the problem of thor bridge-第3节

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


down　to　the　facts；　whatever　they　may　be；　and　I　think　the　more　of　you

for　it。　I　can　assure　you；　however；　that　the　relations　between　Miss

Dunbar　and　me　don't　really　touch　this　case。〃

　　〃That　is　for　me　to　decide；　is　it　not？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　guess　that　is　so。　You're　like　a　surgeon　who　wants　every

symptom　before　he　can　give　his　diagnosis。〃

　　〃Exactly。　That　expresses　it。　And　it　is　only　a　patient　who　has　an

object　in　deceiving　his　surgeon　who　would　conceal　the　facts　of　his

case。〃

　　〃That　may　be　so；　but　you　will　admit；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　most　men　would

shy　off　a　bit　when　they　are　asked　point…blank　what　their　relations

with　a　woman　may　be…　if　there　is　really　some　serious　feeling　in　the

case。　I　guess　most　men　have　a　little　private　reserve　of　their　own　in

some　corner　of　their　souls　where　they　don't　welcome　intruders。　And　you

burst　suddenly　into　it。　But　the　object　excuses　you；　since　it　was　to

try　and　save　her。　Well；　the　stakes　are　down　and　the　reserve　open；

and　you　can　explore　where　you　will。　What　is　it　you　want？〃

　　〃The　truth。〃

　　The　Gold　King　paused　for　a　moment　as　one　who　marshals　his

thoughts。　His　grim；　deep…lined　face　had　become　even　sadder　and　more

grave。

　　〃I　can　give　it　to　you　in　a　very　few　words；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　he　at

last。　〃There　are　some　things　that　are　painful　as　well　as　difficult

to　say；　so　I　won't　go　deeper　than　is　needful。　I　met　my　wife　when　I　was

gold…hunting　in　Brazil。　Maria　Pinto　was　the　daughter　of　a　government

official　at　Manaos；　and　she　was　very　beautiful。　I　was　young　and　ardent

in　those　days；　but　even　now；　as　I　look　back　with　colder　blood　and　a

more　critical　eye；　I　can　see　that　she　was　rare　and　wonderful　in　her

beauty。　It　was　a　deep　rich　nature；　too；　passionate；　whole…hearted；

tropical；　ill…balanced；　very　different　from　the　American　women　whom

I　had　known。　Well；　to　make　a　long　story　short；　I　loved　her　and　I

married　her。　It　was　only　when　the　romance　had　passed…　and　it

lingered　for　years…　that　I　realized　that　we　had　nothing…　absolutely

nothing…　in　common。　My　love　faded。　If　hers　had　faded　also　it　might

have　been　easier。　But　you　know　the　wonderful　way　of　women！　Do　what　I

might；　nothing　could　turn　her　from　me。　If　I　have　been　harsh　to　her；

even　brutal　as　some　have　said；　it　has　been　because　I　knew　that　if　I

could　kill　her　love；　or　if　it　turned　to　hate；　it　would　be　easier　for

both　of　us。　But　nothing　changed　her。　She　adored　me　in　those　English

woods　as　she　had　adored　me　twenty　years　ago　on　the　banks　of　the

Amazon。　Do　what　I　might；　she　was　as　devoted　as　ever。

　　〃Then　came　Miss　Grace　Dunbar。　She　answered　our　advertisement　and

became　governess　to　our　two　children。　Perhaps　you　have　seen　her

portrait　in　the　papers。　The　whole　world　has　proclaimed　that　she　also

is　a　very　beautiful　woman。　Now；　I　make　no　pretence　to　be　more　moral

than　my　neighbours；　and　I　will　admit　to　you　that　I　could　not　live

under　the　same　roof　with　such　a　woman　and　in　daily　contact　with　her

without　feeling　a　passionate　regard　for　her。　Do　you　blame　me；　Mr。

Holmes？〃

　　〃I　do　not　blame　you　for　feeling　it。　I　should　blame　you　if　you

expressed　it；　since　this　young　lady　was　in　a　sense　under　your

protection。〃

　　〃Well；　maybe　so；〃　said　the　millionaire；　though　for　a　moment　the

reproof　had　brought　the　old　angry　gleam　into　his　eyes。　〃I'm　not

pretending　to　be　any　better　than　I　am。　I　guess　all　my　life　I've　been　a

man　that　reached　out　his　hand　for　what　he　wanted；　and　I　never　wanted

anything　more　than　the　love　and　possession　of　that　woman。　I　told　her

so。〃

　　〃Oh；　you　did；　did　you？〃

　　Holmes　could　look　very　formidable　when　he　was　moved。

　　〃I　said　to　her　that　if　I　could　marry　her　I　would；　but　that　it　was

out　of　my　power。　I　said　that　money　was　no　object　and　that　all　I

could　do　to　make　her　happy　and　comfortable　would　be　done。〃

　　〃Very　generous；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Holmes　with　a　sneer。

　　〃See　here；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　came　to　you　on　a　question　of　evidence；

not　on　a　question　of　morals。　I'm　not　asking　for　your　criticism。〃

　　〃It　is　only　for　the　young　lady's　sake　that　I　touch　your　case　at

all；〃　said　Holmes　sternly。　〃I　don't　know　that　anything　she　is

accused　of　is　really　worse　than　what　you　have　yourself　admitted；

that　you　have　tried　to　ruin　a　defenceless　girl　who　was　under　your

roof。　Some　of　you　rich　men　have　to　be　taught　that　all　the　world　cannot

be　bribed　into　condoning　your　offences。〃

　　To　my　surprise　the　Cold　King　took　the　reproof　with　equanimity。

　　〃That's　how　I　feel　myself　about　it　now。　I　thank　God　that　my　plains

did　not　work　out　as　I　intended。　She　would　have　none　of　it；　and　she

wanted　to　leave　the　house　instantly。〃

　　〃Why　did　she　not？〃

　　〃Well；　in　the　first　place；　others　were　dependent　upon　her；　and　it

was　no　light　matter　for　her　to　let　them　all　down　by　sacrificing　her

living。　When　I　had　sworn…　as　I　did…　that　she　should　never　be

molested　again；　she　consented　to　remain。　But　there　was　another　reason。

She　knew　the　influence　she　had　over　me；　and　that　it　was　stronger

than　any　other　influence　in　the　world。　She　wanted　to　use　it　for　good。〃

　　〃How？〃

　　〃Well；　she　knew　something　of　my　affairs。　They　are　large；　Mr。　Holmes…

large　beyond　the　belief　of　an　ordinary　man。　I　can　make　or　break…　and

it　is　usually　break。　It　wasn't　individuals　only。　It　was　communities；

cities；　even　nations。　Business　is　a　hard　game；　and　the　weak　go　to

the　wall。　I　played　the　game　for　all　it　was　worth。　I　never　squealed

myself；　and　I　never　cared　if　the　other　fellow　squealed。　But　she　saw　it

different。　I　guess　she　was　right。　She　believed　and　said　that　a　fortune

for　one　man　that　was　more　than　he　needed　should　not　be　built　on　ten

thousand　ruined　men　who　were　left　without　the　means　of　life。　That

was　how　she　saw　it；　and　I　guess　she　could　see　past　the　dollars　to

something　that　was　more　lasting。　She　found　that　I　listened　to　what　she

said；　and　she　believed　she　was　serving　the　world　by　influencing　my

actions。　So　she　stayed…　and　then　this　came　along。〃

　　〃Can　you　throw　any　light　upon　that？〃

　　The　Gold　King　paused　for　a　minute　or　more；　his　head　sunk　in　his

hands；　lost　in　deep　thought。

　　〃It's　very　black　against　her。　I　can't　deny　that。　And　women　lead　an

inward　life　and　may　do　things　beyond　the　judgment　of　a　man。　At　first　I

was　so　rattled　and　taken　aback　that　I　was　ready　to　think　she　had

been　led　away　in　some　extraordinary　fashion　that　was　clean　against　her

usual　nature。　One　explanation　came　into　my　head。　I　give　it　to　you；　Mr。

Holmes；　for　what　it　is　worth。　There　is　no　doubt　that　my　wife　was

bitterly　jealous。　There　is　a　soul…jealousy　that　can　be　as　frantic　as

any　body…jealousy；　and　though　my　wife　had　no　cause…　and　I　think　she

understood　this…　for　the　latter；　she　was　aware　that　this　English

girl　exerted　an　influence　upon　my　mind　and　my　acts　that　she　herself

never　had。　It　was　an　influence　for　good；　but　that　did　not　mend　the

matter。　She　was　crazy　with　hatred；　and　the　beat　of　the　Amazon　was

always　in　her　blood。　She　might　have　planned　to　murder　Miss　Dunbar…

or　we　will　say　to　threaten　her　with　a　gun　and　so　frighten　her　into

leaving　us。　Then　there　might　have　been　a　scuffle　and　the　gun　gone

off　and　shot　the　woman　who　held　it。〃

　　〃That　possibility　had　already　occurred　to　me；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Indeed；

it　is　the　only　obvious　alternative　to　deliberate　intruder。〃

　　〃But　she　utterly　denies　it。〃

　　〃Well；　that　is　not　final…　is　it？　One　can　understand　that　a　woman

placed　in　so　awful　a　position　might　hurry　home　still　in　her

bewilderment　holding　the　revolver。　She　might　even　throw　it　down

among　her　clothes；　hardly　knowing　what　she　was　doing；　and　when　it

was　found　she　might　try　to　lie　her　way　out　by　a　total　denial；　since

all　explanation　was　impossible。　What　is　against　such　a　supposition？〃

　　〃Miss　Dunbar　herself。〃

　　〃Well；　perhaps。〃

　　Holmes　looked　at　his　watch。　〃I　have　no　doubt　we　can　get　the

necessary　permits　this　morning　and　reach　Winchester　by　the　evening

train。　When　I　have　seen　this　young　lady　it　is　very　possible　that　I　may

be　of　more　use　to　you　in　the　matter；　though　I　cannot　promise　that　my

conclusions　will　necessarily　be　such　as　you　desire。〃

　　There　was　some　delay　in　the　official　pass；　and　instead　of　reaching

Winchester　that　day　we　went　down　to　Thor　Place；　the　Hampshire　estate

of　Mr。　Neil　Gibson。　He　did　not　accompany　us　himself；　but　we　had　the

address　of　Sergeant　Coventry；　of　the　local　police；　who　had　first

examined　into　the　affair。　He　was　a　tall；　thin；　cadaverous　man；　with

a　secretive　and　mysterious　manner　which　conveyed　the　idea　that　he　knew

or　suspected　a　very　great　deal　more　than　he　dared　say。　He　had　a　trick；

too；　of　suddenly　sinking　his　voice　to　a　whisper　as　if　he　had　come　upon

something　of　vital　importance；　though　the　information　was　usually

commonplace　enough。　Behind　these　tricks　of　manner　he　soon　showed

himself　to　be　a　decent；　honest　fellow　who　was　not　too　proud　to　admit

that　he　was　out　of　his　depth　and　would　welcome　any　help。

　　〃Anyhow；　I'd　rather　have　you　than　Scotland　Yard；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said

he。　〃If　the　Yard　gets　called　into　a　case；　then　the　local　loses　all

credit　for　success　and　may　be　blamed　for　failure。　Now；　you　play

straight；　so　I've　heard。〃

　　〃I　need　not　appear　in　the　matter　at　all；〃