the adventure of the golden pince-nez-第5章

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with　her　as　if　he　had　known　her　for　years。

　　〃Yes；　Mr。　Holmes；　it　is　as　you　say；　sir。　He　does　smoke　something

terrible。　All　day　and　sometimes　all　night；　sir。　I've　seen　that　room　of

a　morning…　well；　sir；　you'd　have　thought　it　was　a　London　fog。　Poor

young　Mr。　Smith；　he　was　a　smoker　also；　but　not　as　bad　as　the

professor。　His　health…　well；　I　don't　know　that　it's　better　nor　worse

for　the　smoking。〃

　　〃Ah！〃　said　Holmes；　〃but　it　kills　the　appetite。〃

　　〃Well；　I　don't　know　about　that；　sir。〃

　　〃I　suppose　the　professor　eats　hardly　anything？〃

　　〃Well；　he　is　variable。　I'll　say　that　for　him。〃

　　〃I'll　wager　he　took　no　breakfast　this　morning；　and　won't　face　his

lunch　after　all　the　cigarettes　I　saw　him　consume。〃

　　〃Well；　you're　out　there；　sir；　as　it　happens；　for　he　ate　a　remarkable

big　breakfast　this　morning。　I　don't　know　when　I've　known　him　make　a

better　one；　and　he's　ordered　a　good　dish　of　cutlets　for　his　lunch。　I'm

surprised　myself；　for　since　I　came　into　that　room　yesterday　and　saw

young　Mr。　Smith　lying　there　on　the　floor；　I　couldn't　bear　to　look　at

food。　Well；　it　takes　all　sorts　to　make　a　world；　and　the　professor

hasn't　let　it　take　his　appetite　away。〃

　　We　loitered　the　morning　away　in　the　garden。　Stanley　Hopkins　had　gone

down　to　the　village　to　look　into　some　rumours　of　a　strange　woman　who

had　been　seen　by　some　children　on　the　Chatham　Road　the　previous

morning。　As　to　my　friend；　all　his　usual　energy　seemed　to　have　deserted

him。　I　had　never　known　him　handle　a　case　in　such　a　half…hearted

fashion。　Even　the　news　brought　back　by　Hopkins　that　he　had　found　the

children；　and　that　they　had　undoubtedly　seen　a　woman　exactly

corresponding　with　Holmes's　description；　and　wearing　either　spectacles

or　eyeglasses；　failed　to　rouse　any　sign　of　keen　interest。　He　was

more　attentive　when　Susan；　who　waited　upon　us　at　lunch；　volunteered

the　information　that　she　believed　Mr。　Smith　had　been　out　for　a　walk

yesterday　morning；　and　that　he　had　only　returned　half　an　hour　before

the　tragedy　occurred。　I　could　not　myself　see　the　bearing　of　this

incident；　but　I　clearly　perceived　that　Holmes　was　weaving　it　into

the　general　scheme　which　he　had　formed　in　his　brain。　Suddenly　he

sprang　from　his　chair　and　glanced　at　his　watch。　〃Two　o'clock；

gentlemen；〃　said　he。　〃We　must　go　up　and　have　it　out　with　our　friend；

the　professor。〃

　　The　old　man　had　just　finished　his　lunch；　and　certainly　his　empty

dish　bore　evidence　to　the　good　appetite　with　which　his　housekeeper　had

credited　him。　He　was；　indeed；　a　weird　figure　as　he　turned　his　white

mane　and　his　glowing　eyes　towards　us。　The　eternal　cigarette　smouldered

in　his　mouth。　He　had　been　dressed　and　was　seated　in　an　armchair　by　the

fire。

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　have　you　solved　this　mystery　yet？〃　He　shoved

the　large　tin　of　cigarettes　which　stood　on　a　table　beside　him

towards　my　companion。　Holmes　stretched　out　his　hand　at　the　same

moment；　and　between　them　they　tipped　the　box　over　the　edge。　For　a

minute　or　two　we　were　all　on　our　knees　retrieving　stray　cigarettes

from　impossible　places。　When　we　rose　again；　I　observed　Holmes's　eyes

were　shining　and　his　cheeks　tinged　with　colour。　Only　at　a　crisis

have　I　seen　those　battle…signals　flying。

　　〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　solved　it。〃

　　Stanley　Hopkins　and　I　stared　in　amazement。　Something　like　a　sneer

quivered　over　the　gaunt　features　of　the　old　professor。

　　〃Indeed！　In　the　garden？〃

　　〃No；　here。〃

　　〃Here！　When？〃

　　〃This　instant。〃

　　〃You　are　surely　joking；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes。　You　compel　me　to　tell

you　that　this　is　too　serious　a　matter　to　be　treated　in　such　a

fashion。〃

　　〃I　have　forged　and　tested　every　link　of　my　chain；　Professor　Coram；

and　I　am　sure　that　it　is　sound。　What　your　motives　are；　or　what　exact

part　you　play　in　this　strange　business；　I　am　not　yet　able　to　say。　In　a

few　minutes　I　shall　probably　hear　it　from　your　own　lips。　Meanwhile　I

will　reconstruct　what　is　past　for　your　benefit；　so　that　you　may　know

the　information　which　I　still　require。

　　〃A　lady　yesterday　entered　your　study。　She　came　with　the　intention　of

possessing　herself　of　certain　documents　which　were　in　your　bureau。　She

had　a　key　of　her　own。　I　have　had　an　opportunity　of　examining　yours；

and　I　do　not　find　that　slight　discolouration　which　the　scratch　made

upon　the　varnish　would　have　produced。　You　were　not　an　accessory；

therefore；　and　she　came；　so　far　as　I　can　read　the　evidence；　without

your　knowledge　to　rob　you。〃

　　The　professor　blew　a　cloud　from　his　lips。　〃This　is　most

interesting　and　instructive；〃　said　he。　〃Have　you　no　more　to　add？

Surely；　having　traced　this　lady　so　far；　you　can　also　say　what　has

become　of　her。〃

　　〃I　will　endeavour　to　do　so。　In　the　first　place　she　was　seized　by

your　secretary；　and　stabbed　him　in　order　to　escape。　This　catastrophe　I

am　inclined　to　regard　as　an　unhappy　accident；　for　I　am　convinced

that　the　lady　had　no　intention　of　inflicting　so　grievous　an　injury。　An

assassin　does　not　come　unarmed。　Horrified　by　what　she　had　done；　she

rushed　wildly　away　from　the　scene　of　the　tragedy。　Unfortunately　for

her；　she　had　lost　her　glasses　in　the　scuffle；　and　as　she　was　extremely

shortsighted　she　was　really　helpless　without　them。　She　ran　down　a

corridor；　which　she　imagined　to　be　that　by　which　she　had　come…　both

were　lined　with　cocoanut　matting…　and　it　was　only　when　it　was　too　late

that　she　understood　that　she　had　taken　the　wrong　passage；　and　that　her

retreat　was　cut　off　behind　her。　What　was　she　to　do？　She　could　not　go

back。　She　could　not　remain　where　she　was。　She　must　go　on。　She　went　on。

She　mounted　a　stair；　pushed　open　a　door；　and　found　herself　in　your

room。〃

　　The　old　man　sat　with　his　mouth　open；　staring　wildly　at　Holmes。

Amazement　and　fear　were　stamped　upon　his　expressive　features。　Now；

with　an　effort；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　burst　into　insincere

laughter。

　　〃All　very　fine；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　he。　〃But　there　is　one　little

flaw　in　your　splendid　theory。　I　was　myself　in　my　room；　and　I　never

left　it　during　the　day。〃

　　〃I　am　aware　of　that；　Professor　Coram。〃

　　〃And　you　mean　to　say　that　I　could　lie　upon　that　bed　and　not　be　aware

that　a　woman　had　entered　my　room？〃

　　〃I　never　said　so。　You　were　aware　of　it。　You　spoke　with　her。　You

recognized　her。　You　aided　her　to　escape。〃

　　Again　the　professor　burst　into　high…keyed　laughter。　He　had　risen

to　his　feet；　and　his　eyes　glowed　like　embers。

　　〃You　are　mad！〃　he　cried。　〃You　are　talking　insanely。　I　helped　her

to　escape？　Where　is　she　now？〃

　　〃She　is　there；〃　said　Holmes；　and　he　pointed　to　a　high　bookcase　in

the　corner　of　the　room。

　　I　saw　the　old　man　throw　up　his　arms；　a　terrible　convulsion　passed

over　his　grim　face；　and　he　fell　back　in　his　chair。　At　the　same　instant

the　bookcase　at　which　Holmes　pointed　swung　round　upon　a　hinge；　and　a

woman　rushed　out　into　the　room。　〃You　are　right！〃　she　cried；　in　a

strange　foreign　voice。　〃You　are　right！　I　am　here。〃

　　She　was　brown　with　the　dust　and　draped　with　the　cobwebs　which　had

come　from　the　walls　of　her　hiding…place。　Her　face；　too；　was　streaked

with　grime；　and　at　the　best　she　could　never　have　been　handsome；　for

she　had　the　exact　physical　characteristics　which　Holmes　had　divined；

with；　in　addition；　a　long　and　obstinate　chin。　What　with　her　natural

blindness；　and　what　with　the　change　from　dark　to　light；　she　stood　as

one　dazed；　blinking　about　her　to　see　where　and　who　we　were。　And　yet；

in　spite　of　all　these　disadvantages；　there　was　a　certain　nobility　in

the　woman's　bearing…　a　gallantry　in　the　defiant　chin　and　in　the

upraised　head；　which　compelled　something　of　respect　and　admiration。

　　Stanley　Hopkins　had　laid　his　hand　upon　her　arm　and　claimed　her　as

his　prisoner；　but　she　waved　him　aside　gently；　and　yet　with　an

over…mastering　dignity　which　compelled　obedience。　The　old　man　lay　back

in　his　chair　with　a　twitching　face；　and　stared　at　her　with　brooding

eyes。

　　〃Yes；　sir；　I　am　your　prisoner；〃　she　said。　〃From　where　I　stood　I

could　hear　everything；　and　I　know　that　you　have　learned　the　truth。　I

confess　it　all。　It　was　I　who　killed　the　young　man。　But　you　are

right…　you　who　say　it　was　an　accident。　I　did　not　even　know　that　it　was

a　knife