the adventure of the cardboard box-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！
their story before now。 To…day is Friday。 The packet was posted on
Thursday morning。 The tragedy； then； occurred on Wednesday or Tuesday；
or earlier。 If the two people were murdered； who but their murderer
would have sent this sign of his work to Miss Cushing？ We may take
it that the sender of the packet is the man whom we want。 But he
must have some strong reason for sending Miss Cushing this packet。
What reason then？ It must have been to tell her that the deed was
done！ or to pain her； perhaps。 But in that case she knows who it is。
Does she know？ I doubt it。 If she knew； why should she call the police
in？ She might have buried the ears； and no one would have been the
wiser。 That is what she would have done if she had wished to shield
the criminal。 But if she does not wish to shield him she would give
his name。 There is a tangle here which needs straightening out。〃 He
had been talking in a high； quick voice； staring blankly up over the
garden fence； but now he sprang briskly to his feet and walked towards
the house。
〃I have a few questions to ask Miss Cushing；〃 said he。
〃In that case I may leave you here〃 said Lestrade； 〃for I have
another small business on hand。 I think that I have nothing further to
learn from Miss Cushing。 You will find me at the police…station。〃
〃We shall look in on our way to the train；〃 answered Holmes。 A
moment later he and I were back in the front room； where the impassive
lady was still quietly working away at her antimacassar。 She put it
down on her lap as we entered and looked at us with her frank；
searching blue eyes。
〃I am convinced； sir；〃 she said； 〃that this matter is a mistake； and
that the parcel was never meant for me at all。 I have said this
several times to the gentleman from Scotland Yard； but he simply
laughs at me。 I have not an enemy in the world； as far as I know； so
why should anyone play me such a trick？〃
〃I am coming to be of the same opinion； Miss Cushing；〃 said
Holmes； taking a seat beside her。 〃I think that it is more than
probable…〃 he paused； and I was surprised； on glancing round to see
that he was staring with singular intentness at the lady's profile。
Surprise and satisfaction were both for an instant to be read upon his
eager face； though when she glanced round to find out the cause of his
silence he had become as demure as ever。 I stared hard myself at her
flat； grizzled hair； her trim cap； her little gilt earrings； her
placid features； but I could see nothing which could account for my
companion's evident excitement。
〃There were one or two questions…〃
〃Oh； I am weary of questions！〃 cried Miss Cushing impatiently。
〃You have two sisters； I believe。〃
〃How could you know that？〃
〃I observed the very instant that I entered the room that you have a
portrait group of three ladies upon the mantelpiece； one of whom is
undoubtedly yourself； while the others are so exceedingly like you
that there could be no doubt of the relationship。〃
〃Yes； you are quite right。 Those are my sisters； Sarah and Mary。〃
〃And here at my elbow is another portrait taken at Liverpool； of
your younger sister； in the company of a man who appears to be a
steward by his uniform。 I observe that she was unmarried at the time。〃
〃You are very quick at observing。〃
〃That is my trade。〃
〃Well； you are quite right。 But she was married to Mr。 Browner a few
days afterwards。 He was on the South American line when that was
taken； but he was so fond of her that he couldn't abide to leave her
for so long； and he got into the Liverpool and London boats。〃
〃Ah； the Conqueror； perhaps？〃
〃No； the May Day； when last I heard。 Jim came down here to see me
once。 That was before he broke the pledge； but afterwards he would
always take drink when he was ashore； and a little drink would send
him stark； staring mad。 Ah！ it was a bad day that ever he took a glass
in his hand again。 First he dropped me； then he quarrelled with Sarah；
and now that Mary has stopped writing we don't know how things are
going with them。〃
It was evident that Miss Cushing had come upon a subject on which
she felt very deeply。 Like most people who lead a lonely life； she was
shy at first； but ended by becoming extremely communicative。 She
told us many details about her brother…in…law the steward； and then
wandering off on the subject of her former lodgers； the medical
students； she gave us a long account of their delinquencies； with
their names and those of their hospitals。 Holmes listened
attentively to everything； throwing in a question from time to time。
〃About your second sister； Sarah；〃 said he。 〃I wonder； since you are
both maiden ladies； that you do not keep house together。〃
〃Ah！ you don't know Sarah's temper or you would wonder no more。 I
tried it when I came to Croydon； and we kept on until about two months
ago； when we had to part。 I don't want to say a word against my own
sister； but she was always meddlesome and hard to please； was Sarah。〃
〃You say that she quarrelled with your Liverpool relations。〃
〃Yes； and they were the best of friends at one time。 Why； she went
up there to live in order to be near them。 And now she has no word
hard enough for Jim Browner。 The last six months that she was here she
would speak of nothing but his drinking and his ways。 He had caught
her meddling； I suspect； and given her a bit of his mind； and that was
the start of it。〃
〃Thank you； Miss Cushing；〃 said Holmes； rising and bowing。 〃Your
sister Sarah lives； I think you said； at New Street； Wallington？
Good…bye； and I am very sorry that you have been troubled over a
case with which； as you say； you have nothing whatever to do。〃
There was a cab passing as we came out； and Holmes hailed it。
〃How far to Wallington？〃 he asked。
〃Only about a mile； sir。〃
〃Very good。 jump in； Watson。 We must strike while the iron is hot。
Simple as the case is； there have been one or two very instructive
details in connection with it。 Just pull up at a telegraph office as
you pass； cabby。〃
Holmes sent off a short wire and for the rest of the drive lay
back in the cab； with his hat tilted over his nose to keep the sun
from his face。 Our driver pulled up at a house which was not unlike
the one which we had just quitted。 My companion ordered him to wait；
and had his hand upon the knocker； when the door opened and a grave
young gentleman in black； with a very shiny hat； appeared on the step。
〃Is Miss Cushing at home？〃 asked Holmes。
〃Miss Sarah Cushing is extremely ill；〃 said he。 〃She has been
suffering since yesterday from brain symptoms of great severity。 As
her medical adviser； I cannot possibly take the responsibility of
allowing anyone to see her。 I should recommend you to call again in
ten days。〃 He drew on his gloves； closed the door； and marched off
down the street。
〃Well； if we can't we can't；〃 said Holmes； cheerfully。
〃Perhaps she could not or would not have told you much。〃
〃I did not wish her to tell me anything。 I only wanted to look at
her。 However； I think that I have got all that I want。 Drive us to
some decent hotel； cabby； where we may have some lunch； and afterwards
we shall drop down upon friend Lestrade at the police…station。〃
We had a pleasant little meal together； during which Holmes would
talk about nothing but violins； narrating with great exultation how he
had purchased his own Stradivarius； which was worth at least five
hundred guineas； at a Jew broker's in Tottenham Court Road for
fifty…five shillings。 This led him to Paganini； and we sat for an hour
over a bottle of claret while he told me anecdote after anecdote of
that extraordinary man。 The afternoon was far advanced and the hot
glare had softened into a mellow glow before we found ourselves at the
police…station。 Lestrade was waiting for us at the door。
〃A telegram for you； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said he。
〃Ha！ It is the answer！〃 He tore it open； glanced his eyes over it；
and crumpled it into his pocket。 〃That's all right〃 said he。
〃Have you found out anything？〃
〃I have found out everything！〃
〃What！〃 Lest
