the adventure of the solitary cyclist-第2节

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surprised　I　was；　Mr。　Holmes；　when；　on　my　return　on　the　Monday；　I　saw

the　same　man　on　the　same　stretch　of　road。　My　astonishment　was

increased　when　the　incident　occurred　again；　exactly　as　before；　on

the　following　Saturday　and　Monday。　He　always　kept　his　distance　and　did

not　molest　me　in　any　way；　but　still　it　certainly　was　very　odd。　I

mentioned　it　to　Mr。　Carruthers；　who　seemed　interested　in　what　I

said；　and　told　me　that　he　had　ordered　a　horse　and　trap；　so　that　in

future　I　should　not　pass　over　these　lonely　roads　without　some

companion。

　　〃The　horse　and　trap　were　to　have　come　this　week；　but　for　some　reason

they　were　not　delivered；　and　again　I　had　to　cycle　to　the　station。　That

was　this　morning。　You　can　think　that　I　looked　out　when　I　came　to

Charlington　Heath；　and　there；　sure　enough；　was　the　man；　exactly　as

he　had　been　the　two　weeks　before。　He　always　kept　so　far　from　me　that　I

could　not　clearly　see　his　face；　but　it　was　certainly　someone　whom　I

did　not　know。　He　was　dressed　in　a　dark　suit　with　a　cloth　cap。　The　only

thing　about　his　face　that　I　could　clearly　see　was　his　dark　beard。

To…day　I　was　not　alarmed；　but　I　was　filled　with　curiosity；　and　I

determined　to　find　out　who　he　was　and　what　he　wanted。　I　slowed　down　my

machine；　but　he　slowed　down　his。　Then　I　stopped　altogether；　but　he

stopped　also。　Then　I　laid　a　trap　for　him。　There　is　a　sharp　turning

of　the　road；　and　I　pedalled　very　quickly　round　this；　and　then　I

stopped　and　waited。　I　expected　him　to　shoot　round　and　pass　me　before

he　could　stop。　But　he　never　appeared。　Then　I　went　back　and　looked

round　the　corner。　I　could　see　a　mile　of　road；　but　he　was　not　on　it。　To

make　it　the　more　extraordinary；　there　was　no　side　road　at　this　point

down　which　he　could　have　gone。〃

　　Holmes　chuckled　and　rubbed　his　hands。　〃This　case　certainly

presents　some　features　of　its　own；〃　said　he。　〃How　much　time　elapsed

between　your　turning　the　corner　and　your　discovery　that　the　road　was

clear？〃

　　〃Two　or　three　minutes。〃

　　〃Then　he　could　not　have　retreated　down　the　road；　and　you　say　that

there　are　no　side　roads？〃

　　〃None。〃

　　〃Then　he　certainly　took　a　footpath　on　one　side　or　the　other。〃

　　〃It　could　not　have　been　on　the　side　of　the　heath；　or　I　should　have

seen　him。〃

　　〃So；　by　the　process　of　exclusion；　we　arrive　at　the　fact　that　he　made

his　way　toward　Charlington　Hall；　which；　as　I　understand；　is　situated

in　its　own　grounds　on　one　side　of　the　road。　Anything　else？〃

　　〃Nothing；　Mr。　Holmes；　save　that　I　was　so　perplexed　that　I　felt　I

should　not　be　happy　until　I　had　seen　you　and　had　your　advice。〃

　　Holmes　sat　in　silence　for　some　little　time。

　　〃Where　is　the　gentleman　to　whom　you　are　engaged？〃　he　asked　at　last。

　　〃He　is　in　the　Midland　Electrical　Company；　at　Coventry。〃

　　〃He　would　not　pay　you　a　surprise　visit？〃

　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Holmes！　As　if　I　should　not　know　him！〃

　　〃Have　you　had　any　other　admirers？〃

　　〃Several　before　I　knew　Cyril。〃

　　〃And　since？〃

　　〃There　was　this　dreadful　man；　Woodley；　if　you　can　call　him　an

admirer。〃

　　〃No　one　else？〃

　　Our　fair　client　seemed　a　little　confused。

　　〃Who　was　he？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　〃Oh；　it　may　be　a　mere　fancy　of　mine；　but　it　had　seemed　to　me

sometimes　that　my　employer；　Mr。　Carruthers；　takes　a　great　deal　of

interest　in　me。　We　are　thrown　rather　together。　I　play　his

accompaniments　in　the　evening。　He　has　never　said　anything。　He　is　a

perfect　gentleman。　But　a　girl　always　knows。〃

　　〃Ha！〃　Holmes　looked　grave。　〃What　does　he　do　for　a　living？〃

　　〃He　is　a　rich　man。〃

　　〃No　carriages　or　horses？〃

　　〃Well；　at　least　he　is　fairly　well…to…do。　But　he　goes　into　the　city

two　or　three　times　a　week。　He　is　deeply　interested　in　South　African

gold　shares。〃

　　〃You　will　let　me　know　any　fresh　development；　Miss　Smith。　I　am　very

busy　just　now；　but　I　will　find　time　to　make　some　inquiries　into　your

case。　In　the　meantime；　take　no　step　without　letting　me　know。　Good…bye；

and　I　trust　that　we　shall　have　nothing　but　good　news　from　you。〃

　　〃It　is　part　of　the　settled　order　of　Nature　that　such　a　girl　should

have　followers；〃　said　Holmes；　he　pulled　at　his　meditative　pipe；　〃but

for　choice　not　on　bicycles　in　lonely　country　roads。　Some　secretive

lover；　beyond　all　doubt。　But　there　are　curious　and　suggestive

details　about　the　case；　Watson。〃

　　〃That　he　should　appear　only　at　that　point？〃

　　〃Exactly。　Our　first　effort　must　be　to　find　who　are　the　tenants　of

Charlington　Hall。　Then；　again；　how　about　the　connection　between

Carruthers　and　Woodley；　since　they　appear　to　be　men　of　such　a

different　type？　How　came　they　both　to　be　so　keen　upon　looking　up　Ralph

Smith's　relations？　One　more　point。　What　sort　of　a　menage　is　it　which

pays　double　the　market　price　for　a　governess　but　does　not　keep　a

horse；　although　six　miles　from　the　station？　Odd；　Watson…　very　odd！〃

　　〃You　will　go　down？〃

　　〃No；　my　dear　fellow；　you　will　go　down。　This　may　be　some　trifling

intrigue；　and　I　cannot　break　my　other　important　research　for　the

sake　of　it。　On　Monday　you　will　arrive　early　at　Farnham；　you　will

conceal　yourself　near　Charlington　Heath；　you　will　observe　these

facts　for　yourself；　and　act　as　your　own　judgment　advises。　Then；　having

inquired　as　to　the　occupants　of　the　Hall；　you　will　come　back　to　me　and

report。　And　now；　Watson；　not　another　word　of　the　matter　until　we

have　a　few　solid　steppingstones　on　which　we　may　hope　to　get　across

to　our　solution。〃

　　We　had　ascertained　from　the　lady　that　she　went　down　upon　the

Monday　by　the　train　which　leaves　Waterloo　at　9：50；　so　I　started

early　and　caught　the　9：13。　At　Farnham　Station　I　had　no　difficulty　in

being　directed　to　Charlington　Heath。　It　was　impossible　to　mistake

scene　of　the　young　lady's　adventure；　for　the　road　runs　between　the

open　heath　on　one　side　and　an　old　yew　hedge　upon　the　other；

surrounding　a　park　which　is　studded　with　magnificent　trees。　There

was　a　main　gateway　of　lichen…studded　stone；　each　side　pillar

surmounted　by　mouldering　heraldic　emblems；　but　besides　this　central

carriage　drive　I　observed　several　points　where　there　were　gaps　in

the　hedge　and　paths　leading　through　them。　The　house　was　invisible　from

the　road；　but　the　surroundings　all　spoke　of　gloom　and　decay。

　　The　heath　was　covered　with　golden　patches　of　flowering　gorse；

gleaming　magnificently　in　the　light　of　the　bright　spring　sunshine。

Behind　of　these　clumps　I　took　up　my　position；　so　as　to　command　both

the　gateway　of　the　Hall　and　a　long　stretch　of　the　road　upon　either

side。　It　had　been　deserted　when　I　left　it；　but　now　I　saw　a　cyclist

riding　down　it　from　the　opposite　direction　to　that　in　which　I　had

come。　He　was　clad　in　a　dark　suit；　and　I　saw　that　he　had　a　black　beard。

On　reaching　the　end　of　the　Charlington　grounds；　he　sprang　from　his

machine　and　led　it　through　a　gap　in　the　hedge；　disappearing　from　my

view。

　　A　quarter　of　an　hour　passed；　and　then　a　second　cyclist　appeared。

This　time　it　was　the　young　lady　coming　from　the　station。　I　saw　her

look　about　her　as　she　came　to　the　Charlington　hedge。　An　instant

later　the　man　emerged　from　his　hiding…place；　sprang　upon　his　cycle；

and　followed　her。　In　all　the　broad　landscape　those　were　the　only

moving　figures；　the　graceful　girl　sitting　very　straight　upon　her

machine；　and　the　man　behind　her　bending　low　over　his　handle…bar　with　a

curiously　furtive　suggestion　in　every　movement。　She　looked　back　at　him

and　slowed　her　pace。　He　slowed　also。　She　stopped。　He　at　once

stopped；　too；　keeping　two　hundred　yards　behind　her。　Her　next

movement　was　as　unexpected　as　it　was　spirited。　She　suddenly　whisked

her　wheels　round　and　dashed　straight　at　him。　He　was　as　quick　as　she；

however；　and　darted　off　in　desperate　flight。　Presently　she　came　back

up　the　road　again；　her　head　haughtily　in　the　air；　not　deigning　to　take

any　further　notice　of　her　silent　attendant。　He　had　turned　also；　and

still　kept　his　distance　until　the　curve　of　the　road　hid　them　from　my

sight。

　　I　remained　in　my　hiding…place；　and　it　was　well　that　I　did　so；　for

presently　the　man　reappeared；　cycling　slowly　back。　He　turned　in　at　the

Hall　gates；　and　dismounted　from　his　machine。　For　some　minutes　I

could　see　him　standing　among　the　trees。　His　hands　were　raised；　and

he　seemed　to　be　settling　his　necktie。　Then　he　mounted　his　cycle；　and

rode　away　from　me　down　the　drive　towards　the　Hall。　I　ran　across　the

heath　and　peered　through　the　trees。　Far　away　I　could　catch　glimpses　of

the　old　gray　building　with　its　bristling　Tudor　chimneys；　but　the　drive

ran　through　a　dense　shrubbery；　and　I　saw　no　more　of　my　man。

　　However；　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　done　a　fairly　good　morning's

work；　and　I　walked　back　in　high　spirits　to　Farnham。　The　local　house

agent　could　tell　me　nothing　about　Charlington　Hall；　and　referred　me　to

a　well　known　firm　in　Pall　Mall。　There　I　halted　on　my　way　home；　and　met

with　courtesy　from　the　representative。　No；　I　could　not　have

Charlington　Hall　for　the　summer。　I　was　just　too　late。　It　had　been

let　about　a　month　ago。　Mr。　Williamson　was　the　name　of　the　tenant。　He

was　a　respectable；　elderly　gentleman。　The　polite　agent　was　afraid　he

could　say　no　more；　as　the　affairs　of　his　clients　were　not　matters

which　he　could　discuss。

　　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes