the adventure of the norwood builder-第2部分

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the　criminal　investigation　has　been　left　in　the　experienced　hands　of

Inspector　Lestrade；　of　Scotland　Yard；　who　is　following　up　the　clues

with　his　accustomed　energy　and　sagacity。〃



　　Sherlock　Holmes　listened　with　closed　eyes　and　fingertips　together　to

this　remarkable　account。

　　〃The　case　has　certainly　some　points　of　interest；〃　said　he；　in　his

languid　fashion。　〃May　I　ask；　in　the　first　place；　Mr。　McFarlane；　how　it

is　that　you　are　still　at　liberty；　since　there　appears　to　be　enough

evidence　to　justify　your　arrest？〃

　　〃I　live　at　Torrington　Lodge；　Blackheath；　with　my　parents；　Mr。

Holmes；　but　last　night；　having　to　do　business　very　late　with　Mr。　Jonas

Oldacre；　I　stayed　at　an　hotel　in　Norwood；　and　came　to　my　business　from

there。　I　knew　nothing　of　this　affair　until　I　was　in　the　train；　when

I　read　what　you　have　just　heard。　I　at　once　saw　the　horrible　danger

of　my　position；　and　I　hurried　to　put　the　case　into　your　hands。　I

have　no　doubt　that　I　should　have　been　arrested　either　at　my　city

office　or　at　my　home。　A　man　followed　me　from　London　Bridge　Station；

and　I　have　no　doubt…　Great　heaven！　what　is　that？〃

　　It　was　a　clang　of　the　bell；　followed　instantly　by　heavy　steps　upon

the　stair。　A　moment　later；　our　old　friend　Lestrade　appeared　in　the

doorway。　Over　his　shoulder　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　one　or　two

uniformed　policemen　outside。

　　〃Mr。　John　Hector　McFarlane？〃　said　Lestrade。

　　Our　unfortunate　client　rose　with　a　ghastly　face。

　　〃I　arrest　you　for　the　wilful　murder　of　Mr。　Jonas　Oldacre；　of　Lower

Norwood。〃

　　McFarlane　turned　to　us　with　a　gesture　of　despair；　and　sank　into

his　chair　once　more　like　one　who　is　crushed。

　　〃One　moment；　Lestrade；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Half　an　hour　more　or　less

can　make　no　difference　to　you；　and　the　gentleman　was　about　to　give

us　an　account　of　this　very　interesting　affair；　which　might　aid　us　in

clearing　it　up。〃

　　〃I　think　there　will　be　no　difficulty　in　clearing　it　up；〃　said

Lestrade；　grimly。

　　〃None　the　less；　with　your　permission；　I　should　be　much　interested　to

hear　his　account。〃

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　it　is　difficult　for　me　to　refuse　you　anything；

for　you　have　been　of　use　to　the　force　once　or　twice　in　the　past；　and

we　owe　you　a　good　turn　at　Scotland　Yard；〃　said　Lestrade。　〃At　the

same　time　I　must　remain　with　my　prisoner；　and　I　am　bound　to　warn　him

that　anything　he　may　say　will　appear　in　evidence　against　him。〃

　　〃I　wish　nothing　better；〃　said　our　client。　〃All　I　ask　is　that　you

should　hear　and　the　absolute　truth。〃

　　Lestrade　looked　at　his　watch。　〃I'll　give　you　half　an　hour；〃　said　he。

　　〃I　must　explain　first；〃　said　McFarlane；　〃that　I　knew　nothing　of

Mr。　Jonas　Oldacre。　His　name　was　familiar　to　me；　for　many　years　ago

my　parents　were　acquainted　with　him；　but　they　drifted　apart。　I　was

very　much　surprised　therefore；　when　yesterday；　about　three　o'clock

in　the　afternoon；　he　walked　into　my　office　in　the　city。　But　I　was

still　more　astonished　when　he　told　me　the　object　of　his　visit。　He

had　in　his　hand　several　sheets　of　a　notebook；　covered　with　scribbled

writing…　here　they　are…　and　he　laid　them　on　my　table。

　　〃‘Here　is　my　will；'　said　he。　‘I　want　you；　Mr。　McFarlane；　to　cast

it　into　proper　legal　shape。　I　will　sit　here　while　you　do　so。'

　　〃I　set　myself　to　copy　it；　and　you　can　imagine　my　astonishment　when　I

found　that；　with　some　reservations；　he　had　left　all　his　property　to

me。　He　was　a　strange　little　ferret…like　man；　with　white　eyelashes；　and

when　I　looked　up　at　him　I　found　his　keen　gray　eyes　fixed　upon　me

with　an　amused　expression。　I　could　hardly　believe　my　own　as　I　read　the

terms　of　the　will；　but　he　explained　that　he　was　a　bachelor　with　hardly

any　living　relation；　that　he　had　known　my　parents　in　his　youth；　and

that　he　had　always　heard　of　me　as　a　very　deserving　young　man；　and

was　assured　that　his　money　would　be　in　worthy　hands。　Of　course；　I

could　only　stammer　out　my　thanks。　The　will　was　duly　finished；

signed；　and　witnessed　by　my　clerk。　This　is　it　on　the　blue　paper；　and

these　slips；　as　I　have　explained；　are　the　rough　draft。　Mr。　Jonas

Oldacre　then　informed　me　that　there　were　a　number　of　documents…

building　leases；　title…deeds；　mortgages；　scrip；　and　so　forth…　which　it

was　necessary　that　I　should　see　and　understand。　He　said　that　his

mind　would　not　be　easy　until　the　whole　thing　was　settled；　and　he

begged　me　to　come　out　to　his　house　at　Norwood　that　night；　bringing　the

will　with　me；　and　to　arrange　matters。　‘Remember；　my　boy；　not　one

word　to　your　parents　about　the　affair　until　everything　is　settled。

We　will　keep　it　as　a　little　surprise　for　them。'　He　was　very

insistent　upon　this　point；　and　made　me　promise　it　faithfully。

　　〃You　can　imagine；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　I　was　not　in　a　humour　to　refuse

him　anything　that　he　might　ask。　He　was　my　benefactor；　and　all　my

desire　was　to　carry　out　his　wishes　in　every　particular。　I　sent　a

telegram　home；　therefore；　to　say　that　I　had　important　business　on

hand；　and　that　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　say　how　late　I　might　be。

Mr。　Oldacre　had　told　me　that　he　would　like　me　to　have　supper　with

him　at　nine；　as　he　might　not　be　home　before　that　hour。　I　had　some

difficulty　in　finding　his　house；　however；　and　it　was　nearly

half…past　before　I　reached　it。　I　found　him…〃

　　〃One　moment！〃　said　Holmes。　〃Who　opened　the　door？〃

　　〃A　middle…aged　woman；　who　was；　I　suppose；　his　housekeeper。〃

　　〃And　it　was　she；　I　presume；　who　mentioned　your　name？〃

　　〃Exactly；〃　said　McFarlane。

　　〃Pray　proceed。〃

　　McFarlane　wiped　his　damp　brow；　and　then　continued　his　narrative：

　　〃I　was　shown　by　this　woman　into　a　sitting…room；　where　a　frugal

supper　was　laid　out。　Afterwards；　Mr。　Jonas　Oldacre　led　me　into　his

bedroom；　in　which　there　stood　a　heavy　safe。　This　he　opened　and　took

out　a　mass　of　documents；　which　we　went　over　together。　It　was　between

eleven　and　twelve　when　we　finished。　He　remarked　that　we　must　not

disturb　the　housekeeper。　He　showed　me　out　through　his　own　French

window；　which　had　been　open　all　this　time。〃

　　〃Was　the　blind　down？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　〃I　will　not　be　sure；　but　I　believe　that　it　was　only　half　down。

Yes；　I　remember　how　he　pulled　it　up　in　order　to　swing　open　the　window。

I　could　not　find　my　stick；　and　he　said；　‘Never　mind；　my　boy；　I　shall

see　a　good　deal　of　you　now；　I　hope；　and　I　will　keep　your　stick　until

you　come　back　to　claim　it。'　I　left　him　there；　the　safe　open；　and　the

papers　made　up　in　packets　upon　the　table。　It　was　so　late　that　I

could　not　get　back　to　Blackheath；　so　I　spent　the　night　at　the

Anerley　Arms；　and　I　knew　nothing　more　until　I　read　of　this　horrible

affair　in　the　morning。〃

　　〃Anything　more　that　you　would　like　to　ask；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　said

Lestrade；　whose　eyebrows　had　gone　up　once　or　twice　during　this

remarkable　explanation。

　　〃Not　until　I　have　been　to　Blackheath。〃

　　〃You　mean　to　Norwood；〃　said　Lestrade。

　　〃Oh；　yes；　no　doubt　that　is　what　I　must　have　meant；〃　said　Holmes；

with　his　enigmatical　smile。　Lestrade　had　learned　by　more　experiences

than　he　would　care　to　acknowledge　that　that　brain　could　cut　through

that　which　was　impenetrable　to　him。　I　saw　him　look　curiously　at　my

companion。

　　〃I　think　I　should　like　to　have　a　word　with　you　presently；　Mr。

Sherlock　Holmes；〃　said　he。　〃Now；　Mr。　McFarlane；　two　of　my　constables

are　at　the　door；　and　there　is　a　four…wheeler　waiting。〃　The　wretched

young　man　arose；　and　with　a　last　beseeching　glance　at　us　walked　from

the　room。　The　officers　conducted　him　to　the　cab；　but　Lestrade

remained。

　　Holmes　had　picked　up　the　pages　which　formed　the　rough　draft　of　the

will；　and　was　looking　at　them　with　the　keenest　interest　upon　his　face。

　　〃There　are　some　points　about　that　document；　Lestrade；　are　there

not？〃　said　he；　pushing　them　over。

　　The　official　looked　at　them　with　a　puzzled　expression。

　　〃I　can　read　the　first　few　lines　and　these　in　the　middle　of　the

second　page；　and　one　or　two　at　the　end。　Those　are　as　clear　as

print；〃　said　he；　〃but　the　writing　in　between　is　very　bad；　and　there

are　three　places　where　I　cannot　read　it　at　all。〃

　　〃What　do　you　make　of　that？〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Well；　what　do　you　make　of　it？〃

　　〃That　it　was　written　in　a　train。　The　good　writing　represents

stations；　the　bad　writing　movement；　and　the　very　bad　writing　passing

over　points。　A　scientific　expert　would　pronounce　at　once　that　this　was

drawn　up　on　a　suburban　line；　since　nowhere　save　in　the　immediate

vicinity　of　a　great　city　could　there　be　so　quick　a　succession　of

points。　Granting　that　his　whole　journey　was　occupied　in　drawing　up　the

will；　then　the　train　was　an　express；　only　stopping　once　between

Norwood　and　London　Bridge。〃

　　Lestrade　began　to　laugh。

　　〃You　are　too　many　for　me　when　you　begin　to　get　on　your　theories；　Mr。

Holmes；〃　said　he。　〃How　does　this　bear　on　the　case？〃

　　〃Well；　it　corroborates　the　young　man's　story　to　the　extent　that

the　will　was　drawn　up　by　Jonas　Oldacre　in　his　journey　yesterday。　It　is

curious…　is　it　not？…　that　a　man　should　draw　up　so　important　a　document

in　so　haphazard　a　fashion。　It　suggests　that　he　did　not　think　it　was

going　to　be　of　much　practical　importance。　If　a　man　drew　up　a　will

which　he　did　not　intend　ever　to　be　effective；　he　might　do　it　so。〃

　　〃Well；　he　drew　up　his　own　death　warrant　at　the　same　time；〃　said

Lestrade。

　　〃Oh；　you　think　so？〃

　　〃Don't　you？〃

　　〃Well；　it　is　quite　possible；　but　the　case　is　not　clear　to　me　yet。〃

　　〃Not　clear？　Well；　if　that　isn't　clear；　what　could　be　clear？　Here

is　a　young　man　who　learns　suddenly　that；　if　a　certain　older　man

dies；　he　will　succeed　to　a　fortune。　What　does　he　do？　He　says　nothing

to　anyone；　but　he　arranges　that　he　shall　go　out　on　some　pretext　to　see

his　client　that　night。　He　waits　until　the　only　other　person　in　the

house　is　in　bed；　and　then　in　the　solitude　of　a　man's　room　he　murders

him；　burns　his　body　in　the　wood…pile；　and　departs　to　a　neighbouring

hotel。　The　blood…stains　in　the　room　and　also　on　the　stick　are　very

slight。　It　is　probable　that　he　imagined　his　crime　to　be　a　bloodless

one；　and　hoped　that　if　the　body　were　consumed　it　would　hide　all　traces

of　the　method　of　his　death…　traces　which；　for　some　reason；　must　have

pointed　to　him。　Is　not　all　this　obvious？〃

　　〃It　strikes　me；　my　good　Lestrade