the adventure of the empty house-第2章

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man　with　coloured　glasses；　whom　I　strongly　suspected　of　being　a

plain…clothes　detective；　was　pointing　out　some　theory　of　his　own；

while　the　others　crowded　round　to　listen　to　what　he　said。　I　got　as

near　him　as　I　could；　but　his　observations　seemed　to　me　to　be　absurd；

so　I　withdrew　again　in　some　disgust。　As　I　did　so　I　struck　against　an

elderly；　deformed　man；　who　had　been　behind　me；　and　I　knocked　down

several　books　which　he　was　carrying。　I　remember　that　as　I　picked

them　up；　I　observed　the　title　of　one　of　them；　The　Origin　of　Tree

Worship；　and　it　struck　me　that　the　fellow　must　be　some　poor

bibliophile；　who；　either　as　a　trade　or　as　a　hobby；　was　a　collector

of　obscure　volumes。　I　endeavoured　to　apologize　for　the　accident；　but

it　was　evident　that　these　books　which　I　had　so　unfortunately

maltreated　were　very　precious　objects　in　the　eyes　of　their　owner。　With

a　snarl　of　contempt　he　turned　upon　his　heel；　and　I　saw　his　curved　back

and　white　side…whiskers　disappear　among　the　throng。

　　My　observations　of　No。　427　Park　Lane　did　little　to　clear　up　the

problem　in　which　I　was　interested。　The　house　was　separated　from　the

street　by　a　low　wall　and　railing；　the　whole　not　more　than　five　feet

high。　It　was　perfectly　easy；　therefore；　for　anyone　to　get　into　the

garden；　but　the　window　was　entirely　inaccessible；　since　there　was　no

waterpipe　or　anything　which　could　help　the　most　active　man　to　climb

it。　More　puzzled　than　ever；　I　retraced　my　steps　to　Kensington。　I　had

not　been　in　my　study　five　minutes　when　the　maid　entered　to　say　that

a　person　desired　to　see　me。　To　my　astonishment　it　was　none　other

than　my　strange　old　book　collector；　his　sharp；　wizened　face　peering

out　from　a　frame　of　white　hair；　and　his　precious　volumes；　a　dozen　of

them　at　least；　wedged　under　his　right　arm。

　　〃You're　surprised　to　see　me；　sir；〃　said　he；　in　a　strange；　croaking

voice。

　　I　acknowledged　that　I　was。

　　〃Well；　I've　a　conscience；　sir；　and　when　I　chanced　to　see　you　go　into

this　house；　as　I　came　hobbling　after　you；　I　thought　to　myself；　I'll

just　step　in　and　see　that　kind　gentleman；　and　tell　him　that　if　I　was　a

bit　gruff　in　my　manner　there　was　not　any　harm　meant；　and　that　I　am

much　obliged　to　him　for　picking　up　my　books。〃

　　〃You　make　too　much　of　a　trifle；〃　said　I。　〃May　I　ask　how　you　knew　who

I　was？〃

　　〃Well；　sir；　if　it　isn't　too　great　a　liberty；　I　am　a　neighbour　of

yours；　for　you'll　find　my　little　bookshop　at　the　corner　of　Church

Street；　and　very　happy　to　see　you；　I　am　sure。　Maybe　you　collect

yourself；　sir。　Here's　British　Birds；　and　Catullus；　and　The　Holy　War…　a

bargain；　every　one　of　them。　With　five　volumes　you　could　just　fill　that

gap　on　that　second　shelf。　It　looks　untidy；　does　it　not；　sir？〃

　　I　moved　my　head　to　look　at　the　cabinet　behind　me。　When　I　turned

again；　Sherlock　Holmes　was　standing　smiling　at　me　across　my　study

table。　I　rose　to　my　feet；　stared　at　him　for　some　seconds　in　utter

amazement；　and　then　it　appears　that　I　must　have　fainted　for　the

first　and　the　last　time　in　my　life。　Certainly　a　gray　mist　swirled

before　my　eyes；　and　when　it　cleared　I　found　my　collar…ends　undone

and　the　tingling　after…taste　of　brandy　upon　my　lips。　Holmes　was

bending　over　my　chair；　his　flask　in　his　hand。

　　〃My　dear　Watson；〃　said　the　well…remembered　voice；　〃I　owe　you　a

thousand　apologies。　I　had　no　idea　that　you　would　be　so　affected。〃

　　I　gripped　him　by　the　arms。

　　〃Holmes！〃　I　cried。　〃Is　it　really　you？　Can　it　indeed　be　that　you

are　alive？　Is　it　possible　that　you　succeeded　in　climbing　out　of　that

awful　abyss？〃

　　〃Wait　a　moment；〃　said　he。　〃Are　you　sure　that　you　are　really　fit　to

discuss　things？　I　have　given　you　a　serious　shock　by　my　unnecessarily

dramatic　reappearance。〃

　　〃I　am　all　right；　but　indeed；　Holmes；　I　can　hardly　believe　my　eyes。

Good　heavens！　to　think　that　you…　you　of　all　men…　should　be　standing　in

my　study。〃　Again　I　gripped　him　by　the　sleeve；　and　felt　the　thin；

sinewy　arm　beneath　it。　〃Well；　you're　not　a　spirit　anyhow；〃　said　I。　〃My

dear　chap；　I'm　overjoyed　to　see　you。　Sit　down；　and　tell　me　how　you

came　alive　out　of　that　dreadful　chasm。〃

　　He　sat　opposite　to　me；　and　lit　a　cigarette　in　his　old；　nonchalant

manner。　He　was　dressed　in　the　seedy　frockcoat　of　the　book　merchant；

but　the　rest　of　that　individual　lay　in　a　pile　of　white　hair　and　old

books　upon　the　table。　Holmes　looked　even　thinner　and　keener　than　of

old；　but　there　was　a　dead…white　tinge　in　his　aquiline　face　which

told　me　that　his　life　recently　had　not　been　a　healthy　one。

　　〃I　am　glad　to　stretch　myself；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃It　is　no　joke

when　a　tall　man　has　to　take　a　foot　off　his　stature　for　several　hours

on　end。　Now；　my　dear　fellow；　in　the　matter　of　these　explanations；　we

have；　if　I　may　ask　for　your　cooperation；　a　hard　and　dangerous

night's　work　in　front　of　us。　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　if　I　gave

you　an　account　of　the　whole　situation　when　that　work　is　finished。〃

　　〃I　am　full　of　curiosity。　I　should　much　prefer　to　hear　now。〃

　　〃You'll　come　with　me　to…night？〃

　　〃When　you　like　and　where　you　like。〃

　　〃This　is；　indeed；　like　the　old　days。　We　shall　have　time　for　a

mouthful　of　dinner　before　we　need　go。　Well；　then；　about　that　chasm。

I　had　no　serious　difficulty　in　getting　out　of　it；　for　the　very

simple　reason　that　I　never　was　in　it。〃

　　〃You　never　were　in　it？〃

　　〃No；　Watson；　I　never　was　in　it。　My　note　to　you　was　absolutely

genuine。　I　had　little　doubt　that　I　had　come　to　the　end　of　my　career

when　I　perceived　the　somewhat　sinister　figure　of　the　late　Professor

Moriarty　standing　upon　the　narrow　pathway　which　led　to　safety。　I

read　an　inexorable　purpose　in　his　gray　eyes。　I　exchanged　some

remarks　with　him；　therefore；　and　obtained　his　courteous　permission

to　write　the　short　note　which　you　afterwards　received。　I　left　it

with　my　cigarette…box　and　my　stick；　and　I　walked　along　the　pathway；

Moriarty　still　at　my　heels。　When　I　reached　the　end　I　stood　at　bay。

He　drew　no　weapon；　but　he　rushed　at　me　and　threw　his　long　arms

around　me。　He　knew　that　his　own　game　was　up；　and　was　only　anxious　to

revenge　himself　upon　me。　We　tottered　together　upon　the　brink　of　the

fall。　I　have　some　knowledge；　however；　of　baritsu；　or　the　Japanese

system　of　wrestling；　which　has　more　than　once　been　very　useful　to

me。　I　slipped　through　his　grip；　and　he　with　a　horrible　scream　kicked

madly　for　a　few　seconds；　and　clawed　the　air　with　both　his　hands。　But

for　all　his　efforts　he　could　not　get　his　balance；　and　over　he　went。

With　my　face　over　the　brink；　I　saw　him　fall　for　a　long　way。　Then　he

struck　a　rock；　bounded　off；　and　splashed　into　the　water。〃

　　I　listened　with　amazement　to　this　explanation；　which　Holmes

delivered　between　the　puffs　of　his　cigarette。

　　〃But　the　tracks！〃　I　cried。　〃I　saw；　with　my　own　eyes；　that　two　went

down　the　path　and　none　returned。〃

　　〃It　came　about　in　this　way。　The　instant　that　the　Professor　had

disappeared；　it　struck　me　what　a　really　extraordinarily　lucky　chance

Fate　had　placed　in　my　way。　I　knew　that　Moriarty　was　not　the　only　man

who　had　sworn　my　death。　There　were　at　least　three　others　whose

desire　for　vengeance　upon　me　would　only　be　increased　by　the　death　of

their　leader。　They　were　all　most　dangerous　men。　One　or　other　would

certainly　get　me。　On　the　other　hand；　if　all　the　world　was　convinced

that　I　was　dead　they　would　take　liberties；　these　men；　they　would

soon　lay　themselves　open；　and　sooner　or　later　I　could　destroy　them。

Then　it　would　be　time　for　me　to　announce　that　I　was　still　in　the

land　of　the　living。　So　rapidly　does　the　brain　act　that　I　believe　I　had

thought　this　all　out　before　Professor　Moriarty　had　reached　the

bottom　of　the　Reichenbach　Fall。

　　〃I　stood　up　and　examined　the　rocky　wall　behind　me。　In　your

picturesque　account　of　the　matter；　which　I　read　with　great　interest

some　months　later；　you　assert　that　the　wall　was　sheer。　That　was　not

literally　true。　A　few　small　footholds　presented　themselves；　and

there　was　some　indication　of　a　ledge。　The　cliff　is　so　high　that　to

climb　it　all　was　an　obvious　impossibility；　and　it　was　equally

impossible　to　make　my　way　along　the　wet　path　without　leaving　some

tracks。　I　might；　it　is　true；　have　reversed　my　boots