the adventure of the golden pince-nez-第2部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


　　〃In　the　meantime　the　housekeeper　had　also　arrived　upon　the　scene；

but　she　was　just　too　late　to　catch　the　young　man's　dying　words。

Leaving　Susan　with　the　body；　she　hurried　to　the　professors　room。　He

was　sitting　up　in　bed；　horribly　agitated；　for　he　had　heard　enough　to

convince　him　that　something　terrible　had　occurred。　Mrs。　Marker　is

prepared　to　swear　that　the　professor　was　still　in　his　night…clothes；

and　indeed　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　dress　without　the　help　of

Mortimer；　whose　orders　were　to　come　at　twelve　o'clock。　The　professor

declares　that　he　heard　the　distant　cry；　but　that　he　knows　nothing

more。　He　can　give　no　explanation　of　the　young　man's　last　words；　'The

professor…　it　was　she；'　but　imagines　that　they　were　the　outcome　of

delirium。　He　believes　that　Willoughby　Smith　had　not　an　enemy　in　the

world；　and　can　give　no　reason　for　the　crime。　His　first　action　was　to

send　Mortimer；　the　gardener；　for　the　local　police。　A　little　later

the　chief　constable　sent　for　me。　Nothing　was　moved　before　I　got　there；

and　strict　orders　were　given　that　no　one　should　walk　upon　the　paths

leading　to　the　house。　It　was　a　splendid　chance　of　putting　your

theories　into　practice；　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes。　There　was　really

nothing　wanting。〃

　　〃Except　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes；〃　said　my　companion；　with　a　somewhat

bitter　smile。　〃Well；　let　us　hear　about　it。　What　sort　of　a　job　did

you　make　of　it？〃

　　〃I　must　ask　you　first；　Mr。　Holmes；　to　glance　at　this　rough　plan；

which　will　give　you　a　general　idea　of　the　position　of　the

professor's　study　and　the　various　points　of　the　case。　It　will　help　you

in　my　investigation。〃

　　He　unfolded　the　rough　chart；　which　I　here　reproduce；　and　he　laid

it　across　Holmes's　knee。　I　rose　and；　standing　behind　Holmes；　studied

it　over　his　shoulder。　（See　illustration。）

　　〃It　is　very　rough；　of　course；　and　it　only　deals　with　the　points

which　seem　to　me　to　be　essential。　All　the　rest　you　will　see　later

for　yourself。　Now；　first　of　all；　presuming　that　the　assassin　entered

the　house；　how　did　he　or　she　come　in？　Undoubtedly　by　the　garden　path

and　the　back　door；　from　which　there　is　direct　access　to　the　study。　Any

other　way　would　have　been　exceedingly　complicated。　The　escape　must

have　also　been　made　along　that　line；　for　of　the　two　other　exits　from

the　room　one　was　blocked　by　Susan　as　she　ran　downstairs　and　the

other　leads　straight　to　the　professor's　bedroom。　I　therefore

directed　my　attention　at　once　to　the　garden　path；　which　was

saturated　with　recent　rain；　and　would　certainly　show　any　footmarks。

　　〃My　examination　showed　me　that　I　was　dealing　with　a　cautious　and

expert　criminal。　No　footmarks　were　to　be　found　on　the　path。　There

could　be　no　question；　however；　that　someone　had　passed　along　the　grass

border　which　lines　the　path；　and　that　he　had　done　so　in　order　to　avoid

leaving　a　track。　I　could　not　find　anything　in　the　nature　of　a　distinct

impression；　but　the　grass　was　trodden　down；　and　someone　had

undoubtedly　passed。　It　could　only　have　been　the　murderer；　since

neither　the　gardener　nor　anyone　else　had　been　there　that　morning；

and　the　rain　had　only　begun　during　the　night。〃

　　〃One　moment；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Where　does　this　path　lead　to？〃

　　〃To　the　road。〃

　　〃How　long　is　it？〃

　　〃A　hundred　yards　or　so。〃

　　〃At　the　point　where　the　path　passes　through　the　gate；　you　could

surely　pick　up　the　tracks？〃

　　〃Unfortunately；　the　path　was　tiled　at　that　point。〃

　　〃Well；　on　the　road　itself？〃

　　〃No；　it　was　all　trodden　into　mire。〃

　　〃Tut…tut！　Well；　then；　these　tracks　upon　the　grass；　were　they

coming　or　going？〃

　　〃It　was　impossible　to　say。　There　was　never　any　outline。〃

　　〃A　large　foot　or　a　small？〃

　　〃You　could　not　distinguish。〃

　　Holmes　gave　an　ejaculation　of　impatience。

　　〃It　has　been　pouring　rain　and　blowing　a　hurricane　ever　since；〃

said　be。　〃It　will　be　harder　to　read　now　than　that　palimpsest。　Well；

well；　it　can't　be　helped。　What　did　you　do；　Hopkins；　after　you　had　made

certain　that　you　had　made　certain　of　nothing？〃

　　〃I　think　I　made　certain　of　a　good　deal；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　knew　that

someone　had　entered　the　house　cautiously　from　without。　I　next　examined

the　corridor。　It　is　lined　with　cocoanut　matting　and　had　taken　no

impression　of　any　kind。　This　brought　me　into　the　study　itself。　It　is　a

scantily　furnished　room。　The　main　article　is　a　large　writing…table

with　a　fixed　bureau。　This　bureau　consists　of　a　double　column　of

drawers；　with　a　central　small　cupboard　between　them。　The　drawers

were　open；　the　cupboard　locked。　The　drawers；　it　seems；　were　always

open；　and　nothing　of　value　was　kept　in　them。　There　were　some　papers　of

importance　in　the　cupboard；　but　there　were　no　signs　that　this　had　been

tampered　with；　and　the　professor　assures　me　that　nothing　was

missing。　It　is　certain　that　no　robbery　has　been　committed。

　　〃I　come　now　to　the　body　of　the　young　man。　It　was　found　near　the

bureau；　and　just　to　the　left　of　it；　as　marked　upon　that　chart。　The

stab　was　on　the　right　side　of　the　neck　and　from　behind　forward；　so

that　it　is　almost　impossible　that　it　could　have　been　self…inflicted。〃

　　〃Unless　he　fell　upon　the　knife；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Exactly。　The　idea　crossed　my　mind。　But　we　found　the　knife　some　feet

away　from　the　body；　so　that　seems　impossible。　Then；　of　course；　there

are　the　man's　own　dying　words。　And；　finally；　there　was　this　very

important　piece　of　evidence　which　was　found　clasped　in　the　dead

man's　right　hand。〃

　　From　his　pocket　Stanley　Hopkins　drew　a　small　paper　packet。　He

unfolded　it　and　disclosed　a　golden　pince…nez；　with　two　broken　ends

of　black　silk　cord　dangling　from　the　end　of　it。　〃Willoughby　Smith

had　excellent　sight；〃　he　added。　〃There　can　be　no　question　that　this

was　snatched　from　the　face　or　the　person　of　the　assassin。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　took　the　glasses　into　his　hand；　and　examined　them

with　the　utmost　attention　and　interest。　He　held　them　on　his　nose；

endeavoured　to　read　through　them；　went　to　the　window　and　stared　up　the

street　with　them；　looked　at　them　most　minutely　in　the　full　light　of

the　lamp；　and　finally；　with　a　chuckle；　seated　himself　at　the　table　and

wrote　a　few　lines　upon　a　sheet　of　paper；　which　he　tossed　across　to

Stanley　Hopkins。

　　〃That's　the　best　I　can　do　for　you；〃　said　he。　〃It　may　prove　to　be

of　some　use。〃

　　The　astonished　detective　read　the　note　aloud。　It　ran　as　follows：



　　〃Wanted；　a　woman　of　good　address；　attired　like　a　lady。　She　has　a

remarkably　thick　nose；　with　eyes　which　are　set　close　upon　either

side　of　it。　She　has　a　puckered　forehead；　a　peering　expression；　and

probably　rounded　shoulders。　There　are　indications　that　she　has　had

recourse　to　an　optician　at　least　twice　during　the　last　few　months。

As　her　glasses　are　of　remarkable　strength；　and　as　opticians　are　not

very　numerous；　there　should　be　no　difficulty　in　tracing　her。〃



　　Holmes　smiled　at　the　astonishment　of　Hopkins；　which　must　have　been

reflected　upon　my　features。

　〃Surely　my　deductions　are　simplicity　itself；〃　said　he。　〃It　would　be

difficult　to　name　any　articles　which　afford　a　finer　field　for

inference　than　a　pair　of　glasses；　especially　so　remarkable　a　pair　as

these。　That　they　belong　to　a　woman　I　infer　from　their　delicacy；　and

also；　of　course；　from　the　last　words　of　the　dying　man。　As　to　her　being

a　person　of　refinement　and　well　dressed；　they　are；　as　you　perceive；

handsomely　mounted　in　solid　gold；　and　it　is　inconceivable　that

anyone　who　wore　such　glasses　could　be　slatternly　in　other　respects。

You　will　find　that　the　clips　are　too　wide　for　your　nose；　showing

that　the　lady's　nose　was　very　broad　at　the　base。　This　sort　of　nose

is　usually　a　short　and　coarse　one；　but　there　is　a　sufficient　number　of

exceptions　to　prevent　me　from　being　dogmatic　or　from　insisting　upon

this　point　in　my　description。　My　own　face　is　a　narrow　one；　and　yet　I

find　that　I　cannot　get　my　eyes　into　the　centre；　nor　near　the　centre；

of　these　glasses。　Therefore；　the　lady's　eyes　are　set　very　near　to

the　sides　of　the　nose。　You　will　perceive；　Watson；　that　the　glasses　are

concave　and　of　unusual　strength。　A　lady　whose　vision　has　been　so

extremely　contracted　all　her　life　is　sure　to　have　the　physical

characteristics　of　such　vision；　which　are　seen　in　the　forehead；　the

eyelids；　and　the　shoulders。〃

　　〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃I　can　follow　each　of　your　arguments。　I　confess；

however；　that　I　am　unable　to　understand　how　you　arrive　at　the　double

visit　to　the　optician。〃

　　Holmes　took　the　glasses　in　his　hand。

　　〃You　will　perceive；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　clips　are　lined　with　tiny

bands　of　cork　to　soften　the　pressure　upon　the　nose。　One　of　these　is

discoloured　and　worn　to　some　slight　extent；　but　the　other　is　new。

Evidently　one　has　fallen　off　and　been　replaced。　I　should　judge　that

the　older　of　them　has　not　been　there　more　than　a　few　months。　They

exactly　correspond；　so　I　gather　that　the　lady　went　back　to　the　same

establishment　for　the　second。〃

　　〃By　George；　it's　marvellous！〃　cried　Hopkins；　in　an　ecstasy　of

admiration。　〃To　think　that　I　had　all　that　evidence　in　my　hand　and

never　knew　it！　I　had　intended；　however；　to　go　the　round　of　the

London　opticians。〃

　　〃Of　course　you　would。　Meanwhile；　have　you　anything　more　to　tell　us

about　the　case？〃

　　〃Nothing；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　think　that　you　know　as　much　as　I　do　now…

probably　more。　We　have　had　inquiries　made　as　to　any　stranger　seen　on

the　country　roads　or　at　the　railway　station。　We　have　heard　of　none。

What　beats　me　is　the　utter　want　of　all　object　in　the　crime。　Not　a

ghost　of　a　motive　can　anyone　suggest。〃

　　〃Ah！　there　I　am　not　in　a　position　to　help　you。　But　I　suppose　you

want　us　to　come　out　to…morrow？〃

　　〃If　it　is　not　asking　too　much；　Mr。　Holmes。　There's　a　train　from

Charing　Cross　to　Chatham　at　six　in　the　morning；　and　we　should　be　at

Yoxley　Old　Place　between　eight　and　nine。〃

　　〃Then　we　shall　take　it。　Your　case　has　certainly　some　features　of

great　interest；　and　I　shall　be　delighted　to　look　into　it。　Well；　it's

nearly　one；　and　we　had　best　get　a　few　hours'　sleep。　I　daresay　you

can　manage　all　right　on　the　sofa　in　front　of　the　fire。　I'll　light　my

spirit　lamp；　and　give　you　a　cup　of　coffee　before　we　start。〃

　　The　gale　had　blown　itself　out　next　day；　but　it　was　a　bitter