the adventure of the blanced soldier-第3节

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have　so　liked　to　see　me；'　I　continued。

　　〃'Quite　so。　Exactly；'　said　he　with　a　rather　guilty　air。　'No　doubt

you　will　renew　your　visit　at　some　more　propitious　time。'　He　passed　on；

but　when　I　turned　I　observed　that　he　was　standing　watching　me；

half…concealed　by　the　laurels　at　the　far　end　of　the　garden。

　　〃I　had　a　good　look　at　that　little　house　as　I　passed　it；　but　the

windows　were　heavily　curtained；　and；　so　far　as　one　could　see；　it　was

empty。　I　might　spoil　my　own　game　and　even　be　ordered　off　the

premises　if　I　were　too　audacious；　for　I　was　still　conscious　that　I　was

being　watched。　Therefore；　I　strolled　back　to　the　house　and　waited

for　night　before　I　went　on　with　my　inquiry。　When　all　was　dark　and

quiet　I　slipped　out　of　my　window　and　made　my　way　as　silently　as

possible　to　the　mysterious　lodge。

　　〃I　have　said　that　it　was　heavily　curtained；　but　now　I　found　that　the

windows　were　shuttered　as　well。　Some　light；　however；　was　breaking

through　one　of　them；　so　I　concentrated　my　attention　upon　this。　I　was

in　luck；　for　the　curtain　had　not　been　quite　closed；　and　there　was　a

crack　in　the　shutter；　so　that　I　could　see　the　inside　of　the　room。　It

was　a　cheery　place　enough；　a　bright　lamp　and　a　blazing　fire。

Opposite　to　me　was　seated　the　little　man　whom　I　had　seen　in　the

morning。　He　was　smoking　a　pipe　and　reading　a　paper。〃

　　〃What　paper？〃　I　asked。

　　My　client　seemed　annoyed　at　the　interruption　of　his　narrative。

　　〃Can　it　matter？〃　he　asked。

　　〃It　is　most　essential〃

　　〃I　really　took　no　notice。〃

　　〃Possibly　you　observed　whether　it　was　a　broad…leafed　paper　or　of

that　smaller　type　which　one　associates　with　weeklies。〃

　　〃Now　that　you　mention　it；　it　was　not　large。　It　might　have　been　the

Spectator。　However；　I　had　little　thought　to　spare　upon　such　details；

for　a　second　man　was　seated　with　his　back　to　the　window；　and　I　could

swear　that　this　second　man　was　Godfrey。　I　could　not　see　his　face；

but　I　knew　the　familiar　slope　of　his　shoulders。　He　was　leaning　upon

his　elbow　in　an　attitude　of　great　melancholy；　his　body　turned

towards　the　fire。　I　was　hesitating　as　to　what　I　should　do　when　there

was　a　sharp　tap　on　my　shoulder；　and　there　was　Colonel　Emsworth

beside　me。

　　〃'This　way；　sir！'　said　he　in　a　low　voice。　He　walked　in　silence　to

the　house；　and　I　followed　him　into　my　own　bedroom。　He　had　picked　up

a　time…table　in　the　hall。

　　〃'There　is　a　train　to　London　at　8：30；'　said　he。　'The　trap　will　be　at

the　door　at　eight。'

　　〃He　was　white　with　rage；　and；　indeed；　I　felt　myself　in　so

difficult　a　position　that　I　could　only　stammer　out　a　few　incoherent

apologies　in　which　I　tried　to　excuse　myself　by　urging　my　anxiety　for

my　friend。

　　〃'The　matter　will　not　bear　discussion；'　said　he　abruptly。　'You

have　made　a　most　damnable　intrusion　into　the　privacy　of　our　family。

You　were　here　as　a　guest　and　you　have　become　a　spy。　I　have　nothing

more　to　say；　sir；　save　that　I　have　no　wish　ever　to　see　you　again。'

　　〃At　this　I　lost　my　temper；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　I　spoke　with　some　warmth。

　　〃'I　have　seen　your　son；　and　I　am　convinced　that　for　some　reason　of

your　own　you　are　concealing　him　from　the　world。　I　have　no　idea　what

your　motives　are　in　cutting　him　off　in　this　fashion；　but　I　am　sure

that　he　is　no　longer　a　free　agent。　I　warn　you；　Colonel　Emsworth；

that　until　I　am　assured　as　to　the　safety　and　well…being　of　my　friend　I

shall　never　desist　in　my　efforts　to　get　to　the　bottom　of　the

mystery；　and　I　shall　certainly　not　allow　myself　to　be　intimidated　by

anything　which　you　may　say　or　do。'

　　〃The　old　fellow　looked　diabolical；　and　I　really　thought　he　was　about

to　attack　me。　I　have　said　that　he　was　a　gaunt；　fierce　old　giant；　and

though　I　am　no　weakling　I　might　have　been　hard　put　to　it　to　hold　my

own　against　him。　However；　after　a　long　glare　of　rage　he　turned　upon

his　heel　and　walked　out　of　the　room。　For　my　part；　I　took　the　appointed

train　in　the　morning；　with　the　full　intention　of　coming　straight　to

you　and　asking　for　your　advice　and　assistance　at　the　appointment　for

which　I　had　already　written。〃

　　Such　was　the　problem　which　my　visitor　laid　before　me。　It

presented；　as　the　astute　reader　will　have　already　perceived；　few

difficulties　in　its　solution；　for　a　very　limited　choice　of

alternatives　must　get　to　the　root　of　the　matter。　Still；　elementary

as　it　was；　there　were　points　of　interest　and　novelty　about　it　which

may　excuse　my　placing　it　upon　record。　I　now　proceeded；　using　my

familiar　method　of　logical　analysis；　to　narrow　down　the　possible

solutions。

　　〃The　servants；〃　I　asked；　〃how　many　were　in　the　house？〃

　　〃To　the　best　of　my　belief　there　were　only　the　old　butler　and　his

wife。　They　seemed　to　live　in　the　simplest　fashion。〃

　　〃There　was　no　servant；　then；　in　the　detached　house？〃

　　〃None；　unless　the　little　man　with　the　beard　acted　as　such。　He

seemed；　however；　to　be　quite　a　superior　person。〃

　　〃That　seems　very　suggestive。　Had　you　any　indication　that　food　was

conveyed　from　the　one　house　to　the　other？〃

　　〃Now　that　you　mention　it；　I　did　see　old　Ralph　carrying　a　basket　down

the　garden　walk　and　going　in　the　direction　of　this　house。　The　idea

of　food　did　not　occur　to　me　at　the　moment。〃

　　〃Did　you　make　any　local　inquiries？〃

　　〃Yes；　I　did。　I　spoke　to　the　station…master　and　also　to　the　innkeeper

in　the　village。　I　simply　asked　if　they　knew　anything　of　my　old

comrade；　Godfrey　Emsworth。　Both　of　them　assured　me　that　he　had　gone

for　a　voyage　round　the　world。　He　had　come　home　and　then　had　almost

at　once　started　off　again。　The　story　was　evidently　universally

accepted。〃

　　〃You　said　nothing　of　your　suspicions？〃

　　〃Nothing。〃

　　〃That　was　very　wise。　The　matter　should　certainly　be　inquired　into。　I

will　go　back　with　you　to　Tuxbury　Old　Park。〃

　　〃To…day？〃

　　It　happened　that　at　the　moment　I　was　clearing　up　the　case　which　my

friend　Watson　has　described　as　that　of　the　Abbey　School；　in　which

the　Duke　of　Greyminster　was　so　deeply　involved。　I　had　also　a

commission　from　the　Sultan　of　Turkey　which　called　for　immediate

action；　as　political　consequences　of　the　gravest　kind　might　arise　from

its　neglect。　Therefore　it　was　not　until　the　beginning　of　the　next

week；　as　my　diary　records；　that　I　was　able　to　start　forth　on　my

mission　to　Bedfordshire　in　company　with　Mr。　James　M。　Dodd。　As　we　drove

to　Euston　we　picked　up　a　grave　and　taciturn　gentleman　of　iron…gray

aspect；　with　whom　I　had　made　the　necessary　arrangements。

　　〃This　is　an　old　friend；〃　said　I　to　Dodd。　〃It　is　possible　that　his

presence　may　be　entirely　unnecessary；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　it　may

be　essential。　It　is　not　necessary　at　the　present　stage　to　go　further

into　the　matter。〃

　　The　narratives　of　Watson；　have　accustomed　the　reader；　no　doubt；　to

the　fact　that　I　do　not　waste　words　or　disclose　my　thoughts　while　a

case　is　actually　under　consideration。　Dodd　seemed　surprised；　but

nothing　more　was　said；　and　the　three　of　us　continued　our　journey

together。　in　the　train　I　asked　Dodd　one　more　question　which　I　wished

our　companion　to　hear。

　　〃You　say　that　you　saw　your　friend's　face　quite　clearly　at　the

window；　so　clearly　that　you　are　sure　of　his　identity？〃

　　〃I　have　no　doubt　about　it　whatever。　His　nose　was　pressed　against　the

glass。　The　lamplight　shone　full　upon　him。〃

　　〃It　could　not　have　been　someone　resembling　him？〃

　　〃No；　no；　it　was　he。〃

　　〃But　you　say　he　was　changed？〃

　　〃Only　in　colour。　His　face　was…　how　shall　I　describe　it？…　it　was　of　a

fish…belly　whiteness。　It　was　bleached。〃

　　〃Was　it　equally　pale　all　over？〃

　　〃I　think　not。　It　was　his　brow　which　I　saw　so　clearly　as　it　was

pressed　against　the　window。〃

　　〃Did　you　call　to　him？〃

　　〃I　was　too　startled　and　horrified　for　the　moment。　Then　I　pursued

him；　as　I　have　told　you；　but　without　result。〃

　　My　case　was　practically　complete；　and　there　was　only　one　small

incident　needed　to　round　it　off。　When；　after　considerable　drive；　we

arrived　at　the　strange　old　rambling　house　which　my　client　had

described；　it　was　Ralph；　the　elderly　butler；　who　opened　the　door。　I

had　requisitioned　the　carriage　for　the　day　and　had　asked　my　elderly

friend　to　remain　within　it　unless　we　should　summon　him。　Ralph；　a

little　wrinkled　old　fellow；　was　in　the　conventional　costume　of　black

coat　and　pepper…and…salt　trousers；　with　only　one　curious　variant。　He

wore　brown　leather　gloves；　which　at　sight　of　us　he　instantly

shuffled　off；　laying　them　down　on　the　hall…table　as　we　passed　in。　I

have；　as　my　friend　Watson　may　have　remarked；　an　abnormally　acute　set

of　senses；　and　a　faint　but　incisive　scent　was　apparent。　It　seemed　to

centre　on　the　hall…table。　I　turned；　placed　my　hat　there；　knocked　it

off；　stooped　to　pick　it　up；　and　contrived　to　bring　my　nose　within　a

foot　of　the　gloves。　Yes；　it　was　undoubtedly　from　them　that　the　curious

tarry　odour　was　oozing。　I　passed　on　into　the　study　with　my　case

complete。　Alas；　that　I　should　have　to　show　my　hand　so　when　I　tell　my

own　story！　It　was　by　concealing　such　links　in　the　chain　that　Watson

was　enabled　to　produce　his　meretricious　finales。

　　Colonel　Emsworth　was　not　in　his　room；　but　he　came　quickly　enough

on　receipt　of　Ralph's　message。　We　heard　his　quick；　heavy　step　in　the

passage。　The　door　was　flu