the adventure of the empty house-第4部分

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in　front　of　us　with　the　black　figure　outlined　upon　its　centre。　Again

in　the　utter　silence　I　heard　that　thin；　sibilant　note　which　spoke　of

intense　suppressed　excitement。　An　instant　later　he　pulled　me　back　into

the　blackest　corner　of　the　room；　and　I　felt　his　warning　hand　upon　my

lips。　The　fingers　which　clutched　me　were　quivering。　Never　had　I

known　my　friend　more　moved；　and　yet　the　dark　street　still　stretched

lonely　and　motionless　before　us。

　　But　suddenly　I　was　aware　of　that　which　his　keener　senses　had　already

distinguished。　A　low；　stealthy　sound　came　to　my　ears；　not　from　the

direction　of　Baker　Street；　but　from　the　back　of　the　very　house　in

which　we　lay　concealed。　A　door　opened　and　shut。　An　instant　later　steps

crept　down　the　passage…　steps　which　were　meant　to　be　silent；　but　which

reverberated　harshly　through　the　empty　house。　Holmes　crouched　back

against　the　wall；　and　I　did　the　same；　my　hand　closing　upon　the

handle　of　my　revolver。　Peering　through　the　gloom；　I　saw　the　vague

outline　of　a　man；　a　shade　blacker　than　the　blackness　of　the　open　door。

He　stood　for　an　instant；　and　then　he　crept　forward；　crouching；

menacing；　into　the　room。　He　was　within　three　yards　of　us；　this

sinister　figure；　and　I　had　braced　myself　to　meet　his　spring；　before

I　realized　that　he　had　no　idea　of　our　presence。　He　passed　close　beside

us；　stole　over　to　the　window；　and　very　softly　and　noiselessly　raised

it　for　half　a　foot。　As　he　sank　to　the　level　of　this　opening；　the　light

of　the　street；　no　longer　dimmed　by　the　dusty　glass；　fell　full　upon　his

face。　The　man　seemed　to　be　beside　himself　with　excitement。　His　two

eyes　shone　like　stars；　and　his　features　were　working　convulsively。

He　was　an　elderly　man；　with　a　thin；　projecting　nose；　a　high；　bald

forehead；　and　a　huge　grizzled　moustache。　An　opera　hat　was　pushed　to

the　back　of　his　head；　and　an　evening　dress　shirt…front　gleamed　out

through　his　open　overcoat。　His　face　was　gaunt　and　swarthy；　scored　with

deep；　savage　lines。　In　his　hand　he　carried　what　appeared　to　be　a

stick；　but　as　he　laid　it　down　upon　the　floor　it　gave　a　metallic　clang。

Then　from　the　pocket　of　his　overcoat　he　drew　a　bulky　object；　and　he

busied　himself　in　some　task　which　ended　with　a　loud；　sharp　click；　as

if　a　spring　or　bolt　had　fallen　into　its　place。　Still　kneeling　upon　the

floor　he　bent　forward　and　threw　all　his　weight　and　strength　upon

some　lever；　with　the　result　that　there　came　a　long；　whirling；　grinding

noise；　ending　once　more　in　a　powerful　click。　He　straightened　himself

then；　and　I　saw　that　what　he　held　in　his　hand　was　a　sort　of　gun；

with　a　curiously　misshapen　butt。　He　opened　it　at　the　breech；　put

something　in；　and　snapped　the　breech…lock。　Then；　crouching　down；　he

rested　the　end　of　the　barrel　upon　the　ledge　of　the　open　window；　and

I　saw　his　long　moustache　droop　over　the　stock　and　his　eye　gleam　as

it　peered　along　the　sights。　I　heard　a　little　sigh　of　satisfaction　as

he　cuddled　the　butt　into　his　shoulder；　and　saw　that　amazing　target；

the　black　man　on　the　yellow　ground；　standing　clear　at　the　end　of　his

foresight。　For　an　instant　he　was　rigid　and　motionless。　Then　his　finger

tightened　on　the　trigger。　There　was　a　strange；　loud　whiz　and　a　long；

silvery　tinkle　of　broken　glass。　At　that　instant　Holmes　sprang　like　a

tiger　on　to　the　marksman's　back；　and　hurled　him　flat　upon　his　face。　He

was　up　again　in　a　moment；　and　with　convulsive　strength　he　seized

Holmes　by　the　throat；　but　I　struck　him　on　the　head　with　the　butt　of　my

revolver；　and　he　dropped　again　upon　the　floor。　I　fell　upon　him；　and　as

I　held　him　my　comrade　blew　a　shrill　call　upon　a　whistle。　There　was　the

clatter　of　running　feet　upon　the　pavement；　and　two　policemen　in

uniform；　with　one　plain…clothes　detective；　rushed　through　the　front

entrance　and　into　the　room。

　　〃That　you；　Lestrade？〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Yes；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　took　the　job　myself。　It's　good　to　see　you　back

in　London；　sir。〃

　　〃I　think　you　want　a　little　unofficial　help。　Three　undetected　murders

in　one　year　won't　do；　Lestrade。　But　you　handled　the　Molesey　Mystery

with　less　than　your　usual…　that's　to　say；　you　handled　it　fairly　well。〃

　　We　had　all　risen　to　our　feet；　our　prisoner　breathing　hard；　with　a

stalwart　constable　on　each　side　of　him。　Already　a　few　loiterers　had

begun　to　collect　in　the　street。　Holmes　stepped　up　to　the　window；

closed　it；　and　dropped　the　blinds。　Lestrade　had　produced　two

candles；　and　the　policemen　had　uncovered　their　lanterns。　I　was　able　at

last　to　have　a　good　look　at　our　prisoner。

　　It　was　a　tremendously　virile　and　yet　sinister　face　which　was

turned　towards　us。　With　the　brow　of　a　philosopher　above　and　the　jaw　of

a　sensualist　below；　the　man　must　have　started　with　great　capacities

for　good　or　for　evil。　But　one　could　not　look　upon　his　cruel　blue　eyes；

with　their　drooping；　cynical　lids；　or　upon　the　fierce；　aggressive　nose

and　the　threatening；　deep…lined　brow；　without　reading　Nature's

plainest　danger…signals。　He　took　no　heed　of　any　of　us；　but　his　eyes

were　fixed　upon　Holmes's　face　with　an　expression　in　which　hatred　and

amazement　were　equally　blended。　〃You　fiend！〃　he　kept　on　muttering。

〃You　clever；　clever　fiend！〃

　　〃Ah；　Colonel！〃　said　Holmes；　arranging　his　rumpled　collar。　〃‘Journeys

end　in　lovers'　meetings；'　as　the　old　play　says。　I　don't　think　I　have

had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　since　you　favoured　me　with　those

attentions　as　I　lay　on　the　ledge　above　the　Reichenbach　Fall。〃

　　The　colonel　still　stared　at　my　friend　like　a　man　in　a　trance。　〃You

cunning；　cunning　fiend！〃　was　all　that　he　could　say。

　　〃I　have　not　introduced　you　yet；〃　said　Holmes。　〃This；　gentlemen；　is

Colonel　Sebastian　Moran；　once　of　Her　Majesty's　Indian　Army；　and　the

best　heavy…game　shot　that　our　Eastern　Empire　has　ever　produced。　I

believe　I　am　correct　Colonel；　in　saying　that　your　bag　of　tigers

still　remains　unrivalled？〃

　　The　fierce　old　man　said　nothing；　but　still　glared　at　my　companion。

With　his　savage　eyes　and　bristling　moustache　he　was　wonderfully　like　a

tiger　himself。

　　〃I　wonder　that　my　very　simple　stratagem　could　deceive　so　old　a

shikari；〃　said　Holmes。　〃It　must　be　very　familiar　to　you。　Have　you

not　tethered　a　young　kid　under　a　tree；　lain　above　it　with　your

rifle；　and　waited　for　the　bait　to　bring　up　your　tiger？　This　empty

house　is　my　tree；　and　you　are　my　tiger。　You　have　possibly　had　other

guns　in　reserve　in　case　there　should　be　several　tigers；　or　in　the

unlikely　supposition　of　your　own　arm　failing　you。　These；〃　he　pointed

around；　〃are　my　other　guns。　The　parallel　is　exact。〃

　　Colonel　Moran　sprang　forward　with　a　snarl　of　rage；　but　the

constables　dragged　him　back。　The　fury　upon　his　face　was　terrible　to

look　at。

　　〃I　confess　that　you　had　one　small　surprise　for　me；〃　said　Holmes。

〃I　did　not　anticipate　that　you　would　yourself　make　use　of　this　empty

house　and　this　convenient　front　window。　I　had　imagined　you　as

operating　from　the　street；　where　my　friend；　Lestrade　and　his　merry　men

were　awaiting　you。　With　that　exception；　all　has　gone　as　I　expected。〃

　　Colonel　Moran　turned　to　the　official　detective。

　　〃You　may　or　may　not　have　just　cause　for　arresting　me；〃　said　he；　〃but

at　least　there　can　be　no　reason　why　I　should　submit　to　the　gibes　of

this　person。　If　I　am　in　the　hands　of　the　law；　let　things　be　done　in

a　legal　way。〃

　　〃Well；　that's　reasonable　enough；〃　said　Lestrade。　〃Nothing　further

you　have　to　say；　Mr。　Holmes；　before　we　go？〃

　　Holmes　had　picked　up　the　powerful　air…gun　from　the　floor；　and　was

examining　its　mechanism。

　　〃An　admirable　and　unique　weapon；〃　said　he；　〃noiseless　and　of

tremendous　power：　I　knew　Von　Herder；　the　blind　German　mechanic；　who

constructed　it　to　the　order　of　the　late　Professor　Moriarty。　For

years　I　have　been　aware　of　its　existance　though　I　have　never　before

had　the　opportunity　of　handling　it。　I　commend　it　very　specially　to

your　attention；　Lestrade　and　also　the　bullets　which　fit　it。〃

　　〃You　can　trust　us　to　look　after　that；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　Lestrade；　as

the　whole　party　moved　towards　the　door。　〃Anything　further　to　say？〃

　　〃Only　to　ask　what　charge　you　intend　to　prefer？〃

　　〃What　charge；　sir？　Why；　of　course；　the　attempted　murder　of　Mr。

Sherlock　Holmes。〃

　　〃Not　so；　Lestrade。　I　do　not　propose　to　appear　in　the　matter　at

all。　To　you；　and　to　you　only；　belongs　the　credit　of　the　remarkable

arrest　which　you　have　effected。　Yes；　Lestrade；　I　congratulate　you！

With　your　usual　happy　mixture　of　cunning　and　audacity；　you　have　got

him。〃

　　〃Got　him！　Got　whom；　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃The　man　that　the　whole　force　has　been　seeking　in　vain…　Colonel

Sebastian　Moran；　who　shot　the　Honourable　Ronald　Adair　with　an

expanding　bullet　from　an　air…gun　through　the　open　window　of　the

second…floor　front　of　No。　427　Park　Lane；　upon　the　thirtieth　of　last

month。　That's　the　charge；　Lestrade。　And　now；　Watson；　if　you　can　endure

the　draught　from　a　broken　window；　I　think　that　half　an　hour　in　my

study　over　a　cigar　may　afford　you　some　profitable　amusement。〃



　　Our　old　chambers　had　been　left　unchanged　through　the　supervision

of　Mycroft　Holmes　and　the　immediate　care　of　Mrs。　Hudson。　As　I

entered　I　saw；　it　is　true；　an　unwonted　tidiness；　but　the　old　landmarks

were　all　in　their　place。　There　were　the　chemical　corner　and　the

acid…stained；　deal…topped　table。　There　upon　a　shelf　was　the　row　of

formidable　scrap…books　and　books　of　reference　which　many　of　our

fellow…citizens　would　have　been　so　glad　to　burn。　The　diagrams；　the

violin…case；　and　the　pipe…rack…　even　the　Persian　slipper　which

contained　the　tobacco…　all　met　my　eyes　as　I　glanced　round　me。　There

were　two　occupants　of　the　room…　one；　Mrs。　Hudson；　who　beamed　upon　us

both　as　we　entered…　the　other；　the　strange　dummy　which　had　played　so

important　a　part　in　the　evening's　adventures。　It　was　a　waxcoloured

model　of　my　friend；　so　admirably　done　that　it　was　a　perfect　facsimile。

It　stood　on　a　small　pedestal　table　with　an　old　dressing…gown　of

Holmes's　so　draped　round　it　that　the　illusion　from　the　street　was

absolutely　perfect。

　　〃I　hope　you　observed　all　precautions；　Mrs。　Hudson？〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃I　went　to　it　on　my　knees；　sir；　just　as　you　told　me。〃

　　〃Excellent。　You　carried　the　thing　out　very　well。　Did