adventure09-第5章

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Our　hope　was　that；　by　taking　train；　we　might　get　to

Beckenham　as　soon　or　sooner　than　the　carriage。　　On

reaching　Scotland　Yard；　however；　it　was　more　than　an

hour　before　we　could　get　Inspector　Gregson　and　comply

with　the　legal　formalities　which　would　enable　us　to

enter　the　house。　　It　was　a　quarter　to　ten　before　we

reached　London　Bridge；　and　half　past　before　the　four

of　us　alighted　on　the　Beckenham　platform。　　A　drive　of

half　a　mile　brought　us　to　The　Myrtlesa　large；　dark

house　standing　back　from　the　road　in　its　own　grounds。　

Here　we　dismissed　our　cab；　and　made　our　way　up　the

drive　together。



〃The　windows　are　all　dark；〃　remarked　the　inspector。　

〃The　house　seems　deserted。〃



〃Our　birds　are　flown　and　the　nest　empty；〃　said　Holmes。



〃Why　do　you　say　so？〃



〃A　carriage　heavily　loaded　with　luggage　has　passed　out

during　the　last　hour。〃



The　inspector　laughed。　　〃I　saw　the　wheel…tracks　in　the

light　of　the　gate…lamp；　but　where　does　the　luggage

come　in？〃



〃You　may　have　observed　the　same　wheel…tracks　going　the

other　way。　　But　the　outward…bound　ones　were　very　much

deeperso　much　so　that　we　can　say　for　a　certainty

that　there　was　a　very　considerable　weight　on　the

carriage。〃



〃You　get　a　trifle　beyond　me　there；〃　said　the

inspector；　shrugging　his　shoulder。　　〃It　will　not　be　an

easy　door　to　force；　but　we　will　try　if　we　cannot　make

some　one　hear　us。〃



He　hammered　loudly　at　the　knocker　and　pulled　at　the

bell；　but　without　any　success。　　Holmes　had　slipped

away；　but　he　came　back　in　a　few　minutes。



〃I　have　a　window　open；〃　said　he。



〃It　is　a　mercy　that　you　are　on　the　side　of　the　force；

and　not　against　it；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　remarked　the

inspector；　as　he　noted　the　clever　way　in　which　my

friend　had　forced　back　the　catch。　　〃Well；　I　think　that

under　the　circumstances　we　may　enter　without　an

invitation。〃



One　after　the　other　we　made　our　way　into　a　large

apartment；　which　was　evidently　that　in　which　Mr。　Melas

had　found　himself。　　The　inspector　had　lit　his　lantern；

and　by　its　light　we　could　see　the　two　doors；　the

curtain；　the　lamp；　and　the　suit　of　Japanese　mail　as　he

had　described　them。　　On　the　table　lay　two　glasses；　and

empty　brandy…bottle；　and　the　remains　of　a　meal。



〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Holmes；　suddenly。



We　all　stood　still　and　listened。　　A　low　moaning　sound

was　coming　from　somewhere　over　our　heads。　　Holmes

rushed　to　the　door　and　out　into　the　hall。　　The　dismal

noise　came　from　upstairs。　　He　dashed　up；　the　inspector

and　I　at　his　heels；　while　his　brother　Mycroft　followed

as　quickly　as　his　great　bulk　would　permit。



Three　doors　faced　up　upon　the　second　floor；　and　it　was

from　the　central　of　these　that　the　sinister　sounds

were　issuing；　sinking　sometimes　into　a　dull　mumble　and

rising　again　into　a　shrill　whine。　　It　was　locked；　but

the　key　had　been　left　on　the　outside。　　Holmes　flung

open　the　door　and　rushed　in；　but　he　was　out　again　in

an　instant；　with　his　hand　to　his　throat。〃



〃It's　charcoal；〃　he　cried。　　〃Give　it　time。　　It　will

clear。〃



Peering　in；　we　could　see　that　the　only　light　in　the

room　came　from　a　dull　blue　flame　which　flickered　from

a　small　brass　tripod　in　the　centre。　　It　threw　a　livid；

unnatural　circle　upon　the　floor；　while　in　the　shadows

beyond　we　saw　the　vague　loom　of　two　figures　which

crouched　against　the　wall。　　From　the　open　door　there

reeked　a　horrible　poisonous　exhalation　which　set　us

gasping　and　coughing。　　Holmes　rushed　to　the　top　of　the

stairs　to　draw　in　the　fresh　air；　and　then；　dashing

into　the　room；　he　threw　up　the　window　and　hurled　the

brazen　tripod　out　into　the　garden。



〃We　can　enter　in　a　minute；〃　he　gasped；　darting　out

again。　　〃Where　is　a　candle？　　I　doubt　if　we　could

strike　a　match　in　that　atmosphere。　　Hold　the　light　at

the　door　and　we　shall　get　them　out；　Mycroft；　now！〃



With　a　rush　we　got　to　the　poisoned　men　and　dragged

them　out　into　the　well…lit　hall。　　Both　of　them　were

blue…lipped　and　insensible；　with　swollen；　congested

faces　and　protruding　eyes。　　Indeed；　so　distorted　were

their　features　that；　save　for　his　black　beard　and

stout　figure；　we　might　have　failed　to　recognize　in　one

of　them　the　Greek　interpreter　who　had　parted　from　us

only　a　few　hours　before　at　the　Diogenes　Club。　　His

hands　and　feet　were　securely　strapped　together；　and　he

bore　over　one　eye　the　marks　of　a　violent　blow。　　The

other；　who　was　secured　in　a　similar　fashion；　was　a

tall　man　in　the　last　stage　of　emaciation；　with　several

strips　of　sticking…plaster　arranged　in　a　grotesque

pattern　over　his　face。　　He　had　ceased　to　moan　as　we

laid　him　down；　and　a　glance　showed　me　that　for　him　at

least　our　aid　had　come　too　late。　　Mr。　Melas；　however；

still　lived；　and　in　less　than　an　hour；　with　the　aid　of

ammonia　and　brandy　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing

him　open　his　eyes；　and　of　knowing　that　my　hand　had

drawn　him　back　from　that　dark　valley　in　which　all

paths　meet。



It　was　a　simple　story　which　he　had　to　tell；　and　one

which　did　but　confirm　our　own　deductions。　　His

visitor；　on　entering　his　rooms；　had　drawn　a

life…preserver　from　his　sleeve；　and　had　so　impressed

him　with　the　fear　of　instant　and　inevitable　death　that

he　had　kidnapped　him　for　the　second　time。　　Indeed；　it

was　almost　mesmeric；　the　effect　which　this　giggling

ruffian　had　produced　upon　the　unfortunate　linguist；

for　he　could　not　speak　of　him　save　with　trembling

hands　and　a　blanched　cheek。　　He　had　been　taken　swiftly

to　Beckenham；　and　had　acted　as　interpreter　in　a　second

interview；　even　more　dramatic　than　the　first；　in　which

the　two　Englishmen　had　menaced　their　prisoner　with

instant　death　if　he　did　not　comply　with　their　demands。　

Finally；　finding　him　proof　against　every　threat；　they

had　hurled　him　back　into　his　prison；　and　after

reproaching　Melas　with　his　treachery；　which　appeared

from　the　newspaper　advertisement；　they　had　stunned　him

with　a　blow　from　a　stick；　and　he　remembered　nothing

more　until　he　found　us　bending　over　him。



And　this　was　the　singular　case　of　the　Grecian

Interpreter；　the　explanation　of　which　is　still

involved　in　some　mystery。　　We　were　able　to　find　out；

by　communicating　with　the　gentleman　who　had　answered

the　advertisement；　that　the　unfortunate　young　lady

came　of　a　wealthy　Grecian　family；　and　that　she　had

been　on　a　visit　to　some　friends　in　England。　　While

there　she　had　met　a　young　man　named　Harold　Latimer；

who　had　acquired　an　ascendancy　over　he　and　had

eventually　persuaded　her　to　fly　with　him。　　Her

friends；　shocked　at　the　event；　had　contented

themselves　with　informing　her　brother　at　Athens；　and

had　then　washed　their　hands　of　the　matter。　　The

brother；　on　his　arrival　in　England；　had　imprudently

placed　himself　in　the　power　of　Latimer　and　of　his

associate；　whose　name　was　Wilson　Kempthat　through

his　ignorance　of　the　language　he　was　helpless　in　their

hands；　had　kept　him　a　prisoner；　and　had　endeavored　by

cruelty　and　starvation　to　make　him　sign　away　his　own

and　his　sister's　property。　　They　had　kept　him　in　the

house　without　the　girl's　knowledge；　and　the　plaster

over　the　face　had　been　for　the　purpose　of　making

recognition　difficult　in　case　she　should　ever　catch　a

glimpse　of　him。　　Her　feminine　perception；　however；　had

instantly　seen　through　the　disguise　when；　on　the

occasion　of　the　interpreter's　visit；　she　had　seen　him

for　the　first　time。　　The　poor　girl；　however；　was

herself　a　prisoner；　for　there　was　no　one　about　the

house　except　the　man　who　acted　as　coachman；　and　his

wife；　both　of　whom　were　tools　of　the　conspirators。　

Finding　that　their　secret　was　out；　and　that　their

prisoner　was　not　to　be　coerced；　the　two　villains　with

the　girl　had　fled　away　at　a　few　hours'　notice　from　the

furnished　house　which　they　had　hired；　having　first；　as

they　thought；　taken　vengeance　both　upon　the　man　who

had　defied　and　the　one　who　had　betrayed　them。



Months　afterwards　a　curious　newspaper　cutting　reached

us　from　Buda…Pesth。　　It　told　how　two　Englishmen　who

had