the adventure of the priory school-第6章

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　　〃No；　I　cannot。〃

　　〃But　I　can。　I　could　swear　to　it。　However；　we　will　go　back　at　our

leisure　and　verify　it。　What　a　blind　beetle　I　have　been；　not　to　draw　my

conclusion。〃

　　〃And　what　is　your　conclusion？〃

　　〃Only　that　it　is　a　remarkable　cow　which　walks；　canters；　and　gallops。

By　George！　Watson；　it　was　no　brain　of　a　country　publican　that

thought　out　such　a　blind　as　that。　The　coast　seems　to　be　clear；　save

for　that　lad　in　the　smithy。　Let　us　slip　out　and　see　what　we　can　see。〃

　　There　were　two　rough…haired；　unkempt　horses　in　the　tumble…down

stable。　Holmes　raised　the　hind　leg　of　one　of　them　and　laughed　aloud。

　　〃Old　shoes；　but　newly　shod…old　shoes；　but　new　nails。　This　case

deserves　to　be　a　classic。　Let　us　go　across　to　the　smithy。〃

　　The　lad　continued　his　work　without　regarding　us。　I　saw　Holmes's

eye　darting　to　right　and　left　among　the　litter　of　iron　and　wood

which　was　scattered　about　the　floor。　Suddenly；　however；　we　heard　a

step　behind　us；　and　there　was　the　landlord；　his　heavy　eyebrows　drawn

over　his　savage　eyes；　his　swarthy　features　convulsed　with　passion。

He　held　a　short；　metal…headed　stick　in　his　hand；　and　he　advanced　in　so

menacing　a　fashion　that　I　was　right　glad　to　feel　the　revolver　in　my

pocket。

　　〃You　infernal　spies！〃　the　man　cried。　〃What　are　you　doing　there？〃

　　〃Why；　Mr。　Reuben　Hayes；〃　said　Holmes；　coolly；　〃one　might　think

that　you　were　afraid　of　our　finding　something　out。〃

　　The　man　mastered　himself　with　a　violent　effort；　and　his　grim　mouth

loosened　into　a　false　laugh；　which　was　more　menacing　than　his　frown。

　　〃You're　welcome　to　all　you　can　find　out　in　my　smithy；〃　said　he。　〃But

look　here；　mister；　I　don't　care　for　folk　poking　about　my　place　without

my　leave；　so　the　sooner　you　pay　your　score　and　get　out　of　this　the

better　I　shall　be　pleased。〃

　　〃All　right；　Mr。　Hayes；　no　harm　meant；〃　said　Holmes。　〃We　have　been

having　a　look　at　your　horses；　but　I　think　I'll　walk；　after　all。　It's

not　far；　I　believe。〃

　　〃Not　more　than　two　miles　to　the　Hall　gates。　That's　the　road　to　the

left。〃　He　watched　us　with　sullen　eyes　until　we　had　left　his　premises。

　　We　did　not　go　very　far　along　the　road；　for　Holmes　stopped　the

instant　that　the　curve　hid　us　from　the　landlord's　view。

　　〃We　were　warm；　as　the　children　say；　at　that　inn；〃　said　he。　〃I　seem

to　grow　colder　every　step　that　I　take　away　from　it。　No；　no；　I　can't

possibly　leave　it。〃

　　〃I　am　convinced；〃　said　I；　〃that　this　Reuben　Hayes　knows　all　about

it。　A　more　self…evident　villain　I　never　saw。〃

　　〃Oh！　he　impressed　you　in　that　way；　did　he？　There　are　the　horses；

there　is　the　smithy。　Yes；　it　is　an　interesting　place；　this　Fighting

Cock。　I　think　we　shall　have　another　look　at　it　in　an　unobtrusive　way。〃

　　A　long；　sloping　hillside；　dotted　with　gray　limestone　boulders；

stretched　behind　us。　We　had　turned　off　the　road；　and　were　making　our

way　up　the　hill；　when；　looking　in　the　direction　of　Holdernesse　Hall；　I

saw　a　cyclist　coming　swiftly　along。

　　〃Get　down；　Watson！〃　cried　Holmes；　with　a　heavy　hand　upon　my

shoulder。　We　had　hardly　sunk　from　view　when　the　man　flew　past　us　on

the　road。　Amid　a　rolling　cloud　of　dust；　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a

pale；　agitated　face…　a　face　with　horror　in　every　lineament；　the

mouth　open；　the　eyes　staring　wildly　in　front。　It　was　like　some　strange

caricature　of　the　dapper　James　Wilder　whom　we　had　seen　the　night

before。

　　〃The　Duke's　secretary！〃　cried　Holmes。　〃Come；　Watson；　let　us　see　what

he　does。〃

　　We　scrambled　from　rock　to　rock；　until　in　a　few　moments　we　had　made

our　way　to　a　point　from　which　we　could　see　the　front　door　of　the

inn。　Wilder's　bicycle　was　leaning　against　the　wall　beside　it。　No　one

was　moving　about　the　house；　nor　could　we　catch　a　glimpse　of　any

faces　at　the　windows。　Slowly　the　twilight　crept　down　as　the　sun　sank

behind　the　high　towers　of　Holdernesse　Hall。　Then；　in　the　gloom；　we　saw

the　two　side…lamps　of　a　trap　light　up　in　the　stable…yard　of　the　inn；

and　shortly　afterwards　heard　the　rattle　of　hoofs；　as　it　wheeled　out

into　the　road　and　tore　off　at　a　furious　pace　in　the　direction　of

Chesterfield。

　　〃What　do　you　make　of　that；　Watson？〃　Holmes　whispered。

　　〃It　looks　like　a　flight。〃

　　〃A　single　man　in　a　dog…cart；　so　far　as　I　could　see。　Well；　it

certainly　was　not　Mr。　James　Wilder；　for　there　he　is　at　the　door。〃

　　A　red　square　of　light　had　sprung　out　of　the　darkness。　In　the

middle　of　it　was　the　black　figure　of　the　secretary；　his　head　advanced；

peering　out　into　the　night。　It　was　evident　that　he　was　expecting

someone。　Then　at　last　there　were　steps　in　the　road；　a　second　figure

was　visible　for　an　instant　against　the　light；　the　door　shut；　and　all

was　black　once　more。　Five　minutes　later　a　lamp　was　lit　in　a　room

upon　the　first　floor。

　　〃It　seems　to　be　a　curious　class　of　custom　that　is　done　by　the

Fighting　Cock；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃The　bar　is　on　the　other　side。〃

　　〃Quite　so。　These　are　what　one　may　call　the　private　guests。　Now；　what

in　the　world　is　Mr。　James　Wilder　doing　in　that　den　at　this　hour　of

night；　and　who　is　the　companion　who　comes　to　meet　him　there？　Come；

Watson；　we　must　really　take　a　risk　and　try　to　investigate　this　a

little　more　closely。〃

　　Together　we　stole　down　to　the　road　and　crept　across　to　the　door　of

the　inn。　The　bicycle　still　leaned　against　the　wall。　Holmes　struck　a

match　and　held　it　to　the　back　wheel；　and　I　heard　him　chuckle　as　the

light　fell　upon　a　patched　Dunlop　tyre。　Up　above　us　was　the　lighted

window。

　　〃I　must　have　a　peep　through　that；　Watson。　If　you　bend　your　back

and　support　yourself　upon　the　wall；　I　think　that　I　can　manage。〃

　　An　instant　later；　his　feet　were　on　my　shoulders；　but　he　was　hardly

up　before　he　was　down　again。

　　〃Come；　my　friend；〃　said　he；　〃our　day's　work　has　been　quite　long

enough。　I　think　that　we　have　gathered　all　that　we　can。　It's　a　long

walk　to　the　school；　and　the　sooner　we　get　started　the　better。〃

　　He　hardly　opened　his　lips　during　that　weary　trudge　across　the

moor；　nor　would　he　enter　the　school　when　he　reached　it；　but　went　on　to

Mackleton　Station；　whence　he　could　send　some　telegrams。　Late　at

night　I　heard　him　consoling　Dr。　Huxtable；　prostrated　by　the　tragedy　of

his　master's　death；　and　later　still　he　entered　my　room　as　alert　and

vigorous　as　he　had　been　when　he　started　in　the　morning。　〃All　goes

well；　my　friend；〃　said　he。　〃I　promise　that　before　to…morrow　evening　we

shall　have　reached　the　solution　of　the　mystery。〃



　　At　eleven　o'clock　next　morning　my　friend　and　I　were　walking　up　the

famous　yew　avenue　of　Holdernesse　Hall。　We　were　ushered　through　the

magnificent　Elizabethan　doorway　and　into　his　Grace's　study。　There　we

found　Mr。　James　Wilder；　demure　and　courtly；　but　with　some　trace　of

that　wild　terror　of　the　night　before　still　lurking　in　his　furtive　eyes

and　in　his　twitching　features。

　　〃You　have　come　to　see　his　Grace？　I　am　sorry；　but　the　fact　is　that

the　Duke　is　far　from　well。　He　has　been　very　much　upset　by　the　tragic

news。　We　received　a　telegram　from　Dr。　Huxtable　yesterday　afternoon；

which　told　us　of　your　discovery。〃

　　〃I　must　see　the　Duke；　Mr。　Wilder。〃

　　〃But　he　is　in　his　room。〃

　　〃Then　I　must　go　to　his　room。〃

　　〃I　believe　he　is　in　his　bed。〃

　　〃I　will　see　him　there。〃

　　Holmes's　cold　and　inexorable　manner　showed　the　secretary　that　it　was

useless　to　argue　with　him。

　　〃Very　good；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　will　tell　him　that　you　are　here。〃

　　After　an　hour's　delay；　the　great　nobleman　appeared。　His　face　was

more　cadaverous　than　ever；　his　shoulders　had　rounded；　and　he　seemed　to

me　to　be　an　altogether　older　man　than　he　had　been　the　morning

before。　He　greeted　us　with　a　stately　courtesy　and　seated　himself　at

his　desk；　his　red　beard　streaming　down　on　the　table。

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　said　he。

　　But　my　friend's　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　secretary；　who　stood　by　his

master's　chair。

　　〃I　think；　your　Grace；　that　I　could　speak　more　freely　in　Mr。　Wilder's

absence。〃

　　The　man　turned　a　shade　paler　and　cast　a　malignant　glance　at　Holmes。

　　〃If　your　Grace　wishes…〃

　　〃Yes；　yes；　you　had　better　go。　Now；　Mr。　Holmes；　what　have　you　to

say？〃

　　My　friend　waited　until　the　door　had　closed　behind　the　retreating

secretary。

　　〃The　fact　is；　your