the adventure of the creeping man-第2部分

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

through　my　hands　nor　into　the　letter…basket　in　which　our

correspondence　was　collected。〃

　　〃And　the　box；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Ah；　yes；　the　box。　The　professor　brought　back　a　little　wooden　box

from　his　travels。　It　was　the　one　thing　which　suggested　a　Continental

tour；　for　it　was　one　of　those　quaint　carved　things　which　one

associates　with　Germany。　This　he　placed　in　this　instrument　cupboard。

One　day；　in　looking　for　a　canula；　I　took　up　the　box。　To　my　surprise　he

was　very　angry；　and　reproved　me　in　words　which　were　quite　savage　for

my　curiosity。　It　was　the　first　time　such　a　thing　had　happened；　and　I

was　deeply　hurt。　I　endeavoured　to　explain　that　it　was　a　mere

accident　that　I　had　touched　the　box；　But　all　the　evening　I　was

conscious　that　he　looked　at　me　harshly　and　that　the　incident　was

rankling　in　his　mind。〃　Mr。　Bennett　drew　a　little　diary　book　from　his

pocket。　〃That　was　on　July　2d；〃　said　he。

　　〃You　are　certainly　an　admirable　witness；〃　said　Holmes。　〃I　may　need

some　of　these　dates　which　you　have　noted。〃

　　〃I　learned　method　among　other　things　from　my　great　teacher。　From　the

time　that　I　observed　abnormality　in　his　behaviour　I　felt　that　it　was

my　duty　to　study　his　case。　Thus　I　have　it　here　that　it　was　on　that

very　day；　July　2d；　that　Roy　attacked　the　professor　as　he　came　from　his

study　into　the　hall。　Again；　on　July　11th　there　was　a　scene　of　the　same

sort；　and　then　I　have　a　note　of　yet　another　upon　July　20th。　After　that

we　bid　to　banish　Roy　to　the　stables。　He　was　a　dear；　affectionate

animal…　but　I　fear　I　weary　you。〃

　　Mr。　Bennett　spoke　in　a　tone　of　reproach；　for　it　was　very　clear

that　Holmes　was　not　listening。　His　face　was　rigid　and　his　eyes　gazed

abstractedly　at　the　ceiling。　With　an　effort　he　recovered　himself。

　　〃Singular！　Most　singular！〃　he　murmured。　〃These　details　were　new　to

me；　Mr。　Bennett。　I　think　we　have　now　fairly　gone　over　the　old

ground；　have　we　not？　But　you　spoke　of　some　fresh　developments。〃

　　The　pleasant；　open　face　of　our　visitor　clouded　over；　shadowed　by

some　grim　remembrance。　〃What　I　speak　of　occurred　the　night　before

last；〃　said　he。　〃I　was　lying　awake　about　two　in　the　morning；　when　I

was　aware　of　a　dull　muffled　sound　coming　from　the　passage。　I　opened　my

door　and　peeped　out。　I　should　explain　that　the　professor　sleeps　at　the

end　of　the　passage…〃

　　〃The　date　being…？〃　asked　Holmes。

　　Our　visitor　was　clearly　annoyed　it　so　irrelevant　an　interruption。

　　〃I　have　said；　sir；　that　it　was　the　night　before　last…　that　is；

September　4th。〃

　　Holmes　nodded　and　smiled。

　　〃Pray　continue；〃　said　he。

　　〃He　sleeps　at　the　end　of　the　passage　and　would　have　to　pass　my

door　in　order　to　reach　the　staircase。　It　was　a　really　terrifying

experience；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　think　that　I　am　as　strong…nerved　as　my

neighbours；　but　I　was　shaken　by　what　I　saw。　The　passage　was　dark

save　that　one　window　halfway　along　it　threw　a　patch　of　light。　I

could　see　that　something　was　coming　along　the　passage；　something

dark　and　crouching。　Then　suddenly　it　emerged　into　the　light；　and　I　saw

that　it　was　he。　He　was　crawling；　Mr。　Holmes…　crawling！　He　was　not

quite　on　his　hands　and　knees。　I　should　rather　say　on　his　hands　and

feet；　with　his　face　sunk　between　his　hands。　Yet　he　seemed　to　move　with

case。　I　was　so　paralyzed　by　the　sight　that　it　was　not　until　he　had

reached　my　door　that　I　was　able　to　step　forward　and　ask　if　I　could

assist　him。　His　answer　was　extraordinary。　He　sprang　up；　spat　out

some　atrocious　word　at　me；　and　hurried　on　past　me；　and　down　the

staircase。　I　waited　about　for　an　hour；　but　he　did　not　come　back。　It

must　have　been　daylight　before　he　regained　his　room。〃

　　〃Well；　Watson；　what　make　you　of　that？〃　asked　Holmes　with　the　air

of　the　pathologist　who　presents　a　rare　specimen。

　　〃Lumbago；　possibly。　I　have　known　a　severe　attack　make　a　man　walk

in　just　such　a　way；　and　nothing　would　be　more　trying　to　the　temper。〃

　　〃Good；　Watson！　You　always　keep　us　flat…footed　on　the　ground。　But

we　can　hardly　accept　Lumbago；　since　he　was　able　to　stand　erect　in　a

moment。〃

　　〃He　was　never　better　in　health；〃　said　Bennett。　〃In　fact；　he　is

stronger　than　I　have　known　him　for　years。　But　there　are　the　facts；　Mr。

Holmes。　It　is　not　a　case　in　which　we　can　consult　the　police；　and　yet

we　are　utterly　at　our　wit's　end　as　to　what　to　do；　and　we　feel　in

some　strange　way　that　we　are　drifting　towards　disaster。　Edith…　Miss

Presbury…　feels　as　I　do；　that　we　cannot　wait　passively　any　longer。〃

　　〃It　is　certainly　a　very　curious　and　suggestive　case。　What　do　you

think　Watson？〃

　　〃Speaking　as　a　medical　man；〃　said　I；　〃it　appears　to　be　a　case　for　an

alienist。　The　old　gentleman's　cerebralo　processes　were　disturbed　by

the　love　affair。　He　made　a　journey　abroad　in　the　hope　of　breaking

himself　of　the　passion。　His　letters　and　the　box　may　be　connected

with　some　other　private　transaction…　a　loan；　perhaps；　or　share

certificates；　which　are　in　the　box。〃

　　〃And　the　wolfhound　no　doubt　disapproved　of　the　financial　bargain。

No；　no；　Watson；　there　is　more　in　it　than　this。　Now；　I　can　only

suggest…〃

　　What　Sherlock　Holmes　was　about　to　suggest　will　never　be　known；　for

at　this　moment　the　door　opened　and　a　young　lady　was　shown　into　the

room。　As　she　appeared　Mr。　Bennett　sprang　up　with　a　cry　and　ran　forward

with　his　hands　out　to　meet　those　which　she　had　herself　outstretched。

　　〃Edith；　dear！　Nothing　the　matter；　I　hope？〃

　　〃I　felt　I　must　follow　you。　Oh；　Jack；　I　have　been　so　dreadfully

frightened！　It　is　awful　to　be　there　alone。〃

　　〃Mr。　Holmes；　this　is　the　young　lady　I　spoke　of。　This　is　my　fiancee。〃

　　〃We　were　gradually　coming　to　that　conclusion；　were　we　not；

Watson？〃　Holmes　answered　with　a　smile。　〃I　take　it；　Miss　Presbury；　that

there　is　some　fresh　development　in　the　case；　and　that　you　thought　we

should　know？〃

　　Our　new　visitor；　a　bright；　handsome　girl　of　a　conventional　English

type；　smiled　back　at　Holmes　as　she　seated　herself　beside　Mr。　Bennett。

　　〃When　I　found　Mr。　Bennett　had　left　his　hotel　I　thought　I　should

probably　find　him　here。　Of　course；　he　had　told　me　that　he　would

consult　you。　But；　oh；　Mr。　Holmes；　can　you　do　nothing　for　my　poor

father？〃

　　〃I　have　hopes；　Miss　Presbury；　but　the　case　is　still　obscure。　Perhaps

what　you　have　to　say　may　throw　some　fresh　light　upon　it。〃

　　〃It　was　last　night；　Mr。　Holmes。　He　had　been　very　strange　all　day。

I　am　sure　that　there　are　times　when　he　has　no　recollection　of　what

he　does。　He　lives　as　in　a　strange　dream。　Yesterday　was　such　a　day。

It　was　not　my　father　with　whom　I　lived。　His　outward　shell　was　there；

but　it　was　not　really　he。〃

　　〃Tell　me　what　happened。〃

　　〃I　was　awakened　in　the　night　by　the　dog　barking　most　furiously。　Poor

Roy；　he　is　chained　now　near　the　stable。　I　may　say　that　I　always

sleep　with　my　door　locked；　for；　as　Jack…　as　Mr。　Bennett…　will　tell

you；　we　all　have　a　feeling　of　impending　danger。　My　room　is　on　the

second　floor。　It　happened　that　the　blind　was　up　in　my　window；　and

there　was　bright　moonlight　outside。　As　I　lay　with　my　eyes　fixed　upon

the　square　of　light；　listening　to　the　frenzied　barkings　of　the　dog；

I　was　amazed　to　see　my　father's　face　looking　in　at　me。　Mr。　Holmes；　I

nearly　died　of　surprise　and　horror。　There　it　was　pressed　against　the

window…pane；　and　one　hand　seemed　to　be　raised　as　if　to　push　up　the

window。　If　that　window　had　opened；　I　think　I　should　have　gone　mad。

It　was　no　delusion；　Mr。　Holmes。　Don't　deceive　yourself　by　thinking　so。

I　dare　say　it　was　twenty　seconds　or　so　that　I　lay　paralyzed　and

watched　the　face。　Then　it　vanished；　but　I　could　not…　I　could　not

spring　out　of　bed　and　look　out　after　it。　I　lay　cold　and　shivering　till

morning。　At　breakfast　he　was　sharp　and　fierce　in　manner；　and　made　no

allusion　to　the　adventure　of　the　night。　Neither　did　I；　but　I　gave　an

excuse　for　coming　to　town…　and　here　I　am。〃

　　Holmes　looked　thoroughly　surprised　at　Miss　Presbury's　narrative。

　　〃My　dear　young　lady；　you　say　that　your　room　is　on　the　second

floor。　Is　there　a　long　ladder　in　the　garden？〃

　　〃No；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　is　the　amazing　part　of　it。　There　is　no

possible　way　of　reaching　the　window…　and　yet　he　was　there。〃

　　〃The　date　being　September　5th；〃　said　Holmes。　〃That　certainly

complicates　matters。〃

　　It　was　the　young　lady's　turn　to　look　surprised。　〃This　is　the

second　time　that　you　have　alluded　to　the　date；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said

Bennett。　〃Is　it　possible　that　it　has　any　bearing　upon　the　case？〃

　　〃It　is　possible…　very　possible…　and　yet　I　have　not　my　full

material　at　present。〃

　　〃Possibly　you　are　thinking　of　the　connection　between　insanity　and

phases　of　the　moon？〃

　　〃No；　I　assure　you。　It　was　quite　a　different　line　of　thought。

Possibly　you　can　leave　your　notebook　with　me；　and　I　will　check　the

dates。　Now　I　think；　Watson；　that　our　line　of　action　is　perfectly

clear。　This　young　lady　has　informed　us…　and　I　have　the　greatest

confidence　in　her　intuition…　that　her　father　remembers　little　or

nothing　which　occurs　upon　certain　dates。　We　will　therefore　call　upon

him　as　if　he　had　given　us　an　appointment　upon　such　a　date。　He　will　put

it　down　to　his　own　lack　of　memory。　Thus　we　will　open　our　campaign　by

having　a　good　close　view　of　him。〃

　　〃That　is　excellent；〃　said　Mr。　Bennett。　〃I　warn　you；　however；　that

the　professor　is　irascible　and　violent　at　times。〃

　　Holmes　smiled。　〃There　are　reasons　why　we　should　come　at　once…　very

cogent　reasons　if　my　theories　hold　good。　To…morrow；　Mr。　Bennett；

will　certainly　see　us　in　Camford。　There　is；　if　I　remember　right；　an

inn　called　the　Chequers　where　the　port　used　to　be　above　mediocrity　and

the　linen　was　above　reproached。　I　think；　Watson；　that　our　lot　for

the　next　few　days　might　be　in　less　pleasant　places。〃

　　Monday；　morning　found　us　on　our　way　to　the　famous　university　town…

an　easy　effort　on　the　part　of　Holmes；　who　had　no　roots　to　pull　up；　but

one　which　involved　frantic　planning　and　hurrying　on　my　part；　as　my

practice　was　by　this　time　not　inconsiderable。　Holmes　made　no

allusion　to　the　case　until　after　we　had　deposited　our　suitcases　at　the

ancient　hostel　of　which　he　had　spoken。

　　〃I　think；　Watson；　that　we　can　catch　the　professor　just　before　lunc