the adventure of the mazarin stone-第3节

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make　another　slip…　well；　it　will　be　the　last。　But　this　time　my

commission　is　to　get　the　stone；　not　you。〃

　　〃But　if　I　refuse？〃

　　〃Why；　then…　alas！…　it　must　be　you　and　not　the　stone。〃

　　Billy　had　appeared　in　answer　to　a　ring。

　　〃I　think；　Count；　that　it　would　be　as　well　to　have　your　friend　Sam　at

this　conference。　After　all；　his　interests　should　be　represented。

Billy；　you　will　see　a　large　and　ugly　gentleman　outside　the　front　door。

Ask　him　to　come　up。〃

　　〃If　he　won't　come；　sir？〃

　　〃No　violence；　Billy。　Don't　be　rough　with　him。　If　you　tell　him　that

Count　Sylvius　wants　him　he　will　certainly　come。〃

　　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃　asked　the　Count　as　Billy

disappeared。

　　〃My　friend　Watson　was　with　me　just　now。　I　told　him　that　I　had　a

shark　and　gudgeon　in　my　net；　now　I　am　drawing　the　net　and　up　they　come

together。〃

　　The　Count　had　risen　from　his　chair；　and　his　hand　was　behind　his

back。　Holmes　held　something　half　protruding　from　the　pocket　of　his

dressing…gown。

　　〃You　won't　die　in　your　bed；　Holmes。〃

　　〃I　have　often　had　the　same　idea。　Does　it　matter　very　much？　After

all；　Count；　your　own　exit　is　more　likely　to　be　perpendicular　than

horizontal。　But　these　anticipations　of　the　future　are　morbid。　Why

not　give　ourselves　up　to　the　unrestrained　enjoyment　of　the　present？〃

　　A　sudden　wild…beast　light　sprang　up　in　the　dark；　menacing　eyes　of

the　master　criminal。　Holmes's　figure　seemed　to　grow　taller　as　he

grew　tense　and　ready。

　　〃It　is　no　use　your　fingering　your　revolver；　my　friend；〃　he　said　in　a

quiet　voice。　You　know　perfectly　well　that　you　dare　not　use　it；　even　if

I　gave　you　time　to　draw　it。　Nasty；　noisy　things；　revolvers；　Count。

Better　stick　to　air…guns。　Ah！　I　think　I　hear　the　fairy　footstep　of

your　estimable　partner。　Good　day；　Mr。　Merton。　Rather　dull　in　the

street；　is　it　not？〃

　　The　prize…fighter；　a　heavily　built　young　man　with　a　stupid；

obstinate；　slab…sided　face；　stood　awkwardly　at　the　door；　looking　about

him　with　a　puzzled　expression。　Holmes's　debonair　manner　was　a　new

experience；　and　though　he　vaguely　felt　that　it　was　hostile；　he　did　not

know　how　to　counter　it。　He　turned　to　his　more　astute　comrade　for　help。

　　〃What's　the　game　now；　Count？　What's　this　fellow　want？　What's　up？〃

His　voice　was　deep　and　raucous。

　　The　Count　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　it　was　Holmes　who　answered。

　　〃If　I　may　put　it　in　a　nutshell；　Mr。　Merton；　I　should　say　it　was

all　up。〃

　　The　boxer　still　addressed　his　remarks　to　his　associate。

　　〃Is　this　cove　trying　to　be　funny；　or　what？　I'm　not　in　the　funny　mood

myself。〃

　　〃No；　I　expect　not；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I　think　I　can　promise　you　that　you

will　feel　even　less　humorous　as　the　evening　advances。　Now；　look

here；　Count　Sylvius。　I'm　a　busy　man　and　I　can't　waste　time。　I'm

going　into　that　bedroom。　Pray　make　yourselves　quite　at　home　in　my

absence。　You　can　explain　to　your　friend　how　the　matter　lies　without

the　restraint　of　my　presence。　I　shall　try　over　the　Hoffman　'Barcarole'

upon　my　violin。　In　five　minutes　I　shall　return　for　your　final

answer。　You　quite　grasp　the　alternative；　do　you　not？　Shall　we　take

you；　or　shall　we　have　the　stone？〃

　　Holmes　withdrew；　picking　up　his　violin　from　the　corner　as　he　passed。

A　few　moments　later　the　long…drawn；　wailing　notes　of　that　most

haunting　of　tunes　came　faintly　through　the　closed　door　of　the　bedroom。

　　〃What　is　it；　then？〃　asked　Merton　anxiously　as　his　companion　turned

to　him。　〃Does　he　know　about　the　stone？〃

　　〃He　knows　a　damned　sight　too　much　about　it。　I'm　not　sure　that　he

doesn't　know　all　about　it。〃

　　〃Good　Lord！〃　The　boxer's　sallow　face　turned　a　shade　whiter。

　　〃Ikey　Sanders　has　split　on　us。〃

　　〃He　has；　has　he？　I'll　do　him　down　a　thick　'un　for　that　if　I　swing

for　it。〃

　　〃That　won't　help　us　much。　We've　got　to　make　up　our　minds　what　to

do。〃

　　〃Half　a　mo'；〃　said　the　boxer；　looking　suspiciously　at　the　bedroom

door。　〃He's　a　leary　cove　that　wants　watching。　I　suppose　he's　not

listening？〃

　　〃How　can　he　be　listening　with　that　music　going？〃

　　〃That's　right。　Maybe　somebody's　behind　a　curtain。　Too　many

curtains　in　this　room。〃　As　he　looked　round　he　suddenly　saw　for　the

first　time　the　effigy　in　the　window；　and　stood　staring　and　pointing；

too　amazed　for　words。

　　〃Tut！　it's　only　a　dummy；〃　said　the　Count。

　　〃A　fake；　is　it？　Well；　strike　me！　Madame　Tussaud　ain't　in　it。　It's

the　living　spit　of　him；　gown　and　all。　But　them　curtains；　Count！〃

　　〃Oh；　confound　the　curtains！　We　are　wasting　our　time；　and　there　is

none　too　much。　He　can　lag　us　over　this　stone。〃

　　〃The　deuce　he　can！〃

　　〃But　he'll　let　us　slip　if　we　only　tell　him　where　the　swag　is。〃

　　〃What！　Give　it　up？　Give　up　a　hundred　thousand　quid？〃

　　〃It's　one　or　the　other。〃

　　Merton　scratched　his　short…cropped　pate。

　　〃He's　alone　in　there。　Let's　do　him　in。　If　his　light　were　out　we

should　have　nothing　to　fear。〃

　　The　Count　shook　his　head。

　　〃He　is　armed　and　ready。　If　we　shot　him　we　could　hardly　get　away　in　a

place　like　this。　Besides；　it's　likely　enough　that　the　police　know

whatever　evidence　he　has　got。　Hallo！　What　was　that？〃

　　There　was　a　vague　sound　which　seemed　to　come　from　the　window。　Both

men　sprang　round；　but　all　was　quiet。　Save　for　the　one　strange　figure

seated　in　the　chair；　the　room　was　certainly　empty。

　　〃Something　in　the　street；〃　said　Merton。　〃Now　look　here；　guv'nor；

you've　got　the　brains。　Surely　you　can　think　a　way　out　of　it。　If

slugging　is　no　use　then　it's　up　to　you。

　　〃I've　fooled　better　men　than　he；〃　the　Count　answered。　〃The　stone

is　here　in　my　secret　pocket。　I　take　no　chances　leaving　it　about。　It

can　be　out　of　England　to…night　and　cut　into　four　pieces　in　Amsterdam

before　Sunday。　He　knows　nothing　of　Van　Seddar。〃

　　〃I　thought　Van　Seddar　was　going　next　week。〃

　　〃He　was。　But　now　he　must　get　off　by　the　next　boat。　One　or　other　of

us　must　slip　round　with　the　stone　to　Lime　Street　and　tell　him。〃

　　〃But　the　false　bottom　ain't　ready。〃

　　〃Well；　he　must　take　it　as　it　is　and　chance　it。　There's　not　a

moment　to　lose。〃　Again；　with　the　sense　of　danger　which　becomes　an

instinct　with　the　sportsman；　he　paused　and　looked　hard　at　the

window。　Yes；　it　was　surely　from　the　street　that　the　faint　sound　had

come。

　　〃As　to　Holmes；〃　he　continued；　〃we　can　fool　him　easily　enough。　You

see；　the　damned　fool　won't　arrest　us　if　he　can　get　the　stone。　Well；

we'll　promise　him　the　stone。　We'll　put　him　on　the　wrong　track　about

it；　and　before　he　finds　that　it　is　the　wrong　track　it　will　be　in

Holland　and　we　out　of　the　country。〃

　　〃That　sounds　good　to　me！〃　cried　Sam　Merton　with　a　grin。

　　〃You　go　on　and　tell　the　Dutchman　to　get　a　move　on　him。　I'll　see　this

sucker　and　fill　him　up　with　a　bogus　confession。　I'll　tell　him　that　the

stone　is　in　Liverpool。　Confound　that　whining　music；　it　gets　on　my

nerves！　By　the　time　he　finds　it　isn't　in　Liverpool　it　will　be　in

quarters　and　we　on　the　blue　water。　Come　back　here；　out　of　a　line

with　that　keyhole。　Here　is　the　stone。〃

　　〃I　wonder　you　dare　carry　it。〃

　　〃Where　could　I　have　it　safer？　If　we　could　take　it　out　of　Whitehall

someone　else　could　surely　take　it　out　of　my　lodgings。〃

　　〃Let's　have　a　look　at　it。〃

　　Count　Sylvius　cast　a　somewhat　unflattering　glance　at　his　associate

and　disregarded　the　unwashed　hand　which　was　extended　towards　him。

　　〃What…　d'ye　think　I'm　going　to　snitch　it　off　you？　See　here；

mister；　I'm　getting　a　bit　tired　of　your　ways。〃

　　〃Well；　well；　no　offence；　Sam。　We　can't　afford　to　quarrel。　Come

over　to　the　window　if　you　want　to　see　the　beauty　properly。　Now　hold　it

to　the　light！　Here！〃

　　〃Thank　you！〃

　　With　a　single　spring　Holmes　had　leaped　from　the　dummy's　chair　and

had　grasped　the　precious　jewel。　He　held　it　now　in　one　hand；　while

his　other　pointed　a　revolver　at　the　Count's　head。　The　two　villains

staggered　back　in　utter　amazement。　Before　they　had　recovered　Holmes

had　pressed　the　electric　bell。

　　〃No　violence；　gentlemen…　no　violence；　I　beg　of　you！　Consider　the

furniture！　It　must　be　very　clear　to　you　that　your　position　is　an

impossible　one。　The　police　are　waiting　below。〃

　　The　Count's　bewilderment　overmastered　his　rage　and　fear。

　　〃But　how　the　deuce…？〃　he　gasped。

　　〃Your　surprise　is　very　natural。　You　are　not　aware　that　a　second　door

from　my　bedroom　leads　behind　that　curtain。　I　fancied　that　you　must

have　heard　me　when　I　displaced　the　figure；　but　luck　was　on　my　side。　It

gave　me　a　chance　of　listening　to　your　racy　conversation　which　would

have　been　painfully　constrained　had　you　been　aware　of　my　presence。〃

　　The　Count　gave　a　gesture　of　resignation。

　　〃We　give　you　best；　Holmes。　I　believe　you　are　the　devil　himself。〃

　　〃Not　far　from　him；　at　any　rate；〃　Holmes　answered　with　a　polite

smile。

　　Sam　Merton's　slow　intellect　had　only　gradually　appreciated　the

situation。　Now；　as　the　sound　of　heavy　steps　came　from　the　stairs

outside；　he　broke　silence　at　last。

　　〃A　fair　cop！〃　said　he。　〃But；　I　say；　what　about　that　bloomin'　fiddle！

I　hear　it　yet。〃

　　〃Tut；　tut！〃　Holmes　answered。　〃You　are　perfectly　right。　Let　it

play！　These　modern　gramophones　are　a　remarkable　invention。〃

　　There　was　an　inrush　of　police；　the　handcuffs　clicked　and　the

criminals　were　led　to　the　waiting　cab。　Watson　linger