the adventure of the speckled band-第3部分

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　　〃Why；　what　do　you　mean？〃

　　For　answer　Holmes　pushed　back　the　frill　of　black　lace　which

fringed　the　hand　that　lay　upon　our　visitor's　knee。　Five　little　livid

spots；　the　marks　of　four　fingers　and　a　thumb；　were　printed　upon　the

white　wrist。

　　〃You　have　been　cruelly　used；〃　said　Holmes。

　　The　lady　coloured　deeply　and　covered　over　her　injured　wrist。　〃He

is　a　hard　man；〃　she　said；　〃and　perhaps　he　hardly　knows　his　own

strength。〃

　　There　was　a　long　silence；　during　which　Holmes　leaned　his　chin　upon

his　hands　and　stared　into　the　crackling　fire。

　　〃This　is　a　very　deep　business；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃There　are　a

thousand　details　which　I　should　desire　to　know　before　I　decide　upon

our　course　of　action。　Yet　we　have　not　a　moment　to　lose。　If　we　were

to　come　to　Stoke　Moran　to…day；　would　it　be　possible　for　us　to　see　over

these　rooms　without　the　knowledge　of　your　stepfather？〃

　　〃As　it　happens；　he　spoke　of　coming　into　town　to…day　upon　some　most

important　business。　It　is　probable　that　he　will　be　away　all　day；　and

that　there　would　be　nothing　to　disturb　you。　We　have　a　housekeeper　now；

but　she　is　old　and　foolish；　and　I　could　easily　get　her　out　of　the

way。〃

　　〃Excellent。　You　are　not　averse　to　this　trip；　Watson？〃

　　〃By　no　means。〃

　　〃Then　we　shall　both　come。　What　are　you　going　to　do　yourself？〃

　　〃I　have　one　or　two　things　which　I　would　wish　to　do　now　that　I　am

in　town。　But　I　shall　return　by　the　twelve　o'clock　train；　so　as　to　be

there　in　time　for　your　coming。〃

　　〃And　you　may　expect　us　early　in　the　afternoon。　I　have　myself　some

small　business　matters　to　attend　to。　Will　you　not　wait　and　breakfast？〃

　　〃No；　I　must　go。　My　heart　is　lightened　already　since　I　have

confided　my　trouble　to　you。　I　shall　look　forward　to　seeing　you　again

this　afternoon。〃　She　dropped　her　thick　black　veil　over　her　face　and

glided　from　the　room。

　　〃And　what　do　you　think　of　it　all；　Watson？〃　asked　Sherlock　Holmes；

leaning　back　in　his　chair。

　　〃It　seems　to　me　to　be　a　most　dark　and　sinister　business。〃

　　〃Dark　enough　and　sinister　enough。〃

　　〃Yet　if　the　lady　is　correct　in　saying　that　the　flooring　and　walls

are　sound；　and　that　the　door；　window；　and　chimney　are　impassable；　then

her　sister　must　have　been　undoubtedly　alone　when　she　met　her

mysterious　end。〃

　　〃What　becomes；　then；　of　these　nocturnal　whistles；　and　what　of　the

very　peculiar　words　of　the　dying　woman？〃

　　〃I　cannot　think。〃

　　〃When　you　combine　the　ideas　of　whistles　at　night；　the　presence　of

a　band　of　gypsies　who　are　on　intimate　terms　with　this　old　doctor；

the　fact　that　we　have　every　reason　to　believe　that　the　doctor　has　an

interest　in　preventing　his　stepdaughter's　marriage；　the　dying　allusion

to　a　band；　and；　finally；　the　fact　that　Miss　Helen　Stoner　heard　a

metallic　clang；　which　might　have　been　caused　by　one　of　those　metal

bars　that　secured　the　shutters　falling　back　into　its　place；　I　think

that　there　is　good　ground　to　think　that　the　mystery　may　be　cleared

along　those　lines。〃

　　〃But　what；　then；　did　the　gypsies　do？〃

　　〃I　cannot　imagine。〃

　　〃I　see　many　objections　to　any　such　theory。〃

　　〃And　so　do　I。　It　is　precisely　for　that　reason　that　we　are　going　to

Stoke　Moran　this　day。　I　want　to　see　whether　the　objections　are

fatal；　or　if　they　may　be　explained　away。　But　what　in　the　name　of　the

devil！〃

　　The　ejaculation　had　been　drawn　from　my　companion　by　the　fact　that

our　door　had　been　suddenly　dashed　open；　and　that　a　huge　man　had　framed

himself　in　the　aperture。　His　costume　was　a　peculiar　mixture　of　the

professional　and　of　the　agricultural；　having　a　black　top…hat；　a　long

frock…coat；　and　a　pair　of　high　gaiters；　with　a　hunting…crop　swinging

in　his　hand。　So　tall　was　he　that　his　hat　actually　brushed　the　cross

bar　of　the　doorway；　and　his　breadth　seemed　to　span　it　across　from　side

to　side。　A　large　face；　seared　with　a　thousand　wrinkles；　burned

yellow　with　the　sun；　and　marked　with　every　evil　passion；　was　turned

from　one　to　the　other　of　us；　while　his　deep…set；　bile…shot　eyes；　and

his　high；　thin；　fleshless　nose；　gave　him　somewhat　the　resemblance　to　a

fierce　old　bird　of　prey。

　　〃Which　of　you　is　Holmes？〃　asked　this　apparition。

　　〃My　name；　sir；　but　you　have　the　advantage　of　me；〃　said　my

companion　quietly。

　　〃I　am　Dr。　Grimesby　Roylott；　of　Stokes　Moran。〃

　　〃Indeed；　Doctor；〃　said　Holmes　blandly。　〃Pray　take　a　seat。〃

　　〃I　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind。　My　stepdaughter　has　been　here。　I

have　traced　her。　What　has　she　been　saying　to　you？〃

　　〃It　is　a　little　cold　for　the　time　of　the　year；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃What　has　she　been　saying　to　you？〃　screamed　the　old　man　furiously。

　　〃But　I　have　heard　that　the　crocuses　promise　well；〃　continued　my

companion　imperturbably。

　　〃Ha！　You　put　me　off；　do　you？〃　said　our　new　visitor；　taking　a　step

forward　and　shaking　his　hunting…crop。　〃I　know　you；　you　scoundrel！　I

have　heard　of　you　before。　You　are　Holmes；　the　meddler。〃

　　My　friend　smiled。

　　〃Holmes；　the　busybody？〃

　　His　smile　broadened。

　　〃Holmes；　the　Scotland　Yard　Jack…in…office！〃

　　Holmes　chuckled　heartily。　〃Your　conversation　is　most

entertaining；〃　said　he。　〃When　you　go　out　close　the　door；　for　there

is　a　decided　draught。〃

　　〃I　will　go　when　I　have　said　my　say。　Don't　you　dare　to　meddle　with　my

affairs。　I　know　that　Miss　Stoner　has　been　here。　I　traced　her！　I　am　a

dangerous　man　to　fall　foul　off　See　here。〃　He　stepped　swiftly

forward；　seized　the　poker；　and　bent　it　into　a　curve　with　his　huge

brown　hands。

　　〃See　that　you　keep　yourself　out　of　my　grip；〃　he　snarled；　and　hurling

the　twisted　poker　into　the　fireplace　he　strode　out　of　the　room。

　　〃He　seems　a　very　amiable　person；〃　said　Holmes；　laughing。　〃I　am　not

quite　so　bulky；　but　if　he　had　remained　I　might　have　shown　him　that

my　grip　was　not　much　more　feeble　than　his　own。〃　As　he　spoke　he

picked　up　the　steel　poker　and；　with　a　sudden　effort；　straightened　it

out　again。

　　〃Fancy　his　having　the　insolence　to　confound　me　with　the　official

detective　force！　This　incident　gives　zest　to　our　investigation；

however；　and　I　only　trust　that　our　little　friend　will　not　suffer

from　her　imprudence　in　allowing　this　brute　to　trace　her。　And　now；

Watson；　we　shall　order　breakfast；　and　afterwards　I　shall　walk　down

to　Doctors'　Commons；　where　I　hope　to　get　some　data　which　may　help　us

in　this　matter。〃



　　It　was　nearly　one　o'clock　when　Sherlock　Holmes　returned　from　his

excursion。　He　held　in　his　hand　a　sheet　of　blue　paper；　scrawled　over

with　notes　and　figures。

　　〃I　have　seen　the　will　of　the　deceased　wife；〃　said　he。　〃To

determine　its　exact　meaning　I　have　been　obliged　to　work　out　the

present　prices　of　the　investments　with　which　it　is　concerned。　The

total　income；　which　at　the　time　of　the　wife's　death　was　little　short

of　L1000　is　now；　through　the　fall　in　agricultural　prices；　not　more

than　L750。　Each　daughter　can　claim　an　income　of　L250；　in　case　of

marriage。　It　is　evident；　therefore；　that　if　both　girls　had　married；

this　beauty　would　have　had　a　mere　pittance；　while　even　one　of　them

would　cripple　him　to　a　very　serious　extent。　My　morning's　work　has

not　been　wasted；　since　it　has　proved　that　he　has　the　very　strongest

motives　for　standing　in　the　way　of　anything　of　the　sort。　And　now；

Watson；　this　is　too　serious　for　dawdling；　especially　as　the　old　man　is

aware　that　we　are　interesting　ourselves　in　his　affairs；　so　if　you

are　ready；　we　shall　call　a　cab　and　drive　to　Waterloo。　I　should　be　very

much　obliged　if　you　would　slip　your　revolver　into　your　pocket。　An

Eley's　No。　2　is　an　excellent　argument　with　gentlemen　who　can　twist

steel　pokers　into　knots。　That　and　a　tooth…brush　are；　I　think；　all　that

we　need。〃

　　At　Waterloo　we　were　fortunate　in　catching　a　train　for　Leatherhead；

where　we　hired　a　trap　at　the　station　inn　and　drove　for　four　or　five

miles　through　the　lovely　Surrey　lanes。　It　was　a　perfect　day；　with　a

bright　sun　and　a　few　fleecy　clouds　in　the　heavens。　The　trees　and

wayside　hedges　were　just　throwing　out　their　first　green　shoots；　and

the　air　was　full　of　the　pleasant　smell　of　the　moist　earth。　To　me　at

least　there　was　a　strange　contrast　between　the　sweet　promise　of　the

spring　and　this　sinister　quest　upon　which　we　were　engaged。　My

companion　sat　in　the　front　of　the　trap；　his　arms　folded；　his　hat

pulled　down　over　his　eyes；　and　his　chin　sunk　upon　his　breast；　buried

in　the　deepest　thought。　Suddenly；　however；　he　started；　tapped　me　on

the　shoulder；　and　pointed　over　the　meadows。

　　〃Look　there！〃　said　he。

　　A　heavily　timbered　park　stretched　up　in　a　gentle　slope；　thickening

into　a　grove　at　the　highest　point。　From　amid　the　branches　there　jutted

out　the　gray　gables　and　high　roof…tree　of　a　very　old　mansion。

　　〃Stoke　Moran？〃　said　he。

　　〃Yes；　sir；　that　be　the　house　of　Dr。　Grimesby　Roylott；〃　remarked

the　driver。

　　〃There　is　some　building　going　on　there；〃　said　Holmes；　〃that　is　where

we　are　going。〃

　　〃There's　the　village；〃　said　the　driver；　pointing　to　a　cluster　of

roofs　some　distance　to　the　left；　〃but　if　you　want　to　get　to　the　house；

you'll　find　it　shorter　to　get　over　this　stile；　and　so　by　the　foot…path

over　the　fields。　There　it　is；　where　the　lady　is　walking。〃

　　〃And　the　lady；　I　fancy；　is　Miss　Stoner；〃　observed　Holmes；　shading

his　eyes。　〃Yes；　I　think　we　had　better　do　as　you　suggest。〃

　　We　got　off；　paid　our　fare；　and　the　trap　rattled　back　on　its　way　to

Leatherhead。

　　〃I　thought　it　as　well；〃　said　Holmes　as　we　climbed　the　stile；　〃that

this　fellow　should　think　we　had　come　here　as　architects；　or　on　some

definite　business。　It　may　stop　his　gossip。　Good…afternoon；　Miss

Stoner。　You　see　that　we　have　been　as　good　as　our　word。〃

　　Our　client　of　the　morning　had　hurried　forward　to　meet　us　with　a　face

which　spoke　her　joy。　〃I　have　been　waiting　so　eagerly　for　you；〃　she

cried；　shaking　hands　with　us　warmly。　〃All　has　turned　out　splendidly。

Dr。　Roylott　has　gone　to　town；　and　it　is　unlikely　that　he　will　be

back　before　evening。〃

　　〃We　have　had　the　pleasure　of　making　the　doctors　acquaintance；〃

said　Holmes；　and　in　a　few　words　he　sketched　out　what　had　occurred。

Miss　Stoner　turned　white　to　the　lips　as　she　listened。

　　〃Good　heavens！〃　she　cried；　〃he　has　followed　me；　then。〃

　　〃So　it　appears。〃

　　〃He　is　so　cunning　that　I　never　know　when　I