adventure10-第6部分

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might　have　attempted。　　What　is　it　for？〃



〃It　is　the　side　entrance　for　trades…people。　　Of　course

it　is　locked　at　night。〃



〃Have　you　ever　had　an　alarm　like　this　before？〃



〃Never；〃　said　our　client。



〃Do　you　keep　plate　in　the　house；　or　anything　to

attract　burglars？〃



〃Nothing　of　value。〃



Holmes　strolled　round　the　house　with　his　hands　in　his

pockets　and　a　negligent　air　which　was　unusual　with

him。



〃By　the　way；〃　said　he　to　Joseph　Harrison；　〃you　found

some　place；　I　understand；　where　the　fellow　scaled　the

fence。　　Let　us　have　a　look　at　that！〃



The　plump　young　man　led　us　to　a　spot　where　the　top　of

one　of　the　wooden　rails　had　been　cracked。　　A　small

fragment　of　the　wood　was　hanging　down。　　Holmes　pulled

it　off　and　examined　it　critically。



〃Do　you　think　that　was　done　last　night？　　It　looks

rather　old；　does　it　not？〃



〃Well；　possibly　so。〃



〃There　are　no　marks　of　any　one　jumping　down　upon　the

other　side。　　No；　I　fancy　we　shall　get　no　help　here。　

Let　us　go　back　to　the　bedroom　and　talk　the　matter

over。〃



Percy　Phelps　was　walking　very　slowly；　leaning　upon　the

arm　of　his　future　brother…in…law。　　Holmes　walked

swiftly　across　the　lawn；　and　we　were　at　the　open

window　of　the　bedroom　long　before　the　others　came　up。



〃Miss　Harrison；〃　said　Holmes；　speaking　with　the　utmost

intensity　of　manner；　〃you　must　stay　where　you　are　all

day。　　Let　nothing　prevent　you　from　staying　where　you

are　all　day。　　It　is　of　the　utmost　importance。〃



〃Certainly；　if　you　wish　it；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　the　girl

in　astonishment。



〃When　you　go　to　bed　lock　the　door　of　this　room　on　the

outside　and　keep　the　key。　　Promise　to　do　this。〃



〃But　Percy？〃



〃He　will　come　to　London　with　us。〃



〃And　am　I　to　remain　here？〃



〃It　is　for　his　sake。　　You　can　serve　him。　　Quick！　

Promise！〃



She　gave　a　quick　nod　of　assent　just　as　the　other　two

came　up。



〃Why　do　you　sit　moping　there；　Annie？〃　cried　her

brother。　　〃Come　out　into　the　sunshine！〃



〃No；　thank　you；　Joseph。　　I　have　a　slight　headache　and

this　room　is　deliciously　cool　and　soothing。〃



〃What　do　you　propose　now；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　asked　our

client。



〃Well；　in　investigating　this　minor　affair　we　must　not

lose　sight　of　our　main　inquiry。　　It　would　be　a　very

great　help　to　me　if　you　would　come　up　to　London　with

us。〃



〃At　once？〃



〃Well；　as　soon　as　you　conveniently　can。　　Say　in　an

hour。〃



〃I　feel　quite　strong　enough；　if　I　can　really　be　of　any

help。〃



〃The　greatest　possible。〃



〃Perhaps　you　would　like　me　the　stay　there　to…night？〃



〃I　was　just　going　to　propose　it。〃



〃Then；　if　my　friend　of　the　night　comes　to　revisit　me；

he　will　find　the　bird　flown。　　We　are　all　in　your

hands；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　you　must　tell　us　exactly　what

you　would　like　done。　　Perhaps　you　would　prefer　that

Joseph　came　wit　us　so　as　to　look　after　me？〃



〃Oh；　no；　my　friend　Watson　is　a　medical　man；　you　know；

and　he'll　look　after　you。　　We'll　have　our　lunch　here；

if　you　will　permit　us；　and　then　we　shall　al　three　set

off　for　town　together。〃



It　was　arranged　as　he　suggested；　though　Miss　Harrison

excused　herself　from　leaving　the　bedroom；　in

accordance　with　Holmes's　suggestion。　　What　the　object

of　my　friend's　manoeuvres　was　I　could　not　conceive；

unless　it　were　to　keep　the　lady　away　from　Phelps；　who；

rejoiced　by　his　returning　health　and　by　the　prospect

of　action；　lunched　with　us　in　the　dining…room。　　Holmes

had　still　more　startling　surprise　for　us；　however；

for；　after　accompanying　us　down　to　the　station　and

seeing　us　into　our　carriage；　he　calmly　announced　that

he　had　no　intention　of　leaving　Woking。



〃There　are　one　or　two　small　points　which　I　should

desire　to　clear　up　before　I　go；〃　said　he。　　〃Your

absence；　Mr。　Phelps；　will　in　some　ways　rather　assist

me。　　Watson；　when　you　reach　London　you　would　oblige　me

by　driving　at　once　to　Baker　Street　with　our　friend

here；　and　remaining　with　him　until　I　see　you　again。　

It　is　fortunate　that　you　are　old　school…fellows；　as

you　must　have　much　to　talk　over。　　Mr。　Phelps　can　have

the　spare　bedroom　to…night；　and　I　will　be　with　you　in

time　for　breakfast；　for　there　is　a　train　which　will

take　me　into　Waterloo　at　eight。〃



〃But　how　about　our　investigation　in　London？〃　asked

Phelps；　ruefully。



〃We　can　do　that　to…morrow。　　I　think　that　just　at

present　I　can　be　of　more　immediate　use　here。〃



〃You　might　tell　them　at　Briarbrae　that　I　hope　to　be

back　to…morrow　night；〃　cried　Phelps；　as　we　began　to

move　from　the　platform。



〃I　hardly　expect　to　go　back　to　Briarbrae；〃　answered

Holmes；　and　waved　his　hand　to　us　cheerily　as　we　shot

out　from　the　station。



Phelps　and　I　talked　it　over　on　our　journey；　but

neither　of　us　could　devise　a　satisfactory　reason　for

this　new　development。



〃I　suppose　he　wants　to　find　out　some　clue　as　to　the

burglary　last　night；　if　a　burglar　it　was。　　For　myself；

I　don't　believe　it　was　an　ordinary　thief。〃



〃What　is　your　own　idea；　then？〃



〃Upon　my　word；　you　may　put　it　down　to　my　weak　nerves

or　not；　but　I　believe　there　is　some　deep　political

intrigue　going　on　around　me；　and　that　for　some　reason

that　passes　my　understanding　my　life　is　aimed　at　by

the　conspirators。　　It　sounds　high…flown　and　absurd；

but　consider　the　fats！　　Why　should　a　thief　try　to

break　in　at　a　bedroom　window；　where　there　could　be　no

hope　of　any　plunder；　and　why　should　he　come　with　a

long　knife　in　his　hand？〃



〃You　are　sure　it　was　not　a　house…breaker's　jimmy？〃



〃Oh；　no；　it　was　a　knife。　　I　saw　the　flash　of　the　blade

quite　distinctly。〃



〃But　why　on　earth　should　you　be　pursued　with　such

animosity？〃



〃Ah；　that　is　the　question。〃



〃Well；　if　Holmes　takes　the　same　view；　that　would

account　for　his　action；　would　it　not？　　Presuming　that

your　theory　is　correct；　if　he　can　lay　his　hands　upon

the　man　who　threatened　you　last　night　he　will　have

gone　a　long　way　towards　finding　who　took　the　naval

treaty。　　It　is　absurd　to　suppose　that　you　have　two

enemies；　one　of　whom　robs　you；　while　the　other

threatens　your　life。〃



〃But　Holmes　said　that　he　was　not　going　to　Briarbrae。〃



〃I　have　known　him　for　some　time；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　never

knew　him　do　anything　yet　without　a　very　good　reason；〃

and　with　that　our　conversation　drifted　off　on　to　other

topics。



But　it　was　a　weary　day　for　me。　　Phelps　was　still　weak

after　his　long　illness；　and　his　misfortune　made　him

querulous　and　nervous。　　In　vain　I　endeavored　to

interest　him　in　Afghanistan；　in　India；　in　social

questions；　in　anything　which　might　take　his　mind　out

of　the　groove。　　He　would　always　come　back　to　his　lost

treaty；　wondering；　guessing；　speculating；　as　to　what

Holmes　was　doing；　what　steps　Lord　Holdhurst　was

taking；　what　news　we　should　have　in　the　morning。　　As

the　evening　wore　on　his　excitement　became　quite

painful。



〃You　have　implicit　faith　in　Holmes？〃　he　asked。



〃I　have　seen　him　do　some　remarkable　things。〃



〃But　he　never　brought　light　into　anything　quite　so

dark　as　this？〃



〃Oh；　yes；　I　have　known　him　solve　questions　which

presented　fewer　clues　than　yours。〃



〃But　not　where　such　large　interests　are　at　stake？〃



〃I　don't　know　that。　　To　my　certain　knowledge　he　has

acted　on　behalf　of　three　of　the　reigning　houses　of

Europe　in　very　vital　matters。〃



〃But　you　know　him　well；　Watson。　　He　is　such　an

inscrutable　fellow　that　I　never　quite　know　what　to

make　of　him。　　Do　you　think　he　is　hopeful？　　Do　you

think　he　expects　to　make　a　success　of　it？〃



〃He　has　said　nothing。〃



〃That　is　a　bad　sign。〃



〃On　the　contrary；　I　have　noticed　that　when　he　is　off

the　trail　he　generally　says　so。　　It　is　when　he　is　on　a

scent　and　is　not　quite　absolutely　sure　yet　that　it　is

the　right　one　that　he　is　most　taciturn。　　Now；　my　dear

fellow；　we　can't　help　matter　by　making　ourselves

nervous　about　them；　so　let　me　implore　you　to　go　to　bed

and　so　be　fresh　for　whatever　may　await　us　to…morrow。〃



I　was　able　at　last　to　persuade　my　companion　to　take　my

advice；　though　I　knew　from　his　excited　manner　that

there　was　not　much　hope　of　sleep　for　him。　　Indeed；　his

mood　was　infectious；　for　I　lay　tossing　half　the　night

myself；　brooding　over　this　strange　problem；　and

inventing　a　hundred　theories；　each　of　which　was　more

impossible　than　the　last。　　Why　had　Holmes　remained　at

Woking？　　Why　had　he　asked　Miss　Harrison　to　remain　in

the　sick…room　all　day？　　Why　had　he　been　so　careful　not

to　inform　the　people　at　Briarbrae　that　he　intended　to

remain　near　them？　　I　cudgelled　my　brains　until　I　fell

asleep　in　the　endeavor　to　find　some　explanation　which

would　cover　all　these　facts。



It　was　seven　o'clock　when　I　awoke；　and　I　set　off　at

once　for　Phelps's　room；　to　find　him　haggard　and　spent

after　a　sleepless　night。　　His　first　question　was

whether　Holmes　had　arrived　yet。



〃He'll　be　here　when　he　promised；〃　said　I；　〃and　not　an

instant　sooner　or　later。〃



And　my　words　were　true；　for　shortly　after　eight　a

hansom　dashed　up　to　the　door　and　our　friend　got　out　of

it。　　Standing　in　the　window　we　saw　that　his　left　hand

was　swathed　in　a　bandage　and　that　his　face　was　very

grim　and　pale。　　He　entered　the　house；　but　it　was　some

little　time　before　he　came　upstairs。



〃He　looks　like　a　beaten　man；〃　cried　Phelps。



I　was　forced　to　confess　that　he　was　right。　　〃After

all；〃　said　I；　〃the　clue　of　the　matter　lies　probably

here　in　town。〃



Phelps　gave　a　groan。



〃I　don't　know　how　it　is；〃　said　he；　〃but　I　had　hoped

for　so　much　from　his　return。　　But　surely　his　hand　was

not　tied　up　like　that　yesterday。　　What　can　be　the

matter？〃



〃You　are　not　wounded；　Holmes？〃　I　asked；　as　my　friend

entered　the　room。



〃Tut；　it　is　only　a　scratch　through　my　own　clumsiness；〃

he　answered；　nodding　his　good…mornings　to　us。　　〃This

case　of　yours；　Mr。　Phelps；　is　certainly　one　of　the

darkest　which　I　have　ever　investigated。〃



〃I　feared　that　you　would　find　it　beyon