the problem of thor bridge-第2部分

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　　〃I　have　to　be　emphatic；　Mr。　Holmes；　for　the　time　is　so　limited。　I

would　not　have　him　find　me　here　for　the　world。　He　is　almost　due　now。

But　I　was　so　situated　that　I　could　not　come　earlier。　His　secretary；

Mr。　Ferguson；　only　told　me　this　morning　of　his　appointment　with　you。〃

　　〃And　you　are　his　manager？〃

　　〃I　have　given　him　notice。　In　a　couple　of　weeks　I　shall　have　shaken

off　his　accursed　slavery。　A　hard　man；　Mr。　Holmes；　hard　to　all　about

him。　Those　public　charities　are　a　screen　to　cover　his　private

iniquities。　But　his　wife　was　his　chief　victim。　He　was　brutal　to　her…

yes；　sir；　brutal！　How　she　came　by　her　death　I　do　not　know；　but　I　am

sure　that　he　had　made　her　life　a　misery　to　her。　She　was　a　creature

of　the　tropics；　a　Brazilian　by　birth；　as　no　doubt　you　know。〃

　　〃No；　it　had　escaped　me。〃

　　〃Tropical　by　birth　and　tropical　by　nature。　A　child　of　the　sun　and　of

passion。　She　had　loved　him　as　such　women　can　love；　but　when　her　own

physical　charms　had　faded…　I　am　told　that　they　once　were　great…

there　was　nothing　to　hold　him。　We　all　liked　her　and　felt　for　her　and

hated　him　for　the　way　that　he　treated　her。　But　he　is　plausible　and

cunning。　That　is　all　I　have　to　say　to　you。　Don't　take　him　at　his

face　value。　There　is　more　behind。　Now　I'll　go。　No；　no；　don't　detain

me！　He　is　almost　due。〃

　　With　a　frightened　look　at　the　clock　our　strange　visitor　literally

ran　to　the　door　and　disappeared。

　　〃Well！　Well！〃　said　Holmes　after　an　interval　of　silence。　〃Mr。

Gibson　seems　to　have　a　nice　loyal　household。　But　the　warning　is　a

useful　one；　and　now　we　can　only　wait　till　the　man　himself　appears。〃

　　Sharp　at　the　hour　we　heard　a　heavy　step　upon　the　stairs；　and　the

famous　millionaire　was　shown　into　the　room。　As　I　looked　upon　him　I

understood　not　only　the　fears　and　dislike　of　his　manager　but　also

the　execrations　which　so　many　business　rivals　have　heaped　upon　his

head。　If　I　were　a　sculptor　and　desired　to　idealize　the　successful

man　of　affairs；　iron　of　nerve　and　leathery　of　conscience；　I　should

choose　Mr。　Neil　Gibson　as　my　model。　His　tall；　gaunt；　craggy　figure　had

a　suggestion　of　hunger　and　rapacity。　An　Abraham　Lincoln　keyed　to

base　uses　instead　of　high　ones　would　give　some　idea　of　the　man。　His

face　might　have　been　chiselled　in　granite；　hard…set；　craggy；

remorseless；　with　deep　lines　upon　it；　the　sears　of　many　a　crisis。　Cold

gray　eyes；　looking　shrewdly　out　from　under　bristling　brows；　surveyed

us　each　in　turn。　He　bowed　in　perfunctory　fashion　as　Holmes　mentioned

my　name；　and　then　with　a　masterful　air　of　possession　he　drew　a　chair

up　to　my　companion　and　seated　himself　with　his　bony　knees　almost

touching　him。

　　〃Let　me　say　right　here；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　he　began；　〃that　money　is

nothing　to　me　in　this　case。　You　can　burn　it　if　it's　any　use　in

lighting　you　to　the　truth。　This　woman　is　innocent　and　this　woman　has

to　be　cleared；　and　it's　up　to　you　to　do　it。　Name　your　figure！〃

　　〃My　professional　charges　are　upon　a　fixed　scale；〃　said　Holmes

coldly。　〃I　do　not　vary　them；　save　when　I　remit　them　altogether。〃

　　〃Well；　if　dollars　make　no　difference　to　you；　think　of　the

reputation。　If　you　pull　this　off　every　paper　in　England　and　America

will　be　booming　you。　You'll　be　the　talk　of　two　continents。〃

　　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Gibson；　I　do　not　think　that　I　am　in　need　of　booming。

It　may　surprise　you　to　know　that　I　prefer　to　work　anonymously；　and

that　it　is　the　problem　itself　which　attracts　me。　But　we　are　wasting

time。　Let　us　get　down　to　the　facts。〃

　　〃I　think　that　you　will　find　all　the　main　ones　in　the　press

reports。　I　don't　know　that　I　can　add　anything　which　will　help　you。　But

if　there　is　anything　you　would　wish　more　light　upon…　well；　I　am　here

to　give　it。〃

　　〃Well；　there　is　just　one　point。〃

　　〃What　is　it？〃

　　〃What　were　the　exact　relations　between　you　and　Miss　Dunbar？〃

　　The　Gold　King　gave　a　violent　start　and　half　rose　from　his　chair。

Then　his　massive　calm　came　back　to　him。

　　〃I　suppose　you　are　within　your　rights…　and　maybe　doing　your　duty…　in

asking　such　a　question；　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃We　will　agree　to　suppose　so；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Then　I　can　assure　you　that　our　relations　were　entirely　and　always

those　of　an　employer　towards　a　young　lady　whom　he　never　conversed

with；　or　ever　saw；　save　when　she　was　in　the　company　of　his　children。〃

　　Holmes　rose　from　his　chair。

　　〃I　am　a　rather　busy　man；　Mr。　Gibson；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　have　no　time

or　taste　for　aimless　conversations。　I　wish　you　good…morning。〃

　　Our　visitor　had　risen　also；　and　his　great　loose　figure　towered　above

Holmes。　There　was　an　angry　gleam　from　under　those　bristling　brows

and　a　tinge　of　colour　in　the　sallow　cheeks。

　　〃What　the　devil　do　you　mean　by　this；　Mr。　Holmes？　Do　you　dismiss　my

case？〃

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Gibson；　at　least　I　dismiss　you。　I　should　have　thought

my　words　were　plain。〃

　　〃Plain　enough；　but　what's　at　the　back　of　it？　Raising　the　price　on

me；　or　afraid　to　tackle　it；　or　what？　I've　a　right　to　a　plain　answer。〃

　　〃Well；　perhaps　you　have；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I'll　give　you　one。　This　case

is　quite　sufficiently　complicated　to　start　with　without　the　further

difficulty　of　false　information。〃

　　〃Meaning　that　I　lie。〃

　　〃Well；　I　was　trying　to　express　it　as　delicately　as　I　could；　but　if

you　insist　upon　the　word　I　will　not　contradict　you。〃

　　I　sprang　to　my　feet；　for　the　expression　upon　the　millionaire's

face　was　fiendish　in　its　intensity；　and　he　had　raised　his　great

knotted　fist。　Holmes　smiled　languidly　and　reached　his　hand　out　for　his

pipe。

　　〃Don't　be　noisy；　Mr。　Gibson。　I　find　that　after　breakfast　even　the

smallest　argument　is　unsettling。　I　suggest　that　a　stroll　in　the

morning　air　and　a　little　quiet　thought　will　be　greatly　to　your

advantage。〃

　　With　an　effort　the　Gold　King　mastered　his　fury。　I　could　not　but

admire　him；　for　by　a　supreme　self…command　he　had　turned　in　a　minute

from　a　hot　flame　of　anger　to　a　frigid　and　contemptuous　indifference。

　　〃Well；　it's　your　choice。　I　guess　you　know　how　to　run　your　own

business。　I　can't　make　you　touch　the　case　against　your　will。　You've

done　yourself　no　good　this　morning；　Mr。　Holmes；　for　I　have　broken

stronger　men　than　you。　No　man　ever　crossed　me　and　was　the　better　for

it。〃

　　〃So　many　have　said　so；　and　yet　here　I　am；〃　said　Holmes；　smiling。

〃Well；　good　morning；　Mr。　Gibson。　You　have　a　good　deal　yet　to　learn。〃

　　Our　visitor　made　a　noisy　exit；　but　Holmes　smoked　in　imperturbable

silence　with　dreamy　eyes　fixed　upon　the　ceiling。

　　〃Any　views；　Watson？〃　he　asked　at　last。

　　〃Well；　Holmes；　I　must　confess　that　when　I　consider　that　this　is　a

man　who　would　certainly　brush　any　obstacle　from　his　path；　and　when　I

remember　that　his　wife　may　have　been　an　obstacle　and　an　object　of

dislike；　as　that　man　Bates　plainly　told　us；　it　seems　to　me…〃

　　〃Exactly。　And　to　me　also。〃

　　〃But　what　were　his　relations　with　the　governess；　and　how　did　you

discover　them？〃

　　〃Bluff；　Watson；　bluff！　When　I　considered　the　passionate；

unconventional；　unbusinesslike　tone　of　his　letter　and　contrasted　it

with　his　self…contained　manner　and　appearance；　it　was　pretty　clear

that　there　was　some　deep　emotion　which　centred　upon　the　accused

woman　rather　than　upon　the　victim。　We've　got　to　understand　the　exact

relations　of　those　three　people　if　we　are　to　reach　the　truth。　You

saw　the　frontal　attack　which　I　made　upon　him；　and　how　imperturbably　he

received　it。　Then　I　bluffed　him　by　giving　him　the　impression　that　I

was　absolutely　certain；　when　in　reality　I　was　only　extremely

suspicious。〃

　　〃Perhaps　he　will　come　back？〃

　　〃He　is　sure　to　come　back。　He　must　come　back。　He　can't　leave　it　where

it　is。　Ha！　isn't　that　a　ring？　Yes；　there　is　his　footstep。　Well；　Mr。

Gibson；　I　was　just　saying　to　Dr。　Watson　that　you　were　somewhat

overdue。〃

　　The　Gold　King　had　reentered　the　room　in　a　more　chastened　mood　than

he　had　left　it。　His　wounded　pride　still　showed　in　his　resentful

eyes；　but　his　common　sense　had　shown　him　that　he　must　yield　if　he

would　attain　his　end。

　　〃I've　been　thinking　it　over；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　I　feel　that　I　have　been

hasty　in　taking　your　remarks　amiss。　You　are　justified　in　getting

down　to　the　facts；　whatever　they　may　be；　and　I　think　the　more　of　you

for　it。　I　can　assure　you；　however；　that　the　relations　between　Miss

Dunbar　and　me　don't　really　touch　this　case。〃

　　〃That　is　for　me　to　decide；　is　it　not？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　guess　that　is　so。　You're　like　a　surgeon　who　wants　every

symptom　before　he　can　give　his　diagnosis。〃

　　〃Exactly。　That　expresses　it。　And　it　is　only　a　patient　who　has　an

object　in　deceiving　his　surgeon　who　would　conceal　the　facts　of　his

case。〃

　　〃That　may　be　so；　but　you　will　admit；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　most　men　would

shy　off　a　bit　when　they　are　asked　point…blank　what　their　relations

with　a　woman　may　be…　if　there　is　really　some　serious　feeling　in　the

case。　I　guess　most　men　have　a　little　private　reserve　of　their　own　in

some　corner　of　their　souls　where　they　don't　welcome　intruders。　And　you

burst　suddenly　into　it。　But　the　object　excuses　you；　since　it　was　to

try　and　save　her。　Well；　the　stakes　are　down　and　the　reserve　open；

and　you　can　explore　where　you　will。　What　is　it　you　want？〃

　　〃The　truth。〃

　　The　Gold　King　paused　for　a　moment　as　one　who　marshals　his

thoughts。　His　grim；　deep…lined　face　had　become　even　sadder　and　more

grave。

　　〃I　can　give　it　to　you　in　a　very　few　words；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　he　at

last。　〃There　are　some　things　that　are　painful　as　well　as　difficult

to　say；　so　I　won't　go　deeper　than　is　needful。　I　met　my　wife　when　I　was

gold…hunting　in　Brazil。　Maria　Pinto　was　the　daughter　of　a　government

official　at　Manaos；　and　she　was　very　beautiful。　I　was　young　and　ardent

in　those　days；　but　even　now；　as　I　look　back　with　colder　blood　and　a

more　critical　eye；　I　can　see　that　she　was　rare　and　wonderful　in　her

beauty。　It　was　a　deep　rich　nature；　too；　passionate；　whole…hearted；

tropical；　ill…balanced；　very　different　from　the　American　women　whom

I　had　known。　Well；　to　make　a　long　story　short；　I　loved　her　and　I

married　her。　It　was　only　when　the　romance　had　passed…　and　it

lingered　for　years…　that　I　realized　that　we　had　nothing…　absolutely

nothing…　in　common。　My　love　faded。　If　hers　had　faded　also　it　might

have　bee