the adventure of wisteria lodge-第6部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


of　the　drug。　Baynes　had　been　summoned　by　Holmes；　and　the　situation

rapidly　explained　to　him。

　　〃Why；　sir；　you've　got　me　the　very　evidence　I　want；〃　said　the

inspector　warmly；　shaking　my　friend　by　the　hand。　〃I　was　on　the　same

scent　as　you　from　the　first。〃

　　〃What！　You　were　after　Henderson？〃

　　〃Why；　Mr。　Holmes；　when　you　were　crawling　in　the　shrubbery　at　High

Gable　I　was　up　one　of　the　trees　in　the　plantation　and　saw　you　down

below。　It　was　just　who　would　get　his　evidence　first。〃

　　〃Then　why　did　you　arrest　the　mulatto？〃

　　Baynes　chuckled。

　　〃I　was　sure　Henderson；　as　he　calls　himself；　felt　that　he　was

suspected；　and　that　he　would　lie　low　and　make　no　move　so　long　as　he

thought　he　was　in　any　danger。　I　arrested　the　wrong　man　to　make　him

believe　that　our　eyes　were　off　him。　I　knew　he　would　be　likely　to　clear

off　then　and　give　us　a　chance　of　getting　at　Miss　Burnet。〃

　　Holmes　laid　his　hand　upon　the　inspector's　shoulder。

　　〃You　will　rise　high　in　your　profession。　You　have　instinct　and

intuition；〃　said　he。

　　Baynes　flushed　with　pleasure。

　　〃I've　had　a　plain…clothes　man　waiting　at　the　station　all　the　week。

Wherever　the　High　Gable　folk　go　he　will　keep　them　in　sight。　But　he

must　have　been　hard　put　to　it　when　Miss　Burnet　broke　away。　However；

your　man　picked　her　up；　and　it　all　ends　well。　We　can't　arrest

without　her　evidence；　that　is　clear；　so　the　sooner　we　get　a

statement　the　better。〃

　　〃Every　minute　she　gets　stronger；〃　said　Holmes；　glancing　at　the

governess。　〃But　tell　me；　Baynes。　who　is　this　man　Henderson？〃

　　〃Henderson；〃　the　inspector　answered；　〃is　Don　Murillo；　once　called

the　Tiger　of　San　Pedro。〃

　　The　Tiger　of　San　Pedro！　The　whole　history　of　the　man　came　back　to　me

in　a　flash。　He　had　made　his　name　as　the　most　lewd　and　bloodthirsty

tyrant　that　had　ever　governed　any　country　with　a　pretence　to

civilization。　Strong；　fearless；　and　energetic；　he　had　sufficient

virtue　to　enable　him　to　impose　his　odious　vices　upon　a　cowering　people

for　ten　or　twelve　years。　His　name　was　a　terror　through　all　Central

America。　At　the　end　of　that　time　there　was　a　universal　rising

against　him。　But　he　was　as　cunning　as　he　was　cruel；　and　at　the　first

whisper　of　coming　trouble　he　had　secretly　conveyed　his　treasures

aboard　a　ship　which　was　manned　by　devoted　adherents。　It　was　an　empty

palace　which　was　stormed　by　the　insurgents　next　day。　The　dictator；　his

two　children；　his　secretary；　and　his　wealth　had　all　escaped　them。　From

that　moment　he　had　vanished　from　the　world；　and　his　identity　had

been　a　frequent　subject　for　comment　in　the　European　press。

　　〃Yes；　sir；　Don　Murillo；　the　Tiger　of　San　Pedro；〃　said　Baynes。　〃If

you　look　it　up　you　will　find　that　the　San　Pedro　colours　are　green

and　white；　same　as　in　the　note；　Mr。　Holmes。　Henderson　he　called

himself；　but　I　traced　him　back；　Paris　and　Rome　and　Madrid　to

Barcelona；　where　his　ship　came　in　in　'86。　They've　been　looking　for　him

all　the　time　for　their　revenge；　but　it　is　only　now　that　they　have

begun　to　find　him　out。〃

　　〃They　discovered　him　a　year　ago；〃　said　Miss　Burnet；　who　had　sat　up

and　was　now　intently　following　the　conversation。　〃Once　already　his

life　has　been　attempted；　but　some　evil　spirit　shielded　him。　Now；

again；　it　is　the　noble；　chivalrous　Garcia　who　has　fallen；　while　the

monster　goes　safe。　But　another　will　come；　and　yet　another；　until

some　day　justice　will　be　done；　that　is　as　certain　as　the　rise　of

to…morrow's　sun。〃　Her　thin　hands　clenched；　and　her　worn　face

blanched　with　the　passion　of　her　hatred。

　　〃But　how　come　you　into　this　matter；　Miss　Burnet？〃　asked　Holmes。　〃How

can　an　English　lady　join　in　such　a　murderous　affair？〃

　　〃I　join　in　it　because　there　is　no　other　way　in　the　world　by　which

justice　can　be　gained。　What　does　the　law　of　England　care　for　the

rivers　of　blood　shed　years　ago　in　San　Pedro；　or　for　the　ship　load　of

treasure　which　this　man　has　stolen？　To　you　they　are　like　crimes

committed　in　some　other　planet。　But　we　know。　We　have　learned　the　truth

in　sorrow　and　in　suffering。　To　us　there　is　no　fiend　in　hell　like

Juan　Murillo；　and　no　peace　in　life　while　his　victims　still　cry　for

vengeance。〃

　　〃No　doubt〃　said　Holmes；　〃he　was　as　you　say。　I　have　heard　that　he　was

atrocious。　But　how　are　you　affected？〃

　　〃I　will　tell　you　it　all。　This　villain's　policy　was　to　murder；　on　one

pretext　or　another；　every　man　who　showed　such　promise　that　he　might　in

time　come　to　be　a　dangerous　rival。　My　husband…　yes；　my　real　name　is

Sipora　Victor　Durando…　was　the　San　Pedro　minister　in　London。　He　met　me

and　married　me　there。　A　nobler　man　never　lived　upon　earth。

Unhappily；　Murillo　heard　of　his　excellence；　recalled　him　on　some

pretext；　and　had　him　shot。　With　a　premonition　of　his　fate　he　had

refused　to　take　me　with　him。　His　estates　were　confiscated；　and　I　was

left　with　a　pittance　and　a　broken　heart。

　　〃Then　came　the　downfall　of　the　tyrant。　He　escaped　as　you　have　just

described。　But　the　many　whose　lives　he　had　mined；　whose　nearest　and

dearest　had　suffered　torture　and　death　at　his　hands；　would　not　let　the

matter　rest。　They　banded　themselves　into　a　society　which　should

never　be　dissolved　until　the　work　was　done。　It　was　my　part　after　we

had　discovered　in　the　transformed　Henderson　the　fallen　despot；　to

attach　myself　to　his　household　and　keep　the　others　in　touch　with　his

movements。　This　I　was　able　to　do　by　securing　the　position　of　governess

in　his　family。　He　little　knew　that　the　woman　who　faced　him　at　every

meal　was　the　woman　whose　husband　he　had　hurried　at　an　hour's　notice

into　eternity。　I　smiled　on　him；　did　my　duty　to　his　children；　and　bided

my　time。　An　attempt　was　made　in　Paris　and　failed。　We　zig…zagged

swiftly　here　and　there　over　Europe　to　throw　off　the　pursuers　and

finally　returned　to　this　house；　which　he　had　taken　upon　his　first

arrival　in　England。

　　〃But　here　also　the　ministers　of　justice　were　waiting。　Knowing　that

he　would　return　there；　Garcia；　who　is　the　son　of　the　former　highest

dignitary　in　San　Pedro；　was　waiting　with　two　trusty　companions　of

humble　station；　all　three　fired　with　the　same　reasons　for　revenge。

He　could　do　little　during　the　day；　for　Murillo　took　every　precaution

and　never　went　out　save　with　his　satellite　Lucas；　or　Lopez　as　he　was

known　in　the　days　of　his　greatness。　At　night；　however；　he　slept　alone；

and　the　avenger　might　find　him。　On　a　certain　evening；　which　had　been

prearranged；　I　sent　my　friend　final　instructions；　for　the　man　was

forever　on　the　alert　and　continually　changed　his　room。　I　was　to　see

that　the　doors　were　open　and　the　signal　of　a　green　or　white　light　in　a

window　which　faced　the　drive　was　to　give　notice　if　all　was　safe　or

if　the　attempt　had　better　be　postponed。

　　〃But　everything　went　wrong　with　us。　In　some　way　I　had　excited　the

suspicion　of　Lopez；　the　secretary。　He　crept　up　behind　me　and　sprang

upon　me　just　as　I　had　finished　the　note。　He　and　his　master　dragged

me　to　my　room　and　held　judgment　upon　me　as　a　convicted　traitress。　Then

and　there　they　would　have　plunged　their　knives　into　me　could　they　have

seen　how　to　escape　the　consequences　of　the　deed。　Finally；　after　much

debate；　they　concluded　that　my　murder　was　too　dangerous。　But　they

determined　to　get　rid　forever　of　Garcia。　They　had　gagged　me；　and

Murillo　twisted　my　arm　round　until　I　gave　him　the　address。　I　swear

that　he　might　have　twisted　it　off　had　I　understood　what　it　would

mean　to　Garcia。　Lopez　addressed　the　note　which　I　had　written；　scaled

it　with　his　sleeve…link；　and　sent　it　by　the　hand　of　the　servant

Jose。　How　they　murdered　him　I　do　not　know；　save　that　it　was

Murillo's　hand　that　struck　him　down；　for　Lopez　had　remained　to　guard

me。　I　believe　he　must　have　awaited　among　the　gorse　bushes　through

which　the　path　winds　and　struck　him　down　as　he　passed。　At　first　they

were　of　a　mind　to　let　him　enter　the　house　and　kill　him　as　a　detected

burglar；　but　they　argued　that　if　they　were　mixed　up　in　an　inquiry

their　own　identity　would　at　once　be　publicly　disclosed　and　they

would　be　open　to　further　attacks。　With　the　death　of　Garcia；　the

pursuit　might　cease；　since　such　a　death　might　frighten　others　from　the

task。

　　〃All　would　now　have　been　well　for　them　had　it　not　been　for　my

knowledge　of　what　they　had　done。　I　have　no　doubt　that　there　were　times

when　my　life　hung　in　the　balance。　I　was　confined　to　my　room；

terrorized　by　the　most　horrible　threats；　cruelly　ill…used　to　break

my　spirit…　see　this　stab　on　my　shoulder　and　the　bruises　from　end　to

end　of　my　arms…　and　a　gag　was　thrust　into　my　mouth　on　the　one　occasion

when　I　tried　to　call　from　the　window。　For　five　days　this　cruel

imprisonment　continued；　with　hardly　enough　food　to　hold　body　and

soul　together。　This　afternoon　a　good　lunch　was　brought　me；　but　the

moment　after　I　took　it　I　knew　that　I　had　been　drugged。　In　a　sort　of

dream　I　remember　being　half…led；　half…carried　to　the　carriage；　in

the　same　state　I　was　conveyed　to　the　train。　Only　then；　when　the　wheels

were　almost　moving；　did　I　suddenly　realize　that　my　liberty　lay　in　my

own　hands。　I　sprang　out；　they　tried　to　drag　me　back；　and　had　it　not

been　for　the　help　of　this　good　man；　who　led　me　to　the　cab；　I　should

never　have　broken　away。　Now；　thank　God；　I　am　beyond　their　power

forever。〃

　　We　had　all　listened　intently　to　this　remarkable　statement。　It　was

Holmes　who　broke　the　silence。

　　〃Our　difficulties　are　not　over；〃　he　remarked；　shaking　his　head。　〃Our

police　work　ends；　but　our　legal　work　begins。〃

　　〃Exactly；〃　said　I。　〃A　plausible　lawyer　could　make　it　out　as　an　act

of　self…defence。　There　may　be　a　hundred　crimes　in　the　background；

but　it　is　only　on　this　one　that　they　can　be　tried。〃

　　〃Come；　come；〃　said　Baynes　cheerily；　〃I　think　better　of　the　law

than　that。　Self…defence　is　one　thing。　To　entice　a　man　in　cold　blood

with　the　object　of　murdering　him　is　another；　whatever　danger　you　may

fear　from　him。　No；　no；　we　shall　all　be　justified　when　we　see　the

tenants　of　High　Gable　at　the　next　Guildford　Assizes。〃



　　It　is　a　matter　of　history；　however；　that　a　little　time　was　still

to　elapse　before　the　Tiger　of　San　Pedro　should　meet　with　his

deserts。　Wily　and　bold；　he　and　his　companion　threw　their　pursuer　off

their　track　by　e