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the adventure of the three garridebs-第4节

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clear; and; as the collector never went out; it took some planning

to do it。 The whole of this Garrideb invention was apparently for no

other end。 I must say; Watson; that there is a certain devilish

ingenuity about it; even if the queer name of the tenant did give

him an opening which he could hardly have expected。 He wove his plot

with remarkable cunning。〃

  〃But what did he want?〃

  〃Well; that is what we are here to find out。 It has nothing whatever

to do with our client; so far as I can read the situation。 It is

something connected with the man he murdered… the man who may have

been his confederate in crime。 There is some guilty secret in the

room。 That is how I read it。 At first I thought our friend might

have something in his collection more valuable than he knew… something

worth the attention of a big criminal。 But the fact that Rodger

Prescott of evil memory inhabited these rooms points to some deeper

reason。 Well; Watson; we can but possess our souls in patience and see

what the hour may bring。〃

  That hour was not long in striking。 We crouched closer in the shadow

as we heard the outer door open and shut。 Then came the sharp;

metallic snap of a key; and the American was in the room。 He closed

the door softly behind him; took a sharp glance around him to see that

all was safe; threw off his overcoat; and walked up to the central

table with the brisk manner of one who knows exactly what he has to do

and how to do it。 He pushed the table to one side; tore up the

square of carpet on which it rested; rolled it completely back; and

then; drawing a jemmy from his inside pocket; he knelt down and worked

vigorously upon the floor。 Presently we heard the sound of sliding

boards; and an instant later a square had opened in the planks。 Killer

Evans struck a match; lit a stump of candle; and vanished from our

view。

  Clearly our moment had come。 Holmes touched my wrist as a signal;

and together we stole across to the open trap…door。 Gently as we

moved; however; the old floor must have creaked under our feet; for

the head of our American; peering anxiously round; emerged suddenly

from the open space。 His face turned upon us with a glare of baffled

rage; which gradually softened into a rather shamefaced grin as he

realized that two pistols were pointed at his head。

  〃Well; well!〃 said he coolly as he scrambled to the surface。 〃I

guess you have been one too many for me; Mr。 Holmes。 Saw through my

game; I suppose; and played me for a sucker from the first。 Well; sir;

I hand it to you; you have me beat and…〃

  In an instant he had whisked out a revolver from his breast and

had fired two shots。 I felt a sudden hot sear as if a red…hot iron had

been pressed to my thigh。 There was a crash as Holmes's pistol came

down on the man's head。 I had a vision of him sprawling upon the floor

with blood running down his face while Holmes rummaged him for

weapons。 Then my friend's wiry arms were round me; and he was

leading me to a chair。

  〃You're not hurt; Watson? For God's sake; say that you are not

hurt!〃

  It was worth a wound… it was worth many wounds… to know the depth of

loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask。 The clear; hard eyes

were dimmed for a moment; and the firm lips were shaking。 For the

one and only time I caught a glimpse of a great heart as well as of

a great brain。 All my years of humble but single…minded service

culminated in that moment of revelation。

  〃It's nothing; Holmes。 It's a mere scratch。〃

  He had ripped up my trousers with his pocket…knife。

  〃You are right;〃 fie c:ried with an immense sigh of relief。 〃It is

quite superficial。〃 His face set like flint as he glared at our

prisoner; who was sitting up with a dazed face。 〃By the Lord; it is as

well for you。 If you had killed Watson; you would not have got out

of this room alive。 Now; sir; what have you to say for yourself?〃

  He had nothing to say for himself。 He only sat and scowled。 I leaned

on Holmes's arm; and together we looked down into the small cellar

which had been disclosed by the secret flap。 it was still

illuminated by the candle which Evans had taken down with him。 Our

eyes fell upon a mass of rusted machinery; great rolls of paper; a

litter of bottles; and; neatly arranged upon a small table; a number

of neat little bundies。

  〃A printing press… a counterfeiter's outfit;〃 said Holmes。

  〃Yes; sir;〃 said our prisoner; staggering slowly to his feet and

then sinking into the chair。 〃The greatest counterfeiter London ever

saw。 That's Prescott's machine; and those bundles on the table are two

thousand of Prescott's notes worth a hundred each and fit to pass

anywhere。 Help yourselves; gentlemen。 Call it a deal and let me beat

it。〃

  Holmes laughed。

  〃We don't do things like that; Mr。 Evans。 There is no bolt…hole

for you in this country。 You shot this man Prescott; did you not?〃

  〃Yes; sir; and got five years for it; though it was he who pulled on

me。 Five years… when I should have had a medal the size of a soup

plate。 No living man could tell a Prescott from a Bank of England; and

if I hadn't put him out he would have flooded London with them。 I

was the only one in the world who knew where he made them。 Can you

wonder that I wanted to get to the place? And can you wonder that when

I found this crazy boob of a bug…hunter with the queer name

squatting right on the top of it; and never quitting his room; I had

to do the best I could to shift him? Maybe I would have been wiser

if I had put him away。 It would have been easy enough; but I'm a

soft…hearted guy that can't begin shooting unless the other man has

a gun also。 But say; Mr。 Holmes; what have I done wrong; anyhow?

I've not used this plant。 I've not hurt this old stiff。 Where do you

get me?〃

  〃Only attempted murder; so far as I can see;〃 said Holmes。 〃But

that's not our job。 They take that at the next stage。 What we wanted

at present was just your sweet self。 Please give the Yard a call;

Watson。 It won't be entirely unexpected。〃

  So those were the facts about Killer Evans and his remarkable

invention of the three Garridebs。 We heard later that our poor old

friend never got over the shock of his dissipated dreams。 When his

castle in the air fell down; it buried him beneath the ruins。 He was

last heard of at a nursing…home in Brixton。 It was a glad day at the

Yard when the Prescott outfit was discovered; for; though they knew

that it existed; they had never been able; after the death of the man;

to find out where it was。 Evans had indeed done great service and

caused several worthy C。I。D。 men to sleep the sounder; for the

counterfeiter stands in a class by himself as a public danger。 They

would willingly have subscribed to that soup…plate medal of which

the criminal had spoken; but an unappreciative bench took a less

favourable view; ind the Killer returned to those shades from which he

had just emerged。





                          THE END




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