the adventure of the priory school-第4部分

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

forcing　the　pace？　There　can　be　no　doubt　of　it。　Look　at　this

impression；　where　you　get　both　tires　clear。　The　one　is　as　deep　as

the　other。　That　can　only　mean　that　the　rider　is　throwing　his　weight　on

to　the　handle…bar；　as　a　man　does　when　he　is　sprinting。　By　Jove！　he　has

had　a　fall。〃

　　There　was　a　broad；　irregular　smudge　covering　some　yards　of　the

track。　Then　there　were　a　few　footmarks；　and　the　tyres　reappeared

once　more。

　　〃A　side…slip；〃　I　suggested。

　　Holmes　held　up　a　crumpled　branch　of　flowering　gorse。　To　my　horror

I　perceived　that　the　yellow　blossoms　were　all　dabbled　with　crimson。　On

the　path；　too；　and　among　the　heather　were　dark　stains　of　clotted

blood。

　　〃Bad！〃　said　Holmes。　〃Bad！　Stand　clear；　Watson！　Not　an　unnecessary

footstep！　What　do　I　read　here？　He　fell　wounded…　he　stood　up…　he

remounted…　he　proceeded。　But　there　is　no　other　track。　Cattle　on　this

side　path。　He　was　surely　not　gored　by　a　bull？　Impossible！　But　I　see　no

traces　of　anyone　else。　We　must　push　on；　Watson。　Surely；　with　stains　as

well　as　the　track　to　guide　us；　he　cannot　escape　us　now。〃

　　Our　search　was　not　a　very　long　one。　The　tracks　of　the　tyre　began

to　curve　fantastically　upon　the　wet　and　shining　path。　Suddenly；　as　I

looked　ahead；　the　gleam　of　caught　my　eye　from　amid　the　thick

gorse…bushes。　Out　of　them　we　dragged　a　bicycle；　Palmer…tyred；　one

pedal　bent；　and　the　whole　front　of　it　horribly　smeared　and　slobbered

with　blood。　On　the　other　side　of　the　bushes　a　shoe　was　projecting。

We　ran　round；　and　there　lay　the　unfortunate　rider。　He　was　a　tall

man；　full…bearded；　with　spectacles；　one　glass　of　which　had　been

knocked　out。　The　cause　of　his　death　was　a　frightful　blow　upon　the

head；　which　had　crushed　in　part　of　his　skull。　That　he　could　have

gone　on　after　receiving　such　an　injury　said　much　for　the　vitality

and　courage　of　the　man。　He　wore　shoes；　but　no　socks；　and　his　open　coat

disclosed　a　nightshirt　beneath　it。　It　was　undoubtedly　the　German

master。

　　Holmes　turned　the　body　over　reverently；　and　examined　it　with　great

attention。　He　then　sat　in　deep　thought　for　a　time；　and　I　could　see

by　his　ruffied　brow　that　this　grim　discovery　had　not；　in　his

opinion；　advanced　us　much　in　our　inquiry。

　　〃It　is　a　little　difficult　to　know　what　to　do；　Watson；〃　said　he；　at

last。　〃My　own　inclinations　are　to　push　this　inquiry　on；　for　we　have

already　lost　so　much　time　that　we　cannot　afford　to　waste　another　hour。

On　the　other　hand；　we　are　bound　to　inform　the　police　of　the　discovery；

and　to　see　that　this　poor　fellow's　body　is　looked　after。〃

　　〃I　could　take　a　note　back。〃

　　〃But　I　need　your　company　and　assistance。　Wait　a　bit！　There　is　a

fellow　cutting　peat　up　yonder。　Bring　him　over　here；　and　he　will

guide　the　police。〃

　　I　brought　the　peasant　across；　and　Holmes　dispatched　the　frightened

man　with　a　note　to　Dr。　Huxtable。

　　〃Now；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃we　have　picked　up　two　clues　this　morning。

One　is　the　bicycle　with　the　Palmer　tyre；　and　we　see　what　that　has

led　to。　The　other　is　the　bicycle　with　the　patched　Dunlop。　Before　we

start　to　investigate　that；　let　us　try　to　realize　what　we　do　know；　so

as　to　make　the　most　of　it；　and　to　separate　the　essential　from　the

accidental。〃

　　〃First　of　all；　I　wish　to　impress　upon　you　that　the　boy　certainly

left　of　his　own　free…will。　He　got　down　from　his　window　and　he　went

off；　either　alone　or　with　someone。　That　is　sure。〃

　　I　assented。

　　〃Well；　now；　let　us　turn　to　this　unfortunate　German　master。　The　boy

was　fully　dressed　when　he　fled。　Therefore；　he　foresaw　what　he　would

do。　But　the　German　went　without　his　socks。　He　certainly　acted　on

very　short　notice。〃

　　〃Undoubtedly。〃

　　〃Why　did　he　go？　Because；　from　his　bedroom　window；　he　saw　the

flight　of　the　boy；　because　he　wished　to　overtake　him　and　bring　him

back。　He　seized　his　bicycle；　pursued　the　lad；　and　in　pursuing　him

met　his　death。〃

　　〃So　it　would　seem。〃

　　〃Now　I　come　to　the　critical　part　of　my　argument。　The　natural

action　of　a　man　in　pursuing　a　little　boy　would　be　to　run　after　him。　He

would　know　that　he　could　overtake　him。　But　the　German　does　not　do

so。　He　turns　to　his　bicycle。　I　am　told　that　he　was　an　excellent

cyclist。　He　would　not　do　this；　if　he　did　not　see　that　the　boy　had　some

swift　means　of　escape。〃

　　〃The　other　bicycle。〃

　　〃Let　us　continue　our　reconstruction。　He　meets　his　death　five　miles

from　the　school…　not　by　a　bullet；　mark　you；　which　even　a　lad　might

conceivably　discharge；　but　by　a　savage　blow　dealt　by　a　vigorous　arm。

The　lad；　then；　had　a　companion　his　flight。　And　the　flight　was　a

swift　one；　since　it　took　five　miles　before　an　expert　cyclist　could

overtake　them。　Yet　we　survey　the　ground　round　the　scene　of　the

tragedy。　What　do　we　find？　A　few　cattle…tracks；　nothing　more。　I　took

a　wide　sweep　round；　and　there　is　no　path　within　fifty　yards。　Another

cyclist　could　have　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　actual　murder；　nor

were　there　any　human　footmarks。〃

　　〃Holmes；〃　I　cried；　〃this　is　impossible。〃

　　〃Admirable！〃　he　said。　〃A　most　illuminating　remark。　It　is

impossible　as　I　state　it；　and　therefore　I　must　in　some　respect　have

stated　it　wrong。　Yet　you　saw　for　yourself。　Can　you　suggest　any

fallacy？〃

　　〃He　could　not　have　fractured　his　skull　in　a　fall？〃

　　〃In　a　morass；　Watson？〃

　　〃I　am　at　my　wit's　end。〃

　　〃Tut；　tut；　we　have　solved　some　worse　problems。　At　least　we　have

plenty　of　material；　if　we　can　only　use　it。　Come；　then；　and；　having

exhausted　the　Palmer；　let　us　see　what　the　Dunlop　with　the　patched

cover　has　to　offer　us。〃

　　We　picked　up　the　track　and　followed　it　onward　for　some　distance；　but

soon　the　moor　rose　into　a　long；　heather…tufted　curve；　and　we　left

the　watercourse　behind　us。　No　further　help　from　tracks　could　be

boped　for。　At　the　spot　where　we　saw　the　last　of　the　Dunlop　tyre　it

might　equally　have　led　to　Holdernesse　Hall；　the　stately　towers　of

which　rose　some　miles　to　our　left；　or　to　a　low；　gray　village　which　lay

in　front　of　us　and　marked　the　position　of　the　Chesterfield　high　road。

　　As　we　approached　the　forbidding　and　squalid　inn；　with　the　sign　of

a　game…cock　above　the　door；　Holmes　gave　a　sudden　groan；　and　clutched

me　by　the　shoulder　to　save　himself　from　falling。　He　had　had　one　of

those　violent　strains　of　the　ankle　which　leave　a　man　helpless。　With

difficulty　he　limped　up　to　the　door；　where　a　squat；　dark；　elderly

man　was　smoking　a　black　clay　pipe。

　　〃How　are　you；　Mr。　Reuben　Hayes？〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Who　are　you；　and　how　do　you　get　my　name　so　pat？〃　the　countryman

answered；　with　a　suspicious　flash　of　a　pair　of　cunning　eyes。

　　〃Well；　it's　printed　on　the　board　above　your　head。　It's　easy　to　see　a

man　who　is　master　of　his　own　house。　I　suppose　you　haven't　such　a　thing

as　a　carriage　in　your　stables？〃

　　〃No；　I　have　not。〃

　　〃I　can　hardly　put　my　foot　to　the　ground。〃

　　〃Don't　put　it　to　the　ground。〃

　　〃But　I　can't　walk。〃

　　〃Well；　then　hop。〃

　　Mr。　Reuben　Hayes's　manner　was　far　from　gracious；　but　Holmes　took

it　with　admirable　good…humour。

　　〃Look　here；　my　man；〃　said　he。　〃This　is　really　rather　an　awkward

fix　for　me。　I　don't　mind　how　I　get　on。〃

　　〃Neither　do　I；〃　said　the　morose　landlord。

　　〃The　matter　is　very　important。　I　would　offer　you　a　sovereign　for　the

use　of　a　bicycle。〃

　　The　landlord　pricked　up　his　ears。

　　〃Where　do　you　want　to　go？〃

　　〃To　Holdernesse　Hall。〃

　　〃Pals　of　the　Dook；　I　suppose？〃　said　the　landlord；　surveying　our

mud…stained　garments　with　ironical　eyes。

　　Holmes　laughed　good…naturedly。

　　〃He'll　be　glad　to　see　us；　anyhow。〃

　　〃Why？〃

　　〃Because　we　bring　him　news　of　his　lost　son。〃

　　The　landlord　gave　a　very　visible　start。

　　〃What；　you're　on　his　track？〃

　　〃He　has　been　heard　of　in　Liverpool。　They　expect　to　get　him　every

hour。〃

　　Again　a　swift　change　passed　over　the　heavy；　unshaven　face。　His

manner　was　suddenly　genial。

　　〃I've　less　reason　to　wish　the　Dook　well　than　most　men；〃　said　he；

〃for　I　was　head　coachman　once；　and　cruel　bad　he　treated　me。　It　was　him

that　sacked　me　without　a　character　on　the　word　of　a　lying

corn…chandler。　But　I'm　glad　to　hear　that　the　young　lord　was　heard　of

in　Liverpool；　and　I'll　help　you　to　take　the　news　to　the　Hall。〃

　　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Well　have　some　food　first。　then　you　can

bring　round　the　bicycle。〃

　　〃I　haven't　got　a　bicycle。〃

　　Holmes　held　up　a　sovereign。

　　〃I　tell　you；　man；　that　I　haven't　got　one。　I'll　let　you　have　two

horses　as　far　as　the　Hall。〃

　　〃Well；　well；〃　said　Holmes；　〃well　talk　about　it　when　we've　had

something　to　eat。〃

　　When　we　were　left　alone　in　the　stone…flagged　kitchen；　it　was

astonishing　how　rapidly　that　sprained　ankle　recovered。　It　was　nearly

nightfall；　and　we　had　eaten　nothing　since　early　morning；　so　that　we

spent　some　time　over　our　meal。　Holmes　was　lost　in　thought；　and　once　or

twice　he　walked　over　to　the　window　and　stared　earnestly　out。　It　opened

on　to　a　squalid　courtyard。　In　the　far　corner　was　a　smithy；　where　a

grimy　lad　was　at　work。　On　the　other　side　were　the　stables。　Holmes

had　sat　down　again　after　one　of　these　excursions；　when　he　suddenly

sprang　out　of　his　chair　with　a　loud　exclamation。

　　〃By　heaven；　Watson；　I　believe　that　I've　got　it！〃　he　cried。　〃Yes；

yes；　it　must　be　so。　Watson；　do　you　remember　seeing　any　cow…tracks

to…day？〃

　　〃Yes；　several。〃

　　〃Were？〃

　　〃Well；　everywhere。　They　were　at　the　morass；　and　again　on　the　path；

and　again　near　where　poor　Heidegger　met　his　death。〃

　　〃Exactly。　Well；　now；　Watson；　how　many　cows　did　you　see　on　the　moor？〃

　　〃I　don't　remember　seeing　any。〃

　　〃Strange；　Watson；　that　we　should　see　tracks　all　along　our　line；

but　never　a　cow　on　the　whole　moor。　Very　strange；　Watson；　eh？〃

　　〃Yes；　it　is　strange。〃

　　〃Now；　Watson；　make　an　effort；　throw　your　mind　back。　Can　you　see

those　tracks　upon　the　path？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　can。〃

　　〃Can　you　recall　that　the　tracks　were　sometimes　like　that；　Watson〃…

he　arranged　a　number　of　bread…crumbs　in　this　fashion…　：　：　：　：…　〃and

sometimes　like　this〃…　：。：。：。：。…　〃and　occasionally　like　this〃…

。。'。'。'。　〃Can　you　remember　that？〃

　　〃No；　I　cannot。〃

　　〃But　I　can。　I　could　swear　to　it。　However；　we　will　go　back　at　our

leisure　and　verify　it。　What　a　blind　be