the problem of thor bridge-第3部分

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

have　been　easier。　But　you　know　the　wonderful　way　of　women！　Do　what　I

might；　nothing　could　turn　her　from　me。　If　I　have　been　harsh　to　her；

even　brutal　as　some　have　said；　it　has　been　because　I　knew　that　if　I

could　kill　her　love；　or　if　it　turned　to　hate；　it　would　be　easier　for

both　of　us。　But　nothing　changed　her。　She　adored　me　in　those　English

woods　as　she　had　adored　me　twenty　years　ago　on　the　banks　of　the

Amazon。　Do　what　I　might；　she　was　as　devoted　as　ever。

　　〃Then　came　Miss　Grace　Dunbar。　She　answered　our　advertisement　and

became　governess　to　our　two　children。　Perhaps　you　have　seen　her

portrait　in　the　papers。　The　whole　world　has　proclaimed　that　she　also

is　a　very　beautiful　woman。　Now；　I　make　no　pretence　to　be　more　moral

than　my　neighbours；　and　I　will　admit　to　you　that　I　could　not　live

under　the　same　roof　with　such　a　woman　and　in　daily　contact　with　her

without　feeling　a　passionate　regard　for　her。　Do　you　blame　me；　Mr。

Holmes？〃

　　〃I　do　not　blame　you　for　feeling　it。　I　should　blame　you　if　you

expressed　it；　since　this　young　lady　was　in　a　sense　under　your

protection。〃

　　〃Well；　maybe　so；〃　said　the　millionaire；　though　for　a　moment　the

reproof　had　brought　the　old　angry　gleam　into　his　eyes。　〃I'm　not

pretending　to　be　any　better　than　I　am。　I　guess　all　my　life　I've　been　a

man　that　reached　out　his　hand　for　what　he　wanted；　and　I　never　wanted

anything　more　than　the　love　and　possession　of　that　woman。　I　told　her

so。〃

　　〃Oh；　you　did；　did　you？〃

　　Holmes　could　look　very　formidable　when　he　was　moved。

　　〃I　said　to　her　that　if　I　could　marry　her　I　would；　but　that　it　was

out　of　my　power。　I　said　that　money　was　no　object　and　that　all　I

could　do　to　make　her　happy　and　comfortable　would　be　done。〃

　　〃Very　generous；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Holmes　with　a　sneer。

　　〃See　here；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　came　to　you　on　a　question　of　evidence；

not　on　a　question　of　morals。　I'm　not　asking　for　your　criticism。〃

　　〃It　is　only　for　the　young　lady's　sake　that　I　touch　your　case　at

all；〃　said　Holmes　sternly。　〃I　don't　know　that　anything　she　is

accused　of　is　really　worse　than　what　you　have　yourself　admitted；

that　you　have　tried　to　ruin　a　defenceless　girl　who　was　under　your

roof。　Some　of　you　rich　men　have　to　be　taught　that　all　the　world　cannot

be　bribed　into　condoning　your　offences。〃

　　To　my　surprise　the　Cold　King　took　the　reproof　with　equanimity。

　　〃That's　how　I　feel　myself　about　it　now。　I　thank　God　that　my　plains

did　not　work　out　as　I　intended。　She　would　have　none　of　it；　and　she

wanted　to　leave　the　house　instantly。〃

　　〃Why　did　she　not？〃

　　〃Well；　in　the　first　place；　others　were　dependent　upon　her；　and　it

was　no　light　matter　for　her　to　let　them　all　down　by　sacrificing　her

living。　When　I　had　sworn…　as　I　did…　that　she　should　never　be

molested　again；　she　consented　to　remain。　But　there　was　another　reason。

She　knew　the　influence　she　had　over　me；　and　that　it　was　stronger

than　any　other　influence　in　the　world。　She　wanted　to　use　it　for　good。〃

　　〃How？〃

　　〃Well；　she　knew　something　of　my　affairs。　They　are　large；　Mr。　Holmes…

large　beyond　the　belief　of　an　ordinary　man。　I　can　make　or　break…　and

it　is　usually　break。　It　wasn't　individuals　only。　It　was　communities；

cities；　even　nations。　Business　is　a　hard　game；　and　the　weak　go　to

the　wall。　I　played　the　game　for　all　it　was　worth。　I　never　squealed

myself；　and　I　never　cared　if　the　other　fellow　squealed。　But　she　saw　it

different。　I　guess　she　was　right。　She　believed　and　said　that　a　fortune

for　one　man　that　was　more　than　he　needed　should　not　be　built　on　ten

thousand　ruined　men　who　were　left　without　the　means　of　life。　That

was　how　she　saw　it；　and　I　guess　she　could　see　past　the　dollars　to

something　that　was　more　lasting。　She　found　that　I　listened　to　what　she

said；　and　she　believed　she　was　serving　the　world　by　influencing　my

actions。　So　she　stayed…　and　then　this　came　along。〃

　　〃Can　you　throw　any　light　upon　that？〃

　　The　Gold　King　paused　for　a　minute　or　more；　his　head　sunk　in　his

hands；　lost　in　deep　thought。

　　〃It's　very　black　against　her。　I　can't　deny　that。　And　women　lead　an

inward　life　and　may　do　things　beyond　the　judgment　of　a　man。　At　first　I

was　so　rattled　and　taken　aback　that　I　was　ready　to　think　she　had

been　led　away　in　some　extraordinary　fashion　that　was　clean　against　her

usual　nature。　One　explanation　came　into　my　head。　I　give　it　to　you；　Mr。

Holmes；　for　what　it　is　worth。　There　is　no　doubt　that　my　wife　was

bitterly　jealous。　There　is　a　soul…jealousy　that　can　be　as　frantic　as

any　body…jealousy；　and　though　my　wife　had　no　cause…　and　I　think　she

understood　this…　for　the　latter；　she　was　aware　that　this　English

girl　exerted　an　influence　upon　my　mind　and　my　acts　that　she　herself

never　had。　It　was　an　influence　for　good；　but　that　did　not　mend　the

matter。　She　was　crazy　with　hatred；　and　the　beat　of　the　Amazon　was

always　in　her　blood。　She　might　have　planned　to　murder　Miss　Dunbar…

or　we　will　say　to　threaten　her　with　a　gun　and　so　frighten　her　into

leaving　us。　Then　there　might　have　been　a　scuffle　and　the　gun　gone

off　and　shot　the　woman　who　held　it。〃

　　〃That　possibility　had　already　occurred　to　me；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Indeed；

it　is　the　only　obvious　alternative　to　deliberate　intruder。〃

　　〃But　she　utterly　denies　it。〃

　　〃Well；　that　is　not　final…　is　it？　One　can　understand　that　a　woman

placed　in　so　awful　a　position　might　hurry　home　still　in　her

bewilderment　holding　the　revolver。　She　might　even　throw　it　down

among　her　clothes；　hardly　knowing　what　she　was　doing；　and　when　it

was　found　she　might　try　to　lie　her　way　out　by　a　total　denial；　since

all　explanation　was　impossible。　What　is　against　such　a　supposition？〃

　　〃Miss　Dunbar　herself。〃

　　〃Well；　perhaps。〃

　　Holmes　looked　at　his　watch。　〃I　have　no　doubt　we　can　get　the

necessary　permits　this　morning　and　reach　Winchester　by　the　evening

train。　When　I　have　seen　this　young　lady　it　is　very　possible　that　I　may

be　of　more　use　to　you　in　the　matter；　though　I　cannot　promise　that　my

conclusions　will　necessarily　be　such　as　you　desire。〃

　　There　was　some　delay　in　the　official　pass；　and　instead　of　reaching

Winchester　that　day　we　went　down　to　Thor　Place；　the　Hampshire　estate

of　Mr。　Neil　Gibson。　He　did　not　accompany　us　himself；　but　we　had　the

address　of　Sergeant　Coventry；　of　the　local　police；　who　had　first

examined　into　the　affair。　He　was　a　tall；　thin；　cadaverous　man；　with

a　secretive　and　mysterious　manner　which　conveyed　the　idea　that　he　knew

or　suspected　a　very　great　deal　more　than　he　dared　say。　He　had　a　trick；

too；　of　suddenly　sinking　his　voice　to　a　whisper　as　if　he　had　come　upon

something　of　vital　importance；　though　the　information　was　usually

commonplace　enough。　Behind　these　tricks　of　manner　he　soon　showed

himself　to　be　a　decent；　honest　fellow　who　was　not　too　proud　to　admit

that　he　was　out　of　his　depth　and　would　welcome　any　help。

　　〃Anyhow；　I'd　rather　have　you　than　Scotland　Yard；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said

he。　〃If　the　Yard　gets　called　into　a　case；　then　the　local　loses　all

credit　for　success　and　may　be　blamed　for　failure。　Now；　you　play

straight；　so　I've　heard。〃

　　〃I　need　not　appear　in　the　matter　at　all；〃　said　Holmes　to　the　evident

relief　of　our　melancholy　acquaintance。　〃If　I　can　clear　it　up　I　don't

ask　to　have　my　name　mentioned。〃

　　〃Well；　it's　very　handsome　of　you；　I　am　sure。　And　your　friend；　Dr。

Watson；　can　he　trusted；　I　know。　Now；　Mr。　Holmes；　as　we　walk　down　to

the　place　there　is　one　question　I　should　like　to　ask　you。　I'd

breathe　it　to　no　soul　but　you。〃　He　looked　round　as　thorough　he

hardly　dare　utter　the　words。　〃Don't　you　think　there　might　be　a　case

against　Mr。　Neil　Gibson　himself？〃

　　〃I　have　been　considering　that。〃

　　〃You've　not　seen　Miss　Dunbar。　She　is　a　wonderful　fine　woman　in　every

way。　He　may　well　have　wished　his　wife　out　of　the　road。　And　these

Americans　are　readier　with　pistols　than　our　folk　are。　It　was　his

pistol；　you　know。〃

　　〃Was　that　clearly　made　out？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir。　It　was　one　of　a　pair　that　he　had。〃

　　〃One　of　a　pair？　Where　is　the　other？〃

　　〃Well；　the　gentleman　has　a　lot　of　firearms　of　one　sort　and

another。　We　never　quite　matched　that　particular　pistol…　but　the　box

was　made　for　two。〃

　　〃If　it　was　one　of　a　pair　you　should　surely　be　able　to　match　it。〃

　　〃Well；　we　have　them　all　laid　out　at　the　house　if　you　would　care　to

look　them　over。〃

　　〃Later；　perhaps。　I　think　we　will　walk　down　together　and　have　a

look　at　the　scene　of　the　tragedy。〃

　　This　conversation　had　taken　place　in　the　little　front　room　of

Sergeant　Coventry's　horrible　cottage　which　served　as　the　local

police…station。　A　walk　of　half　a　mile　or　so　across　a　wind…swept　heath；

all　gold　and　bronze　with　the　fading　ferns；　brought　us　to　a　side…gate

opening　into　the　grounds　of　the　Thor　Place　estate。　A　path　led　us

through　the　pheasant　preserves；　and　then　from　a　clearing　we　saw　the

widespread；　half…timbered　house；　half　Tudor　and　half　Georgian；　upon

the　crest　of　the　hill。　Beside　us　there　was　a　long；　reedy　pool；

constricted　in　the　centre　where　the　main　carriage　drive　passed　over

a　stone　bridge；　but　swelling　into　small　lakes　on　either　side。　Our

guide　paused　at　the　mouth　of　this　bridge；　and　he　pointed　to　the

ground。

　　〃That　was　where　Mrs。　Gibson's　body　lay。　I　marked　it　by　that　stone。〃

　　〃I　understand　that　you　were　there　before　it　was　moved？〃

　　〃Yes；　they　sent　for　me　at　once。〃

　　〃Who　did？〃

　　〃Mr。　Gibson　himself。　The　moment　the　alarm　was　given　and　he　had

rushed　down　with　others　from　the　house；　he　insisted　that　nothing

should　be　moved　until　the　police　should　arrive。〃

　　〃That　was　sensible。　I　gathered　from　the　newspaper　report　that　the

shot　was　fired　from　close　quarters。〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　very　close。〃

　　〃Near　the　right　temple？〃

　　〃Just　Behind　it；　sir。〃

　　〃How　did　the　body　lie？〃

　　〃On　the　back；　sir。　No　trace　of　a　struggle。　No　marks。　No　weapon。

The　short　note　from　Miss　Dunbar　was　clutched　in　her　left　hand。〃

　　〃Clutched；　you　say？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　we　could　hardly　open　the　fingers。〃

　　〃That　is　of　great　importance。　It　excludes　the　idea　that　anyone　could

have　placed　the　note　there　after　death　in　order　to　furnish　a　false

clue。　Dear　me！　The　note；　as　I　remember；　was　q