布鲁斯-帕廷顿计划-the bruce-partington plans-第3章

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〃A　passenger　who　passed　Aldgate　in　an　ordinary　Metropolitan　train
about　11：40　on　Monday　night　declares　that　he　heard　a　heavy　thud；
as　of　a　body　striking　the　line；　just　before　the　train　reached　the
station。　　There　was　dense　fog；　however；　and　nothing　could　be
seen。　　He　made　no　report　of　it　at　the　time。　　Why；　whatever　is　the
matter　with　Mr。　Holmes？〃

My　friend　was　standing　with　an　expression　of　strained　intensity
upon　his　face；　staring　at　the　railway　metals　where　they　curved
out　of　the　tunnel。　　Aldgate　is　a　junction；　and　there　was　a
work　of　points。　　On　these　his　eager；　questioning　eyes　were
fixed；　and　I　saw　on　his　keen；　alert　face　that　tightening　of　the
lips；　that　quiver　of　the　nostrils；　and　concentration　of　the
heavy；　tufted　brows　which　I　knew　so　well。

〃Points；〃　he　muttered；　〃the　points。〃

〃What　of　it？　　What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　suppose　there　are　no　great　number　of　points　on　a　system　such
as　this？〃

〃No；　they　are　very　few。〃

〃And　a　curve；　too。　　Points；　and　a　curve。　　By　Jove！　if　it　were
only　so。〃

〃What　is　it；　Mr。　Holmes？　　Have　you　a　clue？〃

〃An　idea……an　indication；　no　more。　　But　the　case　certainly　grows
in　interest。　　Unique；　perfectly　unique；　and　yet　why　not？　　I　do
not　see　any　indications　of　bleeding　on　the　line。〃

〃There　were　hardly　any。〃

〃But　I　understand　that　there　was　a　considerable　wound。〃

〃The　bone　was　crushed；　but　there　was　no　great　external　injury。〃

〃And　yet　one　would　have　expected　some　bleeding。　　Would　it　be
possible　for　me　to　inspect　the　train　which　contained　the
passenger　who　heard　the　thud　of　a　fall　in　the　fog？〃

〃I　fear　not；　Mr。　Holmes。　　The　train　has　been　broken　up　before
now；　and　the　carriages　redistributed。〃

〃I　can　assure　you；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　Lestrade；　〃that　every
carriage　has　been　carefully　examined。　　I　saw　to　it　myself。〃

It　was　one　of　my　friend's　most　obvious　weaknesses　that　he　was
impatient　with　less　alert　intelligences　than　his　own。

〃Very　likely；〃　said　he；　turning　away。　　〃As　it　happens；　it　was　not
the　carriages　which　I　desired　to　examine。　　Watson；　we　have　done
all　we　can　here。　　We　need　not　trouble　you　any　further；　Mr。
Lestrade。　　I　think　our　investigations　must　now　carry　us　to
Woolwich。〃

At　London　Bridge；　Holmes　wrote　a　telegram　to　his　brother；　which
he　handed　to　me　before　dispatching　it。　　It　ran　thus：

See　some　light　in　the　darkness；　but　it　may　possibly　flicker　out。
Meanwhile；　please　send　by　messenger；　to　await　return　at　Baker
Street；　a　plete　list　of　all　foreign　spies　or　international
agents　known　to　be　in　England；　with　full　address。

Sherlock。

〃That　should　be　helpful；　Watson；〃　he　remarked　as　we　took　our
seats　in　the　Woolwich　train。　　〃We　certainly　owe　Brother　Mycroft　a
debt　for　having　introduced　us　to　what　promises　to　be　a　really
very　remarkable　case。〃

His　eager　face　still　wore　that　expression　of　intense　and　high…
strung　energy；　which　showed　me　that　some　novel　and　suggestive
circumstance　had　opened　up　a　stimulating　line　of　thought。　　See
the　foxhound　with　hanging　ears　and　drooping　tail　as　it　lolls
about　the　kennels；　and　pare　it　with　the　same　hound　as；　with
gleaming　eyes　and　straining　muscles；　it　runs　upon　a　breast…high
scent……such　was　the　change　in　Holmes　since　the　morning。　　He　was　a
different　man　from　the　limp　and　lounging　figure　in　the　mouse…
coloured　dressing…gown　who　had　prowled　so　restlessly　only　a　few
hours　before　round　the　fog…girt　room。

〃There　is　material　here。　　There　is　scope；〃　said　he。　　〃I　am　dull
indeed　not　to　have　understood　its　possibilities。〃

〃Even　now　they　are　dark　to　me。〃

〃The　end　is　dark　to　me　also；　but　I　have　hold　of　one　idea　which
may　lead　us　far。　　The　man　met　his　death　elsewhere；　and　his　body
was　on　the　ROOF　of　a　carriage。〃

〃On　the　roof！〃

〃Remarkable；　is　it　not？　　But　consider　the　facts。　　Is　it　a
coincidence　that　it　is　found　at　the　very　point　where　the　train
pitches　and　sways　as　it　es　round　on　the　points？　　Is　not　that
the　place　where　an　object　upon　the　roof　might　be　expected　to　fall
off？　　The　points　would　affect　no　object　inside　the　train。　　Either
the　body　fell　from　the　roof；　or　a　very　curious　coincidence　has
occurred。　　But　now　consider　the　question　of　the　blood。　　Of
course；　there　was　no　bleeding　on　the　line　if　the　body　had　bled
elsewhere。　　Each　fact　is　suggestive　in　itself。　　Together　they
have　a　cumulative　force。〃

〃And　the　ticket；　too！〃　I　cried。

〃Exactly。　　We　could　not　explain　the　absence　of　a　ticket。　　This
would　explain　it。　　Everything　fits　together。〃

〃But　suppose　it　were　so；　we　are　still　as　far　as　ever　from
unravelling　the　mystery　of　his　death。　　Indeed；　it　bees　not
simpler　but　stranger。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Holmes；　thoughtfully；　〃perhaps。〃　　He　relapsed
into　a　silent　reverie；　which　lasted　until　the　slow　train　drew　up
at　last　in　Woolwich　Station。　　There　he　called　a　cab　and　drew
Mycroft's　paper　from　his　pocket。

〃We　have　quite　a　little　round　of　afternoon　calls　to　make；〃　said
he。　　〃I　think　that　Sir　James　Walter　claims　our　first　attention。〃

The　house　of　the　famous　official　was　a　fine　villa　with　green
lawns　stretching　down　to　the　Thames。　　As　we　reached　it　the　fog
was　lifting；　and　a　thin；　watery　sunshine　was　breaking　through。　　A
butler　answered　our　ring。

〃Sir　James；　sir！〃　said　he　with　solemn　face。　　〃Sir　James　died　this
morning。〃

〃Good　heavens！〃　cried　Holmes　in　amazement。　　〃How　did　he　die？〃

〃Perhaps　you　would　care　to　step　in；　sir；　and　see　his　brother；
Colonel　Valentine？〃

〃Yes；　we　had　best　do　so。〃

We　were　ushered　into　a　dim…lit　drawing…room；　where　an　instant
later　we　were　joined　by　a　very　tall；　handsome；　light…beared　man
of　fifty；　the　younger　brother　of　the　dead　scientist。　　His　wild
eyes；　stained　cheeks；　and　unkempt　hair　all　spoke　of　the　sudden
blow　which　had　fallen　upon　the　household。　　He　was　hardly
articulate　as　he　spoke　of　it。

〃It　was　this　horrible　scandal；〃　said　he。　　〃My　brother；　Sir　James；
was　a　man　of　very　sensitive　honour；　and　he　could　not　survive　such
an　affair。　　It　broke　his　heart。　　He　was　always　so　proud　of　the
efficiency　of　his　department；　and　this　was　a　crushing　blow。〃

〃We　had　hoped　that　he　might　have　given　us　some　indications　which
would　have　helped　us　to　clear　the　matter　up。〃

〃I　assure　you　that　it　was　all　a　mystery　to　him　as　it　is　to　you
and　to　all　of　us。　　He　had　already　put　all　his　knowledge　at　the
disposal　of　the　police。　　Naturally　he　had　no　doubt　that　Cadogan
West　was　guilty。　　But　all　the　rest　was　inconceivable。〃

〃You　cannot　throw　any　new　light　upon　the　affair？〃

〃I　know　nothing　myself　save　what　I　have　read　or　heard。　　I　have　no
desire　to　be　discourteous；　but　you　can　understand；　Mr。　Holmes；
that　we　are　much　disturbed　at　present；　and　I　must　ask　you　to
hasten　this　interview　to　an　end。〃

〃This　is　indeed　an　unexpected　development；〃　said　my　friend　when
we　had　regained　the　cab。　　〃I　wonder　if　the　death　was　natural；　or
whether　the　poor　old　fellow　killed　himself！　　If　the　latter；　may
it　be　taken　as　some　sign　of　self…reproach　for　duty　neglected？　　We
must　leave　that　question　to　the　future。　　Now　we　shall　turn　to　the
Cadogan　Wests。〃

A　small　but　well…kept　house　in　the　outskirts　of　the　town
sheltered　the　bereaved　mother。　　The　old　lady　was　too　dazed　with
grief　to　be　of　any　use　to　us；　but　at　her　side　was　a　white…faced
young　lady；　who　introduced　herself　as　Miss　Violet　Westbury；　the
fiancee　of　the　dead　man；　and　the　last　to　see　him　upon　that　fatal
night。

〃I　cannot　explain　it；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　not　shut　an
eye　since　the　tragedy；　thinking；　thinking；　thinking；　night　and
day；　what　the　true　meaning　of　it　can　be。　　Arthur　was　the　most
single…minded；　chivalrous；　patriotic　man　upon　earth。　　He　would
have　cut　his　right　hand　off　before　he　would　sell　a　State　secret
confided　to　his　keeping。　　It　is　absurd；　impossible；　preposterous
to　anyone　who　knew　him。〃

〃But　the　facts；　Miss　Westbury？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　admit　I　cannot　explain　them。〃

〃Was　he　in　any　want　of　money？〃

〃No；　his　needs　were　very　simple　and　his　salary　ample。　　He　had
saved　a　few　hundreds；　and　we　were　to　marry　at　the　New　Year。〃

〃No　signs　of　any　mental　excitement？　　e；　Miss　Westbury；　be
absolutely　frank　with　us。〃

The　quick　eye　of　my　panion　had　noted　some　change　in　her
manner。　　She　coloured　and　hesitated。

〃Yes；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　had　a　feeling　that　there　was
something　on　his　mind。〃

〃For　long？〃

〃Only　for　the　last　week　or　so。　　He　was　thoughtful　and　worried。
Once　I　pressed　him　about　it。　　He　admitted　that　there　was
something；　and　that　it　was　concerned　with　his　official　life。　　'It
is　too　serious　for　me　to　speak　about；　even　to　you；'　said　he。　　I
could　get　nothing　more。〃

Holmes　looked　grave。

〃Go　on；　Miss　Westbury。　　Even　if　it　seems　to　tell　against　him；　go
on。　　We　cannot　say　what　it　may　lead　to。〃

〃Indeed；　I　have　nothing　more　to　tell。　　Once　or　twice　it　seemed　to
me　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　telling　me　something。　　He　spoke
one　evening　of　the　importance　of　the　secret；　and　I　have　some
recollection　that　he　said　that　no　doubt　foreign　spies　would　pay　a
great　deal　to　have　it。〃

My　friend's　face　grew　graver　still。

〃Anything　else？〃

〃He　said　that　we　were　slack　about　such　matters……that　it　would　be
easy　for　a　traitor　to　get　the　plans。〃

〃Was　it　only　recently　that　he　made　such　remarks？〃

〃Yes；　quite　recently。〃

〃Now　tell　us　of　that　last　evening。〃

〃We　were　to　go　to　the　theatre。　　The　fog　was　so　thick　that　a　cab
was　useless。　　We　walked；　and　our　way　took　us　close　to　the　office。
Suddenly　he　darted　away　into　the　fog。〃

〃Without　a　word？〃

〃He　gave　an　exclamation；　that　was　all。　　I　waited　but　he　never
returned。　　Then　I　walked　home。　　Next　morning；　after　the　office
opened；　they　came　to　inquire。　　About　twelve　o'clock　we　heard　the
terrible　news。　　Oh；　Mr。　Holmes；　if　you　could　only；　only　save　his
honour！　　It　was　so　much　to　him。〃

Holmes　shook　his　head　sadly。

〃e；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃our　ways　lie　elsewhere。　　Our　next
station　must　be　the　office　from　which　the　papers　were　taken。

〃It　was　black　enough　before　against　this　young　man；　but　our
inquiries　make　it　blacker；〃　he　remarked　as　the　cab　lumbered　off。
〃His　ing　marriage　gives　a　motive　for　the　crime。　　He　naturally
wanted　money。　　The　idea　was　in　his　head；　since　he　spoke　about　it。
He　nearly　made　the　girl　an　acplice　in　the　treason　by　telling
her　his　plans。　　It　is　al