the adventure of charles augustus milverton-第2章

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resources；　and　that　the　sum　you　name　is　utterly　beyond　her　power。　I

beg；　therefore；　that　you　will　moderate　your　demands；　and　that　you　will

return　the　letters　at　the　price　I　indicate；　which　is；　I　assure　you；

the　highest　that　you　can　get。〃

　　Milverton's　smile　broadened　and　his　eyes　twinkled　humorously。

　　〃I　am　aware　that　what　you　say　is　true　about　the　lady's　resources；〃

said　he。　〃At　the　same　time　you　must　admit　that　the　occasion　of　a

lady's　marriage　is　a　very　suitable　time　for　her　friends　and

relatives　to　make　some　little　effort　upon　her　behalf。　They　may

hesitate　as　to　an　acceptable　wedding　present。　Let　me　assure　them

that　this　little　bundle　of　letters　would　give　more　joy　than　all　the

candelabra　and　butter…dishes　in　London。〃

　　〃It　is　impossible；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Dear　me；　dear　me；　how　unfortunate！〃　cried　Milverton；　taking　out　a

bulky　pocketbook。　〃I　cannot　help　thinking　that　ladies　are

ill…advised　in　not　making　an　effort。　Look　at　this！〃　He　held　up　a

little　note　with　a　coat…of…arms　upon　the　envelope。　〃That　belongs　to…

well；　perhaps　it　is　hardly　fair　to　tell　the　name　until　to…morrow

morning。　But　at　that　time　it　will　be　in　the　hands　of　the　lady's

husband。　And　all　because　she　will　not　find　a　beggarly　sum　which　she

could　get　by　turning　her　diamonds　into　paste。　It　is　such　a　pity！

Now；　you　remember　the　sudden　end　of　the　engagement　between　the

Honourable　Miss　Miles　and　Colonel　Dorking？　Only　two　days　before　the

wedding；　there　was　a　paragraph　in　the　Morning　Post　to　say　that　it

was　all　off。　And　why？　It　is　almost　incredible；　but　the　absurd　sum　of

twelve　hundred　pounds　would　have　settled　the　whole　question。　Is　it　not

pitiful？　And　here　I　find　you；　a　man　of　sense；　boggling　about　terms；

when　your　client's　future　and　honour　are　at　stake。　You　surprise　me；

Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃What　I　say　is　true；〃　Holmes　answered。　〃The　money　cannot　be　found。

Surely　it　is　better　for　you　to　take　the　substantial　sum　which　I

offer　than　to　ruin　this　woman's　career；　which　can　profit　you　in　no

way？〃

　　〃There　you　make　a　mistake；　Mr。　Holmes。　An　exposure　would　profit　me

indirectly　to　a　considerable　extent。　I　have　eight　or　ten　similar　cases

maturing。　If　it　was　circulated　among　them　that　I　had　made　a　severe

example　of　the　Lady　Eva；　I　should　find　all　of　them　much　more　open　to

reason。　You　see　my　point？〃

　　Holmes　sprang　from　his　chair。

　　〃Get　behind　him；　Watson！　Don't　let　him　out！　Now；　sir；　let　us　see　the

contents　of　that　notebook。〃

　　Milverton　had　glided　as　quick　as　a　rat　to　the　side　of　the　room　and

stood　with　his　back　against　the　wall。

　　〃Mr。　Holmes；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　he　said；　turning　the　front　of　his　coat　and

exhibiting　the　butt　of　a　large　revolver；　which　projected　from　the

inside　pocket。　〃I　have　been　expecting　you　to　do　something　original。

This　has　been　done　so　often；　and　what　good　has　ever　come　from　it？　I

assure　you　that　I　am　armed　to　the　teeth；　and　I　am　perfectly　prepared

to　use　my　weapons；　knowing　that　the　law　will　support　me。　Besides；　your

supposition　that　I　would　bring　the　letters　here　in　a　notebook　is

entirely　mistaken。　I　would　do　nothing　so　foolish。　And　now；

gentlemen；　I　have　one　or　two　little　interviews　this　evening；　and　it　is

a　long　drive　to　Hampstead。〃　He　stepped　forward；　took　up　his　coat；　laid

his　hand　on　his　revolver；　and　turned　to　the　door。　I　picked　up　a　chair；

but　Holmes　shook　his　head；　and　I　laid　it　down　again。　With　bow；　a

smile；　and　a　twinkle；　Milverton　was　out　of　the　room；　and　a　few　moments

after　we　heard　the　slam　of　the　carriage　door　and　the　rattle　of　the

wheels　as　he　drove　away。

　　Holmes　sat　motionless　by　the　fire；　his　hands　buried　deep　in　his

trouser　pockets；　his　chin　sunk　upon　his　breast；　his　eyes　fixed　upon

the　glowing　embers。　For　half　an　hour　he　was　silent　and　still。　Then；

with　the　gesture　of　a　man　who　has　taken　his　decision；　he　sprang　to　his

feet　and　passed　into　his　bedroom。　A　little　later　a　rakish　young

workman；　with　a　goatee　beard　and　a　swagger；　lit　his　clay　pipe　at　the

lamp　before　descending　into　the　street。　〃I'll　be　back　some　time；

Watson；〃　said　he；　and　vanished　into　the　night。　I　understood　that　he

had　opened　his　campaign　against　Charles　Augustus　Milverton；　but　I

little　dreamed　the　strange　shape　which　that　campaign　was　destined　to

take。

　　For　some　days　Holmes　came　and　went　at　all　hours　in　this　attire；

but　beyond　a　remark　that　his　time　was　spent　at　Hampstead；　and　that

it　was　not　wasted；　I　knew　nothing　of　what　he　was　doing。　At　last；

however；　on　a　wild；　tempestuous　evening；　when　the　wind　screamed　and

rattled　against　the　windows；　be　returned　from　his　last　expedition；　and

having　removed　his　disguise　he　sat　before　the　fire　and　laughed

heartily　in　his　silent　inward　fashion。

　　〃You　would　not　call　me　a　marrying　man；　Watson？〃

　　〃No；　indeed！〃

　　〃You'll　be　interested　to　hear　that　I'm　engaged。〃

　　〃My　dear　fellow！　I　congrat…〃

　　〃To　Milverton's　housemaid。〃

　　〃Good　heavens；　Holmes！〃

　　〃I　wanted　information；　Watson。〃

　　〃Surely　you　have　gone　too　far？〃

　　〃It　was　a　most　necessary　step。　I　am　a　plumber　with　a　rising

business；　Escott；　by　name。　I　have　walked　out　with　her　each　evening；

and　I　have　talked　with　her。　Good　heavens；　those　talks！　However；　I　have

got　all　I　wanted。　I　know　Milverton's　house　as　I　know　the　palm　of　my

hand。〃

　　〃But　the　girl；　Holmes？〃

　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。

　　〃You　can't　help　it；　my　dear　Watson。　You　must　play　your　cards　as　best

you　can　when　such　a　stake　is　on　the　table。　However；　I　rejoice　to　say

that　I　have　a　hated　rival；　who　will　certainly　cut　me　out　the　instant

that　my　back　is　turned。　What　a　splendid　night　it　is！〃

　　〃You　like　this　weather？〃

　　〃It　suits　my　purpose。　Watson；　I　mean　to　burgle　Milverton's　house

to…night。〃

　　I　had　a　catching　of　the　breath；　and　my　skin　went　cold　at　the

words；　which　were　slowly　uttered　in　a　tone　of　concentrated　resolution。

As　a　flash　of　lightning　in　the　night　shows　up　in　an　instant　every

detail　of　a　wild　landscape；　so　at　one　glance　I　seemed　to　see　every

possible　result　of　such　an　action…　the　detection；　the　capture；　the

honoured　career　ending　in　irreparable　failure　and　disgrace；　my

friend　himself　lying　at　the　mercy　of　the　odious　Milverton。

　　〃For　heaven's　sake；　Holmes；　think　what　you　are　doing；〃　I　cried。

　　〃My　dear　fellow；　I　have　given　it　every　consideration。　I　am　never

precipitate　in　my　actions；　nor　would　I　adopt　so　energetic　and；　indeed；

so　dangerous　a　course；　if　any　other　were　possible。　Let　us　look　at

the　matter　clearly　and　fairly。　I　suppose　that　you　will　admit　that

the　action　is　morally　justifiable；　though　technically　criminal。　To

burgle　his　house　is　no　more　than　to　forcibly　take　his　pocketbook…　an

action　in　which　you　were　prepared　to　aid　me。〃

　　I　turned　it　over　in　my　mind。

　　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃it　is　morally　justifiable　so　long　as　our　object　is

to　take　no　articles　save　those　which　are　used　for　an　illegal　purpose。〃

　　Exactly。　Since　it　is　morally　justifiable；　I　have　only　to　consider

the　question　of　personal　risk。　Surely　a　gentleman　should　not　lay

much　stress　upon　this；　when　a　lady　is　in　most　desperate　need　of　his

help？〃

　　〃You　will　be　in　such　a　false　position。〃

　　〃Well；　that　is　part　of　the　risk。　There　is　no　other　possible　way　of

regaining　these　letters。　The　unfortunate　lady　has　not　the　money；　and

there　are　none　of　her　people　in　whom　she　could　confide。　To…morrow　is

the　last　day　of　grace；　and　unless　we　can　get　the　letters　to…night；

this　villain　will　be　as　good　as　his　word　and　will　bring　about　her

ruin。　I　must；　therefore；　abandon　my　client　to　her　fate　or　I　must

play　this　last　card。　Between　ourselves；　Watson；　it's　a　sporting　duel

between　this　fellow　Milverton　and　me。　He　had；　as　you　saw；　the　best

of　the　first　exchanges；　but　my　self…respect　and　my　reputation　are

concerned　to　fight　it　to　a　finish。〃

　　〃Well；　I　don't　like　it；　but　I　suppose　it　must　be；〃　said　I。　〃When

do　we　start？〃

　　〃You　are　not　coming。〃

　　〃Then　you　are　not　going；〃　said　I。　〃I　give　you　my　word　of　honour…　and

I　never　broke　it　in　my　life…　that　I　will　take　a　cab　straight　to　the

police…station　and　give　you　away；　unless　you　let　me　share　this

adventure　with　you。〃

　　〃You　can't　help　me。〃

　　〃How　do　you　know　that？　You　can'