the adventure of the copper beeches-第6章

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skirt　of　my　dress。　I　rushed　down　the　passage；　through　the　door；　and

straight　into　the　arms　of　Mr。　Rucastle；　who　was　waiting　outside。

　　〃'So；'　said　he；　smiling；　'it　was　you；　then。　I　thought　that　it　must

be　when　I　saw　the　door　open。'

　　〃'Oh；　I　am　so　frightened！'　I　panted。

　　〃'My　dear　young　lady！　my　dear　young　lady！'…you　cannot　think　how

caressing　and　soothing　his　manner　was…；'and　what　has　frightened　you；

my　dear　lady？'

　　〃But　his　voice　was　just　a　little　too　coaxing。　He　overdid　it。　I　was

keenly　on　my　guard　against　him。

　　'I　was　foolish　enough　to　go　into　the　empty　wing；'　I　answered。　'But

it　is　so　lonely　and　eerie　in　this　dim　light　that　I　was　frightened

and　ran　out　again。　Oh；　it　is　so　dreadfully　still　in　there！'

　　〃'Only　that？'　said　he；　looking　at　me　keenly。

　　〃'Why；　what　did　you　think？'　I　asked。

　　〃'Why　do　you　think　that　I　lock　this　door？'

　　〃'I　am　sure　that　I　do　not　know。'

　　〃'It　is　to　keep　people　out　who　have　no　business　there。　Do　you

see？'　He　was　still　smiling　in　the　most　amiable　manner。

　　〃'I　am　sure　if　I　had　known…'

　　〃'Well；　then；　you　know　now。　And　if　you　ever　put　your　foot　over

that　threshold　again'…here　in　an　instant　the　smile　hardened　into　a

grin　of　rage；　and　he　glared　down　at　me　with　the　face　of　a

demon…'I'll　throw　you　to　the　mastiff。'

　　〃I　was　so　terrified　that　I　do　not　know　what　I　did。　I　suppose　that

I　must　have　rushed　past　him　into　my　room。　I　remember　nothing　until　I

found　myself　lying　on　my　bed　trembling　all　over。　Then　I　thought　of

you；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　could　not　live　there　longer　without　some　advice。

I　was　frightened　of　the　house；　of　the　man；　of　the　woman；　of　the

servants；　even　of　the　child。　They　were　all　horrible　to　me。　If　I

could　only　bring　you　down　all　would　be　well。　Of　course　I　might　have

fled　from　the　house；　but　my　curiosity　was　almost　as　strong　as　my

fears。　My　mind　was　soon　made　up。　I　would　send　you　a　wire。　I　put　on

my　hat　and　cloak；　went　down　to　the　office；　which　is　about　half　a

mile　from　the　house；　and　then　returned；　feeling　very　much　easier。　A

horrible　doubt　came　into　my　mind　as　I　approached　the　door　lest　the　dog

might　be　loose；　but　I　remembered　that　Toller　had　drunk　himself　into

a　state　of　insensibility　that　evening；　and　I　knew　that　he　was　the　only

one　in　the　household　who　had　any　influence　with　the　savage　creature；

or　who　would　venture　to　set　him　free。　I　slipped　in　and　lay　awake

half　the　night　in　my　joy　at　the　thought　of　seeing　you。　I　had　no

difficulty　in　getting　leave　to　come　into　Winchester　this　morning；

but　I　must　be　back　before　three　o'clock；　for　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Rucastle　are

going　on　a　visit；　and　will　be　away　all　the　evening；　so　that　I　must

look　after　the　child。　Now　I　have　told　you　all　my　adventures；　Mr。

Holmes；　and　I　should　be　very　glad　if　you　could　tell　me　what　it　all

means；　and；　above　all；　what　I　should　do。〃

　　Holmes　and　I　had　listened　spellbound　to　this　extraordinary　story。　My

friend　rose　now　and　paced　up　and　down　the　room；　his　hands　in　his

pockets；　and　an　expression　of　the　most　profound　gravity　upon　his　face。

　　〃Is　Toller　still　drunk？〃　he　asked。

　　〃Yes。　I　heard　his　wife　tell　Mrs。　Rucastle　that　she　could　do

nothing　with　him。〃

　　〃That　is　well。　And　the　Rucastles　go　out　to…night？〃

　　〃Yes。〃

　　〃Is　there　a　cellar　with　a　good　strong　lock？〃

　　〃Yes；　the　wine…cellar。〃

　　〃You　seem　to　me　to　have　acted　all　through　this　matter　like　a　very

brave　and　sensible　girl；　Miss　Hunter。　Do　you　think　that　you　could

perform　one　more　feat？　I　should　not　ask　it　of　you　if　I　did　not　think

you　a　quite　exceptional　woman。〃

　　〃I　will　try。　What　is　it？〃

　　〃We　shall　be　at　the　Copper　Beeches　by　seven　o'clock；　my　friend　and

I。　The　Rucastles　will　be　gone　by　that　time；　and　Toller　will；　we

hope；　be　incapable。　There　only　remains　Mrs。　Toller；　who　might　give　the

alarm。　If　you　could　send　her　into　the　cellar　on　some　errand；　and

then　turn　the　key　upon　her；　you　would　facilitate　matters　immensely。〃

　　〃I　will　do　it。〃

　　〃Excellent！　We　shall　then　look　thoroughly　into　the　affair。　Of　course

there　is　only　one　feasible　explanation。　You　have　been　brought　there　to

personate　someone；　and　the　real　person　is　imprisoned　in　this

chamber。　That　is　obvious。　As　to　who　this　prisoner　is；　I　have　no

doubt　that　it　is　the　daughter；　Miss　Alice　Rucastle；　if　I　remember

right；　who　was　said　to　have　gone　to　America。　You　were　chosen；

doubtless；　as　resembling　her　in　height；　figure；　and　the　colour　of　your

hair。　Hers　had　been　cut　off；　very　possibly　in　some　illness　through

which　she　has　passed；　and　so；　of　course；　yours　had　to　be　sacrificed

also。　By　a　curious　chance　you　came　upon　her　tresses。　The　man　in　the

road　was　undoubtedly　some　friend　of　hers…possibly　her　fiance…and　no

doubt；　as　you　wore　the　girl's　dress　and　were　so　like　her；　he　was

convinced　from　your　laughter；　whenever　he　saw　you；　and　afterwards　from

your　gesture；　that　Miss　Rucastle　was　perfectly　happy；　and　that　she

no　longer　desired　his　attentions。　The　dog　is　let　loose　at　night　to

prevent　him　from　endeavouring　to　communicate　with　her。　So　much　is

fairly　clear。　The　most　serious　point　in　the　case　is　the　disposition　of

the　child。〃

　　〃What　on　earth　has　that　to　do　with　it？〃　I　ejaculated。

　　〃My　dear　Watson；　you　as　a　medical　man　are　continually　gaining

light　as　to　the　tendencies　of　a　child　by　the　study　of　the　parents。

Don't　you　see　that　the　converse　is　equally　valid。　I　have　frequently

gained　my　first　real　insight　into　the　character　of　parents　by　studying

their　children。　This　child's　disposition　is　abnormally　cruel；　merely

for　cruelty's　sake；　and　whether　he　derives　this　from　his　smiling

father；　as　I　should　suspect；　or　from　his　mother；　it　bodes　evil　for　the

poor　girl　who　is　in　their　power。〃

　　〃I　am　sure　that　you　are　right　Mr。　Holmes；〃　cried　our　client。　〃A

thousand　things　come　back　to　me　which　make　me　certain　that　you　have

hit　it。　Oh；　let　us　lose　not　an　instant　in　bringing　help　to　this　poor

creature。〃

　　〃We　must　be　circumspect　for　we　are　dealing　with　a　very　cunning

man。　We　can　do　nothing　until　seven　o'clock。　At　that　hour　we　shall　be

with　you；　and　it　will　not　be　long　before　we　solve　the　mystery。〃

　　We　were　as　good　as　our　word；　for　it　was　just　seven　when　we　reached

the　Copper　Beeches；　having　put　up　our　trap　at　a　wayside

public…house。　The　group　of　trees；　with　their　dark　leaves　shining

like　burnished　metal　in　the　light　of　the　setting　sun；　were

sufficient　to　mark　the　house　even　had　Miss　Hunter　not　been　standing

smiling　on　the　door…step。

　　〃Have　you　managed　it？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　A　loud　thudding　noise　came　from　somewhere　downstairs。　〃That　is

Mrs。　Toller　in　the　cellar；〃　said　she。　〃Her　husband　lies　snoring　on　the

kitchen　rug。　Here　are　his　keys；　which　are　the　duplicates　of　Mr。

Rucastle's。〃

　　〃You　have　done　well　indeed！〃　cried　Holmes　with　enthusiasm。　〃Now　lead

the　way；　and　we　shall　soon　see　the　end　of　this　black　business。〃

　　We　passed　up　the　stair；　unlocked　the　door；　followed　on　down　a

passage；　and　found　ourselves　in　front　of　the　barricade　which　Miss

Hunter　had　described。　Holmes　cut　the　cord　and　removed　the　transverse

bar。　Then　he　tried　the　various　keys　in　the　lock；　but　without

success。　No　sound　came　from　within；　and　at　the　silence　Holmes's　face

clouded　over。

　　〃I　trust　that　we　are　not　too　late；〃　said　he。　〃I　think；　Miss

Hunter；　that　we　had　better　go　in　without　you。　Now；　Watson；　put　your

shoulder　to　it；　and　we　shall　see　whether　we　cannot　make　our　way　in。〃

　　It　was　an　old　rickety　door　and　gave　at　once　before　our　united

strength。　Together　we　rushed　into　the　room。　It　was　empty。　There　was　no

furniture　save　a　little　pallet　bed；　a　small　table；　and　a　basketful

of　linen。　The　skylight　above　was　open；　and　the　prisoner　gone。

　　〃There　has　been　some　villainy　here；〃　said　Holmes；　〃this　beauty　has

guessed　Miss　Hunter's　intentions　and　has　carried　his　victim　off。〃

　　〃But　how？〃

　　〃Through　the　skylight。　We　shall　soon　see　how　he　managed　it。〃　He

swung　himself　up　onto　the　roof。　〃Ah；　yes；〃　he　cried；　〃here's　the　end

of　a　long　light　ladder　against　the　eaves。　That　is　how　he　did　it。〃

　　〃But　it　is　impossible；〃　said　Miss　Hunter；　〃the　ladder　was　not

there　when　the　Rucastles　went　away。

　　〃He　has　come　back　and　done　it。　I　tell　yo