the adventure of the cardboard box-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　CARDBOARD　BOX

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　In　choosing　a　few　typical　cases　which　illustrate　the　remarkable

mental　qualities　of　my　friend；　Sherlock　Holmes；　I　have　endeavoured；　as

far　as　possible；　to　select　those　which　presented　the　minimum　of

sensationalism；　while　offering　a　fair　field　for　his　talents。　It　is；

however；　unfortunately　impossible　entirely　to　separate　the　sensational

from　the　criminal；　and　a　chronicler　is　left　in　the　dilemma　that　he

must　either　sacrifice　details　which　are　essential　to　his　statement　and

so　give　a　false　impression　of　the　problem；　or　he　must　use　matter　which

chance；　and　not　choice；　has　provided　him　with。　With　this　short　preface

I　shall　turn　to　my　notes　of　what　proved　to　be　a　strange；　though　a

peculiarly　terrible；　chain　of　events。

　　It　was　a　blazing　hot　day　in　August。　Baker　Street　was　like　an　oven；

and　the　glare　of　the　sunlight　upon　the　yellow　brickwork　of　the　house

across　the　road　was　painful　to　the　eye。　It　was　hard　to　believe　that

these　were　the　same　walls　which　loomed　so　gloomily　through　the　fogs　of

winter。　Our　blinds　were　half…drawn；　and　Holmes　lay　curled　upon　the

sofa；　reading　and　re…reading　a　letter　which　he　had　received　by　the

morning　post。　For　myself；　my　term　of　service　in　India　had　trained　me

to　stand　heat　better　than　cold；　and　a　thermometer　at　ninety　was　no

hardship。　But　the　morning　paper　was　uninteresting。　Parliament　had

risen。　Everybody　was　out　of　town；　and　I　yearned　for　the　glades　of

the　New　Forest　or　the　shingle　of　Southsea。　A　depleted　bank　account　had

caused　me　to　postpone　my　holiday；　and　as　to　my　companion；　neither

the　country　nor　the　sea　presented　the　slightest　attraction　to　him。

He　loved　to　lie　in　the　very　centre　of　five　millions　of　people；　with

his　filaments　stretching　out　and　running　through　them；　responsive　to

every　little　rumour　or　suspicion　of　unsolved　crime。　Appreciation　of

nature　found　no　place　among　his　many　gifts；　and　his　only　change　was

when　he　turned　his　mind　from　the　evil…doer　of　the　town　to　track　down

his　brother　of　the　country。

　　Finding　that　Holmes　was　too　absorbed　for　conversation　I　had　tossed

aside　the　barren　paper；　and　leaning　back　in　my　chair　I　fell　into　a

brown　study。　Suddenly　my　companion's　voice　broke　in　upon　my　thoughts：

　　〃You　are　right；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃It　does　seem　a　most

preposterous　way　of　settling　a　dispute。〃

　　〃Most　preposterous！〃　I　exclaimed；　and　then　suddenly　realizing　how　he

had　echoed　the　inmost　thought　of　my　soul；　I　sat　up　in　my　chair　and

stared　at　him　in　blank　amazement。

　　〃What　is　this；　Holmes？〃　I　cried。　〃This　is　beyond　anything　which　I

could　have　imagined。〃

　　He　laughed　heartily　at　my　perplexity。

　　〃You　remember；〃　said　he；　〃that　some　little　time　ago　when　I　read

you　the　passage　in　one　of　Poe's　sketches　in　which　a　close　reasoner

follows　the　unspoken　thoughts　of　his　companion；　you　were　inclined　to

treat　the　matter　as　a　mere　tour…de…force　of　the　author。　On　my

remarking　that　I　was　constantly　in　the　habit　of　doing　the　same　thing

you　expressed　incredulity。〃

　　〃Oh；　no！〃

　　〃Perhaps　not　with　your　tongue；　my　dear　Watson；　but　certainly　with

your　eyebrows。　So　when　I　saw　you　throw　down　your　paper　and　enter

upon　a　train　of　thought；　I　was　very　happy　to　have　the　opportunity　of

reading　it　off；　and　eventually　of　breaking　into　it；　as　a　proof　that

I　had　been　in　rapport　with　you。〃

　　But　I　was　still　far　from　satisfied。　〃In　the　example　which　you　read

to　me；〃　said　I；　〃the　reasoner　drew　his　conclusions　from　the　actions　of

the　man　whom　he　observed。　If　I　remember　right；　he　stumbled　over　a　heap

of　stones；　looked　up　at　the　stars；　and　so　on。　But　I　have　been　seated

quietly　in　my　chair；　and　what　clues　can　I　have　given　you？〃

　　〃You　do　yourself　an　injustice。　The　features　are　given　to　man　as

the　means　by　which　he　shall　express　his　emotions；　and　yours　are

faithful　servants。〃

　　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　read　my　train　of　thoughts　from　my

features？〃

　　〃Your　features　and　especially　your　eyes。　Perhaps　you　cannot　yourself

recall　how　your　reverie　commenced？〃

　　〃No；　I　cannot。〃

　　〃Then　I　will　tell　you。　After　throwing　down　your　paper；　which　was　the

action　which　drew　my　attention　to　you；　you　sat　for　half　a　minute

with　a　vacant　expression。　Then　your　eyes　fixed　themselves　upon　your

newly　framed　picture　of　General　Gordon；　and　I　saw　by　the　alteration　in

your　face　that　a　train　of　thought　had　been　started。　But　it　did　not

lead　very　far。　Your　eyes　flashed　across　to　the　unframed　portrait　of

Henry　Ward　Beecher　which　stands　upon　the　top　of　your　books。　Then　you

glanced　up　at　the　wall；　and　of　course　your　meaning　was　obvious。　You

were　thinking　that　if　the　portrait　were　framed　it　would　just　cover

that　bare　space　and　correspond　with　Gordon's　picture　over　there。〃

　　〃You　have　followed　me　wonderfully！〃　I　exclaimed。

　　〃So　far　I　could　hardly　have　gone　astray。　But　now　your　thoughts

went　back　to　Beecher；　and　you　looked　hard　across　as　if　you　were

studying　the　character　in　his　features。　Then　your　eyes　ceased　to

pucker；　but　you　continued　to　look　across；　and　your　face　was

thoughtful。　You　were　recalling　the　incidents　of　Beecher's　career。　I

was　well　aware　that　you　could　not　do　this　without　thinking　of　the

mission　which　he　undertook　on　behalf　of　the　North　at　the　time　of　the

Civil　War；　for　I　remember　your　expressing　your　passionate

indignation　at　the　way　in　which　he　was　received　by　the　more

turbulent　of　our　people。　You　felt　so　strongly　about　it　that　I　knew　you

could　not　think　of　Beecher　without　thinking　of　that　also。　When　a

moment　later　I　saw　your　eyes　wander　away　from　the　picture；　I　suspected

that　your　mind　had　now　turned　to　the　Civil　War；　and　when　I　observed

that　your　lips　set；　your　eyes　sparkled；　and　your　hands　clenched　I

was　positive　that　you　were　indeed　thinking　of　the　gallantry　which

was　shown　by　both　sides　in　that　desperate　struggle。　But　then；　again；

your　face　grew　sadder；　you　shook　your　head。　You　were　dwelling　upon　the

sadness　and　horror　and　useless　waste　of　life。　Your　hand　stole

towards　your　own　old　wound　and　a　smile　quivered　on　your　lips；　which

showed　me　that　the　ridiculous　side　of　this　method　of　settling

international　questions　had　forced　itself　upon　your　mind。　At　this

point　I　agreed　with　you　that　it　was　preposterous　and　was　glad　to

find　that　all　my　deductions　had　been　correct。〃

　　〃Absolutely！〃　said　I。　〃And　now　that　you　have　explained　it；　I　confess

that　I　am　as　amazed　as　before。〃

　　〃It　was　very　superficial；　my　dear　Watson；　I　assure　you。　I　should　not

have　intruded　it　upon　your　attention　had　you　not　shown　some

incredulity　the　other　day。　But　I　have　in　my　hands　here　a　little

problem　which　may　prove　to　be　more　difficult　of　solution　than　my　small

essay　in　thought　reading。　Have　you　observed　in　the　paper　a　short

paragraph　referring　to　the　remarkable　contents　of　a　packet　sent

through　the　post　to　Miss　Cushing；　of　Cross　Street　Croydon？〃

　　〃No；　I　saw　nothing。〃

　　〃Ah！　then　you　must　have　overlooked　it。　Just　toss　it　over　to　me。　Here

it　is；　under　the　financial　column。　Perhaps　you　would　be　good　enough　to

read　it　aloud。〃

　　I　picked　up　the　paper　which　he　had　thrown　back　to　me　and　read　the

paragraph　indicated。　It　was　headed；　〃A　Gruesome　Packet。〃



　　　〃Miss　Susan　Cushing；　living　at　Cross　Street；　Croydon；　has　been　made

the　victim　of　what　must　be　regarded　as　a　peculiarly　revolting

practical　joke　unless　some　more　sinister　meaning　should　prove　to　be

attached　to　the　incident。　At　two　o'clock　yesterday　afternoon　a　small

packet；　wrapped　in　brown　paper；　was　handed　in　by　the　postman。　A

cardboard　box　was　inside；　which　was　filled　with　coarse　salt。　On

emptying　this；　Miss　Cushing　was　horrified　to　find　two　human　ears；

apparently　quite　freshly　severed。　The　box　had　been　sent　by　parcel　post

from　Belfast　upon　the　morning　before。　There　is　no　indication　as　to　the

sender；　and　the　matter　is　the　more　mysterious　as　Miss　Cushing；　who

is　a　maiden　lady　of　fifty；　has　led　a　most　retired　life；　and　has　so　few

acquaintances　or　correspondents　that　it　is　a　rare　event　for　her　to

receive　anything　thr