the adventure of the dancing men-第3部分

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dismay。　His　face　was　haggard　with　anxiety。

　　〃We　have　let　this　affair　go　far　enough；〃　said　he。　〃Is　there　a

train　to　North　Walsham　to…night？〃

　　I　turned　up　the　time…table。　The　last　had　just　gone。

　　〃Then　we　shall　breakfast　early　and　take　the　very　first　in　the

morning；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Our　presence　is　most　urgently　needed。　Ah！　here

is　our　expected　cablegram。　One　moment；　Mrs。　Hudson；　there　may　be　an

answer。　No；　that　is　quite　as　I　expected。　This　message　makes　it　even

more　essential　that　we　should　not　lose　an　hour　in　letting　Hilton

Cubitt　know　how　matters　stand；　for　it　is　a　singular　and　a　dangerous

web　in　which　our　simple　Norfolk　squire　is　entangled。〃

　　So；　indeed；　it　proved；　and　as　I　come　to　the　dark　conclusion　of　a

story　which　had　seemed　to　me　to　be　only　childish　and　bizarre；　I

experience　once　again　the　dismay　and　horror　with　which　I　was　filled。

Would　that　I　had　some　brighter　ending　to　communicate　to　my　readers；

but　these　are　the　chronicles　of　fact；　and　I　must　follow　to　their

dark　crisis　the　strange　chain　of　events　which　for　some　days　made

Riding　Thorpe　Manor　a　household　word　through　the　length　and　breadth　of

England。

　　We　had　hardly　alighted　at　North　Walsham；　and　mentioned　the　name　of

our　destination；　when　the　stationmaster　hurried　towards　us。　〃I　suppose

that　you　are　the　detectives　from　London？〃　said　he。

　　A　look　of　annoyance　passed　over　Holmes's　face。

　　〃What　makes　you　think　such　a　thing？〃

　　〃Because　Inspector　Martin　from　Norwich　has　just　passed　through。

But　maybe　you　are　the　surgeons。　She's　not　dead…　or　wasn't　by　last

accounts。　You　may　be　in　time　to　save　her　yet…　though　it　be　for　the

gallows。〃

　　Holmes's　brow　was　dark　with　anxiety。

　　〃We　are　going　to　Riding　Thorpe　Manor；〃　said　he；　〃but　we　have　heard

nothing　of　what　has　passed　there。〃

　　〃It's　a　terrible　business；〃　said　the　stationmaster。　〃They　are　shot

both　Mr。　Hilton　Cubitt　and　his　wife。　She　shot　him　and　then　herself…　so

the　servants　say。　He's　dead　and　her　life　is　despaired　of。　Dear；

dear；　one　of　the　oldest　families　in　the　county　of　Norfolk；　and　one

of　the　most　honoured。〃

　　Without　a　word　Holmes　hurried　to　a　carriage；　and　during　the　long

seven　miles'　drive　he　never　opened　his　mouth。　Seldom　have　I　seen　him

so　utterly　despondent。　He　had　been　uneasy　during　all　our　journey

from　town；　and　I　had　observed　that　he　had　turned　over　the　morning

papers　with　anxious　attention；　but　now　this　sudden　realization　of

his　worst　fears　left　him　in　a　blank　melancholy。　He　leaned　back　in

his　seat；　lost　in　gloomy　speculation。　Yet　there　was　much　around　to

interest　us；　for　we　were　passing　through　as　singular　a　countryside

as　any　in　England；　where　a　few　scattered　cottages　represented　the

population　of　to…day；　while　on　every　hand　enormous　square…towered

churches　bristled　up　from　the　flat　green　landscape　and　told　of　the

glory　and　prosperity　of　old　East　Anglia。　At　last　the　violet　rim　of　the

German　Ocean　appeared　over　the　green　edge　of　the　Norfolk　coast；　and

the　driver　pointed　with　his　whip　to　two　old　brick　and　timber　gables

which　projected　from　a　grove　of　trees。　〃That's　Riding　Thorpe　Manor；〃

said　he。

　　As　we　drove　up　to　the　porticoed　front　door；　I　observed　in　front　of

it；　beside　the　tennis　lawn；　the　black　tool…house　and　the　pedestalled

sundial　with　which　we　had　such　strange　associations。　A　dapper　little

man；　with　a　quick；　alert　manner　and　a　waxed　moustache；　had　just

descended　from　a　high　dog…cart。　He　introduced　himself　as　Inspector

Martin；　of　the　Norfolk　Constabulary；　and　he　was　considerably

astonished　when　he　heard　the　name　of　my　companion。

　　〃Why；　Mr。　Holmes；　the　crime　was　only　committed　at　three　this

morning。　How　could　you　hear　of　it　in　London　and　get　to　the　spot　as

soon　as　I？〃

　　〃I　anticipated　it。　I　came　in　the　hope　of　preventing　it。〃

　　〃Then　you　must　have　important　evidence；　of　which　we　are　ignorant；

for　they　were　said　to　be　a　most　united　couple。〃

　　〃I　have　only　the　evidence　of　the　dancing　men；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I

will　explain　the　matter　to　you　later。　Meanwhile；　since　it　is　too

late　to　prevent　this　tragedy；　I　am　very　anxious　that　I　should　use

the　knowledge　which　I　possess　in　order　to　insure　that　justice　be　done。

Will　you　associate　me　in　your　investigation；　or　will　you　prefer　that　I

should　act　independently？〃

　　〃I　should　be　proud　to　feel　that　we　were　acting　together；　Mr。

Holmes；〃　said　the　inspector；　earnestly。

　　〃In　that　case　I　should　be　glad　to　hear　the　evidence　and　to　examine

the　premises　without　an　instant　of　unnecessary　delay。〃

　　Inspector　Martin　had　the　good　sense　to　allow　my　friend　to　do

things　in　his　own　fashion；　and　contented　himself　with　carefully　noting

the　results。　The　local　surgeon；　an　old；　white…haired　man；　had　just

come　down　from　Mrs。　Hilton　Cubitt's　room；　and　he　reported　that　her

injuries　were　serious；　but　not　necessarily　fatal。　The　bullet　had

passed　through　the　front　of　her　brain；　and　it　would　probably　be　some

time　before　she　could　regain　consciousness。　On　the　question　of　whether

she　had　been　shot　or　had　shot　herself；　he　would　not　venture　to　express

any　decided　opinion。　Certainly　the　bullet　had　been　discharged　at

very　close　quarters。　There　was　only　the　one　pistol　found　in　the

room；　two　barrels　of　which　had　been　emptied。　Mr。　Hilton　Cubitt　had

been　shot　through　the　heart。　It　was　equally　conceivable　that　he　had

shot　her　and　then　himself；　or　that　she　had　been　the　criminal；　for

the　revolver　lay　upon　the　floor　midway　between　them。

　　〃Has　he　been　moved？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　〃We　have　moved　nothing　except　the　lady。　We　could　not　leave　her　lying

wounded　upon　the　floor。〃

　　〃How　long　have　you　been　here；　Doctor？〃

　　〃Since　four　o'clock。〃

　　〃Anyone　else？〃

　　〃Yes；　the　constable　here。〃

　　〃And　you　have　touched　nothing？〃

　　〃Nothing。〃

　　〃You　have　acted　with　great　discretion。　Who　sent　for　you？〃

　　〃The　housemaid；　Saunders。〃

　　〃Was　it　she　who　gave　the　alarm？〃

　　〃She　and　Mrs。　King；　the　cook。〃

　　〃Where　are　they　now？〃

　　〃In　the　kitchen；　I　believe。〃

　　〃Then　I　think　we　had　better　hear　their　story　at　once。〃

　　The　old　hall；　oak…panelled　and　high…windowed；　had　been　turned　into　a

court　of　investigation。　Holmes　sat　in　a　great；　old…fashioned　chair；

his　inexorable　eyes　gleaming　out　of　his　haggard　face。　I　could　read

in　them　a　set　purpose　to　devote　his　life　to　this　quest　until　the

client　whom　he　had　failed　to　save　should　at　last　be　avenged。　The

trim　Inspector　Martin；　the　old；　gray…headed　country　doctor；　myself；

and　a　stolid　village　policeman　made　up　the　rest　of　that　strange

company。

　　The　two　women　told　their　story　clearly　enough。　They　had　been　aroused

from　their　sleep　by　the　sound　of　an　explosion；　which　had　been　followed

a　minute　later　by　a　second　one。　They　slept　in　adjoining　rooms；　and

Mrs。　King　had　rushed　in　to　Saunders。　Together　they　had　descended　the

stairs。　The　door　of　the　study　was　open；　and　a　candle　was　burning

upon　the　table。　Their　master　lay　upon　his　face　in　the　centre　of　the

room。　He　was　quite　dead。　Near　the　window　his　wife　was　crouching；　her

head　leaning　against　the　wall。　She　was　horribly　wounded；　and　the

side　of　her　face　was　red　with　blood。　She　breathed　heavily；　but　was

incapable　of　saying　anything。　The　passage；　as　well　as　the　room；　was

full　of　smoke　and　the　smell　of　powder。　The　window　was　certainly　shut

and　fastened　upon　the　inside。　Both　women　were　positive　upon　the　point。

They　had　at　once　sent　for　the　doctor　and　for　the　constable。　Then；　with

the　aid　of　the　groom　and　the　stable…boy；　they　had　conveyed　their

injured　mistress　to　her　room。　Both　she　and　her　husband　had　occupied

the　bed。　She　was　clad　in　her　dress…　he　in　his　dressing…gown；　over

his　night…clothes。　Nothing　had　been　moved　in　the　study。　So　far　as　they

knew；　there　had　never　been　any　quarrel　between　husband　and　wife。

They　had　always　looked　upon　them　as　a　very　united　couple。

　　These　were　the　main　points　of　the　servants'　evidence。　In　answer　to

Inspector　Martin；　they　were　clear　that　every　door　was　fastened　upon

the　inside；　and　that　no　one　could　have　escaped　from　the　house。　In

answer　to　Holmes；　they　both　remembered　that　they　were　conscious　of　the

smell　of　powder　from　the　moment　that　they　ran　out　of　their　rooms

upon　the　top　floor。　〃I　commend　that　fact　very　carefully　to　your

attention；〃　said　Holmes　to　his　professional　colleague。　〃And　now　I

think　that　we　are　in　a　position　to　undertake　a　thorough　examination　of

the　room。〃

　　The　study　proved　to　be　a　small　chamber；　lined　on　three　sides　with

books；　and　with　a　writing…table　facing　an　ordinary　window；　which

looked　out　upon　the　garden。　Our　first　attention　was　given　to　the

body　of　the　unfortunate　squire；　whose　huge　frame　lay　stretched

across　the　room。　His　disordered　dress　showed　that　he　had　been

hastily　aroused　from　sleep。　The　bullet　had　been　fired　at　him　from

the　front；　and　had　remained　in　his　body；　after　penetrating　the

heart。　His　death　had　certainly　been　instantaneous　and　painless。

There　was　no　powder…marking　either　upon　his　dressing…gown　or　on　his

hands。　According　to　the　country　surgeon；　the　lady　had　stains　upon

her　face；　but　none　upon　her　hand。

　　〃The　absence　of　the　latter　means　nothing；　though　its　presence　may

mean　everything；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Unless　the　powder　from　a　badly　fitting

cartridge　happens　to　spurt　backward；　one　may　fire　many　shots　without

leaving　a　sign。　I　would　suggest　that　Mr。　Cubitt's　body　may　now　be

removed。　I　suppose；　Doctor；　you　have　not　recovered　the　bullet　which

wounded　the　lady？〃

　　〃A　serious　operation　will　be　necessary　before　that　can　be　done。

But　there　are　still　four　cartridges　in　the　revolver。　Two　have　been

fired　and　two　wounds　inflicted；　so　that　each　bullet　can　be　accounted

for。〃

　　〃So　it　would　seem；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Perhaps　you　can　account　also　for

the　bullet　which　has　so　obviously　struck　the　edge　of　the　window？〃

　　He　had　turned　suddenly；　and　his　long；　thin　finger　was　pointing　to

a　hole　which　had　been　drilled　right　through　the　lower　window…sash；

about　an　inch　above　the　bottom。

　　〃By　George！〃　cried　the　inspector。　〃How　ever　did　you　see　that？〃

　　〃Because　I　looked　for　it。〃

　　〃Wonderful！〃　said　the　country　doctor。　〃You　are　certainly　right；　sir。

Then　a　third　shot　has　been　fired；　and　therefore　a