the problem of thor bridge-第7章

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explanations　which　would　make　our　scent　a　false　one。　And　yet…　and　yet…

Well；　Watson；　we　can　but　try〃

　　As　he　walked　he　had　firmly　tied　one　end　of　the　string　to　the

handle　of　the　revolver。　We　had　now　reached　the　scene　of　the　tragedy。

With　great　care　he　marked　out　under　the　guidance　of　the　policeman

the　exact　spot　where　the　body　had　been　stretched。　He　then　hunted　among

the　heather　and　the　ferns　until　he　found　a　considerable　stone。　This　he

secured　to　the　other　end　of　his　line　of　string；　and　he　hung　it　over

the　parapet　of　the　bridge　so　that　it　swung　clear　above　the　water。　He

then　stood　on　the　fatal　spot；　some　distance　from　the　edge　of　the

bridge；　with　my　revolver　in　his　hand；　the　string　being　taut　between

the　weapon　and　the　heavy　stone　on　the　farther　side。

　　〃Now　for　it！〃　he　cried。

　　At　the　words　he　raised　the　pistol　to　his　head；　and　then　let　go　his

grip。　In　an　instant　it　had　been　whisked　away　by　the　weight　of　the

stone；　had　struck　with　a　sharp　crack　against　the　parapet；　and　had

vanished　over　the　side　into　the　water。　It　had　hardly　gone　before

Holmes　was　kneeling　beside　tile　stonework；　and　a　joyous　cry　showed

that　he　had　found　what　he　expected。

　　〃Was　there　ever　a　more　exact　demonstration？〃　he　cried。　〃See；　Watson；

your　revolver　has　solved　the　problem！〃　As　he　spoke　he　pointed　to　a

second　chip　of　the　exact　size　and　shape　of　the　first　which　had

appeared　on　the　under　edge　of　the　stone　balustrade。

　　〃We'll　stay　at　the　inn　to…night；〃　he　continued　as　he　rose　and

faced　the　astonished　sergeant。　〃You　will；　of　course；　get　a

grappling…hook　and　you　will　easily　restore　my　friend's　revolver。　You

will　also　find　beside　it　the　revolver；　string　and　weight　with　which

this　vindictive　woman　attempted　to　disguise　her　own　crime　and　to

fasten　a　charge　of　murder　upon　an　innocent　victim。　You　can　let　Mr。

Gibson　know　that　I　will　see　him　in　the　morning；　when　steps　can　be

taken　for　Miss　Dunbar's　vindication。〃

　　Late　that　evening；　is　we　sat　together　smoking　our　pipes　in　the

village　inn；　Holmes　gave　me　a　brief　review　of　what　had　passed。

　　〃I　fear；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃that　you　will　not　improve　any　reputation

which　I　may　have　acquired　by　adding　the　case　of　the　Thor　Bridge

mystery　to　your　annals。　I　have　been　sluggish　in　mind　and　wanting　in

that　mixture　of　imagination　and　reality　which　is　the　basis　of　my

art。　I　confess　that　the　chip　in　the　stonework　was　a　sufficient　clue　to

suggest　the　true　solution；　and　that　I　blame　myself　for　not　having

attained　it　sooner。

　　〃It　must　be　admitted　that　the　workings　of　this　unhappy　woman's

mind　were　deep　and　subtle；　so　that　it　was　no　very　simple　matter　to

unravel　her　plot。　I　do　not　think　that　in　our　adventures　we　have　ever

come　across　a　stranger　example　of　what　perverted　love　can　bring　about。

Whether　Miss　Dunbar　was　her　rival　in　a　physical　or　in　a　merely

mental　sense　seems　to　have　been　equally　unforgivable　in　her　eyes。　No

doubt　she　blamed　this　innocent　lady　for　all　those　harsh　dealings　and

unkind　words　with　which　her　husband　tried　to　repel　her　too

demonstrative　affection。　Her　first　resolution　was　to　end　her　own　life。

Her　second　was　to　do　it　in　such　a　way　as　to　involve　her　victim　in　a

fate　which　was　worse　far　than　any　sudden　death　could　be。

　　〃We　can　follow　the　various　steps　quite　clearly；　and　they　show　a

remarkable　subtlety　of　mind。　A　note　was　extracted　very　cleverly　from

Miss　Dunbar　which　would　make　it　appear　that　she　had　chosen　the　scene

of　the　crime。　In　her　anxiety　that　it　should　be　discovered　she　somewhat

overdid　it　by　holding　it　in　her　hand　to　the　last。　This　alone　should

have　excited　my　suspicions　earlier　than　it　did。

　　〃Then　she　took　one　of　her　husband's　revolvers…　there　was；　as　you

saw；　an　arsenal　in　the　house…　and　kept　it　for　her　own　use。　A　similar

one　she　concealed　that　morning　in　Miss　Dunbar's　wardrobe　after

discharging　one　barrel；　which　she　could　easily　do　in　the　woods　without

attracting　attention。　She　then　went　down　to　the　bridge　where　she　had

contrived　this　exceedingly　ingenious　method　for　getting　rid　of　her

weapon。　When　Miss　Dunbar　appeared　she　used　her　last　breath　in

pouring　out　her　hatred；　and　then；　when　she　was　out　of　hearing；　carried

out　her　terrible　purpose。　Every　link　is　now　in　its　place　and　the　chain

is　complete。　The　papers　may　ask　why　the　mere　was　not　dragged　in　the

first　instance；　but　it　is　easy　to　be　wise　after　the　event；　and　in

any　case　the　expanse　of　a　reed…filled　lake　is　no　easy　matter　to　drag

unless　you　have　a　clear　perception　of　what　you　are　looking　for　and

where。　Well；　Watson；　we　have　helped　a　remarkable　woman；　and　also　a

formidable　man。　Should　they　in　the　future　join　their　forces；　as

seems　not　unlikely；　the　financial　world　may　find　that　Mr。　Neil

Gibson　has　learned　something　in　that　schoolroom　of　sorrow　where　our

earthly　lessons　are　taught。〃





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