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！
〃I could very easily give you half a dozen；〃 said Holmes。 〃Here
for example； is a very possible and even probable one。 I make you a
free present of it。 The older man is showing documents which are of
evident value。 A passing tramp sees them through the window； the blind
of which is only half down。 Exit the solicitor。 Enter the tramp！ He
seizes a stick； which he observes there； kills Oldacre； and departs
after burning the body。〃
〃Why should the tramp burn the body？〃
〃For the matter of that； why should McFarlane？〃
〃To hide some evidence。〃
〃Possibly the tramp wanted to hide that any murder at all had been
committed。〃
〃And why did the tramp take nothing？〃
〃Because they were papers that he could not negotiate。〃
Lestrade shook his head； though it seemed to me that his manner
was less absolutely assured than before。
〃Well； Mr。 Sherlock Holmes； you may look for your tramp； and while
you are finding him we will hold on to our man。 The future will show
which is right。 Just notice this point； Mr。 Holmes： that so far as
we know； none of the papers were removed； and that the prisoner is the
one man in the world who had no reason for removing them； since he was
heir…at…law； and would come into them in any case。〃
My friend seemed struck by this remark。
〃I don't mean to deny that the evidence is in some ways very
strongly in favour of your theory；〃 said he。 〃I only wish to point out
that there are other theories possible。 As you say； the future will
decide。 Good…morning！ I dare say that in the course of the day I shall
drop in at Norwood and see how you are getting on。〃
When the detective departed； my friend rose and made his
preparations for the day's work with the alert air of a man who has
a congenial task before him。
〃My first movement Watson；〃 said he； as he bustled into his
frockcoat； 〃must； as I said； be in the direction of Blackheath。〃
〃And why not Norwood？〃
〃Because we have in this case one singular incident coming close
to the heels of another singular incident。 The police are making the
mistake of concentrating their attention upon the second； because it
happens to be the one which is actually criminal。 But it is evident to
me that the logical way to approach the case is to begin by trying
to throw some light upon the first incident… the curious will； so
suddenly made； and to so unexpected an heir。 It may do something to
simplify what followed。 No； my dear fellow； I don't think you can help
me。 There is no prospect of danger； or I should not dream of
stirring out without you。 I trust that when I see you in the
evening； I will be able to report that I have been able to do
something for this unfortunate youngster； who has thrown himself
upon my protection。〃
It was late when my friend returned； and I could see； by a glance at
his haggard and anxious face； that the high hopes with which be had
started had not been fulfilled。 For an hour he droned away upon his
violin； endeavouring to soothe his own ruffled spirits。 At last he
flung down the instrument； and plunged into a detailed account of
his misadventures。
〃It's all going wrong； Watson… all as wrong as it can go。 I kept a
bold face before Lestrade； but； upon my soul； I believe that for
once the fellow is on the right track and we are on the wrong。 All
my instincts are one way； and all the facts are the other； and I
much fear that British juries have not yet attained that pitch of
intelligence when they will give the preference to my theories over
Lestrade's facts。〃
〃Did you go to Blackheath？〃
〃Yes； Watson； I went there； and I found very quickly that the late
lamented Oldacre was a pretty considerable blackguard。 The father
was away in search of his son。 The mother was at home… a little；
fluffy； blue…eyed person； in a tremor of fear and indignation。 Of
course； she would not admit even the possibility of his guilt。 But she
would not express either surprise or regret over the fate of
Oldacre。 On the contrary； she spoke of him with such bitterness that
she was unconsciously considerably strengthening the case of the
police for； of course； if her son had heard her speak of the man in
this fashion； it would predispose him towards hatred and violence。 ‘He
was more like a malignant and cunning ape than a human being；' said
she； ‘and he always was； ever since he was a young man。'
〃‘You knew him at that time？' said I
〃‘Yes； I knew him well； in fact； he was an old suitor of mine。 Thank
heaven that I had the sense to turn away from him and to marry a
better； if poorer； man。 I was engaged to him； Mr。 Holmes； when I heard
a shocking story of how he had turned a cat loose in an aviary； and
I was so horrified at his brutal cruelty that I would have nothing
more to do with him。' She rummaged in a bureau； and presently she
produced a photograph of a woman； shamefully defaced and mutilated
with a knife。 ‘That is my own photograph；' she said。 ‘He sent it to me
in that state； with his curse； upon my wedding morning。'
〃‘Well；' said I； ‘at least he has forgiven you now； since he has
left all his property to your son。'
〃‘Neither my son nor I want anything from Jonas Oldacre； dead or
alive！' she cried； with a proper spirit。 ‘There is a God in heaven；
Ah； Holmes； and that same God who has punished that wicked man will
show； in His own good time； that my son's hands are guiltless of his
blood。'
〃Well； I tried one or two leads； but could get at nothing which
would help our hypothesis； and several points which would make against
it。 I gave it up at last and off I went to Norwood。
〃This place； Deep Dene House； is a big modern villa of staring
brick； standing back in its own grounds； with a laurel…clumped lawn in
front of it。 To the right and some distance back from the road was the
timber…yard which had been the scene of the fire。 Here's a rough
plan on a leaf of my notebook。 This window on the left is the one
which opens into Oldacre's room。 You can look into it from the road；
you see。 That is about the only bit of consolation I have had
to…day。 Lestrade was not there； but his head constable did the
honours。 They had just found a great treasure trove。 They had spent
the morning raking among the ashes of the burned wood…pile； and
besides the charred organic remains they had secured several
discoloured metal discs。 I examined them with care； and there was no
doubt that they were trouser buttons。 I even distinguished that one of
them was marked with the name of ‘Hyams；' who was Oldacres tailor。 I
then worked the lawn very carefully for signs and traces； but this
drought has made everything as hard as iron。 Nothing was to be seen
save that some body or bundle had been dragged through a low privet
hedge which is in a line with the wood…pile。 All that； of course； fits
in with the official theory。 I crawled about the lawn with an August
sun on my back； but I got up at the end of an hour no wiser than
before。
〃Well； after this fiasco I went into the bedroom and examined that
also。 The blood…stains were very slight； mere smears and
discolouratio