the adventure of the solitary cyclist-第3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！


the　letter　lay　in　the　postscript：



　　I　am　sure　that　you　will　respect　my　confidence；　Mr。　Holmes；　when　I

tell　you　that　my　place　here　has　become　difficult；　owing　to　the　fact

that　my　employer　has　proposed　marriage　to　me。　I　am　convinced　that

his　feelings　are　most　deep　and　most　honourable。　At　the　same　time；　my

promise　is　of　course　given。　He　took　my　refusal　very　seriously；　but

also　very　gently。　You　can　understand；　however；　that　the　situation　is　a

little　strained。



　〃Our　young　friend　seems　to　be　getting　into　deep　waters；〃　said　Holmes；

thoughtfully；　as　he　finished　the　letter。　〃The　case　certainly

presents　more　features　of　interest　and　more　possibility　of　development

than　I　had　originally　thought。　I　should　be　none　the　worse　for　a　quiet；

peaceful　day　in　the　country；　and　I　am　inclined　to　run　down　this

afternoon　and　test　one　or　two　theories　which　I　have　formed。〃

　　Holmes's　quiet　day　in　the　country　had　a　singular　termination；　for　he

arrived　at　Baker　Street　late　in　the　evening；　with　a　cut　lip　and　a

discoloured　lump　upon　his　forehead；　besides　a　general　air　of

dissipation　which　would　have　made　his　own　person　the　fitting　object　of

a　Scotland　Yard　investigation。　He　was　immensely　tickled　by　his　own

adventures　and　laughed　heartily　as　be　recounted　them。

　　〃I　get　so　little　active　exercise　that　it　is　always　a　treat〃　said　he。

〃You　are　aware　that　I　have　some　proficiency　in　the　good　old　British

sport　of　boxing。　Occasionally；　it　is　of　service；　to…day；　for

example；　I　should　have　come　to　very　ignominious　grief　without　it。〃

　　I　begged　him　to　tell　me　what　had　occurred。

　　〃I　found　that　country　pub　which　I　had　already　recommended　to　your

notice；　and　there　I　made　my　discreet　inquiries。　I　was　in　the　bar；

and　a　garrulous　landlord　was　giving　me　all　that　I　wanted。　Williamson

is　a　white…bearded　man；　and　he　lives　alone　with　a　small　staff　of

servants　at　the　Hall。　There　is　some　rumor　that　he　is　or　has　been　a

clergyman；　but　one　or　two　incidents　of　his　short　residence　at　the　Hall

struck　me　as　peculiarly　unecclesiastical。　I　have　already　made　some

inquiries　at　a　clerical　agency；　and　they　tell　me　that　there　was　a

man　of　that　name　in　orders；　whose　career　has　been　a　singularly　dark

one。　The　landlord　further　informed　me　that　there　are　usually　weekend

visitors…　‘a　warm　lot；　sir'…　at　the　Hall；　and　especially　one　gentleman

with　a　red　moustache；　Mr。　Woodley　by　name；　who　was　always　there。　We

had　got　as　far　as　this；　when　who　should　walk　in　but　the　gentleman

himself；　who　had　been　drinking　his　beer　in　the　tap…room　and　had

heard　the　whole　conversation。　Who　was　I？　What　did　I　want？　What　did　I

mean　by　asking　questions？　He　had　a　fine　flow　of　language；　and　his

adjectives　were　very　vigorous。　He　ended　a　string　of　abuse　by　a　vicious

backhander；　which　I　failed　to　entirely　avoid。　The　next　few　minutes

were　delicious。　It　was　a　straight　left　against　a　slogging　ruffian。　I

emerged　as　you　see　me。　Mr。　Woodley　went　home　in　a　cart。　So　ended　my

country　trip；　and　it　must　be　confessed　that；　however　enjoyable；　my　day

on　the　Surrey　border　has　not　been　much　more　profitable　than　your　own。〃

　　The　Thursday　brought　us　another　letter　from　our　client。



　　You　will　not　be　surprised；　Mr。　Holmes　＇said　she＇　to　hear　that　I　am

leaving　Mr。　Carruthers's　employment。　Even　the　high　pay　cannot

reconcile　me　to　the　discomforts　of　my　situation。　On　Saturday　I　come　up

to　town；　and　I　do　not　intend　to　return。　Mr。　Carruthers　has　got　a　trap；

and　so　the　dangers　of　the　lonely　road；　if　there　ever　were　any　dangers；

are　now　over。

　　As　to　the　special　cause　of　my　leaving；　it　is　not　merely　the　strained

situation　with　Mr。　Carruthers；　but　it　is　the　reappearance　of　that

odious　man；　Mr。　Woodley。　He　was　always　hideous；　but　he　looks　more

awful　than　ever　now；　for　he　appears　to　have　had　an　accident　and　he

is　much　disfigured。　I　saw　him　out　of　the　window；　but　I　am　glad　to

say　I　did　not　meet　him。　He　had　a　long　talk　with　Mr。　Carruthers；　who

seemed　much　excited　afterwards。　Woodley　must　be　staying　in　the

neighbourhood；　for　he　did　not　sleep　here；　and　yet　I　caught　a　glimpse

of　him　again　this　morning；　slinking　about　in　the　shrubbery。　I　would

sooner　have　a　savage　wild　animal　loose　about　the　place。　I　loathe　and

fear　him　more　than　I　can　say。　How　can　Mr。　Carruthers　endure　such　a

creature　for　a　moment？　However；　all　my　troubles　will　be　over　on

Saturday。



　　〃So　I　trust；　Watson；　so　I　trust〃　said　Holmes；　gravely。　〃There　is

some　deep　intrigue　going　on　round　that　little　woman；　and　it　is　our

duty　to　see　that　no　one　molests　her　upon　that　last　journey。　I　think；

Watson；　that　we　must　spare　time　to　run　down　together　on　Saturday

morning　and　make　sure　that　this　curious　and　inclusive　investigation

has　no　untoward　ending。〃

　　I　confess　that　I　had　not　up　to　now　taken　a　very　serious　view　of

the　case；　which　had　seemed　to　me　rather　grotesque　and　bizarre　than

dangerous。　That　a　man　should　lie　in　wait　for　and　follow　a　very

handsome　woman　is　no　unheard…of　thing；　and　if　he　has　so　little

audacity　that　he　not　only　dared　not　address　her；　but　even　fled　from

her　approach；　he　was　not　a　very　formidable　assailant。　The　ruffian

Woodley　was　a　very　different　person；　but；　except　on　one　occasion；　he

had　not　molested　our　client；　and　now　he　visited　the　house　of

Carruthers　without　intruding　upon　her　presence。　The　man　on　the　bicycle

was　doubtless　a　member　of　those　week…end　parties　at　the　Hall　of

which　the　publican　had　spoken；　but　who　he　was；　or　what　he　wanted；

was　as　obscure　as　ever。　It　was　the　severity　of　Holmes's　manner　and　the

fact　that　he　slipped　a　revolver　into　his　pocket　before　leaving　our

rooms　which　impressed　me　with　the　feeling　that　tragedy　might　prove

to　lurk　behind　this　curious　train　of　events。

　　A　rainy　night　had　been　followed　by　a　glorious　morning；　and　the

heath…covered　countryside；　with　the　glowing　clumps　of　flowering　gorse；

seemed　all　the　more　beautiful　to　eyes　which　were　weary　of　the　duns　and

drabs　and　slate　grays　of　London。　Holmes　and　I　walked　along　the

broad；　sandy　road　inhaling　the　fresh　morning　air　and　rejoicing　in

the　music　of　the　birds　and　the　fresh　breath　of　the　spring。　From　a　rise

of　the　road　on　the　shoulder　of　Crooksbury　Hill；　we　could　see　the

grim　Hall　bristling　out　from　amidst　the　ancient　oaks；　which；　old　as

they　were；　were　still　younger　than　the　building　which　they　surrounded。

Holmes　pointed　down　the　long　tract　of　road　which　wound；　a　reddish

yellow　band；　between　the　brown　of　the　heath　and　the　budding　green　of

the　woods。　Far　away；　a　black　dot；　we　could　see　a　vehicle　moving　in　our

direction。　Holmes　gave　an　exclamation　of　impatience。

　　〃I　have　given　a　margin　of　half　an　hour；〃　said　he。　〃If　that　is　her

trap；　she　must　be　making　for　the　earlier　train。　I　fear；　Watson；　that

she　will　be　past　Charlington　before　we　can　possibly　meet　her。〃

　　From　the　instant　that　we　passed　the　rise；　we　could　no　longer　see　the

vehicle；　but　we　hastened　onward　at　such　a　pace　that　my　sedentary

life　began　to　tell　upon　me；　and　I　was　compelled　to　fall　behind。

Holmes；　however；　was　always　in　training；　for　he　had　inexhaustible

stores　of　nervous　energy　upon　which　to　draw。　His　springy　step　never

slowed　until　suddenly；　when　he　was　a　hundred　yards　in　front　of　me；

he　halted；　and　I　saw　him　throw　up　his　hand　with　a　gesture　of　grief　and

despair。　At　the　same　instant　an　empty　dog…cart；　the　horse　cantering；

the　reins　trailing；　appeared　round　the　curve　of　the　road　and　rattled

swiftly　towards　us。

　　〃Too　late；　Watson；　too　late！〃　cried　Holmes；　as　I　ran　panting　to

his　side。　〃Fool　that　I　was　not　to　allow　for　that　earlier　train！　It's

abduction；　Watson…　abduction！　Murder！　Heaven　knows　what！　Block　the

road！　Stop　the　horse！　That's　right。　Now；　jump　in；　and　let　us　see　if

I　can　repair　the　consequences　of　my　own　blunder。〃

　　We　had　sprung　into　the　dog…cart；　and　Holmes；　after　turning　the

horse；　gave　it　a　sharp　cut　with　the　whip；　and　we　flew　back　along　the

road。　As　we　turned　the　curve；　the　whole　stretch　of　road　between　the

Hall　and　the　heath　was　opened　up。　I　grasped　Holmes's　arm。

　　〃That's　the　man！〃　I　gasped。

　A　solitary　cyclist　was　coming　towards　us。　His　head　was　down　and　his

shoulders　rounded；　as　he　put　every　ounce　of　energy　that　he　possessed

on　to　the　pedals。　He　was　flying　like　a　racer。　Suddenly　he　raised　his

bearded　face；　saw　us　close　to　him；　and　pulled　up；　springing　from　his

machine。　That　coal…black　beard　was　in　singular　contrast　to　eyes　were

as　bright　as　if　he　had　a　fever。　He　stared　at　us　and　at　the　dog…cart。

Then　a　look　of　amazement　came　over　his　face。

　　〃Halloa！　Stop　there！〃　he　shouted；　holding　his　bicycle　to　block　our

road。　〃Where　did　you　get　that　dog…cart？　Pull　up；　man！〃　he　yelled；

drawing　a　pistol　from　his　side　〃Pull　up；　I　say；　or；　by　George；　I'll

put　a　bullet　into　your　horse。〃

　　Holmes　threw　the　reins　into　my　lap　and　sprang　down　from　the　cart。

　　〃You're　the　man　we　want　to　see。　Where　is　Miss　Violet　Smith？〃　he

said；　in　his　quick；　clear　way。

　　〃That's　what　I'm　asking　you。　You're　in　her　dog…cart。　You　ought　to

know　where　she　is。〃

　　〃We　met　the　dog…cart　on　the　road。　There　was　no　one　in　it。　We　drove

back　to　help　the　young　lady。〃

　　〃Good　Lord！　Good　Lord！　What　shall　I　do？〃　cried　the　stranger；　in　an

ecstasy　of　despair。　〃They've　got　her；　that　hell…hound　Woodley　and

the　blackguard　parson。　Come；　man；　come；　if　you　really　are　her

friend。　Stand　by　me　and　we'll　save　her；　if　I　have　to　leave　my

carcass　in　Charlington　Wood。〃

　　He　ran　distractedly；　his　pistol　in　his　hand；　towards　a　gap　in　the

hedge。　Holmes　followed　him；　and　I；　leaving　the　horse　grazing　beside

the　road；　followed　Holmes。

　　〃This　is　where　they　came　through；〃　said　he；　pointing　to　the　marks　of

several　feet　upon　the　muddy　path。　〃Halloa！　Stop　a　minute！　Who's　this

in　the　bush？〃

　　It　was　a　young　fellow　about　seventeen；　dressed　like　an　ostler；

with　leather　cords　and　gaiters。　He　lay　upon　his　back；　his　knees

drawn　up；　a　terrible　cut　upon　his　head。　He　was　insensible；　but

alive。　A　glance　at　his　wound　told　me　that　it　had　not　penetrated　the

bone。

　　〃That's　Peter；　the　groom；〃　cried　the　stranger。　〃He　drove　her。　The

beasts　have　pulled　him　off　and　clubbed　him。　Let　him　lie；　we　can't　do

him　any　good；　but　we