the adventure of wisteria lodge-第7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！


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　entering　a　lodging…house　in　Edmonton　Street　and　leaving

by　the　back…gate　into　Curzon　Square。　From　that　day　they　were　seen　no

more　in　England。　Some　six　months　afterwards　the　Marquess　of　Montalva

and　Signor　Rulli；　his　secretary；　were　both　murdered　in　their　rooms

at　the　Hotel　Escurial　at　Madrid。　The　crime　was　ascribed　to　Nihilism；

and　the　murderers　were　never　arrested。　Inspector　Baynes　visited　us

at　Baker　Street　with　a　printed　description　of　the　dark　face　of　the

secretary；　and　of　the　masterful　features；　the　magnetic　black　eyes；　and

the　tufted　brows　of　his　master。　We　could　not　doubt　that　justice；　if

belated；　had　come　at　last。

　　〃A　chaotic　case；　my　dear　Watson；〃　said　Holmes　over　an　evening

pipe。　〃It　will　not　be　possible　for　you　to　present　it　in　that　compact

form　which　is　dear　to　your　heart。　It　covers　two　continents；　concerns

two　groups　of　mysterious　persons；　and　is　further　complicated　by　the

highly　respectable　presence　of　our　friend；　Scott　Eccles；　whose

inclusion　shows　me　that　the　deceased　Garcia　had　a　scheming　mind　and

a　well…developed　instinct　of　self…preservation。　It　is　remarkable

only　for　the　fact　that　amid　a　perfect　jungle　of　possibilities　we；　with

our　worthy　collaborator；　the　inspector；　have　kept　our　close　hold　on

the　essentials　and　so　been　guided　along　the　crooked　and　winding

path。　Is　there　any　point　which　is　not　quite　clear　to　you？〃

　　〃The　object　of　the　mulatto　cook's　return？〃

　　〃I　think　that　the　strange　creature　in　the　kitchen　may　account　for

it。　The　man　was　a　primitive　savage　from　the　backwoods　of　San　Pedro；

and　this　was　his　fetish。　When　his　companion　and　he　had　fled　to　some

prearranged　retreat…　already　occupied；　no　doubt　by　a　confederate…

the　companion　had　persuaded　him　to　leave　so　compromising　an　article　of

furniture。　But　the　mulatto's　heart　was　with　it；　and　he　was　driven　back

to　it　next　day；　when；　on　reconnoitring　through　the　window；　he　found

policeman　Walters　in　possession。　He　waited　three　days　longer；　and　then

his　piety　or　his　superstition　drove　him　to　try　once　more。　Inspector

Baynes；　who；　with　his　usual　astuteness；　had　minimized　the　incident

before　me；　had　really　recognized　its　importance　and　had　left　a　trap

into　which　the　creature　walked。　Any　other　point；　Watson？〃

　　〃The　torn　bird；　the　pail　of　blood；　the　charred　bones；　all　the

mystery　of　that　weird　kitchen？〃

　　Holmes　smiled　as　he　turned　up　an　entry　in　his　notebook。

　　〃I　spent　a　morning　in　the　British　Museum　reading　up　on　that　and

other　points。　Here　is　a　quotation　from　Eckermann's　Voodooism　and　the

Negroid　Religions：



　　The　true　voodoo…worshipper　attempts　nothing　of　importance　without

certain　sacrifices　which　are　intended　to　propitiate　his　unclean

gods。　In　extreme　cases　these　rites　take　the　form　of　human　sacrifices

followed　by　cannibalism。　The　more　usual　victims　are　a　white　cock；

which　is　plucked　in　pieces　alive；　or　a　black　goat；　whose　throat　is　cut

and　body　burned。



　　〃So　you　see　our　savage　friend　was　very　orthodox　in　his　ritual。　It　is

grotesque；　Watson；〃　Holmes　added；　as　he　slowly　fastened　his

notebook；　〃but；　as　I　have　had　occasion　to　remark；　there　is　but　one

step　from　the　grotesque　to　the　horrible。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

。