the adventure of the priory school-第4章

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with　a　white　chevron　on　the　peak。

　　〃At　last　we　have　a　clue！〃　he　cried。　〃Thank　heaven！　at　last　we　are　on

the　dear　boy's　track！　It　is　his　cap。〃

　　〃Where　was　it　found？〃

　　〃In　the　van　of　the　gipsies　who　camped　on　the　moor。　They　left　on

Tuesday。　To…day　the　police　traced　them　down　and　examined　their

caravan。　This　was　found。〃

　　〃How　do　they　account　for　it？〃

　　〃They　shuffled　and　lied…　said　that　they　found　it　on　the　moor　on

Tuesday　morning。　They　know　where　he　is；　the　rascals！　Thank　goodness；

they　are　all　safe　under　lock　and　key。　Either　the　fear　of　the　law　or

the　Duke's　purse　will　certainly　get　out　of　them　all　that　they　know。〃

　　〃So　far；　so　good；〃　said　Holmes；　when　the　doctor　had　at　last　left　the

room。　〃It　at　least　bears　out　the　theory　that　it　is　on　the　side　of

the　Lower　Gill　Moor　that　we　must　hope　for　results。　The　police　have

really　done　nothing　locally；　save　the　arrest　of　these　gipsies。　Look

here；　Watson！　There　is　a　watercourse　across　the　moor。　You　see　it

marked　here　in　the　map。　In　some　parts　it　widens　into　a　morass。　This　is

particularly　so　in　the　region　between　Holdernesse　Hall　and　the　school。

It　is　vain　to　look　elsewhere　for　tracks　in　this　dry　weather；　but　at

that　point　there　is　certainly　a　chance　of　some　record　being　left。　I

will　call　you　early　to…morrow　morning；　and　you　and　I　will　try　if　we

can　throw　some　little　light　upon　the　mystery。〃

　　The　day　was　just　breaking　when　I　woke　to　find　the　long；　thin　form　of

Holmes　by　my　bedside。　He　was　fully　dressed；　and　had　apparently　already

been　out。

　　〃I　have　done　the　lawn　and　the　bicycle　shed；〃　said；　he。　〃I　have

also　had　a　rumble　through　the　Ragged　Shaw。　Now；　Watson；　there　is　cocoa

ready　in　the　next　room。　I　must　beg　you　to　hurry；　for　we　have　a　great

day　before　us。〃

　　His　eyes　shone；　and　his　cheek　was　flushed　with　the　exhilaration　of

the　master　workman　who　sees　his　work　lie　ready　before　him。　A　very

different　Holmes；　this　active；　alert　man；　from　the　introspective　and

pallid　dreamer　of　Baker　Street。　I　felt；　as　I　looked　upon　that

supple；　figure；　alive　with　nervous　energy；　that　it　was　indeed　a

strenuous　day　that　awaited　us。

　　And　yet　it　opened　in　the　blackest　disappointment。　With　high　hopes　we

struck　across　the　peaty；　russet　moor；　intersected　with　a　thousand

sheep　paths；　until　we　came　to　the　broad；　light…green　belt　which　marked

the　morass　between　us　and　Holdernesse。　Certainly；　if　the　lad　had

gone　homeward；　he　must　have　passed　this；　and　he　could　not　pass　it

without　leaving　his　traces。　But　no　sign　of　him　or　the　German　could

be　seen。　With　a　darkening　face　my　friend　strode　along　the　margin；

eagerly　observant　of　every　muddy　stain　upon　the　mossy　surface。

Sheep…marks　there　were　in　profusion；　and　at　one　place；　some　miles

down；　cows　had　left　their　tracks。　Nothing　more。

　　〃Check　number　one；〃　said　Holmes；　looking　gloomily　over　the　rolling

expanse　of　the　moor。　〃There　is　another　morass　down　yonder；　and　a

narrow　neck　between。　Halloa！　halloa！　halloa！　what　have　we　here？〃

　　We　had　come　on　a　small　black　ribbon　of　pathway。　In　the　middle　of　it；

clearly　marked　on　the　sodden　soil；　was　the　track　of　a　bicycle。

　　〃Hurrah！〃　I　cried。　〃We　have　it。〃

　　But　Holmes　was　shaking　his　head；　and　his　face　was　puzzled　and

expectant　rather　than　joyous。

　　〃A　bicycle；　certainly；　but　not　the　bicycle；〃　said　he。　〃I　am　familiar

with　forty…two　different　impressions　left　by　tyres。　This；　as　you

perceive；　is　a　Dunlop；　with　a　patch　upon　the　outer　cover。

Heidegger's　tyres　were　Palmer's；　leaving　longitudinal　stripes。

Aveling；　the　mathematical　master；　was　sure　upon　the　point。

Therefore；　it　is　not　Heidegger's　track。〃

　　〃The　boy's；　then？〃

　　〃Possibly；　if　we　could　prove　a　bicycle　to　have　been　in　his

possession。　But　this　we　have　utterly　failed　to　do。　This　track；　as

you　perceive；　was　made　by　a　rider　who　was　going　from　the　direction

of　the　school。〃

　　〃Or　towards　it？〃

　　〃No；　no；　my　dear　Watson。　The　more　deeply　sunk　impression　is；　of

course；　the　hind　wheel；　upon　which　the　weight　rests。　You　perceive

several　places　where　it　has　passed　across　and　obliterated　the　more

shallow　mark　of　the　front　one。　It　was　undoubtedly　heading　away　from

the　school。　It　may　or　may　not　be　connected　with　our　inquiry；　but　we

will　follow　it　backwards　before　we　go　any　farther。〃

　　We　did　so；　and　at　the　end　of　a　few　hundred　yards　lost　the　tracks

as　we　emerged　from　the　boggy　portion　of　the　moor。　Following　the　path

backwards；　we　picked　out　another　spot；　where　a　spring　trickled

across　it。　Here；　once　again；　was　the　mark　of　the　bicycle；　though

nearly　obliterated　by　the　hoofs　of　cows。　After　that　there　was　no　sign；

but　the　path　ran　right　on　into　Ragged　Shaw；　the　wood　which　backed　on

to　the　school。　From　this　wood　the　cycle　must　have　emerged。　Holmes

sat　down　on　a　boulder　and　rested　his　chin　in　his　hands。　I　had　smoked

two　cigarettes　before　he　moved。

　　〃Well；　well；〃　said　he；　at　last。　〃It　is；　of　course；　possible　that　a

cunning　man　might　change　the　tyres　of　his　bicycle　in　order　to　leave

unfamiliar　tracks。　A　criminal　who　was　capable　of　such　a　thought　is　a

man　whom　I　should　be　proud　to　do　business　with。　We　will　leave　this

question　undecided　and　hark　back　to　our　morass　again；　for　we　have　left

a　good　deal　unexplored。〃

　　We　continued　our　systematic　survey　of　the　edge　of　the　sodden　portion

of　the　moor；　and　soon　our　perseverance　was　gloriously　rewarded。

Right　across　the　lower　part　of　the　bog　lay　a　miry　path。　Holmes　gave

a　cry　of　delight　as　he　approached　it。　An　impression　like　a　fine　bundle

of　telegraph　wires　ran　down　the　centre　of　it。　It　was　the　Palmer　tyres。

　　〃Here　is　Herr　Heidegger；　sure　enough！〃　cried　Holmes；　exultantly。　〃My

reasoning　seems　to　have　been　pretty　sound；　Watson。〃

　　〃I　congratulate　you。〃

　　〃But　we　have　a　long　way　still　to　go。　Kindly　walk　clear　of　the

path。　Now　let　us　follow　the　trail。　I　fear　that　it　will　not　lead　very

far。〃

　　We　found；　however；　as　we　advanced　that　this　portion　of　the　moor　is

intersected　with　soft　patches；　and；　though　we　frequently　lost　sight　of

the　track；　we　always　succeeded　in　picking　it　up　once　more。

　　〃Do　you　observe；〃　said　Holmes；　〃that　the　rider　is　now　undoubtedly

forcing　the　pace？　There　can　be　no　doubt　of　it。　Look　at　this

impression；　where　you　get　both　tires　clear。　The　one　is　as　deep　as

the　other。　That　can　only　mean　that　the　rider　is　throwing　his　weight　on

to　the　handle…bar；　as　a　man　does　when　he　is　sprinting。　By　Jove！　he　has

had　a　fall。〃

　　There　was　a　broad；　irregular　smudge　covering　some　yards　of　the

track。　Then　there　were　a　few　footmarks；　and　the　tyres　reappeared

once　more。

　　〃A　side…slip；〃　I　suggested。

　　Holmes　held　up　a　crumpled　branch　of　flowering　gorse。　To　my　horror

I　perceived　that　the　yellow　blossoms　were　all　dabbled　with　crimson。　On

the　path；　too；　and　among　the　heather　were　dark　stains　of　clotted

blood。

　　〃Bad！〃　said　Holmes。　〃Bad！　Stand　clear；　Watson！　Not　an　unnecessary

footstep！　What　do　I　read　here？　He　fell　wounded…　he　stood　up…　he

remounted…　he　proceeded。　But　there　is　no　other　track。　Cattle　on　this

side　path。　He　was　surely　not　gored　by　a　bull？　Impossible！　But　I　see　no

traces　of　anyone　else。　We　must　push　on；　Watson。　Surely；　with　stains　as

well　as　the　track　to　guide　us；　he　cannot　escape　us　now。〃

　　Our　search　was　not　a　very　long　one。　The　tracks　of　the　tyre　began

to　curve　fantastically　upon　the　wet　and　shining　path。　Suddenly；　as　I

looked　ahead；　the　gleam　of　caught　my　eye　from　amid　the　thick

gorse…bushes。　Out　of　them　we　dragged　a　bicycle；　Palmer…tyred；　one

pedal　bent；　and　the　whole　front　of　it　horribly　smeared　and　slobbered

with　blood。　On　the　other　side　of　the　bushes　a　shoe　was　projecting。

We　ran　round；　and　there　lay　the　unfortunate　rider。　He　was　a　tall

man；　full…bearded；　with　spectacles；　one　glass　of　which　had　been

knocked　out。　The　cause　of　his　death　was　a　frightful　blow　upon　the

head；　which　had　crushed　in　part　of　his　skull。　That　he　could　have

gone　on　after　receiving　such　an　injury　said　much　for　the　vitality

and　courage　of　the　man。　He　wore　shoes；　but　no　socks；　and　his　open　coat

disclosed　a　nightshirt　beneath　it。　It　was　undoubtedly　the　German

master。

　　Holmes　turned　the　body　over　reverently；　and　examined　it