the adventure of wisteria lodge-第7章

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　　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　situation

rapidly　explained　to　him。

　　〃Why；　sir；　you've　got　me　the　very　evidence　I　want；〃　said　the

inspector　warmly；　shaking　my　friend　by　the　hand。　〃I　was　on　the　same

scent　as　you　from　the　first。〃

　　〃What！　You　were　after　Henderson？〃

　　〃Why；　Mr。　Holmes；　when　you　were　crawling　in　the　shrubbery　at　High

Gable　I　was　up　one　of　the　trees　in　the　plantation　and　saw　you　down

below。　It　was　just　who　would　get　his　evidence　first。〃

　　〃Then　why　did　you　arrest　the　mulatto？〃

　　Baynes　chuckled。

　　〃I　was　sure　Henderson；　as　he　calls　himself；　felt　that　he　was

suspected；　and　that　he　would　lie　low　and　make　no　move　so　long　as　he

thought　he　was　in　any　danger。　I　arrested　the　wrong　man　to　make　him

believe　that　our　eyes　were　off　him。　I　knew　he　would　be　likely　to　clear

off　then　and　give　us　a　chance　of　getting　at　Miss　Burnet。〃

　　Holmes　laid　his　hand　upon　the　inspector's　shoulder。

　　〃You　will　rise　high　in　your　profession。　You　have　instinct　and

intuition；〃　said　he。

　　Baynes　flushed　with　pleasure。

　　〃I've　had　a　plain…clothes　man　waiting　at　the　station　all　the　week。

Wherever　the　High　Gable　folk　go　he　will　keep　them　in　sight。　But　he

must　have　been　hard　put　to　it　when　Miss　Burnet　broke　away。　However；

your　man　picked　her　up；　and　it　all　ends　well。　We　can't　arrest

without　her　evidence；　that　is　clear；　so　the　sooner　we　get　a

statement　the　better。〃

　　〃Every　minute　she　gets　stronger；〃　said　Holmes；　glancing　at　the

governess。　〃But　tell　me；　Baynes。　who　is　this　man　Henderson？〃

　　〃Henderson；〃　the　inspector　answered；　〃is　Don　Murillo；　once　called

the　Tiger　of　San　Pedro。〃

　　The　Tiger　of　San　Pedro！　The　whole　history　of　the　man　came　back　to　me

in　a　flash。　He　had　made　his　name　as　the　most　lewd　and　bloodthirsty

tyrant　that　had　ever　governed　any　country　with　a　pretence　to

civilization。　Strong；　fearless；　and　energetic；　he　had　sufficient

virtue　to　enable　him　to　impose　his　odious　vices　upon　a　cowering　people

for　ten　or　twelve　years。　His　name　was　a　terror　through　all　Central

America。　At　the　end　of　that　time　there　was　a　universal　rising

against　him。　But　he　was　as　cunning　as　he　was　cruel；　and　at　the　first

whisper　of　coming　trouble　he　had　secretly　conveyed　his　treasures

aboard　a　ship　which　was　manned　by　devoted　adherents。　It　was　an　empty

palace　which　was　stormed　by　the　insurgents　next　day。　The　dictator；　his

two　children；　his　secretary；　and　his　wealth　had　all　escaped　them。　From

that　moment　he　had　vanished　from　the　world；　and　his　identity　had

been　a　frequent　subject　for　comment　in　the　European　press。

　　〃Yes；　sir；　Don　Murillo；　the　Tiger　of　San　Pedro；〃　said　Baynes。　〃If

you　look　it　up　you　will　find　that　the　San　Pedro　colours　are　green

and　white；　same　as　in　the　note；　Mr。　Holmes。　Henderson　he　called

himself；　but　I　traced　him　back；　Paris　and　Rome　and　Madrid　to

Barcelona；　where　his　ship　came　in　in　'86。　They've　been　looking　for　him

all　the　time　for　their　revenge；　but　it　is　only　now　that　they　have

begun　to　find　him　out。〃

　　〃They　discovered　him　a　year　ago；〃　said　Miss　Burnet；　who　had　sat　up

and　was　now　intently　following　the　conversation。　〃Once　already　his

life　has　been　attempted；　but　some　evil　spirit　shielded　him。　Now；

again；　it　is　the　noble；　chivalrous　Garcia　who　has　fallen；　while　the

monster　goes　safe。　But　another　will　come；　and　yet　another；　until

some　day　justice　will　be　done；　that　is　as　certain　as　the　rise　of

to…morrow's　sun。〃　Her　thin　hands　clenched；　and　her　worn　face

blanched　with　the　passion　of　her　hatred。

　　〃But　how　come　you　into　this　matter；　Miss　Burnet？〃　asked　Holmes。　〃How

can　an　English　lady　join　in　such　a　murderous　affair？〃

　　〃I　join　in　it　because　there　is　no　other　way　in　the　world　by　which

justice　can　be　gained。　What　does　the　law　of　England　care　for　the

rivers　of　blood　shed　years　ago　in　San　Pedro；　or　for　the　ship　load　of

treasure　which　this　man　has　stolen？　To　you　they　are　like　crimes

committed　in　some　other　planet。　But　we　know。　We　have　learned　the　truth

in　sorrow　and　in　suffering。　To　us　there　is　no　fiend　in　hell　like

Juan　Murillo；　and　no　peace　in　life　while　his　victims　still　cry　for

vengeance。〃

　　〃No　doubt〃　said　Holmes；　〃he　was　as　you　say。　I　have　heard　that　he　was

atrocious。　But　how　are　you　affected？〃

　　〃I　will　tell　you　it　all。　This　villain's　policy　was　to　murder；　on　one

pretext　or　another；　every　man　who　showed　such　promise　that　he　might　in

time　come　to　be　a　dangerous　rival。　My　husband…　yes；　my　real　name　is

Sipora　Victor　Durando…　was　the　San　Pedro　minister　in　London。　He　met　me

and　married　me　there。　A　nobler　man　never　lived　upon　earth。

Unhappily；　Murillo　heard　of　his　excellence；　recalled　him　on　some

pretext；　and　had　him　shot。　With　a　premonition　of　his　fate　he　had

refused　to　take　me　with　him。　His　estates　were　confiscated；　and　I　was

left　with　a　pittance　and　a　broken　heart。

　　〃Then　came　the　downfall　of　the　tyrant。　He　escaped　as　you　have　just

described。　But　the　many　whose　lives　he　had　mined；　whose　nearest　and

dearest　had　suffered　torture　and　death　at　his　hands；　would　not　let　the

matter　rest。　They　banded　themselves　into　a　society　which　should

never　be　dissolved　until　the　work　was　done。　It　was　my　part　after　we

had　discovered　in　the　transformed　Henderson　the　fallen　despot；　to

attach　myself　to　his　household　and　keep　the　others　in　touch　with　his

movements。　This　I　was　able　to　do　by　securing　the　position　of　governess

in　his　family。　He　little　knew　that　the　woman　who　faced　him　at　every

meal　was　the　woman　whose　husband　he　had　hurried　at　an　hour's　notice

into　eternity。　I　smiled　on　him；　did　my　duty　to　his　children；　and　bided

my　time。　An　attempt　was　made　in　Paris　and　failed。　We　zig…zagged

swiftly　here　and　there　over　Europe　to　throw　off　the　pursuers　and

finally　returned　to　this　house；　which　he　had　taken　upon　his　first

arrival　in　England。

　　〃But　here　also　the　ministers　of　justice　were　waiting。　Knowing　that

he　would　return　there；　Garcia；　who　is　the　son　of　the　former　highest

dignitary　in　San　Pedro；　was　waiting　with　two　trusty　companions　of

humble　station；　all　three　fired　with　the　same　reasons　for　revenge。

He　could　do　little　during　the　day；