the adventure of the veiled lodger-第2章

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wife；　to　give　exhibitions　inside　its　cage。　Here；　you　see；　is　a

photograph　of　the　performance　by　which　you　will　perceive　that　Ronder

was　a　huge　porcine　person　and　that　his　wife　was　a　very　magnificent

woman。　It　was　deposed　at　the　inquest　that　there　had　been　some　signs

that　the　lion　was　dangerous；　but；　as　usual；　familiarity　begat

contempt；　and　no　notice　was　taken　of　the　fact。

　　〃It　was　usual　for　either　Ronder　or　his　wife　to　feed　the　lion　at

night。　Sometimes　one　went；　sometimes　both；　but　they　never　allowed

anyone　else　to　do　it；　for　they　believed　that　so　long　as　they　were

the　food…carriers　he　would　regard　them　as　benefactors　and　would

never　molest　them。　On　this　particular　night；　seven　years　ago；　they

both　went；　and　a　very　terrible　happening　followed；　the　details　of

which　have　never　been　made　clear。

　　〃It　seems　that　the　whole　camp　was　roused　near　midnight　by　the

roars　of　the　animal　and　the　screams　of　the　woman。　The　different　grooms

and　employees　rushed　from　their　tents；　carrying　lanterns；　and　by　their

light　an　awful　sight　was　revealed。　Ronder　lay；　with　the　back　of　his

head　crushed　in　and　deep　claw…marks　across　his　scalp；　some　ten　yards

from　the　cage；　which　was　open。　Close　to　the　door　of　the　cage　lay

Mrs。　Ronder　upon　her　back；　with　the　creature　squatting　and　snarling

above　her。　It　had　torn　her　face　in　such　a　fashion　that　it　was　never

thought　that　she　could　live。　Several　of　the　circus　men；　headed　by

Leonardo；　the　strong　man；　and　Griggs；　the　clown；　drove　the　creature

off　with　poles；　upon　which　it　sprang　back　into　the　cage　and　was　at

once　locked　in。　How　it　had　got　loose　was　a　mystery。　It　was　conjectured

that　the　pair　intended　to　enter　the　cage；　but　that　when　the　door　was

loosed　the　creature　bounded　out　upon　them。　There　was　no　other　point　of

interest　in　the　evidence　save　that　the　woman　in　a　delirium　of　agony

kept　screaming；　'Coward！　Coward！'　as　she　was　carried　back　to　the　van

in　which　they　lived。　It　was　six　months　before　she　was　fit　to　give

evidence；　but　the　inquest　was　duly　held；　with　the　obvious　verdict　of

death　from　misadventure。

　　〃What　alternative　could　be　conceived？〃　said　I。

　　〃You　may　well　say　so。　And　yet　there　were　one　or　two　points　which

worried　young　Edmunds；　of　the　Berkshire　Constabulary。　A　smart　lad

that！　He　was　sent　later　to　Allanabad。　That　was　how　I　came　into　the

matter；　for　he　dropped　in　and　smoked　a　pipe　or　two　over　it。〃

　　〃A　thin；　yellow…haired　man？〃

　　〃Exactly。　I　was　sure　you　would　pick　up　the　trail　presently。〃

　　〃But　what　worried　him？〃

　　〃Well；　we　were　both　worried。　It　was　so　deucedly　difficult　to

reconstruct　the　affair。　Look　at　it　from　the　lion's　point　of　view。　He

is　liberated。　What　does　he　do？　He　takes　half　a　dozen　bounds　forward；

which　brings　him　to　Ronder。　Ronder　turns　to　fly…　the　claw…marks　were

on　the　back　of　his　head…　but　the　lion　strikes　him　down。　Then；

instead　of　bounding　on　and　escaping；　he　returns　to　the　woman；　who

was　close　to　the　cage；　and　he　knocks　her　over　and　chews　her　face　up。

Then；　again；　those　cries　of　hers　would　seem　to　imply　that　her

husband　had　in　some　way　failed　her。　What　could　the　poor　devil　have

done　to　help　her？　You　see　the　difficulty？〃

　　〃Quite。〃

　　〃And　then　there　was　another　thing。　It　comes　back　to　me　now　as　I

think　it　over。　There　was　some　evidence　that　just　at　the　time　the

lion　roared　and　the　woman　screamed；　a　man　began　shouting　in　terror。〃

　　〃This　man　Ronder；　no　doubt。〃

　　〃Well；　if　his　skull　was　smashed　in　you　would　hardly　expect　to　hear

from　him　again。　There　were　at　least　two　witnesses　who　spoke　of　the

cries　of　a　man　being　mingled　with　those　of　a　woman。〃

　　〃I　should　think　the　whole　camp　was　crying　out　by　then。　As　to　the

other　points；　I　think　I　could　suggest　a　solution。〃

　　〃I　should　be　glad　to　consider　it。〃

　　〃The　two　were　together；　ten　yards　from　the　cage；　when　the　lion　got

loose。　The　man　turned　and　was　struck　down。　The　woman　conceived　the

idea　of　getting　into　the　cage　and　shutting　the　door。　It　was　her　only

refuge。　She　made　for　it；　and　just　as　she　reached　it　the　beast

bounded　after　her　and　knocked　her　over。　She　was　angry　with　her　husband

for　having　encouraged　the　beast's　rage　by　turning。　If　they　had　faced

it　they　might　have　cowed　it。　Hence　her　cries　of　'Coward！'〃

　　〃Brilliant；　Watson！　Only　one　flaw　in　your　diamond。〃

　　〃What　is　the　flaw；　Holmes？〃

　　〃If　they　were　both　ten　paces　from　the　cage；　how　came　the　beast　to

get　loose？〃

　　〃Is　it　possible　that　they　had　some　enemy　who　loosed　it？〃

　　〃And　why　should　it　attack　them　savagely　when　it　was　in　the　habit

of　playing　with　them；　and　doing　tricks　with　them　inside　the　cage？〃

　　〃Possibly　the　same　enemy　had　done　something　to　enrage　it。〃

　　Holmes　looked　thoughtful　and　remained　in　silence　for　some　moments。

　　〃Well；　Watson；　there　is　this　to　be　said　for　your　theory。　Ronder

was　a　man　of　many　enemies。　Edmunds　told　me　that　in　his　cups　he　was

horrible。　A　huge　bully　of　a　man；　he　cursed　and　slashed　at　everyone　who

came　in　his　way。　I　expect　those　cries　about　a　monster；　of　which　our

visitor　has　spoken；　were　nocturnal　reminiscences　of　the　dear　departed。

However；　our　speculations　are　futile　until　we　have　all　the　facts。

There　is　a　cold　partridge　on　the　sideboard；　Watson；　and　a　bottle　of

Montrachet。　Let　us　renew　our　energies　before　we　make　a　fresh　call　upon

them。〃

　　When　our　hansom　deposited　us　at　the　house　of　Mrs。　Merrilow；　we　found

that　plump　lady　blocking　up　the　open　door　of　her　humble　but　retired

abode。　It　was　very　clear　that　her　chief　preoccupation　was　lest　she

should　lose　a　valuable　lodger；　and　she　implored　us；　before　showing

us　up；　to　say　and　do　nothing　which　could　lead　to　so　undesirable　an

end。　Then；　having　reassured　her；　we　followed　her　up　the　straight；

badly　carpeted　staircase　and　were　shown　into　the　room　of　the

mysterious　lodger。

　　It　was　a　close；　musty；　ill…ventilated　place；　as　might　be　expected；

since　its　inmate　seldom　left　it。　From　keeping　beasts　in　a　cage；　the

woman　seemed；　by　some　retribution　of　fate；　to　have　become　herself　a

beast　in　a　cage。　She　sat　now　in　a　broken　armchair　in　the　shadowy

corner　of　the　room。　Long　years　of　inaction　had　coarsened　the　lines

of　her　figure；　but　at　some　period　it　must　have　been　beautiful；　and　was

still　full　and　voluptuous。　A　thick　dark　veil　covered　her　face；　but

it　was　cut　off　close　at　her　upper　lip　and　disclosed　a　perfectly　shaped

mouth　and　a　delicately　rounded　chin。　I　could　well　conceive　that　she

had　indeed　been　a　very　remarkable　woman。　Her　voice；　too；　was　well

modulated　and　pleasing。

　　〃My　name　is　not　unfamiliar　to　you；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　she。　〃I　thought

that　it　would　bring　you。〃

　　〃That　is　so；　madam；　though　I　do　not　know　how　you　are　aware　that　I

was　interested　in　your　case。〃

　　〃I　learned　it　when　I　had　recovered　my　health　and　was　examined　by　Mr。

Edmunds；　the　county　detective。　I　fear　I　lied　to　him。　Perhaps　it

would　have　been　wiser　had　I　told　the　truth。〃

　　〃It　is　usually　wiser　to　tell　the　truth。　But　why　did　you　lie　to　him？〃

　　〃Because　the　fate　of　someone　else　depended　upon　it。　I　know　that　he

was　a　very　worthless　being；　and　yet　I　would　not　have　his　destruction

upon　my　conscience。　We　had　been　so　close…　so　close！〃

　　〃But　has　this　impediment　been　removed？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。　the　person　that　I　allude　to　is　dead。〃

　　〃Then　why　should　you　not　now　tell　the　police　anything　you　know？〃

　　〃Because　there　is　another　person　to　be　considered。　That　other　person

is　myself。　I　could　not　stand　the　scandal　and　publicity　which　would

come　from　a　police　examination。　I　have　not　long　to　live；　but　I　wish　to

die　undisturbed。　And　yet　I　wanted　to　find　one　man　of　judgment　to

whom　I　could　tell　my　terrible　story；　so　that　when　I　am　gone　all

might　be　understood。〃

　　〃You　compliment　me；　madam。　At　the　same　time；　I　am　a　responsible

person。　I　do　not　promise　you　that　when　you　have　spoken　I　may　not

myself　think　it　my　duty　to　refer　the　case　to　the　police。〃

　　〃I　think　not；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　know　your　character　and　methods　too

well；　for　I　have　followed　your　work　for　some　years。　Reading　is　the

only　pleasure　which　fate　has　left　me；　and　I　miss　little　which　passes

in　the　world。　But　in　any　case；　I　will　take　my　chance　of　the　use

which