the adventure of the cardboard box-第6节

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that　crushed　his　head　like　an　egg。　I　would　have　spared　her；　perhaps；

for　all　my　madness；　but　she　threw　her　arms　round　him；　crying　out　to

him；　and　calling　him　〃Alec。〃　I　struck　again；　and　she　lay　stretched

beside　him。　I　was　like　a　wild　beast　then　that　had　tasted　blood。　If

Sarah　had　been　there；　by　the　Lord；　she　should　have　joined　them。　I

pulled　out　my　knife；　and…　well；　there！　I've　said　enough。　It　gave　me

a　kind　of　savage　joy　when　I　thought　how　Sarah　would　feel　when　she

had　such　sign　of　what　her　meddling　had　brought　about。　Then　I　tied

the　bodies　into　the　boat；　stove　a　plank；　and　stood　by　until　they　had

sunk。　I　knew　very　well　that　the　owner　would　think　that　they　had　lost

their　bearings　and　had　drifted　off　out　to　sea。　I　cleaned　myself　up；

got　back　to　land；　and　joined　my　ship　without　a　soul　having　a　suspicion

of　what　had　passed。　That　night　I　made　up　the　packet　for　Sarah　Cushing；

and　next　day　I　sent　it　from　Belfast。

　　〃'There　you　have　the　whole　truth　of　it。　You　can　hang　me；　or　do

what　you　like　with　me；　but　you　cannot　punish　me　as　I　have　been

punished　already。　I　cannot　shut　my　eyes　but　I　see　those　two　faces

staring　at　me…　staring　at　me　as　they　stared　when　my　boat　broke　through

the　haze。　I　killed　them　quick；　but　they　are　killing　me　slow；　and　if

I　have　another　night　of　it　I　shall　be　either；　mad　or　dead　before

morning。　You　won't　put　me　alone　into　a　cell；　sir？　For　pity's　sake

don't；　and　may　you　be　treated　in　your　day　of　agony　as　you　treat　me

now。〃

　　〃What　is　the　meaning　of　it　Watson？；　said　Holmes　solemnly　as　he

laid　down　the　paper。　〃What　object　is　served　by　this　circle　of　misery

and　violence　and　fear？　It　must　tend　to　some　end；　or　else　our

universe　is　ruled　by　chance；　which　is　unthinkable。　But　what　end？　There

is　the　great　standing　perennial　problem　to　which　human　reason　is　as

far　from　an　answer　as　ever。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

。