the adventure of wisteria lodge-第2部分

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take　me　back　to　Lee。

　　〃One　thing　comes　back　to　my　memory　which　may　have　a　bearing　upon　the

business　that　you　two　gentlemen　are　investigating。　I　thought　nothing

of　it　at　the　time。　Near　the　end　of　dinner　a　note　was　handed　in　by

the　servant。　I　noticed　that　after　my　host　had　read　it　he　seemed　even

more　distrait　and　strange　than　before。　He　gave　up　all　pretence　at

conversation　and　sat　smoking　endless　cigarettes；　lost　in　his　own

thoughts；　but　he　made　no　remark　as　to　the　contents。　About　eleven　I　was

glad　to　go　to　bed。　Some　time　later　Garcia　looked　in　at　my　door…　the

room　was　dark　at　the　time…　and　asked　me　if　I　had　rung。　I　said　that　I

had　not。　He　apologized　for　having　disturbed　me　so　late；　saying　that　it

was　nearly　one　o'clock。　I　dropped　off　after　this　and　slept　soundly　all

night。

　　〃And　now　I　come　to　the　amazing　part　of　my　tale。　When　I　woke　it　was

broad　daylight。　I　glanced　at　my　watch；　and　the　time　was　nearly　nine。　I

had　particularly　asked　to　be　called　at　eight；　so　I　was　very　much

astonished　at　this　forgetfulness。　I　sprang　up　and　rang　for　the

servant。　There　was　no　response。　I　rang　again　and　again；　with　the

same　result。　Then　I　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　bell　was　out　of

order。　I　huddled　on　my　clothes　and　hurried　downstairs　in　an

exceedingly　bad　temper　to　order　some　hot　water。　You　can　imagine　my

surprise　when　I　found　that　there　was　no　one　there。　I　shouted　in　the

hall。　There　was　no　answer。　Then　I　ran　from　room　to　room。　All　were

deserted。　My　host　had　shown　me　which　was　his　bedroom　the　night　before；

so　I　knocked　at　the　door。　No　reply。　I　turned　the　handle　and　walked　in。

The　room　was　empty；　and　the　bed　had　never　been　slept　in。　He　had　gone

with　the　rest。　The　foreign　host；　the　foreign　footman；　the　foreign

cook；　all　had　vanished　in　the　night！　That　was　the　end　of　my　visit　to

Wisteria　Lodge。〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　was　rubbing　his　hands　and　chuckling　as　he　added　this

bizarre　incident　to　his　collection　of　strange　episodes。

　　〃Your　experience　is；　so　far　as　I　know；　perfectly　unique！〃　said　he。

〃May　I　ask；　sir；　what　you　did　then？〃

　　〃I　was　furious。　My　first　idea　was　that　I　had　been　the　victim　of　some

absurd　practical　joke。　I　packed　my　things；　banged　the　hall　door　behind

me；　and　set　off　for　Esher；　with　my　bag　in　my　hand。　I　called　at　Allan

Brothers'；　the　chief　land　agents　in　the　village；　and　found　that　it　was

from　this　firm　that　the　villa　had　been　rented。　It　struck　me　that　the

whole　proceeding　could　hardly　be　for　the　purpose　of　making　a　fool　of

me；　and　that　the　main　object　must　be　to　get　out　of　the　rent。　It　is

late　in　March；　so　quarter…day　is　at　hand。　But　this　theory　would　not

work。　The　agent　was　obliged　to　me　for　my　warning；　but　told　me　that　the

rent　had　been　paid　in　advance。　Then　I　made　my　way　to　town　and　called

at　the　Spanish　embassy。　The　man　was　unknown　there。　After　this　I　went

to　see　Melville；　at　whose　house　I　had　first　met　Garcia；　but　I　found

that　he　really　knew　rather　less　about　him　than　I　did。　Finally　when　I

got　your　reply　to　my　wire　I　came　out　to　you；　since　I　gather　that　you

are　a　person　who　gives　advice　in　difficult　cases。　But　now；　Mr。

Inspector；　I　understand；　from　what　you　said　when　you　entered　the　room；

that　you　can　carry　the　story　on；　and　that　some　tragedy　has　occurred。　I

can　assure　you　that　every　word　I　have　said　is　the　truth；　and　that

outside　of　what　I　have　told　you；　I　know　absolutely　nothing　about　the

fate　of　this　man。　My　only　desire　is　to　help　the　law　in　every

possible　way。〃

　　〃I　am　sure　of　it　Mr。　Scott　Eccles…　I　am　sure　of　it；〃　said

Inspector　Gregson　in　a　very　amiable　tone。　〃I　am　bound　to　say　that

everything　which　you　have　said　agrees　very　closely　with　the　facts　as

they　have　come　to　our　notice。　For　example；　there　was　that　note　which

arrived　during　dinner。　Did　you　chance　to　observe　what　became　of　it？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　did。　Garcia　rolled　it　up　and　threw　it　into　the　fire。〃

　　〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　Mr。　Baynes？〃

　　The　country　detective　was　a　stout；　puffy；　red　man；　whose　face　was

only　redeemed　from　grossness　by　two　extraordinarily　bright　eyes；

almost　hidden　behind　the　heavy　creases　of　cheek　and　brow。　With　a

slow　smile　he　drew　a　folded　and　discoloured　scrap　of　paper　from　his

pocket。

　　〃It　was　a　dog…grate；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　he　overpitched　it。　I　picked

this　out　unburned　from　the　back　of　it。〃

　　Holmes　smiled　his　appreciation。

　　〃You　must　have　examined　the　house　very　carefully　to　find　a　single

pellet　of　paper。〃

　　〃I　did；　Mr。　Holmes。　It's　my　way。　Shall　I　read　it；　Mr。　Gregson？〃

　　The　Londoner　nodded。

　　〃The　note　is　written　upon　ordinary　cream…laid　paper　without

watermark。　It　is　a　quarter…sheet。　The　paper　is　cut　off　in　two　snips

with　a　short…bladed　scissors。　It　has　been　folded　over　three　times

and　sealed　with　purple　wax；　put　on　hurriedly　and　pressed　down　with

some　flat　oval　object。　It　is　addressed　to　Mr。　Garcia；　Wisteria

Lodge。　It　says：



　　〃Our　own　colours；　green　and　white。　Green　open；　white　shut。　Main

stair；　first　corridor；　seventh　right；　green　baize。　Godspeed。　D。



It　is　a　woman's　writing；　done　with　a　sharp…pointed　pen；　but　the

address　is　either　done　with　another　pen　or　by　someone　else。　It　is

thicker　and　bolder；　as　you　see。〃

　　〃A　very　remarkable　note；〃　said　Holmes；　glancing　it　over。　〃I　must

compliment　you；　Mr。　Baynes；　upon　your　attention　to　detail　in　your

examination　of　it。　A　few　trifling　points　might　perhaps　be　added。　The

oval　seal　is　undoubtedly　a　plain　sleeve…link…　what　else　is　of　such　a

shape？　The　scissors　were　bent　nail　scissors。　Short　as　the　two　snips

are；　you　can　distinctly　see　the　same　slight　curve　in　each。〃

　　The　country　detective　chuckled。

　　〃I　thought　I　had　squeezed　all　the　juice　out　of　it；　but　I　see　there

was　a　little　over；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　bound　to　say　that　I　make　nothing

of　the　note　except　that　there　was　something　on　hand；　and　that　a　woman；

as　usual；　was　at　the　bottom　of　it。〃

　　Mr。　Scott　Eccles　had　fidgeted　in　his　seat　during　this　conversation。

　　〃I　am　glad　you　found　the　note；　since　it　corroborates　my　story；〃　said

he。　〃But　I　beg　to　point　out　that　I　have　not　yet　heard　what　has

happened　to　Mr。　Garcia；　nor　what　has　become　of　his　household。〃

　　〃As　to　Garcia；〃　said　Gregson；　〃that　is　easily　answered。　He　was　found

dead　this　morning　upon　Oxshott　Common；　nearly　a　mile　from　his　home。

His　head　had　been　smashed　to　pulp　by　heavy　blows　of　a　sandbag　or

some　such　instrument；　which　had　crushed　rather　than　wounded。　It　is　a

lonely　corner；　and　there　is　no　house　within　a　quarter　of　a　mile　of　the

spot。　He　had　apparently　been　struck　down　first　from　behind；　but　his

assailant　had　gone　on　beating　him　long　after　he　was　dead。　It　was　a

most　furious　assault。　There　are　no　footsteps　nor　any　clue　to　the

criminals。〃

　　〃Robbed？〃

　　〃No；　there　was　no　attempt　at　robbery。〃

　　〃This　is　very　painful…　very　painful　and　terrible；〃　said　Mr。　Scott

Eccles　in　a　querulous　voice；　〃but　it　is　really　uncommonly　hard　upon

me。　I　had　nothing　to　do　with　my　host　going　off　upon　a　nocturnal

excursion　and　meeting　so　sad　an　end。　How　do　I　come　to　be　mixed　up　with

the　case？〃

　　〃Very　simply；　sir；〃　Inspector　Baynes　answered。　〃The　only　document

found　in　the　pocket　of　the　deceased　was　a　letter　from　you　saying

that　you　would　be　with　him　on　the　night　of　his　death。　It　was　the

envelope　of　this　letter　which　gave　us　the　dead　man's　name　and　address。

It　was　after　nine　this　morning　when　we　reached　his　house　and　found

neither　you　nor　anyone　else　inside　it。　I　wired　to　Mr。　Gregson　to　run

you　down　in　London　while　I　examined　Wisteria　Lodge。　Then　I　came　into

town；　joined　Mr。　Gregson；　and　here　we　are。〃

　　〃I　think　now；〃　said　Gregson；　rising；　〃we　had　best　put　this　matter

into　an　official　shape。　You　will　come　round　with　us　to　the　station；

Mr。　Scott　Eccles；　and　let　us　have　your　statement　in　writing。〃

　　〃Certainly；　I　will　come　at　once。　But　I　retain　your　services；　Mr。

Holmes。　I　desire　you　to　spare　no　expense　and　no　pains　to　get　at　the

truth。〃

　　My　friend　turned　to　the　country　inspector。

　　〃I　suppose　that　you　have　no　objection　to　my　collaborating　with

you；　Mr。　Baynes？〃

　　〃Highly　honoured；　sir；　I　am　sure。〃

　　〃You　appear　to　have　been　very　prompt　and　business…like　in　all　that

you　have　done。　Was　there　any　clue；　may　I　ask；　as　to　the　exact　hour

that　the　man　met　his　death？〃

　　〃He　had　been　there　since　one　o'clock。　There　was　rain　about　that

time；　and　his　death　had　certainly　been　before　the　rain。〃

　　〃But　that　is　perfectly　impossible；　Mr。　Baynes；〃　cried　our　client。

〃His　voice　is　unmistakable。　I　could　swear　to　it　that　it　was　he　who

addressed　me　in　my　bedroom　at　that　very　hour。〃

　　〃Remarkable；　but　by　no　means　impossible；〃　said　Holmes；　smiling。

　　〃You　have　a　clue？〃　asked　Gregson。

　　〃On　the　face　of　it　the　case　is　not　a　very　complex　one；　though　it

certainly　presents　some　novel　and　interesting　features。　A　further

knowledge　of　facts　is　necessary　before　I　would　venture　to　give　a　final

and　definite　opinion。　By　the　way；　Mr。　Baynes；　did　you　find　anything

remarkable　besides　this　note　in　your　examination　of　the　house？〃

　　The　detective　looked　at　my　friend　in　a　singular　way。

　　〃There　were；〃　said　he；　〃one　or　two　very　remarkable　things。　Perhaps

when　I　have　finished　at　the　police…station　you　would　care　to　come

out　and　give　me　your　opinion　of　them。〃

　　〃I　am　entirely　at　your　service；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes；　ringing　the

bell。　〃You　will　show　these　gentlemen　out；　Mrs。　Hudson；　and　kindly　send

the　boy　with　this　telegram。　He　is　to　pay　a　five…shilling　reply。〃

　　We　sat　for　some　time　in　silence　after　our　visitors　had　left。

Holmes　smoked　hard；　with　his　brows　drawn　down　over　his　keen　eyes；

and　his　head　thrust　forward　in　the　eager　way　characteristic　of　the

man。

　　〃Well；　Watson；〃　he　asked；　turning　suddenly　upon　me；　〃What　do　you

make　of　it？〃

　　〃I　can　make　nothing　of　this　mystification　of　Scott　Eccles。〃

　　〃But　the　crime？〃

　　〃Well；　taken　with　the　disappearance　of　the　man's　companions；　I

should　say　that　they　were　in　some　way　concerned　in　the　murder　and

had　fled　from　justice。〃

　　〃That　is　certainly　a　possible　point　of　view。　On　the　face　of　it　you

must　admit；　however；　that　it　is　very　strange　that　his　two　servants

should　have　been　in　a　conspiracy　against　him　and　shoul