布鲁斯-帕廷顿计划-the bruce-partington plans-第6章

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of　the　garish　Italian　restaurant。

〃Have　you　had　something　to　eat？　　Then　join　me　in　a　coffee　and
curacao。　　Try　one　of　the　proprietor's　cigars。　　They　are　less
poisonous　than　one　would　expect。　　Have　you　the　tools？〃

〃They　are　here；　in　my　overcoat。〃

〃Excellent。　　Let　me　give　you　a　short　sketch　of　what　I　have　done；
with　some　indication　of　what　we　are　about　to　do。　　Now　it　must　be
evident　to　you；　Watson；　that　this　young　man's　body　was　PLACED　on
the　roof　of　the　train。　　That　was　clear　from　the　instant　that　I
determined　the　fact　that　it　was　from　the　roof；　and　not　from　a
carriage；　that　he　had　fallen。〃

〃Could　it　not　have　been　dropped　from　a　bridge？〃

〃I　should　say　it　was　impossible。　　If　you　examine　the　roofs　you
will　find　that　they　are　slightly　rounded；　and　there　is　no　railing
round　them。　　Therefore；　we　can　say　for　certain　that　young　Cadogan
West　was　placed　on　it。〃

〃How　could　he　be　placed　there？〃

〃That　was　the　question　which　we　had　to　answer。　　There　is　only　one
possible　way。　　You　are　aware　that　the　Underground　runs　clear　of
tunnels　at　some　points　in　the　West　End。　　I　had　a　vague　memory
that　as　I　have　travelled　by　it　I　have　occasionally　seen　windows
just　above　my　head。　　Now；　suppose　that　a　train　halted　under　such
a　window；　would　there　be　any　difficulty　in　laying　a　body　upon　the
roof？〃

〃It　seems　most　improbable。〃

〃We　must　fall　back　upon　the　old　axiom　that　when　all　other
contingencies　fail；　whatever　remains；　however　improbable；　must　be
the　truth。　　Here　all　other　contingencies　HAVE　failed。　　When　I
found　that　the　leading　international　agent；　who　had　just　left
London；　lived　in　a　row　of　houses　which　abutted　upon　the
Underground；　I　was　so　pleased　that　you　were　a　little　astonished
at　my　sudden　frivolity。〃

〃Oh；　that　was　it；　was　it？〃

〃Yes；　that　was　it。　　Mr。　Hugo　Oberstein；　of　13　Caulfield　Gardens；
had　bee　my　objective。　　I　began　my　operations　at　Gloucester
Road　Station；　where　a　very　helpful　official　walked　with　me　along
the　track　and　allowed　me　to　satisfy　myself　not　only　that　the
back…stair　windows　of　Caulfield　Gardens　open　on　the　line　but　the
even　more　essential　fact　that；　owing　to　the　intersection　of　one
of　the　larger　railways；　the　Underground　trains　are　frequently
held　motionless　for　some　minutes　at　that　very　spot。〃

〃Splendid；　Holmes！　　You　have　got　it！〃

〃So　far……so　far；　Watson。　　We　advance；　but　the　goal　is　afar。
Well；　having　seen　the　back　of　Caulfield　Gardens；　I　visited　the
front　and　satisfied　myself　that　the　bird　was　indeed　flown。　　It　is
a　considerable　house；　unfurnished；　so　far　as　I　could　judge；　in
the　upper　rooms。　　Oberstein　lived　there　with　a　single　valet；　who
was　probably　a　confederate　entirely　in　his　confidence。　　We　must
bear　in　mind　that　Oberstein　has　gone　to　the　Continent　to　dispose
of　his　booty；　but　not　with　any　idea　of　flight；　for　he　had　no
reason　to　fear　a　warrant；　and　the　idea　of　an　amateur　domiciliary
visit　would　certainly　never　occur　to　him。　　Yet　that　is　precisely
what　we　are　about　to　make。〃

〃Could　we　not　get　a　warrant　and　legalize　it？〃

〃Hardly　on　the　evidence。〃

〃What　can　we　hope　to　do？〃

〃We　cannot　tell　what　correspondence　may　be　there。〃

〃I　don't　like　it；　Holmes。〃

〃My　dear　fellow；　you　shall　keep　watch　in　the　street。　　I'll　do　the
criminal　part。　　It's　not　a　time　to　stick　at　trifles。　　Think　of
Mycroft's　note；　of　the　Admiralty；　the　Cabi；　the　exalted　person
who　waits　for　news。　　We　are　bound　to　go。〃

My　answer　was　to　rise　from　the　table。

〃You　are　right；　Holmes。　　We　are　bound　to　go。〃

He　sprang　up　and　shook　me　by　the　hand。

〃I　knew　you　would　not　shrink　at　the　last；〃　said　he；　and　for　a
moment　I　saw　something　in　his　eyes　which　was　nearer　to　tenderness
than　I　had　ever　seen。　　The　next　instant　he　was　his　masterful；
practical　self　once　more。

〃It　is　nearly　half　a　mile；　but　there　is　no　hurry。　　Let　us　walk；〃
said　he。　　〃Don't　drop　the　instruments；　I　beg。　　Your　arrest　as　a
suspicious　character　would　be　a　most　unfortunate　plication。〃

Caulfield　Gardens　was　one　of　those　lines　of　flat…faced　pillared；
and　porticoed　houses　which　are　so　prominent　a　product　of　the
middle　Victorian　epoch　in　the　West　End　of　London。　　Next　door
there　appeared　to　be　a　children's　party；　for　the　merry　buzz　of
young　voices　and　the　clatter　of　a　piano　resounded　through　the
night。　　The　fog　still　hung　about　and　screened　us　with　its
friendly　shade。　　Holmes　had　lit　his　lantern　and　flashed　it　upon
the　massive　door。

〃This　is　a　serious　proposition；〃　said　he。　　〃It　is　certainly
bolted　as　well　as　locked。　　We　would　do　better　in　the　area。　　There
is　an　excellent　archway　down　yonder　in　case　a　too　zealous
policeman　should　intrude。　　Give　me　a　hand；　Watson；　and　I'll　do
the　same　for　you。〃

A　minute　later　we　were　both　in　the　area。　　Hardly　had　we　reached
the　dark　shadows　before　the　step　of　the　policeman　was　heard　in
the　fog　above。　　As　its　soft　rhythm　died　away；　Holmes　set　to　work
upon　the　lower　door。　　I　saw　him　stoop　and　strain　until　with　a
sharp　crash　it　flew　open。　　We　sprang　through　into　the　dark
passage；　closing　the　area　door　behind　us。　　Holmes　let　the　way　up
the　curving；　uncarpeted　stair。　　His　little　fan　of　yellow　light
shone　upon　a　low　window。

〃Here　we　are；　Watson……this　must　be　the　one。〃　　He　threw　it　open；
and　as　he　did　so　there　was　a　low；　harsh　murmur；　growing　steadily
into　a　loud　roar　as　a　train　dashed　past　us　in　the　darkness。
Holmes　swept　his　light　along　the　window…sill。　　It　was　thickly
coated　with　soot　from　the　passing　engines；　but　the　black　surface
was　blurred　and　rubbed　in　places。

〃You　can　see　where　they　rested　the　body。　　Halloa；　Watson！　what　is
this？　　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　it　is　a　blood　mark。〃　　He　was
pointing　to　faint　discolourations　along　the　woodwork　of　the
window。　　〃Here　it　is　on　the　stone　of　the　stair　also。　　The
demonstration　is　plete。　　Let　us　stay　here　until　a　train
stops。〃

We　had　not　long　to　wait。　　The　very　next　train　roared　from　the
tunnel　as　before；　but　slowed　in　the　open；　and　then；　with　a
creaking　of　brakes；　pulled　up　immediately　beneath　us。　　It　was　not
four　feet　from　the　window…ledge　to　the　roof　of　the　carriages。
Holmes　softly　closed　the　window。

〃So　far　we　are　justified；〃　said　he。　　〃What　do　you　think　of　it；
Watson？〃

〃A　masterpiece。　　You　have　never　risen　to　a　greater　height。〃

〃I　cannot　agree　with　you　there。　　From　the　moment　that　I　conceived
the　idea　of　the　body　being　upon　the　roof；　which　surely　was　not　a
very　abstruse　one；　all　the　rest　was　inevitable。　　If　it　were　not
for　the　grave　interests　involved　the　affair　up　to　this　point
would　be　insignificant。　　Our　difficulties　are　still　before　us。
But　perhaps　we　may　find　something　here　which　may　help　us。〃

We　had　ascended　the　kitchen　stair　and　entered　the　suite　of　rooms
upon　the　first　floor。　　One　was　a　dining…room；　severely　furnished
and　containing　nothing　of　interest。　　A　second　was　a　bedroom；
which　also　drew　blank。　　The　remaining　room　appeared　more
promising；　and　my　panion　settled　down　to　a　systematic
examination。　　It　was　littered　with　books　and　papers；　and　was
evidently　used　as　a　study。　　Swiftly　and　methodically　Holmes
turned　over　the　contents　of　drawer　after　drawer　and　cupboard
after　cupboard；　but　no　gleam　of　success　came　to　brighten　his
austere　face。　　At　the　end　of　an　hour　he　was　no　further　than　when
he　started。

〃The　cunning　dog　has　covered　his　tracks；〃　said　he。　　〃He　has　left
nothing　to　incriminate　him。　　His　dangerous　correspondence　has
been　destroyed　or　removed。　　This　is　our　last　chance。〃

It　was　a　small　tin　cash…box　which　stood　upon　the　writing…desk。
Holmes　pried　it　open　with　his　chisel。　　Several　rolls　of　paper
were　within；　covered　with　figures　and　calculations；　without　any
note　to　show　to　what　they　referred。　　The　recurring　words；　〃water
pressure〃　and　〃pressure　to　the　square　inch〃　suggested　some
possible　relation　to　a　submarine。　　Holmes　tossed　them　all
impatiently　aside。　　There　only　remained　an　envelope　with　some
small　newspaper　slips　inside　it。　　He　shook　them　out　on　the　table；
and　at　once　I　saw　by　his　eager　face　that　his　hopes　had　been
raised。

〃What's　this；　Watson？　　Eh？　　What's　this？　　Record　of　a　series　of
messages　in　the　advertisements　of　a　paper。　　Daily　Telegraph　agony
column　by　the　print　and　paper。　　Right…hand　top　corner　of　a　page