the adventure of the beryl coronet-第4节

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the　morning；　and　it　was　the　more　striking　in　her　as　she　was

evidently　a　woman　of　strong　character；　with　immense　capacity　for

self…restraint。　Disregarding　my　presence；　she　went　straight　to　her

uncle　and　passed　her　hand　over　his　head　with　a　sweet　womanly　caress。

　　〃You　have　given　orders　that　Arthur　should　be　liberated；　have　you

not；　dad？〃　she　asked。

　　〃No；　no；　my　girl；　the　matter　must　be　probed　to　the　bottom。〃

　　〃But　I　am　so　sure　that　he　is　innocent。　You　know　what　woman's

instincts　are。　I　know　that　he　has　done　no　harm　and　that　you　will　be

sorry　for　having　acted　so　harshly。〃

　　〃Why　is　he　silent；　then；　if　he　is　innocent？〃

　　〃Who　knows？　Perhaps　because　he　was　so　angry　that　you　should

suspect　him。〃

　　〃How　could　I　help　suspecting　him；　when　I　actually　saw　him　with　the

coronet　in　his　hand？〃

　　〃Oh；　but　he　had　only　picked　it　up　to　look　at　it。　Oh；　do；　do　take

my　word　for　it　that　he　is　innocent。　Let　the　matter　drop　and　say　no

more。　It　is　so　dreadful　to　think　of　our　dear　Arthur　in　prison！〃

　　〃I　shall　never　let　it　drop　until　the　gems　are　found…never；　Mary！

Your　affection　for　Arthur　blinds　you　as　to　the　awful　consequences　to

me。　Far　from　hushing　the　thing　up；　I　have　brought　a　gentleman　down

from　London　to　inquire　more　deeply　into　it。〃

　　〃This　gentleman？〃　she　asked；　facing　round　to　me。

　　〃No；　his　friend。　He　wished　us　to　leave　him　alone。　He　is　round　in　the

stable　lane　now。〃

　　〃The　stable　lane？〃　She　raised　her　dark　eyebrows。　〃What　can　he　hope

to　find　there？　Ah！　this；　I　suppose；　is　he。　I　trust；　sir；　that　you　will

succeed　in　proving；　what　I　feel　sure　is　the　truth。　that　my　cousin

Arthur　is　innocent　of　this　crime。〃

　　〃I　fully　share　your　opinion；　and　I　trust；　with　you；　that　we　may

prove　it；〃　returned　Holmes；　going　back　to　the　mat　to　knock　the　snow

from　his　shoes。　〃I　believe　I　have　the　honour　of　addressing　Miss　Mary

Holder。　Might　I　ask　you　a　question　or　two？〃

　　〃Pray　do；　sir；　if　it　may　help　to　clear　this　horrible　affair　up。〃

　　〃You　heard　nothing　yourself　last　night？〃

　　〃Nothing；　until　my　uncle　here　began　to　speak　loudly。　I　heard　that；

and　I　came　down。〃

　　〃You　shut　up　the　windows　and　doors　the　night　before。　Did　you

fasten　all　the　windows？〃

　　〃Yes。〃

　　〃Were　they　all　fastened　this　morning？〃

　　〃Yes。〃

　　〃You　have　a　maid　who　has　a　sweetheart？　I　think　that　you　remarked

to　your　uncle　last　night　that　she　had　been　out　to　see　him？〃

　　〃Yes；　and　she　was　the　girl　who　waited　in　the　drawing…room；　and　who

may　have　heard　uncle's　remarks　about　the　coronet。〃

　　〃I　see。　You　infer　that　she　may　have　gone　out　to　tell　her　sweetheart；

and　that　the　two　may　have　planned　the　robbery。〃

　　〃But　what　is　the　good　of　all　these　vague　theories；〃　cried　the　banker

impatiently；　〃When　I　have　told　you　that　I　saw　Arthur　with　the

coronet　in　his　hands？〃

　　〃Wait　a　little；　Mr。　Holder。　We　must　come　back　to　that。　About　this

girl；　Miss　Holder。　You　saw　her　return　by　the　kitchen　door；　I　presume？〃

　　〃Yes；　when　I　went　to　see　if　the　door　was　fastened　for　the　night　I

met　her　slipping　in。　I　saw　the　man；　too；　in　the　gloom。〃

　　〃Do　you　know　him？〃

　　〃Oh；　yes！　he　is　the　green…grocer　who　brings　our　vegetables　round。

His　name　is　Francis　Prosper。〃

　　〃He　stood；〃　said　Holmes；　〃to　the　left　of　the　door…that　is　to　say；

farther　up　the　path　than　is　necessary　to　reach　the　door？〃

　　〃Yes；　he　did。〃

　　〃And　he　is　a　man　with　a　wooden　leg？〃

　　Something　like　fear　sprang　up　in　the　young　lady's　expressive　black

eyes。　〃Why；　you　are　like　a　magician；〃　said　she。　〃How　do　you　know

that？〃　She　smiled；　but　there　was　no　answering　smile　in　Holmes's

thin；　eager　face。

　　〃I　should　be　very　glad　now　to　go　upstairs；〃　said　he。　〃I　shall

probably　wish　to　go　over　the　outside　of　the　house　again。　Perhaps　I　had

better　take　a　look　at　the　lower　windows　before　I　go　up。〃

　　He　walked　swiftly　round　from　one　to　the　other；　pausing　only　at　the

large　one　which　looked　from　the　hall　onto　the　stable　lane。　This　he

opened　and　made　a　very　careful　examination　of　the　sill　with　his

powerful　magnifying　lens。　〃Now　we　shall　go　upstairs；〃　said　he　at　last。

　　The　banker's　dressing…room　was　a　plainly　furnished　little　chamber；

with　a　gray　carpet；　a　large　bureau；　and　a　long　mirror。　Holmes　went

to　the　bureau　first　and　looked　hard　at　the　lock。

　　〃Which　key　was　used　to　open　it？〃　he　asked。

　　〃That　which　my　son　himself　indicated…that　of　the　cupboard　of　the

lumber　room。〃

　　〃Have　you　it　here？〃

　　〃That　is　it　on　the　dressing…table。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　took　it　up　and　opened　the　bureau。

　　〃It　is　a　noiseless　lock；〃　said　he。　〃It　is　no　wonder　that　it　did

not　wake　you。　This　case；　I　presume；　contains　the　coronet。　We　must　have

a　look　at　it。〃　He　opened　the　case；　and　taking　out　the　diadem　he　laid

it　upon　the　table。　It　was　a　magnificent　specimen　of　the　jeweller's

art；　and　the　thirty…six　stones　were　the　finest　that　I　have　ever

seen。　At　one　side　of　the　coronet　was　a　cracked　edge；　where　a　corner

holding　three　gems　had　been　torn　away。

　　〃Now；　Mr。　Holder；〃　said　Holmes；　〃here　is　the　corner　which

corresponds　to　that　which　has　been　so　unfortunately　lost。　Might　I

beg　that　you　will　break　it　off。〃

　　The　banker　recoiled　in　horror。　〃I　should　not　dream　of　trying；〃

said　he。

　　〃Then　I　will。〃　Holmes　suddenly　bent　his　strength　upon　it；　but

without　result。　〃I　feel　it　give　a　little；〃　said　he；　〃but；　though　I

am　exceptionally　strong　in　the　fingers；　it　would　take　me　all　my　time

to　break　it。　An　ordinary　man　could　not　do　it。　Now；　what　do　you　think

would　happen　if　I　did　break　it；　Mr。　Holder？　There　would　be　a　noise

like　a　pistol　shot。　Do　you　tell　me　that　all　this　happened　within　a　few

yards　of　your　bed　and　that　you　heard　nothing　of　it？〃

　　〃I　do　not　know　what　to　think。　It　is　all　dark　to　me。〃

　　〃But　perhaps　it　may　grow　lighter　as　we　go。　What　do　you　think；　Miss

Holder？〃

　　〃I　confess　that　I　still　share　my　uncle's　perplexity。〃

　　〃Your　son　had　no　shoes　or　slippers　on　when　you　saw　him？〃

　　〃He　had　nothing　on　save　only　his　trousers　and　shirt。〃

　　〃Thank　you。　We　have　certainly　been　favoured　with　extraordinary

luck　during　this　inquiry；　and　it　will　be　entirely　our　own　fault　if

we　do　not　succeed　in　clearing　the　matter　up。　With　your　permission；　Mr。

Holder；　I　shall　now　continue　my　investigations　outside。〃

　　He　went　alone；　at　his　own　request；　for　he　explained　that　any

unnecessary　footmarks　might　make　his　task　more　difficult。　For　an

hour　or　more　he　was　at　work；　returning　at　last　with　his　feet　heavy

with　snow　and　his　features　as　inscrutable　as　ever。

　　〃I　think　that　I　have　seen　now　all　that　there　is　to　see；　Mr。　Holder；〃

said　he；　〃I　can　serve　you　best　by　returning　to　my　rooms。〃

　　〃But　the　gems；　Mr。　Holmes。　Where　are　they？〃

　　〃I　cannot　tell。〃

　　The　banker　wrung　his　hands。　〃I　shall　never　see　them　again！〃　he

cried。　〃And　my　son？　You　give　me　hopes？〃

　　〃My　opinion　is　in　no　way　altered。〃

　　〃Then；　for　God's　sake；　what　was　this　dark　business　which　was　acted

in　my　house　last　night？〃

　　〃If　you　can　call　upon　me　at　my　Baker　Street　rooms　to…morrow

morning　between　nine　and　ten　I　shall　be　happy　to　do　what　I　can　to　make

it　clearer。　I　understand　that　you　give　me　carte　blanche　to　act　for

you；　provided　only　that　I　get　back　the　gems；　and　that　you　place　no

limit　on　the　sum　I　may　draw。〃

　　〃I　would　give　my　fortune　to　have　them　back。〃

　　〃Very　good。　I　shall　look　into　the　matter　between　this　and　then。

Good…bye；　it　is　just　possible　that　I　may　have　to　come　over　here

again　before　evening。〃

　　It　was　obvious　to　me　that　my　companion's　mind　was　now　made　up

about　the　case；　although　what　his　conclusions　were　was　more　than　I

could　even　dimly　imagine。　Several　times　during　our　homeward　journey

I　endeavoured　to　sound　him　upon　the　point；　but　he　always　glided　away

to　some　other　topic；　until　at　last　I　gave　it　over　in　despair。　It　was

not　yet　three　when　we　found　ourselves　in　our　room　once　more。　He

hurried　to　his　chamber；　and　was　down　again　in　a　few　minutes　dressed　as

a　common　loafer。　With　his　collar　turned　up；　his　shiny；　seedy　coat；　his

red　cravat；　and　his　worn　boots；　he　was　a　perfect　sample　of　the　class。

　　〃I　think　that　this　should　do；〃　said　he；　glancing　into　the　glass

above　the　fireplace。　〃I　only　wish　that　you　could　come　with　me；　Watson；

but　I　fear　that　it　won't　do。　I　may　be　on　the　trail　in　this　matter；

or　I　may　be　following　a　will…o'…the…wisp；　but　I　shall　soon　know

which　it　is。　I　hope　that　I　may　be　back　in　a　few　hours。〃　He　cut　a　slice

of　beef　from　the　joint　upon　the　sideboard；　sandwiched　it　between　two

rounds　of　bread；　and　thrusting　this　rude　meal　into　his　pocket　he

started　off　upon　his　expedition。

　　I　had　just　finished　my　tea　when　he　returned；　evidently　in

excellent　spirits；　swinging　an　old　elastic…sided　boot　in　his　hand。

He　chucked　it　down　into　a　corner　and　helped　himself　to　a　cup　of　tea。

　　〃I　only　looked　in　as　I　passed；〃　said　he。　〃I　am　going　right　on。〃

　　〃Where　to？〃

　　〃Oh；　to　the　other　side　of　the　West　End。　It　may　be　some　time　before　I

get　back。　Don't　wait　up　for　me　in　case　I　should　be　late。〃

　　〃How　are　you　getting　on？〃

　　〃Oh；　so　so。　Nothing　to　complain　of。　I　have　been　out　to　Streatham

since　I　saw　you　last；　but　I　did　not　call　at　the　house。　It　is　a　very

sweet　little　problem；　and　I　would　no