the adventure of the speckled band-第3章

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calling　loudly　for　my　stepfather；　and　I　met　him　hastening　from　his

room　in　his　dressing…gown。　When　he　reached　my　sisters　side　she　was

unconscious；　and　though　he　poured　brandy　down　her　throat　and　sent

for　medical　aid　from　the　village；　all　efforts　were　in　vain；　for　she

slowly　sank　and　died　without　having　recovered　her　consciousness。

Such　was　the　dreadful　end　of　my　beloved　sister。〃

　　〃One　moment；〃　said　Holmes；　〃are　you　sure　about　this　whistle　and

metallic　sound？　Could　you　swear　to　it？〃

　　〃That　was　what　the　county　coroner　asked　me　at　the　inquiry。　It　is

my　strong　impression　that　I　heard　it；　and　yet；　among　the　crash　of

the　gale　and　the　creaking　of　an　old　house；　I　may　possibly　have　been

deceived。〃

　　〃Was　your　sister　dressed？〃

　　〃No；　she　was　in　her　night…dress。　In　her　right　hand　was　found　the

charred　stump　of　a　match；　and　in　her　left　a　match…box。〃

　　〃Showing　that　she　had　struck　a　light　and　looked　about　her　when　the

alarm　took　place。　That　is　important。　And　what　conclusions　did　the

coroner　come　to？〃

　　〃He　investigated　the　case　with　great　care；　for　Dr。　Roylott's　conduct

had　long　been　notorious　in　the　county；　but　he　was　unable　to　find　any

satisfactory　cause　of　death。　My　evidence　showed　that　the　door　had　been

fastened　upon　the　inner　side；　and　the　windows　were　blocked　by

old…fashioned　shutters　with　broad　iron　bars；　which　were　secured

every　night。　The　walls　were　carefully　sounded；　and　were　shown　to　be

quite　solid　all　round；　and　the　flooring　was　also　thoroughly

examined；　with　the　same　result。　The　chimney　is　wide；　but　is　barred

up　by　four　large　staples。　It　is　certain；　therefore；　that　my　sister　was

quite　alone　when　she　met　her　end。　Besides；　there　were　no　marks　of

any　violence　upon　her。〃

　　〃How　about　poison？〃

　　〃The　doctors　examined　her　for　it；　but　without　success。〃

　　〃What　do　you　think　that　this　unfortunate　lady　died　of；　then？〃

　　〃It　is　my　belief　that　she　died　of　pure　fear　and　nervous　shock；

though　what　it　was　that　frightened　her　I　cannot　imagine。〃

　　〃Were　there　gypsies　in　the　plantation　at　the　time？〃

　　〃Yes；　there　are　nearly　always　some　there。〃

　　〃Ah；　and　what　did　you　gather　from　this　allusion　to　a　band…a　speckled

band？〃

　　〃Sometimes　I　have　thought　that　it　was　merely　the　wild　talk　of

delirium；　sometimes　that　it　may　have　referred　to　some　band　of

people；　perhaps　to　these　very　gypsies　in　the　plantation。　I　do　not　know

whether　the　spotted　handkerchiefs　which　so　many　of　them　wear　over

their　heads　might　have　suggested　the　strange　adjective　which　she

used。〃

　　Holmes　shook　his　head　like　a　man　who　is　far　from　being　satisfied。

　　〃These　are　very　deep　waters；〃　said　he；　〃pray　go　on　with　your

narrative。〃

　　〃Two　years　have　passed　since　then；　and　my　life　has　been　until　lately

lonelier　than　ever。　A　month　ago；　however；　a　dear　friend；　whom　I　have

known　for　many　years；　has　done　me　the　honour　to　ask　my　hand　in

marriage。　His　name　is　Armitage…Percy　Armitage…the　second　son　of　Mr。

Armitage；　of　Crane　Water；　near　Reading。　My　stepfather　has　offered　no

opposition　to　the　match；　and　we　are　to　be　married　in　the　course　of　the

spring。　Two　days　ago　some　repairs　were　started　in　the　west　wing　of　the

building；　and　my　bedroom　wall　has　been　pierced；　so　that　I　have　had

to　move　into　the　chamber　in　which　my　sister　died；　and　to　sleep　in

the　very　bed　in　which　she　slept。　Imagine；　then；　my　thrill　of　terror

when　last　night；　as　I　lay　awake；　thinking　over　her　terrible　fate；　I

suddenly　heard　in　the　silence　of　the　night　the　low　whistle　which　had

been　the　herald　of　her　own　death。　I　sprang　up　and　lit　the　lamp；　but

nothing　was　to　be　seen　in　the　room。　I　was　too　shaken　to　go　to　bed

again；　however；　so　I　dressed；　and　as　soon　as　it　was　daylight　I　slipped

down；　got　a　dog…cart　at　the　Crown　Inn；　which　is　opposite；　and　drove　to

Leatherhead；　from　whence　I　have　come　on　this　morning　with　the　one

object　of　seeing　you　and　asking　your　advice。〃

　　〃You　have　done　wisely；〃　said　my　friend。　〃But　have　you　told　me　all？〃

　　〃Yes；　all。〃

　　〃Miss　Roylott；　you　have　not。　You　are　screening　your　stepfather。〃

　　〃Why；　what　do　you　mean？〃

　　For　answer　Holmes　pushed　back　the　frill　of　black　lace　which

fringed　the　hand　that　lay　upon　our　visitor's　knee。　Five　little　livid

spots；　the　marks　of　four　fingers　and　a　thumb；　were　printed　upon　the

white　wrist。

　　〃You　have　been　cruelly　used；〃　said　Holmes。

　　The　lady　coloured　deeply　and　covered　over　her　injured　wrist。　〃He

is　a　hard　man；〃　she　said；　〃and　perhaps　he　hardly　knows　his　own

strength。〃

　　There　was　a　long　silence；　during　which　Holmes　leaned　his　chin　upon

his　hands　and　stared　into　the　crackling　fire。

　　〃This　is　a　very　deep　business；〃　he　said　at　last。　〃There　are　a

thousand　details　which　I　should　desire　to　know　before　I　decide　upon

our　course　of　action。　Yet　we　have　not　a　moment　to　lose。　If　we　were

to　come　to　Stoke　Moran　to…day；　would　it　be　possible　for　us　to　see　over

these　rooms　without　the　knowledge　of　your　stepfather？〃

　　〃As　it　happens；　he　spoke　of　coming　into　town　to…day　upon　some　most

important　business。　It　is　probable　that　he　will　be　away　all　day；　and

that　there　would　be　nothing　to　disturb　you。　We　have　a　housekeeper　now；

but　she　is　old　and　foolish；　and　I　could　easily　get　her　out　of　the

way。〃

　　〃Excellent。　You　are　not　averse　to　this　trip；　Watson？〃

　　〃By　no　means。〃

　　〃Then　we　shall　both　come。　What　are　you　going　to　do　yourself？〃

　　〃I　have　one　or　two　things　which　I　would　wish　to　do　now　that　I　am

in　town。　But　I　shall　return　by　the　twelve　o'clock　train；　so　as　to　be

there　in　time　for　your　coming。〃

　　〃And　you　may　expect　us　early　in　the　afternoon。　I　have　myself　some

small　business　matters　to　attend　to。　Will　you　not　wait　and　breakfast？〃

　　〃No；　I　must　go。　My　heart　is　lightened　already　since　I　have

confided　my　trouble　to　you。　I　shall　look　forward　to　seeing　you　again

this　afternoon。〃　She　dropped　her　thick　black　veil　over　her　face　and

glided　from　the　room。

　　〃And　what　do　you　think　of　it　all；　Watson？〃　asked　Sherlock　Holmes；

leaning　back　in　his　chair。

　　〃It　seems　to　me　to　be　a　most　dark　and　sinister　business。〃

　　〃Dark　enough　and　sinister　enough。〃

　　〃Yet　if　the　lady　is　correct　in　saying　that　the　flooring　and　walls

are　sound；　and　that　the　door；　window；　and　chimney　are　impassable；　then

her　sister　must　have　been　undoubtedly　alone　when　she　met　her

mysterious　end。〃

　　〃What　becomes；　then；　of　these　nocturnal　whistles；　and　what　of　the

very　peculiar　words　of　the　dying　woman？〃

　　〃I　cannot　think。〃

　　〃When　you　combine　the　ideas　of　whistles　at　night；　the　presence　of

a　band　of　gypsies　who　are　on　intimate　terms　with　this　old　doctor；

the　fact　that　we　have　every　reason　to　believe　that　the　doctor　has　an

interest　in　preventing　his　stepdaughter's　marriage；　the　dying　allusion

to　a　band；　and；　finally；　the　fact　that　Miss　Helen　Stoner　heard　a

metallic　clang；　which　might　have　been　caused　by　one　of　those　metal

bars　that　secured　the　shutters　falling　back　into　its　place；　I　think

that　there　is　good　ground　to　think　that　the　mystery　may　be　cleared

along　those　lines。〃

　　〃But　what；　then；　did　the　gypsies　do？〃

　　〃I　cannot　imagine。〃

　　〃I　see　many　objections　to　any　such　theory。〃

　　〃And　so　do　I。　It　is　precisely　for　that　reason　that　we　are　going　to

Stoke　Moran　this　day。　I　want　to　see　whether　the　objections　are

fatal；　or　if　they　may　be　explained　away。　But　what　in　the　name　of　the

devil！〃

　　The　ejaculation　had　been　drawn　from　my　companion　by　the　fact　that

our　door　had　been　suddenly　dashed　open；　and　that　a　huge　man　had　framed

himself　in　the　aperture。　His　costume　was　a　peculiar　mixture　of　the

professional　and　of　the　agricultural；　having　a　black　top…hat；　a　long

frock…coat；　and　a　pair　of　high　gaiters；　with　a　hunting…crop　swinging

in　his　hand。　So　tall　was　he　that　his　hat　actually　brushed　the　cross

bar　of　the　doorway；　and　his　breadth　seemed　to　span　it　across　from　side

to　side。　A　large　face；　seared　with　a　thousand　wrinkles；　burned

yellow　with　the　sun；　and　marked　with　every　evil　passion；　was　turned

from　one　to　the　other　of　us；　while　his　deep…set；　bile…shot　eyes；　and

his　high；　thin；　fleshless　nose；　gave　him　somewhat　the　resemblance　to　a

fierce　old　bird　of　prey。

　　〃Which　of　you　is　Holmes？〃