the adventure of the cardboard box-第5章
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〃However； we were really independent of her help。 Our answers were
waiting for us at the police…station； where I had directed Algar to
send them。 Nothing could be more conclusive。 Mrs。 Browner's house
had been closed for more than three days； and the neighbours were of
opinion that she had gone south to see her relatives。 It had been
ascertained at the shipping offices that Browner had left aboard of
the May Day； and I calculate that she is due in the Thames tomorrow
night。 When he arrives he will be met by the obtuse but resolute
Lestrade； and I have no doubt that we shall have all our details
filled in。〃
Sherlock Holmes was not disappointed in his expectations。 Two days
later he received a bulky envelope； which contained a short note
from the detective； and a typewritten document which covered several
pages of foolscap。
〃Lestrade has got him all right；〃 said Holmes； glancing up at me。
〃Perhaps it would interest you to hear what he says。
My Dear Holmes：
〃In accordance with the scheme which we had formed in order to
test our theories〃 ＇〃the 'we' is rather fine； Watson； is it not？〃＇
〃I went down to the Albert Dock yesterday at 6 P。M。； and boarded the
S。S。 May Day； belonging to the Liverpool； Dublin； and London Steam
Packet Company。 On inquiry； I found that there was a steward on
board of the name of James Browner and that he had acted during the
voyage in such an extraordinary manner that the captain had been
compelled to relieve him of his duties。 On descending to his berth；
I found him seated upon a chest with his head sunk upon his hands；
rocking himself to and fro。 He is a big； powerful chap；
clean…shaven； and very swarthy… something like Aldridge； who helped us
in the bogus laundry affair。 He jumped up when he heard my business；
and I had my whistle to my lips to call a couple of river police；
who were round the corner； but he seemed to have no heart in him；
and he held out his hands quietly enough for the darbies。 We brought
him along to the cells； and his box as well for we thought there might
be something incriminating； but； bar a big sharp knife such as most
sailors have； we got nothing for our trouble。 However； we find that we
shall want no more evidence； for on being brought before the inspector
at the station he asked leave to make a statement which was； of
course； taken down； just as he made it； by our shorthand man。 We had
three copies typewritten； one of which I enclose。 The affair proves；
as I always thought it would； to be an extremely simple one； but I
am obliged to you for assisting me in my investigation。 With kind
regards；
〃Yours very truly；
〃G。 LESTRADE。
〃Hum！ The investigation really was a very simple one；〃 remarked
Holmes； 〃but I don't think it struck him in that light when he first
called us in。 However； let us see what Jim Browner has to say for
himself。 This is his statement as made before Inspector Montgomery
at the Shadwell Police Station； and it has the advantage of being
verbatim。〃
〃'Have I anything to say？ Yes； I have a deal to say。 I have to
make a clean breast of it all。 You can hang me； or you can leave me
alone。 I don't care a plug which you do。 I tell you I've not shut an
eye in sleep since I did it； and I don't believe I ever will again
until I get past all waking。 Sometimes it's his face； but most
generally it's hers。 I'm never without one or the other before me。
He looks frowning and black…like； but she has a kind o' surprise
upon her face。 Ay； the white lamb； she might well be surprised when
she read death on a face that had seldom looked anything but love upon
her before。
〃'But it was Sarah's fault and may the curse of a broken man put a
blight on her and set the blood rotting in her veins！ It's not that
I want to clear myself。 I know that I went back to drink； like the
beast that I was。 But she would have forgiven me； she would have stuck
as close to me as a rope to a block if that woman had never darkened
our door。 For Sarah Cushing loved me… that's the root of the business…
she loved me until all her love turned to poisonous hate when she knew
that I thought more of my wife's footmark in the mud than I did of her
whole body and soul。
〃'There were three sisters altogether。 The old one was just a good
woman； the second was a devil； and the third was an angel。 Sarah was
thirty…three； and Mary was twenty…nine when I married。 We were just as
happy as the day was long when we set up house together； and in all
Liverpool there was no better woman than my Mary。 And then we asked
Sarah up for a week； and the week grew into a month； and one thing led
to another； until she was just one of ourselves。
〃'I was blue ribbon at that time； and we were putting a little money
by； and all was as bright as a new dollar。 My God； whoever would
have thought that it could have come to this？ Whoever would have
dreamed it？
〃'I used to be home for the week…ends very often； and sometimes if
the ship were held back for cargo I would have a whole week at a time；
and in this way I saw a deal of my sister…in…law； Sarah。 She was a
fine tall woman； black and quick and fierce； with a proud way of
carrying her head； and a glint from her eye like a spark from a flint。
But when little Mary was there I had never a thought of her； and
that I swear as I hope for God's mercy。
〃'It had seemed to me sometimes that she liked to be alone with
me； or to coax me out for a walk with her； but I had never thought
anything of that。 But one evening my eyes were opened。 I had come up
from the ship and found my wife out； but Sarah at home。 〃Where's
Mary？〃 I asked。 〃Oh； she has gone to pay some accounts。〃 I was
impatient and paced up and down the room。 〃Can't you be happy for five
minutes without Mary； Jim？〃 says she。 〃It's a bad compliment to me
that you can't be contented with my society for so short a time。〃
〃That's all right； my lass；〃 said I； putting out my hand towards her
in a kindly way； but she had it in both hers in an instant； and they
burned as if they were in a fever。 I looked into her eyes and I read
it all there。 There was no need for her to speak； nor for me either。 I
frowned and drew my hand away。 Then she stood by my side in silence
for a bit； and then put up her hand and patted me on the shoulder。
〃Steady old Jim！〃 said she； and with a kind o' mocking laugh； she
run out of the room。
〃Well； from that time Sarah hated me with her whole heart and
soul； and she is a woman who can hate； too。 I was a fool to let her go
on biding with us… a besotted fool… but I never said a word to Mary；
for I knew it would grieve her。 Things went on much as before； but
after a time I began to find that there was a bit of a change in
Mary herself。 She had always been so trusting and so innocent； but now
she became queer and suspicious； wanting to know where I had been
and what I had been doing； and whom my letters were from； and what I
had in my pockets； and a thousand such follies。 Day by day she grew
queerer and more irritable； and we had ceaseless rows about nothing。 I
was fairly puzzled by it all。 Sarah avoided me now； but she and Mary
were just inseparable。 I can see now how she was plotting and scheming
and poisoning my wife's mind against me； but I was such a blind beetle
that I could not understand it at the time。 Then I broke my blue
ribbon and began to drink again； but I think I should not have done it
if Mary had been the same as ever。 She had some reason to be disgusted
with me now； and the gap between us began to be wider and wider。 And
then this Alec Fairbairn chipped in； and things became a thousand
times blacker。
〃'It was to see Sarah that he came to my house first； but soon it
was to see us； for he was a man with winning ways； and he made friends
wherever he went。 He was a dashing； swaggering chap； smart and curled；
who had seen half the world and could talk of what he had seen。 He was
good company； I won't deny it； and he had wonderful polite ways with
him for a sailor m
