the adventure of shoscombe old place-第3章

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and　all　Sir　Robert's　into　the　Bargain。　By　the　way〃…　he　looked　at　us

with　thoughtful　eyes…　〃I　suppose　you　ain't　on　the　turf　yourselves？〃

　　〃No；　indeed。　just　two　weary　Londoners　who　badly　need　some　good

Berkshire　air。〃

　　〃Well；　you　are　in　the　right　place　for　that。　There　is　a　deal　of　it

lying　about。　But　mind　what　I　have　told　you　about　Sir　Robert。　He's

the　sort　that　strikes　first　and　speaks　afterwards。　Keep　clear　of　the

park。〃

　　〃Surely；　Mr。　Barnes！　We　certainly　shall。　By　the　way；　that　was　a　most

beautiful　spaniel　that　was　whining　in　the　hall。〃

　　〃I　should　say　it　was。　That　was　the　real　Shoscombe　breed。　There　ain't

a　better　in　England。〃

　　〃I　am　a　dog…fancier　myself；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Now；　if　it　is　a　fair

question；　what　would　a　prize　dog　like　that　cost？〃

　　〃More　than　I　could　pay；　sir。　It　was　Sir　Robert　himself　who　gave　me

this　one。　That's　why　I　have　to　keep　it　on　a　lead。　It　would　be　off　to

the　Hall　in　a　jiffy　if　I　gave　it　its　head。〃

　　〃We　are　getting　some　cards　in　our　hand；　Watson；〃　said　Holmes　when

the　landlord　had　left　us。　〃It's　not　an　easy　one　to　play；　but　we　may

see　our　way　in　a　day　or　two。　By　the　way；　Sir　Robert　is　still　in

London；　I　hear。　We　might；　perhaps；　enter　the　sacred　domain　to…night

without　fear　of　bodily　assault。　There　are　one　or　two　points　on　which　I

should　like　reassurance。〃

　　〃Have　you　any　theory；　Holmes？〃

　　〃Only　this；　Watson；　that　something　happened　a　week　or　so　ago　which

has　cut　deep　into　the　life　of　the　Shoscombe　household。　What　is　that

something？　We　can　only　guess　at　it　from　its　effects。　They　seem　to　be

of　a　curiously　mixed　character。　But　that　should　surely　help　us。　It

is　only　the　colourless；　uneventful　case　which　is　hopeless。

　　〃Let　us　consider　our　data。　The　brother　no　longer　visits　the

beloved　invalid　sister。　He　gives　away　her　favourite　dog。　Her　dog；

Watson！　Does　that　suggest　nothing　to　you？〃

　　〃Nothing　but　the　brother's　spite。〃

　　〃Well；　it　might　be　so。　Or…　well；　there　is　an　alternative。　Now　to

continue　our　review　of　the　situation　from　the　time　that　the　quarrel；

if　there　is　a　quarrel；　began。　The　lady　keeps　her　room；　alters　her

habits；　is　not　seen　save　when　she　drives　out　with　her　maid；　refuses　to

stop　at　the　stables　to　greet　her　favourite　horse；　and　apparently　takes

to　drink。　That　covers　the　case；　does　it　not？〃

　　〃Save　for　the　business　in　the　crypt。〃

　　〃That　is　another　line　of　thought。　There　are　two；　and　I　beg　you

will　not　tangle　them。　Line　A；　which　concerns　Lady　Beatrice；　has　a

vaguely　sinister　flavour；　has　it　not？〃

　　〃I　can　make　nothing　of　it。〃

　　〃Well；　now；　let　us　take　up　line　B；　which　concerns　Sir　Robert。　He

is　mad　keen　upon　winning　the　Derby。　He　is　in　the　hands　of　the　Jews；

and　may　at　any　moment　be　sold　up　and　his　racing　stables　seized　by

his　creditors。　He　is　a　daring　and　desperate　man。　He　derives　his　income

from　his　sister。　His　sister's　maid　is　his　willing　tool。　So　far　we　seem

to　be　on　fairly　safe　ground；　do　we　not？〃

　　〃But　the　crypt？〃

　　〃Ah；　yes；　the　crypt！　Let　us　suppose；　Watson…　it　is　merely　a

scandalous　supposition；　a　hypothesis　put　forward　for　argument's

sake…　that　Sir　Robert　has　done　away　with　his　sister。〃

　　〃My　dear　Holmes；　it　is　out　of　the　question。〃

　　〃Very　possibly；　Watson。　Sir　Robert　is　a　man　of　an　honourable

stock。　But　you　do　occasionally　find　a　carrion　crow　among　the　eagles。

Let　us　for　a　moment　argue　upon　this　supposition。　He　could　not　fly

the　country　until　he　had　realized　his　fortune；　and　that　fortune

could　only　be　realized　by　bringing　off　this　coup　with　Shoscombe

Prince。　Therefore；　he　has　still　to　stand　his　ground。　To　do　this　he

would　have　to　dispose　of　the　body　of　his　victim；　and　he　would　also

have　to　find　a　substitute　who　would　impersonate　her。　With　the　maid

as　his　confidante　that　would　not　be　impossible。　The　woman's　body　might

be　conveyed　to　the　crypt；　which　is　a　place　so　seldom　visited；　and　it

might　be　secretly　destroyed　at　night　in　the　furnace；　leaving　behind　it

such　evidence　as　we　have　already　seen。　What　say　you　to　that；　Watson？〃

　　〃Well；　it　is　all　possible　if　you　grant　the　original　monstrous

supposition。〃

　　〃I　think　that　there　is　a　small　experiment　which　we　may　try

to…morrow；　Watson；　in　order　to　throw　some　light　on　the　matter。

Meanwhile；　if　we　mean　to　keep　up　our　characters；　I　suggest　that　we

have　our　host　in　for　a　glass　of　his　own　wine　and　hold　some　high

converse　upon　eels　and　dace；　which　seems　to　be　the　straight　road　to

his　affections。　We　may　chance　to　come　upon　some　useful　local　gossip　in

the　process。〃

　　In　the　morning　Holmes　discovered　that　we　had　come　without　our

spoon…bait　for　jack；　which　absolved　us　from　fishing　for　the　day。　About

eleven　o'clock　we　started　for　a　walk；　and　he　obtained　leave　to　take

the　black　spaniel　with　us。

　　〃This　is　the　place；〃　said　he　as　we　came　to　two　high　park　gates

with　heraldic　griffins　towering　above　them。　〃About　midday；　Mr。

Barnes　informs　me；　the　old　lady　takes　a　drive；　and　the　carriage　must

slow　down　while　the　gates　are　opened。　When　it　comes　through；　and

before　it　gathers　speed；　I　want　you；　Watson；　to　stop　the　coachman　with

some　question。　Never　mind　me。　I　shall　stand　behind　this　holly…bush　and

see　what　I　can　see。〃

　　It　was　not　a　long　vigil。　Within　a　quarter　of　an　hour　we　saw　the

big　open　yellow　barouche　coming　down　the　long　avenue；　with　two

splendid；　high…stepping　gray　carriage　horses　in　the　shafts。　Holmes

crouched　behind　his　bush　with　the　dog。　I　stood　unconcernedly

swinging　a　cane　in　the　roadway。　A　keeper　ran　out　and　the　gates　swung

open。

　　The　carriage　had　slowed　to　a　walk；　and　I　was　able　to　get　a　good　look

at　the　occupants。　A　highly　coloured　young　woman　with　flaxen　hair　and

impudent　eyes　sat　on　the　left。　At　her　right　was　an　elderly　person　with

rounded　back　and　a　huddle　of　shawls　about　her　face　and　shoulders　which

proclaimed　the　invalid。　When　the　horses　reached　the　highroad　I　held　up

my　hand　with　an　authoritative　gesture；　and　as　the　coachman　pulled　up　I

inquired　if　Sir　Robert　was　at　Shoscombe　Old　Place。

　　At　the　same　moment　Holmes　stepped　out　and　released　the　spaniel。　With

a　joyous　cry　it　dashed　forward　to　the　carriage　and　sprang　upon　the

step。　Then　in　a　moment　its　eager　greeting　changed　to　furious　rage；　and

it　snapped　at　the　black　skirt　above　it。

　　〃Drive　on！　Drive　on！〃　shrieked　a　harsh　voice。　The　coachman　lashed

the　horses；　and　we　were　left　standing　in　the　roadway。

　　〃Well；　Watson；　that's　done　it；〃　said　Holmes　as　he　fastened　the

lead　to　the　neck　of　the　excited　spaniel。　〃He　thought　it　was　his

mistress；　and　he　found　it　was　a　stranger。　Dogs　don't　make　mistakes。〃

　　〃But　it　was　the　voice　of　a　man！〃　I　cried。

　　〃Exactly！　We　have　added　one　card　to　our　hand；　Watson；　But　it　needs

careful　playing；　all　the　same。〃

　　My　companion　seemed　to　have　no　further　plans　for　the　day；　and　we　did

actually　use　our　fishing　tackle　in　the　mill…stream；　with　the　result

that　we　had　a　dish　of　trout　for　our　supper。　It　was　only　after　that

meal　that　Holmes　showed　signs　of　renewed　activity。　Once　more　we

found　ourselves　upon　the　same　road　as　in　the　morning；　which　led　us

to　the　park　gates。　A　tall；　dark　figure　was　awaiting　us　there；　who

proved　to　be　our　London　acquaintance；　Mr。　John　Mason；　the　trainer。

　　〃Good…evening；　gentlemen；〃　said　he。　〃I　got　your　note；　Mr。　Holmes。

Sir　Robert　has　not　returned　yet；　but　I　hear　that　he　is　expected

to…night。〃

　　〃How　far　is　this　crypt　from　the　house？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　〃A　good　quarter　of　a　mile。〃

　　〃Then　I　think　we　can　disregard　him　altogether。〃

　　〃I　can't　afford　to　do　that；　Mr。　Holmes。　The　moment　he　arrives　he

will　want　to　see　me　to　get　the　last　news　of　Shoscombe　Prince。〃

　　〃I　see！　In　that　case　we　must　work　without　you；　Mr。　Mason。　You　can

show　us　the　crypt　and　then　leave　us。〃

　　It　was　pitch…dark　and　without　a　moon；　but　Mason　led　us　over　the

grasslands　until　a　dark　mass　loomed　tip　in　front　of　us　which　proved　to

be　the　ancient　chapel。　We　entered　the　broken　gap　which　was　once　the

porch；　and　our　guide；　stumbling　among　heaps　of　loose　masonry；　picked

his　way　to　the　corner　of　the　building；　where　a　steep　stair　led　down

into　the　crypt。　Striking　a　match；　he　illuminated　the　Melancholy　place…

dismal　and　evil…sm