the adventure of the dancing men-第6部分

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one　the　wiser。　I　tried　all　I　could　to　coax　Elsie　away。　I　knew　that　she

read　the　messages；　for　once　she　wrote　an　answer　under　one　of　them。

Then　my　temper　got　the　better　of　me；　and　I　began　to　threaten　her。

She　sent　me　a　letter　then；　imploring　me　to　go　away；　and　saying　that　it

would　break　her　heart　if　any　scandal　should　come　upon　her　husband。　She

said　that　she　would　come　down　when　her　husband　was　asleep　at　three

in　the　morning；　and　speak　with　me　through　the　end　window；　if　I　would

go　away　afterwards　and　leave　her　in　peace。　She　came　down　and　brought

money　with　her；　trying　to　bribe　me　to　go。　This　made　me　mad；　and　I

caught　her　arm　and　tried　to　pull　her　through　the　window。　At　that

moment　in　rushed　the　husband　with　his　revolver　in　his　hand。　Elsie

had　sunk　down　upon　the　floor；　and　we　were　face　to　face。　I　was　heeled

also；　and　I　held　up　my　gun　to　scare　him　off　and　let　me　get　away。　He

fired　and　missed　me。　I　pulled　off　almost　at　the　same　instant；　and　down

he　dropped。　I　made　away　across　the　garden；　and　as　I　went　I　heard　the

window　shut　behind　me。　That's　God's　truth；　gentlemen；　every　word　of

it；　and　I　heard　no　more　about　it　until　that　lad　came　riding　up　with

a　note　which　made　me　walk　in　here；　like　a　jay；　and　give　myself　into

your　hands。〃

　　A　cab　had　driven　up　whilst　the　American　had　been　talking。　Two

uniformed　policemen　sat　inside。　Inspector　Martin　rose　and　touched

his　prisoner　on　the　shoulder。

　　〃It　is　time　for　us　to　go。〃

　　〃Can　I　see　her　first？〃

　　〃No；　she　is　not　conscious。　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes；　I　only　hope　that

if　ever　again　I　have　an　important　case；　I　shall　have　the　good

fortune　to　have　you　by　my　side。〃

　　We　stood　at　the　window　and　watched　the　cab　drive　away。　As　I　turned

back；　my　eye　caught　the　pellet　of　paper　which　the　prisoner　had

tossed　upon　the　table。　It　was　the　note　with　which　Holmes　had　decoyed

him。

　　〃See　if　you　can　read　it；　Watson；〃　said　he；　with　a　smile。

　　It　contained　no　word；　but　this　little　line　of　dancing　men：



　　（See　illustration。）



　　〃If　you　use　the　code　which　I　have　explained；〃　said　Holmes；　〃you　will

find　that　it　simply　means　‘Come　here　at　once。'　I　was　convinced　that　it

was　an　invitation　which　he　would　not　refuse；　since　he　could　never

imagine　that　it　could　come　from　anyone　but　the　lady。　And　so；　my　dear

Watson；　we　have　ended　by　turning　the　dancing　men　to　good　when　they

have　so　often　been　the　agents　of　evil；　and　I　think　that　I　have

fulfilled　my　promise　of　giving　you　something　unusual　for　your

notebook。　Three…forty　is　our　train；　and　I　fancy　we　should　be　back　in

Baker　Street　for　dinner。〃

　　Only　one　word　of　epilogue。　The　American；　Abe　Slaney；　was　condemned

to　death　at　the　winter　assizes　at　Norwich；　but　his　penalty　was　changed

to　penal　servitude　in　consideration　of　mitigating　circumstances；　and

the　certainty　that　Hilton　Cubitt　had　fired　the　first　shot。　Of　Mrs。

Hilton　Cubitt　I　only　know　that　I　have　heard　she　recovered　entirely；

and　that　she　still；　remains　a　widow；　devoting　her　whole　life　to　the

care　of　the　poor　and　to　the　administration　of　her　husband's　estate。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

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