the adventure of the beryl coronet-第1节

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　BERYL　CORONET

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle

　　　　　　　　　　　The　Adventure　of　the　Beryl　Coronet。



　　〃Holmes；〃　said　I　as　I　stood　one　morning　in　our　bow…window　looking

down　the　street；　〃here　is　a　madman　coming　along。　It　seems　rather　sad

that　his　relatives　should　allow　him　to　come　out　alone。〃

　　My　friend　rose　lazily　from　his　armchair　and　stood　with　his　hands

in　the　pockets　of　his　dressing…gown；　looking　over　my　shoulder。　It

was　a　bright；　crisp　February　morning；　and　the　snow　of　the　day　before

still　lay　deep　upon　the　ground；　shimmering　brightly　in　the　wintry　sun。

Down　the　centre　of　Baker　Street　it　had　been　ploughed　into　a　brown

crumbly　band　by　the　traffic；　but　at　either　side　and　on　the　heaped…up

edges　of　the　foot…paths　it　still　lay　as　white　as　when　it　fell。　The

gray　pavement　had　been　cleaned　and　scraped；　but　was　still

dangerously　slippery；　so　that　there　were　fewer　passengers　than

usual。　Indeed；　from　the　direction　of　the　Metropolitan　Station　no　one

was　coming　save　the　single　gentleman　whose　eccentric　conduct　had　drawn

my　attention。

　　He　was　a　man　of　about　fifty；　tall；　portly；　and　imposing；　with　a

massive；　strongly　marked　face　and　a　commanding　figure。　He　was

dressed　in　a　sombre　yet　rich　style；　in　black　frock…coat；　shining

hat；　neat　brown　gaiters；　and　well…cut　pearl…gray　trousers。　Yet　his

actions　were　in　absurd　contrast　to　the　dignity　of　his　dress　and

features；　for　he　was　running　hard；　with　occasional　little　springs；

such　as　a　weary　man　gives　who　is　little　accustomed　to　set　any　tax　upon

his　legs。　As　he　ran　he　jerked　his　hands　up　and　down；　waggled　his　head；

and　writhed　his　face　into　the　most　extraordinary　contortions。

　　〃What　on　earth　can　be　the　matter　with　him？〃　I　asked。　〃He　is

looking　up　at　the　numbers　of　the　houses。〃

　　〃I　believe　that　he　is　coming　here；〃　said　Holmes；　rubbing　his　hands。

　　〃Here？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　rather　think　he　is　coming　to　consult　me　professionally。　I

think　that　I　recognize　the　symptoms。　Ha！　did　I　not　tell　you？〃　As　he

spoke；　the　man；　puffing　and　blowing；　rushed　at　our　door　and　pulled

at　our　bell　until　the　whole　house　resounded　with　the　clanging。

　　A　few　moments　later　he　was　in　our　room；　still　puffing；　still

gesticulating；　but　with　so　fixed　a　look　of　grief　and　despair　in　his

eyes　that　our　smiles　were　turned　in　an　instant　to　horror　and　pity。　For

a　while　he　could　not　get　his　words　out；　but　swayed　his　body　and

plucked　at　his　hair　like　one　who　has　been　driven　to　the　extreme　limits

of　his　reason。　Then；　suddenly　springing　to　his　feet；　he　beat　his

head　against　the　wall　with　such　force　that　we　both　rushed　upon　him　and

tore　him　away　to　the　centre　of　the　room。　Sherlock　Holmes　pushed　him

down　into　the　easy…chair　and；　sitting　beside　him；　patted　his　hand

and　chatted　with　him　in　the　easy；　soothing　tones　which　he　knew　so　well

how　to　employ。

　　〃You　have　come　to　me　to　tell　your　story；　have　you　not？〃　said　he。

〃You　are　fatigued　with　your　haste。　Pray　wait　until　you　have

recovered　yourself；　and　then　I　shall　be　most　happy　to　look　into　any

little　problem　which　you　may　submit　to　me。〃

　　The　man　sat　for　a　minute　or　more　with　a　heaving　chest；　fighting

against　his　emotion。　Then　he　passed　his　handkerchief　over　his　brow；

set　his　lips　tight；　and　turned　his　face　towards　us。

　　〃No　doubt　you　think　me　mad？〃　said　he。

　　〃I　see　that　you　have　had　some　great　trouble；〃　responded　Holmes。

　　〃God　knows　I　have！…a　trouble　which　is　enough　to　unseat　my　reason；　so

sudden　and　so　terrible　is　it。　Public　disgrace　I　might　have　faced；

although　I　am　a　man　whose　character　has　never　yet　borne　a　stain。

Private　affliction　also　is　the　lot　of　every　man；　but　the　two　coming

together；　and　in　so　frightful　a　form；　have　been　enough　to　shake　my

very　soul。　Besides；　it　is　not　I　alone。　The　very　noblest　in　the　land

may　suffer　unless　some　way　be　found　out　of　this　horrible　affair。〃

　　〃Pray　compose　yourself；　sir；〃　said　Holmes；　〃and　let　me　have　a

clear　account　of　who　you　are　and　what　it　is　that　has　befallen　you。〃

　　〃My　name；〃　answered　our　visitor；　〃is　probably　familiar　to　your　ears。

I　am　Alexander　Holder；　of　the　banking　firm　of　Holder　&　Stevenson；　of

Threadneedle　Street。〃

　　The　name　was　indeed　well　known　to　us　as　belonging　to　the　senior

partner　in　the　second　largest　private　banking　concern　in　the　City　of

London。　What　could　have　happened；　then；　to　bring　one　of　the　foremost

citizens　of　London　to　this　most　pitiable　pass？　We　waited；　all

curiosity；　until　with　another　effort　he　braced　himself　to　tell　his

story。

　　〃I　feel　that　time　is　of　value；〃　said　he；　〃that　is　why　I　hastened

here　when　the　police　inspector　suggested　that　I　should　secure　your

cooperation。　I　came　to　Baker　Street　by　the　Underground　and　hurried

from　there　on　foot；　for　the　cabs　go　slowly　through　this　snow。　That

is　why　I　was　so　out　of　breath；　for　I　am　a　man　who　takes　very　little

exercise。　I　feel　better　now；　and　I　will　put　the　facts　before　you　as

shortly　and　yet　as　clearly　as　I　can。

　　〃It　is；　of　course；　well　known　to　you　that　in　a　successful　banking

business　as　much　depends　upon　our　being　able　to　find　remunerative

investments　for　our　funds　as　upon　our　increasing　our　connection　and

the　number　of　our　depositors。　One　of　our　most　lucrative　means　of

laying　out　money　is　in　the　shape　of　loans；　where　the　security　is

unimpeachable。　We　have　done　a　good　deal　in　this　direction　during　the

last　few　years；　and　there　are　many　noble　families　to　whom　we　have

advanced　large　sums　upon　the　security　of　their　pictures；　libraries；　or

plate。

　　〃Yesterday　morning　I　was　seated　in　my　office　at　the　bank　when　a　card

was　brought　in　to　me　by　one　of　the　clerks。　I　started　when　I　saw　the

name；　for　it　was　that　of　none　other　than…well；　perhaps　even　to　you　I

had　better　say　no　more　than　that　it　was　a　name　which　is　a　household

word　all　over　the　earth…one　of　the　highest；　noblest；　most　exalted

names　in　England。　I　was　overwhelmed　by　the　honour　and　attempted；

when　he　entered；　to　say　so；　but　he　plunged　at　once　into　business

with　the　air　of　a　man　who　wishes　to　hurry　quickly　through　a

disagreeable　task。

　　〃'Mr。　Holder；'　said　he；　'I　have　been　informed　that　you　are　in　the

habit　of　advancing　money。'

　　〃'The　firm　does　so　when　the　security　is　good；'　I　answered。

　　〃'It　is　absolutely　essential　to　me；'　said　he；　'that　I　should　have

L50；000　at　once。　I　could；　of　course；　borrow　so　trifling　a　sum　ten

times　over　from　my　friends；　but　I　much　prefer　to　make　it　a　matter　of

business　and　to　carry　out　that　business　myself。　In　my　position　you　can

readily　understand　that　it　is　unwise　to　place　one's　self　under

obligations。'

　　〃'For　how　long；　may　I　ask；　do　you　want　this　sum？'　I　asked。

　　〃'Next　Monday　I　have　a　large　sum　due　to　me；　and　I　shall　then　most

certainly　repay　what　you　advance；　with　whatever　interest　you　think

it　right　to　charge。　But　it　is　very　essential　to　me　that　the　money

should　be　paid　at　once。'

　　〃'I　should　be　happy　to　advance　it　without　further　parley　from　my　own

private　purse；'　said　I；　'were　it　not　that　the　strain　would　be　rather

more　than　it　could　bear。　If；　on　the　other　hand；　I　am　to　do　it　in　the

name　of　the　firm；　then　in　justice　to　my　partner　I　must　insist　that

even　in　your　case；　every　businesslike　precaution　should　be　taken。'

　　〃'I　should　much　prefer　to　have　it　so；'　said　he；　raising　up　a　square；

black　morocco　case　which　he　had　laid　beside　his　chair。　'You　have

doubtless　heard　of　the　Beryl　Coronet？'

　　〃'One　of　the　most　precious　public　possessions　of　the　empire；'　said

I。

　　〃'Precisely。'　He　opened　the　case；　and　there；　imbedded　in　soft；

flesh…coloured　velvet；　lay　the　magnificent　piece　of　jewellery　which　he

had　named。　'There　are　thirty…nine　enormous　beryls；'　said　he；　'and

the　price　of　the　gold　chasing　is　incalculable。　The　lowest　estimate

would　put　the　worth　of　the　coronet　at　double　the　sum　which　I　have

asked。　I　am　prepared　to　leave　it　with　you　as　my　security。'

　　〃I　took　the　precious　case　into　my　hands　and　looked　in　some

perplexity　from　it　to　my　illustrious　client。

　　〃'You　doubt　its　value？'　he　asked。

　　〃'Not　at　all。　I　only　doubt…'

　　〃'The　propriety　of　my　leaving　it。　You　may　set　your　mind　at　rest

about　that。　I　should　not　dream　of　doing　so　were　it　not　absolutely

certain　that　I　should　be　able　in　four　days　to　reclaim　it。　It　is　a　pure

matter　of　form。　Is　the　security　sufficient？'

　　〃'Ample。'

　　〃'You　understand；　Mr。　Holder；　that　I　am　giving　you　a　strong　proof　of

the　confidence　which　I　have　in　you；　founded　upon　all　that　I　have　heard

of　you。　I　rely　upon　you　not　only　to　be　discreet　and　to　refrain　from

all　gossip　upon　the　matter　but；　above　all；　to　preserve　this　coronet

with　every　possible　precaution　because　I　need　not　say　that　a　great

public　scandal　would　be　caused　if　any　harm　were　to　befall　it。　Any

injury　to　it　would　be　almost　as　serious　as　its　complete　loss；　for

there　are　no　beryls　in　the　world　to　match　these；　and　it　would　be

impossible　to　replace　them。　I　leave　it　with　you；　however；　with　every

confidence；　and　I　shall　call　for　it　in　person　on　Monday　morning。'

　　〃Seeing　that　my　client　was　anxious　to　leave；　I　said　no　more；　but；