the problem of thor bridge-第5部分

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explanation。〃

　　〃If　you　will　find　the　facts；　perhaps　others　may　find　the

explanation。〃

　　〃With　regard；　then；　to　my　presence　at　Thor　Bridge　that　night；　I

received　a　note　from　Mrs。　Gibson　in　the　morning。　It　lay　on　the　table

of　the　schoolroom；　and　it　may　have　been　left　there　by　her　own　hand。　It

implored　me　to　see　her　there　after　dinner；　said　she　had　something

important　to　say　to　me；　and　asked　me　to　leave　an　answer　on　the　sundial

in　the　garden；　as　she　desired　no　one　to　be　in　our　confidence；　I　saw　no

reason　for　such　secrecy；　but　I　did　as　she　asked；　accepting　the

appointment。　She　asked　me　to　destroy　her　note　and　I　burned　it　in　the

schoolroom　grate。　She　was　very　much　afraid　of　her　husband；　who　treated

her　with　a　harshness　for　which　I　frequently　reproached　him；　and　I

could　only　imagine　that　she　acted　in　this　way　Because　she　did　not　wish

him　to　know　of　our　interview。〃

　　〃Yet　she　kept　your　reply　very　carefully？〃

　　〃Yes。　I　was　surprised　to　hear　that　she　had　it　in　her　hand　when　she

died。〃

　　〃Well；　what　happened　then？〃

　〃I　went　down　as　I　had　promised。　When　I　reached　the　bridge　she　was

waiting　for　me。　Never　did　I　realize　till　that　moment　how　this　poor

creature　hated　me。　She　was　like　a　mad　woman…　indeed；　I　think　she　was　a

mad　woman；　subtly　mad　with　the　deep　power　of　deception　which　insane

people　may　have。　How　else　could　she　have　met　me　with　unconcern　every

day　and　yet　had　so　raging　a　hatred　of　me　in　her　heart？　I　will　not

say　what　she　said。　She　poured　her　whole　wild　fury　out　in　burning　and

horrible　words。　I　did　not　even　answer…　I　could　not。　It　was　dreadful　to

see　her。　I　put　my　hands　to　my　ears　and　rushed　away。　When　I　left　her

she　was　standing；　still　shrieking　out　her　curses　at　me；　in　the　mouth

of　the　bridge。〃

　　〃Where　she　was　afterwards　found？〃

　　〃Within　a　few　yards　from　the　spot。〃

　　〃And　yet；　presuming　that　she　met　her　death　shortly　after　you　left

her；　you　heard　no　shot？〃

　　〃No；　I　heard　nothing。　But；　indeed；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　was　so　agitated　and

horrified　by　this　terrible　outbreak　that　I　rushed　to　get　back　to　the

peace　of　my　own　room；　and　I　was　incapable　of　noticing　anything　which

happened。〃

　　〃You　say　that　you　returned　to　your　room。　Did　you　leave　it　again

before　next　morning。

　　〃Yes；　when　the　alarm　came　that　the　poor　creature　had　met　her　death　I

ran　out　with　the　others。〃

　　〃Did　you　see　Mr。　Gibson？〃

　　〃Yes；　he　had　just　returned　from　the　bridge　when　I　saw　him。　He　had

sent　for　the　doctor　and　the　police。〃

　　〃Did　he　seem　to　you　much　perturbed？〃

　　〃Mr。　Gibson　is　a　very　strong；　self…contained　man。　I　do　not　think

that　he　would　ever　show　his　emotions　on　the　surface。　But　I；　who　knew

him　so　well；　could　see　that　he　was　deeply　concerned。〃

　　〃Then　we　come　to　the　all…important　point。　This　pistol　that　was　found

in　your　room。　Had　you　ever　seen　it　before？〃

　　〃Never；　I　swear　it。〃

　　〃When　was　it　found？〃

　　〃Next　morning；　when　the　police　made　their　search。〃

　　〃Among　your　clothes？〃

　　〃Yes；　on　the　floor　of　my　wardrobe　under　my　dresses。〃

　　〃You　could　not　guess　how　long　it　had　been　there？〃

　　〃It　had　not　been　there　the　morning　before。〃

　　〃How　do　you　know？〃

　　〃Because　I　tidied　out　the　wardrobe。〃

　　〃That　is　final。　Then　someone　came　into　your　room　and　placed　the

pistol　there　in　order　to　inculpate　you。〃

　　〃It　must　have　been　so。〃

　　〃And　when？〃

　　〃It　could　only　have　been　at　meal…time；　or　else　at　the　hours　when　I

would　be　in　the　schoolroom　with　the　children。〃

　　〃As　you　were　when　you　got　the　note？〃

　　〃Yes；　from　that　time　onward　for　the　whole　morning。〃

　　〃Thank　you；　Miss　Dunbar。　Is　there　any　other　point　which　could　help

me　in　the　investigation？〃

　　〃I　can　think　of　none。〃

　　〃There　was　some　sign　of　violence　on　the　stonework　of　the　bridge…　a

perfectly　fresh　chip　just　opposite　the　body。　Could　you　suggest　any

possible　explanation　of　that？〃

　　〃Surely　it　must　be　a　mere　coincidence。〃

　　〃Curious；　Miss　Dunbar；　very　curious。　Why　should　it　appear　at　the

very　time　of　the　tragedy；　and　why　at　the　very　place？〃

　　〃But　what　could　have　caused　it？　Only　great　violence　could　have

such　an　effect。〃

　　Holmes　did　not　answer。　His　pale；　eager　face　had　suddenly　assumed

that　tense；　far…away　expression　which　I　had　learned　to　associate

with　the　supreme　manifestations　of　his　genius。　So　evident　was　the

crisis　in　his　mind　that　none　of　us　dared　to　speak；　and　we　sat；

barrister；　prisoner；　and　myself；　watching　him　in　a　concentrated　and

absorbed　silence。　Suddenly　he　sprang　from　his　chair；　vibrating　with

nervous　energy　and　the　pressing　need　for　action。

　　〃Come；　Watson；　come！〃　he　cried。

　　〃What　is　it；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃Never　mind；　my　dear　lady。　You　will　hear　from　me；　Mr。　Cummings。　With

the　help　of　the　god　of　justice　I　will　give　you　a　case　which　will

make　England　ring。　You　will　get　news　by　to…morrow；　Miss　Dunbar；　and

meanwhile　take　my　assurance　that　the　clouds　are　lifting　and　that　I

have　every　hope　that　the　light　of　truth　is　breaking　through。〃

　　It　was　not　a　long　journey　from　Winchester　to　Thor　Place；　but　it

was　long　to　me　in　my　impatience；　while　for　Holmes　it　was　evident

that　it　seemed　endless；　for；　in　his　nervous　restlessness；　he　could　not

sit　still；　but　paced　the　carriage　or　drummed　with　his　long；

sensitive　fingers　upon　the　cushions　beside　him。　Suddenly；　however；

as　we　neared　our　destination　he　seated　himself　opposite　to　me…　we

had　a　first…class　carriage　to　ourselves…　and　laying　a　hand　upon　each

of　my　knees　he　looked　into　my　eyes　with　the　peculiarly　mischievous

gaze　which　was　characteristic　of　his　more　imp…like　moods。

　　〃Watson；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　some　recollection　that　you　go　armed

upon　these　excursions　of　ours。〃

　　It　was　as　well　for　him　that　I　did　so；　for　he　took　little　care　for

his　own　safety　when　his　mind　was　once　absorbed　by　a　problem；　so　that

more　than　once　my　revolver　had　been　a　good　friend　in　need。　I

reminded　him　of　the　fact。

　　〃Yes；　yes；　I　am　a　little　absent…minded　in　such　matters。　But　have　you

your　revolver　on　you？〃

　　I　produced　it　from　my　hip…pocket；　a　short；　handy；　but　very

serviceable　little　weapon。　He　undid　the　catch；　shook　out　the

cartridges；　and　examined　it　with　care。

　　〃It's　heavy…　remarkably　heavy；〃　said　he。

　　〃Yes；　it　is　a　solid　bit　of　work。〃

　　He　mused　over　it　for　a　minute。

　　〃Do　you　know；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃I　believe　your　revolver　is　going　to

have　a　very　intimate　connection　with　the　mystery　which　we　are

investigating。〃

　　〃My　dear　Holmes；　you　are　joking。〃

　　〃No；　Watson；　I　am　very　serious。　There　is　a　test　before　us。　If　the

test　comes　off　all　will　be　clear。　And　the　test　will　depend　upon　the

conduct　of　this　little　weapon。　One　cartridge　out。　Now　we　will

replace　the　other　five　and　put　on　the　safetycatch。　So！　That

increases　the　weight　and　makes　it　a　better　reproduction。〃

　　I　had　no　glimmer　of　what　was　in　his　mind；　nor　did　he　enlighten　me；

but　sat　lost　in　thought　until　we　pulled　up　in　the　little　Hampshire

station；　We　secured　a　ramshackle　trap；　and　in　a　quarter　of　all　hour

were　at　the　house　of　our　confidential　friend；　the　sergeant。

　　〃A　clue；　Mr。　Holmes？　What　is　it？〃

　　〃It　all　depends　upon　the　behaviour　of　Dr。　Watson's　revolver；〃　said

my　friend。　Here　it　is。　Now；　officer；　can　you　give　me　ten　yards　of

string？〃

　　The　village　shop　provided　a　ball　of　stout　twine。

　　〃I　think　that　this　is　all　we　will　need；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Now；　if　you

please；　we　will　get　off　on　what　I　hope　is　the　last　stage　of　our

journey。〃

　　The　sun　was　setting　and　turning　the　rolling　Hampshire　moor　into　a

wonderful　autumnal　panorama。　The　sergeant；　with　many　critical　and

incredulous　glances；　which　showed　his　deep　doubts　of　the　sanity　of

my　companion；　lurched　along　beside　us。　As　we　approached　the　scene　of

the　crime　I　could　see　that　my　friend　under　all　his　habitual　coolness

was　in　truth　deeply　agitated。

　　〃Yes；〃　he　said　in　answer　to　my　remark；　〃you　have　seen　me　miss　my

mark　before；　Watson。　I　have　all　instinct　for　such　things；　and　yet　it

has　sometimes　played　me　false。　It　seemed　a　certainty　when　first　it

flashed　across　my　mind　in　the　cell　at　Winchester；　but　one　drawback

of　an　active　mind　is　that　one　can　always　conceive　alternative

explanations　which　would　make　our　scent　a　false　one。　And　yet…　and　yet…

Well；　Watson；　we　can　but　try〃

　　As　he　walked　he　had　firmly　tied　one　end　of　the　string　to　the

handle　of　the　revolver。　We　had　now　reached　the　scene　of　the　tragedy。

With　great　care　he　marked　out　under　the　guidance　of　the　policeman

the　exact　spot　where　the　body　had　been　stretched。　He　then　hunted　among

the　heather　and　the　ferns　until　he　found　a　considerable　stone。　This　he

secured　to　the　other　end　of　his　line　of　string；　and　he　hung　it　over

the　parapet　of　the　bridge　so　that　it　swung　clear　above　the　water。　He

then　stood　on　the　fatal　spot；　some　distance　from　the　edge　of　the

bridge；　with　my　revolver　in　his　hand；　the　string　being　taut　between

the　weapon　and　the　heavy　stone　on　the　farther　side。

　　〃Now　for　it！〃　he　cried。

　　At　the　words　he　raised　the　pistol　to　his　head；　and　then　let　go　his

grip。　In　an　instant　it　had　been　whisked　away　by　the　weight　of　the

stone；　had　struck　with　a　sharp　crack　against　the　parapet；　and　had

vanished　over　the　side　into　the　water。　It　had　hardly　gone　before

Holmes　was　kneeling　beside　tile　stonework；　and　a　joyous　cry　showed

that　he　had　found　what　he　expected。

　　〃Was　there　ever　a　more　exact　demonstration？〃　he　cried。　〃See；　Watson；

your　revolver　has　solved　the　problem！〃　As　he　spoke　he　pointed　to　a

second　chip　of　the　exact　size　and　shape　of　the　first　which　had

appeared　on　the　under　edge　of　the　stone　balustrade。

　　〃We'll　stay　at　the　inn　to…night；〃　he　continued　as　he　rose　and

faced　the　astonished　sergeant。　〃You　will；　of　course；　get　a

grappling…hook　and　you　will　easily　restore　my　friend's　revolver。　You

will　also　find　beside　it　the　revolver；　string　and　weight　with　which

this　vindictive　woman　attempted　to　disguise　her　own　crime　and　to

fasten　a　charge　of　murder　upon　an　innocent　victim。　You　can　let　Mr。

Gibson　know　that　I　will　see　him　in　the　morning；　when　steps　can　be

taken　for　Miss　Dunbar's　vindication。〃

　　Late　that　evening；　is　we　sat　together　smoking　our　pipes　in　the

village　inn；　Holmes　gave　me　a　brief　review　of　what　had