the adventure of the mazarin stone-第2章

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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　nerve。　Possibly　you　have　heard　of　his　reputation　as　a

shooter　of　big　game。　It　would　indeed　be　a　triumphant　ending　to　his

excellent　sporting　record　if　he　added　me　to　his　bag。　This　is　a　proof

that　he　feels　my　toe　very　close　behind　his　heel。〃

　　〃Send　for　the　police。〃

　　〃I　probably　shall。　But　not　just　yet。　Would　you　glance　carefully

out　of　the　window；　Watson；　and　see　if　anyone　is　banging　about　in　the

street？〃

　　Watson　looked　warily　round　the　edge　of　the　curtain。

　　〃Yes；　there　is　one　rough　fellow　near　the　door。〃

　　〃That　will　be　Sam　Merton…　the　faithful　but　rather　fatuous　Sam。　Where

is　this　gentleman；　Billy？〃

　　〃In　the　waiting…room；　sir。〃

　　〃Show　him　up　when　I　ring。〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。〃

　　〃If　I　am　not　in　the　room；　show　him　in　all　the　same。〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。〃

　　Watson　waited　until　the　door　was　closed；　and　then　he　turned

earnestly　to　his　companion。

　　〃Look　here；　Holmes；　this　is　simply　impossible。　This　is　a　desperate

man；　who　sticks　at　nothing。　He　may　have　come　to　murder　you。

　　〃I　should　not　be　surprised。〃

　　〃I　insist　upon　staying　with　you。〃

　　〃You　would　be　horribly　in　the　way。〃

　　〃In　his　way？〃

　　〃No；　my　dear　fellow…　in　my　way。〃

　　〃Well；　I　can't　possibly　leave　you。〃

　　〃Yes；　you　can；　Watson。　And　you　will；　for　you　have　never　failed　to

play　the　game。　I　am　sure　you　will　play　it　to　the　end。　This　man　has

come　for　his　own　purpose；　but　he　may　stay　for　mine。〃　Holmes　took　out

his　notebook　and　scribbled　a　few　lines。　〃Take　a　cab　to　Scotland　Yard

and　give　this　to　Youghal　of　the　C。I。D。　Come　back　with　the　police。

The　fellow's　arrest　will　follow。〃

　　〃I'll　do　that　with　joy。〃

　　〃Before　you　return　I　may　have　just　time　enough　to　find　out　where　the

stone　is。〃　He　touched　the　bell。　〃I　think　we　will　go　out　through　the

bedroom。　This　second　exit　is　exceedingly　useful。　I　rather　want　to

see　my　shark　without　his　seeing　me；　and　I　have；　as　you　will

remember；　my　own　way　of　doing　it。〃

　　It　was；　therefore；　an　empty　room　into　which　Billy；　a　minute　later；

ushered　Count　Sylvius。　The　famous　game…shot；　sportsman；　and

man…about…town　was　a　big；　swarthy　fellow；　with　a　formidable　dark

moustache　shading　a　cruel；　thin…lipped　mouth；　and　surmounted　by　a

long；　curved　nose　like　the　beak　of　an　eagle。　He　was　well　dressed；

but　his　brilliant　necktie；　shining　pin；　and　glittering　rings　were

flamboyant　in　their　effect。　As　the　door　closed　behind　him　he　looked

round　him　with　fierce；　startled　eyes；　like　one　who　suspects　a　trap

at　every　turn。　Then　he　gave　a　violent　start　as　he　saw　the　impassive

head　and　the　collar　of　the　dressing…gown　which　projected　above　the

armchair　in　the　window。　At　first　his　expression　was　one　of　pure

amazement。　Then　the　light　of　a　horrible　hope　gleamed　in　his　dark；

murderous　eyes。　He　took　one　more　glance　round　to　see　that　there　were

no　witnesses；　and　then；　on　tiptoe；　his　thick　stick　half　raised；　he

approached　the　silent　figure。　He　was　crouching　for　his　final　spring

and　blow　when　a　cool；　sardonic　voice　greeted　him　from　the　open　bedroom

door：

　　〃Don't　break　it；　Count！　Don't　break　it！〃

　　The　assassin　staggered　back；　amazement　in　his　convulsed　face。　For　an

instant　he　half　raised　his　loaded　cane　once　more；　as　if　he　would

turn　his　violence　from　the　effigy　to　the　original；　but　there　was

something　in　that　steady　gray　eye　and　mocking　smile　which　caused　his

hand　to　sink　to　his　side。

　　〃It's　a　pretty　little　thing；〃　said　Holmes；　advancing　towards　the

image。　〃Tavernier；　the　French　modeller；　made　it。　He　is　as　good　at

waxworks　as　your　friend　Straubenzee　is　at　air…guns。〃

　　〃Air…guns；　sir！　What　do　you　mean？〃

　　〃Put　your　hat　and　stick　on　the　side…table。　Thank　you！　Pray　take　a

seat。　Would　you　care　to　put　your　revolver　out　also？　Oh；　very　good；

if　you　prefer　to　sit　upon　it。　Your　visit　is　really　most　opportune；　for

I　wanted　badly　to　have　a　few　minutes'　chat　with　you。〃

　　The　Count　scowled；　with　heavy；　threatening　eyebrows。

　　〃I；　too；　wished　to　have　some　words　with　you；　Holmes。　That　is　why　I

am　here。　I　won't　deny　that　I　intended　to　assault　you　just　now。〃

　　Holmes　swung　his　leg　on　the　edge　of　the　table。

　　〃I　rather　gathered　that　you　had　some　idea　of　the　sort　in　your　head；〃

said　he。　〃But　why　these　personal　attentions？〃

　　〃Because　you　have　gone　out　of　your　way　to　annoy　me。　Because　you　have

put　your　creatures　upon　my　track。〃

　　〃My　creatures！　I　assure　you　no！〃

　　〃Nonsense！　I　have　had　them　followed。　Two　can　play　at　that　game；

Holmes。〃

　　〃It　is　a　small　point；　Count　Sylvius；　but　perhaps　you　would　kindly

give　me　my　prefix　when　you　address　me。　You　can　understand　that；　with

my；　routine　of　work；　I　should　find　myself　on　familiar　terms　with

half　the　rogues'　gallery；　and　you　will　agree　that　exceptions　are

invidious。〃

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　then。〃

　　〃Excellent！　But　I　assure　you　you　are　mistaken　about　my　alleged

agents。〃

　　Count　Sylvius　laughed　contemptuously。

　　〃Other　people　can　observe　as　well　as　you。　Yesterday　there　was　an　old

sporting　man。　To…day　it　was　an　elderly　woman。　They　held　me　in　view　all

day。〃

　　〃Really；　sir；　you　compliment　me。　Old　Baron　Dowson　said　the　night

before　he　was　hanged　that　in　my　case　what　the　law　had　gained　the　stage

had　lost。　And　now　you　give　my　little　impersonations　your　kindly

praise？〃

　　〃It　was　you…　you　yourself？〃

　　Holmes　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃You　can　see　in　the　corner　the

parasol　which　you　so　politely　handed　to　me　in　the　Minories　before

you　began　to　suspect。〃

　　〃If　I　had　known；　you　might　never…〃

　　〃Have　seen　this　horrible　home　again。　I　was　well　aware　of　it。　We

all　have　neglected　opportunities　to　deplore。　As　it　happens；　you　did

not　know；　so　here　we　are！〃

　　The　Count's　knotted　brows　gathered　more　heavily　over　his　menacing

eyes。　〃What　you　say　only　makes　the　matter　worse。　It　was　not　your

agents　but　your　play…acting；　busybody　self！　You　admit　that　you　have

dogged　me。　Why？〃

　　〃Come　now；　Count。　You　used　to　shoot　lions　in　Algeria。〃

　　〃Well？〃

　　〃But　why？〃

　　〃Why？　The　sport…　the　excitement…　the　danger！〃

　　〃And；　no　doubt；　to　free　the　country　from　a　pest？〃

　　〃Exactly！〃

　　〃My　reasons　in　a　nutshell！〃

　　The　Count　sprang　to　his　feet；　and　his　hand　involuntarily　moved

back　to　his　hip…pocket。

　　〃Sit　down；　sir；　sit　down！　There　was　another；　more　practical；　reason。

I　want　that　yellow　diamond！〃

　　Count　Sylvius　lay　back　in　his　chair　with　an　evil　smile。

　　〃Upon　my　word！〃　said　he。

　　〃You　knew　that　I　was　after　you　for　that。　The　real　reason　why　you　are

here　tonight　is　to　find　out　how　much　I　know　about　the　matter　and　how

far　my　removal　is　absolutely　essential。　Well；　I　should　say　that；

from　your　point　of　view；　it　is　absolutely　essential；　for　I　know　all

about　it；　save　only　one　thing；　which　you　are　about　to　tell　me。〃

　　〃Oh；　indeed！　And　pray；　what　is　this　missing　fact？〃

　　〃Where　the　Crown　diamond　now　is。〃

　　The　Count　looked　sharply　at　his　companion。　〃Oh；　you　want　to　know

that；　do　you？　How　the　devil　should　I　be　able　to　tell　you　where　it　is？〃

　　〃You　can；　and　you　will。〃

　　〃Indeed！〃

　　〃You　can't　bluff　me；　Count　Sylvius。〃　Holmes's　eyes；　as　he　gazed　at

him；　contracted　and　lightened　until　they　were　like　two　menacing　points

of　steel。　〃You　are　absolute　plate…glass。　I　see　to　the　very　back　of

your　mind。〃

　　〃Then；　of　course；　you　see　where　the　diamond　is！〃

　　Holmes　clapped　his　hands　with　amusement；　and　then　pointed　a　derisive

finger。　〃Then　you　do　know。　You　have　admitted　it！〃

　　〃I　admit　nothing。〃

　　〃Now；　Count；　if　you　will　be　reasonable　we　can　do　business。　If　not；

you　will　get　hurt。〃

　　Count　Sylvius　threw　up　his　eyes　to　the　ceiling。　〃And　you　talk

about　bluff！〃　said　he。

　　Holmes　looked　at　him　thoughtfully　like　a　master　chess…player　who

meditates　his　crowning　move。　Then　he　threw　open　the　table　drawer　and

drew　out　a　squat　notebook。

　　〃Do　you　know　what　I　keep　in　this　book？〃

　　〃No；　sir；　I　do　not！〃

　　〃You！〃

　　〃Me！〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　you！　You　are　all　here…　every　action　of　your　vile　and

dangerous　life。〃

　　〃Damn　you；　Holmes！〃　cried　the　Count　with　blazing　eyes。　〃There　are

limits　to　my　patience！〃

　　〃It's　all　here；　C