the adventure of the three garridebs-第4部分

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leading　me　to　a　chair。

　　〃You're　not　hurt；　Watson？　For　God's　sake；　say　that　you　are　not

hurt！〃

　　It　was　worth　a　wound…　it　was　worth　many　wounds…　to　know　the　depth　of

loyalty　and　love　which　lay　behind　that　cold　mask。　The　clear；　hard　eyes

were　dimmed　for　a　moment；　and　the　firm　lips　were　shaking。　For　the

one　and　only　time　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　great　heart　as　well　as　of

a　great　brain。　All　my　years　of　humble　but　single…minded　service

culminated　in　that　moment　of　revelation。

　　〃It's　nothing；　Holmes。　It's　a　mere　scratch。〃

　　He　had　ripped　up　my　trousers　with　his　pocket…knife。

　　〃You　are　right；〃　fie　c：ried　with　an　immense　sigh　of　relief。　〃It　is

quite　superficial。〃　His　face　set　like　flint　as　he　glared　at　our

prisoner；　who　was　sitting　up　with　a　dazed　face。　〃By　the　Lord；　it　is　as

well　for　you。　If　you　had　killed　Watson；　you　would　not　have　got　out

of　this　room　alive。　Now；　sir；　what　have　you　to　say　for　yourself？〃

　　He　had　nothing　to　say　for　himself。　He　only　sat　and　scowled。　I　leaned

on　Holmes's　arm；　and　together　we　looked　down　into　the　small　cellar

which　had　been　disclosed　by　the　secret　flap。　it　was　still

illuminated　by　the　candle　which　Evans　had　taken　down　with　him。　Our

eyes　fell　upon　a　mass　of　rusted　machinery；　great　rolls　of　paper；　a

litter　of　bottles；　and；　neatly　arranged　upon　a　small　table；　a　number

of　neat　little　bundies。

　　〃A　printing　press…　a　counterfeiter's　outfit；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　our　prisoner；　staggering　slowly　to　his　feet　and

then　sinking　into　the　chair。　〃The　greatest　counterfeiter　London　ever

saw。　That's　Prescott's　machine；　and　those　bundles　on　the　table　are　two

thousand　of　Prescott's　notes　worth　a　hundred　each　and　fit　to　pass

anywhere。　Help　yourselves；　gentlemen。　Call　it　a　deal　and　let　me　beat

it。〃

　　Holmes　laughed。

　　〃We　don't　do　things　like　that；　Mr。　Evans。　There　is　no　bolt…hole

for　you　in　this　country。　You　shot　this　man　Prescott；　did　you　not？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　and　got　five　years　for　it；　though　it　was　he　who　pulled　on

me。　Five　years…　when　I　should　have　had　a　medal　the　size　of　a　soup

plate。　No　living　man　could　tell　a　Prescott　from　a　Bank　of　England；　and

if　I　hadn't　put　him　out　he　would　have　flooded　London　with　them。　I

was　the　only　one　in　the　world　who　knew　where　he　made　them。　Can　you

wonder　that　I　wanted　to　get　to　the　place？　And　can　you　wonder　that　when

I　found　this　crazy　boob　of　a　bug…hunter　with　the　queer　name

squatting　right　on　the　top　of　it；　and　never　quitting　his　room；　I　had

to　do　the　best　I　could　to　shift　him？　Maybe　I　would　have　been　wiser

if　I　had　put　him　away。　It　would　have　been　easy　enough；　but　I'm　a

soft…hearted　guy　that　can't　begin　shooting　unless　the　other　man　has

a　gun　also。　But　say；　Mr。　Holmes；　what　have　I　done　wrong；　anyhow？

I've　not　used　this　plant。　I've　not　hurt　this　old　stiff。　Where　do　you

get　me？〃

　　〃Only　attempted　murder；　so　far　as　I　can　see；〃　said　Holmes。　〃But

that's　not　our　job。　They　take　that　at　the　next　stage。　What　we　wanted

at　present　was　just　your　sweet　self。　Please　give　the　Yard　a　call；

Watson。　It　won't　be　entirely　unexpected。〃

　　So　those　were　the　facts　about　Killer　Evans　and　his　remarkable

invention　of　the　three　Garridebs。　We　heard　later　that　our　poor　old

friend　never　got　over　the　shock　of　his　dissipated　dreams。　When　his

castle　in　the　air　fell　down；　it　buried　him　beneath　the　ruins。　He　was

last　heard　of　at　a　nursing…home　in　Brixton。　It　was　a　glad　day　at　the

Yard　when　the　Prescott　outfit　was　discovered；　for；　though　they　knew

that　it　existed；　they　had　never　been　able；　after　the　death　of　the　man；

to　find　out　where　it　was。　Evans　had　indeed　done　great　service　and

caused　several　worthy　C。I。D。　men　to　sleep　the　sounder；　for　the

counterfeiter　stands　in　a　class　by　himself　as　a　public　danger。　They

would　willingly　have　subscribed　to　that　soup…plate　medal　of　which

the　criminal　had　spoken；　but　an　unappreciative　bench　took　a　less

favourable　view；　ind　the　Killer　returned　to　those　shades　from　which　he

had　just　emerged。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

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