the adventure of the creeping man-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　CREEPING　MAN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes　was　always　of　opinion　that　I　should　publish

the　singular　facts　connected　with　Professor　Presbury；　if　only　to

dispel　once　for　all　the　ugly　rumours　which　some　twenty　years　ago

agitated　the　university　and　were　echoed　in　the　learned　societies　of

London。　There　were；　however；　certain　obstacles　in　the　way；　and　the

true　history　of　this　curious　case　remained　entombed　in　the　tin　box

which　contains　so　many　records　of　my　friend's　adventures。　Now　we

have　at　last　obtained　permission　to　ventilate　the　facts　which　formed

one　of　the　very　last　cases　handled　by　Holmes　before　his　retirement

from　practice。　Even　now　a　certain　reticence　and　discretion　have　to

be　observed　in　laying　the　matter　before　the　public。

　　It　was　one　Sunday　evening　early　in　September　of　the　year　1903　that　I

received　one　of　Holmes's　laconic　messages：



　　Come　at　once　if　convenient…　if　inconvenient　come　all　the　same。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S。H。



The　relations　between　us　in　those　latter　days　were　peculiar。　He　was

a　man　of　habits；　narrow　and　concentrated　habits；　and　I　had　become

one　of　them。　As　an　institution　I　was　like　the　violin；　the　shag

tobacco；　the　old　black　pipe；　the　index　books；　and　others　perhaps

less　excusable。　When　it　was　a　case　of　active　work　and　a　comrade　was

needed　upon　whose　nerve　he　could　place　some　reliance；　my　role　was

obvious。　But　apart　from　this　I　had　uses。　I　was　a　whetstone　for　his

mind。　I　stimulated　him。　He　liked　to　think　aloud　in　my　presence。　His

remarks　could　hardly　be　said　to　be　made　to　me…　many　of　them　would　have

been　as　appropriately　addressed　to　his　bedstead…　but　none　the　less；

having　formed　the　habit；　it　had　become　in　some　way　helpful　that　I

should　register　and　interject。　If　I　irritated　him　by　a　certain

methodical　slowness　in　my　mentality；　that　irritation　served　only　to

make　his　own　flame…like　intuitions　and　impressions　flash　up　the　more

vividly　and　swiftly。　Such　was　my　humble　role　in　our　alliance。

　　When　I　arrived　at　Baker　Street　I　found　him　huddled　up　in　his

armchair　with　updrawn　knees；　his　pipe　in　his　mouth　and　his　brow

furrowed　with　thought。　It　was　clear　that　he　was　in　the　throes　of

some　vexatious　problem。　With　a　wave　of　his　hand　he　indicated　my　old

armchair；　but　otherwise　for　half　an　hour　he　gave　no　sign　that　he　was

aware　of　my　presence。　Then　with　a　start　he　seemed　to　come　from　his

reverie；　and　with　his　usual　whimsical　smile　he　greeted　me　back　to　what

had　once　been　my　home。

　　〃You　will　excuse　a　certain　abstraction　of　mind；　my　dear　Watson；〃

said　he。　〃Some　curious　facts　have　been　submitted　to　me　within　the　last

twenty…four　hours；　and　they　in　turn　have　given　rise　to　some

speculations　of　a　more　general　character。　I　have　serious　thoughts　of

writing　a　small　monograph　upon　the　uses　of　dogs　in　the　work　of　the

detective。〃

　　〃But　surely；　Holmes；　this　has　been　explored；〃　said　I。

〃Bloodhounds…　sleuthhounds…〃

　　No；　no；　Watson；　that　side　of　the　matter　is；　of　course；　obvious。

But　there　is　another　which　is　far　more　subtle。　You　may　recollect

that　in　the　case　which　you；　in　your　sensational　way；　coupled　with

the　Copper　Beeches；　I　was　able；　by　watching　the　mind　of　the　child；

to　form　a　deduction　as　to　the　criminal　habits　of　the　very　smug　and

respectable　father。〃

　　〃Yes；　I　remember　it　well。〃

　　〃My　line　of　thoughts　about　dogs　is　analogous。　A　dog　reflects　the

family　life。　Whoever　saw　a　frisky　dog　in　a　gloomy　family；　or　a　sad　dog

in　a　happy　one？　Snarling　people　have　snarling　dogs；　dangerous　people

have　dangerous　ones。　And　their　passing　moods　may　reflect　the　passing

moods　of　others。〃

　　I　shook　my　head。　〃Surely；　Holmes；　this　is　a　little　far…fetched；〃

said　I。

　　He　had　refilled　his　pipe　and　resumed　his　seat；　taking　no　notice　of

my　comment。

　　〃The　practical　application　of　what　I　have　said　is　very　close　to

the　problem　which　I　am　investigating。　It　is　a　tangled　skein；　you

understand；　and　I　am　looking　for　a　loose　end。　One　possible　loose　end

lies　in　the　question：　Why　does　Professor　Presbury's　wolfhound；　Roy；

endeavour　to　bite　him？〃

　　I　sank　back　in　my　chair　in　some　disappointment。　Was　it　for　so

trivial　a　question　as　this　that　I　had　been　summoned　from　my　work？

Holmes　glanced　across　at　me。

　　〃The　same　old　Watson！〃　said　he。　〃You　never　learn　that　the　gravest

issues　may　depend　upon　the　smallest　things。　But　is　it　not　on　the

face　of　it　strange　that　a　staid；　elderly　philosopher…　you've　heard

of　Presbury；　of　course；　the　famous　Camford　physiologist？…　that　such

a　man；　whose　friend　has　been　his　devoted　wolfhound；　should　now　have

been　twice　attacked　by　his　own　dog？　What　do　you　make　of　it？〃

　　〃The　dog　is　ill。〃

　　〃Well；　that　has　to　be　considered。　But　he　attacks　no　one　else；　nor

does　he　apparently　molest　his　master；　save　on　very　special

occasions。　Curious；　Watson…　very　curious。　But　young　Mr。　Bennett　is

before　his　time　if　that　is　his　ring。　I　had　hoped　to　have　a　longer　chat

with　you　before　he　came。〃

　　There　was　a　quick　step　on　the　stairs；　a　sharp　tap　at　the　door；　and　a

moment　later　the　new　client　presented　himself。　He　was　a　tall；　handsome

youth　about　thirty；　well　dressed　and　elegant；　but　with　something　in

his　bearing　which　suggested　the　shyness　of　the　student　rather　than　the

self…possession　of　the　man　of　the　world。　He　shook　hands　with　Holmes；

and　then　looked　with　some　surprise　at　me。

　　〃This　matter　is　very　delicate；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　he　said。　〃Consider　the

relation　in　which　I　stand　to　Professor　Presbury　both　privately　and

publicly。　I　really　can　hardly　justify　myself　if　I　speak　before　any

third　person。〃

　　〃Have　no　fear；　Mr。　Bennett。　Dr。　Watson　is　the　very　soul　of

discretion；　and　I　can　assure　you　that　this　is　a　matter　in　which　I　am

very　likely　to　need　an　assistant。〃

　　〃As　you　like；　Mr。　Holmes。　You　will；　I　am　sure；　understand　my

having　some　reserves　in　the　matter。〃

　　〃You　will　appreciate　it；　Watson；　when　I　tell　you　that　this

gentleman；　Mr。　Trevor　Bennett；　is　professional　assistant　to　the

great　scientist；　lives　under　his　roof；　and　is　engaged　to　his　only

daughter。　Certainly　we　must　agree　that　the　professor　has　every　claim

upon　his　loyalty　and　devotion。　But　it　may　best　be　shown　by　taking

the　necessary　steps　to　clear　up　this　strange　mystery。〃

　　〃I　hope　so；　Mr。　Holmes。　That　is　my　one　object。　Does　Dr。　Watson

know　the　situation？〃

　　〃I　have　not　had　time　to　explain　it。〃

　　〃Then　perhaps　I　had　better　go　over　the　ground　again　before

explaining　some　fresh　developments。〃

　　〃I　will　do　so　myself；〃　said　Holmes；　〃in　order　to　show　that　I　have

the　events　in　their　due　order。　The　professor；　Watson；　is　a　man　of

European　reputation。　His　life　has　been　academic。　There　has　never

been　a　breath　of　scandal。　He　is　a　widower　with　one　daughter；　Edith。　He

is；　I　gather；　a　man　of　very　virile　and　positive；　one　might　almost

say　combative；　character。　So　the　matter　stood　until　a　very　few

months　ago。

　　〃Then　the　current　of　his　life　was　broken。　He　is　sixty…one　years　of

age；　but　he　became　engaged　to　the　daughter　of　Professor　Morphy；　his

colleague　in　the　chair　of　comparative　anatomy。　It　was　not；　as　I

understand；　the　reasoned　courting　of　an　elderly　man　but　rather　the

passionate　frenzy　of　youth；　for　no　one　could　have　shown　himself　a　more

devoted　lover。　The　lady；　Alice　Morphy；　was　a　very　perfect　girl　both　in

mind　and　body；　so　that　there　was　every　excuse　for　the　professor's

infatuation。　None　the　less；　it　did　not　meet　with　full　approval　in

his　own　family。〃

　　〃We　thought　it　rather　excessive；〃　said　our　visitor。

　　〃Exactly。　Excessive　and　a　little　violent　and　unnatural。　Professor

Presbury　was　rich；　however；　and　there　was　no　objection　upon　the　part

of　the　father。　The　daughter；　however；　had　other　views；　and　there

were　already　several　candidates　for　her　hand；　who；　if　they　were　less

eligible　from　a　worldly　point　of　view；　were　at　least　more　of　an　age。

The　girl　seemed　to　like　the　professor　in　spite　of　his

eccentricities。　It　was　only　age　which　stood　in　the　way。

　　〃About　this　time　a　little　mystery　suddenly　clouded　the　normal

routine　of　the　professor's　life。　He　did　what　he　had　never　done　before。

He　left　home　and　gave　no　indication　where　he　was　going。　He　was　away

a　fortnight　and　returned　looking　rather　travel…worn。　He　made　no

allusion　to　where　he　had　been；　although　he　was　usually　the　frankest　of

men。　It　chanced；　however；　that　our　client　here；　Mr。　Bennett；

received　a　letter　from　a　fellow…student　in　Prague；　who　said　that　he

was　glad　to　have　seen　Professor　Presbury　there；　although　he　had　not

been　able　to　talk　to　him。　Only　in　this　way　did　his　own　household　learn

where　he　had　been。

　　〃Now　comes　the　point。　From　that　time　onward　a　curious　change　came

over　the　professor。　He　became　furtive　and　sly。　Those　around　him　had

always　the　feeling　that　he　was　not　the　man　that　they　had　known；　but

that　he　was　under　some　shadow　which　had　darkened　his　higher　qualities。

His　intellect　was　not　affected。　His　lectures　were　as　brilliant　as

ever。　But　always　there　was　something　new；　something　sinister　and

unexpected。　His　daughter；　who　was　devoted　to　him；　tried　again　and

again　to　resume　the　old　relations　and　to　penetrate　this　mask　which　her

father　seemed　to　have　put　on。　You；　sir；　as　I　understand；　did　the　same…

but　all　was　in　vain。　And　now；　Mr。　Bennett；　tell　in　your　own　words

the　incident　of　the　letters。〃

　　〃You　must　understand；　Dr。　Watson；　that　the　professor　had　no

secrets　from　me。　If　I　were　his　son　or　his　younger　brother　I　could

not　have　more　completely　enjoyed　his　confidence。　As　his　secretary　I

handled　every　paper　which　came　to　him；　and　I　opened　and　subdivided　his

letters。　Shortly　after　his　return　all　this　was　changed。　He　told　me

that　certain　letters　might　come　to　him　from　London　which　would　be

marked　by　a　cross　under　the　stamp。　These　were　to　be　set　aside　for

his　own　eyes　only。　I　may　say　that　several　of　these　did　pass　through　my

hands；　that　they　had　the　E。C。　mark；　and　were　in　an　illiterate

handwriting。　If　he　answered　them　at　all　the　answers　did　not　pass

through　my　hands　nor　into