the adventure of the noble bachelor-第3节

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over　into　the　pew。　There　was　a　moment's　delay；　but　the　gentleman　in

the　pew　handed　it　up　to　her　again；　and　it　did　not　appear　to　be　the

worse　for　the　fall。　Yet　when　I　spoke　to　her　of　the　matter；　she

answered　me　abruptly；　and　in　the　carriage；　on　our　way　home；　she　seemed

absurdly　agitated　over　this　trifling　cause。〃

　　〃Indeed　You　say　that　there　was　a　gentleman　in　the　pew。　Some　of　the

general　public　were　present；　then？〃

　　〃Oh；　yes。　It　is　impossible　to　exclude　them　when　the　church　is　open。〃

　　〃This　gentleman　was　not　one　of　your　wife's　friends？〃

　　〃No；　no；　I　call　him　a　gentleman　by　courtesy；　but　he　was　quite　a

common　looking　person。　I　hardly　noticed　his　appearance。　But　really　I

think　that　we　are　wandering　rather　far　from　the　point。〃

　　〃Lady　St。　Simon；　then；　returned　from　the　wedding　in　a　less

cheerful　frame　of　mind　than　she　had　gone　to　it。　What　did　she　do　on

reentering　her　father's　house？〃

　　〃I　saw　her　in　conversation　with　her　maid。〃

　　〃And　who　is　her　maid？〃

　　〃Alice　is　her　name。　She　is　an　American　and　came　from　California　with

her。〃

　　〃A　confidential　servant？〃

　　〃A　little　too　much　so。　It　seemed　to　me　that　her　mistress　allowed　her

to　take　great　liberties。　Still；　of　course；　in　America　they　look　upon

these　things　in　a　different　way。

　　〃How　long　did　she　speak　to　this　Alice？〃

　　〃Oh；　a　few　minutes。　I　had　something　else　to　think　of。〃

　　〃You　did　not　overhear　what　they　said？〃

　　〃Lady　St。　Simon　said　something　about　'jumping　a　claim。'　She　was

accustomed　to　use　slang　of　the　kind。　I　have　no　idea　what　she　meant。〃

　　〃American　slang　is　very　expressive　sometimes。　And　what　did　your　wife

do　when　she　finished　speaking　to　her　maid？〃

　　〃She　walked　into　the　breakfast…room。〃

　　〃On　your　arm？〃

　　〃No；　alone。　She　was　very　independent　in　little　matters　like　that。

Then；　after　we　had　sat　down　for　ten　minutes　or　so；　she　rose　hurriedly；

muttered　some　words　of　apology；　and　left　the　room。　She　never　came

back。〃

　　〃But　this　maid；　Alice；　as　I　understand；　deposes　that　she　went　to　her

room；　covered　her　bride's　dress　with　a　long　ulster；　put　on　a　bonnet；

and　went　out。〃

　　〃Quite　so。　And　she　was　afterwards　seen　walking　into　Hyde　Park　in

company　with　Flora　Millar；　a　woman　who　is　now　in　custody；　and　who

had　already　made　a　disturbance　at　Mr。　Doran's　house　that　morning。〃

　　〃Ah；　yes。　I　should　like　a　few　particulars　as　to　this　young　lady；　and

your　relations　to　her。〃

　　Lord　St。　Simon　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　raised　his　eyebrows。　〃We

have　been　on　a　friendly　footing　for　some　years…I　may　say　on　a　very

friendly　footing。　She　used　to　be　at　the　Allegro。　I　have　not　treated

her　ungenerously；　and　she　had　no　just　cause　of　complaint　against　me；

but　you　know　what　women　are；　Mr。　Holmes。　Flora　was　a　dear　little

thing；　but　exceedingly　hot…headed　and　devotedly　attached　to　me。　She

wrote　me　dreadful　letters　when　she　heard　I　was　about　to　be　married；

and；　to　tell　the　truth；　the　reason　why　I　had　the　marriage　celebrated

so　quietly　was　that　I　feared　lest　there　might　be　a　scandal　in　the

church。　She　came　to　Mr。　Doran's　door　just　after　we　returned；　and　she

endeavoured　to　push　her　way　in；　uttering　very　abusive　expressions　my

wife；　and　even　threatening　her；　but　I　had　foreseen　the　possibility

of　something　of　the　sort；　and　I　had　two　police　fellows　there　in

private　clothes；　who　soon　pushed　her　out　again。　She　was　quiet　when　she

saw　that　there　was　no　good　in　making　a　row。〃

　　〃Did　your　wife　hear　all　this？〃

　　〃No；　thank　goodness；　she　did　not。〃

　　〃And　she　was　seen　walking　with　this　very　woman　afterwards？〃

　　〃Yes。　That　is　what　Mr。　Lestrade；　of　Scotland　Yard；　looks　upon　as

so　serious。　It　is　thought　that　Flora　decoyed　my　wife　out　and　laid　some

terrible　trap　for　her。〃

　　〃Well；　it　is　a　possible　supposition。〃

　　〃You　think　so；　too？〃

　　〃I　did　not　say　a　probable　one。　But　you　do　not　yourself　look　upon

this　as　likely？〃

　　〃I　do　not　think　Flora　would　hurt　a　fly。〃

　　〃Still；　jealousy　is　a　strange　transformer　of　characters。　Pray　what

is　your　own　theory　as　to　what　took　place？〃

　　〃Well；　really；　I　came　to　seek　a　theory；　not　to　propound　one。　I

have　given　you　all　the　facts。　Since　you　ask　me；　however；　I　may　say

that　it　has　occurred　to　me　as　possible　that　the　excitement　of　this

affair；　the　consciousness　that　she　had　made　so　immense　a　social

stride；　had　the　effect　of　causing　some　little　nervous　disturbance　in

my　wife。〃

　　〃In　short；　that　she　had　become　suddenly　deranged？〃

　　〃Well；　really；　when　I　consider　that　she　has　turned　her　back…I　will

not　say　upon　me；　but　upon　so　much　that　many　have　aspired　to　without

success…I　can　hardly　explain　it　in　any　other　fashion。〃

　　〃Well；　certainly　that　is　also　a　conceivable　hypothesis；〃　said

Holmes；　smiling。　〃And　now；　Lord　St。　Simon；　I　think　that　I　have

nearly　all　my　data。　May　I　ask　whether　you　were　seated　at　the

breakfast…table　so　that　you　could　see　out　of　the　window？〃

　　〃We　could　see　the　other　side　of　the　road　and　the　Park。〃

　　〃Quite　so。　Then　I　do　not　think　that　I　need　to　detain　you　longer。　I

shall　communicate　with　you。〃

　　〃Should　you　be　fortunate　enough　to　solve　this　problem；〃　said　our

client；　rising。

　　〃I　have　solved　it。〃

　　〃Eh？　What　was　that？〃

　　〃I　say　that　I　have　solved　it。〃

　　〃Where；　then；　is　my　wife？〃

　　〃That　is　a　detail　which　I　shall　speedily　supply。〃

　　Lord　St。　Simon　shook　his　head。　〃I　am　afraid　that　it　will　take

wiser　heads　than　yours　or　mine；〃　he　remarked；　and　bowing　in　a　stately；

old…fashioned　manner　he　departed。

　　〃It　is　very　good　of　Lord　St。　Simon　to　honour　my　head　by　putting　it

on　a　level　with　his　own；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes；　laughing。　〃I　think

that　i　shall　have　a　whisky　and　soda　and　a　cigar　after　all　this

cross…questioning。　I　had　formed　my　conclusions　as　to　the　case　before

our　client　came　into　the　room。〃

　　〃My　dear　Holmes！〃

　　〃I　have　notes　of　several　similar　cases；　though　none；　as　I　remarked

before；　which　were　quite　as　prompt。　My　whole　examination　served　to

turn　my　conjecture　into　a　certainty。　Circumstantial　evidence　is

occasionally　very　convincing；　as　when　you　find　a　trout　in　the　milk；　to

quote　Thoreau's　example。〃

　　〃But　I　have　heard　all　that　you　have　heard。〃

　　〃Without；　however；　the　knowledge　of　prexisting　cases　which　serves　me

so　well。　There　was　a　parallel　instance　in　Aberdeen　some　years　back；

and　something　on　very　much　the　same　lines　at　Munich　the　year　after　the

Franco…Prussian　War。　It　is　one　of　these　cases…but；　hello；　here　is

Lestrade！　Good…afternoon；　Lestrade！　You　will　find　an　extra　tumbler

upon　the　sideboard；　and　there　are　cigars　in　the　box。〃

　　The　official　detective　was　attired　in　a　pea…jacket　and　cravat

which　gave　him　a　decidedly　nautical　appearance；　and　he　carried　a　black

canvas　bag　in　his　hand。　With　a　short　greeting　he　seated　himself　and

lit　the　cigar　which　had　been　offered　to　him。

　　〃What's　up；　then？〃　asked　Holmes　with　a　twinkle　in　his　eye。　〃You　look

dissatisfied。〃

　　〃And　I　feel　dissatisfied。　It　is　this　infernal　St。　Simon　marriage

case。　I　can　make　neither　head　nor　tail　of　the　business。〃

　　〃Really！　You　surprise　me。〃

　　〃Who　ever　heard　of　such　a　mixed　affair？　Every　clue　seems　to　slip

through　my　fingers。　I　have　been　at　work　upon　it　all　day。〃

　　〃And　very　wet　it　seems　to　have　made　you；〃　said　Holmes；　laying　his

hand　upon　the　arm　of　the　pea…jacket。

　　〃Yes；　I　have　been　dragging　the　Serpentine。〃

　　〃In　heaven's　name；　what　for？〃

　　〃In　search　of　the　body　of　lady　St。　Simon。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　laughed　heartily。

　　〃Have　you　dragged　the　basin　of　Trafalgar　Square　fountain？〃　he　asked。

　　〃Why？　What　do　you　mean？〃

　　〃Because　you　have　just　as　good　a　chance　of　finding　this　lady　in

the　one　as　in　the　other。〃

　　Lestrade　shot　an　angry　glance　at　my　companion。　〃I　suppose　you　know

all　about　it〃　he　snarled。

　　〃Well；　I　have　only　just　heard　the　facts；　but　my　mind　is　made　up。〃

　　〃Oh；　indeed！　Then　you　think　that　the　Serpentine　plays　no　part　in　the

matter？〃

　　〃I　think　it　very　unlikely。〃

　　〃Then　perhaps　you　will　kindly　explain　how　it　is　that　we　found　this

in　it？〃　He　opened　his　bag　as　he　spoke；　and　tumbled　onto　the　floor　a

wedding…dress　of　watered　silk；　a　pair　of　white　satin　shoes；　and　a

bride's　wreath　and　veil；　all　discoloured　and　soaked　in　water。　〃There；〃

said　he；　putting　a　new　wedding…ring　upon　the　top　of　the　pile。　〃There

is　a　little　nut　for　you　to　crack；　Master　Holmes。〃

　　〃Oh；　indeed！〃　said　my　friend；　blowing　blue　rings　into　the　air。

〃You　dragged　them　from　the　Serpentine？〃

　　〃No。　They　were　found　floating　near　the　margin　by　a　park…keeper。　They

have　been　identified　as　her　clothes；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　if　the

clothes　were　there　the　body　would　not　be　far　off。〃

　　〃By　the　same　brilliant　reasoning；　every　man's　body　is　to　be　found　in

the　neighbourhood　of　his　wardrobe。　And　pray　what　did　you　hope　to

arrive　at　through　this？〃

　　〃At　some　evidence　implicating　Flora　Millar　in　the　disappearance。〃

　　〃I　am　afraid　that　you　will　find　it　difficult。〃

　　〃Are　you；　indeed；　now？〃　cried　Lestrade　with　some　bitterness。　I　am

afraid；　Holmes；　that　you　are　not　very　practical　with　your　deductions

and　your　inferences。　You　have　made　two　blunders　in　as　many　minutes。

This　dress　does　implicate　Miss　Flora　Millar。〃