a scandal in bohemia-第5章

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Avenue。　It　was　already　dusk；　and　the　lamps　were　just　being　lighted

as　we　paced　up　and　down　in　front　of　Briony　Lodge；　waiting　for　the

coming　of　its　occupant。　The　house　was　just　such　as　I　had　pictured　it

from　Sherlock　Holmes's　succinct　description；　but　the　locality　appeared

to　be　less　private　than　I　expected。　On　the　contrary；　for　a　small

street　in　a　quiet　neighbourhood；　it　was　remarkably　animated。　There　was

a　group　of　shabbily　dressed　men　smoking　and　laughing　in　a　corner；　a

scissors…grinder　with　his　wheel；　two　guardsmen　who　were　flirting

with　a　nurse…girl；　and　several　well　dressed　young　men　who　were

lounging　up　and　down　with　cigars　in　their　mouths。

　　〃You　see；〃　remarked　Holmes；　as　we　paced　to　and　fro　in　front　of　the

house；　〃this　marriage　rather　simplifies　matters。　The　photograph

becomes　a　double…edged　weapon　now。　The　chances　are　that　she　would　be

as　averse　to　its　being　seen　by　Mr。　Godfrey　Norton；　as　our　client　is　to

its　coming　to　the　eyes　of　his　princess。　Now　the　question　is；　Where　are

we　to　find　the　photograph？〃

　　〃Where；　indeed？〃

　　〃It　is　most　unlikely　that　she　carries　it　about　with　her。　It　is

cabinet　size。　Too　large　for　easy　concealment　about　a　woman's　dress。

She　knows　that　the　King　is　capable　of　having　her　waylaid　and　searched。

Two　attempts　of　the　sort　have　already　been　made。　We　may　take　it；　then；

that　she　does　not　carry　it　about　with　her。〃

　　〃Where；　then？'

　　〃Her　banker　or　her　lawyer。　There　is　that　double　possibility。　But　I

am　inclined　to　think　neither。　Women　are　naturally　secretive；　and

they　like　to　do　their　own　secreting。　Why　should　she　hand　it　over　to

anyone　else？　She　could　trust　her　own　guardianship；　but　she　could　not

tell　what　indirect　or　political　influence　might　be　brought　to　bear

upon　a　business　man。　Besides；　remember　that　she　had　resolved　to　use　it

within　a　few　days。　It　must　be　where　she　can　lay　her　hands　upon　it。

It　must　be　in　her　own　house。〃

　　〃But　it　has　twice　been　burgled。〃

　　〃Pshaw！　They　did　not　know　how　to　look。〃

　　〃But　how　will　you　look？〃

　　〃I　will　not　look。〃

　　〃What　then？〃

　　〃I　will　get　her　to　show　me。〃

　　〃But　she　will　refuse。〃

　　〃She　will　not　be　able　to。　But　I　hear　the　rumble　of　wheels。　It　is　her

carriage。　Now　carry　out　my　orders　to　the　letter。〃

　　As　he　spoke　the　gleam　of　the　side…lights　of　a　carriage　came　round

the　curve　of　the　avenue。　It　was　a　smart　little　landau　which　rattled　up

to　the　door　of　Briony　Lodge。　As　it　pulled　up；　one　of　the　loafing　men

at　the　corner　dashed　forward　to　open　the　door　in　the　hope　of　earning　a

copper；　but　was　elbowed　away　by　another　loafer；　who　had　rushed　up　with

the　same　intention。　A　fierce　quarrel　broke　out；　which　was　increased　by

the　two　guardsmen；　who　took　sides　with　one　of　the　loungers；　and　by　the

scissors…grinder；　who　was　equally　hot　upon　the　other　side。　A　blow

was　struck；　and　in　an　instant　the　lady；　who　had　stepped　from　her

carriage；　was　the　centre　of　a　little　knot　of　flushed　and　struggling

men；　who　struck　savagely　at　each　other　with　their　fists　and　sticks。

Holmes　dashed　into　the　crowd　to　protect　the　lady；　but　just　as　he

reached　her　he　gave　a　cry　and　dropped　to　the　ground；　with　the　blood

running　freely　down　his　face。　At　his　fall　the　guardsmen　took　to

their　heels　in　one　direction　and　the　loungers　in　the　other；　while　a

number　of　better　dressed　people；　who　had　watched　the　scuffle　without

taking　part　in　it；　crowded　in　to　help　the　lady　and　to　attend　to　the

injured　man。　Irene　Adler；　as　I　will　still　call　her；　had　hurried　up　the

steps；　but　she　stood　at　the　top　with　her　superb　figure　outlined

against　the　lights　of　the　hall；　looking　back　into　the　street。

　　〃Is　the　poor　gentleman　much　hurt？〃　she　asked。

　　〃He　is　dead；〃　cried　several　voices。

　　〃No；　no；　there's　life　in　him！〃　shouted　another。　〃But　he'll　be　gone

before　you　can　get　him　to　hospital。〃

　　〃He's　a　brave　fellow；〃　said　a　woman。　〃They　would　have　had　the　lady's

purse　and　watch　if　it　hadn't　been　for　him。　They　were　a　gang；　and　a

rough　one；　too。　Ah；　he's　breathing　now。〃

　　〃He　can't　lie　in　the　street。　May　we　bring　him　in；　marm？〃

　　〃Surely。　Bring　him　into　the　sitting…room。　There　is　a　comfortable

sofa。　This　way；　please！〃

　　Slowly　and　solemnly　he　was　home　into　Briony　Lodge　and　laid　out　in

the　principal　room；　while　I　still　observed　the　proceedings　from　my

post　by　the　window。　The　lamps　had　been　lit；　but　the　blinds　had　not

been　drawn；　so　that　I　could　see　Holmes　as　he　lay　upon　the　couch。　I

do　not　know　whether　he　was　seized　with　compunction　at　that　moment

for　the　part　he　was　playing；　but　I　know　that　I　never　felt　more

heartily　ashamed　of　myself　in　my　life　than　when　I　saw　the　beautiful

creature　against　whom　I　was　conspiring；　or　the　grace　and　kindliness

with　which　she　waited　upon　the　injured　man。　And　yet　it　would　be　the

blackest　treachery　to　Holmes　to　draw　back　now　from　the　part　which　he

had　intrusted　to　me。　I　hardened　my　heart；　and　took　the　smoke…rocket

from　under　my　ulster。　After　all；　I　thought　we　are　not　injuring　her。　We

are　but　preventing　her　from　injuring　another。

　　Holmes　had　sat　up　upon　the　couch；　and　I　saw　him　motion　like　a　man

who　is　in　need　of　air。　A　maid　rushed　across　and　threw　open　the　window。

At　the　same　instant　I　saw　him　raise　his　hand；　and　at　the　signal　I

tossed　my　rocket　into　the　room　with　a　cry　of　‘Fire！'　The　word　was　no

sooner　out　of　my　mouth　than　the　whole　crowd　of　spectators；　well

dressed　and　ill…　gentlemen；　ostlers；　and　servant…maids…　joined　in　a

general　shriek　of　‘Fire！'　Thick　clouds　of　smoke　curled　through　the

room　and　out　at　the　open　window。　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　rushing

figures；　and　a　moment　later　the　voice　of　Holmes　from　within　assuring

them　that　it　was　a　false　alarm。　Slipping　through　the　shouting　crowd

I　made　my　way　to　the　corner　of　the　street；　and　in　ten　minutes　was

rejoiced　to　find　my　friend's　arm　in　mine；　and　to　get　away　from　the

scene　of　uproar。　He　walked　swiftly　and　in　silence　for　some　few　minutes

until　we　had　turned　down　one　of　the　quiet　streets　which　lead　towards

the　Edgeware　Road。

　　〃You　did　it　very　nicely；　Doctor；〃　he　remarked。　〃Nothing　could　have

been　better。　It　is　all　right。〃

　　〃You　have　the　photograph？〃

　　〃I　know　where　it　is。〃

　　〃And　how　did　you　find　out？〃

　　〃She　showed　me；　as　I　told　you　she　would。〃

　　〃I　am　still　in　the　dark。〃

　　〃I　do　not　wish　to　make　a　mystery；〃　said　he；　laughing。　The　matter　was

perfectly　simple。　You；　of　course；　saw　that　everyone　in　the　street

was　an　accomplice。　They　were　all　engaged　for　the　evening。〃

　　〃I　guessed　as　much。〃

　　Then；　when　the　row　broke　out；　I　had　a　little　moist　red　paint　in

the　palm　of　my　hand。　I　rushed　forward；　fell　down；　clapped　my　hand　to

my　face；　and　became　a　piteous　spectacle。　It　is　an　old　trick。〃

　　〃That　also　I　could　fathom。〃

　　〃Then　they　carried　me　in。　She　was　bound　to　have　me　in。　What　else

could　she　do？　And　into　her　sitting…room；　which　was　the　very　room　which

I　suspected。　It　lay　between　that　and　her　bedroom；　and　I　was　determined

to　see　which。　They　laid　me　on　a　couch；　I　motioned　for　air；　they　were

compelled　to　open　the　window；　and　you　had　your　chance。〃

　　〃How　did　that　help　you？〃

　　〃It　was　all…important。　When　a　woman　thinks　that　her　house　is　on

fire；　her　instinct　is　at　once　to　rush　to　the　thing　which　she　values

most。　It　is　a　perfectly　overpowering　impulse；　and　I　have　more　than

once　taken　advantage　of　it。　In　the　case　of　the　Darlington　substitution

scandal　it　was　of　use　to　me；　and　also　in　the　Arnsworth　Castle

business。　A　married　woman　grabs　at　her　baby；　an　unmarried　one

reaches　for　her　jewel…box。　Now　it　was　clear　to　me　that　our　lady　of

to…day　had　nothing　in　the　house　more　precious　to　her　than　what　we

are　in　quest　of。　She　would　rush　to　secure　it。　The　alarm　of　fire　was

admirably　done。　The　smoke　and　shouting　were　enough　to　shake　nerves

of　steel。　She　responded　beautifully。　The　photograph　is　in　a　recess

behind　a　sliding　panel　just　above　the　right　bell…pull。　She　was　there

in　an　instant；　and　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　it　as　she　half…drew　it　out。

When　I　cried　out　that　it　was　a　false　alarm；　she　replaced　it；　glanced

at　the　rocket；　rushed　from　the　room；　and　I　have　not　seen　her　since。

I　rose；　and；　making　my　excuses；　escaped　from　the　h