the adventure of the missing three-quarter-第4节

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was　more　calculated　to　fill　the　gap　left　by　the　illustrious

Moriarty。　And　now；　my　poor　Watson；　here　we　are；　stranded　and

friendless　in　this　inhospitable　town；　which　we　cannot　leave　without

abandoning　our　case。　This　little　inn　just　opposite　Armstrong's　house

is　singularly　adapted　to　our　needs。　If　you　would　engage　a　front　room

and　purchase　the　necessaries　for　the　night；　I　may　have　time　to　make

a　few　inquiries。〃

　　These　few　inquiries　proved；　however；　to　be　a　more　lengthy　proceeding

than　Holmes　had　imagined；　for　he　did　not　return　to　the　inn　until

nearly　nine　o'clock。　He　was　pale　and　dejected；　stained　with　dust；

and　exhausted　with　hunger　and　fatigue。　A　cold　supper　was　ready　upon

the　table；　and　when　his　needs　were　satisfied　and　his　pipe　alight　he

was　ready　to　take　that　half　comic　and　wholly　philosophic　view　which

was　natural　to　him　when　his　affairs　were　going　awry。　The　sound　of

carriage　wheels　caused　him　to　rise　and　glance　out　of　the　window。　A

brougham　and　pair　of　grays；　under　the　glare　of　a　gas…lamp；　stood

before　the　doctor's　door。

　　〃It's　been　out　three　hours；〃　said　Holmes；　〃started　at　half…past　six；

and　here　it　is　back　again。　That　gives　a　radius　of　ten　or　twelve　miles；

and　he　does　it　once；　or　sometimes　twice；　a　day。〃

　　〃No　unusual　thing　for　a　doctor　in　practice。〃

　　〃But　Armstrong　is　not　really　a　doctor　in　practice。　He　is　a

lecturer　and　a　consultant；　but　he　does　not　care　for　general

practice；　which　distracts　him　from　his　literary　work。　Why；　then；

does　he　make　these　long　journeys；　which　must　be　exceedingly　irksome　to

him；　and　who　is　it　that　he　visits？〃

　　〃His　coachman…〃

　　〃My　dear　Watson；　can　you　doubt　that　it　was　to　him　that　I　first

applied？　I　do　not　know　whether　it　came　from　his　own　innate　depravity

or　from　the　promptings　of　his　master；　but　he　was　rude　enough　to　set

a　dog　at　me。　Neither　dog　nor　man　liked　the　look　of　my　stick；

however；　and　the　matter　fell　through。　Relations　were　strained　after

that；　and　further　inquiries　out　of　the　question。　All　that　I　have

learned　I　got　from　a　friendly　native　in　the　yard　of　our　own　inn。　It

was　he　who　told　me　of　the　doctor's　habits　and　of　his　daily　journey。　At

that　instant；　to　give　point　to　his　words；　the　carriage　came　round　to

the　door。〃

　　〃Could　you　not　follow　it？〃

　　〃Excellent；　Watson！　You　are　scintillating　this　evening。　The　idea　did

cross　my　mind。　There　is；　as　you　may　have　observed；　a　bicycle　shop　next

to　our　inn。　Into　this　I　rushed；　engaged　a　bicycle；　and　was　able　to　get

started　before　the　carriage　was　quite　out　of　sight。　I　rapidly　overtook

it；　and　then；　keeping　at　a　discreet　distance　of　a　hundred　yards　or　so；

I　followed　its　lights　until　we　were　clear　of　the　town。　We　had　got　well

out　on　the　country　road；　when　a　somewhat　mortifying　incident　occurred。

The　carriage　stopped；　the　doctor　alighted；　walked　swiftly　back　to

where　I　had　also　halted；　and　told　me　in　an　excellent　sardonic

fashion　that　he　feared　the　road　was　narrow；　and　that　he　hoped　his

carriage　did　not　impede　the　passage　of　my　bicycle。　Nothing　could

have　been　more　admirable　than　his　way　of　putting　it。　I　at　once　rode

past　the　carriage；　and；　keeping　to　the　main　road；　I　went　on　for　a

few　miles；　and　then　halted　in　a　convenient　place　to　see　if　the

carriage　passed。　There　was　no　sign　of　it；　however；　and　so　it　became

evident　that　it　had　turned　down　one　of　several　side　roads　which　I

had　observed。　I　rode　back；　but　again　saw　nothing　of　the　carriage；

and　now；　as　you　perceive；　it　has　returned　after　me。　Of　course；　I　had

at　the　outset　no　particular　reason　to　connect　these　journeys　with

the　disappearance　of　Godfrey　Staunton；　and　was　only　inclined　to

investigate　them　on　the　general　grounds　that　everything　which　concerns

Dr。　Armstrong　is　at　present　of　interest　to　us；　but；　now　that　I　find　he

keeps　so　keen　a　look…out　upon　anyone　who　may　follow　him　on　these

excursions；　the　affair　appears　more　important；　and　I　shall　not　be

satisfied　until　I　have　made　the　matter　clear。〃

　　〃We　can　follow　him　to…morrow。〃

　　〃Can　we？　It　is　not　so　easy　as　you　seem　to　think。　You　are　not

familiar　with　Cambridgeshire　scenery；　are　you？　It　does　not　lend　itself

to　concealment。　All　this　country　that　I　passed　over　to…night　is　as

flat　and　clean　as　the　palm　of　your　hand；　and　the　man　we　are

following　is　no　fool；　as　he　very　clearly　showed　to…night。　I　have　wired

to　Overton　to　let　us　know　any　fresh　London　developments　at　this

address；　and　in　the　meantime　we　can　only　concentrate　our　attention

upon　Dr。　Armstrong；　whose　name　the　obliging　young　lady　at　the　office

allowed　me　to　read　upon　the　counterfoil　of　Staunton's　urgent

message。　He　knows　where　the　young　man　is…　to　that　I'll　swear；　and　if

he　knows；　then　it　must　be　our　own　fault　if　we　cannot　manage　to　know

also。　At　present　it　must　be　admitted　that　the　odd　trick　is　in　his

possession；　and；　as　you　are　aware；　Watson；　it　is　not　my　habit　to　leave

the　game　in　that　condition。〃

　　And　yet　the　next　day　brought　us　no　nearer　to　the　solution　of　the

mystery。　A　note　was　handed　in　after　breakfast；　which　Holmes　passed

across　to　me　with　a　smile。



　　SIR　＇it　ran＇：

　　I　can　assure　you　that　you　are　wasting　your　time　in　dogging　my

movements。　I　have；　as　you　discovered　last　night；　a　window　at　the

back　of　my　brougham；　and　if　you　desire　a　twenty…mile　ride　which　will

lead　you　to　the　spot　from　which　you　started；　you　have　only　to　follow

me。　Meanwhile；　I　can　inform　you　that　no　spying　upon　me　can　in　any

way　help　Mr。　Godfrey　Staunton；　and　I　am　convinced　that　the　best

service　you　can　do　to　that　gentleman　is　to　return　at　once　to　London

and　to　report　to　your　employer　that　you　are　unable　to　trace　him。

Your　time　in　Cambridge　will　certainly　be　wasted。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　faithfully；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LESLIE　ARMSTRONG。



　　〃An　outspoken；　honest　antagonist　is　the　doctor；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Well；

well；　he　excites　my　curiosity；　and　I　must　really　know　before　I　leave

him。〃

　　〃His　carriage　is　at　his　door　now；〃　said　I。〃There　he　is　stepping　into

it。　I　saw　him　glance　up　at　our　window　as　he　did　so。　Suppose　I　try　my

luck　upon　the　bicycle？〃

　　〃No；　no；　my　dear　Watson！　With　all　respect　for　your　natural　acumen；　I

do　not　think　that　you　are　quite　a　match　for　the　worthy　doctor。　I　think

that　possibly　I　can　attain　our　end　by　some　independent　explorations　of

my　own。　I　am　afraid　that　I　must　leave　you　to　your　own　devices；　as

the　appearance　of　two　inquiring　strangers　upon　a　sleepy　countryside

might　excite　more　gossip　than　I　care　for。　No　doubt　you　will　find

some　sights　to　amuse　you　in　this　venerable　city；　and　I　hope　to　bring

back　a　more　favourable　report　to　you　before　evening。〃

　　Once　more；　however；　my　friend　was　destined　to　be　disappointed。　He

came　back　at　night　weary　and　unsuccessful。

　　〃I　have　had　a　blank　day；　Watson。　Having　got　the　doctor's　general

direction；　I　spent　the　day　in　visiting　all　the　villages　upon　that　side

of　Cambridge；　and　comparing　notes　with　publicans　and　other　local

news　agencies。　I　have　covered　some　ground。　Chesterton；　Histon；

Waterbeach；　and　Oakington　have　each　been　explored；　and　have　each

proved　disappointing。　The　daily　appearance　of　a　brougham　and　pair

could　hardly　have　been　overlooked　in　such　Sleepy　Hollows。　The　doctor

has　scored　once　more。　Is　there　a　telegram　for　me？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　opened　it。　Here　it　is：



　　〃Ask　for　Pompey　from　Jeremy　Dixon；　Trinity　College。



　　I　don't　understand　it。〃

　　〃Oh；　it　is　clear　enough。　It　is　from　our　friend　Overton；　and　is　in

answer　to　a　question　from　me。　I'll　just　send　round　a　note　to　Mr。

Jeremy　Dixon；　and　then　I　have　no　doubt　that　our　luck　will　turn。　By　the

way；　is　there　any　news　of　the　match？〃

　　〃Yes；　the　local　evening　paper　has　an　excellent　account　in　its　last

edition。　Oxford　won　by　a　goal　and　two　tries。　The　last　sentences　of　the

description　say：



　　〃The　defeat　of　the　Light　Blues　may　be　entirely　attributed　to　the

unfortunate　absence　of　the　crack　International；　Godfrey　Staunton；

whose　want　was　felt　at　every　instant　of　the　game。　The　lack　of

combination　in　the　three…quarter　line　and　their　weakness　both　in

attack　and　defence　more　than　neutralized　the　efforts　of　a　heavy　and

hard…working　pack。〃



　　〃Then　our　friend　Overton's　forebodings　have　been　justified；〃　said

Holmes。　〃Personally　I　am　in　agreement　with　Dr。　Armstrong；　and　football

does　not　come　within　my　horizon。　Early　to　bed　to…night；　Watson；　for

I　foresee　that　to…morrow　may　be　an　eventful　day。〃

　　I　was　horrified　by　my　first　glimpse　of　Holmes　next　morning；　for　he

sat　by　the　fire　holding　his　tiny　hypodermic　syringe。　I　associated　that

instrument　with　the　single　weakness　of　his　nature；　and　I　feared　the

worst　when　I　saw　it　glittering　in　his　hand。　He　laughed　at　my

expression　of　dismay　and　laid　it　upon　the　table。

　　〃No；　no；　my　dear　fellow；　there　is　no　cause　for　alarm。　It　is　not　upon

this　occasion　the　instrument　of　evil；　but　it　will　rather　prove　to　be

the　key　which　will　unlock　our　mystery。　On　this　syringe　I　base　all　my

hopes。　I　have　just　returned　from　a　small　scouting　expedition；　and

everything　is　favourable。　Eat　a　good　breakfast；　Watson；　for　I

propose　to　get　upon　Dr。　Armstrong's　trail　to…d