the adventure of the creeping man-第4部分

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developments　until　next　Tuesday。　In　the　meantime　we　can　only　keep　in

touch　with　friend　Bennett　and　enjoy；　the　amnenities　of　this　charming

town。〃

　　In　the　morning　Mr。　Bennett　slipped　round　to　bring　us　the　latest

report。　As　Holmes　had　imagined；　times　had　not　been　easy　with　him。

Without　exactly　accusing　him　of　being　responsible　for　our　presence；

the　professor　had　been　very　rough　and　rude　in　his　speech；　and

evidently　felt　some　strong　grievance。　This　morning　he　was　quite

himself　again；　However；　and　had　delivered　his　usual　brilliant

lecture　to　a　crowded　class。　〃Apart　from　his　queer　fits；〃　said　Bennett；

〃he　has　actually　more　energy　and　vitality；　than　I　can　ever　remember；

nor　was　his　brain　ever　clearer。　But　it's　not　he…　it's　never　the　man

whom　we　have　known。〃

　　〃I　don't　think　you　have　anything　to　fear　now　for　a　week　at　least；〃

Holmes　answered。　〃I　am　a　busy　man；　and　Dr。　Watson　has　his　patients

to　attend　to。　Let　us　agree　that　we　meet　here　at　this　hour　next

Tuesday；　and　I　shall　be　surprised　if　before　we　leave　you　again　we

are　not　able　to　explain；　even　if　we　cannot　perhaps　put　an　end　to；　your

troubles。　Meanwhile；　keep　us　posted　in　what　occurs。〃

　　I　saw　nothing　of　my　friend　for　the　next　few　days；　but　on　the

following　Monday　evening　I　had　a　short　note　asking　me　to　meet　him　next

day　at　the　train。　From　what　he　told　me　as　we　travelled　up　to　Camford

all　was　well；　the　peace　of　the　professor's　house　had　been　unruffled；

and　his　own　conduct　perfectly　normal。　This　also　was　the　report　which

was　given　us　by　Mr。　Bennett　himself　when　he　called　upon　us　that

evening　at　our　old　quarters　in　the　Chequers。　〃He　heard　from　his　London

correspondent　to…day。　There　was　a　letter　and　there　was　a　small　packet；

each　with　the　cross　under　the　stamp　which　warned　me　not　to　touch　them。

There　has　been　nothing　else。〃

　　That　may　prove　quite　enough；〃　said　Holmes　grimly。　〃Now；　Mr。　Bennett；

we　shall；　I　think；　come　to　some　conclusion　to…night。　If　my

deductions　are　correct　we　should　have　an　opportunity　of　bringing

matters　to　a　head。　In　order　to　do　so　it　is　necessary　to　hold　the

professor　under　observation。　I　would　suggest；　therefore；　that　you

remain　awake　and　on　the　lookout。　Should　you　hear　him　pass　your　door；

do　not　interrupt　him；　but　follow　him　as　discreetly　as　you　can。　Dr。

Watson　and　I　will　not　be　far　off。　By　the　way；　where　is　the　key　of　that

little　box　of　which　you　spoke？〃

　　〃Upon　his　watch…chain。〃

　　〃I　fancy　our　researches　must　lie　in　that　direction。　At　the　worst　the

lock　should　not　be　very　formidable。　Have　you　any　other　able…bodied　man

on　the　premises？〃

　　〃There　is　the　coachman；　Macphail。〃

　　〃Where　does　he　sleep？〃

　　〃Over　the　stables。〃

　　〃We　might　possibly　want　him。　Well；　we　can　do　no　more　until　we　see

how　things　develop。　Good…bye…　but　I　expect　that　we　shall　see　you

before　morning。〃

　　It　was　nearly　midnight　before　we　took　our　station　among　some

bushes　immediately　opposite　the　hall　door　of　the　professor。　It　was　a

fine　night；　but　chilly；　and　we　were　glad　of　our　warm　overcoats。

There　was　a　breeze；　and　clouds　were　scudding　across　the　sky；　obscuring

from　time　to　time　the　half…moon。　It　would　have　been　a　dismal　vigil

were　it　not　for　the　expectation　and　excitement　which　carried　us　along；

and　the　assurance　of　my　comrade　that　we　had　probably　reached　the　end

of　the　strange　sequence　of　events　which　had　engaged　our　attention。

　　〃If　the　circle　of　nine　days　holds　good　then　we　shall　have　the

professor　at　his　worst　to…night；〃　said　Holmes。　〃The　fact　that　these

strange　symptoms　began　after　his　visit　to　Prague；　that　he　is　in　secret

correspondence　with　a　Bohemian　dealer　in　London；　who　presumably

represents　someone　in　Prague；　and　that　he　received　a　packet　from　him

this　very　day；　all　point　in　one　direction。　What　he　takes　and　why　he

takes　it　are　still　beyond　our　ken；　but　that　it　emanates　in　some　way

from　Prague　is　clear　enough。　He　takes　it　under　definite　directions

which　regulate　this　ninth…day　system；　which　was　the　first　point

which　attracted　my　attention。　But　his　symptoms　are　most　remarkable。

Did　you　observe　his　knuckles？〃

　　I　had　to　confess　that　I　did　not。

　　〃Thick　and　horny　in　a　way　which　is　quite　new　in　my　experience。

Always　look　at　the　hands　first；　Watson。　Then　cuffs；　trouser…knees；　and

boots。　Very　curious　knuckles　which　can　only　be　explained　by　the　mode

of　progression　observed　by…〃　Holmes　paused　and　suddenly　clapped　his

hand　to　his　forehead。　〃Oh；　Watson；　Watson；　what　a　fool　I　have　been！　It

seems　incredible；　and　yet　it　must　be　true。　All　points　in　one

direction。　How　could　I　miss　seeing　the　connection　of　ideas？　Those

knuckles…　how　could　I　have　passed　those　knuckles？　And　the　dog！　And　the

ivy！　It's　surely　time　that　I　disappeared　into　that　little　farm　of　my

dreams。　Look　out；　Watson！　Here　he　is！　We　shall　have　the　chance　of

seeing　for　ourselves。〃

　　The　hall　door　had　slowly　opened；　and　against　the　lamplit

background　we　saw　the　tall　figure　of　Professor　Presbury。　He　was　clad

in　his　dressing…gown。　As　he　stood　outlined　in　the　doorway　he　was　great

but　leaning　forward　with　dangling　arms；　as　when　we　saw　him　last。

　　Now　he　stepped　forward　into　the　drive；　and　an　extraordinary　change

came　over　him。　He　sank　down　into　a　crouching　position　and　moved

along　upon　his　hands　and　feet；　skipping　every　now　and　then　as　if　he

were　overflowing　with　energy　and　vitality。　He　moved　along　the　face

of　the　house　and　then　round　the　corner。　As　he　disappeared　Bennett

slipped　through　the　hall　door　and　softly　followed　him。

　　〃Come；　Watson；　come！〃　cried　Holmes；　and　we　stole　as　softly　as　we

could　through　the　bushes　until　we　had　gained　a　spot　whence　we　could

see　the　other　side　of　the　house；　which　was　bathed　in　the　light　of

the　half…moon。　The　professor　was　clearly　visible　crouching　at　the　foot

of　the　ivy…covered　wall。　As　we　watched　him　he　suddenly　began　with

incredible　agility　to　ascend　it。　From　branch　to　branch　he　sprang；　sure

of　foot　and　firm　of　grasp；　climbing　apparently　in　mere　joy　at　his

own　powers；　with　no　definite　object　in　view。　With　his　dressing…gown

flapping　on　each　side　of　him；　he　looked　like　some　huge　bat　glued

against　the　side　of　his　own　house；　a　great　square　dark　patch　upon

the　moonlit　wall。　Presently　he　tired　of　this　amusement；　and；

dropping　from　branch　to　branch；　he　squatted　down　into　the　old　attitude

and　moved　towards　the　stables；　creeping　along　in　the　same　strange

way　as　before。　The　wolfhound　was　out　now；　barking　furiously；　and

more　excited　than　ever　when　it　actually　caught　sight　of　its　master。　It

was　straining　on　its　chain　and　quivering　with　eagerness　and　rage。

The　professor　squatted　down　very　deliberately　just　out　of　reach　of　the

bound　and　began　to　provoke　it　in　every　possible　way。　He　took

handfuls　of　pebbles　from　the　drive　and　threw　them　in　the　dog's　face；

prodded　him　with　a　stick　which　he　had　picked　up；　flicked　his　hands

about　only　a　few　inches　from　the　gaping　mouth；　and　endeavoured　in

every　way　to　increase　the　animal's　fury；　which　was　already　beyond

all　control。　In　all　our　adventures　I　do　not　know　that　I　have　ever　seen

a　more　strange　sight　than　this　impassive　and　still　dignified　figure

crouching　frog…like　upon　the　ground　and　goading　to　a　wilder　exhibition

of　passion　the　maddened　hound；　which　ramped　and　raged　in　front　of　him；

by　all　manner　of　ingenious　and　calculated　cruelty。

　　And　then　in　a　moment　it　happened！　It　was　not　the　chain　that　broke；

but　it　was　the　collar　that　slipped；　for　it　had　been　made　for　a

thick…necked　Newfoundland。　We　heard　the　rattle　of　falling　metal；　and

the　next　instant　dog　and　man　were　rolling　on　the　ground　together；

the　one　roaring　in　rage；　the　other　screaming　in　a　strange　shrill

falsetto　of　terror。　It　was　a　very　narrow　thing　for　the　professor's

life。　The　savage　creature　had　him　fairly　by　the　throat；　its　fangs

had　bitten　deep；　and　he　was　senseless　before　we　could　reach　them　and

drag　the　two　apart。　It　might　have　been　a　dangerous　task　for　us；　but

Bennett's　voice　and　presence　brought　the　great　wolfhound　instantly

to　reason。　The　uproar　had　brought　the　sleepy　and　astonished　coachman

from　his　room　above　the　stables。　〃I'm　not　surprised；〃　said　he；　shaking

his　bead。　〃I've　seen　him　at　it　before。　I　knew　the　dog　would　get　him

sooner　or　later。〃

　　The　hound　was　secured；　and　together　we　carried　the　professor　up　to

his　room；　where　Bennett；　who　had　a　medical　degree；　helped　me　to

dress　his　torn　throat。　The　sharp　teeth　had　passed　dangerously　near　the

carotid　artery；　and　the　haemorrhage　was　serious。　In　half　an　hour　the

danger　was　past；　I　had　given　the　patient　an　injection　of　morphia；

and　he　had　sunk　into　deep　sleep。　Then；　and　only　then；　were　we　able

to　look　at　each　other　and　to　take　stock　of　the　situation。

　　〃I　think　a　first…class　surgeon　should　see　him；〃　said　I。

　　〃For　God's　sake；　no！〃　cried　Bennett。　〃At　present　the　scandal　is

confined　to　our　own　household。　It　is　safe　with　us。　If　it　gets　beyond

these　walls　it　will　never　stop。　Consider　his　position　at　the

university；　his　European　reputation；　the　feelings　of　his　daughter。〃

　　〃Quite　so；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I　think　it　may　be　quite　possible　to　keep

the　matter　to　ourselves；　and　also　to　prevent　its　recurrence　now　that

we　have　a　free　hand。　The　key　from　the　watch…chain；　Mr。　Bennett。

Macphail　will　guard　the　patient　and　let　us　know　if　there　is　any

change。　Let　us　see　what　we　can　find　in　the　professor's　mysterious

box。〃

　　There　was　not　much；　but　there　was　enough…　an　empty　phial；　another

nearly　full；　a　hypodermic　syringe；　several　letters　in　a　crabbed；

foreign　hand。　The　marks　on　the　envelopes　showed　that　they　were　those

which　had　disturbed　the　routine　of　the　secretary；　and　each　was　dated

from　the　Commercial　Road　and　signed　〃A。　Dorak。〃　They　were　mere

invoices　to　say　that　a　fresh　bottle　was　being　sent　to　Professor

Presbury；　or　receipt　to　acknowledge　money。　There　was　one　other

envelope；　however；　in　a　more　educated　band　and　bearing　the　Austrian

stamp　with　the　postmark　of　Prague。　〃Here　we　have　our　material！〃

cried　Holmes　as　he　tore　out　the　enclosure。





　　HONOURED　COLLEAGUE　＇it　ran＇：

　　Since　your　esteemed　visit　I　have　thought　much　of　your　case；　and

though　in　your　circumstances　there　are　so