a case of identity-第4节
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gentleman named Hosmer Angel。 About five feet seven inches in
height； strongly built； sallow complexion； black hair； a
little bald in the centre； bushy； black side…whiskers and
moustache； tinted glasses； slight infirmity of speech。 Was
dressed； when last seen； in black frock…coat faced with silk；
black waistcoat； gold Albert chain； and gray Harris tweed
trousers； with brown gaiters over elastic…sided boots。 Known
to have been employed in an office in Leadenhall Street。
Anybody bringing〃
〃That will do；〃 said Holmes。 〃As to the letters；〃 he
continued； glancing over them； 〃they are very commonplace。
Absolutely no clue in them to Mr。 Angel； save that he quotes
Balzac once。 There is one remarkable point； however； which will
no doubt strike you。〃
〃They are typewritten；〃 I remarked。
〃Not only that； but the signature is typewritten。 Look at the
neat little ‘Hosmer Angel' at the bottom。 There is a date； you
see； but no superscription except Leadenhall Street； which is
rather vague。 The point about the signature is very
suggestivein fact； we may call it conclusive。〃
〃Of what？〃
〃My dear fellow； is it possible you do not see how strongly it
bears upon the case？〃
〃I cannot say that I do unless it were that he wished to be
able to deny his signature if an action for breach of promise were
instituted。〃
〃No； that was not the point。 However； I shall write two
letters； which should settle the matter。 One is to a firm in the
City； the other is to the young lady's stepfather； Mr。 Windibank；
asking him whether he could meet us here at six o'clock to…morrow
evening。 It is just as well that we should do business with the
male relatives。 And now； Doctor； we can do nothing until the
answers to those letters come； so we may put our little problem
upon the shelf for the interim。〃
I had had so many reasons to believe in my friend's subtle
powers of reasoning and extraordinary energy in action that I felt
that he must have some solid grounds for the assured and easy
demeanour with which he treated the singular mystery which he had
been called upon to fathom。 Once only had I known him to fail； in
the case of the King of Bohemia and of the Irene Adler photograph；
but when I looked back to the weird business of ‘The Sign of
Four'； and the extraordinary circumstances connected with ‘A Study
in Scarlet'； I felt that it would be a strange tangle indeed which
he could not unravel。
I left him then； still puffing at his black clay pipe； with
the conviction that when I came again on the next evening I would
find that he held in his hands all the clues which would lead up
to the identity of the disappearing bridegroom of Miss Mary
Sutherland。
A professional case of great gravity was engaging my own
attention at the time； and the whole of next day I was busy at the
bedside of the sufferer。 It was not until close upon six o'clock
that I found myself free and was able to spring into a hansom and
drive to Baker Street； half afraid that I might be too late to
assist at the denouement of the little mystery。 I found Sherlock
Holmes alone； however； half asleep； with his long； thin form
curled up in the recesses of his armchair。 A formidable array of
bottles and test…tubes； with the pungent cleanly smell of
hydrochloric acid； told me that he had spent his day in the
chemical work which was so dear to him。
〃Well； have you solved it？〃 I asked as I entered。
〃Yes。 It was the bisulphate of baryta。〃
〃No； no； the mystery！〃 I cried。
〃Oh； that！ I thought of the salt that I have been working
upon。 There was never any mystery in the matter； though； as I
said yesterday； some of the details are of interest。 The only
drawback is that there is no law； I fear； that can touch the
scoundrel。〃
〃Who was he； then； and what was his object in deserting Miss
Sutherland？〃
The question was hardly out of my mouth； and Holmes had not
yet opened his lips to reply； when we heard a heavy footfall in
the passage and a tap at the door。
〃This is the girl's stepfather； Mr。 James Windibank；〃 said
Holmes。 〃He has written to me to say that he would be here at
six。 Come in！〃
The man who entered was a sturdy； middle…sized fellow； some
thirty years of age； clean…shaven； and sallow…skinned； with a
bland； insinuating manner； and a pair of wonderfully sharp and
penetrating gray eyes。 He shot a questioning glance at each of
us； placed his shiny top…hat upon the sideboard； and with a slight
bow sidled down into the nearest chair。
〃Good…evening； Mr。 James Windibank；〃 said Holmes。 〃I think
that this typewritten letter is from you； in which you made an
appointment with me for six o'clock？〃
〃Yes； sir。 I am afraid that I am a little late； but I am not
quite my own master； you know。 I am sorry that Miss Sutherland
has troubled you about this little matter； for I think it is far
better not to wash linen of the sort in public。 It was quite
against my wishes that she came； but she is a very excitable；
impulsive girl； as you may have noticed； and she is not easily
controlled when she has made up her mind on a point。 Of course； I
did not mind you so much； as you are not connected with the
official police； but it is not pleasant to have a family
misfortune like this noised abroad。 Besides； it is a useless
expense； for how could you possibly find this Hosmer Angel？〃
〃On the contrary；〃 said Holmes quietly； 〃I have every reason
to believe that I will succeed in discovering Mr。 Hosmer Angel。〃
Mr。 Windibank gave a violent start and dropped his gloves。 〃I
am delighted to hear it；〃 he said。
〃It is a curious thing；〃 remarked Holmes； 〃that a typewriter
has really quite as much individuality as a man's handwriting。
Unless they are quite new； no two of them write exactly alike。
Some letters get more worn than others； and some wear only on one
side。 Now； you remark in this note of yours； Mr。 Windibank； that
in every case there is some little slurring over of the ‘e；' and a
slight defect in the tail of the ‘r。' There are fourteen other
characteristics； but those are the more obvious。〃
〃We do all our correspondence with this machine at the office；
and no doubt it is a little worn；〃 our visitor answered； glancing
keenly at Holmes with his bright little eyes。
〃And now I will show you what is really a very interesting
study； Mr。 Windibank；〃 Holmes continued。 〃I think of writing
another little monograph some of these days on the typewriter and
its relation to crime。 It is a subject to which I have devoted
some little attention。 I have here four letters which purport to
come from the missing man。 They are all typewritten。 In each
case； not only are the ‘e's' slurred and the ‘r's' tailless； but
you will observe； if you care to use my magnifying lens； that the
fourteen other characteristics to which I have alluded are there
as well。〃
Mr。 Windibank sprang out of his chair and picked up his hat。
〃I cannot waste time over this sort of fantastic talk； Mr。
Holmes；〃 he said。 〃If you can catch the man； catch him； and let
me know when you have done it。〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Holmes； stepping over and turning the key in
the door。 〃I let you know； then； that I have caught him！〃
〃What！ where？〃 shouted Mr。 Windibank； turning white to his
lips and glancing about him like a rat in a trap。
〃Oh； it won't doreally it won't；〃 said Holmes suavely。
〃There is no possible getting out of it； Mr。 Windibank。 It is
quite too transparent； and it was a very bad compliment when you
said that it was impossible for me to solve so simple a question。
That's right！ Sit down and let us talk it over。〃
Our visitor collapsed into a chair； with a ghastly face and a
glitter of moisture on his brow。 〃Itit's not actionable；〃 he
stammered。
〃I am very much afraid that it is not。 But between ourselves；
Windibank； it was as cruel and selfish and heartless a trick in
