the adventure of wisteria lodge-第5部分

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lies　in　the　fact　that　it　was　he　who　had　arranged　for　the　presence　of

Scott　Eccles；　which　could　only　have　been　done　for　the　purpose　of　an

alibi。　It　was　Garcia；　then；　who　had　an　enterprise；　and　apparently　a

criminal　enterprise；　in　hand　that　night　in　the　course　of　which　he

met　his　death。　I　say　'criminal'　because　only　a　man　with　a　criminal

enterprise　desires　to　establish　an　alibi。　Who；　then；　is　most　likely　to

have　taken　his　life？　Surely　the　person　against　whom　the　criminal

enterprise　was　directed。　So　far　it　seems　to　me　that　we　are　on　safe

ground。

　　〃We　can　now　see　a　reason　for　the　disappearance　of　Garcia's

household。　They　were　all　confederates　in　the　same　unknown　crime。　If　it

came　off　when　Garcia　returned；　any　possible　suspicion　would　be

warded　off　by　the　Englishman's　evidence；　and　all　would　be　well。　But

the　attempt　was　a　dangerous　one；　and　if　Garcia　did　not　return　by　a

certain　hour　it　was　probable　that　his　own　life　had　been　sacrificed。　It

had　been　arranged；　therefore；　that　in　such　a　case　his　two　subordinates

were　to　make　for　some　prearranged　spot　where　they　could　escape

investigation　and　be　in　a　position　afterwards　to　renew　their

attempt。　That　would　fully　explain　the　facts；　would　it　not？〃

　　The　whole　inexplicable　tangle　seemed　to　straighten　out　before　me。

I　wondered；　as　I　always　did；　how　it　had　not　been　obvious　to　me　before。

　　〃But　why　should　one　servant　return？〃

　　〃We　can　imagine　that　in　the　confusion　of　flight　something

precious；　something　which　he　could　not　bear　to　part　with；　had　been

left　behind。　That　would　explain　his　persistence；　would　it　not？〃

　　〃Well；　what　is　the　next　step？〃

　　〃The　next　step　is　the　note　received　by　Garcia　at　the　dinner。　It

indicates　a　confederate　at　the　other　end。　Now；　where　was　the　other

end？　I　have　already　shown　you　that　it　could　only　lie　in　some　large

house；　and　that　the　number　of　large　houses；　is　limited。　My　first

days　in　this　village　were　devoted　to　a　series　of　walks　in　which　in　the

intervals　of　my　botanical　researches　I　made　a　reconnaissance　of　all

the　large　houses　and　an　examination　of　the　family　history　of　the

occupants。　One　house；　and　only　one；　riveted　my　attention。　It　is　the

famous　old　Jacobean　grange　of　High　Gable；　one　mile　on　the　farther　side

of　Oxshott；　and　less　than　half　a　mile　from　the　scene　of　the　tragedy。

The　other　mansions　belonged　to　prosaic　and　respectable　people　who　live

far　aloof　from　romance。　But　Mr。　Henderson；　of　High　Gable；　was　by　all

accounts　a　curious　man　to　whom　curious　adventures　might　befall。　I

concentrated　my　attention；　therefore；　upon　him　and　his　household。

　　〃A　singular　set　of　people；　Watson…　the　man　himself　the　most　singular

of　them　all。　I　managed　to　see　him　on　a　plausible　pretext；　but　I　seemed

to　read　in　his　dark；　deep…set；　brooding　eyes　that　he　was　perfectly

aware　of　my　true　business。　He　is　a　man　of　fifty；　strong；　active；

with　iron…gray　hair；　great　bunched　black　eyebrows；　the　step　of　a　deer；

and　the　air　of　an　emperor…　a　fierce；　masterful　man；　with　a　red…hot

spirit　behind　his　parchment　face。　He　is　either　a　foreigner　or　has

lived　long　in　the　tropics；　for　he　is　yellow　and　sapless；　but　tough

as　whipcord。　His　friend　and　secretary；　Mr。　Lucas；　is　undoubtedly　a

foreigner；　chocolate　brown；　wily；　suave；　and　catlike；　with　a　poisonous

gentleness　of　speech。　You　see；　Watson；　we　have　come　already　upon　two

sets　of　foreigners…　one　at　Wisteria　Lodge　and　one　at　High　Gable…　so

our　gaps　are　beginning　to　close。

　　〃These　two　men；　close　and　confidential　friends；　are　the　centre　of

the　household；　but　there　is　one　other　person　who　for　our　immediate

purpose　may　be　even　more　important。　Henderson　has　two　children…

girls　of　eleven　and　thirteen。　Their　governess　is　a　Miss　Burnet；　an

Englishwoman　of　forty　or　thereabouts。　There　is　also　one　confidential

manservant。　This　little　group　forms　the　real　family；　for　they　travel

about　together；　and　Henderson　is　a　great　traveller；　always　on　the

move。　It　is　only　within　the　last　few　weeks　that　he　has　returned；　after

a　year's　absence；　to　High　Gable。　I　may　add　that　he　is　enormously　rich；

and　whatever　his　whims　may　be　he　can　very　easily　satisfy　them。　For　the

rest；　his　house　is　full　of　butlers；　footmen；　maidservants；　and　the

usual　overfed；　underworked　staff　of　a　large　English　country…house。

　　〃So　much　I　learned　partly　from　village　gossip　and　partly　from　my　own

observation。　There　are　no　better　instruments　than　discharged

servants　with　a　grievance；　and　I　was　lucky　enough　to　find　one。　I

call　it　luck；　but　it　would　not　have　come　my　way　had　I　not　been　looking

out　for　it。　As　Baynes　remarks；　we　all　have　our　systems。　It　was　my

system　which　enabled　me　to　find　John　Warner；　late　gardener　of　High

Gable；　sacked　in　a　moment　of　temper　by　his　imperious　employer。　He　in

turn　had　friends　among　the　indoor　servants　who　unite　in　their　fear　and

dislike　of　their　master。　So　I　had　my　key　to　the　secrets　of　the

establishment。

　　〃Curious　people；　Watson！　I　don't　pretend　to　understand　it　all　yet；

but　very　curious　people　anyway。　It's　a　double…winged　house；　and　the

servants　live　on　one　side；　the　family　on　the　other。　There's　no　link

between　the　two　save　for　Henderson's　own　servant；　who　serves　the

family's　meals。　Everything　is　carried　to　a　certain　door；　which　forms

the　one　connection。　Governess　and　children　hardly　go　out　at　all；

except　into　the　garden。　Henderson　never　by　any　chance　walks　alone。　His

dark　secretary　is　like　his　shadow。　The　gossip　among　the　servants　is

that　their　master　is　terribly　afraid　of　something。　'Sold　his　soul　to

the　devil　in　exchange　for　money；'　says　Warner；　'and　expects　his

creditor　to　come　up　and　claim　his　own。'　Where　they　came　from；　or　who

they　are；　nobody　has　an　idea。　They　are　very　violent。　Twice　Henderson

has　lashed　at　folk　with　his　dog…whip；　and　only　his　long　purse　and

heavy　compensation　have　kept　him　out　of　the　courts。

　　〃Well；　now；　Watson；　let　us　judge　the　situation　by　this　new

information。　We　may　take　it　that　the　letter　came　out　of　this　strange

household　and　was　an　invitation　to　Garcia　to　carry　out　some　attempt

which　had　already　been　planned。　Who　wrote　the　note？　It　was　someone

within　the　citadel；　and　it　was　a　woman。　Who　then　but　Miss　Burnet；

the　governess？　All　our　reasoning　seems　to　point　that　way。　At　any　rate；

we　may　take　it　as　a　hypothesis　and　see　what　consequences　it　would

entail。　I　may　add　that　Miss　Burnet's　age　and　character　make　it　certain

that　my　first　idea　that　there　might　be　a　love　interest　in　our　story　is

out　of　the　question。

　　〃If　she　wrote　the　note　she　was　presumably　the　friend　and　confederate

of　Garcia。　What；　then；　might　she　be　expected　to　do　if　she　heard　of　his

death？　If　he　met　it　in　some　nefarious　enterprise　her　lips　might　be

sealed。　Still；　in　her　heart；　she　must　retain　bitterness　and　hatred

against　those　who　had　killed　him　and　would　presumably　help　so　far　as

she　could　to　have　revenge　upon　them。　Could　we　see　her；　then；　and　try

to　use　her？　That　was　my　first　thought。　But　now　we　come　to　a　sinister

fact。　Miss　Burnet　has　not　been　seen　by　any　human　eye　since　the　night

of　the　murder。　From　that　evening　she　has　utterly　vanished。　Is　she

alive？　Has　she　perhaps　met　her　end　on　the　same　night　as　the　friend

whom　she　had　summoned？　Or　is　she　merely　a　prisoner？　There　is　the　point

which　we　still　have　to　decide。

　　〃You　will　appreciate　the　difficulty　of　the　situation；　Watson。

There　is　nothing　upon　which　we　can　apply　for　a　warrant。　Our　whole

scheme　might　seem　fantastic　if　laid　before　a　magistrate。　The　woman's

disappearance　counts　for　nothing；　since　in　that　extraordinary

household　any　member　of　it　might　be　invisible　for　a　week。　And　yet

she　may　at　the　present　moment　be　in　danger　of　her　life。　All　I　can　do

is　to　watch　the　house　and　leave　my　agent；　Warner；　on　guard　at　the

gates。　We　can't　let　such　a　situation　continue。　If　the　law　can　do

nothing　we　must　take　the　risk　ourselves。〃

　　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃

　　〃I　know　which　is　her　room。　It　is　accessible　from　the　top　of　an

outhouse。　My　suggestion　is　that　you　and　I　go　to…night　and　see　if　we

can　strike　at　the　very　heart　of　the　mystery。〃

　　It　was　not；　I　must　confess；　a　very　alluring　prospect。　The　old

house　with　its　atmosphere　of　murder；　the　singular　and　formidable

inhabitants；　the　unknown　dangers　of　the　approach；　and　the　fact　that　we

were　putting　ourselves　legally　in　a　false　position　all　combined　to

damp　my　ardour。　But　there　was　something　in　the　ice…cold　reasoning　of

Holmes　which　made　it　impossible　to　shrink　from　any　adventure　which

he　might　recommend。　One　knew　that　thus；　and　only　thus；　could　a

solution　be　found。　I　clasped　his　hand　in　silence；　and　the　die　was

cast。

　　But　it　was　not　destined　that　our　investigation　should　have　so

adventurous　an　ending。　It　was　about　five　o'clock；　and　the　shadows　of

the　March　evening　were　beginning　to　fall；　when　an　excited　rustic

rushed　into　our　room。

　　〃They've　gone；　Mr。　Holmes。　They　went　by　the　last　train。　The　lady

broke　away；　and　I've　got　her　in　a　cab　downstairs。〃

　　〃Excellent；　Warner！〃　cried　Holmes；　springing　to　his　feet。　〃Watson；

the　gaps　are　closing　rapidly。〃

　　In　the　cab　was　a　woman；　half…collapsed　from　nervous　exhaustion。

She　bore　upon　her　aquiline　and　emaciated　face　the　traces　of　some

recent　tragedy。　Her　head　hung　listlessly　upon　her　breast　but　as　she

raised　it　and　turned　her　dun　eyes　upon　us　I　saw　that　her　pupils　were

dark　dots　in　the　centre　of　the　broad　gray　iris。　She　was　drugged　with

opium。

　　〃I　watched　at　the　gate；　same　as　you　advised；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　our

emissary；　the　discharged　gardener。　〃When　the　carriage　came　out　I

followed　it　to　the　station。　She　was　like　one　walking　in　her　sleep；　but

when　they　tried　to　get　her　into　the　train　she　came　to　life　and

struggled。　They　pushed　her　into　the　carriage。　She　fought　her　way　out

again。　I　took　her　part；　got　her　into　a　cab；　and　here　we　are。　I

shan't　forget　the　face　at　the　carriage　window　as　I　led　her　away。　I'd

have　a　short　life　if　he　had　his　way…　the　black…eyed；　scowling；

yellow　devil。〃

　　We　carried　her　upstairs；　laid　her　on　the　sofa；　and　a　couple　of

cups　of　the　strongest　coffee　soon　cleared　her　brain　from　the　mists

of　the　drug。　Baynes　had　been　summoned　by　Holmes；　and　the