the adventure of the priory school-第7部分

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unnecessary　danger。　It　was　a　most　unjustifiable　action。〃

　　The　proud　lord　of　Holdernesse　was　not　accustomed　to　be　so　rated　in

his　own　ducal　hall。　The　blood　flushed　into　his　high　forehead；　but

his　conscience　held　him　dumb。

　　〃I　will　help　you；　but　on　one　condition　only。　It　is　that　you　ring　for

the　footman　and　let　me　give　such　orders　as　I　like。〃

　　Without　a　word；　the　Duke　pressed　the　electric　bell。　A　servant

entered。

　　〃You　will　be　glad　to　hear；〃　said　Holmes；　〃that　your　young　master

is　found。　It　is　the　Duke's　desire　that　the　carriage　shall　go　at　once

to　the　Fighting　Cock　Inn　to　bring　Lord　Saltire　home。

　　〃Now；〃　said　Holmes；　when　the　rejoicing　lackey　had　disappeared；

〃having　secured　the　future；　we　can　afford　to　be　more　lenient　with

the　past。　I　am　not　in　an　official　position；　and　there　is　no　reason；　so

long　as　the　ends　of　justice　are　served；　why　I　should　disclose　all　that

I　know。　As　to　Hayes；　I　say　nothing。　The　gallows　awaits　him；　and　I

would　do　nothing　to　save　him　from　it。　What　he　will　divulge　I　cannot

tell；　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　your　Grace　could　make　him　understand

that　it　is　to　his　interest　to　be　silent。　From　the　police　point　of　view

he　will　have　kidnapped　the　boy　for　the　purpose　of　ransom。　If　they　do

not　themselves　find　it　out；　I　see　no　reason　why　I　should　prompt　them

to　take　a　broader　point　of　view。　I　would　warn　your　Grace；　however；

that　the　continued　presence　of　Mr。　James　Wilder　in　your　household

can　only　lead　to　misfortune。〃

　　〃I　understand　that；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　it　is　already　settled　that　he

shall　leave　me　forever；　and　go　to　seek　his　fortune　in　Australia。〃

　　〃In　that　case；　your　Grace；　since　you　have　yourself　stated　that　any

unhappiness　in　your　married　life　was　caused　by　his　presence　I　would

suggest　that　you　make　such　amends　as　you　can　to　the　Duchess；　and

that　you　try　to　resume　those　relations　which　have　been　so　unhappily

interrupted。〃

　　〃That　also　I　have　arranged；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　wrote　to　the　Duchess

this　morning。〃

　　〃In　that　case；〃　said　Holmes；　rising；　〃I　think　that　my　friend　and　I

can　congratulate　ourselves　upon　several　most　happy　results　from　our

little　visit　to　the　North。　There　is　one　other　small　point　upon　which　I

desire　some　light。　This　fellow　Hayes　had　shod　his　horses　with　shoes

which　counterfeited　the　tracks　of　cows。　Was　it　from　Mr。　Wilder　that　he

learned　so　extraordinary　a　device？〃

　　The　Duke　stood　in　thought　for　a　moment；　with　a　look　of　intense

surprise　on　his　face。　Then　he　opened　a　door　and　showed　us　into　a　large

room　furnished　as　a　museum。　He　led　the　way　to　a　glass　case　in　a

corner；　and　pointed　to　the　inscription。

　　〃These　shoes；〃　it　ran；　〃were　dug　up　in　the　moat　of　Holdernesse　Hall。

They　are　for　the　use　of　horses；　but　they　are　shaped　below　with　a

cloven　foot　of　iron；　so　as　to　throw　pursuers　off　the　track。　They　are

supposed　to　have　belonged　to　some　of　the　marauding　Barons　of

Holdernesse　in　the　Middle　Ages。〃

　　Holmes　opened　the　case；　and　moistening　his　finger　he　passed　it　along

the　shoe。　A　thin　film　of　recent　mud　was　left　upon　his　skin。

　　〃Thank　you；〃　said　he；　as　he　replaced　the　glass。　〃It　is　the　second

most　interesting　object　that　I　have　seen　in　the　North。〃

　　〃And　the　first？〃

　　Holmes　folded　up　his　check　and　placed　it　carefully　in　his

notebook。　〃I　am　a　poor　man；〃　said　he；　as　he　patted　it

affectionately；　and　thrust　it　into　the　depths　of　his　inner　pocket。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

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