the adventure of the priory school-第7章
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secretary。
〃The fact is； your Grace；〃 said he； 〃that my colleague； Dr。
Watson； and myself had an assurance from Dr。 Huxtable that a reward
had been offered in this case。 I should like to have this confirmed
from your own lips。〃
〃Certainly； Mr。 Holmes。〃
〃It amounted； if I am correctly informed； to five thousand pounds to
anyone who will tell you where your son is？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃And another thousand to the man who will name the person or persons
who keep him in custody？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃Under the latter heading is included； no doubt； not only those
who may have taken him away； but also those who conspire to keep him
in his present position？〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 cried the Duke； impatiently。 〃If you do your work
well； Mr。 Sherlock Holmes； you will have no reason to complain of
niggardly treatment。〃
My friend rubbed his thin hands together with an appearance of
avidity which was a surprise to me； who knew his frugal tastes。
〃I fancy that I see your Grace's check…book upon the table；〃 said
he。 〃I should be glad if you would make me out a check for six
thousand pounds。 It would be as well； perhaps； for you to cross it。
The Capital and Counties Bank； Oxford Street branch are my agents。〃
His Grace sat very stern and upright in his chair and looked stonily
at my friend。
〃Is this a joke； Mr。 Holmes？ It is hardly a subject for pleasantry。〃
〃Not at all； your Grace。 I was never more earnest in my life。〃
〃What do you mean； then？〃
〃I mean that I have earned the reward。 I know where your son is； and
I know some； at least； of those who are holding him。〃
The Duke's beard had turned more aggressively red than ever
against his ghastly white face。
〃Where is he？〃 he gasped。
〃He is； or was last night； at the Fighting Cock Inn； about two miles
from your park gate。〃
The Duke fell back in his chair。
〃And whom do you accuse？〃
Sherlock Holmes's answer was an astounding one。 He stepped swiftly
forward and touched the Duke upon the shoulder。
〃I accuse you；〃 said he。 〃And now； your Grace； I'll trouble you
for that check。〃
Never shall I forget the Duke's appearance as he sprang up and
clawed with his hands； like one who is sinking into an abyss。 Then；
with an extraordinary effort of aristocratic self…command； he sat down
and sank his face in his hands。 It some minutes before he spoke。
〃How much do you know？〃 he asked at last； without raising his head。
〃I saw you together last night。〃
〃Does anyone else beside your friend know？〃
〃I have spoken to no one。〃
The Duke took a pen in his quivering fingers and opened his
check…book。
〃I shall be as good as my word； Mr。 Holmes。 I am about to write your
check； however unwelcome the information which you have gained may
be to me。 When the offer was first made； I little thought the turn
which events might take。 But you and your friend are men of
discretion； Mr。 Holmes？〃
〃I hardly understand your Grace。〃
〃I must put it plainly； Mr。 Holmes。 If only you two know of this
incident； there is no reason why it should go any farther。 I think
twelve thousand pounds is the sum that I owe you； is it not？〃
But Holmes smiled and shook his head。
〃I fear； your Grace； that matters can hardly be arranged so
easily。 There is the death of this schoolmaster to be accounted for。〃
〃But James knew nothing of that。 You cannot hold him responsible for
that。 It was the work of this brutal ruffian whom he had the
misfortune to employ。〃
〃I must take the view； your Grace； that when a man embarks upon a
crime； he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from
it。〃
〃Morally； Mr。 Holmes。 No doubt you are right。 But surely not in
the eyes of the law。 A man cannot be condemned for a murder at which
he was not present； and which he loathes and abhors as much as you do。
The instant that he heard of it he made a complete confession to me；
so filled was he with horror and remorse。 He lost not an hour in
breaking entirely with the murderer。 Oh； Mr。 Holmes； you must save
him… you must save him！ I tell you that you must save him！〃 The Duke
had dropped the last attempt at self…command； and was pacing the
room with a convulsed face and with his clenched hands raving in the
air。 At last he mastered himself and sat down once more at his desk。
〃I appreciate your conduct in coming here before you spoke to anyone
else；〃 said he。 〃At least； we may take counsel how far we can minimize
this hideous scandal。〃
〃Exactly；〃 said Holmes。 〃I think； your Grace； that this can only
be done by absolute frankness between us。 I am disposed to help your
Grace to the best of my ability； but； in order to do so； I must
understand to the last detail how the matter stands。 I realize that
your words applied to Mr。 James Wilder； and that he is not the
murderer。〃
〃No； the murderer has escaped。〃
Sherlock Holmes smiled demurely。
〃Your Grace can hardly have heard of any small reputation which I
possess； or you would not imagine that it is so easy to escape me。 Mr。
Reuben Hayes was arrested at Chesterfield； on my information； at
eleven o'clock last night。 I had a telegram from the head of the local
police before I left the school this morning。〃
The Duke leaned back in his chair and stared with amazement at my
friend。
〃You seem to have powers that are hardly human；〃 said he。 〃So Reuben
Hayes is taken？ I am right glad to hear it； if it will not react
upon the fate of James。〃
〃Your secretary？〃
〃No； sir； my son。〃
It was Holmes's turn to look astonished。
〃I confess that this is entirely new to me； your Grace。 I must beg
you to be more explicit。〃
〃I will conceal nothing from you。 I agree with you that complete
frankness； however painful it may be to me； is the best policy in this
desperate situation to which James's folly and jealousy have reduced
us。 When I was a very young man； Mr。 Holmes； I loved with such a
love as comes only once in a lifetime。 I offered the lady marriage；
but she refused it on the grounds that such a match might mar my
career。 Had she lived； I would certainly never have married anyone
else。 She died； and left this one child； whom for her sake I have
cherished and cared for。 I could not acknowledge the paternity to
the world； but I gave him the best of educations； and since he came to
manhood I have kept him near my person。 He surprised my secret； and
has presumed ever since upon the claim which he has upon me； and
upon his power of provoking a scandal which would be abhorrent to
me。 His presence had something to do with the unhappy issue of my
marriage。 Above all； he hated my young legitimate heir from the
first with a persistent hatred。 You may well ask me why； under these
circumstances； I still kept James under my roof。 I answer that it
was because I could see his mother's face in his； and that for her
dear sake there was no end to my long…suffering。 All her pretty ways
too… there was not one of them which he could not suggest and bring
back to my memory。 I could not send him away。 But I feared so much
lest he should do Arthur… that is； Lord Saltire… a mischief； that I
dispatched him for safety to Dr。 Huxtable's school。
〃James came into contact with this fellow Hayes； because the man was
a tenant of mine； and James acted as agent。 The fellow was a rascal
from the beginning； but； in some extraordinary way； James became
intimate with him。 He had always a taste for low company。 When James
determined to kidnap Lord Saltire； it was of this man's service that
he availed himself。 You remember that I wrote to Arthur upon that last
day。 Well； James opened the letter and inserted a note asking Arthur
to meet him in a little wood called the Ragged Shaw； which is near
to the school。 He used the Duchess's name； and in that way got the boy
to come。 That evening James bicycled over… I am telling you what he
has himself confessed to me… and he told Arthur； whom he met in the
wood； that his mother longed to see him； that she was awaiting him
on the moor； and that if he would come back into the wood at
midnight he would find a man wit
