the adventure of the priory school-第3部分

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could　have　escaped。　The　German　master's　room　and　effects　gave　no

further　clue。　In　his　case　a　trailer　of　ivy　had　given　way　under　his

weight；　and　we　saw　by　the　light　of　a　lantern　the　mark　on　the　lawn

where　his　heels　had　come　down。　That　one　dint　in　the　short；　green　grass

was　the　only　material　witness　left　of　this　inexplicable　nocturnal

flight。

　　Sherlock　Holmes　left　the　house　alone；　and　only　returned　after

eleven。　He　had　obtained　a　large　ordnance　map　of　the　neighbourhood；　and

this　he　brought　into　my　room；　where　he　laid　it　out　on　the　bed；　and；

having　balanced　the　lamp　in　the　middle　of　it；　he　began　to　smoke　over

it；　and　occasionally　to　point　out　objects　of　interest　with　the　reeking

amber　of　his　pipe。

　　〃This　case　grows　upon　me；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃There　are　decidedly

some　points　of　interest　in　connection　with　it。　In　this　early　stage；

I　want　you　to　realize　those　geographical　features　which　may　have　a

good　deal　to　do　with　our　investigation。

　　〃Look　at　this　map。　This　dark　square　is　the　Priory　School。　I'll　put　a

pin　in　it。　Now；　this　line　is　the　main　road。　You　see　that　it　runs

east　and　west　past　the　school；　and　you　see　also　that　there　is　no

side　road　for　a　mile　either　way。　If　these　two　folk　passed　away　by

road；　it　was　this　road。〃　（See　illustration。）

　　〃Exactly。〃

　　〃By　a　singular　and　happy　chance；　we　are　able　to　some　extent　to　check

what　passed　along　this　road　during　the　night　in　question。　At　this

point；　where　my　pipe　is　now　resting；　a　county　constable　was　on　duty

from　twelve　to　six。　It　is；　as　you　perceive；　the　first　cross…road　on

the　east　side。　This　man　declares　that　he　was　not　absent　from　his

post　for　an　instant；　and　he　is　positive　that　neither　boy　nor　man　could

have　gone　that　way　unseen。　I　have　spoken　with　this　policeman

to…night　and　he　appears　to　me　to　be　a　perfectly　reliable　person。

That　blocks　this　end。　We　have　now　to　deal　with　the　other。　There　is

an　inn　here；　the　Red　Bull；　the　landlady　of　which　was　ill。　She　had　sent

to　Mackleton　for　a　doctor；　but　he　did　not　arrive　until　morning；

being　absent　at　another　case。　The　people　at　the　inn　were　alert　all

night；　awaiting　his　coming；　and　one　or　other　of　them　seems　to　have

continually　had　an　eye　upon　the　road。　They　declare　that　no　one　passed。

If　their　evidence　is　good；　then　we　are　fortunate　enough　to　be　able

to　block　the　west；　and　also　to　be　able　to　say　that　the　fugitives　did

not　use　the　road　at　all。〃

　　〃But　the　bicycle？〃　I　objected。

　　〃Quite　so。　We　will　come　to　the　bicycle　presently。　To　continue　our

reasoning：　if　these　people　did　not　go　by　the　road；　they　must　have

traversed　the　country　to　the　north　of　the　house　or　to　the　south　of　the

house。　That　is　certain。　Let　us　weigh　the　one　against　the　other。　On　the

south　of　the　house　is；　as　you　perceive；　a　large　district　of　amble

land；　cut　up　into　small　fields；　with　stone　walls　between　them。

There；　I　admit　that　a　bicycle　is　impossible。　We　can　dismiss　the

idea。　We　turn　to　the　country　on　the　north。　Here　there　lies　a　grove

of　trees；　marked　as　the　'Ragged　Shaw；'　and　on　the　farther　side

stretches　a　great　rolling　moor；　Lower　Gill　Moor；　extending　for　ten

miles　and　sloping　gradually　upward。　Here；　at　one　side　of　this

wilderness；　is　Holdernesse　Hall；　ten　miles　by　road；　but　only　six

across　the　moor。　It　is　a　peculiarly　desolate　plain。　A　few　moor　farmers

have　small　holdings；　where　they　rear　sheep　and　cattle。　Except　these；

the　plover　and　the　curlew　are　the　only　inhabitants　until　you　come　to

the　Chesterfield　high　road。　There　is　a　church　there；　you　see；　a　few

cottages；　and　an　inn。　Beyond　that　the　hills　become　precipitous。　Surely

it　is　here　to　the　north　that　our　quest　must　lie。〃

　　〃But　the　bicycle？〃　I　persisted。

　　〃Well；　well！〃　said　Holmes；　impatiently。　〃A　good　cyclist　does　not

need　a　high　road。　The　moor　is　intersected　with　paths；　and　the　moon　was

at　the　full。　Halloa！　what　is　this？〃

　　There　was　an　agitated　knock　at　the　door；　and　an　instant　afterwards

Dr。　Huxtable　was　in　the　room。　In　his　hand　he　held　a　blue　cricket…cap

with　a　white　chevron　on　the　peak。

　　〃At　last　we　have　a　clue！〃　he　cried。　〃Thank　heaven！　at　last　we　are　on

the　dear　boy's　track！　It　is　his　cap。〃

　　〃Where　was　it　found？〃

　　〃In　the　van　of　the　gipsies　who　camped　on　the　moor。　They　left　on

Tuesday。　To…day　the　police　traced　them　down　and　examined　their

caravan。　This　was　found。〃

　　〃How　do　they　account　for　it？〃

　　〃They　shuffled　and　lied…　said　that　they　found　it　on　the　moor　on

Tuesday　morning。　They　know　where　he　is；　the　rascals！　Thank　goodness；

they　are　all　safe　under　lock　and　key。　Either　the　fear　of　the　law　or

the　Duke's　purse　will　certainly　get　out　of　them　all　that　they　know。〃

　　〃So　far；　so　good；〃　said　Holmes；　when　the　doctor　had　at　last　left　the

room。　〃It　at　least　bears　out　the　theory　that　it　is　on　the　side　of

the　Lower　Gill　Moor　that　we　must　hope　for　results。　The　police　have

really　done　nothing　locally；　save　the　arrest　of　these　gipsies。　Look

here；　Watson！　There　is　a　watercourse　across　the　moor。　You　see　it

marked　here　in　the　map。　In　some　parts　it　widens　into　a　morass。　This　is

particularly　so　in　the　region　between　Holdernesse　Hall　and　the　school。

It　is　vain　to　look　elsewhere　for　tracks　in　this　dry　weather；　but　at

that　point　there　is　certainly　a　chance　of　some　record　being　left。　I

will　call　you　early　to…morrow　morning；　and　you　and　I　will　try　if　we

can　throw　some　little　light　upon　the　mystery。〃

　　The　day　was　just　breaking　when　I　woke　to　find　the　long；　thin　form　of

Holmes　by　my　bedside。　He　was　fully　dressed；　and　had　apparently　already

been　out。

　　〃I　have　done　the　lawn　and　the　bicycle　shed；〃　said；　he。　〃I　have

also　had　a　rumble　through　the　Ragged　Shaw。　Now；　Watson；　there　is　cocoa

ready　in　the　next　room。　I　must　beg　you　to　hurry；　for　we　have　a　great

day　before　us。〃

　　His　eyes　shone；　and　his　cheek　was　flushed　with　the　exhilaration　of

the　master　workman　who　sees　his　work　lie　ready　before　him。　A　very

different　Holmes；　this　active；　alert　man；　from　the　introspective　and

pallid　dreamer　of　Baker　Street。　I　felt；　as　I　looked　upon　that

supple；　figure；　alive　with　nervous　energy；　that　it　was　indeed　a

strenuous　day　that　awaited　us。

　　And　yet　it　opened　in　the　blackest　disappointment。　With　high　hopes　we

struck　across　the　peaty；　russet　moor；　intersected　with　a　thousand

sheep　paths；　until　we　came　to　the　broad；　light…green　belt　which　marked

the　morass　between　us　and　Holdernesse。　Certainly；　if　the　lad　had

gone　homeward；　he　must　have　passed　this；　and　he　could　not　pass　it

without　leaving　his　traces。　But　no　sign　of　him　or　the　German　could

be　seen。　With　a　darkening　face　my　friend　strode　along　the　margin；

eagerly　observant　of　every　muddy　stain　upon　the　mossy　surface。

Sheep…marks　there　were　in　profusion；　and　at　one　place；　some　miles

down；　cows　had　left　their　tracks。　Nothing　more。

　　〃Check　number　one；〃　said　Holmes；　looking　gloomily　over　the　rolling

expanse　of　the　moor。　〃There　is　another　morass　down　yonder；　and　a

narrow　neck　between。　Halloa！　halloa！　halloa！　what　have　we　here？〃

　　We　had　come　on　a　small　black　ribbon　of　pathway。　In　the　middle　of　it；

clearly　marked　on　the　sodden　soil；　was　the　track　of　a　bicycle。

　　〃Hurrah！〃　I　cried。　〃We　have　it。〃

　　But　Holmes　was　shaking　his　head；　and　his　face　was　puzzled　and

expectant　rather　than　joyous。

　　〃A　bicycle；　certainly；　but　not　the　bicycle；〃　said　he。　〃I　am　familiar

with　forty…two　different　impressions　left　by　tyres。　This；　as　you

perceive；　is　a　Dunlop；　with　a　patch　upon　the　outer　cover。

Heidegger's　tyres　were　Palmer's；　leaving　longitudinal　stripes。

Aveling；　the　mathematical　master；　was　sure　upon　the　point。

Therefore；　it　is　not　Heidegger's　track。〃

　　〃The　boy's；　then？〃

　　〃Possibly；　if　we　could　prove　a　bicycle　to　have　been　in　his

possession。　But　this　we　have　utterly　failed　to　do。　This　track；　as

you　perceive；　was　made　by　a　rider　who　was　going　from　the　direction

of　the　school。〃

　　〃Or　towards　it？〃

　　〃No；　no；　my　dear　Watson。　The　more　deeply　sunk　impression　is；　of

course；　the　hind　wheel；　upon　which　the　weight　rests。　You　perceive

several　places　where　it　has　passed　across　and　obliterated　the　more

shallow　mark　of　the　front　one。　It　was　undoubtedly　heading　away　from

the　school。　It　may　or　may　not　be　connected　with　our　inquiry；　but　we

will　follow　it　backwards　before　we　go　any　farther。〃

　　We　did　so；　and　at　the　end　of　a　few　hundred　yards　lost　the　tracks

as　we　emerged　from　the　boggy　portion　of　the　moor。　Following　the　path

backwards；　we　picked　out　another　spot；　where　a　spring　trickled

across　it。　Here；　once　again；　was　the　mark　of　the　bicycle；　though

nearly　obliterated　by　the　hoofs　of　cows。　After　that　there　was　no　sign；

but　the　path　ran　right　on　into　Ragged　Shaw；　the　wood　which　backed　on

to　the　school。　From　this　wood　the　cycle　must　have　emerged。　Holmes

sat　down　on　a　boulder　and　rested　his　chin　in　his　hands。　I　had　smoked

two　cigarettes　before　he　moved。

　　〃Well；　well；〃　said　he；　at　last。　〃It　is；　of　course；　possible　that　a

cunning　man　might　change　the　tyres　of　his　bicycle　in　order　to　leave

unfamiliar　tracks。　A　criminal　who　was　capable　of　such　a　thought　is　a

man　whom　I　should　be　proud　to　do　business　with。　We　will　leave　this

question　undecided　and　hark　back　to　our　morass　again；　for　we　have　left

a　good　deal　unexplored。〃

　　We　continued　our　systematic　survey　of　the　edge　of　the　sodden　portion

of　the　moor；　and　soon　our　perseverance　was　gloriously　rewarded。

Right　across　the　lower　part　of　the　bog　lay　a　miry　path。　Holmes　gave

a　cry　of　delight　as　he　approached　it。　An　impression　like　a　fine　bundle

of　telegraph　wires　ran　down　the　centre　of　it。　It　was　the　Palmer　tyres。

　　〃Here　is　Herr　Heidegger；　sure　enough！〃　cried　Holmes；　exultantly。　〃My

reasoning　seems　to　have　been　pretty　sound；　Watson。〃

　　〃I　congratulate　you。〃

　　〃But　we　have　a　long　way　still　to　go。　Kindly　walk　clear　of　the

path。　Now　let　us　follow　the　trail。　I　fear　that　it　will　not　lead　very

far。〃

　　We　found；　however；　as　we　advanced　that　this　portion　of　the　moor　is

intersected　with　soft　patches；　and；　though　we　frequently　lost　sight　of

the　track；　we　always　succeeded　in　picking　it　up　once　more。

　　〃Do　you　observe；〃　said　Holmes；　〃that　the　rider　is　now　undoubtedly

forcing　the　pace？　There　can　b