the adventure of the dancing men-第4部分

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

Then　a　third　shot　has　been　fired；　and　therefore　a　third　person　must

have　been　present。　But　who　could　that　have　been；　and　how　could　he　have

got　away？〃

　　〃That　is　the　problem　which　we　are　now　about　to　solve；〃　said　Sherlock

Holmes。　〃You　remember；　Inspector　Martin；　when　the　servants　said　that

on　leaving　their　room　they　were　at　once　conscious　of　a　smell　of

powder；　I　remarked　that　the　point　was　an　extremely　important　one？〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　but　I　confess　I　did　not　quite　follow　you。〃

　　〃It　suggested　that　at　the　time　of　the　firing；　the　window　as　well

as　the　door　of　the　room　had　been　open。　Otherwise　the　fumes　of　powder

could　not　have　been　blown　so　rapidly　through　the　house。　A　draught　in

the　room　was　necessary　for　that。　Both　door　and　window　were　only　open

for　a　very　short　time；　however。〃

　　〃How　do　you　prove　that？〃

　　〃Because　the　candle　was　not　guttered。〃

　　〃Capital！〃　cried　the　inspector。　〃Capital！

　　〃Feeling　sure　that　the　window　had　been　open　at　the　time　of　the

tragedy；　I　conceived　that　there　might　have　been　a　third　person　in

the　affair；　who　stood　outside　this　opening　and　fired　through　it。　Any

shot　directed　at　this　person　might　hit　the　sash。　I　looked；　and

there；　sure　enough；　was　the　bullet　mark！〃

　　〃But　how　came　the　window　to　be　shut　and　fastened？〃

　　〃The　woman's　first　instinct　would　be　to　shut　and　fasten　the

window。　But；　halloa！　What　is　this？〃

　　It　was　a　lady's　hand…bag　which　stood　upon　the　study　table…　a　trim

little　handbag　of　crocodile…skin　and　silver。　Holmes　opened　it　and

turned　the　contents　out。　There　were　twenty　fifty…pound　notes　of　the

Bank　of　England；　held　together　by　an　india…rubber　band…　nothing　else。

　　〃This　must　be　preserved；　for　it　will　figure　in　the　trial〃　said

Holmes；　as　he　handed　the　bag　with　its　contents　to　the　inspector。　〃It

is　now　necessary　that　we　should　try　to　throw　some　light　upon　this

third　bullet；　which　has　clearly；　from　the　splintering　of　the　wood；

been　fired　from　inside　the　room。　I　should　like　to　see　Mrs。　King；　the

cook；　again。　You　said；　Mrs。　King；　that　you　were　awakened　by　a　loud

explosion。　When　you　said　that；　did　you　mean　that　it　seemed　to　you　to

be　louder　than　the　second　one？〃

　　〃Well；　sir；　it　wakened　me　from　my　sleep；　so　it　is　hard　to　judge。　But

it　did　seem　very　loud。〃

　　〃You　don't　think　that　it　might　have　been　two　shots　fired　almost　at

the　same　instant？〃

　　〃I　am　sure　I　couldn't　say；　sir。〃

　　〃I　believe　that　it　was　undoubtedly　so。　I　rather　think；　Inspector

Martin；　that　we　have　now　exhausted　all　that　this　room　can　teach　us。　If

you　will　kindly　step　round　with　me；　we　shall　see　what　fresh　evidence

the　garden　has　to　offer。〃

　　A　flower…bed　extended　up　to　the　study　window；　and　we　all　broke

into　an　exclamation　as　we　approached　it。　The　flowers　were　trampled

down；　and　the　soft　soil　was　imprinted　all　over　with　footmarks。

Large；　masculine　feet　they　were；　with　peculiarly　long；　sharp　toes。

Holmes　hunted　about　among　the　grass　and　leaves　like　a　retriever

after　a　wounded　bird。　Then；　with　a　cry　of　satisfaction；　he　bent

forward　and　picked　up　a　little　brazen　cylinder。

　　〃I　thought　so；〃　said　he；　〃the　revolver　had　an　ejector；　and　here　is

the　third　cartridge。　I　really　think；　Inspector　Martin；　that　our　case

is　almost　complete。〃

　　The　country　inspector's　face　had　shown　his　intense　amazement　at

the　rapid　and　masterful　progress　of　Holmes's　investigation。　At　first

he　had　shown　some　disposition　to　assert　his　own　position；　but　now　he

was　overcome　with　admiration；　and　ready　to　follow　without　question

wherever　Holmes　led。

　　〃Whom　do　you　suspect？〃　he　asked。

　　〃I'll　go　into　that　later。　There　are　several　points　in　this　problem

which　I　have　not　been　able　to　explain　to　you　yet。　Now　that　I　have

got　so　far；　I　had　best　proceed　on　my　own　lines；　and　then　clear　the

whole　matter　up　once　and　for　all。〃

　　〃Just　as　you　wish；　Mr。　Holmes；　so　long　as　we　get　our　man。〃

　　〃I　have　no　desire　to　make　mysteries；　but　it　is　impossible　at　the

moment　of　action　to　enter　into　long　and　complex　explanations。　I　have

the　threads　of　this　affair　all　in　my　hand。　Even　if　this　lady　should

never　recover　consciousness；　we　can　still　reconstruct　the　events　of

last　night　and　insure　that　justice　be　done。　First　of　all；　I　wish　to

know　whether　there　is　any　inn　in　this　neighbourhood　known　as

‘Elrige's'？〃

　　The　servants　were　cross…questioned；　but　none　of　them　had　heard　of

such　a　place。　The　stable…boy　threw　a　light　upon　the　matter　by

remembering　that　a　farmer　of　that　name　lived　some　miles　off；　in　the

direction　of　East　Ruston。

　　〃Is　it　a　lonely　farm？〃

　　〃Very　lonely；　sir。〃

　　〃Perhaps　they　have　not　heard　yet　of　all　that　happened　here　during

the　night？〃

　　〃Maybe　not；　sir。〃

　　Holmes　thought　for　a　little；　and　then　a　curious　smile　played　over

his　face。

　　〃Saddle　a　horse；　my　lad；〃　said　he。　〃I　shall　wish　you　to　take　a

note　to　Elrige's　Farm。〃

　　He　took　from　his　pocket　the　various　slips　of　the　dancing　men。　With

these　in　front　of　him；　he　worked　for　some　time　at　the　study…table。

Finally　he　handed　a　note　to　the　boy；　with　directions　to　put　it　into

the　hands　of　the　person　to　whom　it　was　addressed；　and　especially　to

answer　no　questions　of　any　sort　which　might　be　put　to　him。　I　saw　the

outside　of　the　note；　addressed　in　straggling；　irregular　characters；

very　unlike　Holmes's　usual　precise　hand。　It　was　consigned　to　Mr。　Abe

Slaney；　Elriges　Farm；　East　Ruston；　Norfolk。

　　〃I　think；　Inspector；〃　Holmes　remarked；　〃that　you　would　do　well　to

telegraph　for　an　escort；　as；　if　my　calculations　prove　to　be　correct；

you　may　have　a　particularly　dangerous　prisoner　to　convey　to　the　county

jail。　The　boy　who　takes　this　note　could　no　doubt　forward　your

telegram。　If　there　is　an　afternoon　train　to　town；　Watson；　I　think　we

should　do　well　to　take　it；　as　I　have　a　chemical　analysis　of　some

interest　to　finish；　and　this　investigation　draws　rapidly　to　a　close。〃

　　When　the　youth　had　been　dispatched　with　the　note；　Sherlock　Holmes

gave　his　instructions　to　the　servants。　If　any　visitor　were　to　call

asking　for　Mrs。　Hilton　Cubitt；　no　information　should　be　given　as　to

her　condition；　but　he　was　to　be　shown　at　once　into　the　drawing…room。

He　impressed　these　points　upon　them　with　the　utmost　earnestness。

Finally　he　led　the　way　into　the　drawing…room；　with　the　remark　that　the

business　was　now　out　of　our　hands；　and　that　we　must　while　away　the

time　as　best　we　might　until　we　could　see　what　was　in　store　for　us。　The

doctor　had　departed　to　his　patients；　and　only　the　inspector　and　myself

remained。

　　〃I　think　that　I　can　help　you　to　pass　an　hour　in　an　interesting　and

profitable　manner；〃　said　Holmes；　drawing　his　chair　up　to　the　table；

and　spreading　out　in　front　of　him　the　various　papers　upon　which　were

recorded　the　antics　of　the　dancing　men。　〃As　to　you；　friend　Watson；　I

owe　you　every　atonement　for　having　allowed　your　natural　curiosity　to

remain　so　long　unsatisfied。　To　you；　Inspector；　the　whole　incident

may　appeal　as　a　remarkable　professional　study。　I　must　tell　you；

first　of　all；　the　interesting　circumstances　connected　with　the

previous　consultations　which　Mr。　Hilton　Cubitt　has　had　with　me　in

Baker　Street。〃　He　then　shortly　recapitulated　the　facts　which　have

already　been　recorded。　〃I　have　here　in　front　of　me　these　singular

productions；　at　which　one　might　smile；　had　they　not　proved

themselves　to　be　the　forerunners　of　so　terrible　a　tragedy。　I　am　fairly

familiar　with　all　forms　of　secret　writings；　and　am　myself　the　author

of　a　trifling　monograph　upon　the　subject；　in　which　I　analyze　one

hundred　and　sixty　separate　ciphers；　but　I　confess　that　this　is

entirely　new　to　me。　The　object　of　those　who　invented　the　system　has

apparently　been　to　conceal　that　these　characters　convey　a　message；　and

to　give　the　idea　that　they　are　the　mere　random　sketches　of　children。

　　〃Having　once　recognized；　however；　that　the　symbols　stood　for

letters；　and　having　applied　the　rules　which　guide　us　in　all　forms　of

secret　writings；　the　solution　was　easy　enough。　The　first　message

submitted　to　me　was　so　short　that　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　do

more　than　to　say；　with　some　confidence；　that　the　symbol　＇of　the　stickman

with　both　arms　extended　up　in　the　air＇





stood　for　E。　As　you　are　aware；　E　is　the　most　common　letter　in　the

English　alphabet；　and　it　predominates　to　so　marked　an　extent　that　even

in　a　short　sentence　one　would　expect　to　find　it　most　often。　Out　of

fifteen　symbols　in　the　first　message；　four　were　the　same；　so　it　was

reasonable　to　set　this　down　as　E。　It　is　true　that　in　some　cases　the

figure　was　bearing　a　flag；　and　in　some　cases　not　but　it　was

probable；　from　the　way　in　which　the　flags　were　distributed；　that

they　were　used　to　break　the　sentence　up　into　words。　I　accepted　this　as

a　hypothesis；　and　noted　that　E　was　represented　by　＇the　stickman　with

both　arms　extended　up　in　the　air＇

　　〃But　now　came　the　real　difficulty　of　the　inquiry。　The　order　of　the

English　letters　after　E　is　by　no　means　well　marked；　and　any

preponderance　which　may　be　shown　in　an　average　of　a　printed　sheet

may　be　reversed　in　a　single　short　sentence。　Speaking　roughly；　T；　A；　O；

I；　N；　S；　H；　R；　D；　and　L　are　the　numerical　order　in　which　letters

occur；　but　T；　A；　O；　and　I　are　very　nearly　abreast　of　each　other；　and

it　would　be　an　endless　task　to　try　each　combination　until　a　meaning





was　arrived　at　I　therefore　waited　for　fresh　material。　In　my　second

interview　with　Mr。　Hilton　Cubitt　he　was　able　to　give　me　two　other

short　sentences　and　one　message；　which　appeared…　since　there　was　no

flag…　to　be　a　single　word。　Here　are　the　symbols。　Now；　in　the　single

word　I　have　already　got　the　two　E's　coming　second　and　fourth　in　a　word

of　five　letters。　It　might　be　‘sever；'　or　‘lever；'　or　‘never。'　There

can　be　no　question　that　the　latter　as　a　reply　to　an　appeal　is　far

the　most　probable；　and　the　circumstances　pointed　to　its　being　a

reply　written　by　the　lady。　Accepting　it　as　correct；　we　are　now　able　to

say　that　the　symbols　＇of　the　stickman　with　right　hand　on　his　hip；　left

arm　raised　and　knees　bent；　stickman　with　leg　extended　to　the　left；　and

stickman　with　both　arms　raised　in　the　air　and　lef