the adventure of the empty house-第6章

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　　〃Excellent。　You　carried　the　thing　out　very　well。　Did　you　observe

where　the　bullet　went？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。　I'm　afraid　it　has　spoilt　your　beautiful　bust；　for　it

passed　right　through　the　head　and　flattened　itself　on　the　wall。　I

picked　it　up　from　the　carpet。　Here　it　is！〃

　　Holmes　held　it　out　to　me。　〃A　soft　revolver　bullet；　as　you

perceive；　Watson。　There's　genius　in　that；　for　who　would　expect　to　find

such　a　thing　fired　from　an　airgun？　All　right；　Mrs。　Hudson。　I　am　much

obliged　for　your　assistance。　And　now；　Watson；　let　me　see　you　in　your

old　seat　once　more；　for　there　are　several　points　which　I　should　like

to　discuss　with　you。〃

　　He　had　thrown　off　the　seedy　frockcoat；　and　now　he　was　the　Holmes

of　old　in　the　mouse…coloured　dressing…gown　which　he　took　from　his

effigy。

　　〃The　old　shikari's　nerves　have　not　lost　their　steadiness；　nor　his

eyes　their　keenness；〃　said　he；　with　a　laugh；　as　he　inspected　the

shattered　forehead　of　his　bust。

　　〃Plumb　in　the　middle　of　the　back　of　the　head　and　smack　through　the

brain。　He　was　the　best　shot　in　India；　and　I　expect　that　there　are

few　better　in　London。　Have　you　heard　the　name？〃

　　〃No；　I　have　not。〃

　　〃Well；　well；　such　is　fame！　But；　then；　if　I　remember　right；　you　had

not　heard　the　name　of　Professor　James　Moriarty；　who　had　one　of　the

great　brains　of　the　century。　Just　give　me　down　my　index　of　biographies

from　the　shelf。〃

　　He　turned　over　the　pages　lazily；　leaning　back　in　his　chair　and

blowing　great　clouds　from　his　cigar。

　　〃My　collection　of　M's　is　a　fine　one；〃　said　he。　〃Moriarty　himself

is　enough　to　make　any　letter　illustrious；　and　here　is　Morgan　the

poisoner；　and　Merridew　of　abominable　memory；　and　Mathews；　who

knocked　out　my　left　canine　in　the　waiting　room　at　Charing　Cross；

and；　finally；　here　is　our　friend　of　to…night。〃

　　He　handed　over　the　book；　and　I　read：



　　Moran；　Sebastian；　Colonel。　Unemployed。　Formerly　1st　Bangalore

Pioneers。　Born　London；　1840。　Son　of　Sir　Augustus　Moran；　C。B。；　once

British　Minister　to　Persia。　Educated　Eton　and　Oxford。　Served　in　Jowaki

Campaign；　Afghan　Campaign；　Charasiab　（despatches）；　Sherpur；　and　Cabul。

Author　of　Heavy　Game　of　the　Western　Himalayas　（1881）；　Three　Months

in　the　Jungle　（1884）。　Address：　Conduit　Street。　Clubs：　The

Anglo…Indian；　the　Tankerville；　the　Bagatelle　Card　Club。



　　On　the　margin　was　written；　in　Holmes's　precise　hand：



　　　　　The　second　most　dangerous　man　in　London。



　　〃This　is　astonishing；〃　said　I；　as　I　handed　back　the　volume。　〃The

man's　career　is　that　of　an　honourable　soldier。〃

　　〃It　is　true；〃　Holmes　answered。　〃Up　to　a　certain　point　he　did　well。

He　was　always　a　man　of　iron　nerve；　and　the　story　is　still　told　in

India　how　he　crawled　down　a　drain　after　a　wounded　man…eating　tiger。

There　are　some　trees；　Watson；　which　grow　to　a　certain　height；　and　then

suddenly　develop　some　unsightly　eccentricity。　You　will　see　it　often　in

humans。　I　have　a　theory　that　the　individual　represents　in　his

development　the　whole　procession　of　his　ancestors；　and　that　such　a

sudden　turn　to　good　or　evil　stands　for　some　strong　influence　which

came　into　the　line　of　his　pedigree。　The　person　becomes；　as　it　were；

the　epitome　of　the　history　of　his　own　family。〃

　　〃It　is　surely　rather　fanciful。〃

　　〃Well；　I　don't　insist　upon　it。　Whatever　the　cause；　Colonel　Moran

began　to　go　wrong。　Without　any　open　scandal；　he　still　made　India　too

hot　to　hold　him。　He　retired；　came　to　London；　and　again　acquired　an

evil　name。　It　was　at　this　time　that　he　was　sought　out　by　Professor

Moriarty；　to　whom　for　a　time　he　was　chief　of　the　staff。　Moriarty

supplied　him　liberally　with　money；　and　used　him　only　in　one　or　two

very　high…class　jobs；　which　no　ordinary　criminal　could　have

undertaken。　You　may　have　some　recollection　of　the　death　of　Mrs。

Stewart；　of　Lauder；　in　1887。　Not？　Well；　I　am　sure　Moran　was　at　the

bottom　of　it；　but　nothing　could　be　proved。　So　cleverly　was　the　colonel

concealed　that；　even　when　the　Moriarty　gang　was　broken　up；　we　could

not　incriminate　him。　You　remember　at　that　date；　when　I　called　upon　you

in　your　rooms；　how　I　put　up　the　shutters　for　fear　of　air…guns？　No

doubt　you　thought　me　fanciful。　I　knew　exactly　what　I　was　doing；　for

I　knew　of　the　existence　of　this　remarkable　gun；　and　I　knew　also　that

one　of　the　best　shots　in　the　world　would　be　behind　it。　When　we　were　in

Switzerland　he　followed　us　with　Moriarty；　and　it　was　undoubtedly　he

who　gave　me　that　evil　five　minutes　on　the　Reichenbach　ledge。

　　〃You　may　think　that　I　read　the　papers　with　some　attention　during

my　sojourn　in　France；　on　the　look…out　for　any　chance　of　laying　him

by　the　heels。　So　long　as　he　was　free　in　London；　my　life　would　really

not　have　been　worth　living。　Night　and　day　the　shadow　would　have　been

over　me；　and　sooner　or　later　his　chance　must　have　come。　What　could　I

do？　I　could　not　shoot　him　at　sight；　or　I　should　myself　be　in　the　dock。

There　was　no　use　appealing　to　a　magistrate。　They　cannot　interfere　on

the　strength　of　what　would　appear　to　them　to　be　a　wild　suspicion。　So　I

could　do　nothing。　But　I　watched　the　criminal　news；　knowing　that　sooner

or　later　I　should　get　him。　Then　came　the　death　of　this　Ronald　Adair。

My　chance　had　come　at　last。　Knowing　what　I　did；　was　it　not　certain

that　Colonel　Moran　had　done　it？　He　had　played　cards　with　the　lad；　he

had　followed　him　home　from　the　club；　he　had　shot　him　through　the

open　window。　There　was　not　a　doubt　of　it。　The　bullets　alone　are　enough

to　put　his　head　in　a　noose。　I　came　over　at　once。　I　was　seen　by　the

sentinel；　who　would；　I　knew；　direct　the　colonel's　attention　to　my

presence。　He　could　not　fail　to　connect　my　sudden　return　with　his

crime；　and　to　be　terribly　alarmed。　I　was　sure　that　he　would　make　an

attempt　to　get　me　out　of　the　way　at　once；　and　would　bring　round　his

murderous　weapon　for　that　purpose。　I　left　him　an　excellent　mark　in　the

window；　and；　having　warned　the　police　that　they　might　be　needed…　by

the　way；　Watson；　you　spotted　their　presence　in　that　doorway　with

unerring　accuracy…　I　took　up　what　seemed　to　me　to　be　a　judicious

post　for　observation；　never　dreaming　that　he　would　choose　the　same

spot　for　his　attack。　Now；　my　dear　Watson；　does　anything　remain　for

me　to　explain？〃

　　〃Yes；〃　said　I。　〃You　have　not　made　it　clear　what　was　Colonel

Moran's　motive　in　murdering　the　Honourable　Ronald　Adair？〃

　　〃Ah！　my　dear　Watson；　there　we　come　into　those　realms　of

conjecture；　where　the　most　logical　mind　may　be　at　fault。　Each　may　form

his　own　hypothesis　upon　the　present　evidence；　and　yours　is　as　likely

to　be　correct　as　mine。〃

　　〃You　have　formed　one；　then？〃

　　〃I　think　that　it　is　not　difficult　to　explain　the　facts。　It　came

out　in　evidence　that　Colonel　Moran　and　young　Adair　had；　between

them；　won　a　considerable　amount　of　money。　Now；　undoubtedly　played

foul…　of　that　I　have　long　been　aware。　I　believe　that　on　the　day　of　the

murder　Adair　had　discovered　that　Moran　was　cheating。　Very　likely　he

had　spoken　to　him　privately；　and　had　threatened　to　expose　him　unless

he　voluntarily　resigned　his　membership　of　the　club；　and　promised　not

to　play　cards　again。　It　is　unlikely　that　a　youngster　like　Adair

would　at　once　make　a　hideous　scandal　by　exposing　a　well　known　man　so

much　older　than　himself。　Probably　he　acted　as　I　suggest。　The　exclusion

from　his　clubs　would　mean　ruin　to　Moran；　who　lived　by　his　ill…gotten

card…gains。　He　therefore　murdered　Adair；　who　at　the　time　was

endeavouring　to　work　out　how　much　money　he　should　himself　return；

since　he　could　not　profit　by　his　partner's　foul　play。　He　locked　the

door　lest　the　ladies　should　surprise　him　and　insist　upon　knowing

what　he　was　doing　with　these　names　and　coins。　Will　it　pass？〃

　　〃I　have　no　doubt　that　you　have　hit　upon　the　truth。〃

　　〃It　will　be　verified　or　disproved　at　the　trial。　Meanwhile；　come　what

may；　Colonel　Moran　will　trouble　us　no　more。　The　famous　air…gun　of

Von　Herder　will　embellish　the　Scotland　Yard　Museum；　and　once　again　Mr。

Sherlock　Holmes　is　free　to　devote　his　life　to　examining　those

interesting　little　problems　which　the　complex　life　of　London　so

plentifully　presents。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

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