adventure09-第1章

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Adventure　IX





The　Greek　Interpreter





During　my　long　and　intimate　acquaintance　with　Mr。

Sherlock　Holmes　I　had　never　heard　him　refer　to　his

relations；　and　hardly　ever　to　his　own　early　life。　

This　reticence　upon　his　part　had　increased　the

somewhat　inhuman　effect　which　he　produced　upon　me；

until　sometimes　I　found　myself　regarding　him　as　an

isolated　phenomenon；　a　brain　without　a　heart；　as

deficient　in　human　sympathy　as　he　was　pre…eminent　in

intelligence。　　His　aversion　to　women　and　his

disinclination　to　form　new　friendships　were　both

typical　of　his　unemotional　character；　but　not　more　so

than　his　complete　suppression　of　every　reference　to

his　own　people。　　I　had　come　to　believe　that　he　was　an

orphan　with　no　relatives　living；　but　one　day；　to　my

very　great　surprise；　he　began　to　talk　to　me　about　his

brother。



It　was　after　tea　on　a　summer　evening；　and　the

conversation；　which　had　roamed　in　a　desultory；

spasmodic　fashion　from　golf　clubs　to　the　causes　of　the

change　in　the　obliquity　of　the　ecliptic；　came　round　at

last　to　the　question　of　atavism　and　hereditary

aptitudes。　　The　point　under　discussion　was；　how　far

any　singular　gift　in　an　individual　was　due　to　his

ancestry　and　how　far　to　his　own　early　training。



〃In　your　own　case；〃　said　I；　〃from　all　that　you　have

told　me；　it　seems　obvious　that　your　faculty　of

observation　and　your　peculiar　facility　for　deduction

are　due　to　your　own　systematic　training。〃



〃To　some　extent；〃　he　answered；　thoughtfully。　　〃My

ancestors　were　country　squires；　who　appear　to　have　led

much　the　same　life　as　is　natural　to　their　class。　　But；

none　the　less；　my　turn　that　way　is　in　my　veins；　and

may　have　come　with　my　grandmother；　who　was　the　sister

of　Vernet；　the　French　artist。　　Art　in　the　blood　is

liable　to　take　the　strangest　forms。〃



〃But　how　do　you　know　that　it　is　hereditary？〃



〃Because　my　brother　Mycroft　possesses　it　in　a　larger

degree　than　I　do。〃



This　was　news　to　me　indeed。　　If　there　were　another　man

with　such　singular　powers　in　England；　how　was　it　that

neither　police　nor　public　had　heard　of　him？　　I　put　the

question；　with　a　hint　that　it　was　my　companion's

modesty　which　made　him　acknowledge　his　brother　as　his

superior。　　Holmes　laughed　at　my　suggestion。



〃My　dear　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃I　cannot　agree　with　those

who　rank　modesty　among　the　virtues。　　To　the　logician

all　things　should　be　seen　exactly　as　they　are；　and　to

underestimate　one's　self　is　as　much　a　departure　from

truth　as　to　exaggerate　one's　own　powers。　　When　I　say；

therefore；　that　Mycroft　has　better　powers　of

observation　than　I；　you　may　take　it　that　I　am　speaking

the　exact　and　literal　truth。〃



〃Is　he　your　junior？〃



〃Seven　years　my　senior。〃



〃How　comes　it　that　he　is　unknown？〃



〃Oh；　he　is　very　well　known　in　his　own　circle。〃



〃Where；　then？〃



〃Well；　in　the　Diogenes　Club；　for　example。〃



I　had　never　heard　of　the　institution；　and　my　face　must

have　proclaimed　as　much；　for　Sherlock　Holmes　pulled

out　his　watch。



〃The　Diogenes　Club　is　the　queerest　club　in　London；　and

Mycroft　one　of　the　queerest　men。　　He's　always　there

from　quarter　to　five　to　twenty　to　eight。　　It's　six

now；　so　if　you　care　for　a　stroll　this　beautiful

evening　I　shall　be　very　happy　to　introduce　you　to　two

curiosities。〃



〃Five　minutes　later　we　were　in　the　street；　walking

towards　Regent's　Circus。



〃You　wonder；〃　said　my　companion；　〃why　it　is　that

Mycroft　does　not　use　his　powers　for　detective　work。　

He　is　incapable　of　it。〃



〃But　I　thought　you　said〃



〃I　said　that　he　was　my　superior　in　observation　and

deduction。　　If　the　art　of　the　detective　began　and

ended　in　reasoning　from　an　arm…chair；　my　brother　would

be　the　greatest　criminal　agent　that　ever　lived。　　But

he　has　no　ambition　and　no　energy。　　He　will　not　even　go

out　of　his　way　to　verify　his　own　solution；　and　would

rather　be　considered　wrong　than　take　the　trouble　to

prove　himself　right。　　Again　and　again　I　have　taken　a

problem　to　him；　and　have　received　an　explanation　which

has　afterwards　proved　to　be　the　correct　one。　　And　yet

he　was　absolutely　incapable　of　working　out　the

practical　points　which　must　be　gone　into　before　a　case

could　be　laid　before　a　judge　or　jury。〃



〃It　is　not　his　profession；　then？〃



〃By　no　means。　　What　is　to　me　a　means　of　livelihood　is

to　him　the　merest　hobby　of　a　dilettante。　　He　has　an

extraordinary　faculty　for　figures；　and　audits　the

books　in　some　of　the　government　departments。　　Mycroft

lodges　in　Pall　Mall；　and　he　walks　round　the　corner

into　Whitehall　every　morning　and　back　every　evening。　

From　year's　end　to　year's　end　he　takes　no　other

exercise；　and　is　seen　nowhere　else；　except　only　in　the

Diogenes　Club；　which　is　just　opposite　his　rooms。〃



〃I　cannot　recall　the　name。〃



〃Very　likely　not。　　There　are　many　men　in　London；　you

know；　who；　some　from　shyness；　some　from　misanthropy；

have　no　wish　for　the　company　of　their　fellows。　　Yet

they　are　not　averse　to　comfortable　chairs　and　the

latest　periodicals。　　It　is　for　the　convenience　of

these　that　the　Diogenes　Club　was　started；　and　it　now

contains　the　most　unsociable　and　unclubable　men　in

town。　　No　member　is　permitted　to　take　the　least　notice

of　any　other　one。　　Save　in　the　Stranger's　Room；　no

talking　is；　under　any　circumstances；　allowed；　and

three　offences；　if　brought　to　the　notice　of　the

committee；　render　the　talker　liable　to　expulsion。　　My

brother　was　one　of　the　founders；　and　I　have　myself

found　it　a　very　soothing　atmosphere。〃



We　had　reached　Pall　Mall　as　we　talked；　and　were

walking　down　it　from　the　St。　James's　end。　　Sherlock

Holmes　stopped　at　a　door　some　little　distance　from　the

Carlton；　and；　cautioning　me　not　to　speak；　he　led　the

way　into　the　hall。　　Through　the　glass　paneling　I

caught　a　glimpse　of　a　large　and　luxurious　room；　in

which　a　considerable　number　of　men　were　sitting　about

and　reading　papers；　each　in　his　own　little　nook。　

Holmes　showed　me　into　a　small　chamber　which　looked　out

into　Pall　Mall；　and　then；　leaving　me　for　a　minute；　he

came　back　with　a　companion　whom　I　knew　could　only　be

his　brother。



Mycroft　Holmes　was　a　much　larger　and　stouter　man　than

Sherlock。　　His　body　was　absolutely　corpulent；　but　is

face；　though　massive；　had　preserved　something　of　the

sharpness　of　expression　which　was　so　remarkable　in

that　of　his　brother。　　His　eyes；　which　were　of　a

peculiarly　light；　watery　gray；　seemed　to　always　retain

that　far…away；　introspective　look　which　I　had　only

observed　in　Sherlock's　when　he　was　exerting　his　full

powers。



〃I　am　glad　to　meet　you；　sir；〃　said　he；　putting　out　a

broad；　fat　hand　like　the　flipper　of　a　seal。　　〃I　hear

of　Sherlock　everywhere　since　you　became　his

chronicler。　　By　the　way；　Sherlock；　I　expected　to　see

you　round　last　week；　to　consult　me　over　that　Manor

House　case。　　I　thought　you　might　be　a　little　out　of

your　depth。〃



〃No；　I　solved　it；〃　said　my　friend；　smiling。



〃It　was　Adams；　of　course。〃



〃Yes；　it　was　Adams。〃



〃I　was　sure　of　it　from　the　first。〃　　The　two　sat　down

together　in　the　bow…window　of　the　club。　　〃To　any　one

who　wishes　to　study　mankind　this　is　the　spot；〃　said

Mycroft。　　〃Look　at　the　magnificent　types！　　Look　at

these　two　men　who　are　coming　towards　us；　for　example。〃



〃The　billiard…marker　and　the　other？〃



〃Precisely。　　What　do　you　make　of　the　other？〃



The　two　men　had　stopped　opposite　the　window。　　Some

chalk　marks　over　the　waistcoat　pocket　were　the　only

signs　of　billiards　which　I　could　see　in　one　of　them。　

The　other　was　a　very　small；　dark　fellow；　with　his　hat

pushed　back　and　several　packages　under　his　arm。



〃An　old　soldier；　I　perceive；〃　said　Sherlock。



〃And　very　recently　discharged；〃　remarked　the　brother。



〃Served　in　India；　I　see。〃



〃And　a　non…commissioned　officer。〃



〃Royal　Artillery；　I　fancy；〃　said　Sherlock。



〃And　a　widower。〃



〃But　with　a　child。〃



〃Children；　my　dear　boy；　children。〃



〃Come；