the adventure of wisteria lodge-第4部分

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his　customer　save　that　he　was　a　good　payer。　Odds　and　ends；　some　pipes；

a　few　novels；　two　of　them　in　Spanish；　an　old…fashioned　pinfire

revolver；　and　a　guitar　were　among　the　personal　property。

　　〃Nothing　in　all　this〃　said　Baynes；　stalking；　candle　in　hand；　from

room　to　room。　〃But　now；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　invite　your　attention　to　the

kitchen。〃

　　It　was　a　gloomy；　high…ceilinged　room　at　the　back　of　the　house；

with　a　straw　litter　in　one　corner；　which　served　apparently　as　a　bed

for　the　cook。　The　table　was　piled　with　half…eaten　dishes　and　dirty

plates；　the　debris　of　last　night's　dinner。

　　〃Look　at　this；〃　said　Baynes。　〃What　do　you　make　of　it？〃

　　He　held　up　his　candle　before　an　extraordinary　object　which　stood

at　the　back　of　the　dresser。　It　was　so　wrinkled　and　shrunken　and

withered　that　it　was　difficult　to　say　what　it　might　have　been。　One

could　but　say　that　it　was　black　and　leathery　and　that　it　bore　some

resemblance　to　a　dwarfish；　human　figure。　At　first；　as　I　examined　it；　I

thought　that　it　was　a　mummified　negro　baby；　and　then　it　seemed　a

very　twisted　and　ancient　monkey。　Finally　I　was　left　in　doubt　as　to

whether　it　was　animal　or　human。　A　double　band　of　white　shells　was

strung　round　the　centre　of　it。

　　〃Very　interesting…　very　interesting；　indeed！〃　said　Holmes；　peering

at　this　sinister　relic。　〃Anything　more？〃

　　In　silence　Baynes　led　the　way　to　the　sink　and　held　forward　his

candle。　The　limbs　and　body　of　some　large；　white　bird；　torn　savagely　to

pieces　with　the　feathers　still　on；　were　littered　all　over　it。　Holmes

pointed　to　the　wattles　on　the　severed　head。

　　〃A　white　cock；〃　said　he。　〃Most　interesting！　It　is　really　a　very

curious　case。〃

　　　But　Mr。　Baynes　had　kept　his　most　sinister　exhibit　to　the　last。　From

under　the　sink　he　drew　a　zinc　pail　which　contained　a　quantity　of

blood。　Then　from　the　table　he　took　a　platter　heaped　with　small

pieces　of　charred　bone。

　　〃Something　has　been　killed　and　something　has　been　burned。　We　raked

all　these　out　of　the　fire。　We　had　a　doctor　in　this　morning。　He　says

that　they　are　not　human。〃

　　Holmes　smiled　and　rubbed　his　hands。

　　〃I　must　congratulate　you；　Inspector；　on　handling　so　distinctive

and　instructive　a　case。　Your　powers；　if　I　may　say　so　without

offence；　seem　superior　to　your　opportunities。〃

　　Inspector　Baynes's　small　eyes　twinkled　with　pleasure。

　　〃You're　right；　Mr。　Holmes。　We　stagnate　in　the　provinces。　A　case　of

this　sort　gives　a　man　a　chance；　and　I　hope　that　I　shall　take　it。

What　do　you　make　of　these　bones？〃

　　〃A　lamb；　I　should　say；　or　a　kid。〃

　　〃And　the　white　cock？〃

　　〃Curious；　Mr。　Baynes；　very　curious。　I　should　say　almost　unique。〃

　　〃Yes；　sir；　there　must　have　been　some　very　strange　people　with　some

very　strange　ways　in　this　house。　One　of　them　is　dead。　Did　his

companions　follow　him　and　kill　him？　If　they　did　we　should　have　them；

for　every　port　is　watched。　But　my　own　views　are　different。　Yes；　sir；

my　own　views　are　very　different。〃

　　〃You　have　a　theory　then？〃

　　〃And　I'll　work　it　myself；　Mr。　Holmes。　It's　only　due　to　my　own　credit

to　do　so。　Your　name　is　made；　but　I　have　still　to　make　mine。　I　should

be　glad　to　be　able　to　say　afterwards　that　I　had　solved　it　without　your

help。〃

　　Holmes　laughed　good…humouredly。

　　〃Well；　well；　Inspector；〃　said　he。　〃Do　you　follow　your　path　and　I

will　follow　mine。　My　results　are　always　very　much　at　your　service　if

you　care　to　apply　to　me　for　them。　I　think　that　I　have　seen　all　that

I　wish　in　this　house；　and　that　my　time　may　be　more　profitably　employed

elsewhere。　Au　revoir　and　good　luck！〃

　　I　could　tell　by　numerous　subtle　signs；　which　might　have　been　lost

upon　anyone　but　myself；　that　Holmes　was　on　a　hot　scent。　As　impassive

as　ever　to　the　casual　observer；　there　were　none　the　less　a　subdued

eagerness　and　suggestion　of　tension　in　his　brightened　eyes　and　brisker

manner　which　assured　me　that　the　game　was　a　foot。　After　his　habit　he

said　nothing；　and　after　mine　I　asked　no　questions。　Sufficient　for　me

to　share　the　sport　and　lend　my　humble　help　to　the　capture　without

distracting　that　intent　brain　with　needless　interruption。　All　would

come　round　to　me　in　due　time。

　　I　waited；　therefore…　but　to　my　ever…deepening　disappointment　I

waited　in　vain。　Day　succeeded　day；　and　my　friend　took　no　step　forward。

One　morning　he　spent　in　town；　and　I　learned　from　a　casual　reference

that　he　had　visited　the　British　Museum。　Save　for　this　one　excursion；

he　spent　his　days　in　long　and　often　solitary　walks；　or　in　chatting

with　a　number　of　village　gossips　whose　acquaintance　he　had　cultivated。

　　〃I'm　sure；　Watson；　a　week　in　the　country　will　be　invaluable　to　you；〃

he　remarked。　〃It　is　very　pleasant　to　see　the　first　green　shoots　upon

the　hedges　and　the　catkins　on　the　hazels　once　again。　With　a　spud；　a

tin　box；　and　an　elementary　book　on　botany；　there　are　instructive

days　to　be　spent。〃　He　prowled　about　with　this　equipment　himself；　but

it　was　a　poor　show　of　plants　which　he　would　bring　back　of　an　evening。

　　Occasionally　in　our　rambles　we　came　across　Inspector　Baynes。　His

fat；　red　face　wreathed　itself　in　smiles　and　his　small　eyes　glittered

as　he　greeted　my　companion。　He　said　little　about　the　case；　but　from

that　little　we　gathered　that　he　also　was　not　dissatisfied　at　the

course　of　events。　I　must　admit；　however；　that　I　was　somewhat　surprised

when；　some　five　days　after　the　crime；　I　opened　my　morning　paper　to

find　in　large　letters：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　OXSHOTT　MYSTERY

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　SOLUTION

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ARREST　OF　SUPPOSED　ASSASSIN



　　Holmes　sprang　in　his　chair　as　if　he　had　been　stung　when　I　read　the

headlines。

　　〃By　Jove！〃　he　cried。　〃You　don't　mean　that　Baynes　has　got　him？〃

　　〃Apparently；〃　said　I　as　I　read　the　following　report：



　　〃Great　excitement　was　caused　in　Esher　and　the　neighbouring

district　when　it　was　learned　late　last　night　that　an　arrest　had　been

effected　in　connection　with　the　Oxshott　murder。　It　will　be

remembered　that　Mr。　Garcia；　of　Wisteria　Lodge；　was　found　dead　on

Oxshott　Common；　his　body　showing　signs　of　extreme　violence；　and　that

on　the　same　night　his　servant　and　his　cook　fled；　which　appeared　to

show　participation　in　the　crime。　It　was　suggested；　but　never　proved；

that　the　gentleman　may　have　had　valuables　in　the　house；　and　that　their

abstraction　was　the　motive　of　the　crime。　Every　effort　was　made　by

Inspector　Baynes；　who　has　the　case　in　hand；　to　ascertain　the　hiding

place　of　the　fugatives；　and　he　had　good　reason　to　believe　that　they

had　not　gone　far　but　were　lurking　in　some　retreat　which　had　been

already　prepared。　It　was　certain　from　the　first；　however；　that　they

would　eventually　be　detected；　as　the　cook；　from　the　evidence　of　one　or

two　trades…people　who　have　caught　a　glimpse　of　him　through　the　window；

was　a　man　of　most　remarkable　appearance…　being　a　huge　and　hideous

mulatto；　with　yellowish　features　of　a　pronounced　negroid　type。　This

man　has　been　seen　since　the　crime；　for　he　was　detected　and　pursued

by　Constable　Walters　on　the　same　evening；　when　he　had　the　audacity

to　revisit　Wisteria　Lodge。　Inspector　Baynes；　considering　that　such　a

visit　must　have　some　purpose　in　view　and　was　likely；　therefore；　to

be　repeated；　abandoned　the　house　but　left　an　ambuscade　in　the

shrubbery。　The　man　walk　into　the　trap　and　was　captured　last　night

after　a　struggle　in　which　Constable　Downing　was　badly　bitten　by　the

savage。　We　understand　that　when　the　prisoner　is　brought　before　the

magistrates　a　remand　will　be　applied　for　by　the　police；　and　that　great

developments　are　hoped　from　his　capture。〃



　　〃Really　we　must　see　Baynes　at　once；〃　cried　Holmes；　picking　up　his

hat。　〃We　will　just　catch　him　before　he　starts。〃　We　hurried　down　the

village　street　and　found；　as　we　had　expected；　that　the　inspector　was

just　leaving　his　lodgings。

　　〃You've　seen　the　paper；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　he　asked；　holding　one　out　to

us。

　　〃Yes；　Baynes；　I've　seen　it。　Pray　don't　think　it　a　liberty　if　I

give　you　a　word　of　friendly　warning。

　　〃Of　warning。　Mr。　Holmes？〃

　　〃I　have　looked　into　this　case　with　some　care；　and　I　am　not　convinced

that　you　are　on　the　right　lines。　I　don't　want　you　to　commit　yourself

too　far　unless　you　are　sure。〃

　　〃You're　very　kind；　Mr。　Holmes。〃

　　〃I　assure　you　I　speak　for　your　good。〃

　　It　seemed　to　me　that　something　like　a　wink　quivered　for　an　instant

over　one　of　Mr。　Baynes's　tiny　eyes。

　　〃We　agreed　to　work　on　our　own　lines；　Mr。　Holmes。　That's　what　I　am

doing。〃

　　〃Oh；　very　good；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Don't　blame　me。〃

　　〃No；　sir；　I　believe　you　mean　well　by　me。　But　we　all　have　our　own

systems；　Mr。　Holmes。　You　have　yours；　and　maybe　I　have　mine。〃

　　〃Let　us　say　no　more　about　it。〃

　　〃You're　welcome　always　to　my　news。　This　fellow　is　a　perfect

savage；　as　strong　as　a　cart…horse　and　as　fierce　as　the　devil。　He

chewed　Downing's　thumb　nearly　off　before　they　could　master　him。　He

hardly　speaks　a　word　of　English；　and　we　can　get　nothing　out　of　him　but

grunts。〃

　　〃And　you　think　you　have　evidence　that　he　murdered　his　late　master？〃

　　〃I　didn't　say　so；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　didn't　say　so。　We　all　have　our

little　ways。　You　try　yours　and　I　will　try　mine。　That's　the　agreement。〃

　　Holmes　shrugged　his　shoulders　as　we　walked　away　together。　〃I　can't

make　the　man　out。　He　seems　to　be　riding　for　a　fall。　Well；　as　he

says；　we　must　each　try　our　own　way　and　see　what　comes　of　it。　But

there's　something　in　Inspector　Baynes　which　I　can't　quite　understand。〃

　　〃Just　sit　down　in　that　chair；　Watson；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes　when

we　had　returned　to　our　apartment　at　the　Bull。　〃I　want　to　put　you　in

touch　with　the　situation；　as　I　may　need　your　help　to…night。　Let　me

show　you　the　evolution　of　this　case　so　far　as　I　have　been　able　to

follow　it。　Simple　as　it　has　been　in　its　leading　features；　it　has

none　the　less　presented　surprising　difficulties　in　the　way　of　an

arrest。　There　are　gaps　in　that　direction　which　we　have　still　to　fill。

　　〃We　will　go　back　to　the　note　which　was　handed　in　to　Garcia　upon

the　evening　of　his　death。　We　may　put　aside　this　idea　of　Baynes's

that　Garcia's　servants　were　concerned　in　the　matter。　The　proof　of　this

lies　in　the　fact　that　it　was　he　who　had　arranged　for　the　presence　of

Scott　Eccl