the adventure of the solitary cyclist-第4部分

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beasts　have　pulled　him　off　and　clubbed　him。　Let　him　lie；　we　can't　do

him　any　good；　but　we　may　save　her　from　the　worst　fate　that　can

befall　a　woman。〃

　　We　ran　frantically　down　the　path；　which　wound　among　the　trees。　We

had　reached　the　shrubbery　which　surrounded　the　house　when　Holmes

pulled　up。

　　〃They　didn't　go　to　the　house。　Here　are　their　marks　on　the　left…

here；　beside　the　laurel　bushes。　Ah！　I　said　so。〃

　　As　he　spoke；　a　woman's　shrill　scream…　a　scream　which　vibrated　with　a

frenzy　of　horror…　burst　from　the　thick；　green　clump　of　bushes　in　front

of　us。　It　ended　suddenly　on　its　highest　note　with　a　choke　and　a

gurgle。

　　〃This　way！　This　way！　They　are　in　the　bowling…alley；〃　cried　the

stranger；　darting　through　the　bushes。　〃Ah；　the　cowardly　dogs！　Follow

me；　gentlemen！　Too　late！　too　late！　by　the　living　Jingo！〃

　　We　had　broken　suddenly　into　a　lovely　glade　of　greensward

surrounded　by　ancient　trees。　On　the　farther　side　of　it；　under　the

shadow　of　a　mighty　oak；　there　stood　a　singular　group　of　three

people。　One　was　a　woman；　our　client；　drooping　and　faint；　a

handkerchief　round　her　mouth。　Opposite　her　stood　a　brutal；

heavy…faced；　redmoustached　young　man；　his　gaitered　legs　parted　wide；

one　arm　akimbo；　the　other　waving　a　riding　crop；　his　whole　attitude

suggestive　of　triumphant　bravado。　Between　them　an　elderly；

gray…bearded　man；　wearing　a　short　surplice　over　a　light　tweed　suit；

had　evidently　just　completed　the　wedding　service；　for　he　pocketed

his　prayer…book　as　we　appeared；　and　slapped　the　sinister　bridegroom

upon　the　back　in　jovial　congratulation。

　　〃They're　married？〃　I　gasped。

　　〃Come　on！〃　cried　our　guide；　〃come　on！〃　He　rushed　across　the　glade；

Holmes　and　I　at　his　heels。　As　we　approached；　the　lady　staggered

against　the　trunk　of　the　tree　for　support。　Williamson；　the

ex…clergyman；　bowed　to　us　with　mock　politeness；　and　the　bully；

Woodley；　advanced　with　a　shout　of　brutal　and　exultant　laughter。

　　〃You　can　take　your　beard　off；　Bob；〃　said　he。　〃I　know　you；　right

enough。　Well；　you　and　your　pals　have　just　come　in　time　for　me　to　be

able　to　introduce　you　to　Mrs。　Woodley。〃

　　Our　guide's　answer　was　a　singular　one。　He　snatched　off　the　dark

beard　which　had　disguised　him　and　threw　it　on　the　ground；　disclosing　a

long；　sallow；　clean…shaven　face　below　it。　Then　he　raised　his

revolver　and　covered　the　young　ruffian；　who　was　advancing　upon　him

with　his　dangerous　riding　crop　swinging　in　his　hand。

　　〃Yes；〃　said　our　ally；　〃I　am　Bob　Carruthers；　and　I'll　see　this

woman　righted；　if　I　have　to　swing　for　it。　I　told　you　what　I'd　do　if

you　molested　her；　and；　by　the　Lord！　I'll　be　as　good　as　my　word。〃

　　〃You're　too　late。　She's　my　wife。〃

　　〃No；　she's　your　widow。〃

　　His　revolver　cracked；　and　I　saw　the　blood　spurt　from　the　front　of

Woodley's　waistcoat。　He　spun　round　with　a　scream　and　fell　upon　his

back；　his　hideous　red　face　turning　suddenly　to　a　dreadful　mottled

pallor。　The　old　man；　still　clad　in　his　surplice；　burst　into　such　a

string　of　foul　oaths　as　I　have　never　heard；　and　pulled　out　a

revolver　of　his　own；　but；　before　he　could　raise　it；　he　was　looking

down　the　barrel　of　Holmes's　weapon。

　　〃Enough　of　this；〃　said　my　friend；　coldly。　〃Drop　that　pistol！　Watson；

pick　it　up！　Hold　it　to　his　head。　Thank　you。　You；　Carruthers；　give　me

that　revolver。　We'll　have　no　more　violence。　Come；　hand　it　over！〃

　　〃Who　are　you；　then？〃

　　〃My　name　is　Sherlock　Holmes。〃

　　〃Good　Lord！〃

　　〃You　have　heard　of　me；　I　see。　I　will　represent　the　official　police

until　their　arrival。　Here；　you！〃　he　shouted　to　a　frightened　groom；　who

had　appeared　at　the　edge　of　the　glade。　〃Come　here。　Take　this　note　as

hard　as　you　can　ride　to　Farnham。〃　He　scribbled　a　few　words　upon　a　leaf

from　his　notebook。　〃Give　it　to　the　superintendent　at　the

police…station。　Until　he　comes；　I　must　detain　you　all　under　my

personal　custody。〃

　　The　strong；　masterful　personality　of　Holmes　dominated　the　tragic

scene；　and　all　were　equally　puppets　in　his　hands。　Williamson　and

Carruthers　found　themselves　carrying　the　wounded　Woodley　into　the

house；　and　I　gave　my　arm　to　the　frightened　girl。　The　injured　man　was

laid　on　his　bed；　and　at　Holmes's　request　I　examined　him。　I　carried

my　report　to　where　he　sat　in　the　old　tapestry…hung　dining…room　with

his　two　prisoners　before　him。

　　〃He　will　live；〃　said　I。

　　〃What！〃　cried　Carruthers；　springing　out　of　his　chair。　〃I'll　go

upstairs　and　finish　him　first。　Do　you　tell　me　that　that　angel；　is　to

be　tied　to　Roaring　Jack　Woodley　for　life？〃

　　〃You　need　not　concern　yourself　about　that；〃　said　Holmes。　〃There

are　two　very　good　reasons　why　she　should；　under　no　circumstances；　be

his　wife。　In　the　first　place；　we　are　very　safe　in　questioning　Mr。

Williamson's　right　to　solemnize　a　marriage。〃

　　〃I　have　been　ordained；〃　cried　the　old　rascal。

　　〃And　also　unfrocked。〃

　　〃Once　a　clergyman；　always　a　clergyman。〃

　　〃I　think　not。　How　about　the　license？〃

　　〃We　had　a　license　for　the　marriage。　I　have　it　here　in　my　pocket。〃

　　〃Then　you　got　it　by　trick。　But；　in　any　case　a　forced　marriage　is

no　marriage；　but　it　is　a　very　serious　felony；　as　you　will　discover

before　you　have　finished。　You'll　have　time　to　think　the　point　out

during　the　next　ten　years　or　so；　unless　I　am　mistaken。　As　to　you；

Carruthers；　you　would　have　done　better　to　keep　your　pistol　in　your

pocket。〃

　　〃I　begin　to　think　so；　Mr。　Holmes；　but　when　I　thought　of　all　the

precaution　I　had　taken　to　shield　this　girl…　for　I　loved　her；　Mr。

Holmes；　and　it　is　the　only　time　that　ever　I　knew　what　love　was…　it

fairly　drove　me　mad　to　think　that　she　was　in　the　power　of　the　greatest

brute　and　bully　in　South　Africa…　a　man　whose　name　is　a　holy　terror

from　Kimberley　to　Johannesburg。　Why；　Mr。　Holmes；　you'll　hardly　believe

it；　but　ever　since　that　girl　has　been　in　my　employment　I　never　once

let　her　go　past　this　house；　where　I　knew　rascals　were　lurking；　without

following　her　on　my　bicycle；　to　see　that　she　came　to　no　harm。　I　kept

my　distance　from　her；　and　I　wore　a　beard；　so　that　she　should　not

recognize　me；　for　she　is　a　good　and　high…spirited　girl；　and　she

wouldn't　have　stayed　in　my　employment　long　if　she　had　thought　that　I

was　following　her　about　the　country　roads。〃

　　〃Why　didn't　you　tell　her　of　her　danger？〃

　　〃Because　then；　again；　she　would　have　left　me；　and　I　couldn't　bear　to

face　that。　Even　if　she　couldn't　love　me；　it　was　a　great　deal　to　me

just　to　see　her　dainty　form　about　the　house；　and　to　hear　the　sound

of　her　voice。〃

　　〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃you　call　that　love；　Mr。　Carruthers；　but　I　should

call　it　selfishness。〃

　　〃Maybe　the　two　things　go　together。　Anyhow；　I　couldn't　let　her　go。

Besides；　with　this　crowd　about；　it　was　well　that　she　should　have

someone　near　to　look　after　her。　Then；　when　the　cable　came；　I　knew　they

were　bound　to　make　a　move。〃

　　〃What　cable？〃

　　Carruthers　took　a　telegram　from　his　pocket　〃That's　it；〃　said　he。

　　It　was　short　and　concise：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　OLD　MAN　IS　DEAD。



　　〃Hum！〃　said　Holmes。　〃I　think　I　see　how　things　worked；　and　I　can

understand　how　this　message　would；　as　you　say；　bring　them　to　a　head。

But　while　you　wait；　you　might　tell　me　what　you　can。

　　The　old　reprobate　with　the　surplice　burst　into　a　volley　of　bad

language。

　　〃By　heaven！〃　said　he；　〃if　you　squeal　on　us；　Bob　Carruthers；　I'll

serve　you　as　you　served　Jack　Woodley。　You　can　bleat　about　the　girl

to　your　heart's　content；　for　that's　your　own　affair；　but　if　you

round　on　your　pals　to　this　plain…clothes　copper；　it　will　be　the

worst　day's　work　that　ever　you　did。〃

　　〃Your　reverence　need　not　be　excited；〃　said　Holmes；　lighting　a

cigarette。　〃The　case　is　clear　enough　against　you；　and　all　I　ask　is　a

few　details　for　my　private　curiosity。　However；　if　there's　any

difficulty　in　your　telling　me；　I'll　do　the　talking；　and　then　you

will　see　how　far　you　have　a　chance　of　holding　back　your　secrets。　In

the　first　place；　three　of　you　came　from　South　Africa　on　this　game…　you

Williamson；　you　Carruthers；　and　Woodley。〃

　　〃Lie　number　one；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃I　never　saw　either　of　them

until　two　months　ago；　and　I　have　never　been　in　Africa　in　my　life；　so

you　can　put　that　in　your　pipe　and　smoke　it；　Mr。　Busybody　Holmes！〃

　　〃What　he　says　is　true；〃　said　Carruthers。

　　〃Well；　well；　two　of　you　came　over。　His　reverence　is　our　own　homemade

article。　You　had　known　Ralph　Smith　in　South　Africa。　You　had　reason

to　believe　he　would　not　live　long。　You　found　out　that　his　niece

would　inherit　his　fortune。　How's　that…　eh？〃

　　Carruthers　nodded　and　Williamson　swore。

　　〃She　was　next　of　kin；　no　doubt；　and　you　were　aware　that　the　old

fellow　would　make　no　will。〃

　　〃Couldn't　read　or　write；〃　said　Carruthers。

　　〃So　you　came　over；　the　two　of　you；　and　hunted　up　the　girl。　The

idea　was　that　one　of　you　was　to　marry　her；　and　the　other　have　a

share　of　the　plunder。　For　some　reason；　Woodley　was　chosen　as　the

husband。　Why　was　that？〃

　　〃We　played　cards　for　her　on　the　voyage。　He　won。〃

　　〃I　see。　You　got　the　young　lady　into　your　service；　and　there

Woodley　was　to　do　the　courting。　She　recognized　the　drunken　brute

that　he　was；　and　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　him。　Meanwhile；　your

arrangement　was　rather　upset　by　the　fact　that　you　had　yourself

fallen　in　love　with　the　lady。　You　could　no　longer　bear　the　idea　of

this　ruffian　owning　her？〃

　　〃No；　by　George；　I　couldn't！〃

　　〃There　was　a　quarrel　between　you。　He　left　you　in　a　rage；　and　began

to　make　his　own　plans　independently　of　you。〃

　　〃It　strikes　me；　Williamson；　there　isn't　very　much　that　we　can　tell

this　gentleman；〃　cried　Carruthers；　with　a　bitter　laugh。　〃Yes；　we

quarreled；　and　he　knocked　me　down。　I　am　level　with　him　on　that；

anyhow。　Then　I　lost　sight　of　him。　That　was　when　he　picked　up　with　this

outcast　padre　here。　I　found　that　they　had　set　up　housekeeping　together

at　this　place　on　the　line　that　she　had　to　pass　for　the　station。　I　kept

my　eye　on　her　after　that；　for　I　knew　there　was　some　devilry　in　the

wind。　I　saw　them　from　time　to　time；　for　I　was　anxious　to　know　what

they　were　after。　Two　days　ago　Woodley　came　up　to　my　house　with　this

cable；　which　showed　that　Ralph　Smith　was　dead。　He　asked　me　if　I

would　stand　by　the　bargain。　I　said　I　would　not。　He　a