the adventure of the veiled lodger-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


quick　these　creatures　are　to　scent　human　blood；　and　how　it　excites

them。　Some　strange　instinct　had　told　the　creature　in　one　instant

that　a　human　being　had　been　slain。　As　I　slipped　the　bars　it　bounced

out　and　was　on　me　in　an　instant。　Leonardo　could　have　saved　me。　If　he

had　rushed　forward　and　struck　the　beast　with　his　club　he　might　have

cowed　it。　But　the　man　lost　his　nerve。　I　heard　him　shout　in　his　terror；

and　then　I　saw　him　turn　and　fly。　At　the　same　instant　the　teeth　of

the　lion　met　in　my　face。　Its　hot；　filthy　breath　had　already　poisoned

me　and　I　was　hardly　conscious　of　pain。　With　the　palms　of　my　hands　I

tried　to　push　the　great　steaming；　blood…stained　jaws　away　from　me；　and

I　screamed　for　help。　I　was　conscious　that　the　camp　was　stirring；　and

then　dimly　I　remembered　a　group　of　men。　Leonardo；　Griggs；　and

others；　dragging　me　from　under　the　creature's　paws。　That　was　my　last

memory；　Mr。　Holmes；　for　many　a　weary　month。　When　I　came　to　myself

and　saw　myself　in　the　mirror；　I　cursed　that　lion…　oh；　how　I　cursed

him！…　not　because　he　had　torn　away　my　beauty　but　because　he　had　not

torn　away　my　life。　I　had　but　one　desire；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　I　had

enough　money　to　gratify　it。　It　was　that　I　should　cover　myself　so

that　my　poor　face　should　be　seen　by　none；　and　that　I　should　dwell

where　none　whom　I　had　ever　known　should　find　me。　That　was　all　that　was

left　to　me　to　do…　and　that　is　what　I　have　done。　A　poor　wounded　beast

that　has　crawled　into　its　hole　to　die…　that　is　the　end　of　Eugenia

Ronder。〃

　　We　sat　in　silence　for　some　time　after　the　unhappy　woman　had　told　her

story。　Then　Holmes　stretched　out　his　long　arm　and　patted　her　hand　with

such　a　show　of　sympathy　as　I　had　seldom　known　him　to　exhibit。

　　〃Poor　girl！〃　he　said。　〃Poor　girl！　The　ways　of　fate　are　indeed　hard

to　understand。　If　there　is　not　some　compensation　hereafter；　then　the

world　is　a　cruel　jest。　But　what　of　this　man　Leonardo？〃

　　〃I　never　saw　him　or　heard　from　him　again。　Perhaps　I　have　been

wrong　to　feel　so　bitterly　against　him。　He　might　as　soon　have　loved　one

of　the　freaks　whom　we　carried　round　the　country　as　the　thing　which　the

lion　had　left。　But　a　woman's　love　is　not　so　easily　set　aside。　He　had

left　me　under　the　beast's　claws；　he　had　deserted　me　in　my　need；　and

yet　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　give　him　to　the　gallows。　For　myself；　I

cared　nothing　what　became　of　me。　What　could　be　more　dreadful　than　my

actual　life？　But　I　stood　between　Leonardo　and　his　fate。〃

　　〃And　he　is　dead？〃

　　〃He　was　drowned　last　month　when　bathing　near　Margate。　I　saw　his

death　in　the　paper。

　　〃And　what　did　he　do　with　this　five…clawed　club；　which　is　the　most

singular　and　ingenious　part　of　all　your　story？〃

　　〃I　cannot　tell；　Mr。　Holmes。　There　is　a　chalk…pit　by　the　camp；　with　a

deep　green　pool　at　the　base　of　it。　Perhaps　in　the　depths　of　that

pool…〃

　　〃Well；　well；　it　is　of　little　consequence　now。　The　case　is　closed。〃

　　〃Yes；〃　said　the　woman；　〃the　case　is　closed。〃

　　We　had　risen　to　go；　but　there　was　something　in　the　woman's　voice

which　arrested　Holmes's　attention。　He　turned　swiftly　upon　her。

　　〃Your　life　is　not　your　own；〃　he　said。　〃Keep　your　hands　off　it。〃

　　〃What　use　is　it　to　anyone？〃

　　〃How　can　you　tell？　the　example　of　patient　suffering　is　in　itself　the

most　precious　of　all　lessons　to　an　impatient　world。〃

　　The　woman's　answer　was　a　terrible　one。　She　raised　her　veil　and

stepped　forward　into　the　light。

　　〃I　wonder　if　you　would　bear　it；〃　she　said。

　　It　was　horrible。　No　words　can　describe　the　framework　of　a　face

when　the　face　itself　is　gone。　Two　living　and　beautiful　brown　eyes

looking　sadly　out　from　that　grisly　ruin　did　but　make　the　view　more

awful。　Holmes　held　up　his　hand　in　a　gesture　of　pity　and　protest；　and

together　we　left　the　room。



　　Two　days　later；　when　I　called　upon　my　friend；　he　pointed　with　some

pride　to　a　small　blue　bottle　upon　his　mantelpiece。　I　picked　it　up。

There　was　a　red　poison　label。　A　pleasant　almondy　odour　rose　when　I

opened　it。

　　〃Prussic　acid？〃　said　I。

　　〃Exactly。　It　came　by　post。　'I　send　you　my　temptation。　I　will

follow　your　advice。'　That　was　the　message。　I　think；　Watson；　we　can

guess　the　name　of　the　brave　woman　who　sent　it。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

。