the adventure of wisteria lodge-第2章

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another；　and　it　ended　in　his　inviting　me　out　to　spend　a　few　days　at

his　house；　Wisteria　Lodge；　between　Esher　and　Oxshott。　Yesterday

evening　I　went　to　Esher　to　fulfil　this　engagement。

　　〃He　had　described　his　household　to　me　before　I　went　there。　He

lived　with　a　faithful　servant；　a　countryman　of　his　own；　who　looked

after　all　his　needs。　This　fellow　could　speak　English　and　did　his

housekeeping　for　him。　Then　there　was　a　wonderful　cook；　he　said；　a

half…breed　whom　he　had　picked　up　in　his　travels；　who　could　serve　an

excellent　dinner。　I　remember　that　he　remarked　what　a　queer　household

it　was　to　find　in　the　heart　of　Surrey；　and　that　I　agreed　with　him；

though　it　has　proved　a　good　deal　queerer　than　I　thought。

　　〃I　drove　to　the　place…　about　two　miles　on　the　south　side　of　Esher。

The　house　was　a　fair…sized　one；　standing　back　from　the　road；　with　a

curving　drive　which　was　banked　with　high　evergreen　shrubs。　It　was　an

old；　tumble…down　building　in　a　crazy　state　of　disrepair。　When　the　trap

pulled　up　on　the　grass…grown　drive　in　front　of　the　blotched　and

weather…stained　door；　I　had　doubts　as　to　my　wisdom　in　visiting　a　man

whom　I　knew　so　slightly。　He　opened　the　door　himself；　however；　and

greeted　me　with　a　great　show　of　cordiality。　I　was　handed　over　to　the

manservant　a　melancholy；　swarthy　individual；　who　led　the　way；　my　bag

in　his　hand；　to　my　bedroom。　The　whole　place　was　depressing。　Our　dinner

was　tete…a…tete；　and　though　my　host　did　his　best　to　be　entertaining；

his　thoughts　seemed　to　continually　wander；　and　he　talked　so　vaguely

and　wildly　that　I　could　hardly　understand　him。　He　continually

drummed　his　fingers　on　the　table；　gnawed　his　nails；　and　gave　other

signs　of　nervous　impatience。　The　dinner　itself　was　neither　well　served

nor　well　cooked；　and　the　gloomy　presence　of　the　taciturn　servant　did

not　help　to　enliven　us。　I　can　assure　you　that　many　times　in　the　course

of　the　evening　I　wished　that　I　could　invent　some　excuse　which　would

take　me　back　to　Lee。

　　〃One　thing　comes　back　to　my　memory　which　may　have　a　bearing　upon　the

business　that　you　two　gentlemen　are　investigating。　I　thought　nothing

of　it　at　the　time。　Near　the　end　of　dinner　a　note　was　handed　in　by

the　servant。　I　noticed　that　after　my　host　had　read　it　he　seemed　even

more　distrait　and　strange　than　before。　He　gave　up　all　pretence　at

conversation　and　sat　smoking　endless　cigarettes；　lost　in　his　own

thoughts；　but　he　made　no　remark　as　to　the　contents。　About　eleven　I　was

glad　to　go　to　bed。　Some　time　later　Garcia　looked　in　at　my　door…　the

room　was　dark　at　the　time…　and　asked　me　if　I　had　rung。　I　said　that　I

had　not。　He　apologized　for　having　disturbed　me　so　late；　saying　that　it

was　nearly　one　o'clock。　I　dropped　off　after　this　and　slept　soundly　all

night。

　　〃And　now　I　come　to　the　amazing　part　of　my　tale。　When　I　woke　it　was

broad　daylight。　I　glanced　at　my　watch；　and　the　time　was　nearly　nine。　I

had　particularly　asked　to　be　called　at　eight；　so　I　was　very　much

astonished　at　this　forgetfulness。　I　sprang　up　and　rang　for　the

servant。　There　was　no　response。　I　rang　again　and　again；　with　the

same　result。　Then　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　bell　was　out　of

order。　I　huddled　on　my　clothes　and　hurried　downstairs　in　an

exceedingly　bad　temper　to　order　some　hot　water。　You　can　imagine　my

surprise　when　I　found　that　there　was　no　one　there。　I　shouted　in　the

hall。　There　was　no　answer。　Then　I　ran　from　room　to　room。　All　were

deserted。　My　host　had　shown　me　which　was　his　bedroom　the　night　before；

so　I　knocked　at　the　door。　No　reply。　I　turned　the　handle　and　walked　in。

The　room　was　empty；　and　the　bed　had　never　been　slept　in。　He　had　gone

with　the　rest。　The　foreign　host；　the　foreign　footman；　the　foreign

cook；　all　had　vanished　in　the　night！　That　was　the　end　of　my　visit　to

Wisteria　Lodge。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　was　rubbing　his　hands　and　chuckling　as　he　added　this

bizarre　incident　to　his　collection　of　strange　episodes。

　　〃Your　experience　is；　so　far　as　I　know；　perfectly　unique！〃　said　he。

〃May　I　ask；　sir；　what　you　did　then？〃

　　〃I　was　furious。　My　first　idea　was　that　I　had　been　the　victim　of　some

absurd　practical　joke。　I　packed　my　things；　banged　the　hall　door　behind

me；　and　set　off　for　Esher；　with　my　bag　in　my　hand。　I　called　at　Allan

Brothers'；　the　chief　land　agents　in　the　village；　and　found　that　it　was

from　this　firm　that　the　villa　had　been　rented。　It　struck　me　that　the

whole　proceeding　could　hardly　be　for　the　purpose　of　making　a　fool　of

me；　and　that　the　main　object　must　be　to　get　out　of　the　rent。　It　is

late　in　March；　so　quarter…day　is　at　hand。　But　this　theory　would　not

work。　The　agent　was　obliged　to　me　for　my　warning；　but　told　me　that　the

rent　had　been　paid　in　advance。　Then　I　made　my　way　to　town　and　called

at　the　Spanish　embassy。　The　man　was　unknown　there。　After　this　I　went

to　see　Melville；　at　whose　house　I　had　first　met　Garcia；　but　I　found

that　he　really　knew　rather　less　about　him　than　I　did。　Finally　when　I

got　your　reply　to　my　wire　I　came　out　to　you；　since　I　gather　that　you

are　a　person　who　gives　advice　in　difficult　cases。　But　now；　Mr。

Inspector；　I　understand；　from　what　you　said　when　you　entered　the　room；

that　you　can　carry　the　story　on；　and　that　some　tragedy　has　occurred。　I

can　assure　you　that　every　word　I　have　said　is　the　truth；　and　that

outside　of　what　I　have　told　you；　I　know　absolutely　nothing　about　the

fate　of　this　man。　My　only　desire　is　to　help　the　law　in　every

possible　way。〃

　　〃I　am　sure　of　it　Mr。　Scott　Eccles…　I　am　sure　of　it；〃　said

Inspector　Gregson　in　a　very　amiable　tone。　〃I　am　bound　to　say　that

everything　which　you　have　said　agrees　very　closely　with　the　facts　as

they　have　come　to　our　notice。　For　example；　there　was　that　note　which

arrived　during　dinner。　Did　you　chance　to　observe　what　became　of　it？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　did。　Garcia　rolled　it　up　and　threw　it　into　the　fire。〃

　　〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　Mr。　Baynes？〃

　　The　country　detective　was　a　stout；　puffy；　red　man；　whose　face　was

only　redeemed　from　grossness　by　two　extraordinarily　bright　eyes；

almost　hidden　behind　the　heavy　creases　of　cheek　and　brow。　With　a

slow　smile　he　drew　a　folded　and　discoloured　scrap　of　paper　from　his

pocket。

　　〃It　was　a　dog…grate；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　he　overpitched　it。　I　picked

this　out　unburned　from　the　back　of　it。〃

　　Holmes　smiled　his　appreciation。

　　〃You　must　have　examined　the　house　very　carefully　to　find　a　single

pellet　of　paper。〃

　　〃I　did；　Mr。　Holmes。　It's　my　way。　Shall　I　read　it；　Mr。　Gregson？〃

　　The　Londoner　nodded。

　　〃The　note　is　written　upon　ordinary　cream…laid　paper　without

watermark。　It　is　a　quarter…sheet。　The　paper　is　cut　off　in　two　snips

with　a　short…bladed　scissors。　It　has　been　folded　over　three　times

and　sealed　with　purple　wax；　put　on　hurriedly　and　pressed　down　with

some　flat　oval　object。　It　is　addressed　to　Mr。　Garcia；　Wisteria

Lodge。　It　says：



　　〃Our　own　colours；　green　and　white。　Green　open；　white　shut。　Main

stair；　first　corridor；　seventh　right；　green　baize。　Godspeed。　D。



It　is　a　woman's　writing；　done　with　a　sharp…pointed　pen；　but　the

address　is　either　done　with　another　pen　or　by　someone　else。　It　is

thicker　and　bolder；　as　you　see。〃

　　〃A　very　remarkable　note；〃　said　Holmes；　glancing　it　over。　〃I　must

compliment　you；　Mr。　Baynes；　upon　your　attention　to　detail　in　your

examination　of　it。　A　few　trifling　points　might　perhaps　be　added。　The

oval　seal　is　undoubtedly　a　plain　sleeve…link…　what　else　is　of　such　a

shape？　The　scissors　were　bent　nail　scissors。　Short　as　the　two　snips

are；　you　can　distinctly　see　the　same　slight　curve　in　each。〃

　　The　country　detective　chuckled。

　　〃I　thought　I　had　squeezed　all　the　juice　out　of　it；　but　I　see　there

was　a　little　over；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　bound　to　say　that　I　make　nothing

of　the　note　except　that　there　was　something　on　hand；　and　that　a　woman；

as　usual；　was　at　the　bottom　of　it。〃

　　Mr。　Scott　Eccles　had　fidgeted　in　his　seat　during　this　conversation。

　　〃I　am　glad　you　found　the　note；　since　it　corroborates　my　story；〃　said

he。　〃But　I　beg　to　point　out　that　I　have　not　yet　heard　what　has

happened　to　Mr。　Garcia；　nor　what　has　become　of　his　household。〃

　　〃As　to　Garcia；〃　said　Gregson；　〃that　is　easily　answered。　He