the adventure of the dancing men-第6节
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You can leave the talking to me。〃
We waited in silence for a minute… one of those minutes which one
can never forget。 Then the door opened and the man stepped in。 In an
instant Holmes clapped a pistol to his head； and Martin slipped the
handcuffs over his wrists。 It was all done so swiftly and deftly
that the fellow was helpless before he knew that he was attacked。 He
glared from one to the other of us with a pair of blazing black
eyes。 Then he burst into a bitter laugh。
〃Well； gentlemen； you have the drop on me this time。 I seem to
have knocked up against something hard。 But I came here in answer to a
letter from Mrs。 Hilton Cubitt。 Don't tell me that she is in this？
Don't tell me that she helped to set a trap for me？〃
〃Mrs。 Hilton Cubitt was seriously injured； and is at death's door。〃
The man gave a hoarse cry of grief； which rang through the house。
〃You're crazy！〃 he cried； fiercely。 〃It was he that was hurt； not
she。 Who would have hurt little Elsie？ I may have threatened her…
God forgive me！… but I would not have touched a hair of her pretty
head。 Take it back… you！ Say that she is not hurt！〃
〃She was found badly wounded； by the side of her dead husband。〃
He sank with a deep groan on the settee and buried his face in his
manacled hands。 For five minutes he was silent。 Then he raised his
face once more； and spoke with the cold composure of despair。
〃I have nothing to hide from you； gentlemen；〃 said he。 〃If I shot
the man he had his shot at me； and there's no murder in that。 But if
you think I could have hurt that woman； then you don't know either
me or her。 I tell you； there was never a man in this world loved a
woman more than I loved her。 I had a right to her。 She was pledged
to me years ago。 Who was this Englishman that he should come between
us？ I tell you that I had the first right to her； and that I was
only claiming my own。
〃She broke away from your influence when she found the man that
you are；〃 said Holmes； sternly。 〃She fled from America to avoid you；
and she married an honourable gentleman in England。 You dogged her and
followed her and made her life a misery to her； in order to induce her
to abandon the husband whom she loved and respected in order to fly
with you； whom she feared and hated。 You have ended by bringing
about the death of a noble man and driving his wife to suicide。 That
is your record in this business； Mr。 Abe Slaney； and you will answer
for it to the law。〃
〃If Elsie dies； I care nothing what becomes of me；〃 said the
American。 He opened one of his hands； and looked at a note crumpled up
in his palm。 〃See here； mister！ he cried； with a gleam of suspicion in
his eyes； 〃you're not trying to scare me over this； are you？ If the
lady is hurt as bad as you say； who was it that wrote this note？〃 He
tossed it forward on to the table。
〃I wrote it； to bring you here。〃
〃You wrote it？ There was no one on earth outside the Joint who
knew the secret of the dancing men。 How came you to write it？〃
〃What one man can invent another can discover；〃 said Holmes。 There
is a cab coming to convey you to Norwich； Mr。 Slaney。 But meanwhile；
you have time to make some small reparation for the injury you have
wrought。 Are you aware that Mrs。 Hilton Cubitt has herself lain
under grave suspicion of the murder of her husband； and that it was
only my presence here； and the knowledge which I happened to
possess； which has saved her from the accusation？ The least that you
owe her is to make it clear to the whole world that she was in no way；
directly or indirectly； responsible for his tragic end。〃
〃I ask nothing better；〃 said the American。 〃I guess the very best
case I can make for myself is the absolute naked truth。〃
〃It is my duty to warn you that it will be used against you；〃
cried the inspector； with the magnificent fair play of the British
criminal law。
Slaney shrugged his shoulders。
〃I'll chance that；〃 said he。 〃First of all； I want you gentlemen
to understand that I have known this lady since she was a child。 There
were seven of us in a gang in Chicago； and Elsie's father was the boss
of the Joint。 He was a clever man； was old Patrick。 It was he who
invented that writing； which would pass as a child's scrawl unless you
just happened to have the key to it。 Well； Elsie learned some of our
ways； but she couldn't stand the business； and she had a bit of honest
money of her own； so she gave us all the slip and got away to
London。 She had been engaged to me； and she would have married me； I
believe； if I had taken over another profession； but she would have
nothing to do with anything on the cross。 It was only after her
marriage to this Englishman that I was able to find out where she was。
I wrote to her； but got no answer。 After that I came over； and； as
letters were no use； I put my messages where she could read them。
〃Well； I have been here a month now。 I lived in that farm； where I
had a room down below； and could get in and out every night； and no
one the wiser。 I tried all I could to coax Elsie away。 I knew that she
read the messages； for once she wrote an answer under one of them。
Then my temper got the better of me； and I began to threaten her。
She sent me a letter then； imploring me to go away； and saying that it
would break her heart if any scandal should come upon her husband。 She
said that she would come down when her husband was asleep at three
in the morning； and speak with me through the end window； if I would
go away afterwards and leave her in peace。 She came down and brought
money with her； trying to bribe me to go。 This made me mad； and I
caught her arm and tried to pull her through the window。 At that
moment in rushed the husband with his revolver in his hand。 Elsie
had sunk down upon the floor； and we were face to face。 I was heeled
also； and I held up my gun to scare him off and let me get away。 He
fired and missed me。 I pulled off almost at the same instant； and down
he dropped。 I made away across the garden； and as I went I heard the
window shut behind me。 That's God's truth； gentlemen； every word of
it； and I heard no more about it until that lad came riding up with
a note which made me walk in here； like a jay； and give myself into
your hands。〃
A cab had driven up whilst the American had been talking。 Two
uniformed policemen sat inside。 Inspector Martin rose and touched
his prisoner on the shoulder。
〃It is time for us to go。〃
〃Can I see her first？〃
〃No； she is not conscious。 Mr。 Sherlock Holmes； I only hope that
if ever again I have an important case； I shall have the good
fortune to have you by my side。〃
We stood at the window and watched the cab drive away。 As I turned
back； my eye caught the pellet of paper which the prisoner had
tossed upon the table。 It was the note with which Holmes had decoyed
him。
〃See if you can read it； Watson；〃 said he； with a smile。
It contained no word； but this little line of dancing men：
（See illustration。）
〃If you use the code which I have explained；〃 said Holmes； 〃you will
find that it simply means ‘Come here at once。' I was convinced that it
was an invitation which he would not refuse； since he could never
imagine that it could come from anyone but the lady。 And so； my dear
Watson； we have ended by turning the dancing men to good when they
have so often been the agents of evil； and I think that I have
fulfilled my promise of giving you something unusual for your
notebook。 Three…forty is our train； and I fancy we should be back in
Baker Street for dinner。〃
Only one word of epilogue。 The American； Abe Slaney； was condemned
to death at the winter assizes at Norwich； but his penalty was changed
to penal servitude in consideration of mitigating circumstances； and
the certainty that Hilton Cubitt had fired the first shot。 Of Mrs。
Hilton Cubitt I only know that I have heard she recovered entirely；
and that she still； remains a widow； devoting her whole life to the
care of the poor and to the administration of her husband's estate。
…THE END…
。
