the adventure of the dancing men-第5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！


arm　raised　and　knees　bent；　stickman　with　leg　extended　to　the　left；　and

stickman　with　both　arms　raised　in　the　air　and　left　leg　extended。＇

stand　respectively　for　N；　V；　and　R。

　　〃Even　now　I　was　in　considerable　difficulty；　but　a　happy　thought

put　me　in　possession　of　several　other　letters。　It　occurred　to　me

that　if　these　appeals　came；　as　I　expected；　from　someone　who　had　been

intimate　with　the　lady　in　her　early　life；　a　combination　which

contained　two　E's　with　three　letters　between　might　very　well　stand　for



the　name　‘ELSIE。'　On　examination　I　found　that　such　a　combination

formed　the　termination　of　the　message　which　was　three　times

repeated。　It　was　certainly　some　appeal　to　‘Elsie。'　In　this　way　I　had

got　my　L；　S；　and　I。　But　what　appeal　could　it　be？　There　were　only

four　letters　in　the　word　which　preceded　‘Elsie；'　and　it　ended　in　E。

Surely　the　word　must　be　‘COME。'　I　tried　all　other　four　letters

ending　in　E；　but　could　find　none　to　fit　the　case。　So　now　I　was　in

possession　of　C；　O；　and　M；　and　I　was　in　a　position　to　attack　the　first

message　once　more；　dividing　it　into　words　and　putting　dots　for　each

symbol　which　was　still　unknown。　So　treated；　it　worked　out　in　this

fashion：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　M　。　ERE　。。　E　SL　。　NE。



　　〃Now　the　first　letter　can　only　be　A；　which　is　a　most　useful

discovery；　since　it　occurs　no　fewer　than　three　times　in　this　short

sentence；　and　the　H　is　also　apparent　in　the　second　word。　Now　it

becomes：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AM　HERE　A　。　E　SLANE。



Or；　filling　in　the　obvious　vacancies　in　the　name：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AM　HERE　ABE　SLANEY。



I　had　so　many　letters　now　that　I　could　proceed　with　considerable

confidence　to　the　second　message；　which　worked　out　in　this　fashion：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　。　ELRI　。　ES。



Here　I　could　only　make　sense　by　putting　T　and　G　for　the　missing

letters；　and　supposing　that　the　name　was　that　of　some　house　or　inn

at　which　the　writer　was　staying。〃

　　Inspector　Martin　and　I　had　listened　with　the　utmost　interest　to

the　full　and　clear　account　of　how　my　friend　had　produced　results　which

had　led　to　so　complete　a　command　over　our　difficulties。

　　〃What　did　you　do　then；　sir？〃　asked　the　inspector。

　　〃I　had　every　reason　to　suppose　that　this　Abe　Slaney　was　an　American；

since　Abe　is　an　American　contraction；　and　since　a　letter　from

America　had　been　the　starting…point　of　all　the　trouble。　I　had　also

every　cause　to　think　that　there　was　some　criminal　secret　in　the

matter。　The　lady's　allusions　to　her　past；　and　her　refusal　to　take

her　husband　into　her　confidence；　both　pointed　in　that　direction。　I

therefore　cabled　to　my　friend；　Wilson　Hargreave；　of　the　New　York

Police　Bureau；　who　has　more　than　once　made　use　of　my　knowledge　of

London　crime。　I　asked　him　whether　the　name　of　Abe　Slaney　was　known

to　him。　Here　is　his　reply：　‘The　most　dangerous　crook　in　Chicago。'　On

the　very　evening　upon　which　I　had　his　answer；　Hilton　Cubitt　sent　me

the　last　message　from　Slaney。　Working　with　known　letters；　it　took　this

form：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ELSIE　。　RE　。　ARE　TO　MEET　THY　GO。



The　addition　of　a　P　and　a　D　completed　a　message　which　showed　me　that

the　rascal　was　proceeding　from　persuasion　to　threats；　and　my　knowledge

of　the　crooks　of　Chicago　prepared　me　to　find　that　he　might　very

rapidly　put　his　words　into　action。　I　at　once　came　to　Norfolk　with　my

friend　and　colleague；　Dr。　Watson；　but；　unhappily；　only　in　time　to　find

that　the　worst　had　already　occurred。〃

　　〃It　is　a　privilege　to　be　associated　with　you　in　the　handling　of　a

case；〃　said　the　inspector；　warmly。　〃You　will　excuse　me；　however；　if

I　speak　frankly　to　you。　You　are　only　answerable　to　yourself；　but　I

have　to　answer　to　my　superiors。　If　this　Abe　Slaney；　living　at

Elrige's；　is　indeed　the　murderer；　and　if　he　has　made　his　escape

while　I　am　seated　here；　I　should　certainly　get　into　serious　trouble。〃

　　〃You　need　not　be　uneasy。　He　will　not　try　to　escape。〃

　　〃How　do　you　know？〃

　　〃To　fly　would　be　a　confession　of　guilt。〃

　　〃Then　let　us　go　arrest　him。〃

　　〃I　expect　him　here　every　instant。〃

　　〃But　why　should　he　come。〃

　　〃Because　I　have　written　and　asked　him。〃

　　〃But　this　is　incredible；　Mr。　Holmes！　Why　should　he　come　because

you　have　asked　him？　Would　not　such　a　request　rather　rouse　his

suspicions　and　cause　him　to　fly？〃

　　〃I　think　I　have　known　how　to　frame　the　letter；〃　said　Sherlock

Holmes。　〃In　fact；　if　I　am　not　very　much　mistaken；　here　is　the

gentleman　himself　coming　up　the　drive。〃

　　A　man　striding　up　the　path　which　led　to　the　door。　He　was　a　tall；

handsome；　swarthy　fellow；　clad　in　a　suit　of　flannel；　with　a　Panama

hat；　a　bristling　black　beard；　and　a　great；　aggressive　hooked　nose；　and

flourishing　a　cane　as　he　walked。　He　swaggered　up　a　path　as　if　as　if

the　place　belonged　to　him；　and　we　heard　his　loud；　confident　peal　at

the　bell。

　　〃I　think；　gentlemen；〃　said　Holmes；　quietly；　〃that　we　had　best　take

up　our　position　behind　the　door。　Every　precaution　is　necessary　when

dealing　with　such　a　fellow。　You　will　need　your　handcuffs；　Inspector。

You　can　leave　the　talking　to　me。〃

　　We　waited　in　silence　for　a　minute…　one　of　those　minutes　which　one

can　never　forget。　Then　the　door　opened　and　the　man　stepped　in。　In　an

instant　Holmes　clapped　a　pistol　to　his　head；　and　Martin　slipped　the

handcuffs　over　his　wrists。　It　was　all　done　so　swiftly　and　deftly

that　the　fellow　was　helpless　before　he　knew　that　he　was　attacked。　He

glared　from　one　to　the　other　of　us　with　a　pair　of　blazing　black

eyes。　Then　he　burst　into　a　bitter　laugh。

　　〃Well；　gentlemen；　you　have　the　drop　on　me　this　time。　I　seem　to

have　knocked　up　against　something　hard。　But　I　came　here　in　answer　to　a

letter　from　Mrs。　Hilton　Cubitt。　Don't　tell　me　that　she　is　in　this？

Don't　tell　me　that　she　helped　to　set　a　trap　for　me？〃

　　〃Mrs。　Hilton　Cubitt　was　seriously　injured；　and　is　at　death's　door。〃

　　The　man　gave　a　hoarse　cry　of　grief；　which　rang　through　the　house。

　　〃You're　crazy！〃　he　cried；　fiercely。　〃It　was　he　that　was　hurt；　not

she。　Who　would　have　hurt　little　Elsie？　I　may　have　threatened　her…

God　forgive　me！…　but　I　would　not　have　touched　a　hair　of　her　pretty

head。　Take　it　back…　you！　Say　that　she　is　not　hurt！〃

　　〃She　was　found　badly　wounded；　by　the　side　of　her　dead　husband。〃

　　He　sank　with　a　deep　groan　on　the　settee　and　buried　his　face　in　his

manacled　hands。　For　five　minutes　he　was　silent。　Then　he　raised　his

face　once　more；　and　spoke　with　the　cold　composure　of　despair。

　　〃I　have　nothing　to　hide　from　you；　gentlemen；〃　said　he。　〃If　I　shot

the　man　he　had　his　shot　at　me；　and　there's　no　murder　in　that。　But　if

you　think　I　could　have　hurt　that　woman；　then　you　don't　know　either

me　or　her。　I　tell　you；　there　was　never　a　man　in　this　world　loved　a

woman　more　than　I　loved　her。　I　had　a　right　to　her。　She　was　pledged

to　me　years　ago。　Who　was　this　Englishman　that　he　should　come　between

us？　I　tell　you　that　I　had　the　first　right　to　her；　and　that　I　was

only　claiming　my　own。

　　〃She　broke　away　from　your　influence　when　she　found　the　man　that

you　are；〃　said　Holmes；　sternly。　〃She　fled　from　America　to　avoid　you；

and　she　married　an　honourable　gentleman　in　England。　You　dogged　her　and

followed　her　and　made　her　life　a　misery　to　her；　in　order　to　induce　her

to　abandon　the　husband　whom　she　loved　and　respected　in　order　to　fly

with　you；　whom　she　feared　and　hated。　You　have　ended　by　bringing

about　the　death　of　a　noble　man　and　driving　his　wife　to　suicide。　That

is　your　record　in　this　business；　Mr。　Abe　Slaney；　and　you　will　answer

for　it　to　the　law。〃

　　〃If　Elsie　dies；　I　care　nothing　what　becomes　of　me；〃　said　the

American。　He　opened　one　of　his　hands；　and　looked　at　a　note　crumpled　up

in　his　palm。　〃See　here；　mister！　he　cried；　with　a　gleam　of　suspicion　in

his　eyes；　〃you're　not　trying　to　scare　me　over　this；　are　you？　If　the

lady　is　hurt　as　bad　as　you　say；　who　was　it　that　wrote　this　note？〃　He

tossed　it　forward　on　to　the　table。

　　〃I　wrote　it；　to　bring　you　here。〃

　　〃You　wrote　it？　There　was　no　one　on　earth　outside　the　Joint　who

knew　the　secret　of　the　dancing　men。　How　came　you　to　write　it？〃

　　〃What　one　man　can　invent　another　can　discover；〃　said　Holmes。　There

is　a　cab　coming　to　convey　you　to　Norwich；　Mr。　Slaney。　But　meanwhile；

you　have　time　to　make　some　small　reparation　for　the　injury　you　have

wrought。　Are　you　aware　that　Mrs。　Hilton　Cubitt　has　herself　lain

under　grave　suspicion　of　the　murder　of　her　husband；　and　that　it　was

only　my　presence　here；　and　the　knowledge　which　I　happened　to

possess；　which　has　saved　her　from　the　accusation？　The　least　that　you

owe　her　is　to　make　it　clear　to　the　whole　world　that　she　was　in　no　way；

directly　or　indirectly；　responsible　for　his　tragic　end。〃

　　〃I　ask　nothing　better；〃　said　the　American。　〃I　guess　the　very　best

case　I　can　make　for　myself　is　the　absolute　naked　truth。〃

　　〃It　is　my　duty　to　warn　you　that　it　will　be　used　against　you；〃

cried　the　inspector；　with　the　magnificent　fair　play　of　the　British

criminal　law。

　　Slaney　shrugged　his　shoulders。

　　〃I'll　chance　that；〃　said　he。　〃First　of　all；　I　want　you　gentlemen

to　understand　that　I　have　known　this　lady　since　she　was　a　child。　There

were　seven　of　us　in　a　gang　in　Chicago；　and　Elsie's　father　was　the　boss

of　the　Joint。　He　was　a　clever　man；　was　old　Patrick。　It　was　he　who

invented　that　writing；　which　would　pass　as　a　child's　scrawl　unless　you

just　happened　to　have　the　key　to　it。　Well；　Elsie　learned　some　of　our

ways；　but　she　couldn't　stand　the　business；　and　she　had　a　bit　of　honest

money　of　her　own；　so　she　gave　us　all　the　slip　and　got　away　to

London。　She　had　been　engaged　to　me；　and　she　would　have　married　me；　I

believe；　if　I　had　taken　over　another　profession；　but　she　would　have

nothing　to　do　with　anything　on　the　cross。　It　was　only　after　her

marriage　to　this　Englishman　that　I　was　able　to　find　out　where　she　was。

I　wrote　to　her；　but　got　no　answer。　After　that　I　came　over；　and；　as

letters　were　no　use；　I　put　my　messages　where　she　could　read　them。

　　〃Well；　I　have　been　here　a　month　now。　I　lived　in　that　farm；　where　I

had　a　room　down　below；　and　could　get　in　and　out　every　night；　and　no

one　the　wiser。　I　tried　all　I　could　to　coax　Elsie　away。　I　knew　that　she