adventure10-第7部分

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

darkest　which　I　have　ever　investigated。〃



〃I　feared　that　you　would　find　it　beyond　you。〃



〃It　has　been　a　most　remarkable　experience。〃



〃That　bandage　tells　of　adventures；〃　said　I。　　〃Won't

you　tell　us　what　has　happened？〃



〃After　breakfast；　my　dear　Watson。　　Remember　that　I

have　breathed　thirty　mile　of　Surrey　air　this　morning。　

I　suppose　that　there　has　been　no　answer　from　my　cabman

advertisement？　　Well；　well；　we　cannot　expect　to　score

every　time。〃



The　table　was　all　laid；　and　just　as　I　was　about　to

ring　Mrs。　Hudson　entered　wit　the　tea　and　coffee。　　A

few　minutes　later　she　brought　in　three　covers；　and　we

all　drew　up　to　the　table；　Holmes　ravenous；　I　curious；

and　Phelps　in　the　gloomiest　state　of　depression。



〃Mrs。　Hudson　has　risen　to　the　occasion；〃　said　Holmes；

uncovering　a　dish　of　curried　chicken。　　〃Her　cuisine　is

a　little　limited；　but　she　has　as　good　an　idea　of

breakfast　as　a　Scotch…woman。　　What　have　you　here；

Watson？〃



〃Ham　and　eggs；〃　I　answered。



〃Good！　　What　are　you　going　to　take；　Mr。

Phelpscurried　fowl　or　eggs；　or　will　you　help

yourself？〃



〃Thank　you。　　I　can　eat　nothing；〃　said　Phelps。



〃Oh；　come！　　Try　the　dish　before　you。〃



〃Thank　you；　I　would　really　rather　not。〃



〃Well；　then；〃　said　Holmes；　with　a　mischievous　twinkle；

〃I　suppose　that　you　have　no　objection　to　helping　me？〃



Phelps　raised　the　cover；　and　as　hi　did　so　he　uttered　a

scream；　and　sat　there　staring　with　a　face　as　white　as

the　plate　upon　which　he　looked。　　Across　the　centre　of

it　was　lying　a　little　cylinder　of　blue…gray　paper。　　He

caught　it　up；　devoured　it　with　his　eyes；　and　then

danced　madly　about　the　room；　passing　it　to　his　bosom

and　shrieking　out　in　his　delight。　　Then　he　fell　back

into　an　arm…chair　so　limp　and　exhausted　with　his　own

emotions　that　we　had　to　pour　brandy　down　his　throat　to

keep　him　from　fainting。



〃There！　　there！〃　said　Holmes；　soothing；　patting　him

upon　the　shoulder。　　〃It　was　too　bad　to　spring　it　on

you　like　this；　but　Watson　here　will　tell　you　that　I

never　can　resist　a　touch　of　the　dramatic。〃



Phelps　seized　his　hand　and　kissed　it。　　〃God　bless

you！〃　he　cried。　　〃You　have　saved　my　honor。〃



〃Well；　my　own　was　at　stake；　you　know；〃　said　Holmes。　

〃I　assure　you　it　is　just　as　hateful　to　me　to　fail　in　a

case　as　it　can　be　to　you　to　blunder　over　a

commission。〃



Phelps　thrust　away　the　precious　document　into　the

innermost　pocket　of　his　coat。



〃I　have　not　the　heart　to　interrupt　your　breakfast　any

further；　and　yet　I　am　dying　to　know　how　you　got　it　and

where　it　was。〃



Sherlock　Holmes　swallowed　a　cup　of　coffee；　and　turned

his　attention　to　the　ham　and　eggs。　　Then　he　rose；　lit

his　pipe；　and　settled　himself　down　into　his　chair。



〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　did　first；　and　how　I　came　to　do

it　afterwards；〃　said　he。　　〃After　leaving　you　at　the

station　I　went　for　a　charming　walk　through　some

admirable　Surrey　scenery　to　a　pretty　little　village

called　Ripley；　where　I　had　my　tea　at　an　inn；　and　took

the　precaution　of　filling　my　flask　and　of　putting　a

paper　of　sandwiches　in　my　pocket。　　There　I　remained

until　evening；　when　I　set　off　for　Woking　again；　and

found　myself　in　the　high…road　outside　Briarbrae　just

after　sunset。



〃Well；　I　waited　until　the　road　was　clearit　is　never

a　very　frequented　one　at　any　time；　I　fancyand　then　I

clambered　over　the　fence　into　the　grounds。〃



〃Surely　the　gate　was　open！〃　ejaculated　Phelps。



〃Yes；　but　I　have　a　peculiar　taste　in　these　matters。　　I

chose　the　place　where　the　three　fir…trees　stand；　and

behind　their　screen　I　got　over　without　the　least

chance　of　any　one　in　the　house　being　able　to　see　me。　

I　crouched　down　among　the　bushes　on　the　other　side；

and　crawled　from　one　to　the　otherwitness　the

disreputable　state　of　my　trouser　kneesuntil　I　had

reached　the　clump　of　rhododendrons　just　opposite　to

your　bedroom　window。　　There　I　squatted　down　and

awaited　developments。



〃The　blind　was　not　down　in　your　room；　and　I　could　see

Miss　Harrison　sitting　there　reading　by　the　table。　　It

was　quarter…past　ten　when　she　closed　her　book；

fastened　the　shutters；　and　retired。



〃I　heard　her　shut　the　door；　and　felt　quite　sure　that

she　had　turned　the　key　in　the　lock。〃



〃The　key！〃　ejaculated　Phelps。



〃Yes；　I　had　given　Miss　Harrison　instructions　to　lock

the　door　on　the　outside　and　take　the　key　with　her　when

she　went　to　bed。　　She　carried　out　every　one　of　my

injunctions　to　the　letter；　and　certainly　without　her

cooperation　you　would　not　have　that　paper　in　you

coat…pocket。　　She　departed　then　and　the　lights　went

out；　and　I　was　left　squatting　in　the

rhododendron…bush。



〃The　night　was　fine；　but　still　it　was　a　very　weary

vigil。　　Of　course　it　has　the　sort　of　excitement　about

it　that　the　sportsman　feels　when　he　lies　beside　the

water…course　and　waits　for　the　big　game。　　It　was　very

long；　thoughalmost　as　long；　Watson；　as　when　you　and

I　waited　in　that　deadly　room　when　we　looked　into　the

little　problem　of　the　Speckled　Band。　　There　was　a

church…clock　down　at　Woking　which　struck　the　quarters；

and　I　thought　more　than　once　that　it　had　stopped。　　At

last　however　about　two　in　the　morning；　I　suddenly

heard　the　gentle　sound　of　a　bolt　being　pushed　back　and

the　creaking　of　a　key。　　A　moment　later　the　servant's

door　was　opened；　and　Mr。　Joseph　Harrison　stepped　out

into　the　moonlight。〃



〃Joseph！〃　ejaculated　Phelps。



〃He　was　bare…headed；　but　he　had　a　black　coat　thrown

over　his　shoulder　so　that　he　could　conceal　his　face　in

an　instant　if　there　were　any　alarm。　　He　walked　on

tiptoe　under　the　shadow　of　the　wall；　and　when　he

reached　the　window　he　worked　a　long…bladed　knife

through　the　sash　and　pushed　back　the　catch。　　Then　he

flung　open　the　window；　and　putting　his　knife　through

the　crack　in　the　shutters；　he　thrust　the　bar　up　and

swung　them　open。



〃From　where　I　lay　I　had　a　perfect　view　of　the　inside

of　the　room　and　of　every　one　of　his　movements。　　He　lit

the　two　candles　which　stood　upon　the　mantelpiece；　and

then　he　proceeded　to　turn　back　the　corner　of　the

carpet　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　door。　　Presently　he

stopped　and　picked　out　a　square　piece　of　board；　such

as　is　usually　left　to　enable　plumbers　to　get　at　the

joints　of　the　gas…pipes。　　This　one　covered；　as　a

matter　of　fact；　the　T　joint　which　gives　off　the　pipe

which　supplies　the　kitchen　underneath。　　Out　of　this

hiding…place　he　drew　that　little　cylinder　of　paper；

pushed　down　the　board；　rearranged　the　carpet；　blew　out

the　candles；　and　walked　straight　into　my　arms　as　I

stood　waiting　for　him　outside　the　window。



〃Well；　he　has　rather　more　viciousness　than　I　gave　him

credit　for；　has　Master　Joseph。　　He　flew　at　me　with　his

knife；　and　I　had　to　grass　him　twice；　and　got　a　cut

over　the　knuckles；　before　I　had　the　upper　hand　of　him。　

He　looked　murder　out　of　the　only　eye　he　could　see　with

when　we　had　finished；　but　he　listened　to　reason　and

gave　up　the　papers。　　Having　got　them　I　let　my　man　go；

but　I　wired　full　particulars　to　Forbes　this　morning。　

If　he　is　quick　enough　to　catch　is　bird；　well　and　good。　

But　if；　as　I　shrewdly　suspect；　he　finds　the　nest　empty

before　he　gets　there；　why；　all　the　better　for　the

government。　　I　fancy　that　Lord　Holdhurst　for　one；　and

Mr。　Percy　Phelps　for　another；　would　very　much　rather

that　the　affair　never　got　as　far　as　a　police…court。



〃My　God！〃　gasped　our　client。　　〃Do　you　tell　me　that

during　these　long　ten　weeks　of　agony　the　stolen　papers

were　within　the　very　room　with　me　all　the　time？〃



〃So　it　was。〃



〃And　Joseph！　　Joseph　a　villain　and　a　thief！〃



〃Hum！　　I　am　afraid　Joseph's　character　is　a　rather

deeper　and　more　dangerous　one　than　one　might　judge

from　his　appearance。　　From　what　I　have　heard　from　him

this　morning；　I　gather　that　he　has　lost　heavily　in

dabbling　with　stocks；　and　that　he　is　ready　to　do

anything　on　earth　to　better　his　fortunes。　　Being　an

absolutely　selfish　man；　when　a　chance　presented　itself

he　did　not　allow　either　his　sister's　happiness　or　your

reputation　to　hold　his　hand。〃



Percy　Phelps　sank　back　in　his　chair。　　〃My　head

whirls；〃　said　he。　　〃Your　words　have　dazed　me。〃



〃The　principal　difficulty　in　your　case；〃　remarked

Holmes；　in　his　didactic　fashion；　〃lay　in　the　fact　of

there　being　too　much　evidence。　　What　was　vital　was

overlaid　and　hidden　by　what　was　irrelevant。　　Of　all

the　facts　which　were　presented　to　us　we　had　to　pick

just　those　which　we　deemed　to　be　essential；　and　then

piece　them　together　in　their　order；　so　as　to

reconstruct　this　very　remarkable　chain　of　events。　　I

had　already　begun　to　suspect　Joseph；　from　the　fact

that　you　had　intended　to　travel　home　with　him　that

night；　and　that　therefore　it　was　a　likely　enough　thing

that　he　should　call　for　you；　knowing　the　Foreign

Office　well；　upon　his　way。　　When　I　heard　that　some　one

had　been　so　anxious　to　get　into　the　bedroom；　in　which

no　one　but　Joseph　could　have　concealed　anythingyou

told　us　in　your　narrative　how　you　had　turned　Joseph

out　when　you　arrived　with　the　doctormy　suspicions

all　changed　to　certainties；　especially　as　the　attempt

was　made　on　the　first　night　upon　which　the　nurse　was

absent；　showing　that　the　intruder　was　well　acquainted

with　the　ways　of　the　house。〃



〃How　blind　I　have　been！〃



〃The　facts　of　the　case；　as　far　as　I　have　worked　them

out；　are　these：　　this　Joseph　Harrison　entered　the

office　through　the　Charles　Street　door；　and　knowing

his　way　he　walked　straight　into　your　room　the　instant

after　you　left　it。　　Finding　no　one　there　he　promptly

rang　the　bell；　and　at　the　instant　that　he　did　so　his

eyes　caught　the　paper　upon　the　table。　　A　glance　showed

him　that　chance　had　put　in　his　way　a　State　document　of

immense　value；　and　in　an　instant　he　had　thrust　it　into

his　pocket　and　was　gone。　　A　few　minutes　elapsed；　as

you　remember；　before　the　sleepy　commissionnaire　drew

your　attention　to　th