the adventure of the priory school-第8章

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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　with　a　horse；　who　would　take　him　to

her。　Poor　Arthur　fell　into　the　trap。　He　came　to　the　appointment；　and

found　this　fellow　Hayes　with　a　led　pony。　Arthur　mounted；　and　they

set　off　together。　It　appears…　though　this　James　only　heard

yesterday…　that　they　were　pursued；　that　Hayes　struck　the　pursuer

with　his　stick；　and　that　the　man　died　of　his　injuries。　Hayes　brought

Arthur　to　his　public…house；　the　Fighting　Cock；　where　he　was　confined

in　an　upper　room；　under　the　care　of　Mrs。　Hayes；　who　is　a　kindly　woman；

but　entirely　under　the　control　of　her　brutal　husband。

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　was　the　state　of　affairs　when　I　first　saw

you　two　days　ago。　I　had　no　more　idea　of　the　truth　than　you。　You　will

ask　me　what　was　James's　motive　in　doing　such　a　deed。　I　answer　that

there　was　a　great　deal　which　was　unreasoning　and　fanatical　in　the

hatred　which　he　bore　my　heir。　In　his　view　he　should　himself　have

been　heir　of　all　my　estates；　and　he　deeply　resented　those　social

laws　which　made　it　impossible。　At　the　same　time；　he　had　a　definite

motive　also。　He　was　eager　that　I　should　break　the　entail；　and　he　was

of　opinion　that　it　lay　in　my　power　to　do　so。　He　intended　to　make　a

bargain　with　me…　to　restore　Arthur　if　I　would　break　the　entail；　and　so

make　it　possible　for　the　estate　to　be　left　to　him　by　will。　He　knew

well　that　I　should　never　willingly　invoke　the　aid　of　the　police

against　him。　I　say　that　he　would　have　proposed　such　a　bargain　to　me；

but　he　did　not　actually　do　so；　for　events　moved　too　quickly　for；

him；　and　he　had　not　time　to　put　his　plans　into　practice。

　　〃What　brought　all　his　wicked　scheme　to　wreck　was　your　discovery　of

this　man　Heidegger's　dead　body。　James　was　seized　with　horror　at　the

news。　It　came　to　us　yesterday；　as　we　sat　together　in　this　study。　Dr。

Huxtable　had　sent　a　telegram。　James　was　so　overwhelmed　with　grief

and　agitation　that　my　suspicions；　which　had　never　been　entirely　absent

rose　instantly　to　a　certainty；　and　I　taxed　him　with　the　deed。　He

made　a　complete　voluntary　confession。　Then　he　implored　me　to　keep

his　secret　for　three　days　longer；　so　as　to　give　his　wretched

accomplice　a　chance　of　saving　his　guilty　life。　I　yielded…　as　I　have

always　yielded…　to　his　prayers；　and　instantly　James　hurried　off　to　the

Fighting　Cock　to　warn　Hayes　and　give　him　the　means　of　flight。　I

could　not　go　there　by　daylight　without　provoking　comment；　but　as

soon　as　night　fell　I　hurried　off　to　see　my　dear　Arthur。　I　found　him

safe　and　well；　but　horrified　beyond　expression　by　the　dreadful　deed　he

had　witnessed。　In　deference　to　my　promise；　and　much　against　my　will；　I

consented　to　leave　him　there　for　three　days；　under　the　charge　of

Mrs。　Hayes；　since　it　was　evident　that　it　was　impossible　to　inform

the　police　where　he　was　without　telling　them　also　who　was　the

murderer；　and　I　could　not　see　how　that　murderer　could　be　punished

without　ruin　to　my　unfortunate　James。　You　asked　for　frankness；　Mr。

Holmes；　and　I　have　taken　you　at　your　word；　for　I　have　now　told　you

everything　without　an　attempt　at　circumlocution　or　concealment。　Do　you

in　turn　be　as　frank　with　me。〃

　　〃I　will；〃　said　Holmes。　〃In　the　first　place；　your　Grace；　I　am　bound

to　tell　you　that　you　have　placed　yourself　in　a　most　serious　position

in　the　eyes　of　the　law。　You　have　condoned　a　felony；　and　you　have　aided

the　escape　of　a　murderer；　for　I　cannot　doubt　that　any　money　which

was　taken　by　James　Wilder　to　aid　his　accomplice　in　his　flight　came

from　your　Grace's　purse。〃

　　The　Duke　bowed　his　assent。

　　〃This　is；　indeed；　a　most　serious　matter。　Even　more　culpable　in　my

opinion；　your　Grace；　is　your　attitude　towards　your　younger　son。　You

leave　him　in　this　den　for　three　days。〃

　　〃Under　solemn　promises…〃

　　〃What　are　promises　to　such　people　as　these？　You　have　no　guarantee

that　he　will　not　be　spirited　away　again。　To　humour　your　guilty　elder

son；　you　have　exposed　your　innocent　younger　son　to　imminent　and

unnecessary　danger。　It　was　a　most　unjustifiable　action。〃

　　The　proud　lord　of　Holdernesse　was　not　accustomed　to　be　so　rated　in

his　own　ducal　hall。　The　blood　flushed　into　his　high　forehead；　but

his　conscience　held　him　dumb。

　　〃I　will　help　you；　but　on　one　condition　only。　It　is　that　you　ring　for

the　footman　and　let　me　give　such　orders　as　I　like。〃

　　Without　a　word；　the　Duke　pressed　the　electric　bell。　A　servant

entered。

　　〃You　will　be　glad　to　hear；〃　said　Holmes；　〃that　your　young　master

is　found。　It　is　the　Duke's　desire　that　the　carriage　shall　go　at　once

to　the　Fighting　Cock　Inn　to　bring　Lord　Saltire　home。

　　〃Now；〃　said　Holmes；　when　the　rejoicing　lackey　had　disappeared；

〃having　secured　the　future；　we　can　afford　to　be　more　lenient　with

the　past。　I　am　not　in　an　official　position；　and　there　is　no　reason；　so

long　as　the　ends　of　justice　are　served；　why　I　should　disclose　all　that

I　know。　As　to　Hayes；　I　say　nothing。　The　gallows　awaits　him；　and　I

would　do　nothing　to　save　him　from　it。　What　he　will　divulge　I　cannot

tell；　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　your　Grace　could　make　him　understand

that　it　is　to　his　interest　to　be　silent。　From　the　police　point　of　view

he　will　have　kidnapped　the　boy　for　the　purpose　of　ransom。　If　they　do

not　themselves　find　it　out；　I　see　no　reason　why　I　should　prompt　them

to　take　a　broader　point　of　view。　I　would　warn　your　Grace；　however；

that　the　continued　presence　of　Mr。　James　Wilder　in　your　household

can　only　lead　to　misfortune。〃

　　〃I　understand　that；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　it　is　already　settled　that　he

shall　leave　me　forever；　and　go　to　seek　his　fortune　in　Australia。〃

　　〃In　that　case；　your　Grace；　since　you　have　yourself　stated　that　any

unhappiness　in　your　married　life　was　caused　by　his　presence　I　would

suggest　that　you　make　such　amends　as　you　can　to　the　Duchess；　and

that　you　try　to　resume　those　relations　which　have　been　so　unhappily

interrupted。〃

　　〃That　also　I　have　arranged；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　wrote　to　the　Duchess

this　morning。〃

　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　Holmes；　rising；　〃I　think　that　my　friend　and　I

can　congratulate　ourselves　upon　several　most　happy　results　from　our

little　visit　to　the　North。　There　is　one　other　small　point　upon　which　I

desire　some　light。　This　fellow　Hayes　had　shod　his　horses　with　shoes

which　counterfeited　the　tracks　of　cows。　Was　it　from　Mr。　Wilder　that　he

learned　so　extraordinary　a　device？〃

　　The　Duke　stood　in　thought　for　a　moment；　with　a　look　of　intense

surprise　on　his　face。　Then　he　opened　a　door　and　showed　us　into　a　large

room　furnished　as　a　museum。　He　led　the　way　to　a　glass　case　in　a

corner；　and　pointed　to　the　inscription。

　　〃These　shoes；〃　it　ran；　〃were　dug　up　in　the　moat　of　Holdernesse　Hall。

They　are　for　the　use　of　horses；　but　they　are　shaped　below　with　a

cloven　foot　of　iron；　so　as　to　throw　pursuers　off　the　track。　They　are

supposed　to　have　belonged　to　some　of　the　marauding　Barons　of

Holdernesse　in　the　Middle　Ages。〃

　　Holmes　opened　the　case；　and　moistening　his　finger　he　passed　it　along

the　shoe。　A　thin　film　of　recent　mud　was　left　upon　his　skin。

　　〃Thank　you；〃　said　he；　as　he　replaced　the　glass。　〃It　is　the　second

most　interesting　object　that　I　have　seen　in　the　North。〃

　　〃And　the　first？〃

　　Holmes　folded　up　his　check　and　placed　it　carefully　in　his

notebook。　〃I　am　a　poor　man；〃　said　he；　as　he　patted　it

affectionately；　and　thrust　it　into　the　depths　of　his　inner　pocket。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

。