the adventure of the norwood builder-第4部分

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business。　She　had　seen　the　buttons；　and　was　sure　that　they　had

belonged　to　the　clothes　which　he　had　worn　last　night。　The　wood…pile

was　very　dry；　for　it　had　not　rained　for　a　month。　It　burned　like

tinder；　and　by　the　time　she　reached　the　spot；　nothing　could　be　seen

but　flames。　She　and　all　the　firemen　smelled　the　burned　flesh　from

inside　it。　She　knew　nothing　of　the　papers；　nor　of　Mr。　Oldacre's

private　affairs。

　　〃So；　my　dear　Watson；　there's　my　report　of　a　failure。　And　yet…　and

yet…〃　he　clenched　his　thin　hands　in　a　paroxysm　of　conviction…　〃I

know　it's　all　wrong。　I　feel　it　in　my　bones。　There　is　something　that

has　not　come　out；　and　that　housekeeper　knows　it。　There　was　a　sort　of

sulky　defiance　in　her　eyes；　which　only　goes　with　guilty　knowledge。

However；　there's　no　good　talking　any　more　about　it；　Watson；　but　unless

some　lucky　chance　comes　our　way　I　fear　that　the　Norwood

Disappearance　Case　will　not　figure　in　that　chronicle　of　our

successes　which　I　foresee　that　a　patient　public　will　sooner　or　later

have　to　endure。〃

　　〃Surely；〃　said　I；　〃the　man's　appearance　would　go　far　with　any　jury？〃

　　〃That　is　a　dangerous　argument　my　dear　Watson。　You　remember　that

terrible　murderer；　Bert　Stevens；　who　wanted　us　to　get　him　off　in

'87？　Was　there　ever　a　more　mild…mannered；　Sunday…school　young　man？〃

　　〃It　is　true。〃

　　〃Unless　we　succeed　in　establishing　an　alternative　theory；　this　man

is　lost。　You　can　hardly　find　a　flaw　in　the　case　which　can　now　be

presented　against　him；　and　all　further　investigation　has　served　to

strengthen　it。　By　the　way；　there　is　one　curious　little　point　about

those　papers　which　may　serve　us　as　the　starting…point　for　an

inquiry。　On　looking　over　the　bank…book　I　found　that　the　low　state　of

the　balance　was　principally　due　to　large　checks　which　have　been　made

out　during　the　last　year　to　Mr。　Cornelius。　I　confess　that　I　should

be　interested　to　know　who　this　Mr。　Cornelius　may　be　with　whom　a

retired　builder　has　had　such　very　large　transactions。　Is　it　possible

that　he　has　had　a　hand　in　the　affair？　Cornelius　might　be　a　broker；　but

we　have　found　no　scrip　to　correspond　with　these　large　payments。

Failing　any　other　indication；　my　researches　must　now　take　the

direction　of　an　inquiry　at　the　bank　for　the　gentleman　who　has　cashed

these　checks。　But　I　fear；　my　dear　fellow；　that　our　case　will　end

ingloriously　by　Lestrade　hanging　our　client；　which　will　certainly　be　a

triumph　for　Scotland　Yard。〃

　　I　do　not　know　how　far　Sherlock　Holmes　took　any　sleep　that　night；　but

when　I　came　down　to　breakfast　I　found　him　pale　and　harassed；　his

bright　eyes　the　brighter　for　the　dark　shadows　round　them。　The　carpet

round　his　chair　was　littered　with　cigarette…ends　and　with　the　early

editions　of　the　morning　papers。　An　open　telegram　lay　upon　the　table。

　　〃What　do　you　think　of　this；　Watson？〃　he　asked；　tossing　it　across。

　　It　was　from　Norwood；　and　ran　as　follows：





　　Important　fresh　evidence　to　hand。　McFarlane's　guilt　definitely

established。　Advise　you　to　abandon　case。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LESTRADE。



　　〃This　sounds　serious；〃　said　I。

　　〃It　is　Lestrade's　little　cock…a…doodle　of　victory；〃　Holmes　answered；

with　a　bitter　smile。　〃And　yet　it　may　be　premature　to　abandon　the　case。

After　all；　important　fresh　evidence　is　a　two…edged　thing；　and　may

possibly　cut　in　a　very　different　direction　to　that　which　Lestrade

imagines。　Take　your　breakfast；　Watson；　and　we　will　go　out　together　and

see　what　we　can　do。　I　feel　as　if　I　shall　need　your　company　and　your

moral　support　today。〃

　　My　friend　had　no　breakfast　himself；　for　it　was　one　of　his

peculiarities　that　in　his　more　intense　moments　he　would　permit　himself

no　food；　and　I　have　known　him　presume　upon　his　iron　strength　until

he　has　fainted　from　pure　inanition。　〃At　present　I　cannot　spare

energy　and　nerve　force　for　digestion；〃　he　would　say　in　answer　to　my

medical　remonstrances。　I　was　not　surprised；　therefore；　when　this

morning　he　left　his　untouched　meal　behind　him；　and　started　with　me　for

Norwood。　A　crowd　of　morbid　sightseers　were　still　gathered　round　Deep

Dene　House；　which　was　just　such　a　suburban　villa　as　I　had　pictured。

Within　the　gates　Lestrade　met　us；　his　face　flushed　with　victory；　his

manner　grossly　triumphant。

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　have　you　proved　us　to　be　wrong　yet？　Have　you

found　your　tramp？〃　he　cried。

　　〃I　have　formed　no　conclusion　whatever；〃　my　companion　answered。

　　〃But　we　formed　ours　yesterday；　and　now　it　proves　to　be　correct；　so

you　must　acknowledge　that　we　have　been　a　little　in　front　of　you　this

time；　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃You　certainly　have　the　air　of　something　unusual　having　occurred；〃

said　Holmes。

　　Lestrade　laughed　loudly。

　　〃You　don't　like　being　beaten　any　more　than　the　rest　of　us　do；〃

said　he。　〃A　man　can't　expect　always　to　have　it　his　own　way；　can　he；

Dr。　Watson？　Step　this　way；　if　you　please；　gentlemen；　and　I　think　I　can

convince　you　once　for　all　that　it　was　John　McFarlane　who　did　this

crime。〃

　　He　led　us　through　the　passage　and　out　into　a　dark　hall　beyond。

　　〃This　is　where　young　McFarlane　must　have　come　out　to　get　his　hat

after　the　crime　was　done；〃　said　he。　〃Now　look　at　this。〃　With

dramatic　suddenness　he　struck　a　match；　and　by　its　light　exposed　a

stain　of　blood　upon　the　whitewashed　wall。　As　he　held　the　match　nearer；

I　saw　that　it　was　more　than　a　stain。　It　was　the　well…marked　print　of　a

thumb。

　　〃Look　at　that　with　your　magnifying　glass；　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃Yes；　I　am　doing　so。〃

　　〃You　are　aware　that　no　two　thumb…marks　are　alike？〃

　　〃I　have　heard　something　of　the　kind。〃

　　〃Well；　then；　will　you　please　compare　that　print　with　this　wax

impression　of　young　McFarlane's　right　thumb；　taken　by　my　orders　this

morning？〃

　　As　he　held　the　waxen　print　close　to　the　blood…stain；　it　did　not　take

a　magnifying　glass　to　see　that　the　two　were　undoubtedly　from　the

same　thumb。　It　was　evident　to　me　that　our　unfortunate　client　was　lost。

　　〃That　is　final；〃　said　Lestrade。

　　〃Yes；　that　is　final；〃　I　involuntarily　echoed。

　　〃It　is　final；〃　said　Holmes。

　　Something　in　his　tone　caught　my　ear；　and　I　turned　to　look　at　him。　An

extraordinary　change　had　come　over　his　face。　It　was　writhing　with

inward　merriment。　His　two　eyes　were　shining　like　stars。　It　seemed　to

me　that　he　was　making　desperate　efforts　to　restrain　a　convulsive

attack　of　laughter。

　　〃Dear　me！　Dear　me！〃　he　said　at　last。　〃Well；　now；　who　would　have

thought　it？　And　how　deceptive　appearances　may　be；　to　be　sure！　Such　a

nice　young　man　to　look　at！　It　is　a　lesson　to　us　not　to　trust　our　own

judgment；　is　it　not；　Lestrade？〃

　　〃Yes；　some　of　us　are　a　little　too　much　inclined　to　be　cock…sure；　Mr。

Holmes；〃　said　Lestrade。　The　man's　insolence　was　maddening；　but　we

could　not　resent　it。

　　〃What　a　providential　thing　that　this　young　man　should　press　his

right　thumb　against　the　wall　in　taking　his　hat　from　the　peg！　Such　a

very　natural　action；　too；　if　you　come　to　think　if　it。〃　Holmes　was

outwardly　calm；　but　his　whole　body　gave　a　wriggle　of　suppressed

excitement　as　he　spoke。

　　〃By　the　way；　Lestrade；　who　made　this　remarkable　discovery？〃

　　〃It　was　the　housekeeper；　Mrs。　Lexington；　who　drew　the　night

constable's　attention　to　it。〃

　　〃Where　was　the　night　constable？〃

　　〃He　remained　on　guard　in　the　bedroom　where　the　crime　was

committed；　so　as　to　see　that　nothing　was　touched。〃

　　〃But　why　didn't　the　police　see　this　mark　yesterday？〃

　　〃Well；　we　had　no　particular　reason　to　make　a　careful　examination

of　the　hall。　Besides；　it's　not　in　a　very　prominent　place；　as　you　see。〃

　　〃No；　no…　of　course　not。　I　suppose　there　is　no　doubt　that　the　mark

was　there　yesterday？〃

　　Lestrade　looked　at　Holmes　as　if　he　thought　he　was　going　out　of　his

mind。　I　confess　that　I　was　myself　surprised　both　at　his　hilarious

manner　and　at　his　rather　wild　observation。

　　〃I　don't　know　whether　you　think　that　McFarlane　came　out　of　jail　in

the　dead　of　the　night　in　order　to　strengthen　the　evidence　against

himself；〃　said　Lestrade。　〃I　leave　it　to　any　expert　in　the　world

whether　that　is　not　the　mark　of　his　thumb。〃

　　〃It　is　unquestionably　the　mark　of　his　thumb。〃

　　〃There；　that's　enough；〃　said　Lestrade。　〃I　am　a　practical　man；　Mr。

Holmes；　and　when　I　have　got　my　evidence　I　come　to　my　conclusions。　If

you　have　anything　to　say；　you　will　find　me　writing　my　report　in　the

sitting…room。〃

　　Holmes　had　recovered　his　equanimity；　though　I　still　seemed　to　detect

gleams　of　amusement　in　his　expression。

　　〃Dear　me；　this　is　a　very　sad　development；　Watson；　is　it　not？〃　said

he。　〃And　yet　there　are　singular　points　about　it　which　hold　out　some

hopes　for　our　client。〃

　　〃I　am　delighted　to　hear　it；〃　said　I；　heartily。　〃I　was　afraid　it

was　all　up　with　him。〃

　　〃I　would　hardly　go　so　far　as　to　say　that；　my　dear　Watson。　The　fact

is　that　there　is　one　really　serious　flaw　in　this　evidence　to　which　our

friend　attaches　so　much　importance。〃

　　〃Indeed；　Holmes！　What　is　it？〃

　　〃Only　this：　that　I　know　that　that　was　not　there　when　I　examined

the　hall　yesterday。　And　now；　Watson；　let　us　have　a　little　stroll　round

in　the　sunshine。〃

　　With　a　confused　brain；　but　with　a　heart　into　which　some　warmth　of

hope　was　returning；　I　accompanied　my　friend　in　a　walk　round　the

garden。　Holmes　took　each　face　of　the　house　in　turn；　and　examined　it

with　great　interest。　He　then　led　the　way　inside；　and　went　over　the

whole　building　from　basement　to　attic。　Most　of　the　rooms　were

unfurnished；　but　none　the　less　Holmes　inspected　them　all　minutely。

Finally；　on　the　top　corridor；　which　ran　outside　three　untenanted

bedrooms；　he　again　was　seized　with　a　spasm　of　merriment。

　　〃There　are　really　some　very　unique　features　about　this　case；

Watson；〃　said　he。　〃I　think　it　is　time　now　that　we　took　our　friend

Lestrade　into　our　confidence。　He　has　had　his　little　smile　at　our

expense；　and　perhaps　we　may　do　as　much　by　him；　if　my　reading　of　this

problem　proves　to　be　correct。　Yes；　yes；　I　think　I　see　how　we　should

approach　it。〃

　　The　Scotland　Yard　inspector　was　still　writing　in　the　parlour　when

Holmes　interrupted　him。

　　〃I　understood　that　you　were　writing　a　report　of　this　case；〃　said　he。

　　〃So　I　am。〃

　　〃Don't　you　think　it　may　be　a　little　premature？　I