the adventure of the six napoleons-第1章
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SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE ADVENTURE OF THE SIX NAPOLEONS
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
It was no very unusual thing for Mr。 Lestrade； of Scotland Yard；
to look in upon us of an evening； and his visits were welcome to
Sherlock Holmes； for they enabled him to keep in touch with all that
was going on at the police headquarters。 In return for the news
which Lestrade would bring； Holmes was always ready to listen with
attention to the details of any case upon which the detective was
engaged； and was able occasionally； without any active interference；
to give some hint or suggestion drawn from his own vast knowledge
and experience。
On this particular evening； Lestrade had spoken of the weather and
the newspapers。 Then he had fallen silent； puffing thoughtfully at his
cigar。 Holmes looked keenly at him。
〃Anything remarkable on hand？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； no； Mr。 Holmes… nothing very particular。〃
〃Then tell me about it。〃
Lestrade laughed。
〃Well； Mr。 Holmes； there is no use denying that there is something
on my mind。 And yet it is such an absurd business； that I hesitated to
bother you about it。 On the other hand； although it is trivial； it
is undoubtedly queer； and I know that you have a taste for all that is
out of the common。 But； in my opinion； it comes more in Dr。 Watson's
line than ours。〃
〃Disease？〃 said I。
〃Madness； anyhow。 And a queer madness； too。 You wouldn't think there
was anyone living at this time of day who had such a hatred of
Napoleon the First that he would break any image of him that he
could see。〃
Holmes sank back in his chair。
〃That's no business of mine；〃 said he。
〃Exactly。 That's what I said。 But then； when the man commits
burglary in order to break images which are not his own； that brings
it away from the doctor and on to the policeman。〃
Holmes sat up again。
〃Burglary！ This is more interesting。 Let me hear the details。〃
Lestrade took out his official notebook and refreshed his memory
from its pages。
〃The first case reported was four days ago；〃 said he。 〃It was at the
shop of Morse Hudson； who has a place for the sale of pictures and
statues in the Kennington Road。 The assistant had left the front
shop for an instant； when he heard a crash； and hurrying in he found a
plaster bust of Napoleon； which stood with several other works of
art upon the counter； lying shivered into fragments。 He rushed out
into the road； but； although several passers…by declared that they had
noticed a man run out of the shop； he could neither see anyone nor
could he find any means of identifying the rascal。 It seemed to be one
of those senseless acts of Hooliganism which occur from time to
time； and it was reported to the constable on the beat as such。 The
plaster cast was not worth more than a few shillings； and the whole
affair appeared to be too childish for any particular investigation。
〃The second case； however； was more serious； and also more singular。
It occurred only last night。
〃In Kennington Road； and within a few hundred yards of Morse
Hudson's shop； there lives a well…known medical practitioner； named
Dr。 Barnicot； who has one of the largest practices upon the south side
of the Thames。 His residence and principal consulting…room is at
Kennington Road； but he has a branch surgery and dispensary at Lower
Brixton Road； two miles away。 This Dr。 Barnicot is an enthusiastic
admirer of Napoleon； and his house is full of books； pictures； and
relics of the French Emperor。 Some little time ago he purchased from
Morse Hudson two duplicate plaster casts of the famous head of
Napoleon by the French sculptor； Devine。 One of these he placed in his
hall in the house at Kennington Road； and the other on the mantelpiece
of the surgery at Lower Brixton。 Well； when Dr。 Barnicot came down
this morning he was astonished to find that his house had been burgled
during the night； but that nothing had been taken save the plaster
head from the hall。 It had been carried out and had been dashed
savagely against the garden wall； under which its splintered fragments
were discovered。〃
Holmes rubbed his hands。
〃This is certainly very novel；〃 said he。
〃I thought it would please you。 But I have not got to the end yet。
Dr。 Barnicot was due at his surgery at twelve o'clock； and you can
imagine his amazement when； on arriving there； he found that the
window had been opened in the night and that the broken pieces of
his second bust were strewn all over the room。 It had been smashed
to atoms where it stood。 In neither case were there any signs which
could give us a clue as to the criminal or lunatic who had done the
mischief。 Now； Mr。 Holmes； you have got the facts。〃
〃They are singular； not to say grotesque；〃 said Holmes。 〃May I ask
whether the two busts smashed in Dr。 Barnicot's rooms were the exact
duplicates of the one which was destroyed in Morse Hudson's shop？〃
〃They were taken from the same mould。〃
〃Such a fact must tell against the theory that the man who breaks
them is influenced by any general hatred of Napoleon。 Considering
how many hundreds of statues of the great Emperor must exist in
London； it is too much to suppose such a coincidence as that a
promiscuous iconoclast should chance to begin upon three specimens
of the same bust。〃
〃Well； I thought as you do；〃 said Lestrade。 〃On the other hand； this
Morse Hudson is the purveyor of busts in that part of London； and
these three were the only ones which had been in his shop for years。
So； although； as you say； there are many hundreds of statues in
London； it is very probable that these three were the only ones in
that district。 Therefore； a local fanatic would begin with them。
What do you think； Dr。 Watson？〃
〃There are no limits to the possibilities of monomania；〃 I answered。
〃There is the condition which the modern French psychologists have
called the 'idee fixe；' which may be trifling in character； and
accompanied by complete sanity in every other way。 A man who had
read deeply about Napoleon； or who had possibly received some
hereditary family injury through the great war； might conceivably form
such an idee fixe and under its influence be capable of any
fantastic outrage。〃
〃That won't do； my dear Watson；〃 said Holmes； shaking his head； 〃for
no amount of idee fixe would enable your interesting monomaniac to
find out where these busts were situated。〃
〃Well； how do you explain it？〃
〃I don't attempt to do so。 I would only observe that there is a
certain method in the gentleman's eccentric proceedings。 For
example； in Dr。 Barnicot's hall； where a sound might arouse the
family； the bust was taken outside before being broken； whereas in the
surgery； where there was less danger of an alarm； it was smashed where
it stood。 The affair seems absurdly trifling； and yet I dare call
nothing trivial when I reflect that some of my most classic cases have
had the least promising commencement。 You will remember； Watson； how
the dreadful business of the Abernetty family was first brought to
my notice by the depth which the parsley had sunk into the butter upon
a hot day。 I can't afford； therefore； to smile at your three broken
busts； Lestrade； and I shall be very much obliged to you if you will
let me hear of any fresh development of so singular a chain of
events。〃
The development for which my friend had asked came in a quicker
and an infinitely more tragic form than he could have imagined。 I
was still dressing in my bedroom next morning； when there was a tap at
the door and Holmes entered； a telegram in his hand。 He read it aloud：
〃Come instantly； 131 Pitt Street； Kensington。
〃LESTRADE。〃
〃What is it； then？〃 I asked。
〃Don't know… may be anything。 But I suspect it is the sequel of
the story of the statues。 In that case our friend the image…breaker
has begun operations in another quarter of London。 There's coffee on
the table； Watson； and I have a cab at the door。〃
In half an h
