my　best　to　make　up　for　the

past。　All　was　going　well　when　McCarthy　laid　his　grip　upon　me。

　　〃I　had　gone　up　to　town　about　an　investment；　and　I　met　him　in

Regent　Street　with　hardly　a　coat　to　his　back　or　a　boot　to　his　foot。

　　〃'Here　we　are；　Jack；'　says　he；　touching　me　on　the　arm；　'we'll　be

as　good　as　a　family　to　you。　There's　two　of　us；　me　and　my　son；　and

you　can　have　the　keeping　of　us。　If　you　don't…it's　a　fine；

law…abiding　country　is　England；　and　there's　always　a　policeman

within　hail。'

　　〃Well；　down　they　came　to　the　west　country；　there　was　no　shaking　them

off；　and　there　they　have　lived　rent　free　on　my　best　land　ever　since。

There　was　no　rest　for　me；　no　peace；　no　forgetfulness；　turn　where　I

would；　there　was　his　cunning；　grinning　face　at　my　elbow。　It　grew　worse

as　Alice　grew　up；　for　he　soon　saw　I　was　more　afraid　of　her　knowing　my

past　than　of　the　police。　Whatever　he　wanted　he　must　have；　and　whatever

it　was　I　gave　him　without　question；　land；　money；　houses；　until　at　last

he　asked　a　thing　which　I　could　not　give。　He　asked　for　Alice。

　　〃His　son；　you　see；　had　grown　up；　and　so　had　my　girl；　and　as　I　was

known　to　be　in　weak　health；　it　seemed　a　fine　stroke　to　him　that　his

lad　should　step　into　the　whole　property。　But　there　I　was　firm。　I　would

not　have　his　cursed　stock　mixed　with　mine；　not　that　I　had　any

dislike　to　the　lad；　but　his　blood　was　in　him；　and　that　was　enough。　I

stood　firm。　McCarthy　threatened。　I　braved　him　to　do　his　worst。　We　were

to　meet　at　the　pool　midway　between　our　houses　to　talk　it　over。

　　〃When　I　went　down　there　I　found　him　talking　with　his　son；　so　I

smoked　a　cigar　and　waited　behind　a　tree　until　he　should　be　alone。

But　as　I　listened　to　his　talk　all　that　was　black　and　bitter　in　me

seemed；　to　come　uppermost。　He　was　urging　his　son　to　marry　my

daughter　with　as　little　regard　for　what　she　might　think　as　if　she　were

a　slut　from　off　the　streets。　It　drove　me　mad　to　think　that　I　and　all

that　I　held　most　dear　should　be　in　the　power　of　such　a　man　as　this。

Could　I　not　snap　the　bond？　I　was　already　a　dying　and　a　desperate

man。　Though　clear　of　mind　and　fairly　strong　of　limb；　I　knew　that　my

own　fate　was　sealed。　But　my　memory　and　my　girl！　Both　could　be　saved　if

I　could　but　silence　that　foul　tongue。　I　did　it；　Mr。　Holmes。

　　〃I　would　do　it　again。　Deeply　as　I　have　sinned；　I　have　led　a　life

of　martyrdom　to　atone　for　it。　But　that　my　girl　should　be　entangled

in　the　same　meshes　which　held　me　was　more　than　I　could　suffer。　I

struck　him　down　with　no　more　compunction　than　if　he　had　been　some　foul

and　venomous　beast。　His　cry　brought　back　his　son；　but　I　had　gained　the

cover　of　the　wood；　though　I　was　forced　to　go　back　to　fetch　the　cloak

which　I　had　dropped　in　my　flight。　That　is　the　true　story；　gentlemen；

of　all　that　occurred。〃

　　Well；　it　is　not　for　me　to　judge　you；〃　said　Holmes　as　the　old　man

signed　the　statement　which　had　been　drawn　out。　〃I　pray　that　we　may

never　be　exposed　to　such　a　temptation。〃

　　〃I　pray　not；　sir。　And　what　do　you　intend　to　do？〃

　　〃In　view　of　your　health；　nothing。　You　are　yourself　aware　that　you

will　soon　have　to　answer　for　your　deed　at　a　higher　court　than　the

Assizes。　I　will　keep　your　confession；　and　if　McCarthy　is　condemned　I

shall　be　forced　to　use　it。　If　not；　it　shall　never　be　seen　by　mortal

eye；　and　your　secret；　whether　you　be　alive　or　dead；　shall　be　safe　with

us。〃

　　〃Farewell；　then；〃　said　the　old　man　solemnly。　〃Your　own　deathbeds；

when　they　come；　will　be　the　easier　for　the　thought　of　the　peace

which　you　have　given　to　mine。〃　Tottering　and　shaking　in　all　his

giant　frame；　he　stumbled　slowly　from　the　room。

　　〃God　help　us！〃　said　Holmes　after　a　long　silence。　〃Why　does　fate　play

such　tricks　with　poor；　helpless　worms？　I　never　hear　of　such　a　case

as　this　that　I　do　not　think　of　Baxter's　words；　and　say；　'There；　but

for　the　grace　of　God；　goes　Sherlock　Holmes。'〃

　　James　McCarthy　was　acquitted　at　the　Assizes　on　the　strength　of　a

number　of　objections　which　had　been　drawn　out　by　Holmes　and

submitted　to　the　defending　counsel。　Old　Turner　lived　for　seven

months　after　our　interview；　but　he　is　now　dead；　and　there　is　every

prospect　that　the　son　and　daughter　may　come　to　live　happily　together

in　ignorance　of　the　black　cloud　which　rests　upon　their　past。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

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