the adventure of the dying detective-第2节

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aimless　perambulation；　I　came　to　the　mantelpiece。　A　litter　of　pipes；

tobacco…pouches；　syringes；　penknives；　revolver…cartridges；　and　other

debris　was　scattered　over　it。　In　the　midst　of　these　was　a　small

black　and　white　ivory　box　with　a　sliding　lid。　It　was　a　neat　little

thing；　and　I　had　stretched　out　my　hand　to　examine　it　more　closely

when…

　　It　was　a　dreadful　cry　that　he　gave…　a　yell　which　might　have　been

heard　down　the　street。　My　skin　went　cold　and　my　hair　bristled　at

that　horrible　scream。　As　I　turned　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　convulsed

face　and　frantic　eyes。　I　stood　paralyzed；　with　the　little　box　in　my

hand。

　　〃Put　it　down！　Down；　this　instant；　Watson…　this　instant；　I　say！〃

His　head　sank　back　upon　the　pillow　and　he　gave　a　deep　sigh　of　relief

as　I　replaced　the　box　upon　the　mantelpiece。　〃I　hate　to　have　my

things　touched；　Watson。　You　know　that　I　hate　it。　You　fidget　me

beyond　endurance。　You；　a　doctor…　you　are　enough　to　drive　a　patient

into　an　asylum。　Sit　down；　man；　and　let　me　have　my　rest！〃

　　The　incident　left　a　most　unpleasant　impression　upon　my　mind。　The

violent　and　causeless　excitement；　followed　by　this　brutality　of

speech；　so　far　removed　from　his　usual　suavity；　showed　me　how　deep

was　the　disorganization　of　his　mind。　Of　all　ruins；　that　of　a　noble

mind　is　the　most　deplorable。　I　sat　in　silent　dejection　until　the

stipulated　time　had　passed。　He　seemed　to　have　been　watching　the

clock　as　well　as　I；　for　it　was　hardly　six　before　he　began　to　talk　with

the　same　feverish　animation　as　before。

　　〃Now；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃Have　you　any　change　in　your　pocket？〃

　　〃Yes。〃

　　〃Any　silver？〃

　　〃A　good　deal。〃

　　〃How　many　half…crowns？〃

　　〃I　have　five。〃

　　〃Ah；　too　few！　Too　few！　How　very　unfortunate；　Watson！　However；　such

as　they　are　you　can　put　them　in　your　watchpocket。　And　all　the　rest

of　your　money　in　your　left　trouserpocket。　Thank　you。　It　will　balance

you　so　much　better　like　that。〃

　　This　was　raving　insanity。　He　shuddered；　and　again　made　a　sound

between　a　cough　and　a　sob。

　　〃You　will　now　light　the　gas；　Watson；　but　you　will　be　very　careful

that　not　for　one　instant　shall　it　be　more　than　half　on。　I　implore

you　to　be　careful；　Watson。　Thank　you；　that　is　excellent。　No；　you

need　not　draw　the　blind。　Now　you　will　have　the　kindness　to　place

some　letters　and　papers　upon　this　table　within　my　reach；　Thank　you。

Now　some　of　that　litter　from　the　mantelpiece。　Excellent；　Watson！　There

is　a　sugar…tongs　there。　Kindly　raise　that　small　ivory　box　with　its

assistance。　Place　it　here　among　the　papers。　Good！　You　can　now　go　and

fetch　Mr。　Culverton　Smith；　of　13　Lower　Burke　Street。〃

　　To　tell　the　truth；　my　desire　to　fetch　a　doctor　had　somewhat

weakened；　for　poor　Holmes　was　so　obviously　delirious　that　it　seemed

dangerous　to　leave　him。　However；　he　was　as　eager　now　to　consult　the

person　named　as　he　had　been　obstinate　in　refusing。

　　〃I　never　heard　the　name；〃　said　I。

　　〃Possibly　not；　my　good　Watson。　It　may　surprise　you　to　know　that

the　man　upon　earth　who　is　best　versed　in　this　disease　is　not　a　medical

man；　but　a　planter。　Mr。　Culverton　Smith　is　a　well…known　resident　of

Sumatra；　now　visiting　London。　An　outbreak　of　the　disease　upon　his

plantation；　which　was　distant　from　medical　aid；　caused　him　to　study　it

himself；　with　some　rather　far…reaching　consequences。　He　is　a　very

methodical　person；　and　I　did　not　desire　you　to　start　before　six；

because　I　was　well　aware　that　you　would　not　find　him　in　his　study。

If　you　could　persuade　him　to　come　here　and　give　us　the　benefit　of

his　unique　experience　of　this　disease；　the　investigation　of　which

has　been　his　dearest　hobby；　I　cannot　doubt　that　he　could　help　me。〃

　　I　give　Holmes's　remarks　as　a　consecutive　whole　and　will　not

attempt　to　indicate　how　they　were　interrupted　by　gaspings　for　breath

and　those　clutchings　of　his　hands　which　indicated　the　pain　from

which　he　was　suffering。　His　appearance　had　changed　for　the　worse

during　the　few　hours　that　I　had　been　with　him。　Those　hectic　spots　were

more　pronounced；　the　eyes　shone　more　brightly　out　of　darker　hollows；

and　a　cold　sweat　glimmered　upon　his　brow。　He　still　retained；

however；　the　jaunty　gallantry　of　his　speech。　To　the　last　gasp　he　would

always　be　the　master。

　　〃You　will　tell　him　exactly　how　you　have　left　me；〃　said　he。　〃You　will

convey　the　very　impression　which　is　in　your　own　mind…　a　dying　man…　a

dying　and　delirious　man。　Indeed；　I　cannot　think　why　the　whole　bed　of

the　ocean　is　not　one　solid　mass　of　oysters；　so　prolific　the

creatures　seem。　Ah；　I　am　wandering！　Strange　how　the　brain　controls　the

brain！　What　was　I　saying；　Watson？〃

　　〃My　directions　for　Mr。　Culverton　Smith。〃

　　〃Ah；　yes；　I　remember。　My　life　depends　upon　it。　Plead　with　him；

Watson。　There　is　no　good　feeling　between　us。　His　nephew；　Watson…　I　had

suspicions　of　foul　play　and　I　allowed　him　to　see　it。　The　boy　died

horribly。　He　has　a　grudge　against　me。　You　will　soften　him；　Watson。　Beg

him；　pray　him；　get　him　here　by　any　means。　He　can　save　me…　only　he！〃

　　〃I　will　bring　him　in　a　cab；　if　I　have　to　carry　him　down　to　it。〃

　　〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　sort。　You　will　persuade　him　to　come。　And

then　you　will　return　in　front　of　him。　Make　any　excuse　so　as　not　to

come　with　him。　Don't　forget；　Watson。　You　won't　fail　me。　You　never

did　fail　me。　No　doubt　there　are　natural　enemies　which　limit　the

increase　of　the　creatures。　You　and　I；　Watson；　we　have　done　our　part。

Shall　the　world；　then；　be　overrun　by　oysters？　No；　no；　horrible！　You'll

convey　all　that　is　in　your　mind。〃

　　I　left　him　full　of　the　image　of　this　magnificent　intellect

babbling　like　a　foolish　child。　He　had　handed　me　the　key；　and　with　a

happy　thought　I　took　it　with　me　lest　he　should　lock　himself　in。　Mrs。

Hudson　was　waiting；　trembling　and　weeping；　in　the　passage。　Behind　me

as　I　passed　from　the　flat　I　heard　Holmes's　high；　thin　voice　in　some

delirious　chant。　Below；　as　I　stood　whistling　for　a　cab；　a　man　came

on　me　through　the　fog。

　　〃How　is　Mr。　Holmes；　sir？〃　he　asked。

　　It　was　an　old　acquaintance；　Inspector　Morton；　of　Scotland　Yard；

dressed　in　unofficial　tweeds。

　　〃He　is　very　ill；〃　I　answered。

　　He　looked　at　me　in　a　most　singular　fashion。　Had　it　not　been　too

fiendish；　I　could　have　imagined　that　the　gleam　of　the　fanlight

showed　exultation　in　his　face。

　　〃I　heard　some　rumour　of　it；〃　said　he。

　　The　cab　had　driven　up；　and　I　left　him。

　　Lower　Burke　Street　proved　to　be　a　line　of　fine　houses　lying　in　the

vague　borderland　between　Notting　Hill　and　Kensington。　The　particular

one　at　which　my　cabman　pulled　up　had　an　air　of　smug　and　demure

respectability　in　its　old…fashioned　iron　railings；　its　massive

folding…door；　and　its　shining　brasswork。　All　was　in　keeping　with；　a

solemn　butler　who　appeared　framed　in　the　pink　radiance　of　a　tinted

electric　light　behind　him。

　　〃Yes；　Mr。　Culverton　Smith　is　in；　Dr。　Watson！　Very　good；　sir；　I

will　take　up　your　card。〃

　　My　humble　name　and　title　did　not　appear　to　impress　Mr。　Culverton

Smith。　Through　the　half…open　door　I　heard　a　high；　petulant；

penetrating　voice。

　　〃Who　is　this　person？　What　does　he　want？　Dear　me；　Staples；　how

often　have　I　said　that　I　am；　not　to　be　disturbed　in　my　hours　of

study？〃

　　There　came　a　gentle　flow　of　soothing　explanation　from　the　butler。

　　〃Well；　I　won't　see　him；　Staples。　I　can't　have　my　work　interrupted

like　this。　I　am　not　at　home。　Say　so。　tell　him　to　come　in　the　morning

if　he　really　must　see　me。〃

　　Again　the　gentle　murmur。

　　〃Well；　well；　give　him　that　message。　He　can　come　in　the　morning；　or

he　can　stay　away。　My　work　must　not　be　hindered。〃

　　I　thought　of　Holmes　tossing　upon　his　bed　of　sickness　and　counting

the　minutes；　perhaps；　until　I　could　bring　help　to　him。　It　was　not　a

time　to　stand　upon　ceremony。　His　life　depended　upon　my　promptness。

Before　the　apologetic　butler　had　delivered　his　message　I　had　pushed

past　him　and　was　in　the　room。

　　With　a　shrill　cry　of　anger　a　man　rose　from　a　reclining　chair

beside　the　fire。　I　saw　a　great　yellow　face；　coarse…grained　and　greasy；

with　heavy；　double…chin；　and　two　sullen；　menacing　gray　eyes　which

glared　at　me　from　under　tufted　and　sandy　brows。　A　high　bald　head　had　a

small　velvet　smoking…cap　poised　coquettishly　upon　one　side　of　its　pink

curve。　The　skull　was　of　enormous　capacity；　and　yet　as　I　looked　down

I　saw　to　my　amazement　that　the　figure　of　the　man　was　small　and

frail；　twisted　in　the　shoulders　and　back　like　one　who　has　suffered

from　rickets　in　his　childhood。

　　〃What's　this？〃　he　cried　in　a　high；　screaming　voice。　〃What　is　the

meaning　of　this　intrusion？　Didn't　I　send　you　word　that　I　would　see　you

to…morrow　morning？〃

　　〃I　am　sorry；〃　said　I；　〃but　the　matter　cannot　be　delayed。　Mr。

Sherlock　Holmes…〃

　　The　mention　of　my　friend's　name　had　an　extraordinary　effect　upon　the

little　man。　The　look　of　anger　passed　in　an　instant　from　his　face。

His　features　became　tense　and　alert。

　　〃Have　you　come　from　Holmes？〃　he　asked。

　　〃I　have　just　left　him。〃

　　〃What　about　Holmes？　How　is　he？〃

　　〃He　is　desperately　ill。　That　is　why　I　have　come。〃

　　The　man　motioned　me　to　a　chair；　and　turned　to　resume　his　own。　As

he　did　so　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　his　face　in　the　mirror　over　the

mantelpi