the adventure of the retired colourman-第3章

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reached　the　little　station　it　was　a　two…mile　drive　before　we　came　to

the　Vicarage；　where　a　big；　solemn；　rather　pompous　clergyman　received

us　in　his　study。　Our　telegram　lay　before　him。

　　〃Well；　gentlemen；〃　he　asked；　〃what　can　I　do　for　you？〃

　　〃We　came；〃　I　explained；　〃in　answer　to　your　wire。〃

　　〃My　wire！　I　sent　no　wire。〃

　　〃I　mean　the　wire　which　you　sent　to　Mr。　Josiah　Amberley　about　his

wife　and　his　money。〃

　　〃If　this　is　a　joke；　sir；　it　is　a　very　questionable　one；〃　said　the

vicar　angrily。　〃I　have　never　heard　of　the　gentleman　you　name；　and　I

have　not　sent　a　wire　to　anyone。〃

　　Our　client　and　I　looked　at　each　other　in　amazement。

　　〃Perhaps　there　is　some　mistake；〃　said　I；　〃are　there　perhaps　two

vicarages？　Here　is　the　wire　itself；　signed　Elman　and　dated　from　the

Vicarage。〃

　　〃There　is　only　one　vicarage；　sir；　and　only　one　vicar；　and　this

wire　is　a　scandalous　forgery；　the　origin　of　which　shall　certainly　be

investigated　by　the　police。　Meanwhile；　I　can　see　no　possible　object　in

prolonging　this　interview。〃

　　So　Mr。　Amberley　and　I　found　ourselves　on　the　roadside　in　what　seemed

to　me　to　be　the　most　primitive　village　in　England。　We　made　for　the

telegraph　office；　but　it　was　already　closed。　There　was　a　telephone；

however；　at　the　little　Railway　Arms；　and　by　it　I　got　into　touch　with

Holmes；　who　shared　in　our　amazement　at　the　result　of　our　journey。

　　〃Most　singular！〃　said　the　distant　voice。　〃Most　remarkable！　I　much

fear；　my　dear　Watson；　that　there　is　no　return　train　to…night。　I　have

unwittingly　condemned　you　to　the　horrors　of　a　country　inn。　However；

there　is　always　Nature；　Watson…　Nature　and　Josiah　Amberley…　you　can　be

in　close　commune　with　both。〃　I　heard　his　dry　chuckle　as　he　turned

away。

　　It　was　soon　apparent　to　me　that　my　companion's　reputation　as　a　miser

was　not　undeserved。　he　had　grumbled　at　the　expense　of　the　journey；　had

insisted　upon　travelling　third…class；　and　was　now　clamorous　in　his

objections　to　the　hotel　bill。　Next　morning；　when　we　did　at　last　arrive

in　London；　it　was　hard　to　say　which　of　us　was　in　the　worse　humour。

　　〃You　had　best　take　Baker　Street　as　we　pass；〃　said　I。　〃Mr。　Holmes　may

have　some　fresh　instructions。〃

　　〃If　they　are　not　worth　more　than　the　last　ones　they　are　not　of

much　use；〃　said　Amberley　with　a　malevolent　scowl。　None　the　less；　he

kept　me　company。　I　had　already　warned　Holmes　by　telegram　of　the　hour

of　our　arrival；　but　we　found　a　message　waiting　that　he　was　at　Lewisham

and　would　expect　us　there。　That　was　a　surprise；　but　an　even　greater

one　was　to　find　that　he　was　not　alone　in　the　sittingroom　of　our

client。　A　stern…looking；　impassive　man　sat　beside　him；　a　dark　man　with

gray…tinted　glasses　and　a　large　Masonic　plan　projecting　from　his　tie。

　　〃This　is　my　friend　Mr。　Barker；〃　said　Holmes。　〃He　has　been

interesting　himself　also　in　your　business；　Mr。　Josiah　Amberley；　though

we　have　been　working　independently。　But　we　both　have　the　same　question

to　ask　you！〃

　　Mr。　Amberley　sat　down　heavily。　He　sensed　impending　danger。　I　read　it

in　his　straining　eyes　and　his　twitching　features。

　　〃What　is　the　question；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃Only　this：　What　did　you　do　with　the　bodies？〃

　　The　man　sprang　to　his　feet　with　a　hoarse　scream。　He　clawed　into

the　air　with　his　bony　hands。　His　mouth　was　open；　and　for　the　instant

he　looked　like　some　horrible　bird　of　prey。　In　a　flash　we　got　a　glimpse

of　the　real　Josiah　Amberley；　a　misshapen　demon　with　a　soul　as

distorted　as　his　body。　As　he　fell　back　into　his　chair　he　clapped　his

hand　to　his　lips　as　if　to　stifle　a　cough。　Holmes　sprang　at　his

throat　like　a　tiger　and　twisted　his　face　towards　the　ground。　A　white

pellet　fell　from　between　his　gasping　lips。

　　〃No　short　cuts；　Josiah　Amberley；　Things　must　be　done　decently　and　in

order。　What　about　it；　Barker？〃

　　〃I　have　a　cab　at　the　door；〃　said　our　taciturn　companion。

　　〃It　is　only　a　few　hundred　yards　to　the　station。　We　will　go　together。

You　can　stay　there；　Watson。　I　shall　be　back　within　half　an　hour。〃

　　The　old　colourman　had　the　strength　of　a　lion　in　that　great　trunk

of　his；　but　he　was　helpless　in　the　hands　of　the　two　experienced

man…handlers。　Wriggling　and　twisting　he　was　dragged　to　the　waiting

cab；　and　I　was　left　to　my　solitary　vigil　in　the　ill…omened　house。　In

less　time　than　he　had　named；　however；　Holmes　was　back；　in　company　with

a　smart　young　police　inspector。

　　〃I've　left　Barker　to　look　after　the　formalities；〃　said　Holmes。

〃You　had　not　met　Barker；　Watson。　He　is　my　hated　rival　upon　the

Surrey　shore。　When　you　said　a　tall　dark　man　it　was　not　difficult　for

me　to　complete　the　picture。　He　has　several　good　cases　to　his　credit；

has　he　not；　Inspector？〃

　　〃He　has　certainly　interfered　several　times；〃　the　inspector

answered　with　reserve。

　　〃His　methods　are　irregular；　no　doubt；　like　my　own。　The　irregulars

are　useful　sometimes；　you　know。　You；　for　example；　with　your　compulsory

warning　about　whatever　he　said　being　used　against　him；　could　never

have　bluffed　this　rascal　into　what　is　virtually　a　confession。〃

　　〃Perhaps　not。　But　we　get　there　all　the　same；　Mr。　Holmes。　Don't

imagine　that　we　had　not　formed　our　own　views　of　this　case；　and　that　we

would　not　have　laid　our　hands　on　our　man。　You　will　excuse　us　for

feeling　sore　when　you　jump　in　with　methods　which　we　cannot　use；　and　so

rob　us　of　the　credit。〃

　　〃There　shall　be　no　such　robbery；　MacKinnon。　I　assure　you　that　I

efface　myself　from　now　onward；　and　as　to　Barker；　he　has　done　nothing

save　what　I　told　him。〃

　　The　inspector　seemed　considerably　relieved。

　　〃That　is　very　handsome　of　you；　Mr。　Holmes。　Praise　or　blame　can

matter　little　to　you；　but　it　is　very　different　to　us　when　the

newspapers　begin　to　ask　questions。〃

　　〃Quite　so。　But　they　are　pretty　sure　to　ask　questions　anyhow；　so　it

would　be　as　well　to　have　answers。　What　will　you　say；　for　example；　when

the　intelligent　and　enterprising　reporter　asks　you　what　the　exact

points　were　which　aroused　your　suspicion；　and　finally　gave　you　a

certain　conviction　as　to　the　real　facts？〃

　　The　inspector　looked　puzzled。

　　〃We　don't　seem　to　have　got　any　real　facts　yet；　Mr。　Holmes。　You　say

that　the　prisoner；　in　the　presence　of　three　witnesses；　practically

confessed　by　trying　to　commit　suicide；　that　he　had　murdered　his　wife

and　her　lover。　What　other　facts　have　you？〃

　　〃Have　you　arranged　for　a　search？〃

　　〃There　are　three　constables　on　their　way。〃

　　〃Then　you　will　soon　get　the　clearest　fact　of　all。　The　bodies

cannot　be　far　away。

　　Try　the　cellars　and　the　garden。　It　should　not　take　long　to　dig　up

the　likely　places。　This　house　is　older　than　the　water…pipes。　There

must　be　a　disused　well　somewhere。　Try　your　luck　there。〃

　　〃But　how　did　you　know　of　it；　and　how　was　it　done？〃

　　〃I'll　show　you　first　how　it　was　done；　and　then　I　will　give　the

explanation　which　is　due　to　you；　and　even　more　to　my　long…suffering

friend　here；　who　has　been　invaluable　throughout。　But；　first；　I　would

give　you　an　insight　into　this　man's　mentality。　It　is　a　very　unusual

one…　so　much　so　that　I　think　his　destination　is　more　likely　to　be

Broadmoor　than　the　scaffold。　He　has；　to　a　high　degree；　the　sort　of

mind　which　one　associates　with　the　mediaeval　Italian　nature　rather

than　with　the　modern　Briton。　He　was　a　miserable　miser　who　made　his

wife　so　wretched　by　his　niggardly　ways　that　she　was　a　ready　prey　for

any　adventurer。　Such　a　one　came　upon　the　scene　in　the　person　of　this

chess…playing　doctor。　Amberley　excelled　at　chess…　one　mark；　Watson；　of

a　scheming　mind。　Like　all　misers；　he　was　a　jealous　man；　and　his

jealousy　became　a　frantic　mania。　Rightly　or　wrongly；　he　suspected　an

intrigue。　He　determined　to　have　his　revenge；　and　he　planned　it　with

diabolical　cleverness。　Come　here！〃

　　Holmes　led　us　along　the　passage　with　as　much　certainty　as　if　he

had　lived　in　the　house　and　halted　at　the　open　door　of　the　strong…room。

　　〃Pooh！　What　an　awful　smell　of　paint！〃　cried　the　inspector。

　　〃That　was　our　first　clue；〃　said　Holmes。　〃You　can　thank　Dr。

Watson's　observation　for　that；　though　he　failed　to　draw　the　inference。

It　set　my　foot　upon　the　trail。　Why　should　this　man　at　such　a　time　be

filling　his　house　with　strong　odours？　Obv