the adventure of the three garridebs-第2节

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Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　suppose　all　we　can　do　is　to　report　to　you　and

let　you　know　how　we　progress。　I　reckon　you　will　hear　within　a　day　or

two。〃　With　this　assurance　our　American　bowed　and　departed。

　　Holmes　had　lit　his　pipe；　and　he　sat　for　some　time　with　a　curious

smile　upon　his　face。

　　〃Well？〃　I　asked　at　last。

　　〃I　a　wondering；　Watson…　just　wondering！〃

　　〃At　what？〃

　　Holmes　took　his　pipe　from　his　lips。

　　〃I　was　wondering；　Watson；　what　on　earth　could　be　the　object　of

this　man　in　telling　us　such　a　rigmarole　of　lies。　I　nearly　asked　him

so…　for　there　are　times　when　a　brutal　frontal　attack　is　the　best

policy…　but　I　judged　it　better　to　let　him　think　he　had　fooled　us。　Here

is　a　man　with　an　English　coat　frayed　at　the　elbow　and　trousers

bagged　at　the　knee　with　a　year's　wear；　and　yet　by　this　document　and　by

his　own　account　he　is　a　provincial　American　lately　landed　in　London。

There　have；　been　no　advertisements　in　the　agony　columns。　You　know　that

I　miss　nothing　there。　They　are　my　favourite　covert　for　putting　up　a

bird；　and　I　would　never　have　overlooked　such　a　cock　pheasant　as

that。　I　never　knew　a　Dr。　Lysander　Starr；　of　Topeka。　Touch　him　where

you　would　he　was　false。　I　think　the　fellow　is　really　an　American；

but　he　has　worn　his　accent　smooth　with　years　of　London。　What　is　his

game；　then；　and　what　motive　lies　behind　this　preposterous　search　for

Garridebs？　It's　worth　our　attention；　for；　granting　that　the　man　is　a

rascal；　he　is　certainly　a　complex　and　ingenious　one。　We　must　now

find　out　if　our　other　correspondent　is　a　fraud　also。　Just　ring　him　up；

Watson。〃

　　I　did　so；　and　heard　a　thin；　quavering　voice　at　the　other　end　of

the　line。

　　〃Yes；　yes；　I　am　Mr。　Nathan　Garrideb。　Is　Mr。　Holmes　there？　I　should

very　much　like　to　have　a　word　with　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　My　friend　took　the　instrument　and　I　heard　the　usual　syncopated

dialogue。

　　〃Yes；　he　has　been　here。　I　understand　that　you　don't　know　him。。。。　How

long？。。。　Only　two　days！。。。　Yes；　yes；　of　course；　it　is　a　most

captivating　prospect。　Will　you　be　at　home　this　evening？　I　suppose　your

namesake　will　not　be　there？。。。　Very　good；　we　will　come　then；　for　I

would　rather　have　a　chat　without　him。。。。　Dr。　Watson　will　come　with

me。。。。　I　understand　from　your　note　that　you　did　not　go　out　often。。。。

Well；　we　shall　be　round　about　six。　You　need　not　mention　it　to　the

American　lawyer。。。。　Very　good。　Good…bye！〃

　　It　was　twilight　of　a　lovely　spring　evening；　and　even　Little　Ryder

Street；　one　of　the　smaller　offshoots　from　the　Edgware　Road；　within　a

stone…cast　of　old　Tyburn　Tree　of　evil　memory；　looked　golden　and

wonderful　in　the　slanting　rays　of　the　setting　sun。　The　particular

house　to　which　we　were　directed　was　a　large；　old…fashioned；　Early

Georgian　edifice；　with　a　flat　brick　face　broken　only　by　two　deep　bay

windows　on　the　ground　floor。　It　was　on　this　ground　floor　that　our

client　lived；　and；　indeed；　the　low　windows　proved　to　be　the　front　of

the　huge　room　in　which　he　spent　his　waking　hours。　Holmes　pointed　as　we

passed　to　the　small　brass　plate　which　bore　the　curious　name。

　　〃Up　some　years；　Watson；〃　he　remarked；　indicating　its　discoloured

surface。　〃It's　his　real　name；　anyhow；　and　that　is　something　to　note。〃

　　The　house　had　a　common　stair；　and　there　were　a　number　of　names

painted　in　the　hall；　some　indicating　offices　and　some　private

chambers。　It　was　not　a　collection　of　residential　flats；　but　rather　the

abode　of　Bohemian　bachelors。　Our　client　opened　the　door　for　us　himself

and　apologized　by　saying　that　the　woman　in　charge　left　at　four

o'clock。　Mr。　Nathan　Garrideb　proved　to　be　a　very　tall；

loose…jointed；　round…backed　person；　gaunt　and　bald；　some　sixty…odd

years　of　age。　He　had　a　cadaverous　face；　with　the　dull　dead　skin　of　a

man　to　whom　exercise　was　unknown。　Large　round　spectacles　and　a　small

projecting　goat's　beard　combined　with　his　stooping　attitude　to　give

him　an　expression　of　peering　curiosity。　The　general　effect；　however；

was　amiable；　though　eccentric。

　　The　room　was　as　curious　as　its　occupant。　It　looked　like　a　small

museum。　It　was　both　broad　and　deep；　with　cupboards　and　cabinets　all

round；　crowded　with　specimens；　geological　and　anatomical。　Cases　of

butterflies　and　moths　flanked　each　side　of　the　entrance。　A　large　table

in　the　centre　was　littered　with　all　sorts　of　debris；　while　the　tall

brass　tube　of　a　powerful　microscope　bristled　up　among　them。　As　I

glanced　round　I　was　surprised　at　the　universality　of　the　man's

interests。　Here　was　a　case　of　ancient　coins。　There　was　a　cabinet　of

flint　instruments。　Behind　his　central　table　was　a　large　cupboard　of

fossil　bones。　Above　was　a　line　of　plaster　skulls　with　such　names　as

〃Neanderthal；〃　〃Heidelberg；〃　〃Cro…Magnon〃　printed　beneath　them。　It　was

clear　that　he　was　a　student　of　many　subjects。　As　he　stood　in　front

of　us　now；　he　held　a　piece　of　chamois　leather　in　his　right　hand　with

which　he　was　polishing　a　coin。

　　〃Syracusan…　of　the　best　period；〃　he　explained；　bolding　it　up。

〃They　degenerated　greatly　towards　the　end。　At　their　best　I　hold　them

supreme；　though　some　prefer　the　Alexandrian　school。　You　will　find　a

chair　here；　Mr。　Holmes。　Pray　allow　me　to　clear　these　bones。　And　you；

sir…　ah；　yes；　Dr。　Watson…　if　you　would　have　the　goodness　to　put　the

japanese　vase　to　one　side。　You　see　round　me　my　little　interests　in

life。　My　doctor　lectures　me　about　never　going　out；　but　why　should　I　go

out　when　I　have　so　much　to　hold　me　here？　I　can　assure　you　that　the

adequate　cataloguing　of　one　of　those　cabinets　would　take　me　three　good

months。〃

　　Holmes　looked　round　him　with　curiosity。

　　〃But　do　you　tell　me　that　you　never　go　out？〃　he　said。

　　〃Now　and　again　I　drive　down　to　Sotheby's　or　Christie's。　Otherwise

I　very　seldom　leave　my　room。　I　am　not　too　strong；　and　my　researches

are　very　absorbing。　But　you　can　imagine；　Mr。　Holmes；　what　a　terrific

shock…　pleasant　but　terrific…　it　was　for　me　when　I　heard　of　this

unparalleled　good　fortune。　It　only　needs　one　more　Garrideb　to　complete

the　matter；　and　surely　we　can　find　one。　I　had　a　brother；　but　hi　is

dead；　and　female　relatives　are　disqualified。　But　there　must　surely

be　others　in　the　world。　I　had　heard　that　you　handled　strange　cases；

and　that　was　why　I　sent　to　you。　Of　course；　this　American　gentleman

is　quite　right；　and　I　should　have　taken　his　advice　first；　but　I

acted　for　the　best。〃

　　〃I　think　you　acted　very　wisely　indeed；〃　said　Holmes。　〃But　are　you

really　anxious　to　acquire　an　estate　in　America？〃

　　〃Certainly　not；　sir。　Nothing　would　induce　me　to　leave　my　collection。

But　this　gentleman　has　assured　me　that　he　will　buy　me　out　as　soon　as

we　have　established　our　claim。　Five　million　dollars　was　the　sum　named。

There　are　a　dozen　specimens　in　the　market　at　the　present　moment

which　fill　gaps　in　my　collection；　and　which　I　am　unable　to　purchase

for　want　of　a　few　hundred　pounds。　Just　think　what　I　could　do　with　five

million　dollars。　Why；　I　have　the　nucleus　of　a　national　collection。　I

shall　be　the　Hans　Sloane　of　my　age。〃

　　His　eyes　gleamed　behind　his　great　spectacles。　It　was　very　clear　that

no　pains　would　be　spared　by　Mr。　Nathan　Garrideb　in　finding　a　namesake。

　　〃I　merely　called　to　make　your　acquaintance；　and　there　is　no　reason

why　I　should　interrupt　your　studies；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I　prefer　to

establish　personal　touch　with　those　with　whom　I　do　business。　There　are

few　questions　I　need　ask；　for　I　have　your　very　clear　narrative　in　my

pocket；　and　I　filled　up　the　blanks　when　this　American　gentleman

called。　I　understand　that　up　to　this　week　you　were　unaware　of　his

existence。〃

　　〃That　is　so。　He　called　last　Tuesday。〃

　　〃Did　he　tell　you　of　our　interview　to…day？〃

　　〃Yes；　he　came　straight　back　to　me。　He　had　been　very　angry。〃

　　〃Why　should　he　be　angry？〃

　　〃He　seemed　to　think　it　was　some　reflection　on　his　honour。　But　he　was

quite　cheerful　again　when　he　returned。〃

　　〃Did　he　suggest　any　course　of　action？〃

　　〃No；　sir；　he　did　not。〃

　　〃Has　he　had；　or　asked　for；　any　money　from　you？〃

　　〃No；　sir；　never！〃

　　〃You　see　no　possible　object　he　has　in　view？〃

　　〃None；　except　what　he　states。〃

　　〃Did　you　tell　him　of　our　telephone　appointment？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　I　did。〃

　　Holmes　was　lost　in　thought。　I　could　see　that　he　was　puzzled。

　　〃Have　you　any　articles　of　great　value　in　your　collection？〃

　　〃No；　sir。　I　am　not　a　rich　man。　It　is　a　good　collection；　but　not　a

very　valuable　one。〃

　　〃You　have　no　fear　of　burglars？〃

　　〃Not　the　least。〃

　　〃How　long　have　you　been　in　these　rooms？〃

　　〃Nearly　five　years。〃

　　Holmes's　cross…examination　was　interrupted　by　an　imperative　knocking

at　the　door。　No　sooner　had　our　client　unlatched　it　than　the　American

lawyer　burst　excitedly　into　the　room。

　　〃Here　you　are！〃　he　cried；　waving　a　paper　over　his　head。　〃I　thought　I

should　be　in　time　to　get　you。　Mr。　Nathan　Garrideb；　my　congratulations！

You　are　a　rich　man；　sir。　Our　business　is　happily　finished　and　all　is

well。　As　to　you；　Mr。　Holmes；　we　can　only　say　we　are　sorry　if　we　have

given　you　any　useless　trouble。〃

　　He　handed　over　the　paper　to　our　client；　who　stood　staring　at　a

marked　advertisement。　Holmes　and　I　leaned　forward　and　read　it　over　his

shoulder。　This　is　how　it　ran：