the adventure of the dancing men-第3节

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throw　some　light　upon　your　case。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　preserved　his　calm　professional　manner　until　our

visitor　had　left　us；　although　it　was　easy　for　me；　who　knew　him　so

well；　to　see　that　he　was　profoundly　excited。　The　moment　that　Hilton

Cubitt's　broad　back　had　disappeared　through　the　door　my　comrade　rushed

to　the　table；　laid　out　all　the　slips　of　paper　containing　dancing　men

in　front　of　him；　and　threw　himself　into　an　intricate　and　elaborate

calculation。　For　two　hours　I　watched　him　as　he　covered　sheet　after

sheet　of　paper　with　figures　and　letters；　so　completely　absorbed　in　his

task　that　he　had　evidently　forgotten　my　presence。　Sometimes　he　was

making　progress　and　whistled　and　sang　at　his　work；　sometimes　he　was

puzzled；　and　would　sit　for　long　spells　with　a　furrowed　brow　and　a

vacant　eye。　Finally　he　sprang　from　his　chair　with　a　cry　of

satisfaction；　and　walked　up　and　down　the　room　rubbing　his　hands

together。　Then　he　wrote　a　long　telegram　upon　a　cable　form。　〃If　my

answer　to　this　is　as　I　hope；　you　will　have　a　very　pretty　case　to　add

to　your　collection；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃I　expect　that　we　shall　be

able　to　go　down　to　Norfolk　tomorrow；　and　to　take　our　friend　some

very　definite　news　as　to　the　secret　of　his　annoyance。〃

　　I　confess　that　I　was　filled　with　curiosity；　but　I　was　aware　that

Holmes　liked　to　make　his　disclosures　at　his　own　time　and　in　his　own

way；　so　I　waited　until　it　should　suit　him　to　take　me　into　his

confidence。

　　But　there　was　a　delay　in　that　answering　telegram；　and　two　days　of

impatience　followed；　during　which　Holmes　pricked　up　his　ears　at

every　ring　of　the　bell。　the　evening　of　the　second　there　came　a

letter　from　Hilton　Cubitt。　All　was　quiet　with　him；　save　that　a　long

inscription　had　appeared　that　morning　upon　the　pedestal　of　the

sundial。　He　inclosed　a　copy　of　it；　which　is　here　reproduced：



　　（See　illustration。）



　　Holmes　bent　over　this　grotesque　frieze　for　some　minutes；　and　then

suddenly　sprang　to　his　feet　with　an　exclamation　of　surprise　and

dismay。　His　face　was　haggard　with　anxiety。

　　〃We　have　let　this　affair　go　far　enough；〃　said　he。　〃Is　there　a

train　to　North　Walsham　to…night？〃

　　I　turned　up　the　time…table。　The　last　had　just　gone。

　　〃Then　we　shall　breakfast　early　and　take　the　very　first　in　the

morning；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Our　presence　is　most　urgently　needed。　Ah！　here

is　our　expected　cablegram。　One　moment；　Mrs。　Hudson；　there　may　be　an

answer。　No；　that　is　quite　as　I　expected。　This　message　makes　it　even

more　essential　that　we　should　not　lose　an　hour　in　letting　Hilton

Cubitt　know　how　matters　stand；　for　it　is　a　singular　and　a　dangerous

web　in　which　our　simple　Norfolk　squire　is　entangled。〃

　　So；　indeed；　it　proved；　and　as　I　come　to　the　dark　conclusion　of　a

story　which　had　seemed　to　me　to　be　only　childish　and　bizarre；　I

experience　once　again　the　dismay　and　horror　with　which　I　was　filled。

Would　that　I　had　some　brighter　ending　to　communicate　to　my　readers；

but　these　are　the　chronicles　of　fact；　and　I　must　follow　to　their

dark　crisis　the　strange　chain　of　events　which　for　some　days　made

Riding　Thorpe　Manor　a　household　word　through　the　length　and　breadth　of

England。

　　We　had　hardly　alighted　at　North　Walsham；　and　mentioned　the　name　of

our　destination；　when　the　stationmaster　hurried　towards　us。　〃I　suppose

that　you　are　the　detectives　from　London？〃　said　he。

　　A　look　of　annoyance　passed　over　Holmes's　face。

　　〃What　makes　you　think　such　a　thing？〃

　　〃Because　Inspector　Martin　from　Norwich　has　just　passed　through。

But　maybe　you　are　the　surgeons。　She's　not　dead…　or　wasn't　by　last

accounts。　You　may　be　in　time　to　save　her　yet…　though　it　be　for　the

gallows。〃

　　Holmes's　brow　was　dark　with　anxiety。

　　〃We　are　going　to　Riding　Thorpe　Manor；〃　said　he；　〃but　we　have　heard

nothing　of　what　has　passed　there。〃

　　〃It's　a　terrible　business；〃　said　the　stationmaster。　〃They　are　shot

both　Mr。　Hilton　Cubitt　and　his　wife。　She　shot　him　and　then　herself…　so

the　servants　say。　He's　dead　and　her　life　is　despaired　of。　Dear；

dear；　one　of　the　oldest　families　in　the　county　of　Norfolk；　and　one

of　the　most　honoured。〃

　　Without　a　word　Holmes　hurried　to　a　carriage；　and　during　the　long

seven　miles'　drive　he　never　opened　his　mouth。　Seldom　have　I　seen　him

so　utterly　despondent。　He　had　been　uneasy　during　all　our　journey

from　town；　and　I　had　observed　that　he　had　turned　over　the　morning

papers　with　anxious　attention；　but　now　this　sudden　realization　of

his　worst　fears　left　him　in　a　blank　melancholy。　He　leaned　back　in

his　seat；　lost　in　gloomy　speculation。　Yet　there　was　much　around　to

interest　us；　for　we　were　passing　through　as　singular　a　countryside

as　any　in　England；　where　a　few　scattered　cottages　represented　the

population　of　to…day；　while　on　every　hand　enormous　square…towered

churches　bristled　up　from　the　flat　green　landscape　and　told　of　the

glory　and　prosperity　of　old　East　Anglia。　At　last　the　violet　rim　of　the

German　Ocean　appeared　over　the　green　edge　of　the　Norfolk　coast；　and

the　driver　pointed　with　his　whip　to　two　old　brick　and　timber　gables

which　projected　from　a　grove　of　trees。　〃That's　Riding　Thorpe　Manor；〃

said　he。

　　As　we　drove　up　to　the　porticoed　front　door；　I　observed　in　front　of

it；　beside　the　tennis　lawn；　the　black　tool…house　and　the　pedestalled

sundial　with　which　we　had　such　strange　associations。　A　dapper　little

man；　with　a　quick；　alert　manner　and　a　waxed　moustache；　had　just

descended　from　a　high　dog…cart。　He　introduced　himself　as　Inspector

Martin；　of　the　Norfolk　Constabulary；　and　he　was　considerably

astonished　when　he　heard　the　name　of　my　companion。

　　〃Why；　Mr。　Holmes；　the　crime　was　only　committed　at　three　this

morning。　How　could　you　hear　of　it　in　London　and　get　to　the　spot　as

soon　as　I？〃

　　〃I　anticipated　it。　I　came　in　the　hope　of　preventing　it。〃

　　〃Then　you　must　have　important　evidence；　of　which　we　are　ignorant；

for　they　were　said　to　be　a　most　united　couple。〃

　　〃I　have　only　the　evidence　of　the　dancing　men；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I

will　explain　the　matter　to　you　later。　Meanwhile；　since　it　is　too

late　to　prevent　this　tragedy；　I　am　very　anxious　that　I　should　use

the　knowledge　which　I　possess　in　order　to　insure　that　justice　be　done。

Will　you　associate　me　in　your　investigation；　or　will　you　prefer　that　I

should　act　independently？〃

　　〃I　should　be　proud　to　feel　that　we　were　acting　together；　Mr。

Holmes；〃　said　the　inspector；　earnestly。

　　〃In　that　case　I　should　be　glad　to　hear　the　evidence　and　to　examine

the　premises　without　an　instant　of　unnecessary　delay。〃

　　Inspector　Martin　had　the　good　sense　to　allow　my　friend　to　do

things　in　his　own　fashion；　and　contented　himself　with　carefully　noting

the　results。　The　local　surgeon；　an　old；　white…haired　man；　had　just

come　down　from　Mrs。　Hilton　Cubitt's　room；　and　he　reported　that　her

injuries　were　serious；　but　not　necessarily　fatal。　The　bullet　had

passed　through　the　front　of　her　brain；　and　it　would　probably　be　some

time　before　she　could　regain　consciousness。　On　the　question　of　whether

she　had　been　shot　or　had　shot　herself；　he　would　not　venture　to　express

any　decided　opinion。　Certainly　the　bullet　had　been　discharged　at

very　close　quarters。　There　was　only　the　one　pistol　found　in　the

room；　two　barrels　of　which　had　been　emptied。　Mr。　Hilton　Cubitt　had

been　shot　through　the　heart。　It　was　equally　conceivable　that　he　had

shot　her　and　then　himself；　or　that　she　had　been　the　criminal；　for

the　revolver　lay　upon　the　floor　midway　between　them。

　　〃Has　he　been　moved？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　〃We　have　moved　nothing　except　the　lady。　We　could　not　leave　her　lying

wounded　upon　the　floor。〃

　　〃How　long　have　you　been　here；　Doctor？〃

　　〃Since　four　o'clock。〃

　　〃Anyone　else？〃

　　〃Yes；　the　constable　here。〃

　　〃And　you　have　touched　nothing？〃

　　〃Nothing。〃

　　〃You　have　acted　with　great　discretion。　Who　sent　for　you？〃

　　〃The　housemaid；　Saunders。〃

　　〃Was　it　she　who　gave　the　alarm？〃

　　〃She　and　Mrs。　King；　the　cook。〃

　　〃Where　are　they　now？〃

　　〃In　the　kitchen；　I　believe。〃

　　〃Then　I　think　we　had　better　hear　their　story　at　once。〃

　　The　old　hall；　oak…panelled　and　high…windowed；　had　been　turned　into　a

court　of　investigation。　Holmes　sat　in　a　great；　old…fashioned　chair；

his　inexorable　eyes　gleaming　out　of　his　haggard　face。　I　could　read

in　them　a　set　purpose　to　devote　his　life　to　this　quest　until　the

client　whom　he　had　failed　to　save　should　at　last　be　avenged。　The

trim　Inspector　Martin；　the　old；　gray…headed　country　doctor；　myself；

and　a　stolid　village　policeman　made　up　the　rest　of　that　strange

company。

　　The　two　women　told　their　story　clearly　enough。　They　had　been　aroused

from　their　sleep　by　the　sound　of　an　explosion；　which　had　been　followed

a　minute　later　by　a　second　one。　They　slept　in　adjoining　rooms；　and

Mrs。　King　had　rushed　in　to　Saunders。　Together　they　had　descended　the

stairs。　The　door　of　the　study　was　open；　and　a　candle　was　burning

upon　the　table。　Their　master　lay　upon　his　face　in　the　centre　of　the

room。　He　was　quite　dead。　Near　the　window　his　wife　was　crouching；　her

head　leaning　against　the　wall。　She　was　horribly　wounded；　and　the

side　of　her　face　was　red　with　blood。　She　breathed　heavily；　but　was

incapable　of　saying