the boscombe valley mystery-第4部分

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McCarthy's；　and；　I　may　add；　a　great　benefactor　to　him；　for　I　have

learned　that　he　gave　him　Hatherley　Farm　rent　free。〃

　　〃Indeed！　That　is　interesting；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Oh；　yes！　In　a　hundred　other　ways　he　has　helped　him。　Everybody　about

here　speaks　of　his　kindness　to　him。〃

　　〃Really！　Does　it　not　strike　you　as　a　little　singular　that　this

McCarthy；　who　appears　to　have　had　little　of　his　own；　and　to　have

been　under　such　obligations　to　Turner；　should　still　talk　of　marrying

his　son　to　Turner's　daughter；　who　is；　presumably；　heiress　to　the

estate；　and　that　in　such　a　very　cocksure　manner；　as　if　it　were

merely　a　case　of　a　proposal　and　all　else　would　follow？　It　is　the

more　strange；　since　we　know　that　Turner　himself　was　averse　to　the

idea。　The　daughter　told　us　as　much。　Do　you　not　deduce　something　from

that？〃

　　〃We　have　got　to　the　deductions　and　the　inferences；〃　said　Lestrade；

winking　at　me。　〃I　find　it　hard　enough　to　tackle　facts；　Holmes；　without

flying　away　after　theories　and　fancies。〃

　　〃You　are　right；〃　said　Holmes　demurely；　〃you　do　find　it　very　hard

to　tackle　the　facts。〃

　　〃Anyhow；　I　have　grasped　one　fact　which　you　seem　to　find　it　difficult

to　get　hold　of；〃　replied　Lestrade　with　some　warmth。

　　〃And　that　is…〃

　　〃That　McCarthy　senior　met　his　death　from　McCarthy　junior　and　that

all　theories　to　the　contrary　are　the　merest　moonshine。〃

　　〃Well；　moonshine　is　a　brighter　thing　than　fog；〃　said　Holmes；

laughing。　〃But　I　am　very　much　mistaken　if　this　is　not　Hatherley　Farm

upon　the　left。〃

　　〃Yes；　that　is　it。〃　It　was　a　widespread；　comfortable…looking

building；　two…storied；　slate…roofed；　with　great　yellow　blotches　of

lichen　upon　the　gray　walls。　The　drawn　blinds　and　the　smokeless

chimneys；　however；　gave　it　a　stricken　look；　as　though　the　weight　of

this　horror　still　lay　heavy　upon　it。　We　called　at　the　door；　when　the

maid；　at　Holmes's　request；　showed　us　the　boots　which　her　master　wore

at　the　time　of　his　death；　and　also　a　pair　of　the　son's；　though　not　the

pair　which　he　had　then　had。　Having　measured　these　very　carefully

from　seven　or　eight　different　points；　Holmes　desired　to　be　led　to

the　court…yard；　from　which　we　all　followed　the　winding　track　which　led

to　Boscombe　Pool。

　　Sherlock　Holmes　was　transformed　when　he　was　hot　upon　such　a　scent　as

this。　Men　who　had　only　known　the　quiet　thinker　and　logician　of　Baker

Street　would　have　failed　to　recognize　him。　His　face　flushed　and

darkened。　His　brows　were　drawn　into　two　hard　black　lines；　while　his

eyes　shone　out　from　beneath　them　with　a　steely　glitter。　His　face　was

bent　downward；　his　shoulders　bowed；　his　lips　compressed；　and　the　veins

stood　out　like　whipcord　in　his　long；　sinewy　neck。　His　nostrils

seemed　to　dilate　with　a　purely　animal　lust　for　the　chase；　and　his　mind

was　so　absolutely　concentrated　upon　the　matter　before　him　that　a

question　or　remark　fell　unheeded　upon　his　ears；　or；　at　the　most；

only　provoked　a　quick；　impatient　snarl　in　reply。　Swiftly　and

silently　he　made　his　way　along　the　track　which　ran　through　the

meadows；　and　so　by　way　of　the　woods　to　the　Boscombe　Pool。　It　was　damp；

marshy　ground；　as　is　all　that　district；　and　there　were　marks　of　many

feet；　both　upon　the　path　and　amid　the　short　grass　which　bounded　it

on　either　side。　Sometimes　Holmes　would　hurry　on；　sometimes　stop

dead；　and　once　he　made　quite　a　little　detour　into　the　meadow。　Lestrade

and　I　walked　behind　him；　the　detective　indifferent　and　contemptuous；

while　I　watched　my　friend　with　the　interest　which　sprang　from　the

conviction　that　every　one　of　his　actions　was　directed　towards　a

definite　end。

　　The　Boscombe　Pool；　which　is　a　little　reed…girt　sheet　of　water　some

fifty　yards　across；　is　situated　at　the　boundary　between　the

Hatherley　Farm　and　the　private　park　of　the　wealthy　Mr。　Turner。　Above

the　woods　which　lined　it　upon　the　farther　side　we　could　see　the　red；

jutting　pinnacles　which　marked　the　site　of　the　rich　landowner's

dwelling。　On　the　Hatherley　side　of　the　pool　the　woods　grew　very　thick；

and　there　was　a　narrow　belt　of　sodden　grass　twenty　paces　across

between　the　edge　of　the　trees　and　the　reeds　which　lined　the　lake。

Lestrade　showed　us　the　exact　spot　at　which　the　body　had　been　found；

and；　indeed；　so　moist　was　the　ground；　that　I　could　plainly　see　the

traces　which　had　been　left　by　the　fall　of　the　stricken　man。　To　Holmes；

as　I　could　see　by　his　eager　face　and　peering　eyes；　very　many　other

things　were　to　be　read　upon　the　trampled　grass。　He　ran　round；　like　a

dog　who　is　picking　up　a　scent；　and　then　turned　upon　my　companion。

　　〃What　did　you　go　into　the　pool　for？〃　he　asked。

　　〃I　fished　about　with　a　rake。　I　thought　there　might　be　some　weapon　or

other　trace。　But　how　on　earth…〃

　　〃Oh；　tut；　tut！　I　have　no　time！　That　left　foot　of　yours　with　its

inward　twist　is　all　over　the　place。　A　mole　could　trace　it；　and　there

it　vanishes　among　the　reeds。　Oh；　how　simple　it　would　all　have　been　had

I　been　here　before　they　came　like　a　herd　of　buffalo　and　wallowed　all

over　it。　Here　is　where　the　party　with　the　lodge…keeper　came；　and

they　have　covered　all　tracks　for　six　or　eight　feet　round　the　body。　But

here　are　three　separate　tracks　of　the　same　feet。〃　He　drew　out　a　lens

and　lay　down　upon　his　waterproof　to　have　a　better　view；　talking　all

the　time　to　himself　rather　than　to　us。　〃These　are　young　McCarthy's

feet。　Twice　he　was　walking；　and　once　he　ran　swiftly；　so　that　the　soles

are　deeply　marked　and　the　heels　hardly　visible。　That　bears　out　his

story。　He　ran　when　he　saw　his　father　on　the　ground。　Then　here　are

the　father's　feet　as　he　paced　up　and　down。　What　is　this；　then？　It　is

the　butt…end　of　the　gun　as　the　son　stood　listening。　And　this？　Ha；

ha！　What　have　we　here？　Tiptoes！　tiptoes！　Square；　too；　quite　unusual

boots！　They　come；　they　go；　they　come　again　of　course　that　was　for

the　cloak。　Now　where　did　they　come　from？〃　He　ran　up　and　down；

sometimes　losing；　sometimes　finding　the　track　until　we　were　well

within　the　edge　of　the　wood　and　under　the　shadow　of　a　great　beech；　the

largest　tree　in　the　neighbourhood。　Holmes　traced　his　way　to　the

farther　side　of　this　and　lay　down　once　more　upon　his　face　with　a

little　cry　of　satisfaction。　For　a　long　time　he　remained　there；　turning

over　the　leaves　and　dried　sticks；　gathering　up　what　seemed　to　me　to　be

dust　into　an　envelope　and　examining　with　his　lens　not　only　the

ground　but　even　the　bark　of　the　tree　as　far　as　he　could　reach。　A

jagged　stone　was　lying　among　the　moss；　and　this　also　he　carefully

examined　and　retained。　Then　he　followed　a　pathway　through　the　wood

until　he　came　to　the　highroad；　where　all　traces　were　lost。

　　〃It　has　been　a　case　of　considerable　interest；〃　he　remarked；

returning　to　his　natural　manner。　〃I　fancy　that　this　gray　house　on

the　right　must　be　the　lodge。　I　think　that　I　will　go　in　and　have　a　word

with　Moran；　and　perhaps　write　a　little　note。　Having　done　that；　we

may　drive　back　to　our　luncheon。　You　may　walk　to　the　cab；　and　I　shall

be　with　you　presently。〃

　　It　was　about　ten　minutes　before　we　regained　our　cab　and　drove　back

into　Ross；　Holmes　still　carving　with　him　the　stone　which　he　had　picked

up　in　the　wood。

　　〃This　may　interest　you；　Lestrade；〃　he　remarked；　holding　it　out。　〃The

murder　was　done　with　it。〃

　　〃I　see　no　marks。〃

　　〃There　are　none。〃

　　〃How　do　you　know；　then？〃

　　〃The　grass　was　growing　under　it。　It　had　only　lain　there　a　few

days。　There　was　no　sign　of　a　place　whence　it　had　been　taken。　It

corresponds　with　the　injuries。　There　is　no　sign　of　any　other　weapon。〃

　　〃And　the　murderer？〃

　　〃Is　a　tall　man；　left…handed；　limps　with　the　right　leg；　wears

thick…soled　shooting　boots　and　a　gray　cloak；　smokes　Indian　cigars；

uses　a　cigar…holder；　and　carries　a　blunt　pen…knife　in　his　pocket。

There　are　several　other　indications；　but　these　may　be　enough　to　aid　us

in　our　search。〃

　　Lestrade　laughed。　〃I　am　afraid　that　I　am　still　a　sceptic；〃　he

said。　〃Theories　are　all　very　well；　but　we　have　to　deal　with　a

hard…headed　British　jury。〃

　　〃Nous　verrons；〃　answered　Holmes　calmly。　〃You　work　your　own　method；

and　I　shall　work　mine。　I　shall　be　busy　this　afternoon；　and　shall

probably　return　to　London　by　the　evening　train。〃

　　〃And　leave　your　case　unfinished？〃

　　〃No；　finished。〃

　　〃But　the　mystery？〃

　　〃It　is　solved。〃

　　〃Who　was　the　criminal；　then？〃

　　〃The　gentleman　I　describe。〃

　　〃But　who　is　he？〃

　　〃Surely　it　would　not　be　difficult　to　find　out。　This　is　not　such　a

populous　neighbourhood。〃

　　Lestrade　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃I　am　a　practical　man；〃　he　said；

〃and　I　really　cannot　undertake　to　go　about　the　country　looking　for　a

left…handed　gentleman　with　a　game…leg。　I　should　become　the

laughing…stock　of　Scotland　Yard。〃

　　〃All　right；〃　said　Holmes　quietly。　〃I　have　given　you　the　chance。　Here

are　your　lodgings。　Good…bye。　I　shall　drop　you　a　line　before　I　leave。〃

　　Having　left　Lestrade　at　his　rooms；　we　drove　to　our　hotel；　where　we

found　lunch　upon　the　table。　Holmes　was　silent　and　buried　in　thought

with　a　pained　expression　upon　his　face；　as　one　who　finds　himself　in

a　perplexing　position。

　　〃Look　here；　Watson；〃　he　said　when　the　cloth　was　cleared；　〃just　sit

down　in　this　chair　and　let　me　preach　to　you　for　a　little。　I　don't　know

quite　what　to　do；　and　I　should　value　your　advice。　Light　a　cigar　and

let　me　expound。〃

　　〃Pray　do　so。〃

　　〃Well；　now；　in　considering　this　case　there　are　two　points　about

young　McCarthy's　narrative　which　struck　us　both　instantly；　although

they　impressed　me　in　his　favour　and　you　against　him。　One　was　the

fact　that　his　father　should；　according　to　his　account；　cry　'Cooee！'

before　seeing　him。　The　other　was　his　singular　dying　reference　to　a

rat。　He　mumbled　several　words；　you　understand；　but　that　was　all　that

caught　the　son's　ear。　Now　from　this　double　point　our　research　must

commence；　and　we　will　begin　it　by　presuming　that　what　the　lad　says

is　absolutely　true。〃

　　〃What　of　this　'Cooee！'　then？〃

　　〃Well；　obviously　it　could　not　have　been　meant　for　the　son。　The

son；　as　far　as　he　knew；　was　in　Bristol。　It　was　mere　chance　that　he　was

within　earshot。　The　'Cooee！'　was　meant　to　attract　the　attention　of

whoever　it　was　that　he　had　the　appointment　with。　But　'Cooee'　is　a

distinctly　Aus