the adventure of the bruce-partington plan-第4章

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coincidence　that　it　is　found　at　the　very　point　where　the　train　pitches

and　sways　as　it　comes　round　on　the　points？　Is　not　that　the　place　where

an　object　upon　the　roof　might　be　expected　to　fall　off？　The　points

would　affect　no　object　inside　the　train。　Either　the　body　fell　from　the

roof；　or　a　very　curious　coincidence　has　occurred。　But　now　consider　the

question　of　the　blood。　Of　course；　there　was　no　bleeding　on　the　line　if

the　body　had　bled　elsewhere。　Each　fact　is　suggestive　in　itself。

Together　they　have　a　cumulative　force。〃

　　〃And　the　ticket；　too！〃　I　cried。

　　〃Exactly。　We　could　not　explain　the　absence　of　a　ticket。　This　would

explain　it。　Everything　fits　together。〃

　　〃But　suppose　it　were　so；　we　are　still　as　far　as　ever　from

unravelling　the　mystery　of　his　death。　Indeed；　it　becomes　not　simpler

but　stranger。〃

　　〃Perhaps；〃　said　Holmes　thoughtfully；　〃perhaps。〃　He　relapsed　into　a

silent　reverie；　which　lasted　until　the　slow　train　drew　up　at　last　in

Woolwich　Station。　There　he　called　a　cab　and　drew　Mycroft's　paper

from　his　pocket。

　　〃We　have　quite　a　little　round　of　afternoon　calls　to　make；〃　said

he。　〃I　think　that　Sir　James　Walter　claims　our　first　attention。〃

　　The　house　of　the　famous　official　was　a　fine　villa　with　green　lawns

stretching　down　to　the　Thames。　As　we　reached　it　the　fog　was　lifting；

and　a　thin；　watery　sunshine　was　breaking　through。　A　butler　answered

our　ring。

　　〃Sir　James；　sir！〃　said　he　with　solemn　face。　〃Sir　James　died　this

morning。〃

　　〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　Holmes　in　amazement。　〃How　did　he　die？〃

　　〃Perhaps　you　would　care　to　step　in；　sir；　and　see　his　brother；

Colonel　Valentine？〃

　　〃Yes；　we　had　best　do　so。〃

　　We　were　ushered　into　a　dim…lit　drawing…room；　where　an　instant

later　we　were　joined　by　a　very　tall；　handsome；　light…bearded　man　of

fifty；　the　younger　brother　of　the　dead　scientist。　His　wild　eyes；

stained　cheeks；　and　unkempt　hair　all　spoke　of　the　sudden　blow　which

had　fallen　upon　the　household。　He　was　hardly　articulate　as　he　spoke　of

it。

　　〃It　was　this　horrible　scandal；〃　said　he。　〃My　brother；　Sir　James；　was

a　man　of　very　sensitive　honour；　and　he　could　not　survive　such　an

affair。　It　broke　his　heart。　He　was　always　so　proud　of　the　efficiency

of　his　department；　and　this　was　a　crushing　blow。〃

　　〃We　had　hoped　that　he　might　have　given　us　some　indications　which

would　have　helped　us　to　clear　the　matter　up。〃

　　〃I　assure　you　that　it　was　all　a　mystery　to　him　as　it　is　to　you　and

to　all　of　us。　He　had　already　put　all　his　knowledge　at　the　disposal

of　the　police。　Naturally　he　had　no　doubt　that　Cadogan　West　was　guilty。

But　all　the　rest　was　inconceivable。〃

　　〃You　cannot　throw　any　new　light　upon　the　affair？〃

　　〃I　know　nothing　myself　save　what　I　have　read　or　heard。　I　have　no

desire　to　be　discourteous；　but　you　can　understand；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　we

are　much　disturbed　at　present；　and　I　must　ask　you　to　hasten　this

interview　to　an　end。〃

　　〃This　is　indeed　an　unexpected　development；〃　said　my　friend　when　we

had　regained　the　cab。　〃I　wonder　if　the　death　was　natural；　or　whether

the　poor　old　fellow　killed　himself！　If　the　latter；　may　it　be　taken

as　some　sign　of　self…reproach　for　duty　neglected？　We　must　leave　that

question　to　the　future。　Now　we　shall　turn　to　the　Cadogan　Wests。〃

　　A　small　but　well…kept　house　in　the　outskirts　of　the　town　sheltered

the　bereaved　mother。　The　old　lady　was　too　dazed　with　grief　to　be　of

any　use　to　us；　but　at　her　side　was　a　white…faced　young　lady；　who

introduced　herself　as　Miss　Violet　Westbury；　the　fiancee　of　the　dead

man；　and　the　last　to　see　him　upon　that　fatal　night。

　　〃I　cannot　explain　it；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　she　said。　〃I　have　not　shut　an　eye

since　the　tragedy；　thinking；　thinking；　thinking；　night　and　day；　what

the　true　meaning　of　it　can　be。　Arthur　was　the　most　single…minded；

chivalrous；　patriotic　man　upon　earth。　He　would　have　cut　his　right　hand

off　before　he　would　sell　a　State　secret　confided　to　his　keeping。　It　is

absurd；　impossible；　preposterous　to　anyone　who　knew　him。〃

　　〃But　the　facts；　Miss　Westbury？〃

　　〃Yes；　yes；　I　admit　I　cannot　explain　them。〃

　　〃Was　he　in　any　want　of　money？〃

　　〃No；　his　needs　were　very　simple　and　his　salary　ample。　He　had　saved　a

few　hundreds；　and　we　were　to　marry　at　the　New　Year。〃

　　〃No　signs　of　any　mental　excitement？　Come；　Miss　Westbury；　be

absolutely　frank　with　us。〃

　　The　quick　eye　of　my　companion　had　noted　some　change　in　her　manner。

She　coloured　and　hesitated。

　　〃Yes；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　had　a　feeling　that　there　was　something

on　his　mind。〃

　　〃For　long？〃

　　〃Only　for　the　last　week　or　so。　He　was　thoughtful　and　worried。　Once　I

pressed　him　about　it。　He　admitted　that　there　was　something；　and　that

it　was　concerned　with　his　official　life。　'It　is　too　serious　for　me

to　speak　about；　even　to　you；'　said　he。　I　could　get　nothing　more。〃

　　Holmes　looked　grave。

　　〃Go　on；　Miss　Westbury。　Even　if　it　seems　to　tell　against　him；　go

on。　We　cannot　say　what　it　may　lead　to；〃

　　〃Indeed；　I　have　nothing　more　to　tell。　Once　or　twice　it　seemed　to

me　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　telling　me　something。　He　spoke　one

evening　of　the　importance　of　the　secret；　and　I　have　some

recollection　that　he　said　that　no　doubt　foreign　spies　would　pay　a

great　deal　to　have　it。〃

　　My　friend's　face　grew　graver　still。

　　〃Anything　else？〃

　　〃He　said　that　we　were　slack　about　such　matters…　that　it　would　be

easy　for　a　traitor　to　get　the　plans。〃

　　〃Was　it　only　recently　that　he　made　such　remarks？〃

　　〃Yes；　quite　recently。〃

　　〃Now　tell　us　of　that　last　evening。〃

　　〃We　were　to　go　to　the　theatre。　The　fog　was　so　thick　that　a　cab　was

useless。　We　walked；　and　our　way　took　us　close　to　the　office。

Suddenly　he　darted　away　into　the　fog。〃

　　〃Without　a　word？〃

　　〃He　gave　an　exclamation；　that　was　all。　I　waited　but　he　never

returned。　Then　I　walked　home。　Next　morning；　after　the　office　opened；

they　came　to　inquire。　About　twelve　o'clock　we　heard　the　terrible　news。

Oh；　Mr。　Holmes；　if　you　could　only；　only　save　his　honour！　It　was　so

much　to　him。〃

　　Holmes　shook　his　head　sadly。

　　〃Come；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃our　ways　lie　elsewhere。　Our　next　station

must　be　the　office　from　which　the　papers　were　taken。

　　〃It　was　black　enough　before　against　this　young　man；　but　our

inquiries　make　it　blacker；〃　he　remarked　as　the　cab　lumbered　off。

〃His　coming　marriage　gives　a　motive　for　the　crime。　He　naturally　wanted

money。　The　idea　was　in　his　head；　since　he　spoke　about　it。　He　nearly

made　the　girl　an　accomplice　in　the　treason　by　telling　her　his　plans。

It　is　all　very　bad。〃

　　〃But　surely；　Holmes；　character　goes　for　something？　Then；　again；

why　should　he　leave　the　girl　in　the　street　and　dart　away　to　commit　a

felony？〃

　　〃Exactly！　There　are　certainly　objections。　But　it　is　a　formidable

case　which　they　have　to　meet。〃

　　Mr。　Sidney　Johnson；　the　senior　clerk；　met　us　at　the　office　and

received　us　with　that　respect　which　my　companion's　card　always

commanded。　He　was　a　thin；　gruff；　bespectacled　man　of　middle　age；　his

cheeks　haggard；　and　his　hands　twitching　from　the　nervous　strain　to

which　he　had　been　subjected。

　　〃It　is　bad；　Mr。　Holmes；　very　bad！　Have　you　heard　of　the　death　of　the

chief？〃

　　〃We　have　just　come　from　his　house。〃

　　〃The　place　is　disorganized。　The　chief　dead；　Cadogan　West　dead；　our

papers　stolen。　And　yet；　when　we　closed　our　door　on　Monday　evening；

we　were　as　efficient　an　office　as　any　in　the　government　service。

Good　God；　it's　dreadful　to　think　off　That　West；　of　all　men；　should

have　done　such　a　thing！〃

　　〃You　are　sure　of　his　guilt；　then？〃

　　〃I　can　see　no　other　way　out　of　it。　And　yet　I　would　have　trusted

him　as　I　trust　myself。〃

　　〃At　what　hour　was　the　office　closed　on　Monday？〃

　　〃At　five。〃

　　〃Did　you　close　it？〃

　　〃I　am　always　the　last　man　out。〃

　　〃Where　were　the　plans？〃

　　〃In　that　safe。　I　put　them　there　myself。〃

　　〃Is　there　no　watchman　to　the　building？〃

　　〃There　is；　but　he　has　other　departments　to　look　after　as　well。　He　is

an　old　soldier　and　a　most　trustworthy　man。　He　saw　nothing　that

evening。　Of　course　the　fog　was　very　thick。〃

　　〃Suppose　that　Cadogan　West　wished　to　make　his　way　into　the

building　after　hours；　he　would　need　three　keys；　would　he　not；　before