the adventure of the norwood builder-第2章

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absence　of　the　master　of　the　establishment　from　the　scene　of　the　fire；

and　an　inquiry　followed；　which　showed　that　he　had　disappeared　from　the

house。　An　examination　of　his　room　revealed　that　the　bed　had　not　been

slept　in；　that　a　safe　which　stood　in　it　was　open；　that　a　number　of

important　papers　were　scattered　about　the　room；　and　finally；　that

there　were　signs　of　a　murderous　struggle；　slight　traces　of　blood　being

found　within　the　room；　and　an　oaken　walking…stick；　which　also　showed

stains　of　blood　upon　the　handle。　It　is　known　that　Mr。　Jonas　Oldacre

had　received　a　late　visitor　in　his　bedroom　upon　that　night；　and　the

stick　found　has　been　identified　as　the　property　of　this　person；　who　is

a　young　London　solicitor　named　John　Hector　McFarlane；　junior　partner

of　Graham　and　McFarlane；　of　426　Gresham　Buildings；　E。C。　The　police

believe　that　they　have　evidence　in　their　possession　which　supplies　a

very　convincing　motive　for　the　crime；　and　altogether　it　cannot　be

doubted　that　sensational　developments　will　follow。

　　〃LATER。…　It　is　rumoured　as　we　go　to　press　that　Mr。　John　Hector

McFarlane　has　actually　been　arrested　on　the　charge　of　the　murder　of

Mr。　Jonas　Oldacre。　It　is　at　least　certain　that　a　warrant　has　been

issued。　There　have　been　further　and　sinister　developments　in　the

investigation　at　Norwood。　Besides　the　signs　of　a　struggle　in　the

room　of　the　unfortunate　builder　it　is　now　known　that　the　French

windows　of　his　bedroom　（which　is　on　the　ground　floor）　were　found　to　be

open；　that　there　were　marks　as　if　some　bulky　object　had　been　dragged

across　to　the　wood…pile；　and；　finally；　it　is　asserted　that　charred

remains　have　been　found　among　the　charcoal　ashes　of　the　fire。　The

police　theory　is　that　a　most　sensational　crime　has　been　committed；

that　the　victim　was　clubbed　to　death　in　his　own　bedroom；　his　papers

rifled；　and　his　dead　body　dragged　across　to　the　wood…stack；　which

was　then　ignited　so　as　to　hide　all　traces　of　the　crime。　The　conduct　of

the　criminal　investigation　has　been　left　in　the　experienced　hands　of

Inspector　Lestrade；　of　Scotland　Yard；　who　is　following　up　the　clues

with　his　accustomed　energy　and　sagacity。〃



　　Sherlock　Holmes　listened　with　closed　eyes　and　fingertips　together　to

this　remarkable　account。

　　〃The　case　has　certainly　some　points　of　interest；〃　said　he；　in　his

languid　fashion。　〃May　I　ask；　in　the　first　place；　Mr。　McFarlane；　how　it

is　that　you　are　still　at　liberty；　since　there　appears　to　be　enough

evidence　to　justify　your　arrest？〃

　　〃I　live　at　Torrington　Lodge；　Blackheath；　with　my　parents；　Mr。

Holmes；　but　last　night；　having　to　do　business　very　late　with　Mr。　Jonas

Oldacre；　I　stayed　at　an　hotel　in　Norwood；　and　came　to　my　business　from

there。　I　knew　nothing　of　this　affair　until　I　was　in　the　train；　when

I　read　what　you　have　just　heard。　I　at　once　saw　the　horrible　danger

of　my　position；　and　I　hurried　to　put　the　case　into　your　hands。　I

have　no　doubt　that　I　should　have　been　arrested　either　at　my　city

office　or　at　my　home。　A　man　followed　me　from　London　Bridge　Station；

and　I　have　no　doubt…　Great　heaven！　what　is　that？〃

　　It　was　a　clang　of　the　bell；　followed　instantly　by　heavy　steps　upon

the　stair。　A　moment　later；　our　old　friend　Lestrade　appeared　in　the

doorway。　Over　his　shoulder　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　one　or　two

uniformed　policemen　outside。

　　〃Mr。　John　Hector　McFarlane？〃　said　Lestrade。

　　Our　unfortunate　client　rose　with　a　ghastly　face。

　　〃I　arrest　you　for　the　wilful　murder　of　Mr。　Jonas　Oldacre；　of　Lower

Norwood。〃

　　McFarlane　turned　to　us　with　a　gesture　of　despair；　and　sank　into

his　chair　once　more　like　one　who　is　crushed。

　　〃One　moment；　Lestrade；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Half　an　hour　more　or　less

can　make　no　difference　to　you；　and　the　gentleman　was　about　to　give

us　an　account　of　this　very　interesting　affair；　which　might　aid　us　in

clearing　it　up。〃

　　〃I　think　there　will　be　no　difficulty　in　clearing　it　up；〃　said

Lestrade；　grimly。

　　〃None　the　less；　with　your　permission；　I　should　be　much　interested　to

hear　his　account。〃

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　it　is　difficult　for　me　to　refuse　you　anything；

for　you　have　been　of　use　to　the　force　once　or　twice　in　the　past；　and

we　owe　you　a　good　turn　at　Scotland　Yard；〃　said　Lestrade。　〃At　the

same　time　I　must　remain　with　my　prisoner；　and　I　am　bound　to　warn　him

that　anything　he　may　say　will　appear　in　evidence　against　him。〃

　　〃I　wish　nothing　better；〃　said　our　client。　〃All　I　ask　is　that　you

should　hear　and　the　absolute　truth。〃

　　Lestrade　looked　at　his　watch。　〃I'll　give　you　half　an　hour；〃　said　he。

　　〃I　must　explain　first；〃　said　McFarlane；　〃that　I　knew　nothing　of

Mr。　Jonas　Oldacre。　His　name　was　familiar　to　me；　for　many　years　ago

my　parents　were　acquainted　with　him；　but　they　drifted　apart。　I　was

very　much　surprised　therefore；　when　yesterday；　about　three　o'clock

in　the　afternoon；　he　walked　into　my　office　in　the　city。　But　I　was

still　more　astonished　when　he　told　me　the　object　of　his　visit。　He

had　in　his　hand　several　sheets　of　a　notebook；　covered　with　scribbled

writing…　here　they　are…　and　he　laid　them　on　my　table。

　　〃‘Here　is　my　will；'　said　he。　‘I　want　you；　Mr。　McFarlane；　to　cast

it　into　proper　legal　shape。　I　will　sit　here　while　you　do　so。'

　　〃I　set　myself　to　copy　it；　and　you　can　imagine　my　astonishment　when　I

found　that；　with　some　reservations；　he　had　left　all　his　property　to

me。　He　was　a　strange　little　ferret…like　man；　with　white　eyelashes；　and

when　I　looked　up　at　him　I　found　his　keen　gray　eyes　fixed　upon　me

with　an　amused　expression。　I　could　hardly　believe　my　own　as　I　read　the

terms　of　the　will；　but　he　explained　that　he　was　a　bachelor　with　hardly

any　living　relation；　that　he　had　known　my　parents　in　his　youth；　and

that　he　had　always　heard　of　me　as　a　very　deserving　young　man；　and

was　assured　that　his　money　would　be　in　worthy　hands。　Of　course；　I

could　only　stammer　out　my　thanks。　The　will　was　duly　finished；

signed；　and　witnessed　by　my　clerk。　This　is　it　on　the　blue　paper；　and

these　slips；　as　I　have　explained；　are　the　rough　draft。　Mr。　Jonas

Oldacre　then　informed　me　that　there　were　a　number　of　documents…

building　leases；　title…deeds；　mortgages；　scrip；　and　so　forth…　which　it

was　necessary　that　I　should　see　and　understand。　He　said　that　his

mind　would　not　be　easy　until　the　whole　thing　was　settled；　and　he

begged　me　to　come　out　to　his　house　at　Norwood　that　night；　bringing　the

will　with　me；　and　to　arrange　matters。　‘Remember；　my　boy；　not　one

word　to　your　parents　about　the　affair　until　everything　is　settled。

We　will　keep　it　as　a　little　surprise　for　them。'　He　was　very

insistent　upon　this　point；　and　made　me　promise　it　faithfully。

　　〃You　can　imagine；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　I　was　not　in　a　humour　to　refuse

him　anything　that　he　might　ask。　He　was　my　benefactor；　and　all　my

desire　was　to　carry　out　his　wishes　in　every　particular。　I　sent　a

telegram　home；　therefore；　to　say　that　I　had　important　business　on

hand；　and　that　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　say　how　late　I　might　be。

Mr。　Oldacre　had　told　me　that　he　would　like　me　to　have　supper　with

him　at　nine；　as　he　might　not　be　home　before　that　hour。　I　had　some

difficulty　in　finding　his　house；　however；　and　it　was　nearly

half…past　before　I　reached　it。　I　found　him…〃

　　〃One　moment！〃　said　Holmes。　〃Who　opened　the　door？〃

　　〃A　middle…aged　woman；　who　was；　I　suppose；　his　housekeeper。〃

　　〃And　it　was　she；　I　presume；　who　mentioned　your　name？〃

　　〃Exactly；〃　said　McFarlane。

　　〃Pray　proceed。〃

　　McFarlane　wiped　his　damp　brow；　and　then　continued　his　narrative：

　　〃I　was　shown　by　this　woman　into　a　sitting…room；　where　a　frugal

supper　was　laid　out。　Afterwards；　Mr。　Jonas　Oldacre　led　me　into　his

bedroom；　in　which　there　stood　a　heavy　safe。　This　he　opened　and　took

out　a　mass　of　documents；　which　we　went　over　together。　It　was　between

eleven　and　twelve　when　we　finished。　He　remarked　that　we　must　not

disturb　the　housekeeper。　He　showed　me　out　through　his　own　French

window；　which　had　been　open　all　this　time。〃

　　〃Was　the　blind　down？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　〃I　will　not　be　sure；　but　I　believe　that　it　was　only　half　down。

Yes；　I　remember　how　he　pulled　it　up　in　order　to　swing　open　the　window。

I　could　not　find　my　stick；　and　he　said；