adventure08-第2部分

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This；　however；　is　beside　the　question；　Mr。　Sherlock

Holmes；　and　I　quite　appreciate　how　valuable　your　time

is。　　The　fact　is　that　a　very　singular　train　of　events

has　occurred　recently　at　my　house　in　Brook　Street；　and

to…night　they　came　to　such　a　head　that　I　felt　it　was

quite　impossible　for　me　to　wait　another　hour　before

asking　for　your　advice　and　assistance。〃



Sherlock　Holmes　sat　down　and　lit　his　pipe。　　〃You　are

very　welcome　to　both；〃　said　he。　　〃Pray　let　me　have　a

detailed　account　of　what　the　circumstances　are　which

have　disturbed　you。〃



〃One　or　two　of　them　are　so　trivial；〃　said　Dr。

Trevelyan；　〃that　really　I　am　almost　ashamed　to　mention

them。　　But　the　matter　is　so　inexplicable；　and　the

recent　turn　which　it　has　taken　is　so　elaborate；　that　I

shall　lay　it　all　before　you；　and　you　shall　judge　what

is　essential　and　what　is　not。



〃I　am　compelled；　to　begin　with；　to　say　something　of　my

own　college　career。　　I　am　a　London　University　man；　you

know；　and　I　am　sure　that　your　will　not　think　that　I　am

unduly　singing　my　own　praises　if　I　say　that　my　student

career　was　considered　by　my　professors　to　be　a　very

promising　one。　　After　I　had　graduated　I　continued　to

devote　myself　to　research；　occupying　a　minor　position

in　King's　College　Hospital；　and　I　was　fortunate　enough

to　excite　considerable　interest　by　my　research　into

the　pathology　of　catalepsy；　and　finally　to　win　the

Bruce　Pinkerton　prize　and　medal　by　the　monograph　on

nervous　lesions　to　which　your　friend　has　just　alluded。　

I　should　not　go　too　far　if　I　were　to　say　that　there

was　a　general　impression　at　that　time　that　a

distinguished　career　lay　before　me。



〃But　the　one　great　stumbling…block　lay　in　my　want　of

capital。　　As　you　will　readily　understand；　a　specialist

who　aims　high　is　compelled　to　start　in　one　of　a　dozen

streets　in　the　Cavendish　Square　quarter；　all　of　which

entail　enormous　rents　and　furnishing　expenses。　

Besides　this　preliminary　outlay；　he　must　be　prepared

to　keep　himself　for　some　years；　and　to　hire　a

presentable　carriage　and　horse。　　To　do　this　was　quite

beyond　my　power；　and　I　could　only　hope　that　by　economy

I　might　in　ten　years'　time　save　enough　to　enable　me　to

put　up　my　plate。　　Suddenly；　however；　an　unexpected

incident　opened　up　quite　a　new　prospect　to　me。



〃This　was　a　visit　from　a　gentleman　of　the　name　of

Blessington；　who　was　a　complete　stranger　to　me。　　He

came　up　to　my　room　one　morning；　and　plunged　into

business　in　an　instant。



〃'You　are　the　same　Percy　Trevelyan　who　has　had　so

distinguished　a　career　and　own　a　great　prize　lately？'

said　he。



〃I　bowed。



〃'Answer　my　frankly；'　he　continued；　'for　you　will　find

it　to　your　interest　to　do　so。　　You　have　all　the

cleverness　which　makes　a　successful　man。　　Have　you　the

tact？'



〃I　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　abruptness　of　the

question。



〃'I　trust　that　I　have　my　share；'　I　said。



〃'Any　bad　habits？　　Not　drawn　towards　drink；　eh？'



〃'Really；　sir！'　I　cried。



〃'Quite　right！　　That's　all　right！　　But　I　was　bound　to

ask。　　With　all　these　qualities；　why　are　you　not　in

practice？'



〃I　shrugged　my　shoulders。



〃'Come；　come！'　said　he；　in　his　bustling　way。　　'It's

the　old　story。　　More　in　your　brains　than　in　your

pocket；　eh？　　What　would　you　say　if　I　were　to　start　you

in　Brook　Street？'



〃I　stared　at　him　in　astonishment。



〃'Oh；　it's　for　my　sake；　not　for　yours；'　he　cried。　

'I'll　be　perfectly　frank　with　you；　and　if　it　suits　you

it　will　suit　me　very　well。　　I　have　a　few　thousands　to

invest；　d'ye　see；　and　I　think　I'll　sink　them　in　you。'



〃'But　why？'　I　gasped。



〃'Well；　it's　just　like　any　other　speculation；　and

safer　than　most。'



〃'What　am　I　to　do　；　then？'



〃'I'll　tell　you。　　I'll　take　the　house；　furnish　it；　pay

the　maids；　and　run　the　whole　place。　　All　you　have　to

do　is　just　to　wear　out　your　chair　in　the

consulting…room。　　I'll　let　you　have　pocket…money　and

everything。　　Then　you　hand　over　to　me　three　quarters

of　what　you　earn；　and　you　keep　the　other　quarter　for

yourself。'



〃This　was　the　strange　proposal；　Mr。　Holmes；　with　which

the　man　Blessington　approached　me。　　I　won't　weary　you

with　the　account　of　how　we　bargained　and　negotiated。　

It　ended　in　my　moving　into　the　house　next　Lady…day；

and　starting　in　practice　on　very　much　the　same

conditions　as　he　had　suggested。　　He　cam　himself　to

live　with　me　in　the　character　of　a　resident　patient。　

His　heart　was　weak；　it　appears；　and　he　needed　constant

medical　supervision。　　He　turned　the　two　best　rooms　of

the　first　floor　into　a　sitting…room　and　bedroom　for

himself。　　He　was　a　man　of　singular　habits；　shunning

company　and　very　seldom　going　out。　　His　life　was

irregular；　but　in　one　respect　he　was　regularity

itself。　　Every　evening；　at　the　same　hour；　he　walked

into　the　consulting…room；　examined　the　books；　put　down

five　and　three…pence　for　every　guinea　that　I　had

earned；　and　carried　the　rest　off　to　the　strong…box　in

his　own　room。



〃I　may　say　with　confidence　that　he　never　had　occasion

to　regret　his　speculation。　　From　the　first　it　was　a

success。　　A　few　good　cases　and　the　reputation　which　I

had　won　in　the　hospital　brought　me　rapidly　to　the

front；　and　during　the　last　few　years　I　have　made　him　a

rich　man。



〃So　much；　Mr。　Holmes；　for　my　past　history　and　my

relations　with　Mr。　Blessington。　　It　only　remains　for

me　now　to　tell　you　what　has　occurred　to　bring　me　her

to…night。



〃Some　weeks　ago　Mr。　Blessington　came　down　to　me　in；　as

it　seemed　to　me；　a　state　of　considerable　agitation。　

He　spoke　of　some　burglary　which；　he　said；　had　been

committed　in　the　West　End；　and　he　appeared；　I

remember；　to　be　quite　unnecessarily　excited　about　it；

declaring　that　a　day　should　not　pass　before　we　should

add　stronger　bolts　to　our　windows　and　doors。　　For　a

week　he　continued　to　be　in　a　peculiar　state　of

restlessness；　peering　continually　out　of　the　windows；

and　ceasing　to　take　the　short　walk　which　had　usually

been　the　prelude　to　his　dinner。　　From　his　manner　it

struck　me　that　he　was　in　mortal　dread　of　something　or

somebody；　but　when　I　questioned　him　upon　the　point　he

became　so　offensive　that　I　was　compelled　to　drop　the

subject。　　Gradually；　as　time　passed；　his　fears

appeared　to　die　away；　and　he　had　renewed　his　former

habits；　when　a　fresh　event　reduced　him　to　the　pitiable

state　of　prostration　in　which　he　now　lies。



〃What　happened　was　this。　　Two　days　ago　I　received　the

letter　which　I　now　read　to　you。　　Neither　address　nor

date　is　attached　to　it。



〃'A　Russian　nobleman　who　is　now　resident　in　England；'

it　runs；　'would　be　glad　to　avail　himself　of　the

professional　assistance　of　Dr。　Percy　Trevelyan。　　He

has　been　for　some　years　a　victim　to　cataleptic

attacks；　on　which；　as　is　well　known；　Dr。　Trevelyan　is

an　authority。　　He　proposes　to　call　at　about　quarter

past　six　to…morrow　evening；　if　Dr。　Trevelyan　will　make

it　convenient　to　be　at　home。'



〃This　letter　interest　me　deeply；　because　the　chief

difficulty　in　the　study　of　catalepsy　is　the　rareness

of　the　disease。　　You　may　believe；　than；　that　I　was　in

my　consulting…room　when；　at　the　appointed　hour；　the

page　showed　in　the　patient。



He　was　an　elderly　man；　thin；　demure；　and

common…placeby　no　means　the　conception　one　forms　of

a　Russian　nobleman。　　I　was　much　more　struck　by　the

appearance　of　his　companion。　　This　was　a　tall　young

man；　surprisingly　handsome；　with　a　dark；　fierce　face；

and　the　limbs　and　chest　of　a　Hercules。　　He　had　his

hand　under　the　other's　arm　as　they　entered；　and　helped

him　to　a　chair　with　a　tenderness　which　one　would

hardly　have　expected　from　his　appearance。



〃'You　will　excuse　my　coming　in；　doctor；'　said　he　to

me；　speaking　English　with　a　slight　lisp。　　'This　is　my

father；　and　his　health　is　a　matter　of　the　most

overwhelming　importance　to　me。'



〃I　was　touched　by　this　filial　anxiety。　　'You　would；

perhaps；　care　to　remain　during　the　consultation？'　said

I。



〃'Not　for　the　world；'　he　cried　with　a　gesture　of

horror。　　'It　is　more　painful　to　me　than　I　can　express。　

If　I　were　to　see　my　father　in　one　of　these　dreadful

seizures　I　am　convinced　that　I　should　never　survive

it。　　My　own　nervous　system　is　an　exceptionally

sensitive　one。　　With　your　permission；　I　will　remain　in

the　waiting…room　while　you　go　into　my　father's　case。'



〃To　this；　of　course；　I　assented；　and　the　young　man

withdrew。　　The　patient　and　I　then　plunged　into　a

discussion　of　his　case；　of　which　I　took　exhaustive

notes。　　He　was　not　remarkable　for　intelligence；　and

his　answers　were　frequently　obscure；　which　I

attributed　to　his　limited　acquaintance　with　our

language。　　Suddenly；　however；　as　I　sat　writing；　he

cased　to　give　any　answer　at　all　to　my　inquiries；　and

on　my　turning　towards　him　I　was　shocked　to　see　that　he

was　sitting　bolt　upright　in　his　chair；　staring　at　me

with　a　perfectly　blank　and　rigid　face。　　He　was　again

in　the　grip　of　his　mysterious　malady。



〃My　first　feeling；　as　I　have　just　said；　was　one　of

pity　and　horror。　　My　second；　I　fear；　was　rather　one　of

professional　satisfaction。　　I　made　notes　of　my

patient's　pulse　and　temperature；　tested　the　rigidity

of　his　muscles；　and　examined　his　reflexes。　　There　was

nothing　markedly　abnormal　in　any　of　these　conditions；

which　harmonized　with　my　former　experiences。　　I　had

obtained　good　results　in　such　cases　by　the　inhalation

of　nitrite　of　amyl；　and　the　present　seemed　an

admirable　opportunity　of　testing　its　virtues。　　The

bottle　was　downstairs　in　my　laboratory；　so　leaving　my

patient　seated　in　his　chair；　I　ran　down　to　get　it。　

There　was　some　little　delay　in　finding　itfive

minutes；　let　us　sayand　then　I　returned。　　Imagine　my

amazement　to　find　the　room　empty　and　the　patient　gone。



〃Of　course；　my　first　act　was　to　run　into　the

waiting…room。　　The　son　had　gone　also。　　The　hall　door

had　been　closed；　but　not　shut。　　My　page　who　admits

patients　is　a　new　boy　and　by　no　means　quick。　　He　waits

downst