the adventure of the blanced soldier-第4部分

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outstretched　hand。

　　〃Why；　Godfrey；　old　man；　this　is　fine！〃

　　But　the　other　waved　him　back。

　　〃Don't　touch　me；　Jimmie。　Keep　your　distance。　Yes；　you　may　well

stare！　I　don't　quite　look　the　smart　Lance…Corporal　Emsworth；　of　B

Squadron；　do　I？〃

　　His　appearance　was　certainly　extraordinary。　One　could　see　that　he

had　indeed　been　a　handsome　man　with　clear…cut　features　sunburned　by　an

African　sun；　but　mottled　in　patches　over　this　darker　surface　were

curious　whitish　patches　which　had　bleached　his　skin。

　　〃That's　why　I　don't　court　visitors；〃　said　he。　〃I　don't　mind　you；

Jimmie；　but　I　could　have　done　without　your　friend。　I　suppose　there

is　some　good　reason　for　it；　but　you　have　me　at　a　disadvantage。〃

　　〃I　wanted　to　be　sure　that　all　was　well　with　you；　Godfrey。　I　saw

you　that　night　when　you　looked　into　my　window；　and　I　could　not　let　the

matter　rest　till　I　had　cleared　things　up。〃

　　〃Old　Ralph　told　me　you　were　there；　and　I　couldn't　help　taking　a　peep

at　you。　I　hoped　you　would　not　have　seen　me；　and　I　had　to　run　to　my

burrow　when　I　heard　the　window　go　up。〃

　　〃But　what　in　heaven's　name　is　the　matter？〃

　　〃Well；　it's　not　a　long　story　to　tell；〃　said　he；　lighting　a

cigarette。　〃You　remember　that　morning　fight　at　Buffelsspruit；

outside　Pretoria；　on　the　Eastern　railway　line？　You　heard　I　was　hit？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　heard　that；　but　I　never　got　particulars。〃

　　〃Three　of　us　got　separated　from　the　others。　It　was　very　broken

country；　you　may　remember。　There　was　Simpson…　the　fellow　we　called

Baldy　Simpson…　and　Anderson；　and　I。　We　were　clearing　brother　Boer；　but

he　lay　low　and　got　the　three　of　us。　The　other　two　were　killed。　I　got

an　elephant　bullet　through　my　shoulder。　I　stuck　on　to　my　horse；

however；　and　he　galloped　several　miles　before　I　fainted　and　rolled　off

the　saddle。

　　〃When　I　came　to　myself　it　was　nightfall；　and　I　raised　myself　up；

feeling　very　weak　and　ill。　To　my　surprise　there　was　a　house　close

beside　me；　a　fairly　large　house　with　a　broad　stoop　and　many　windows。

It　was　deadly　cold。　You　remember　the　kind　of　numb　cold　which　used　to

come　at　evening；　a　deadly；　sickening　sort　of　cold；　very　different　from

a　crisp　healthy　frost。　Well　I　was　chilled　to　the　bone；　and　my　only

hope　seemed　to　lie　in　reaching　that　house。　I　staggered　to　my　feet

and　dragged　myself　along；　hardly　conscious　of　what　I　did。　I　have　a　dim

memory　of　slowly　ascending　the　steps；　entering　a　wide…opened　door；

passing　into　a　large　room　which　contained　several　beds；　and　throwing

myself　down　with　a　gasp　of　satisfaction　upon　one　of　them。　It　was

unmade；　but　that　troubled　me　not　at　all。　I　drew　the　clothes　over　my

shivering　body　and　in　a　moment　I　was　in　a　deep　sleep。

　　〃It　was　morning　when　I　wakened；　and　it　seemed　to　me　that　instead

of　coming　out　into　a　world　of　sanity　I　had　emerged　into　some

extraordinary　nightmare。　The　out　African　sun　flooded　through　the

big；　curtainless　windows；　and　every　detail　of　the　great；　bare；

whitewashed　dormitory　stood　out　hard　and　clear。　In　front　of　me　was

standing　a　small；　dwarf…like　man　with　a　huge；　bulbous　head；　who　was

jabbering　excitedly　in　Dutch；　waving　two　horrible　hands　which　looked

to　me　like　brown　sponges。　Behind　him　stood　a　group　of　people　who

seemed　to　be　intensely　amused　by　the　situation；　but　a　chill　came

over　me　as　I　looked　at　them。　Not　one　of　them　was　a　normal　human　being。

Every　one　was　twisted　or　swollen　or　disfigured　in　some　strange　way。

The　laughter　of　these　strange　monstrosities　was　a　dreadful　thing　to

hear。

　　〃It　seemed　that　none　of　them　could　speak　English；　but　the

situation　wanted　clearing　up；　for　the　creature　with　the　big　head　was

growing　furiously　angry；　and；　uttering　wild…beast　cries；　he　had　laid

his　deformed　hands　upon　me　and　was　dragging　me　out　of　bed；

regardless　of　the　fresh　flow　of　blood　from　my　wound。　The　little

monster　was　as　strong　as　a　bull；　and　I　don't　know　what　he　might　have

done　to　me　had　not　an　elderly　man　who　was　clearly　in　authority　been

attracted　to　the　room　by　the　hubbub。　He　said　a　few　stern　words　in

Dutch；　and　my　persecutor　shrank　away。　Then　he　turned　upon　me；　gazing

at　me　in　the　utmost　amazement。

　　〃'How　in　the　world　did　you　come　here？'　he　asked　in　amazement。

'Wait　a　bit！　I　see　that　you　are　tired　out　and　that　wounded　shoulder　of

yours　wants　looking　after。　I　am　a　doctor；　and　I'll　soon　have　you

tied　up。　But；　man　alive！　you　are　in　far　greater　danger　here　than

ever　you　were　on　the　battlefield。　You　are　in　the　Leper　Hospital；　and

you　have　slept　in　a　leper's　bed。'

　　〃Need　I　tell　you　more；　Jimmie？　It　seems　that　in　view　of　the

approaching　battle　all　these　poor　creatures　had　been　evacuated　the　day

before。　Then；　as　the　British　advanced；　they　had　been　brought　back　by

this；　their　medical　superintendent；　who　assured　me　that；　though　he

believed　he　was　immune　to　the　disease；　he　would　none　the　less　never

have　dared　to　do　what　I　had　done。　He　put　me　in　a　private　room；　treated

me　kindly；　and　within　a　week　or　so　I　was　removed　to　the　general

hospital　at　Pretoria。

　　〃So　there　you　have　my　tragedy。　I　hoped　against　hope；　but　it　was

not　until　I　had　reached　home　that　the　terrible　signs　which　you　see

upon　my　face　told　me　that　I　had　not　escaped。　What　was　I　to　do？　I　was

in　this　lonely　house。　We　had　two　servants　whom　we　could　utterly　trust。

There　was　a　house　where　I　could　live。　Under　pledge　of　secrecy；　Mr。

Kent；　who　is　a　surgeon；　was　prepared　to　stay　with　me。　It　seemed　simple

enough　on　those　lines。　The　alternative　was　a　dreadful　one…　segregation

for　life　among　strangers　with　never　a　hope　of　release。　But　absolute

secrecy　was　necessary；　or　even　in　this　quiet　countryside　there　would

have　been　an　outcry；　and　I　should　have　been　dragged　to　my　horrible

doom。　Even　you；　Jimmie…　even　you　had　to　be　kept　in　the　dark。　Why　my

father　has　relented　I　cannot　imagine。〃

　　Colonel　Emsworth　pointed　to　me。

　　〃This　is　the　gentleman　who　forced　my　hand。〃　He　unfolded　the　scrap　of

paper　on　which　I　had　written　the　word　〃Leprosy。〃　〃It　seemed　to　me　that

if　he　knew　so　much　as　that　it　was　safer　that　he　should　know　all。〃

　　〃And　so　it　was；〃　said　I。　〃Who　knows　but　good　may　come　of　it？　I

understand　that　only　Mr。　Kent　has　seen　the　patient。　May　I　ask；　sir；　if

you　are　an　authority　on　such　complaints；　which　are；　I　understand；

tropical　or　semi…tropical　in　their　nature？〃

　　〃I　have　the　ordinary　knowledge　of　the　educated　medical　man；〃　he

observed　with　some　stiffness。

　　〃I　have　no　doubt；　sir；　that　you　are　fully　competent；　but　I　am　sure

that　you　will　agree　that　in　such　a　case　a　second　opinion　is

valuable。　You　have　avoided　this；　I　understand；　for　fear　that

pressure　should　be　put　upon　you　to　segregate　the　patient。〃

　　〃That　is　so；〃　said　Colonel　Emsworth。

　　〃I　foresaw　this　situation；〃　I　explained；　〃and　I　have　brought　with　me

a　friend　whose　discretion　may　absolutely　be　trusted。　I　was　able　once

to　do　him　a　professional　service；　and　he　is　ready　to　advise　as　a

friend　rather　than　as　a　specialist。　His　name　is　Sir　James　Saunders。〃

　　The　prospect　of　an　interview　with　Lord　Roberts　would　not　have

excited　greater　wonder　and　pleasure　in　a　raw　subaltern　than　was　now

reflected　upon　the　face　of　Mr。　Kent。

　　〃I　shall　indeed　be　proud；〃　he　murmured。

　　〃Then　I　will　ask　Sir　James　to　step　this　way。　He　is　at　present　in　the

carriage　outside　the　door。　Meanwhile；　Colonel　Emsworth；　we　may　perhaps

assemble　in　your　study；　where　I　could　give　the　necessary

explanations。〃

　　And　here　it　is　that　I　miss　my　Watson。　By　cunning　questions　and

ejaculations　of　wonder　he　could　elevate　my　simple　art；　which　is　but

systematized　common　sense；　into　a　prodigy。　When　I　tell　my　own　story

I　have　no　such　aid。　And　yet　I　will　give　my　process　of　thought　even

as　I　gave　it　to　my　small　audience；　which　included　Godfrey's　mother

in　the　study　of　Colonel　Emsworth。

　　〃That　process；〃　said　I；　〃starts　upon　the　supposition　that　when　you

have　eliminated　all　which　is　impossible；　then　whatever　remains；

however　improbable；　must　be　the　truth。　It　may　well　be　that　several

explanations　remain；　in　which　case　one　tries　test　after　test　until　one

or　other　of　them　has　a　convincing　amount　of　support。　We　will　now　apply

this　principle　to　the　case　in　point。　As　it　was　first　presented　to

me；　there　were　three　possible　explanations　of　the　seclusion　or

incarceration　of　this　gentleman　in　an　outhouse　of　his　father's

mansion。　There　was　the　explanation；　that　he　was　in　hiding　for　a　crime；

or　that　he　was　mad　and　that　they　wished　to　avoid　an　asylum；　or　that　he

had　some　disease　which　caused　his　segregation。　I　could　think　of　no

other　adequate　solutions。　These；　then；　had　to　be　sifted　and　balanced

against　each　other。

　　〃The　criminal　solution　would　not　bear　inspection。　No　unsolved

crime　had　been　reported　from　that　district。　I　was　sure　of　that。　If

it　were　some　crime　not　yet　discovered；　then　clearly　it　would　be　to　the

interest　of　the　family　to　get　rid　of　the　delinquent　and　send　him

abroad　rather　than　keep　him　concealed　at　home。　I　could　see　no

explanation　for　such　a　line　of　conduct。

　　〃Insanity　was　more　plausible。　The　presence　of　the　second　person　in

the　outhouse　suggested　a　keeper。　The　fact　that　he　locked　the　door　when

he　came　out　strengthened　the　supposition　and　gave　the　idea　of

constraint。　On　the　other　hand；　this　constraint　could　not　be　severe

or　the　young　man　could　not　have　got　loose　and　come　down　to　have　a　look

at　his　friend。　You；　will　remember；　Mr。　Dodd；　that　I　felt　round　for

points；　asking　you；　for　example；　about　the　paper　which　Mr。　Kent　was

reading。　Had　it　been　the　Lancet　or　the　British　Medical　Journal　it

would　have　helped　me。　It　is　not　illegal；　however；　to　keep　a　lunatic

upon　private　premises　so　long　as　there　is　a　qualified　person　in

attendance　and　that　the　authorities　have　been　duly　notified。　Why；

then；　all　this　desperate　desire　for　secrecy？　Once　again　I　could　not

get　the　theory　to　fit　the　facts。

　　〃There　remained　the　third　possibility；　into　which；　rare　and　unlikely

as　it　was；　everything　seemed　to　fit。　Leprosy　is　not　uncommon　in

South　Africa。　By　some　extraordinary　chance　this　youth　might　have

contracted　it。　His　people　would　be　placed　in　a　very　dreadful　position；

since　they　would　desire　to　save　him　from　segregation