the adventure of the retired colourman-第2节

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　　〃Securities！　How　could　they　dispose　of　those？〃

　　〃He　said　that　he　had　given　the　police　a　list　and　that　he　hoped

they　would　be　unsaleable。　He　had　got　back　from　the　theatre　about

midnight　and　found　the　place　plundered；　the　door　and　window　open；

and　the　fugitives　gone。　There　was　no　letter　or　message；　nor　has　he

heard　a　word　since。　He　at　once　gave　the　alarm　to　the　police。〃

　　Holmes　brooded　for　some　minutes。

　　〃You　say　he　was　painting。　What　was　he　painting？〃

　　〃Well；　he　was　painting　the　passage。　But　he　had　already　painted　the

floor　and　woodwork　of　this　room　I　spoke　of。〃

　　〃Does　it　not　strike　you　as　a　strange　occupation　in　the

circumstances？〃

　　〃'One　must　do　something　to　ease　an　aching　heart。'　That　was　his　own

explanation。　It　was　eccentric；　no　doubt；　but　he　is　clearly　an

eccentric　man。　He　tore　up　one　of　his　wife's　photographs　in　my

presence…　tore　it　up　furiously　in　a　tempest　of　passion。　'I　never

wish　to　see　her　damned　face　again；'　he　shrieked。〃

　　〃Anything　more；　Watson？〃

　　〃Yes；　one　thing　which　struck　me　more　than　anything　else。　I　had

driven　to　the　Blackheath　Station　and　had　caught　my　train　there　when；

just　as　it　was　starting；　I　saw　a　man　dart　into　the　carriage　next　to　my

own。　You　know　that　I　have　a　quick　eye　for　faces；　Holmes。　It　was

undoubtedly　the　tall；　dark　man　whom　I　had　addressed　in　the　street。　I

saw　him　once　more　at　London　Bridge；　and　then　I　lost　him　in　the

crowd。　But　I　am　convinced　that　he　was　following　me。〃

　　〃No　doubt！　No　doubt！〃　said　Holmes。　〃A　tall；　dark；　heavily　moustached

man；　you　say；　with　gray…tinted　sun…glasses？〃

　　〃Holmes；　you　are　a　wizard。　I　did　not　say　so；　but　he　had

gray…tinted　sun…glasses。〃

　　〃And　a　Masonic　tie…pin？〃

　　〃Holmes！〃

　　〃Quite　simple；　my　dear　Watson。　But　let　us　get　down　to　what　is

practical。　I　must　admit　to　you　that　the　case；　which　seemed　to　me　to　be

so　absurdly　simple　as　to　be　hardly　worth　my　notice；　is　rapidly

assuming　a　very　different　aspect。　It　is　true　that　though　in　your

mission　you　have　missed　everything　of　importance；　yet　even　those

things　which　have　obtruded　themselves　upon　your　notice　give　rise　to

serious　thought。〃

　　〃What　have　I　missed？〃

　　〃Don't　be　hurt；　my　dear　fellow。　You　know　that　I　am　quite　impersonal。

No　one　else　would　have　done　better。　Some　possibly　not　so　well。　But

clearly　you　have　missed　some　vital　points。　What　is　the　opinion　of

the　neighbours　about　this　man　Amberley　and　his　wife？　That　surely　is　of

importance。　What　of　Dr。　Ernest？　Was　he　the　gay　Lothario　one　would

expect？　With　your　natural　advantages；　Watson；　every　lady　is　your

helper　and　accomplice。　What　about　the　girl　at　the　post…office；　or

the　wife　of　the　greengrocer？　I　can　picture　you　whispering　soft

nothings　with　the　young　lady　at　the　Blue　Anchor；　and　receiving　hard

somethings　in　exchange。　All　this　you　have　left　undone。〃

　　〃It　can　still　be　done。〃

　　〃It　has　been　done。　Thanks　to　the　telephone　and　the　help　of　the　Yard；

I　can　usually　get　my　essentials　without　leaving　this　room。　As　a　matter

of　fact；　my　information　confirms　the　man's　story。　He　has　the　local

repute　of　being　a　miser　as　well　as　a　harsh　and　exacting　husband。

That　he　had　a　large　sum　of　money　in　that　strongroom　of　his　is　certain。

So　also　is　it　that　young　Dr。　Ernest；　an　unmarried　man；　played　chess

with　Amberley；　and　probably　played　the　fool　with　his　wife。　All　this

seems　plain　sailing；　and　one　would　think　that　there　was　no　more　to

be　said…　and　yet！…　and　yet！〃

　　〃Where　lies　the　difficulty？〃

　　〃In　my　imagination；　perhaps。　Well；　leave　it　there；　Watson。　Let　us

escape　from　this　weary　workaday　world　by　the　side　door　of　music。

Carina　sings　to…night　at　the　Albert　Hall；　and　we　still　have　time　to

dress；　dine；　and　enjoy。〃

　　In　the　morning　I　was　up　betimes；　but　some　toast　crumbs　and　two　empty

eggshells　told　me　that　my　companion　was　earlier　still。　I　found　a

scribbled　note　upon　the　table。



　　Dear　Watson：

　　There　are　one　or　two　points　of　contact　which　I　should　wish　to

establish　with　Mr。　Josiah　Amberley。　When　I　have　done　so　we　can　dismiss

the　case…　or　not。　I　would　only　ask　you　to　be　on　hand　about　three

o'clock；　as　I　conceive　it　possible　that　I　may　want　you。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S。H。



　　I　saw　nothing　of　Holmes　all　day；　but　at　the　hour　named　he

returned；　grave；　preoccupied；　and　aloof。　At　such　times　it　was　wiser　to

leave　him　to　himself。

　　〃Has　Amberley　been　here　yet？〃

　　〃No。〃

　　〃Ah！　I　am　expecting　him。〃

　　He　was　not　disappointed；　for　presently　the　old　fellow　arrived　with　a

very　worried　and　puzzled　expression　upon　his　austere　face。

　　〃I've　had　a　telegram；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　can　make　nothing　of　it。〃　He

handed　it　over；　and　Holmes　read　it　aloud。



　　〃Come　at　once　without　fail。　Can　give　you　information　as　to　your

recent　loss。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃ELMAN。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃The　Vicarage。



　　〃Dispatched　at　2：10　from　Little　Purlington；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Little

Purlington　is　in　Essex；　I　believe；　not　far　from　Frinton。　Well；　of

course　you　will　start　at　once。　This　is　evidently　from　a　responsible

person；　the　vicar　of　the　place。　Where　is　my　Crockford？　Yes；　here　we

have　him：　J。C。　Elman；　M。A。；　Living　of　Moosmoor　cum　Little　Purlington。'

Look　up　the　trains；　Watson。〃

　　〃There　is　one　at　5：20　from　Liverpool　Street。〃

　　〃Excellent。　You　had　best　go　with　him；　Watson。　He　may　need　help　or

advice。　Clearly　we　have　come　to　a　crisis　in　this　affair。〃

　　But　our　client　seemed　by　no　means　eager　to　start。

　　〃It's　perfectly　absurd；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　he　said。　〃What　can　this　man

possibly　know　of　what　has　occurred？　It　is　waste　of　time　and　money。〃

　　〃He　would　not　have　telegraphed　to　you　if　he　did　not　know

something。　Wire　at　once　that　you　are　coming。〃

　　〃I　don't　think　I　shall　go。〃

　　Holmes　assumed　his　sternest　aspect。

　　〃It　would　make　the　worst　possible　impression　both　on　the　police

and　upon　myself；　Mr。　Amberley；　if　when　so　obvious　a　clue　arose　you

should　refuse　to　follow　it　up。　We　should　feel　that　you　were　not　really

in　earnest　in　this　investigation。〃

　　Our　client　seemed　horrified　at　the　suggestion。

　　〃Why；　of　course　I　shall　go　if　you　look　at　it　in　that　way；〃　said

he。　〃On　the　face　of　it；　it　seems　absurd　to　suppose　that　this　parson

knows　anything；　but　if　you　think…〃

　　〃I　do　think；〃　said　Holmes　with　emphasis；　and　so　we　were　launched

upon　our　journey。　Holmes　took　me　aside　before　we　left　the　room　and

gave　me　one　word　of　counsel；　which　showed　that　he　considered　the

matter　to　be　of　importance。　〃Whatever　you　do；　see　that　he　really

does　go；〃　said　he。　〃Should　he　break　away　or　return；　get　to　the　nearest

telephone　exchange　and　send　the　single　word　'Bolted。'　I　will　arrange

here　that　it　shall　reach　me　wherever　I　am。〃

　　Little　Purlington　is　not　an　easy　place　to　reach；　for　it　is　on　a

branch　line。　My　remembrance　of　the　journey　is　not　a　pleasant　one；

for　the　weather　was　hot；　the　train　slow；　and　my　companion　sullen　and

silent；　hardly　talking　at　all　save　to　make　an　occasional　sardonic

remark　as　to　the　futility　of　our　proceedings。　When　we　at　last

reached　the　little　station　it　was　a　two…mile　drive　before　we　came　to

the　Vicarage；　where　a　big；　solemn；　rather　pompous　clergyman　received

us　in　his　study。　Our　telegram　lay　before　him。

　　〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　he　asked；　〃what　can　I　do　for　you？〃

　　〃We　came；〃　I　explained；　〃in　answer　to　your　wire。〃

　　〃My　wire！　I　sent　no　wire。〃

　　〃I　mean　the　wire　which　you　sent　to　Mr。　Josiah　Amberley　about　his

wife　and　his　money。〃

　　〃If　this　is　a　joke；　sir；　it　is　a　very　questionable　one；〃　said　the

vicar　angrily。　〃I　have　never　heard　of　the　gentleman　you　name；　and　I

have　not　sent　a　wire　to　anyone。〃

　　Our　client　and　I　looked　at　each　other　in　amazement。

　　〃Perhaps　there　is　some　mistake；〃　said　I；　〃are　there　perhaps　two

vicarages？　Here　is　the　wire　itself；　signed　Elman　and　dated　from　the

Vicarage。〃

　　〃There　is　only　one　vicarage；　sir；　and　only　one　vicar；　and　this

wire　is　a　scandalous　forgery；　the　origin　of　which　shall　certainly　be

investigated　by　the　police。　Meanwhile；　I　can　see　no　possible　object　in

prolonging　this　interview。〃

　　So　Mr。　Amberley　and　I　found　ourselves　on　the　roadside　in　what　seemed

to　me　to　be　the　most　primitive　village　in　England。　We　made　for　the

telegraph　office；　but　it　was　already　closed。　There　was　a　telephone；

however；　at　the　little　Railway　Arms；　and　by　it　I　got　into　touch　with

Holmes；　who　shared　in　our　amazement　at　the　result　of　our　journey。

　　〃Most　singular！〃　said　the　distant　voice。　〃Most　remarkable！　I　much

fear；　my　dear　Watson；　that　there　is　no　return　train　to…night。　I　have

unwittingly　condemned　you　to　the　horrors　of　a　country　inn。　However；

there　is　always　Nature；　Watson…　Nature　and　Josiah　Amberley…　you　can　be

in　close　commune　with　both。〃　I　heard　his　dry　chuckle　as　he　turned

away。

　　It　was　soon　apparent　to　me　that　my　companion's　reputation　as　a　miser

was　not　undeserved。　he　had　grumbled　at　the　expense　of　the　journey；　had

insisted　upon　travelling　third…class；　and　was　now　clamorous　in　his

objections　to　the　hotel　bill。　Next　morning；　when　we　did　at　last　arrive

in　London；　it　was　hard　to　say　which　of　us　was　in　the　worse　humour。