the adventure of the missing three-quarter-第2节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


relative；　Lord　Mount…James；　you　have　then　to　explain　the　visit　of　this

rough…looking　fellow　at　so　late　an　hour；　and　the　agitation　that　was

caused　by　his　coming。〃

　　Cyril　Overton　pressed　his　hands　to　his　head。　〃I　can　make　nothing

of　it；〃　said　he。

　　〃Well；　well；　I　have　a　clear　day；　and　I　shall　be　happy　to　look　into

the　matter；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I　should　strongly　recommend　you　to　make

your　preparations　for　your　match　without　reference　to　this　young

gentleman。　It　must；　as　you　say；　have　been　an　overpowering　necessity

which　tore　him　away　in　such　a　fashion；　and　the　same　necessity　is

likely　to　hold　him　away。　Let　us　step　round　together　to　the　hotel；

and　see　if　the　porter　can　throw　any　fresh　light　upon　the　matter。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　was　a　past…master　in　the　art　of　putting　a　humble

witness　at　his　ease；　and　very　soon；　in　the　privacy　of　Godfrey

Staunton's　abandoned　room；　he　had　extracted　all　that　the　porter　had　to

tell。　The　visitor　of　the　night　before　was　not　a　gentleman；　neither　was

he　a　workingman。　He　was　simply　what　the　porter　described　as　a

〃medium　looking　chap；〃　a　man　of　fifty；　beard　grizzled；　pale　face；

quietly　dressed。　He　seemed　himself　to　be　agitated。　The　porter　had

observed　his　hand　trembling　when　he　had　held　out　the　note。　Godfrey

Staunton　had　crammed　the　note　into　his　pocket。　Staunton　had　not　shaken

hands　with　the　man　in　the　hall。　They　had　exchanged　a　few　sentences；　of

which　the　porter　had　only　distinguished　the　one　word　〃time。〃　Then　they

had　hurried　off　in　the　manner　described。　It　was　just　half…past　ten

by　the　hall　clock。

　　〃Let　me　see；〃　said　Holmes；　seating　himself　on　Staunton's　bed。　〃You

are　the　day　porter；　are　you　not？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　I　go　off　duty　at　eleven。〃

　　〃The　night　porter　saw　nothing；　I　suppose？〃

　　〃No；　sir；　one　theatre　party　came　in　late。　No　one　else。〃

　　〃Were　you　on　duty　all　day　yesterday？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。〃

　　〃Did　you　take　any　messages　to　Mr。　Staunton？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　one　telegram。〃

　　〃Ah！　that's　interesting。　What　o'clock　was　this？〃

　　〃About　six。〃

　　〃Where　was　Mr。　Staunton　when　he　received　it？〃

　　〃Here　in　his　room。〃

　　〃Were　you　present　when　he　opened　it？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　I　waited　to　see　if　there　was　an　answer。〃

　　〃Well；　was　there？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　he　wrote　an　answer。〃

　　〃Did　you　take　it？〃

　　〃No；　he　took　it　himself。〃

　　〃But　he　wrote　it　in　your　presence。〃　　〃Yes；　sir。　I　was　standing　by

the　door；　and　he　with　his　back　turned　to　that　table。　When　he　had

written　it；　he　said：　'All　right；　porter；　I　will　take　this　myself。'〃

　　〃What　did　he　write　it　with？〃

　　〃A　pen；　sir。〃

　　〃Was　the　telegraphic　form　one　of　these　on　the　table？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　it　was　the　top　one。〃

　　Holmes　rose。　Taking　the　forms；　he　carried　them　over　to　the　window

and　carefully　examined　that　which　was　uppermost。

　　〃It　is　a　pity　he　did　not　write　in　pencil；〃　said　he；　throwing　them

down　again　with　a　shrug　of　disappointment。　〃As　you　have　no　doubt

frequently　observed；　Watson；　the　impression　usually　goes　through…　a

fact　which　has　dissolved　many　a　happy　marriage。　However；　I　can　find　no

trace　here。　I　rejoice；　however；　to　perceive　that　he　wrote　with　a

broad…pointed　quill　pen；　and　I　can　hardly　doubt　that　we　will　find　some

impression　upon　this　blotting…pad。　Ah；　yes；　surely　this　is　the　very

thing！〃

　　He　tore　off　a　strip　of　the　blotting…paper　and　turned　towards　us

the　following　hieroglyphic：



　　（See　illustration。）



　　Cyril　Overton　was　much　excited。　〃Hold　it　to　the　glass！〃　he　cried。

　　〃That　is　unnecessary；〃　said　Holmes。　〃The　paper　is　thin；　and　the

reverse　will　give　the　message。　Here　it　is。〃　He　turned　it　over；　and

we　read：

　　（See　illustration。）

　　〃So　that　is　the　tail　end　of　the　telegram　which　Godfrey　Staunton

dispatched　within　a　few　hours　of　his　disappearance。　There　are　at　least

six　words　of　the　message　which　have　escaped　us；　but　what　remains…

'Stand　by　us　for　God's　sake！'…　proves　that　this　young　man　saw　a

formidable　danger　which　approached　him；　and　from　which　someone　else

could　protect　him。　'Us；'　mark　you！　Another　person　was　involved。　Who

should　it　be　but　the　pale…faced；　bearded　man；　who　seemed　himself　in　so

nervous　a　state？　What；　then；　is　the　connection　between　Godfrey

Staunton　and　the　bearded　man？　And　what　is　the　third　source　from

which　each　of　them　sought　for　help　against　pressing　danger？　Our

inquiry　has　already　narrowed　down　to　that。〃

　　〃We　have　only　to　find　to　whom　that　telegram　is　addressed；〃　I

suggested。

　　〃Exactly；　my　dear　Watson。　Your　reflection；　though　profound；　had

already　crossed　my　mind。　But　I　daresay　it　may　have　come　to　your　notice

that；　if　you　walk　into　a　postoffice　and　demand　to　see　the

counterfoil　of　another　man's　message；　there　may　be　some　disinclination

on　the　part　of　the　officials　to　oblige　you。　There　is　so　much　red

tape　in　these　matters。　However；　I　have　no　doubt　that　with　a　little

delicacy　and　finesse　the　end　may　be　attained。　Meanwhile；　I　should　like

in　your　presence；　Mr。　Overton；　to　go　through　these　papers　which　have

been　left　upon　the　table。〃

　　There　were　a　number　of　letters；　bills；　and　notebooks；　which　Holmes

turned　over　and　examined　with　quick；　nervous　fingers　and　darting；

penetrating　eyes。　〃Nothing　here；〃　he　said；　at　last。　〃By　the　way；　I

suppose　your　friend　was　a　healthy　young　fellow…　nothing　amiss　with

him？〃

　　〃Sound　as　a　bell。〃

　　〃Have　you　ever　known　him　ill？〃

　　〃Not　a　day。　He　has　been　laid　up　with　a　hack；　and　once　he　slipped　his

knee…cap；　but　that　was　nothing。〃

　　〃Perhaps　he　was　not　so　strong　as　you　suppose。　I　should　think　he

may　have　had　some　secret　trouble。　With　your　assent；　I　will　put　one

or　two　of　these　papers　in　my　pocket；　in　case　they　should　bear　upon　our

future　inquiry。〃

　　〃One　moment…　one　moment！〃　cried　a　querulous　voice；　and　we　looked

up　to　find　a　queer　little　old　man；　jerking　and　twitching　in　the

doorway。　He　was　dressed　in　rusty　black；　with　a　very　broad…brimmed

top…hat　and　a　loose　white　necktie…　the　whole　effect　being　that　of　a

very　rustic　parson　or　of　an　undertaker's　mute。　Yet；　in　spite　of　his

shabby　and　even　absurd　appearance；　his　voice　had　a　sharp　crackle；

and　his　manner　a　quick　intensity　which　commanded　attention。

　　〃Who　are　you；　sir；　and　by　what　right　do　you　touch　this　gentleman's

papers？〃　he　asked。

　　〃I　am　a　private　detective；　and　I　am　endeavouring　to　explain　his

disappearance。〃

　　〃Oh；　you　are；　are　you？　And　who　instructed　you；　eh？〃

　　〃This　gentleman；　Mr。　Staunton's　friend；　was　referred　to　me　by

Scotland　Yard。〃

　　〃Who　are　you；　sir？〃

　　〃I　am　Cyril　Overton。〃

　　〃Then　it　is　you　who　sent　me　a　telegram。　My　name　is　Lord　Mount…James。

I　came　round　as　quickly　as　the　Bayswater　bus　would　bring　me。　So　you

have　instructed　a　detective？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。〃

　　〃And　are　you　prepared　to　meet　the　cost？〃

　　〃I　have　no　doubt；　sir；　that　my　friend　Godfrey；　when　we　find　him；

will　be　prepared　to　do　that。〃

　　〃But　if　he　is　never　found；　eh？　Answer　me　that！〃

　　〃In　that　case；　no　doubt　his　family…〃

　　〃Nothing　of　the　sort；　sir！〃　screamed　the　little　man。　〃Don't　look

to　me　for　a　penny…　not　a　penny！　You　understand　that；　Mr。　Detective！

I　am　all　the　family　that　this　young　man　has　got；　and　I　tell　you　that　I

am　not　responsible。　If　he　has　any　expectations　it　is　due　to　the　fact

that　I　have　never　wasted　money；　and　I　do　not　propose　to　begin　to　do　so

now。　As　to　those　papers　with　which　you　are　making　so　free；　I　may

tell　you　that　in　case　there　should　be　anything　of　any　value　among

them；　you　will　be　held　strictly　to　account　for　what　you　do　with　them。〃

　　〃Very　good；　sir；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。　〃May　I　ask；　in　the

meanwhile；　whether　you　have　yourself　any　theory　to　account　for　this

young　man's　disappearance？〃

　　〃No；　sir；　I　have　not。　He　is　big　enough　and　old　enough　to　look

after　himself；　and　if　he　is　so　foolish　as　to　lose　himself；　I

entirely　refuse　to　accept　the　responsibility　of　hunting　for　him。〃

　　〃I　quite　understand　your　position；〃　said　Holmes；　with　a

mischievous　twinkle　in　his　eyes。　〃Perhaps　you　don't　quite　understand

mine。　Godfrey　Staunton　appears　to　have　been　a　poor　man。　If　he　has　been

kidnapped；　it　could　not　have　been　for　anything　which　he　himself

possesses。　The　fame　of　your　wealth　has　gone　abroad；　Lord

Mount…James；　and　it　is　entirely　possible　that　a　gang　of　thieves　have

secured　your　nephew　in　order　to　gain　from　him　some　information　as　to

your　house；　your　habits；　and　your　treasure。〃

　　The　face　of　our　unpleasant　little　visitor　turned　as　white　as　his

neckcloth。

　　〃Heavens；　sir；　what　an　idea！　I　never　thought　of　such　villainy！

What　inhuman　rogues　there　are　in　the　world！　But　Godfrey　is　a　fine　lad…

a　staunch　lad。　Nothing　would　induce　him　to　give　his　old　uncle　away。

I'll　have　the　plate　moved　over　to　the　bank　this　evening。　In　the

meantime　spare　no　pains；　Mr。　Detective！　I　beg　you　to　leave　no　stone

unturned　to　bring　him　safely　back。　As　to　money；　well；　so　far　as　a

fiver　or　even　a　tenner　goes　you　can　always　look　to　me。〃

　　Even　in　his　chastened　frame　of　mind；　the　noble　miser　could　give　us

no　information　which　could　help　us；　for　he　knew　little　of　the

private　life　of　his　nephew。　Our　only　clue　lay　in　the　truncated

telegram；　and　with　a　copy　of　this　in　his　hand　Holmes　set　forth　to　find

a　second　link　for　his