adventure09-第2章

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〃And　a　widower。〃



〃But　with　a　child。〃



〃Children；　my　dear　boy；　children。〃



〃Come；〃　said　I；　laughing；　〃this　is　a　little　too　much。〃



〃Surely；〃　answered　Holmes；　〃it　is　not　hard　to　say　that

a　man　with　that　bearing；　expression　of　authority；　and

sunbaked　skin；　is　a　soldier；　is　more　than　a　private；

and　is　not　long　from　India。〃



〃That　he　has　not　left　the　service　long　is　shown　by　his

still　wearing　is　ammunition　boots；　as　they　are

called；〃　observed　Mycroft。



〃He　had　not　the　cavalry　stride；　yet　he　wore　his　hat　on

one　side；　as　is　shown　by　the　lighter　skin　of　that　side

of　his　brow。　　His　weight　is　against　his　being　a

sapper。　　He　is　in　the　artillery。〃



〃Then；　of　course；　his　complete　mourning　shows　that　he

has　lost　some　one　very　dear。　　The　fact　that　he　is

doing　his　own　shopping　looks　as　though　it　were　his

wife。　　He　has　been　buying　things　for　children；　you

perceive。　　There　is　a　rattle；　which　shows　that　one　of

them　is　very　young。　　The　wife　probably　died　in

childbed。　　The　fact　that　he　has　a　picture…book　under

his　arm　shows　that　there　is　another　child　to　be

thought　of。〃



I　began　to　understand　what　my　friend　meant　when　he

said　that　his　brother　possessed　even　keener　faculties

that　he　did　himself。　　He　glanced　across　at　me　and

smiled。　　Mycroft　took　snuff　from　a　tortoise…shell　box；

and　brushed　away　the　wandering　grains　from　his　coat

front　with　a　large；　red　silk　handkerchief。



〃By　the　way；　Sherlock；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　had　something

quite　after　your　own　hearta　most　singular

problemsubmitted　to　my　judgment。　　I　really　had　not

the　energy　to　follow　it　up　save　in　a　very　incomplete

fashion；　but　it　gave　me　a　basis　for　some　pleasing

speculation。　　If　you　would　care　to　hear　the　facts〃



〃My　dear　Mycroft；　I　should　be　delighted。〃



The　brother　scribbled　a　note　upon　a　leaf　of　his

pocket…book；　and；　ringing　the　bell；　he　handed　it　to

the　waiter。



〃I　have　asked　Mr。　Melas　to　step　across；〃　said　he。　　〃He

lodges　on　the　floor　above　me；　and　I　have　some　slight

acquaintance　with　him；　which　led　him　to　come　to　me　in

his　perplexity。　　Mr。　Melas　is　a　Greek　by　extraction；

as　I　understand；　and　he　is　a　remarkable　linguist。　　He

earns　his　living　partly　as　interpreter　in　the　law

courts　and　partly　by　acting　as　guide　to　any　wealthy

Orientals　who　may　visit　the　Northumberland　Avenue

hotels。　　I　think　I　will　leave　him　to　tell　his　very

remarkable　experience　in　his　own　fashion。〃



A　few　minutes　later　we　were　joined　by　a　short；　stout

man　whose　olive　face　and　coal…black　hair　proclaimed

his　Southern　origin；　though　his　speech　was　that　of　an

educated　Englishman。　　He　shook　hands　eagerly　with

Sherlock　Holmes；　and　his　dark　eyes　sparkled　with

pleasure　when　he　understood　that　the　specialist　was

anxious　to　hear　his　story。



〃I　do　not　believe　that　the　police　credit　meon　my

word；　I　do　not；〃　said　he　in　a　wailing　voice。　　〃Just

because　they　have　never　heard　of　it　before；　they　think

that　such　a　thing　cannot　be。　　But　I　know　that　I　shall

never　be　easy　in　my　mind　until　I　know　what　has　become

of　my　poor　man　with　the　sticking…plaster　upon　his

face。〃



〃I　am　all　attention；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。



〃This　is　Wednesday　evening；〃　said　Mr。　Melas。　　〃Well

then；　it　was　Monday　nightonly　two　days　ago；　you

understandthat　all　this　happened。　　I　am　an

interpreter；　as　perhaps　my　neighbor　there　has　told

you。　　I　interpret　all　languagesor　nearly　allbut　as

I　am　a　Greek　by　birth　and　with　a　Grecian　name；　it　is

with　that　particular　tongue　that　I　am　principally

associated。　　For　many　years　I　have　been　the　chief

Greek　interpreter　in　London；　and　my　name　is　very　well

known　in　the　hotels。



It　happens　not　unfrequently　that　I　am　sent　for　at

strange　hours　by　foreigners　who　get　into　difficulties；

or　by　traveler　who　arrive　late　and　wish　my　services。　

I　was　not　surprised；　therefore；　on　Monday　night　when　a

Mr。　Latimer；　a　very　fashionably　dressed　young　man；

came　up　to　my　rooms　and　asked　me　to　accompany　him　in　a

cab　which　was　waiting　at　the　door。　　A　Greek　friend　had

come　to　see　him　upon　business；　he　said；　and　as　he

could　speak　nothing　but　his　own　tongue；　the　services

of　an　interpreter　were　indispensable。　　He　gave　me　to

understand　that　his　house　was　some　little　distance

off；　in　Kensington；　and　he　seemed　to　be　in　a　great

hurry；　bustling　me　rapidly　into　the　cab　when　we　had

descended　to　the　street。



〃I　say　into　the　cab；　but　I　soon　became　doubtful　as　to

whether　it　was　not　a　carriage　in　which　I　found　myself。　

It　was　certainly　more　roomy　than　the　ordinary

four…wheeled　disgrace　to　London；　and　the　fittings；

though　frayed；　were　of　rich　quality。　　Mr。　Latimer

seated　himself　opposite　to　me　and　we　started　off

through　Charing　Cross　and　up　the　Shaftesbury　Avenue。　

We　had　come　out　upon　Oxford　Street　and　I　had　ventured

some　remark　as　to　this　being　a　roundabout　way　to

Kensington；　when　my　words　were　arrested　by　the

extraordinary　conduct　of　my　companion。



〃He　began　by　drawing　a　most　formidable…looking

bludgeon　loaded　with　lead　from　his　pocket；　and

switching　it　backward　and　forward　several　times；　as　if

to　test　its　weight　and　strength。　　Then　he　placed　it

without　a　word　upon　the　seat　beside　him。　　Having　done

this；　he　drew　up　the　windows　on　each　side；　and　I　found

to　my　astonishment　that　they　were　covered　with　paper

so　as　to　prevent　my　seeing　through　them。



〃'I　am　sorry　to　cut　off　your　view；　Mr。　Melas；'　said

he。　　'The　fact　is　that　I　have　no　intention　that　you

should　see　what　the　place　is　to　which　we　are　driving。　

It　might　possibly　be　inconvenient　to　me　if　you　could

find　your　way　there　again。'



〃As　you　can　imagine；　I　was　utterly　taken　aback　by　such

an　address。　　My　companion　was　a　powerful；

broad…shouldered　young　fellow；　and；　apart　from　the

weapon；　I　should　not　have　had　the　slightest　chance　in

a　struggle　with　him。



〃'This　is　very　extraordinary　conduct；　Mr。　Latimer；'　I

stammered。　　'You　must　be　aware　that　what　you　are　doing

is　quite　illegal。'



〃'It　is　somewhat　of　a　liberty；　no　doubt；'　said　he；

'but　we'll　make　it　up　to　you。　　I　must　warn　you；

however；　Mr。　Melas；　that　if　at　any　time　to…night　you

attempt　to　raise　an　alarm　or　do　anything　which　is

against　my　interests；　you　will　find　it　a　very　serious

thing。　　I　beg　you　to　remember　that　no　one　knows　where

you　are；　and　that；　whether　you　are　in　this　carriage　or

in　my　house；　you　are　equally　in　my　power。'



〃His　words　were　quiet；　but　he　had　a　rasping　way　of

saying　them　which　was　very　menacing。　　I　sat　in　silence

wondering　what　on　earth　could　be　his　reason　for

kidnapping　me　in　this　extraordinary　fashion。　　Whatever

it　might　be；　it　was　perfectly　clear　that　there　was　no

possible　use　in　my　resisting；　and　that　I　could　only

wait　to　see　what　might　befall。



〃For　nearly　two　hours　we　drove　without　my　having　the

least　clue　as　to　where　we　were　going。　　Sometimes　the

rattle　of　the　stones　told　of　a　paved　causeway；　and　at

others　our　smooth；　silent　course　suggested　asphalt；

but；　save　by　this　variation　in　sound；　there　was

nothing　at　all　which　could　in　the　remotest　way　help　me

to　form　a　guess　as　to　where　we　were。　　The　paper　over

each　window　was　impenetrable　to　light；　and　a　blue

curtain　was　drawn　across　the　glass　work　in　front。　　It

was　a　quarter…past　seven　when　we　left　Pall　Mall；　and

my　watch　showed　me　that　it　was　ten　minutes　to　nine

when　we　at　last　came　to　a　standstill。　　My　companion

let　down　the　window；　and　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　low；

arched　doorway　with　a　lamp　burning　above　it。　　As　I　was

hurried　from　the　carriage　it　swung　open；　and　I　found

myself　inside　the　house；　with　a　vague　impression　of　a

lawn　and　trees　on　each　side　of　me　as　I　entered。　

Whether　these　were　private　grounds　；however；　or

bona…fide　country　was　more　than　I　could　possibly

venture　to　say。



〃There　was　a　colored　gas…lamp　inside　which　was　turned

so　low　that　I　could　see　little　save　that　the　hall　was

of　some　size　and　hung　with　pictures。　　In　the　dim　light

I　could　make　out　that