the boscombe valley mystery-第5部分

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

distinctly　Australian　cry；　and　one　which　is　used　between

Australians。　There　is　a　strong　presumption　that　the　person　whom

McCarthy　expected　to　meet　him　at　Boscombe　Pool　was　someone　who　had

been　in　Australia。〃

　　〃What　of　the　rat；　then？〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　took　a　folded　paper　from　his　pocket　and　flattened　it

out　on　the　table。　〃This　is　a　map　of　the　Colony　of　Victoria；〃　he

said。　〃I　wired　to　Bristol　for　it　last　night。〃　He　put　his　hand　over

part　of　the　map。　〃What　do　you　read？〃

　　〃ARAT；〃　I　read。

　　〃And　now？〃　He　raised　his　hand。

　　〃BALLARAT。〃

　　〃Quite　so。　That　was　the　word　the　man　uttered；　and　of　which　his　son

only　caught　the　last　two　syllables。　He　was　trying　to　utter　the　name　of

his　murderer。　So　and　so；　of　Ballarat。〃

　　〃It　is　wonderful！〃　I　exclaimed。

　　〃It　is　obvious。　And　now；　you　see；　I　had　narrowed　the　field　down

considerably。　The　possession　of　a　gray　garment　was　a　third　point

which；　granting　the　son's　statement　to　be　correct；　was　a　certainty。　We

have　come　now　out　of　mere　vagueness　to　the　definite　conception　of　an

Australian　from　Ballarat　with　a　gray　cloak。〃

　　〃Certainly。〃

　　〃And　one　who　was　at　home　in　the　district；　for　the　pool　can　only　be

approached　by　the　farm　or　by　the　estate；　where　strangers　could

hardly　wander。〃

　　〃Quite　so。〃

　　〃Then　comes　our　expedition　of　to…day。　By　an　examination　of　the

ground　I　gained　the　trifling　details　which　I　gave　to　that　imbecile

Lestrade；　as　to　the　personality　of　the　criminal。〃

　　〃But　how　did　you　gain　them？〃

　　〃You　know　my　method。　It　is　founded　upon　the　observation　of　trifles。〃

　　〃His　height　I　know　that　you　might　roughly　judge　from　the　length　of

his　stride。　His　boots；　too；　might　be　told　from　their　traces。〃

　　〃Yes；　they　were　peculiar　boots。〃

　　〃But　his　lameness？〃

　　〃The　impression　of　his　right　foot　was　always　less　distinct　than

his　left。　He　put　less　weight　upon　it。　Why？　Because　he　limped…he　was

lame。〃

　　〃But　his　left…handedness。〃

　　〃You　were　yourself　struck　by　the　nature　of　the　injury　as　recorded　by

the　surgeon　at　the　inquest。　The　blow　was　struck　from　immediately

behind；　and　yet　was　upon　the　left　side。　Now；　how　can　that　be　unless　it

were　by　a　left…handed　man？　He　had　stood　behind　that　tree　during　the

interview　between　the　father　and　son。　He　had　even　smoked　there。　I

found　the　ash　of　a　cigar；　which　my　special　knowledge　of　tobacco

ashes　enables　me　to　pronounce　as　an　Indian　cigar。　I　have；　as　you　know；

devoted　some　attention　to　this；　and　written　a　little　monograph　on

the　ashes　of　140　different　varieties　of　pipe；　cigar；　and　cigarette

tobacco。　Having　found　the　ash；　I　then　looked　round　and　discovered

the　stump　among　the　moss　where　he　had　tossed　it。　It　was　an　Indian

cigar；　of　the　variety　which　are　rolled　in　Rotterdam。〃

　　〃And　the　cigar…holder？〃

　　〃I　could　see　that　the　end　had　not　been　in　his　mouth。　Therefore　he

used　a　holder。　The　tip　had　been　cut　off　not　bitten　off；　but　the　cut

was　not　a　clean　one；　so　I　deduced　a　blunt　pen…knife。〃

　　〃Holmes；〃　I　said；　〃you　have　drawn　a　net　round　this　man　from　which　he

cannot　escape；　and　you　have　saved　an　innocent　human　life　as　truly　as

if　you　had　cut　the　cord　which　was　hanging　him。　I　see　the　direction

in　which　all　this　points。　The　culprit　is…〃

　　〃Mr。　John　Turner；〃　cried　the　hotel　waiter；　opening　the　door　of　our

sitting…room；　and　ushering　in　a　visitor。

　　The　man　who　entered　was　a　strange　and　impressive　figure。　His　slow；

limping　step　and　bowed　shoulders　gave　the　appearance　of　decrepitude；

and　yet　his　hard；　deep…lined；　craggy　features；　and　his　enormous

limbs　showed　that　he　was　possessed　of　unusual　strength　of　body　and

of　character。　His　tangled　beard；　grizzled　hair；　and　outstanding；

drooping　eyebrows　combined　to　give　an　air　of　dignity　and　power　to

his　appearance；　but　his　face　was　of　an　ashen　white；　while　his　lips　and

the　corners　of　his　nostrils　were　tinged　with　a　shade　of　blue。　It　was

clear　to　me　at　a　glance　that　he　was　in　the　grip　of　some　deadly　and

chronic　disease。

　　〃Pray　sit　down　on　the　sofa；〃　said　Holmes　gently。　〃You　had　my　note？〃

　　〃Yes；　the　lodge…keeper　brought　it　up。　You　said　that　you　wished　to

see　me　here　to　avoid　scandal。〃

　　〃I　thought　people　would　talk　if　I　went　to　the　Hall。〃

　　〃And　why　did　you　wish　to　see　me？〃　He　looked　across　at　my　companion

with　despair　in　his　weary　eyes；　as　though　his　question　was　already

answered。

　　〃Yes；〃　said　Holmes；　answering　the　look　rather　than　the　words。　〃It　is

so。　I　know　all　about　McCarthy。〃

　　The　old　man　sank　his　face　in　his　hands。　〃God　help　me！〃　he　cried。

〃But　I　would　not　have　let　the　young　man　come　to　harm。　I　give　you　my

word　that　I　would　have　spoken　out　if　it　went　against　him　at　the

Assizes。〃

　　〃I　am　glad　to　hear　you　say　so；〃　said　Holmes　gravely。

　　〃I　would　have　spoken　now　had　it　not　been　for　my　dear　girl。　It

would　break　her　heart…it　will　break　her　heart　when　she　hears　that　I　am

arrested。〃

　　〃It　may　not　come　to　that；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃What？〃

　　〃I　am　no　official　agent。　I　understand　that　it　was　your　daughter

who　required　my　presence　here；　and　I　am　acting　in　her　interests。　Young

McCarthy　must　be　got　off；　however。〃

　　〃I　am　a　dying　man；〃　said　old　Turner。　〃I　have　had　diabetes　for　years。

My　doctor　says　it　is　a　question　whether　I　shall　live　a　month。　Yet　I

would　rather　die　under　my　own　roof　than　in　a　jail。〃

　　Holmes　rose　and　sat　down　at　the　table　with　his　pen　in　his　hand　and　a

bundle　of　paper　before　him。　〃Just　tell　us　the　truth；〃　he　said。　〃I

shall　jot　down　the　facts。　You　will　sign　it；　and　Watson　here　can

witness　it。　Then　I　could　produce　your　confession　at　the　last　extremity

to　save　young　McCarthy。　I　promise　you　that　I　shall　not　use　it　unless

it　is　absolutely　needed。〃

　　〃It's　as　well；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃it's　a　question　whether　I　shall

live　to　the　Assizes；　so　it　matters　little　to　me；　but　I　should　wish

to　spare　Alice　the　shock。　And　now　I　will　make　the　thing　clear　to

you；　it　has　been　a　long　time　in　the　acting；　but　will　not　take　me

long　to　tell。〃

　　〃You　didn't　know　this　dead　man；　McCarthy。　He　was　a　devil

incarnate。　I　tell　you　that。　God　keep　you　out　of　the　clutches　of　such　a

man　as　he。　His　grip　has　been　upon　me　these　twenty　years；　and　he　has

blasted　my　life。　I'll　tell　you　first　how　I　came　to　be　in　his　power。

　　〃It　was　in　the　early　'60's　at　the　diggings。　I　was　a　young　chap　then；

hot…blooded　and　reckless；　ready　to　turn　my　hand　at　anything；　I　got

among　bad　companions；　took　to　drink；　had　no　luck　with　my　claim；　took

to　the　bush；　and　in　a　word　became　what　you　would　call　over　here　a

highway　robber。　There　were　six　of　us；　and　we　had　a　wild；　free　life

of　it；　sticking　up　a　station　from　time　to　time；　or　stopping　the　wagons

on　the　road　to　the　diggings。　Black　Jack　of　Ballarat　was　the　name　I

went　under；　and　our　party　is　still　remembered　in　the　colony　as　the

Ballarat　Gang。

　　〃One　day　a　gold　convoy　came　down　from　Ballust　to　Melbourne；　and　we

lay　in　wait　for　it　and　attacked　it。　There　were　six　troopers　and　six　of

us；　so　it　was　a　close　thing；　but　we　emptied　four　of　their　saddles　at

the　first　volley。　Three　of　our　boys　were　killed；　however；　before　we

got　the　swag。　I　put　my　pistol　to　the　head　of　the　wagon…driver；　who　was

this　very　man　McCarthy。　I　wish　to　the　Lord　that　I　had　though　him

shot　him　then；　but　I　spared　him；　though　I　saw　his　wicked　little　eyes

fixed　on　my　face；　as　though　to　remember　every　feature。　We　got　away

with　the　gold；　became　wealthy　men；　and　made　our　way　over　to　England

without　being　suspected。　There　I　parted　from　my　old　pals　and

determined　to　settle　down　to　a　quiet　and　respectable　life。　I　bought

this　estate；　which　chanced　to　be　in　the　market；　and　I　set　myself　to　do

a　little　with　my　money；　to　make　up　for　the　way　in　which　I　had　earned

it。　I　married；　too；　and　though　my　wife　died　young　she　left　me　my

dear　little　Alice。　Even　when　she　was　just　a　baby　her　wee　hand　seemed

to　lead　me　down　the　right　path　as　nothing　else　had　ever　done。　In　a

word；　I　turned　over　a　new　leaf　and　did　my　best　to　make　up　for　the

past。　All　was　going　well　when　McCarthy　laid　his　grip　upon　me。

　　〃I　had　gone　up　to　town　about　an　investment；　and　I　met　him　in

Regent　Street　with　hardly　a　coat　to　his　back　or　a　boot　to　his　foot。

　　〃'Here　we　are；　Jack；'　says　he；　touching　me　on　the　arm；　'we'll　be

as　good　as　a　family　to　you。　There's　two　of　us；　me　and　my　son；　and

you　can　have　the　keeping　of　us。　If　you　don't…it's　a　fine；

law…abiding　country　is　England；　and　there's　always　a　policeman

within　hail。'

　　〃Well；　down　they　came　to　the　west　country；　there　was　no　shaking　them

off；　and　there　they　have　lived　rent　free　on　my　best　land　ever　since。

There　was　no　rest　for　me；　no　peace；　no　forgetfulness；　turn　where　I

would；　there　was　his　cunning；　grinning　face　at　my　elbow。　It　grew　worse

as　Alice　grew　up；　for　he　soon　saw　I　was　more　afraid　of　her　knowing　my

past　than　of　the　police。　Whatever　he　wanted　he　must　have；　and　whatever

it　was　I　gave　him　without　question；　land；　money；　houses；　until　at　last

he　asked　a　thing　which　I　could　not　give。　He　asked　for　Alice。

　　〃His　son；　you　see；　had　grown　up；　and　so　had　my　girl；　and　as　I　was

known　to　be　in　weak　health；　it　seemed　a　fine　stroke　to　him　that　his

lad　should　step　into　the　whole　property。　But　there　I　was　firm。　I　would

not　have　his　cursed　stock　mixed　with　mine；　not　that　I　had　any

dislike　to　the　lad；　but　his　blood　was　in　him；　and　that　was　enough。　I

stood　firm。　McCarthy　threatened。　I　braved　him　to　do　his　worst。　We　were

to　meet　at　the　pool　midway　between　our　houses　to　talk　it　over。

　　〃When　I　went　down　there　I　found　him　talking　with　his　son；　so　I

smoked　a　cigar　and　waited　behind　a　tree　until　he　should　be　alone。

But　as　I　listened　to　his　talk　all　that　was　black　and　bitter　in　me

seemed；　to　come　uppermost。　He　was　urging　his　son　to　marry　my

daughter　with　as　little　regard　for　what　she　might　think　as　if　she　were

a　slut　from　off　the　streets。　It　drove　me　mad　to　think　that　I　and　all

that　I　held　most　dear　should　be　in　the　power　of　such　a　man　as　this。

Could　I　not　snap　the　bond？　I　was　already　a　dying　and　a　desperate

man。　Though　clear　of　mind　and　fairly　strong　of　limb；　I　knew　that　my

own　fate　was　sealed。　But　my　memory　and　my　g