the adventure of the cardboard box-第4部分

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a　seafaring　man…　had　been　murdered　at　the　same　time。　Jealousy；　of

course；　at　once　suggests　itself　as　the　motive　for　the　crime。　And　why

should　these　proofs　of　the　deed　be　sent　to　Miss　Sarah　Cushing？

Probably　because　during　her　residence　in　Liverpool　she　had　some　hand

in　bringing　about　the　events　which　led　to　the　tragedy。　You　will

observe　that　this　line　of　boats　calls　at　Belfast　Dublin；　and

Waterford；　so　that；　presuming　that　Browner　had　committed　the　deed

and　had　embarked　at　once　upon　his　steamer；　the　May　Day；　Belfast

would　be　the　first　place　at　which　he　could　post　his　terrible　packet。

　　〃A　second　solution　was　at　this　stage　obviously　possible；　and

although　I　thought　it　exceedingly　unlikely；　I　was　determined　to

elucidate　it　before　going　further。　An　unsuccessful　lover　might　have

killed　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Browner；　and　the　male　ear　might　have　belonged　to

the　husband。　There　were　many　grave　objections　to　this　theory；　but　it

was　conceivable。　I　therefore　sent　off　a　telegram　to　my　friend　Algar；

of　the　Liverpool　force；　and　asked　him　to　find　out　if　Mrs。　Browner　were

at　home；　and　if　Browner　had　departed　in　the　May　Day。　Then　we　went　on

to　Wallington　to　visit　Miss　Sarah。

　　〃I　was　curious；　in　the　first　place；　to　see　how　far　the　family　ear

had　been　reproduced　in　her。　Then；　of　course；　she　might　give　us　very

important　information；　but　I　was　not　sanguine　that　she　would。　She　must

have　heard　of　the　business　the　day　before；　since　all　Croydon　was

ringing　with　it；　and　she　alone　could　have　understood　for　whom　the

packet　was　meant。　If　she　had　been　willing　to　help　justice　she　would

probably　have　communicated　with　the　police　already。　However；　it　was

clearly　our　duty　to　see　her；　so　we　went。　We　found　that　the　news　of　the

arrival　of　the　packet…　for　her　illness　dated　from　that　time…　had

such　an　effect　upon　her　as　to　bring　on　brain　fever。　It　was　clearer

than　ever　that　she　understood　its　full　significance；　but　equally　clear

that　we　should　have　to　wait　some　time　for　any　assistance　from　her。

　　〃However；　we　were　really　independent　of　her　help。　Our　answers　were

waiting　for　us　at　the　police…station；　where　I　had　directed　Algar　to

send　them。　Nothing　could　be　more　conclusive。　Mrs。　Browner's　house

had　been　closed　for　more　than　three　days；　and　the　neighbours　were　of

opinion　that　she　had　gone　south　to　see　her　relatives。　It　had　been

ascertained　at　the　shipping　offices　that　Browner　had　left　aboard　of

the　May　Day；　and　I　calculate　that　she　is　due　in　the　Thames　tomorrow

night。　When　he　arrives　he　will　be　met　by　the　obtuse　but　resolute

Lestrade；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　we　shall　have　all　our　details

filled　in。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　was　not　disappointed　in　his　expectations。　Two　days

later　he　received　a　bulky　envelope；　which　contained　a　short　note

from　the　detective；　and　a　typewritten　document　which　covered　several

pages　of　foolscap。

　　〃Lestrade　has　got　him　all　right；〃　said　Holmes；　glancing　up　at　me。

〃Perhaps　it　would　interest　you　to　hear　what　he　says。



My　Dear　Holmes：

　　〃In　accordance　with　the　scheme　which　we　had　formed　in　order　to

test　our　theories〃　＇〃the　'we'　is　rather　fine；　Watson；　is　it　not？〃＇

〃I　went　down　to　the　Albert　Dock　yesterday　at　6　P。M。；　and　boarded　the

S。S。　May　Day；　belonging　to　the　Liverpool；　Dublin；　and　London　Steam

Packet　Company。　On　inquiry；　I　found　that　there　was　a　steward　on

board　of　the　name　of　James　Browner　and　that　he　had　acted　during　the

voyage　in　such　an　extraordinary　manner　that　the　captain　had　been

compelled　to　relieve　him　of　his　duties。　On　descending　to　his　berth；

I　found　him　seated　upon　a　chest　with　his　head　sunk　upon　his　hands；

rocking　himself　to　and　fro。　He　is　a　big；　powerful　chap；

clean…shaven；　and　very　swarthy…　something　like　Aldridge；　who　helped　us

in　the　bogus　laundry　affair。　He　jumped　up　when　he　heard　my　business；

and　I　had　my　whistle　to　my　lips　to　call　a　couple　of　river　police；

who　were　round　the　corner；　but　he　seemed　to　have　no　heart　in　him；

and　he　held　out　his　hands　quietly　enough　for　the　darbies。　We　brought

him　along　to　the　cells；　and　his　box　as　well　for　we　thought　there　might

be　something　incriminating；　but；　bar　a　big　sharp　knife　such　as　most

sailors　have；　we　got　nothing　for　our　trouble。　However；　we　find　that　we

shall　want　no　more　evidence；　for　on　being　brought　before　the　inspector

at　the　station　he　asked　leave　to　make　a　statement　which　was；　of

course；　taken　down；　just　as　he　made　it；　by　our　shorthand　man。　We　had

three　copies　typewritten；　one　of　which　I　enclose。　The　affair　proves；

as　I　always　thought　it　would；　to　be　an　extremely　simple　one；　but　I

am　obliged　to　you　for　assisting　me　in　my　investigation。　With　kind

regards；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yours　very　truly；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃G。　LESTRADE。



　　〃Hum！　The　investigation　really　was　a　very　simple　one；〃　remarked

Holmes；　〃but　I　don't　think　it　struck　him　in　that　light　when　he　first

called　us　in。　However；　let　us　see　what　Jim　Browner　has　to　say　for

himself。　This　is　his　statement　as　made　before　Inspector　Montgomery

at　the　Shadwell　Police　Station；　and　it　has　the　advantage　of　being

verbatim。〃



　　〃'Have　I　anything　to　say？　Yes；　I　have　a　deal　to　say。　I　have　to

make　a　clean　breast　of　it　all。　You　can　hang　me；　or　you　can　leave　me

alone。　I　don't　care　a　plug　which　you　do。　I　tell　you　I've　not　shut　an

eye　in　sleep　since　I　did　it；　and　I　don't　believe　I　ever　will　again

until　I　get　past　all　waking。　Sometimes　it's　his　face；　but　most

generally　it's　hers。　I'm　never　without　one　or　the　other　before　me。

He　looks　frowning　and　black…like；　but　she　has　a　kind　o'　surprise

upon　her　face。　Ay；　the　white　lamb；　she　might　well　be　surprised　when

she　read　death　on　a　face　that　had　seldom　looked　anything　but　love　upon

her　before。

　　〃'But　it　was　Sarah's　fault　and　may　the　curse　of　a　broken　man　put　a

blight　on　her　and　set　the　blood　rotting　in　her　veins！　It's　not　that

I　want　to　clear　myself。　I　know　that　I　went　back　to　drink；　like　the

beast　that　I　was。　But　she　would　have　forgiven　me；　she　would　have　stuck

as　close　to　me　as　a　rope　to　a　block　if　that　woman　had　never　darkened

our　door。　For　Sarah　Cushing　loved　me…　that's　the　root　of　the　business…

she　loved　me　until　all　her　love　turned　to　poisonous　hate　when　she　knew

that　I　thought　more　of　my　wife's　footmark　in　the　mud　than　I　did　of　her

whole　body　and　soul。

　　〃'There　were　three　sisters　altogether。　The　old　one　was　just　a　good

woman；　the　second　was　a　devil；　and　the　third　was　an　angel。　Sarah　was

thirty…three；　and　Mary　was　twenty…nine　when　I　married。　We　were　just　as

happy　as　the　day　was　long　when　we　set　up　house　together；　and　in　all

Liverpool　there　was　no　better　woman　than　my　Mary。　And　then　we　asked

Sarah　up　for　a　week；　and　the　week　grew　into　a　month；　and　one　thing　led

to　another；　until　she　was　just　one　of　ourselves。

　　〃'I　was　blue　ribbon　at　that　time；　and　we　were　putting　a　little　money

by；　and　all　was　as　bright　as　a　new　dollar。　My　God；　whoever　would

have　thought　that　it　could　have　come　to　this？　Whoever　would　have

dreamed　it？

　　〃'I　used　to　be　home　for　the　week…ends　very　often；　and　sometimes　if

the　ship　were　held　back　for　cargo　I　would　have　a　whole　week　at　a　time；

and　in　this　way　I　saw　a　deal　of　my　sister…in…law；　Sarah。　She　was　a

fine　tall　woman；　black　and　quick　and　fierce；　with　a　proud　way　of

carrying　her　head；　and　a　glint　from　her　eye　like　a　spark　from　a　flint。

But　when　little　Mary　was　there　I　had　never　a　thought　of　her；　and

that　I　swear　as　I　hope　for　God's　mercy。

　　〃'It　had　seemed　to　me　sometimes　that　she　liked　to　be　alone　with

me；　or　to　coax　me　out　for　a　walk　with　her；　but　I　had　never　thought

anything　of　that。　But　one　evening　my　eyes　were　opened。　I　had　come　up

from　the　ship　and　found　my　wife　out；　but　Sarah　at　home。　〃Where's

Mary？〃　I　asked。　〃Oh；　she　has　gone　to　pay　some　accounts。〃　I　was

impatient　and　paced　up　and　down　the　room。　〃Can't　you　be　happy　for　five

minutes　without　Mary；　Jim？〃　says　she。　〃It's　a　bad　compliment　to　me

that　you　can't　be　contented　with　my　society　for　so　short　a　time。〃

〃That's　all　right；　my　lass；〃　said　I；　putting　out　my　hand　towards　her

in　a　kindly　way；　but　she　had　it　in　both　hers　in　an　instant；　and　they

burned　as　if　they　were　in　a　fever。　I　looked　into　her　eyes　and　I　read

it　all　there。　There　was　no　need　for　her　to　speak；　nor　for　me　either。　I

frowned　and　drew　my　hand　away。　Then　she　stood　by　my　side　in　silence

for　a　bit；　and　then　put　up　her　hand　and　patted　me　on　the　shoulder。

〃Steady　old　Jim！〃　said　she；　and　with　a　kind　o'　mocking　laugh；　she

run　out　of　the　room。

　　〃Well；　from　that　time　Sarah　hated　me　with　her　whole　heart　and

soul；　and　she　is　a　woman　who　can　hate；　too。　I　was　a　fool　to　let　her　go

on　biding　with　us…　a　besotted　fool…　but　I　never　said　a　word　to　Mary；

for　I　knew　it　would　grieve　her。　Things　went　on　much　as　before；　but

after　a　time　I　began　to　find　that　there　was　a　bit　of　a　change　in

Mary　herself。　She　had　always　been　so　trusting　and　so　innocent；　but　now

she　became　queer　and　suspicious；　wanting　to　know　where　I　had　been

and　what　I　had　been　doing；　and　whom　my　letters　were　from；　and　what　I

had　in　my　pockets；　and　a　thousand　such　follies。　Day　by　day　she　grew

queerer　and　more　irritable；　and　we　had　ceaseless　rows　about　nothing。　I

was　fairly　puzzled　by　it　all。　Sarah　avoided　me　now；　but　she　and　Mary

were　just　inseparable。　I　can　see　now　how　she　was　plotting　and　scheming

and　poisoning　my　wife's　mind　against　me；　but　I　was　such　a　blind　beetle

that　I　could　not　understand　it　at　the　time。　Then　I　broke　my　blue

ribbon　and　began　to　drink　again；　but　I　think　I　should　not　have　done　it

if　Mary　had　been　the　same　as　ever。　She　had　some　reason　to　be　disgusted

with　me　now；　and　the　gap　between　us　began　to　be　wider　and　wider。　And

then　this　Alec　Fairbairn　chipped　in；　and　things　became　a　thousand

times　blacker。

　　〃'It　was　to　see　Sarah　that　he　came　to　my　house　first；　but　soon　it

was　to　see　us；　for　he　was　a　man　with　winning　ways；　and　he　made　friends

wherever　he　went。　He　was　a　dashing；　swaggering　chap；　smart　and　curled；

who　had　seen　half　the　world　and　could　talk　of　what　he　had　seen。　He　was

good　company；　I　won't　deny　it；　and　he　had　wonderful　polite　ways　with

him　for　a　sailor　man；　s