the adventure of the mazarin stone-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　MAZARIN　STONE

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　It　was　pleasant　to　Dr。　Watson　to　find　himself　once　more　in　the

untidy　room　of　the　first　floor　in　Baker　Street　which　had　been　the

starting…point　of　so　many　remarkable　adventures。　He　looked　round　him

at　the　scientific　charts　upon　the　wall；　the　acid…charred　bench　of

chemicals；　the　violin…case　leaning　in　the　corner；　the　coal…scuttle；

which　contained　of　old　the　pipes　and　tobacco。　Finally；　his　eyes　came

round　to　the　fresh　and　smiling　face　of　Billy；　the　young　but　very

wise　and　tactful　page；　who　had　helped　a　little　to　fill　up　the　gap　of

loneliness　and　isolation　which　surrounded　the　saturnine　figure　of

the　great　detective。

　　〃It　all　seems　very　unchanged；　Billy。　You　don't　change；　either。　I

hope　the　same　can　be　said　of　him？〃

　　Billy　glanced　with　some　solicitude　at　the　closed　door　of　the

bedroom。

　　〃I　think　he's　in　bed　and　asleep；〃　he　said。

　　It　was　seven　in　the　evening　of　a　lovely　summer's　day；　but　Dr。　Watson

was　sufficiently　familiar　with　the　irregularity　of　his　old　friend's

hours　to　feel　no　surprise　at　the　idea。

　　〃That　means　a　case；　I　suppose？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　he　is　very　hard　at　it　just　now。　I'm　frightened　for　his

health。　He　gets　paler　and　thinner；　and　he　eats　nothing。　'When　will　you

be　pleased　to　dine；　Mr。　Holmes？'　Mrs。　Hudson　asked。　'Seven…thirty；　the

day　after　to…morrow；'　said　he。　You　know　his　way　when　he　is　keen　on　a

case。〃

　　〃Yes；　Billy；　I　know。〃

　　〃He's　following　someone。　Yesterday　he　was　out　as　a　workman　looking

for　a　job。　To…day　he　was　an　old　woman。　Fairly　took　me　in；　he　did；

and　I　ought　to　know　his　ways　by　now。〃　Billy　pointed　with　a　grin　to　a

very　baggy　parasol　which　leaned　against　the　sofa。　〃That's　part　of

the　old　woman's　outfit；〃　he　said。

　　〃But　what　is　it　all　about；　Billy？〃

　　Billy　sank　his　voice；　as　one　who　discusses　great　secrets　of　State。

〃I　don't　mind　telling　you；　sir；　but　it　should　go　no　farther。　It's　this

case　of　the　Crown　diamond。〃

　　〃What！…　the　hundred…thousand…pound　burglary？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。　They　must　get　it　back；　sir。　Why；　we　had　the　Prime

Minister　and　the　Home　Secretary　both　sitting　on　that　very　sofa。　Mr。

Holmes　was　very　nice　to　them。　He　soon　put　them　at　their　ease　and

promised　he　would　do　all　he　could。　Then　there　is　Lord　Cantlemere…〃

　　〃Ah！〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　you　know　what　that　means。　He's　a　stiff　'un；　sir；　if　I　may

say　so。　I　can　get　along　with　the　Prime　Minister；　and　I've　nothing

against　the　Home　Secretary；　who　seemed　a　civil；　obliging　sort　of

man；　but　I　can't　stand　his　Lordship。　Neither　can　Mr。　Holmes；　sir。

You　see；　he　don't　believe　in　Mr。　Holmes　and　he　was　against　employing

him。　He'd　rather　he　failed。〃

　　〃And　Mr。　Holmes　knows　it？〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes　always　knows　whatever　there　is　to　know。〃

　　〃Well；　we'll　hope　he　won't　fail　and　that　Lord　Cantlemere　will　be

confounded。　But　I　say；　Billy；　what　is　that　curtain　for　across　the

window？〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes　had　it　put　up　there　three　days　ago。　We've　got

something　funny　behind　it。〃

　　Billy　advanced　and　drew　away　the　drapery　which　screened　the　alcove

of　the　bow　window。

　　Dr。　Watson　could　not　restrain　a　cry　of　amazement。　There　was　a

facsimile　of　his　old　friend；　dressing…gown　and　all；　the　face　turned

three…quarters　towards　the　window　and　downward；　as　though　reading　an

invisible　book；　while　the　body　was　sunk　deep　in　an　armchair。　Billy

detached　the　head　and　held　it　in　the　air。

　　〃We　put　it　at　different　angles；　so　that　it　may　seem　more　lifelike。　I

wouldn't　dare　touch　it　if　the　blind　were　not　down。　But　when　it's　up

you　can　see　this　from　across　the　way。〃

　　〃We　used　something　of　the　sort　once　before。〃

　　〃Before　my　time；〃　said　Billy。　He　drew　the　window　curtains　apart

and　looked　out　into　the　street。　〃There　are　folk　who　watch　us　from　over

yonder。　I　can　see　a　fellow　now　at　the　window。　Have　a　look　for

yourself。〃

　　Watson　had　taken　a　step　forward　when　the　bedroom　door　opened；　and

the　long；　thin　form　of　Holmes　emerged；　his　face　pale　and　drawn　but　his

step　and　bearing　as　active　as　ever。　With　a　single　spring　he　was　at　the

window；　and　had　drawn　the　blind　once　more。

　　〃That　will　do；　Billy；〃　said　he。　〃You　were　in　danger　of　your　life

then；　my　boy；　and　I　can't　do　without　you　just　yet。　Well；　Watson；　it　is

good　to　see　you　in　your　old　quarters　once　again。　You　come　at　a

critical　moment。〃

　　〃So　I　gather。〃

　　〃You　can　go；　Billy。　That　boy　is　a　problem；　Watson。　How　far　am　I

justified　in　allowing　him　to　be　in　danger？〃

　　〃Danger　of　what；　Holmes？〃

　　〃Of　sudden　death。　I'm　expecting　something　this　evening。〃

　　〃Expecting　what？〃

　　〃To　be　murdered；　Watson。〃

　　〃No；　no；　you　are　joking；　Holmes！〃

　　〃Even　my　limited　sense　of　humour　could　evolve　a　better　joke　than

that。　But　we　may　be　comfortable　in　the　meantime；　may　we　not？　Is

alcohol　permitted？　The　gasogene　and　cigars　are　in　the　old　place。　Let

me　see　you　once　more　in　the　customary　armchair。　You　have　not；　I

hope；　learned　to　despise　my　pipe　and　my　lamentable　tobacco？　It　has

to　take　the　place　of　food　these　days。〃

　　〃But　why　not　eat？〃

　　〃Because　the　faculties　become　refined　when　you　starve　them。　Why；

surely；　as　a　doctor；　my　dear　Watson；　you　must　admit　that　what　your

digestion　gains　in　the　way　of　blood　supply　is　so　much　lost　to　the

brain。　I　am　a　brain；　Watson。　The　rest　of　me　is　a　mere　appendix。

Therefore；　it　is　the　brain　I　must　consider。〃

　　〃But　this　danger；　Holmes？〃

　　〃Ah；　yes；　in　case　it　should　come　off；　it　would　perhaps　be　as　well

that　you　should　burden　your　memory　with　the　name　and　address　of　the

murderer。　You　can　give　it　to　Scotland　Yard；　with　my　love　and　a　parting

blessing。　Sylvius　is　the　name…　Count　Negretto　Sylvius。　Write　it

down；　man；　write　it　down！　136　Moorside　Gardens；　N。W。　Got　it？〃

　　Watson's　honest　face　was　twitching　with　anxiety。　He　knew　only　too

well　the　immense　risks　taken　by　Holmes　and　was　well　aware　that　what　he

said　was　more　likely　to　be　under…statement　than　exaggeration。　Watson

was　always　the　man　of　action；　and　he　rose　to　the　occasion。

　　〃Count　me　in；　Holmes。　I　have　nothing　to　do　for　a　day　or　two。〃

　　〃Your　morals　don't　improve；　Watson。　You　have　added　fibbing　to　your

other　vices。　You　bear　every　sign　of　the　busy　medical　man；　with　calls

on　him　every　hour。〃

　　〃Not　such　important　ones。　But　can't　you　have　this　fellow　arrested？〃

　　〃Yes；　Watson；　I　could。　That's　what　worries　him　so。〃

　　〃But　why　don't　you？〃

　　〃Because　I　don't　know　where　the　diamond　is。〃

　　〃Ah！　Billy　told　me…　the　missing　Crown　jewel！〃

　　〃Yes；　the　great　yellow　Mazarin　stone。　I've　cast　my　net　and　I　have　my

fish。　But　I　have　not　got　the　stone。　What　is　the　use　of　taking　them？　We

can　make　the　world　a　better　place　by　laying　them　by　the　heels。　But

that　is　not　what　I　am　out　for。　It's　the　stone　I　want。〃

　　〃And　is　this　Count　Sylvius　one　of　your　fish？〃

　　〃Yes；　and　he's　a　shark。　He　bites。　The　other　is　Sam　Merton；　the

boxer。　Not　a　bad　fellow；　Sam；　but　the　Count　has　used　him。　Sam's　not

a　shark。　He　is　a　great　big　silly　bull…headed　gudgeon。　But　he　is

flopping　about　in　my　net　all　the　same。〃

　　〃Where　is　this　Count　Sylvius？〃

　　〃I've　been　at　his　very　elbow　all　the　morning。　You've　seen　me　as　an

old　lady；　Watson。　I　was　never　more　convincing。　He　actually　picked　up

my　parasol　for　me　once。　'By　your　leave；　madame；'　said　he…

half…Italian；　you　know；　and　with　the　Southern　graces　of　manner　when　in

the　mood；　but　a　devil　incarnate　in　the　other　mood。　Life　is　full　of

whimsical　happenings；　Watson。〃

　　〃It　might　have　been　tragedy。〃

　　〃Well；　perhaps　it　might。　I　followed　him　to　old　Straubenzee's

workshop　in　the　Minories。　Straubenzee　made　the　air…gun…　a　very

pretty　bit　of　work；　as　I　understand；　and　I　rather　fancy　it　is　in　the

opposite　window　at　the　present　moment。　Have　you　seen　the　dummy？　Of

course；　Billy　showed　it　to　you。　Well；　it　may　get　a　bullet　through

its　beautiful　head　at　any　moment。　Ah；　Billy；　what　is　it？〃

　　The　boy　had　reappeared　in　the　room　with　a　card　upon　a　tray。　Holmes

glanced　at　it　with　raised　eyebrows　and　an　amused　smile。

　　〃The　man　himself。　I　had　hardly　expected　this。　Grasp　the　nettle；

Watson！　A　man　of