the adventure of the golden pince-nez-第2章

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in　the　forenoon；　between　eleven　and　twelve。　She　was　engaged　at　the

moment　in　hanging　some　curtains　in　the　upstairs　front　bedroom。

Professor　Coram　was　still　in　bed；　for　when　the　weather　is　bad　he

seldom　rises　before　midday。　The　housekeeper　was　busied　with　some

work　in　the　back　of　the　house。　Willoughby　Smith　had　been　in　his

bedroom；　which　he　uses　as　a　sitting…room；　but　the　maid　heard　him　at

that　moment　pass　along　the　passage　and　descend　to　the　study

immediately　below　her。　She　did　not　see　him；　but　she　says　that　she

could　not　be　mistaken　in　his　quick；　firm　tread。　She　did　not　hear　the

study　door　close；　but　a　minute　or　so　later　there　was　a　dreadful　cry　in

the　room　below。　It　was　a　wild；　hoarse　scream；　so　strange　and　unnatural

that　it　might　have　come　either　from　a　man　or　a　woman。　At　the　same

instant　there　was　a　heavy　thud；　which　shook　the　old　house；　and　then

all　was　silence。　The　maid　stood　petrified　for　a　moment；　and　then；

recovering　her　courage；　she　ran　downstairs。　The　study　door　was　shut

and　she　opened　it。　Inside；　young　Mr。　Willoughby　Smith　was　stretched

upon　the　floor。　At　first　she　could　see　no　injury；　but　as　she　tried

to　raise　him　she　saw　that　blood　was　pouring　from　the　underside　of

his　neck。　It　was　pierced　by　a　very　small　but　very　deep　wound；　which

had　divided　the　carotid　artery。　The　instrument　with　which　the　injury

had　been　inflicted　lay　upon　the　carpet　beside　him。　It　was　one　of　those

small　sealing…wax　knives　to　be　found　on　old…fashioned　writing

tables；　with　an　ivory　handle　and　a　stiff　blade。　It　was　part　of　the

fittings　of　the　professor's　own　desk。

　　〃At　first　the　maid　thought　that　young　Smith　was　already　dead；　but　on

pouring　some　water　from　the　carafe　over　his　forehead　he　opened　his

eyes　for　an　instant。　'The　professor；'　he　murmured…　'it　was　she。'　The

maid　is　prepared　to　swear　that　those　were　the　exact　words。　He　tried

desperately　to　say　something　else；　and　he　held　his　right　hand　up　in

the　air。　Then　he　fell　back　dead。

　　〃In　the　meantime　the　housekeeper　had　also　arrived　upon　the　scene；

but　she　was　just　too　late　to　catch　the　young　man's　dying　words。

Leaving　Susan　with　the　body；　she　hurried　to　the　professors　room。　He

was　sitting　up　in　bed；　horribly　agitated；　for　he　had　heard　enough　to

convince　him　that　something　terrible　had　occurred。　Mrs。　Marker　is

prepared　to　swear　that　the　professor　was　still　in　his　night…clothes；

and　indeed　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　dress　without　the　help　of

Mortimer；　whose　orders　were　to　come　at　twelve　o'clock。　The　professor

declares　that　he　heard　the　distant　cry；　but　that　he　knows　nothing

more。　He　can　give　no　explanation　of　the　young　man's　last　words；　'The

professor…　it　was　she；'　but　imagines　that　they　were　the　outcome　of

delirium。　He　believes　that　Willoughby　Smith　had　not　an　enemy　in　the

world；　and　can　give　no　reason　for　the　crime。　His　first　action　was　to

send　Mortimer；　the　gardener；　for　the　local　police。　A　little　later

the　chief　constable　sent　for　me。　Nothing　was　moved　before　I　got　there；

and　strict　orders　were　given　that　no　one　should　walk　upon　the　paths

leading　to　the　house。　It　was　a　splendid　chance　of　putting　your

theories　into　practice；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes。　There　was　really

nothing　wanting。〃

　　〃Except　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes；〃　said　my　companion；　with　a　somewhat

bitter　smile。　〃Well；　let　us　hear　about　it。　What　sort　of　a　job　did

you　make　of　it？〃

　　〃I　must　ask　you　first；　Mr。　Holmes；　to　glance　at　this　rough　plan；

which　will　give　you　a　general　idea　of　the　position　of　the

professor's　study　and　the　various　points　of　the　case。　It　will　help　you

in　my　investigation。〃

　　He　unfolded　the　rough　chart；　which　I　here　reproduce；　and　he　laid

it　across　Holmes's　knee。　I　rose　and；　standing　behind　Holmes；　studied

it　over　his　shoulder。　（See　illustration。）

　　〃It　is　very　rough；　of　course；　and　it　only　deals　with　the　points

which　seem　to　me　to　be　essential。　All　the　rest　you　will　see　later

for　yourself。　Now；　first　of　all；　presuming　that　the　assassin　entered

the　house；　how　did　he　or　she　come　in？　Undoubtedly　by　the　garden　path

and　the　back　door；　from　which　there　is　direct　access　to　the　study。　Any

other　way　would　have　been　exceedingly　complicated。　The　escape　must

have　also　been　made　along　that　line；　for　of　the　two　other　exits　from

the　room　one　was　blocked　by　Susan　as　she　ran　downstairs　and　the

other　leads　straight　to　the　professor's　bedroom。　I　therefore

directed　my　attention　at　once　to　the　garden　path；　which　was

saturated　with　recent　rain；　and　would　certainly　show　any　footmarks。

　　〃My　examination　showed　me　that　I　was　dealing　with　a　cautious　and

expert　criminal。　No　footmarks　were　to　be　found　on　the　path。　There

could　be　no　question；　however；　that　someone　had　passed　along　the　grass

border　which　lines　the　path；　and　that　he　had　done　so　in　order　to　avoid

leaving　a　track。　I　could　not　find　anything　in　the　nature　of　a　distinct

impression；　but　the　grass　was　trodden　down；　and　someone　had

undoubtedly　passed。　It　could　only　have　been　the　murderer；　since

neither　the　gardener　nor　anyone　else　had　been　there　that　morning；

and　the　rain　had　only　begun　during　the　night。〃

　　〃One　moment；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Where　does　this　path　lead　to？〃

　　〃To　the　road。〃

　　〃How　long　is　it？〃

　　〃A　hundred　yards　or　so。〃

　　〃At　the　point　where　the　path　passes　through　the　gate；　you　could

surely　pick　up　the　tracks？〃

　　〃Unfortunately；　the　path　was　tiled　at　that　point。〃

　　〃Well；　on　the　road　itself？〃

　　〃No；　it　was　all　trodden　into　mire。〃

　　〃Tut…tut！　Well；　then；　these　tracks　upon　the　grass；　were　they

coming　or　going？〃

　　〃It　was　impossible　to　say。　There　was　never　any　outline。〃

　　〃A　large　foot　or　a　small？〃

　　〃You　could　not　distinguish。〃

　　Holmes　gave　an　ejaculation　of　impatience。

　　〃It　has　been　pouring　rain　and　blowing　a　hurricane　ever　since；〃

said　be。　〃It　will　be　harder　to　read　now　than　that　palimpsest。　Well；

well；　it　can't　be　helped。　What　did　you　do；　Hopkins；　after　you　had　made

certain　that　you　had　made　certain　of　nothing？〃

　　〃I　think　I　made　certain　of　a　good　deal；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　knew　that

someone　had　entered　the　house　cautiously　from　without。　I　next　examined

the　corridor。　It　is　lined　with　cocoanut　matting　and　had　taken　no

impression　of　any　kind。　This　brought　me　into　the　study　itself。　It　is　a

scantily　furnished　room。　The　main　article　is　a　large　writing…table

with　a　fixed　bureau。　This　bureau　consists　of　a　double　column　of

drawers；　with　a　central　small　cupboard　between　them。　The　drawers

were　open；　the　cupboard　locked。　The　drawers；　it　seems；　were　always

open；　and　nothing　of　value　was　kept　in　them。　There　were　some　papers　of

importance　in　the　cupboard；　but　there　were　no　signs　that　this　had　been

tampered　with；　and　the　professor　assures　me　that　nothing　was

missing。　It　is　certain　that　no　robbery　has　been　committed。

　　〃I　come　now　to　the　body　of　the　young　man。　It　was　found　near　the

bureau；　and　just　to　the　left　of　it；　as　marked　upon　that　chart。　The

stab　was　on　the　right　side　of　the　neck　and　from　behind　forward；　so

that　it　is　almost　impossible　that　it　could　have　been　self…inflicted。〃

　　〃Unless　he　fell　upon　the　knife；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Exactly。　The　idea　crossed　my　mind。　But　we　found　the　knife　some　feet

away　from　the　body；　so　that　seems　impossible。　Then；　of　course；　there

are　the　man's　own　dying　words。　And；　finally；　there　was　this　very

important　piece　of　evidence　which　was　found　clasped　in　the　dead

man's　right　hand。〃

　　From　his　pocket　Stanley　Hopkins　drew　a　small　paper　packet。　He

unfolded　it　and　disclosed　a　golden　pince…nez；　with　two　broken　ends

of　black　silk　cord　dangling　from　the　end　of　it。　〃Willoughby　Smith

had　excellent　sight；〃　he　added。　〃There　can　be　no　question　that　this

was　snatched　from　the　face　or　the　person　of　the　assassin。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　took　the　glasses　into　his　hand；　and　examined　them

with　the　utmost　attention　and　interest。　He　held　them　on　his　nose；

endeavoured　to　read　through　them；　went　to　the　window　and　stared　up　the

street　with　them；　looked　at　them　most　minutely　in　the　full　light　of

the　lamp；　and　finally；　with　a　chuckle；　seated　himself　at　the　table　and

wrote　a　few　lines　upon　a　sheet　of　paper；　which　he　tossed　across　to

Stanley　Hopkins。

　　〃