the adventure of the norwood builder-第5部分

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　　〃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　can't　help　thinking

that　your　evidence　is　not　complete。〃

　　Lestrade　knew　my　friend　too　well　to　disregard　his　words。　He　laid

down　his　pen　and　looked　curiously　at　him。

　　〃What　do　you　mean；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃Only　that　there　is　an　important　witness　whom　you　have　not　seen。〃

　　〃Can　you　produce　him？〃

　　〃I　think　I　can。〃

　　〃Then　do　so。〃

　　〃I　will　do　my　best。　How　many　constables　have　you？〃

　　〃There　are　three　within　call。〃

　　〃Excellent！〃　said　Holmes。　〃May　I　ask　if　they　are　all　large；

able…bodied　men　with　powerful　voices？〃

　　〃I　have　no　doubt　they　are；　though　I　fail　to　see　what　their　voices

have　to　do　with　it。〃

　　〃Perhaps　I　can　help　you　to　see　that　and　one　or　two　other　things　as

well；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Kindly　summon　your　men；　and　I　will　try。〃

　　Five　minutes　later；　three　policemen　had　assembled　in　the　hall。

　　〃In　the　outhouse　you　will　find　a　considerable　quantity　of　straw；〃

said　Holmes。　〃I　will　ask　you　to　carry　in　two　bundles　of　it。　I　think　it

will　be　of　the　greatest　assistance　in　producing　the　witness　whom　I

require。　Thank　you　very　much。　I　believe　you　have　some　matches　in

your　pocket　Watson。　Now；　Mr。　Lestrade；　I　will　ask　you　all　to　accompany

me　to　the　top　landing。〃

　　As　I　have　said；　there　was　a　broad　corridor　there；　which　ran

outside　three　empty　bedrooms。　At　one　end　of　the　corridor　we　were　all

marshalled　by　Sherlock　Holmes；　the　constables　grinning　and　Lestrade

staring　at　my　friend　with　amazement；　expectation；　and　derision　chasing

each　other　across　his　features。　Holmes　stood　before　us　with　the　air　of

a　conjurer　who　is　performing　a　trick。

　　〃Would　you　kindly　send　one　of　your　constables　for　two　buckets　of

water？　Put　the　straw　on　the　floor　here；　free　from　the　wall　on　either

side。　Now　I　think　that　we　are　all　ready。〃

　　Lestrade's　face　had　begun　to　grow　red　and　angry。

　〃I　don't　know　whether　you　are　playing　a　game　with　us；　Mr。　Sherlock

Holmes；〃　said　he。　〃If　you　know　anything；　you　can　surely　say　it　without

all　this　tomfoolery。〃

　　〃I　assure　you；　my　good　Lestrade；　that　I　have　an　excellent　reason　for

everything　that　I　do。　You　may　possibly　remember　that　you　chaffed　me

a　little；　some　hours　ago；　when　the　sun　seemed　on　your　side　of　the

hedge；　so　you　must　not　grudge　me　a　little　pomp　and　ceremony　now。　Might

I　ask　you；　Watson；　to　open　that　window；　and　then　to　put　a　match　to　the

edge　of　the　straw？〃

　　I　did　so；　and　driven　by　the　draught　a　coil　of　gray　smoke　swirled

down　the　corridor；　while　the　dry　straw　crackled　and　flamed。

　　〃Now　we　must　see　if　we　can　find　this　witness　for　you；　Lestrade。

Might　I　ask　you　all　to　join　in　the　cry　of　‘Fire！'？　Now　then；　one；　two；

three…〃

　　〃Fire！〃　we　all　yelled。

　　〃Thank　you。　I　will　trouble　you　once　again。〃

　　〃Fire！〃

　　〃Just　once　more；　gentlemen；　and　all　together。〃

　　〃Fire！〃　The　shout　must　have　rung　over　Norwood。

　　It　had　hardly　died　away　when　an　amazing　thing　happened。　A　door

suddenly　flew　open　out　of　what　appeared　to　be　solid　wall　at　the　end　of

the　corridor；　and　a　little；　wizened　man　darted　out　of　it；　like　a

rabbit　out　of　its　burrow。

　　〃Capital！〃　said　Holmes；　calmly。　〃Watson；　a　bucket　of　water　over

the　straw。　That　will　do！　Lestrade；　allow　me　to　present　you　with　your

principal　missing　witness；　Mr。　Jonas　Oldacre。〃

　　The　detective　stared　at　the　newcomer　with　blank　amazement。　The

latter　was　blinking　in　the　bright　light　of　the　corridor；　and　peering

at　us　and　at　the　smouldering　fire。　It　was　an　odious　face…　crafty；

vicious；　malignant；　with　shifty；　light…gray　eyes　and　white　lashes。

　　〃What's　this；　then？〃　said　Lestrade；　at　last。　〃What　have　you　been

doing　all　this　time；　eh？〃

　　Oldacre　gave　an　uneasy　laugh；　shrinking　back　from　the　furious　red

face　of　the　angry　detective。

　　〃I　have　done　no　harm。〃

　　〃No　harm？　You　have　done　your　best　to　get　an　innocent　man　hanged。

If　it　wasn't　this　gentleman　here；　I　am　not　sure　that　you　would　not

have　succeeded。〃

　　The　wretched　creature　began　to　whimper。

　　〃I　am　sure；　sir；　it　was　only　my　practical　joke。〃

　〃Oh！　a　joke；　was　it？　You　won't　find　the　laugh　on　your　side；　I　promise

you。　Take　him　down；　and　keep　him　in　the　sitting…room　until　I　come。　Mr。

Holmes；〃　he　continued；　when　they　had　gone；　〃I　could　not　speak　before

the　constables；　but　I　don't　mind　saying；　in　the　presence　of　Dr。

Watson；　that　this　is　the　brightest　thing　that　you　have　done　yet；

though　it　is　a　mystery　to　me　how　you　did　it。　You　have　saved　an

innocent　man's　life；　and　you　have　prevented　a　very　grave　scandal；

which　would　have　ruined　my　reputation　in　the　Force。〃

　　Holmes　smiled；　and　clapped　Lestrade　upon　the　shoulder。

　　〃Instead　of　being　ruined；　my　good　sir；　you　will　find　that　your

reputation　has　been　enormously　enhanced。　Just　make　a　few　alterations

in　that　report　which　you　were　writing；　and　they　will　understand　how

hard　it　is　to　throw　dust　in　the　eyes　of　Inspector　Lestrade。〃

　　〃And　you　don't　want　your　name　to　appear？〃

　　〃Not　at　all。　The　work　is　its　own　reward。　Perhaps　I　shall　get　the

credit　also　at　some　distant　day；　when　I　permit　my　zealous　historian　to

lay　out　his　foolscap　once　more…　eh；　Watson？　Well；　now；　let　us　see

where　this　rat　has　been　lurking。〃

　　A　lath…and…plaster　partition　had　been　run　across　the　passage　six

feet　from　the　end；　with　a　door　cunningly　concealed　in　it。　It　was　lit

within　by　slits　under　the　eaves。　A　few　articles　of　furniture　and　a

supply　of　food　and　water　were　within；　together　with　a　number　of

books　and　papers。

　　〃There's　the　advantage　of　being　a　builder；〃　said　Holmes；　as　we

came　out。　〃He　was　able　to　fix　up　his　own　little　hiding…place　without

any　confederate…　save；　of　course；　that　precious　housekeeper　of　his；

whom　I　should　lose　no　time　in　adding　to　your　bag；　Lestrade。〃

　　〃I'll　take　your　advice。　But　how　did　you　know　of　this　place；　Mr。

Holmes？〃

　　〃I　made　up　my　mind　that　the　fellow　was　in　hiding　in　the　house。

When　I　paced　one　corridor　and　found　it　six　feet　shorter　than　the

corresponding　one　below；　it　was　pretty　clear　where　he　was。　I　thought

he　had　not　the　nerve　to　lie　quiet　before　an　alarm　of　fire。　We　could；

of　course；　have　gone　in　and　taken　him；　but　it　amused　me　to　make　him

reveal　himself。　Besides；　I　owed　you　a　little　mystification；

Lestrade；　for　your　chaff　in　the　morning。〃

　　〃Well；　sir；　you　certainly　got　equal　with　me　on　that。　But　how　in

the　world　did　you　know　that　he　was　in　the　house　at　all？〃

　　〃The　thumb…mark；　Lestrade。　You　said　it　was　final；　and　so　it　was；

in　a　very　different　sense。　I　knew　it　had　not　been　there　the　day

before。　I　pay　a　good　deal　of　attention　to　matters　of　detail；　as　you

may　have　observed；　and　I　had　examined　the　hall；　and　was　sure　that

the　wall　was　clear。　Therefore；　it　had　been　put　on　during　the　night。〃

　　〃But　how？〃

　　〃Very　simply。　When　those　packets　were　sealed　up；　Jonas　Oldacre　got

McFarlane　to　secure　one　of　the　seals　by　putting　his　thumb　upon　the

soft　wax。　It　would　be　done　so　quickly　and　so　naturally；　that　I　daresay

the　young　man　himself　has　no　recollection　of　it。　Very　likely　it　just

so　happened；　and　Oldacre　had　himself　no　notion　of　the　use　he　would　put

it　to。　Brooding　over　the　case　in　that　den　of　his；　it　suddenly　struck

him　what　absolutely　damning　evidence　he　could　make　against　McFarlane

by　using　that　thumb…mark。　It　was　the　simplest　thing　in　the　world　for

him　to　take　a　wax　impression　from　the　seal；　to　moisten　it　in　as　much

blood　as　he　could　get　from　a　pin…prick；　and　to　put　the　mark　upon　the

wall　during　the　night；　either　with　his　own　hand　or　with　that　of　his

housekeeper。　If　you　examine　among　those　documents　which　he　took　with

him　into　his　retreat；　I　will　lay　you　a　wager　that　you　find　the　seal

with　the　thumb…mark　upon　it。〃

　　〃Wonderful！〃　said　Lestrade。　〃Wonderful！　It's　all　as　clear　as

crystal；　as　you　put　it。　But　what　is　the　object　of　this　deep　deception；

Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　It　was　amusing　to　me　to　see　how　the　detective's　overbearing　manner

had　changed　suddenly　to　that　of　a　child　asking　questions　of　its

teacher。

　　〃Well；　I　don't　think　that　is　very　hard　to　explain。　A　very　deep；

malicious；　vindictive　person　is　the　gentleman　who　is　now　waiting　us

downstairs。　You　know　that　he　was　once　refused　by　McFarlane's　mother？

You　don't！　I　told　you　that　you　should　go　to　Blackheath　first　and

Norwood　afterwards。　Well；　this　injury；　as　he　would　consider　it；　has

rankled　in　his　wicked；　scheming　brain；　and　all　his　life　he　has

longed　for　vengeance；　but　never　seen　his　chance。　During　the　last

year　or　two；　things　have　gone　against　him…　secret　speculation；　I

think…　and　he　finds　himself　in　a　bad　way。　He　determines　to　swindle　his

creditors；　and　for　this　purpose　he　pays　large　checks　to　a　certain

Mr。　Cornelius；　who　is；　I　imagine；　himself　under　another　name。　I　have

not　traced　these　checks　yet；　but　I　have　no　doubt　that　they　were　banked

under　that　name　at　some　provincial　town　where　Oldacre　from　time　to

time　led　a　double　existence。　He　intended　to　change　his　name

altogether；　draw　this　money；　and　vanish；　starting　life　again

elsewhere。〃

　　〃Well；　that's　likely　enough。〃

　　〃It　would　strike　him　that　in　disappearing　he　might　throw　all　pursuit

off　his　track；　and　at　the　same　time　have　an　ample　and　crushing　revenge

upon　his　old　sweetheart；　if　he　could　give　the　impression　that　he　had

been　murdered　by　her　only　child。　It　was　a　masterpiece　of　villainy；　and

he　carried　it　out　like　a　master。　The　idea　of　the　will；　which　would

give　an　obvious　motive　for　the　crime；　the　secret　visit　unknown　to

his　own　parents；　the　retention　of　the　stick；　the　blood；　and　the　animal

remains　and　buttons　in　the　wood…pile；　all　were　admirable。　It　was　a　net

from　which　it　seemed　to　me；　a　few　hours　ago；　that　there　was　no

possible　escape。　But　he　had　not　that　supreme　gift　of　the　artist；　the

knowledge　of　when　to　stop。　He　wished　to　improve　that　which　was　already

perfect…　to　draw　the　rope　tighter　yet　round　the　neck　of　his

unfortunate　victim…　and　so　he　ruined　all。　Let　us　descend；　Lestrade。

There　are　just　one　or　two　questions　that　I　would　ask　him。〃

　　The　malignant　creature　was　seated　in　his　own　parlour；　with　a

policeman　upon　each　side　of　him。

　　〃It　was　a　joke；　m