the adventure of the red circle-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



kept　our　eyes　fixed　upon　the　mirror。　Suddenly；　as　the　landlady's

footsteps　died　away；　there　was　the　creak　of　a　turning　key；　the　handle

revolved；　and　two　thin　hands　darted　out　and　lifted　the　tray　from　the

chair。　An　instant　later　it　was　hurriedly　replaced；　and　I　caught　a

glimpse　of　a　dark；　beautiful；　horrified　face　glaring　at　the　narrow

opening　of　the　box…room。　Then　the　door　crashed　to；　the　key　turned　once

more；　and　all　was　silence。　Holmes　twitched　my　sleeve；　and　together

we　stole　down　the　stair。

　　〃I　will　call　again　in　the　evening；〃　said　he　to　the　expectant

landlady。　〃I　think；　Watson；　we　can　discuss　this　business　better　in　our

own　quarters。〃

　　〃My　surmise；　as　you　saw；　proved　to　be　correct；〃　said　he；　speaking

from　the　depths　of　his　easy…chair。　〃There　has　been　a　substitution　of

lodgers。　What　I　did　not　foresee　is　that　we　should　find　a　woman；　and　no

ordinary　woman；　Watson。〃

　　〃She　saw　us。〃

　　〃Well；　she　saw　something　to　alarm　her。　That　is　certain。　The

general　sequence　of　events　is　pretty　clear；　is　it　not？　A　couple　seek

refuge　in　London　from　a　very　terrible　and　instant　danger。　The

measure　of　that　danger　is　the　rigour　of　their　precautions。　The　man；

who　has　some　work　which　he　must　do；　desires　to　leave　the　woman　in

absolute　safety　while　he　does　it。　It　is　not　an　easy　problem；　but　he

solved　it　in　an　original　fashion；　and　so　effectively　that　her　presence

was　not　even　known　to　tile　landlady　who　supplies　her　with　food。　The

printed　messages；　as　is　now　evident；　were　to　prevent　her　sex　being

discovered　by　her　writing。　The　man　cannot　come　near　the　woman；　or　he

will　guide　their　enemies　to　her。　Since　he　cannot　communicate　with

her　direct；　he　has　recourse　to　the　agony　column　of　a　paper。　So　far　all

is　clear。〃

　　〃But　what　is　at　the　root　of　it？〃

　　〃Ah；　yes；　Watson…　severely　practical；　as　usual！　What　is　at　the

root　of　it　all？　Mrs。　Warren's　whimsical　problem　enlarges　somewhat

and　assumes　a　more　sinister　aspect　as　we　proceed。　This　much　we　can

say：　that　it　is　no　ordinary　love　escapade。　You　saw　the　woman's　face　at

the　sign　of　danger。　We　have　heard；　too；　of　the　attack　upon　the

landlord；　which　was　undoubtedly　meant　for　the　lodger。　These　alarms；

and　the　desperate　need　for　secrecy；　argue　that　the　matter　is　one　of

life　or　death。　The　attack　upon　Mr。　Warren　further　shows　that　the

enemy；　whoever　they　are；　are　themselves　not　aware　of　the

substitution　of　the　female　lodger　for　the　male。　It　is　very　curious　and

complex；　Watson。〃

　　〃Why　should　you　go　further　in　it？　What　have　you　to　gain　from　it？〃

　　〃What；　indeed？　It　is　art　for　art's　sake；　Watson。　I　suppose　when

you　doctored　you　found　yourself　studying　cases　without　thought　of　a

fee？〃

　　〃For　my　education；　Holmes。〃

　　〃Education　never　ends；　Watson。　It　is　a　series　of　lessons　with　the

greatest　for　the　last。　This　is　an　instructive　case。　There　is　neither

money　nor　credit　in　it；　and　yet　one　would　wish　to　tidy　it　up。　When

dusk　comes　we　should　find　ourselves　one　stage　advanced　in　our

investigation。〃

　　When　we　returned　to　Mrs。　Warren's　rooms；　the　gloom　of　a　London

winter　evening　had　thickened　into　one　gray　curtain；　a　dead　monotone　of

colour；　broken　only　by　the　sharp　yellow　squares　of　the　windows　and　the

blurred　haloes　of　the　gas…lamps。　As　we　peered　from　the　darkened

sitting…room　of　the　lodging…house；　one　more　dim　light　glimmered　high

up　through　the　obscurity。

　　〃Someone　is　moving　in　that　room；〃　said　Holmes　in　a　whisper；　his

gaunt　and　cager　face　thrust　forward　to　the　window…pane。　〃Yes；　I　can

see　his　shadow。　There　he　is　again！　He　has　a　candle　in　his　hand。　Now　he

is　peering　across。　He　wants　to　be　sure　that　she　is　on　the　lookout。　Now

he　begins　to　flash。　Take　the　message　also；　Watson；　that　we　may　check

each　other。　A　single　flash…　that　is　A；　surely。　Now；　then。　How　many　did

you　make　it？　Twenty。　So　did　I。　That　should　mean　T。　AT…　that's

intelligible　enough！　Another　T。　Surely　this　is　the　beginning　of　a

second　word。　Now；　then…　TENTA。　Dead　stop。　That　can't　be　all；　Watson？

ATTENTA　gives　no　sense。　Nor　is　it　any　better　as　three　words　AT；　TEN；

TA；　unless　T。　A。　are　a　person's　initials。　There　it　goes　again！

What's　that？　ATTE…　why；　it　is　the　same　message　over　again。　Curious；

Watson；　very　curious！　Now　he　is　off　once　more！　AT…　why；　he　is

repeating　it　for　the　third　time。　ATTENTA　three　times！　How　often　will

be　repeat　it？　No；　that　seems　to　be　the　finish。　He　has　withdrawn　from

the　window。　What　do　you　make　of　it；　Watson？〃

　　〃A　cipher　message；　Holmes。〃

　　My　companion　gave　a　sudden　chuckle　of　comprehension。　〃And　not　a　very

obscure　cipher；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃Why；　of　course；　it　is　Italian！

The　A　means　that　it　is　addressed　to　a　woman。　'Beware！　Beware！　Beware！'

How's　that；　Watson？〃

　　〃I　believe　you　have　hit　it。〃

　　〃Not　a　doubt　of　it。　It　is　a　very　urgent　message；　thrice　repeated

to　make　it　more　so。　But　beware　of　what？　Wait　a　bit；　he　is　coming　to

the　window　once　more。〃

　　Again　we　saw　the　dim　silhouette　of　a　crouching　man　and　the　whisk

of　the　small　flame　across　the　window　as　the　signals　were　renewed。　They

came　more　rapidly　than　before…　so　rapid　that　it　was　hard　to　follow

them。

　　　PERICOLO…　pericolo…　eh；　what's　that；　Watson？　'Danger；'　isn't　it？

Yes；　by　Jove；　it's　a　danger　signal。　There　he　goes　again！　PERI。　Halloa；

what　on　earth…〃

　　The　light　had　suddenly　gone　out；　the　glimmering　square　of　window　had

disappeared；　and　the　third　floor　formed　a　dark　band　round　the　lofty

building；　with　its　tiers　of　shining　casements。　That　last　warning　cry

had　been　suddenly　cut　short。　How；　and　by　whom？　The　same　thought

occurred　on　the　instant　to　us　both。　Holmes　sprang　up　from　where　he

crouched　by　the　window。

　　〃This　is　serious；　Watson；〃　he　cried。　〃There　is　some　devilry　going

forward！　Why　should　such　a　message　stop　in　such　a　way？　I　should　put

Scotland　Yard　in　touch　with　this　business…　and　yet；　it　is　too　pressing

for　us　to　leave。〃

　　〃Shall　I　go　for　the　police？〃

　　〃We　must　define　the　situation　a　little　more　clearly。　It　may　bear

some　more　innocent　interpretation。　Come；　Watson；　let　us　go　across

ourselves　and　see　what　we　can　make　of　it。〃

　　As　we　walked　rapidly　down　Howe　Street　I　glanced　back　at　the　building

which　we　had　left。　There；　dimly　outlined　at　the　top　window；　I　could

see　the　shadow　of　a　head；　a　woman's　head；　gazing　tensely；　rigidly；　out

into　the　night；　waiting　with　breathless　suspense　for　the　renewal　of

that　interrupted　message。　At　the　doorway　of　the　Howe　Street　flats　a

man；　muffled　in　a　cravat　and　greatcoat；　was　leaning　against　the

railing。　He　started　as　the　hall…light　fell　upon　our　faces。

　　〃Holmes！〃　he　cried。

　　〃Why；　Gregson！〃　said　my　companion　as　he　shook　hands　with　the

Scotland　Yard　detective。　〃Journeys　end　with　lovers'　meetings。　What

brings　you　here？〃

　　〃The　same　reasons　that　bring　you；　I　expect；〃　said　Gregson。　〃How

you　got　on　to　it　I　can't　imagine。〃

　　〃Different　threads；　but　leading　up　to　the　same　tangle。　I've　been

taking　the　signals。〃

　　〃Signals？〃

　　〃Yes；　from　that　window。　They　broke　off　in　the　middle。　We　came　over

to　see　the　reason。　But　since　it　is　safe　in　your　hands　I　see　no

object　in　continuing　the　business。〃

　　〃Wait　a　bit！〃　cried　Gregson　eagerly。　〃I'll　do　you　this　justice；

Mr。　Holmes；　that　I　was　never　in　a　case　yet　that　I　didn't　feel　stronger

for　having　you　on　my　side。　There's　only　the　one　exit　to　these　flats；

so　we　have　him　safe。〃

　　〃Who　is　he？〃

　　〃Well；　well；　we　score　over　you　for　once；　Mr。　Holmes。　You　must　give

us　best　this　time。〃　He　struck　his　stick　sharply　upon　the　ground；　on

which　a　cabman；　his　whip　in　his　band；　sauntered　over　from　a

four…wheeler　which　stood　on　the　far　side　of　the　street。　〃May　I

introduce　you　to　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes？〃　he　said　to　the　cabman。　This

is　Mr。　Leverton；　of　Pinkerton's　American　Agency。〃

　　〃The　hero　of　the　Long　Island　cave　mystery？〃　said　Holmes。　〃Sir；　I

am　pleased　to　meet　you。〃

　　The　American；　a　quiet；　businesslike　young　man；　with　a

clean…shaven；　hatchet　face；　flushed　up　at　the　words　of　commendation。

〃I　am　on　the　trail　of　my　life　now；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　sa