the adventure of the speckled band-第6章

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inhabited　wing　of　Stoke　Moran　Manor　House。　At　dusk　we　saw　Dr。　Grimesby

Roylott　drive　past；　his　huge　form　looming　up　beside　the　little

figure　of　the　lad　who　drove　him。　The　boy　had　some　slight　difficulty　in

undoing　the　heavy　iron　gates；　and　we　heard　the　hoarse　roar　of　the

doctor's　voice　and　saw　the　fury　with　which　he　shook　his　clinched　fists

at　him。　The　trap　drove　on；　and　a　few　minutes　later　we　saw　a　sudden

light　spring　up　among　the　trees　as　the　lamp　was　lit　in　one　of　the

sitting…rooms。

　　〃Do　you　know；　Watson；〃　said　Holmes　as　we　sat　together　in　the

gathering　darkness；　〃I　have　really　some　scruples　as　to　taking　you

to…night。　There　is　a　distinct　element　of　danger。〃

　　〃Can　I　be　of　assistance？〃

　　〃Your　presence　might　be　invaluable。〃

　　〃Then　I　shall　certainly　come。〃

　　〃It　is　very　kind　of　you。〃

　　〃You　speak　of　danger。　You　have　evidently　seen　more　in　these　rooms

than　was　visible　to　me。〃

　　〃No；　but　I　fancy　that　I　may　have　deduced　a　little　more。　I　imagine

that　you　saw　all　that　I　did。〃

　　〃I　saw　nothing　remarkable　save　the　bell…rope；　and　what　purpose

that　could　answer　I　confess　is　more　than　I　can　imagine。〃

　　〃You　saw　the　ventilator；　too？〃

　　〃Yes；　but　I　do　not　think　that　it　is　such　a　very　unusual　thing　to

have　a　small　opening　between　two　rooms。　It　was　so　small　that　a　rat

could　hardly　pass　through。〃

　　〃I　knew　that　we　should　find　a　ventilator　before　ever　we　came　to

Stoke　Moran。〃

　　〃My　dear　Holmes！〃

　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　did。　You　remember　in　her　statement　she　said　that　her

sister　could　smell　Dr。　Roylott's　cigar。　Now；　of　course　that

suggested　at　once　that　there　must　be　a　communication　between　the　two

rooms。　It　could　only　be　a　small　one；　or　would　have　been　remarked

upon　at　the　coroner's　inquiry。　I　deduced　a　ventilator。〃

　　〃But　what　harm　can　there　be　in　that？〃

　　〃Well；　there　is　at　least　a　curious　coincidence　of　dates。　A

ventilator　is　made；　a　cord　is　hung；　and　a　lady　who　sleeps　in　the　bed

dies。　Does　not　that　strike　you？〃

　　〃I　cannot　as　yet　see　any　connection。〃

　　〃Did　you　observe　anything　very　peculiar　about　that　bed？〃

　　〃No。〃

　　〃It　was　clamped　to　the　floor。　Did　you　ever　see　a　bed　fastened　like

that　before？〃

　　〃I　cannot　say　that　I　have。〃

　　〃The　lady　could　not　move　her　bed。　It　must　always　be　in　the　same

relative　position　to　the　ventilator　and　to　the　rope…or　so　we　may

call　it；　since　it　was　clearly　never　meant　for　a　bell…pull。〃

　　〃Holmes；〃　I　cried；　〃I　seem　to　see　dimly　what　you　are　hinting　at。

We　are　only　just　in　time　to　prevent　some　subtle　and　horrible　crime。〃

　　〃Subtle　enough　and　horrible　enough。　When　a　doctor　does　go　wrong　he

is　the　first　of　criminals。　He　has　nerve　and　he　has　knowledge。　Palmer

and　Pritchard　were　among　the　heads　of　their　profession。　This　man

strikes　even　deeper；　but　I　think；　Watson；　that　we　shall　be　able　to

strike　deeper　still。　But　we　shall　have　horrors　enough　before　the　night

is　over；　for　goodness'　sake　let　us　have　a　quiet　pipe　and　turn　our

minds　for　a　few　hours　to　something　more　cheerful。〃



　　About　nine　o'clock　the　light　among　the　trees　was　extinguished；　and

all　was　dark　in　the　direction　of　the　Manor　House。　Two　hours　passed

slowly　away；　and　then；　suddenly；　just　at　the　stroke　of　eleven；　a

single　bright　light　shone　out　right　in　front　of　us。

　　〃That　is　our　signal；〃　said　Holmes；　springing　to　his　feet；　〃it

comes　from　the　middle　window。〃

　　As　we　passed　out　he　exchanged　a　few　words　with　the　landlord；

explaining　that　we　were　going　on　a　late　visit　to　an　acquaintance；

and　that　it　was　possible　that　we　might　spend　the　night　there。　A　moment

later　we　were　out　on　the　dark　road；　a　chill　wind　blowing　in　our　faces；

and　one　yellow　light　twinkling　in　front　of　us　through　the　gloom　to

guide　us　on　our　sombre　errand。

　　There　was　little　difficulty　in　entering　the　grounds；　for

unrepaired　breaches　gaped　in　the　old　park　wall。　Making　our　way　among

the　trees；　we　reached　the　lawn；　crossed　it；　and　were　about　to　enter

through　the　window　when　out　from　a　clump　of　laurel　bushes　there　darted

what　seemed　to　be　a　hideous　and　distorted　child；　who　threw　itself　upon

the　grass　with　writhing　limbs　and　then　ran　swiftly　across　the　lawn

into　the　darkness。

　　〃My　God！〃　I　whispered；　〃did　you　see　it？〃

　　Holmes　was　for　the　moment　as　startled　as　I。　His　hand　closed　like　a

vise　upon　my　wrist　in　his　agitation。　Then　he　broke　into　a　low　laugh

and　put　his　lips　to　my　ear。

　　〃It　is　a　nice　household；〃　he　murmured。　〃That　is　the　baboon。〃

　　I　had　forgotten　the　strange　pets　which　the　doctor　affected。　There

was　a　cheetah；　too；　perhaps　we　might　find　it　upon　our　shoulders　at　any

moment。　I　confess　that　I　felt　easier　in　my　mind　when；　after

following　Holmes's　example　and　slipping　off　my　shoes；　I　found　myself

inside　the　bedroom。　My　companion　noiselessly　closed　the　shutters；

moved　the　lamp　onto　the　table；　and　cast　his　eyes　round　the　room。　All

was　as　we　had　seen　it　in　the　daytime。　Then　creeping　up　to　me　and

making　a　trumpet　of　his　hand；　he　whispered　into　my　ear　again　so　gently

that　it　was　all　that　I　could　do　to　distinguish　the　words：

　　〃The　least　sound　would　be　fatal　to　our　plans。〃

　　I　nodded　to　show　that　I　had　heard。

　　〃We　must　sit　without　light。　He　would　see　it　through　the　ventilator。〃

　　I　nodded　again。

　　〃Do　not　go　asleep；　your　very　life　may　depend　upon　it。　Have　your

pistol　ready　in　case　we　should　need　it。　I　will　sit　on　the　side　of

the　bed；　and　you　in　that　chair。〃

　　I　took　out　my　revolver　and　laid　it　on　the　corner　of　the　table。

　　Holmes　had　brought　up　a　long　thin　cane；　and　this　he　placed　upon

the　bed　beside　him。　By　it　he　laid　the　box　of　matches　and　the　stump

of　a　candle。　Then　he　turned　down　the　lamp；　and　we　were　left　in

darkness。

　　How　shall　I　ever　forget　that　dreadful　vigil？　I　could　not　hear　a

sound；　not　even　the　drawing　of　a　breath；　and　yet　I　knew　that　my

companion　sat　open…eyed；　within　a　few　feet　of　me；　in　the　same　state　of

nervous　tension　in　which　I　was　myself。　The　shutters　cut　off　the

least　ray　of　light　and　we　waited　in　absolute　darkness。　From　outside

came　the　occasional　cry　of　a　night…bird；　and　once　at　our　very　window　a

long　drawn　catlike　whine；　which　told　us　that　the　cheetah　was　indeed　at

liberty。　Far　away　we　could　hear　the　deep　tones　of　the　parish　clock；

which　boomed　out　every　quarter　of　an　hour。　How　long　they　seemed；　those

quarters！　Twelve　struck；　and　one　and　two　and　three；　and　still　we　sat

waiting　silently　for　whatever　might　befall。

　　Suddenly　there　was　the　momentary　gleam　of　a　light　up　in　the

direction　of　the　ventilator；　which　vanished　immediately；　but　was

succeeded　by　a　strong　smell　of　burning　oil　and　heated　metal。　Someone

in　the　next　room　had　lit　a　dark…lanten。　I　heard　a　gentle　sound　of

movement；　and　then　all　was　silent　once　more；　though　the　smell　grew

stronger。　For　half　an　hour　I　sat　with　straining　ears。　Then　suddenly

another　sound　became　audible…a　very　gentle；　soothing　sound；　like

that　of　a　small　jet　of　steam　escaping　continually　from　a　kettle。　The

instant　that　we　heard　it；　Holmes　sprang　from　the　bed；　struck　a

match；　and　lashed　furiously　with　his　cane　at　the　bell…pull。

　　〃You　see　it；　Watson？〃　he　yelled。　〃You　see　it？〃

　　But　I　saw　nothing。　At　the　moment　when　Holmes　struck　the　light　I

heard　a　low；　clear　whistle；　but　the　sudden　glare　flashing　into　my

weary　eyes　made　it　impossible　for　me　to　tell　what　it　was　at　which　my

friend　lashed　so　savagely。　I　could；　however；　see　that　his　face　was

deadly　pale　and　filled　with　horror　and　loathing。

　　He　had　ceased　to　strike　and　was　gazing　up　at　the　ventilator　when

suddenly　there　broke　from　the　silence　of　the　night　the　most　horrible

cry　to　which　I　have　ever　listened。　It　swelled　up　louder　and　louder；

a　hoarse　yell　of　pain　and　fear　and　anger　all　mingled　in　the　one

dreadful　shriek。　They　say　that　away　down　in　the　village；　and　even　in

the　distant　parsonage；　that　cry　raised　the　sleepers　from　their　beds。

It　struck　cold　to　our　hearts；　and　I　stood　gazing　at　Holmes；　and　he

at　me；　until　the　last　echoes　of　it　had　died　away　into　the　silence　from

which　it　rose。

　　〃What　can　it　mean？〃　I　gasped。

　　〃It　means　that　it　is　all　over；〃　Holmes　answered。　〃And　perhaps；　after

all；　it　is　for　the　best。　Take　your　pistol；　and　we　will