the adventure of charles augustus milverton-第4节

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which　turned　our　thoughts　into　quite　another　channel。

　　Several　times　I　had　observed　that　Milverton　looked　at　his　watch；　and

once　he　had　risen　and　sat　down　again；　with　a　gesture　of　impatience。

The　idea；　however；　that　he　might　have　an　appointment　at　so　strange

an　hour　never　occurred　to　me　until　a　faint　sound　reached　my　ears

from　the　veranda　outside。　Milverton　dropped　his　papers　and　sat　rigid

in　his　chair。　The　sound　was　repeated；　and　then　there　came　a　gentle　tap

at　the　door。　Milverton　rose　and　opened　it。

　　〃Well；〃　said　he；　curtly；　〃you　are　nearly　half　an　hour　late。〃

　　So　this　was　the　explanation　of　the　unlocked　door　and　of　the

nocturnal　vigil　of　Milverton。　There　was　the　gentle　rustle　of　a　woman's

dress。　I　had　closed　the　slit　between　the　curtains　as　Milverton's

face　had　turned　in　our　direction；　but　now　I　ventured　very　carefully　to

open　it　once　more。　He　had　resumed　his　seat；　the　cigar　still　projecting

at　an　insolent　angle　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth。　In　front　of　him；　in

the　full　glare　of　the　electric　light；　there　stood　a　tall；　slim；　dark

woman；　a　veil　over　her　face；　a　mantle　drawn　round　her　chin。　Her　breath

came　quick　and　fast；　and　every　inch　of　the　lithe　figure　was

quivering　with　strong　emotion。

　　〃Well；〃　said　Milverton；　〃you　made　me　lose　a　good　night's　rest；　my

dear。　I　hope　you'll　prove　worth　it。　You　couldn't　come　any　other

time…　eh？〃

　　The　woman　shook　her　head。

　　〃Well；　if　you　couldn't　you　couldn't。　If　the　Countess　is　a　hard

mistress；　you　have　your　chance　to　get　level　with　her　now。　Bless　the

girl；　what　are　you　shivering　about？　That's　right。　Pull　yourself

together。　Now；　let　us　get　down　to　business。〃　He　took　a　notebook　from

the　drawer　of　his　desk。　〃You　say　that　you　have　five　letters　which

compromise　the　Countess　d'Albert。　You　want　to　sell　them。　I　want　to　buy

them。　So　far　so　good。　It　only　remains　to　fix　a　price。　I　should　want　to

inspect　the　letters；　of　course。　If　they　are　really　good　specimens…

Great　heavens；　is　it　you？〃

　　The　woman；　without　a　word；　had　raised　her　veil　and　dropped　the

mantle　from　her　chin。　It　was　a　dark；　handsome；　clear…cut　face　which

confronted　Milverton…　a　face　with　a　curved　nose；　strong；　dark　eyebrows

shading　hard；　glittering　eyes；　and　a　straight；　thin…lipped　mouth　set

in　a　dangerous　smile。

　　〃It　is　I；〃　she　said；　〃the　woman　whose　life　you　have　ruined。〃

　　Milverton　laughed；　but　fear　vibrated　in　his　voice。　〃You　were　so　very

obstinate；〃　said　he。　〃Why　did　you　drive　me　to　such　extremities？　I

assure　you　I　wouldn't　hurt　a　fly　of　my　own　accord；　but　every　man　has

his　business；　and　what　was　I　to　do？　I　put　the　price　well　within　your

means。　You　would　not　pay。〃

　　〃So　you　sent　the　letters　to　my　husband；　and　he…　the　noblest

gentleman　that　ever　lived；　a　man　whose　boots　I　was　never　worthy　to

lace…　he　broke　his　gallant　heart　and　died。　You　remember　that　last

night；　when　I　came　through　that　door；　I　begged　and　prayed　you　for

mercy；　and　you　laughed　in　my　face　as　you　are　trying　to　laugh　now；　only

your　coward　heart　cannot　keep　your　lips　from　twitching。　Yes；　you　never

thought　to　see　me　here　again；　but　it　was　that　night　which　taught　me

how　I　could　meet　you　face　to　face；　and　alone。　Well；　Charles　Milverton；

what　have　you　to　say？〃

　　〃Don't　imagine　that　you　can　bully　me；〃　said　he；　rising　to　his

feet。　〃I　have　only　to　raise　my　voice　and　I　could　call　my　servants

and　have　you　arrested。　But　I　will　make　allowance　for　your　natural

anger。　Leave　the　room　at　once　as　you　came；　and　I　will　say　no　more。〃

　　The　woman　stood　with　her　hand　buried　in　her　bosom；　and　the　same

deadly　smile　on　her　thin　lips。

　　〃You　will　ruin　no　more　lives　as　you　have　ruined　mine。　You　will　wring

no　more　hearts　as　you　wrung　mine。　I　will　free　the　world　of　a　poisonous

thing。　Take　that；　you　hound…　and　that！…　and　that！…　and　that！〃

　　She　had　drawn　a　little　gleaming　revolver；　and　emptied　barrel　after

barrel　into　Milverton's　body；　the　muzzle　within　two　feet　of　his

shirt　front。　He　shrank　away　and　then　fell　forward　upon　the　table；

coughing　furiously　and　clawing　among　the　papers。　Then　he　staggered

to　his　feet；　received　another　shot；　and　rolled　upon　the　floor。　〃You've

done　me；〃　he　cried；　and　lay　still。　The　woman　looked　at　him　intently；

and　ground　her　heel　into　his　upturned　face。　She　looked　again；　but

there　was　no　sound　or　movement。　I　heard　a　sharp　rustle；　the　night

air　blew　into　the　heated　room；　and　the　avenger　was　gone。

　　No　interference　upon　our　part　could　have　saved　the　man　from　his

fate；　but；　as　the　woman　poured　bullet　after　bullet　into　Milverton's

shrinking　body　I　was　about　to　spring　out；　when　I　felt　Holmes's　cold；

strong　grasp　upon　my　wrist。　I　understood　the　whole　argument　of　that

firm；　restraining　grip…　that　it　was　no　affair　of　ours；　that　justice

had　overtaken　a　villain；　that　we　had　our　own　duties　and　our　own

objects；　which　were　not　to　be　lost　sight　of。　But　hardly　had　the

woman　rushed　from　the　room　when　Holmes；　with　swift；　silent　steps；

was　over　at　the　other　door。　He　turned　the　key　in　the　lock。　At　the　same

instant　we　heard　voices　in　the　house　and　the　sound　of　hurrying　feet。

The　revolver　shots　had　roused　the　household。　With　perfect　coolness

Holmes　slipped　across　to　the　safe；　filled　his　two　arms　with　bundles　of

letters；　and　poured　them　all　into　the　fire。　Again　and　again　he　did　it；

until　the　safe　was　empty。　Someone　turned　the　handle　and　beat　upon

the　outside　of　the　door。　Holmes　looked　swiftly　round。　The　letter　which

had　been　the　messenger　of　death　for　Milverton　lay；　all　mottled　with

his　blood；　upon　the　table。　Holmes　tossed　it　in　among　the　blazing

papers。　Then　he　drew　the　key　from　the　outer　door；　passed　through　after

me；　and　locked　it　on　the　outside。　〃This　way；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃we　can

scale　the　garden　wall　in　this　direction。〃

　　I　could　not　have　believed　that　an　alarm　could　have　spread　so

swiftly。　Looking　back；　the　huge　house　was　one　blaze　of　light。　The

front　door　was　open；　and　figures　were　rushing　down　the　drive。　The

whole　garden　was　alive　with　people；　and　one　fellow　raised　a

view…halloa　as　we　emerged　from　the　veranda　and　followed　hard　at　our

heels。　Holmes　seemed　to　know　the　grounds　perfectly；　and　he　threaded

his　way　swiftly　among　a　plantation　of　small　trees；　I　close　at　his

heels；　and　our　foremost　pursuer　panting　behind　us。　It　was　a　six…foot

wall　which　barred　our　path；　but　he　sprang　to　the　top　and　over。　As　I

did　the　same　I　felt　the　hand　of　the　man　behind　me　grab　at　my　ankle；

but　I　kicked　myself　free　and　scrambled　over　a　grass…strewn　coping。　I

fell　upon　my　face　among　some　bushes；　but　Holmes　had　me　on　my　feet　in

an　instant；　and　together　we　dashed　away　across　the　huge　expanse　of

Hampstead　Heath。　We　had　run　two　miles；　I　suppose；　before　Holmes　at

last　halted　and　listened　intently。　All　was　absolute　silence　behind　us。

We　had　shaken　off　our　pursuers　and　were　safe。



　　We　had　breakfasted　and　were　smoking　our　morning　pipe　on　the　day

after　the　remarkable　experience　which　I　have　recorded；　when　Mr。

Lestrade；　of　Scotland　Yard；　very　solemn　and　impressive；　was　ushered

into　our　modest　sitting…room。

　　〃Good…morning；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　he；　〃good…morning。　May　I　ask　if　you

are　very　busy　just　now？〃

　　〃Not　too　busy　to　listen　to　you。〃

　　〃I　thought　that；　perhaps；　if　you　had　nothing　particular　on　hand；　you

might　care　to　assist　us　in　a　most　remarkable　case；　which　occurred　only

last　night　at　Hampstead。〃

　　〃Dear　me！〃　said　Holmes。　〃What　was　that？〃

　　〃A　murder…　a　most　dramatic　and　remarkable　murder。　I　know　how　keen

you　are　upon　these　things；　and　I　would　take　it　as　a　great　favour　if

you　would　step　down　to　Appledore　Towers；　and　give　us　the　benefit　of

your　advice。　It　is　no　ordinary　crime。　We　have　had　our　eyes　upon　this

Mr。　Milverton　for　some　time；　and；　between　ourselves；　he　was　a　bit　of　a

villain。　He　is　known　to　have　held　papers　which　he　used　for

blackmailing　purposes。　These　papers　have　all　been　burned　by　the

murderers。　No　article　of　value　was　taken；　as　it　is　probable　that　the

criminals　were　men　of　good　position；　whose　sole　object　was　to

prevent　social　exposure。〃

　　〃Criminals？〃　said　Holmes。　〃Plural？〃

　　〃Yes；　there　were　two　of　them。　They　were　as　nearly　as　possible

captured　redhanded。　We　have　their　footmarks；　we　have　their

description；　it's　ten　to　one　that　we　trace　them。　The　first　fellow

was　a　bit　too　active；　but　the　second　was　caught　by　the　under…gardener；

and　only　got　away　after　a　struggle。　He　was　a　middle…sized；　strongly

built　man…　square　jaw；　thick　neck；　moustache；　a　mask　over　his　eyes。〃

　　〃That's　rather　vague；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。　〃My；　it　might　be　a

description　of　Watson！〃

　　〃It's　true；〃　said　the　inspector；　with　amusement。　〃It　might　be　a

description　of　Watson。〃

　　〃Well；　I'm　afraid　I　can't　help　you；　Lestrade；〃　said　Holmes。　〃The

fact　is　that　I　knew　this　fellow　Milverton；　that　I　considered　him　one

of　the　most　dangerous　men　in　London；　and　that　I　think　there　are

certain　crimes　which　the　law　cannot　touch；　and　which　therefore；　to

some　extent；　justify　private　revenge。　No；　it's　no　use　arguing。　I

have　made　up　my　mind。　My　sympathies　are　with　the　criminals　rather　than

with　the　victim；　and　I　will　not　handle　this　case。〃



　　Holmes　had　not　said　one　word　to