the adventure of the dancing men-第1部分
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！
SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE ADVENTURE OF THE DANCING MEN
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
THE ADVENTURE OF THE DANCING MEN
Holmes had been seated for some hours in silence with his long； thin
back curved over a chemical vessel in which he was brewing a
particularly malodorous product。 His head was sunk upon his breast；
and he looked from my point of view like a strange； lank bird； with
dull gray plumage and a black top…knot。
〃So； Watson；〃 said he； suddenly； 〃you do not propose to invest in
South African securities？〃
I gave a start of astonishment。 Accustomed as I was to Holmes's
curious faculties； this sudden intrusion into my most intimate
thoughts was utterly inexplicable。
〃How on earth do you know that？〃 I asked。
He wheeled round upon his stool； with a steaming test…tube in his
hand； and a gleam of amusement in his deep…set eyes。
〃Now； Watson； confess yourself utterly taken aback；〃 said he。
〃I am。〃
〃I ought to make you sign a paper to that effect。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because in five minutes you will say that it is all so absurdly
simple。〃
〃I am sure that I shall say nothing of the kind。〃
〃You see； my dear Watson〃… he propped his test…tube in the rack； and
began to lecture with the air of a professor addressing his class… 〃it
is not really difficult to construct a series of inferences； each
dependent upon its predecessor and each simple in itself。 If； after
doing so； one simply knocks out all the central inferences and
presents one's audience with the starting…point and the conclusion；
one may produce a startling； though possibly a meretricious； effect。
Now； it was not really difficult； by an inspection of the groove
between your left forefinger and thumb； to feel sure that you did
not propose to invest your small capital in the gold fields。〃
〃I see no connection。〃
〃Very likely not； but I can quickly show you a close connection。
Here are the missing links of the very simple chain： 1。 You had
chalk between your left finger and thumb when you returned from the
club last night。 2。 You put chalk there when you play billiards； to
steady the cue。 3。 You never play billiards except with Thurston。
4。 You told me； four weeks ago； that Thurston had an option on some
South African property which would expire in a month； and which he
desired you to share with him。 5。 Your check book is locked in my
drawer； and you have not asked for the key。 6。 You do not propose to
invest your money in this manner。〃
〃How absurdly simple！〃 I cried。
〃Quite so！〃 said he； a little nettled。 〃Every problem becomes very
childish when once it is explained to you。 Here is an unexplained one。
See what you can make of that； friend Watson。〃 He tossed a sheet of
paper upon the table； and turned once more to his chemical analysis。
I looked with amazement at the absurd hieroglyphics upon the paper。
〃Why； Holmes； it is a child's drawing；〃 I cried。
〃Oh； that's your idea！〃
〃What else should it be？〃
〃That is what Mr。 Hilton Cubitt； of Riding Thorpe Manor； Norfolk； is
very anxious to know。 This little conundrum came by the first post；
and he was to follow by the next train。 There's a ring at the bell；
Watson。 I should not be very much surprised if this were he。〃
A heavy step was heard upon the stairs； and an instant later there
entered a tall； ruddy； clean…shaven gentleman； whose clear eyes and
florid cheeks told of a life led far from the fogs of Baker Street。 He
seemed to bring a whiff of his strong； fresh； bracing； east…coast
air with him as he entered。 Having shaken hands with each of us； he
was about to sit down； when his eye rested upon the paper with the
curious markings； which I had just examined and left upon the table。
〃Well； Mr。 Holmes； what do you make of these？〃 he cried。 〃They
told me that you were fond of queer mysteries； and I don't think you
can find a queerer one than that。 I sent the paper on ahead； so that
you might have time to study it before I came。〃
〃It is certainly rather a curious production；〃 said Holmes。 〃At
first sight it would appear to be some childish prank。 It consists
of a number of absurd little figures dancing across the paper upon
which they are drawn。 Why should you attribute any importance to so
grotesque an object？〃
〃I never should； Mr。 Holmes。 But my wife does。 It is frightening her
to death。 She says nothing； but I can see terror in her eyes。 That's
why I want to sift the matter to the bottom。〃
Holmes held up the paper so that the sunlight shone full upon it。 It
was a page torn from a notebook。 The markings were done in pencil； and
ran in this way：
（See illustration。）
Holmes examined it for some time； and then； folding it carefully up；
he placed it in his pocketbook。
〃This promises to be a most interesting and unusual case；〃 said
he。 〃You gave me a few particulars in your letter； Mr。 Hilton
Cubitt； but I should be very much obliged if you would kindly go
over it all again for the benefit of my friend； Dr。 Watson。〃
〃I'm not much of a story…teller；〃 said our visitor； nervously
clasping and unclasping his great； strong hands。 〃You'll just ask me
anything that I don't make clear。 I'll begin at the time of my
marriage last year； but I want to say first of all that； though I'm
not a rich man； my people have been at Riding Thorpe for a matter of
five centuries； and there is no better known family in the County of
Norfolk。 Last year I came up to London for the Jubilee； and I
stopped at a boardinghouse in Russell Square； because Parker； the
vicar of our parish； was staying in it。 There was an American young
lady there… Patrick was the name… Elsie Patrick。 In some way we became
friends； until before my month was up I was as much in love as man
could be。 We were quietly married at a registry office； and we
returned to Norfolk a wedded couple。 You'll think it very mad； Mr。
Holmes； that a man of a good old family should marry a wife in this
fashion； knawing nothing of her past or of her people； but if you
saw her and knew her； it would help you to understand。
〃She was very straight about it； was Elsie。 I can't say that she did
not give me every chance of getting out of it if I wished to do so。 ‘I
have had some very disagreeable associations in my life；' said she； ‘I
wish to forget all about them。 I would rather never allude to the
past； for it is very painful to me。 If you take me； Hilton； you will
take a woman who has nothing that she need be personally ashamed of；
but you will have to be content with my word for it； and to allow me
to be silent as to all that passed up to the time when I became yours。
If these conditions are too hard； then go back to Norfolk； and leave
me to the lonely life in which you found me。' It was only the day
before our wedding that she said those very words to me。 I told her
that I was content to take her on her own terms； and I have been as
good as my word。
〃Well we have been married now for a year； and very happy we have
been。 But about a month ago； at the end of June； I saw for the first
time signs of trouble。 One day my wife received a letter from America。
I saw the American stamp。 She turned deadly white； read the letter；
and threw it into the fire。 She made no allusion to it afterwards； and
I made none； for a promise is a promise； but she has never known an
easy hour from that moment。 There is always a look of fear upon her
face… a look as if she were waiting and expecting。 She would do better
to trust me。 She would find that I was her best friend。 But until
she speaks； I can say nothing。 Mind you； she is a truthful woman；
Mr。 Holmes； and whatever trouble there may have been in her past
life it has been no fault of hers。 I am only a simple Norfolk
squire； but there is not a man in England who ranks his family
honour more highly than I do。 She knows it well； and she knew it
well before she married me。 She would never bring any stain upon it…
of that I am sure。
〃Well； now I come to the queer part of my story。 About a week ago…
it was the Tuesday of last week… I found on one of the window…sills
a number of absurd little dancing figures like these upon the paper。
They were scrawled with chalk。 I thought that it was the stable…boy
who had drawn them； but the lad swore he knew nothing about it。
Anyhow； they had come there during the night。 I had them washed out；
and I only mentioned the matter to my wife afterwards。 To my surprise；
she took it very seriously； and begged me if any more came to let
her see them。 None did come for a week； and then yesterday morning I
found this paper lying on the sundial in the garden。 I showed it to
Elsie； and down she dropped in a dead faint。 Since then she has looked
like a woman in a dream； half dazed； and with terror always lurking in
her eyes。 It was then that I wrote and sent the paper to you； Mr。
Holmes。 It was not a thing that I could take to the police； for they
would have laughed at me； but you will tell me what to do。 I am not
a rich man； but if there is any danger threatening my little woman；
I would spend my last copper to shield her。〃
He was a fine creature； this man of the old English soil…simple；
straight； and gentle； with his great； earnest blue eyes and broad；
comely face。 His love for his wife and his trust in her shone in his
features。 Holmes had listened to his story with the utmost
attention； and now he sat for some time in silent thought。
〃Don't you think； Mr。 Cubitt；〃 said he； at last； 〃that your best
plan would be to make a direct appeal to your wife； and to ask her
to share her secret with you？〃
Hilton Cubitt shook his massive head。
〃A promise is a promise； Mr。 Holmes。 If Elsie wished to tell me
she would。 If not； it is not for me to force her confidence。 But I
am justified in taking my own line… and I will。〃
〃Then I will help you with all my heart。 In the first place； have
you heard of any strangers being seen in your neighbourhood？〃
〃No。〃
〃I presume that it is a very quiet place。 Any fresh face would cause
