the adventure of the solitary cyclist-第5部分

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

would　stand　by　the　bargain。　I　said　I　would　not。　He　asked　me　if　I　would

marry　the　girl　myself　and　give　him　a　share。　I　said　I　would　willingly

do　so；　but　that　she　would　not　have　me。　He　said；　‘Let　us　get　her

married　first　and　after　a　week　or　two　she　may　see　things　a　bit

different。'　I　said　I　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　violence。　So　he

went　off　cursing；　like　the　foul…mouthed　blackguard　that　he　was；　and

swearing　that　he　would　have　her　yet。　She　was　leaving　me　this　week…end；

and　I　had　got　a　trap　to　take　her　to　the　station；　but　I　was　so　uneasy

in　my　mind　that　I　followed　her　on　my　bicycle。　She　had　got　a　start；

however；　and　before　I　could　catch　her；　the　mischief　was　done。　The

first　thing　I　knew　about　it　was　when　I　saw　you　two　gentlemen　driving

back　in　her　dog…cart〃

　　Holmes　rose　and　tossed　the　end　of　his　cigarette　into　the　grate。　〃I

have　been　very　obtuse；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃When　in　your　report　you　said

that　you　had　seen　the　cyclist　as　you　thought　arrange　his　necktie　in

the　shrubbery；　that　alone　should　have　told　me　all。　However；　we　may

congratulate　ourselves　upon　a　curious　and；　in　some　respects；　a

unique　case。　I　perceive　three　of　the　county　constabulary　in　the　drive；

and　I　am　glad　to　see　that　the　little　ostler　is　able　to　keep　pace

with　them；　so　it　is　likely　that　neither　he　nor　the　interesting

bridegroom　will　be　permanently　damaged　by　their　morning's

adventures。　I　think；　Watson；　that　in　your　medical　capacity；　you

might　wait　upon　Miss　Smith　and　tell　her　that　if　she　is　sufficiently

recovered；　we　shall　be　happy　to　escort　her　to　her　mother's　home。　If

she　is　not　quite　convalescent　you　will　find　that　a　hint　that　we　were

about　to　telegraph　to　a　young　electrician　in　the　Midlands　would

probably　complete　the　cure。　As　to　you；　Mr。　Carruthers；　I　think　that

you　have　done　what　you　could　to　make　amends　for　your　share　in　an

evil　plot。　There　is　my　card；　sir；　and　if　my　evidence　can　be　of　help　in

your　trial；　it　shall　be　at　your　disposal。〃



　　In　the　whirl　of　our　incessant　activity；　it　has　often　been

difficult　for　me；　as　the　reader　has　probably　observed；　to　round　off　my

narratives；　and　to　give　those　final　details　which　the　curious　might

expect。　Each　case　has　been　the　prelude　to　another；　and　the　crisis　once

over；　the　actors　have　passed　for　ever　out　of　our　busy　lives。　I　find；

however；　a　short　note　at　the　end　of　my　manuscript　dealing　with　this

case；　in　which　I　have　put　it　upon　record　that　Miss　Violet　Smith　did

indeed　inherit　a　large　fortune；　and　that　she　is　now　the　wife　of

Cyril　Morton；　the　senior　partner　of　Morton　&　Kennedy；　the　famous

Westminster　electricians。　Williamson　and　Woodley　were　both　tried　for

abduction　and　assault；　the　former　getting　seven　years　the　latter

ten。　Of　the　fate　of　Carruthers；　I　have　no　record；　but　I　am　sure　that

his　assault　was　not　viewed　very　gravely　by　the　court；　since　Woodley

had　the　reputation　of　being　a　most　dangerous　ruffian；　and　I　think　that

a　few；　months　were　sufficient　to　satisfy　the　demands　of　justice。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

。