布鲁斯-帕廷顿计划-the bruce-partington plans-第7章

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column　by　the　print　and　paper。　　Right…hand　top　corner　of　a　page。
No　dates……but　messages　arrange　themselves。　　This　must　be　the
first：

〃Hoped　to　hear　sooner。　　Terms　agreed　to。　　Write　fully　to　address
given　on　card。

〃Pierrot。

〃Next　es：

〃Too　plex　for　description。　　Must　have　full　report；　Stuff
awaits　you　when　goods　delivered。

〃Pierrot。

〃Then　es：

〃Matter　presses。　　Must　withdraw　offer　unless　contract　pleted。
Make　appointment　by　letter。　Will　confirm　by　advertisement。

〃Pierrot。

〃Finally：

〃Monday　night　after　nine。　　Two　taps。　　Only　ourselves。　　Do　not　be
so　suspicious。　　Payment　in　hard　cash　when　goods　delivered。

〃Pierrot。

〃A　fairly　plete　record；　Watson！　　If　we　could　only　get　at　the
man　at　the　other　end！〃　　He　sat　lost　in　thought；　tapping　his
fingers　on　the　table。　　Finally　he　sprang　to　his　feet。

〃Well；　perhaps　it　won't　be　so　difficult；　after　all。　　There　is
nothing　more　to　be　done　here；　Watson。　　I　think　we　might　drive
round　to　the　offices　of　the　Daily　Telegraph；　and　so　bring　a　good
day's　work　to　a　conclusion。〃


Mycroft　Holmes　and　Lestrade　had　e　round　by　appointment　after
breakfast　next　day　and　Sherlock　Holmes　had　recounted　to　them　our
proceedings　of　the　day　before。　　The　professional　shook　his　head
over　our　confessed　burglary。

〃We　can't　do　these　things　in　the　force；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　he。
〃No　wonder　you　get　results　that　are　beyond　us。　　But　some　of　these
days　you'll　go　too　far；　and　you'll　find　yourself　and　your　friend
in　trouble。〃

〃For　England；　home　and　beauty……eh；　Watson？　　Martyrs　on　the　altar
of　our　country。　　But　what　do　you　think　of　it；　Mycroft？〃

〃Excellent；　Sherlock！　　Admirable！　　But　what　use　will　you　make　of
it？〃

Holmes　picked　up　the　Daily　Telegraph　which　lay　upon　the　table。

〃Have　you　seen　Pierrot's　advertisement　to…day？〃

〃What？　　Another　one？〃

〃Yes；　here　it　is：

〃To…night。　　Same　hour。　　Same　place。　　Two　taps。　　Most　vitally
important。　　Your　own　safety　at　stake。

〃Pierrot。

〃By　George！〃　cried　Lestrade。　　〃If　he　answers　that　we've　got　him！〃

〃That　was　my　idea　when　I　put　it　in。　　I　think　if　you　could　both
make　it　convenient　to　e　with　us　about　eight　o'clock　to
Caulfield　Gardens　we　might　possibly　get　a　little　nearer　to　a
solution。〃

One　of　the　most　remarkable　characteristics　of　Sherlock　Holmes　was
his　power　of　throwing　his　brain　out　of　action　and　switching　all
his　thoughts　on　to　lighter　things　whenever　he　had　convinced
himself　that　he　could　no　longer　work　to　advantage。　　I　remember
that　during　the　whole　of　that　memorable　day　he　lost　himself　in　a
monograph　which　he　had　undertaken　upon　the　Polyphonic　Motets　of
Lassus。　　For　my　own　part　I　had　none　of　this　power　of　detachment；
and　the　day；　in　consequence；　appeared　to　be　interminable。　　The
great　national　importance　of　the　issue；　the　suspense　in　high
quarters；　the　direct　nature　of　the　experiment　which　we　were
trying……all　bined　to　work　upon　my　nerve。　　It　was　a　relief　to
me　when　at　last；　after　a　light　dinner；　we　set　out　upon　our
expedition。　　Lestrade　and　Mycroft　met　us　by　appointment　at　the
outside　of　Gloucester　Road　Station。　　The　area　door　of　Oberstein's
house　had　been　left　open　the　night　before；　and　it　was　necessary
for　me；　as　Mycroft　Holmes　absolutely　and　indignantly　declined　to
climb　the　railings；　to　pass　in　and　open　the　hall　door。　　By　nine
o'clock　we　were　all　seated　in　the　study；　waiting　patently　for　our
man。

An　hour　passed　and　yet　another。　　When　eleven　struck；　the　measured
beat　of　the　great　church　clock　seemed　to　sound　the　dirge　of　our
hopes。　　Lestrade　and　Mycroft　were　fidgeting　in　their　seats　and
looking　twice　a　minute　at　their　watches。　　Holmes　sat　silent　and
posed；　his　eyelids　half　shut；　but　every　sense　on　the　alert。
He　raised　his　head　with　a　sudden　jerk。

〃He　is　ing；〃　said　he。

There　had　been　a　furtive　step　past　the　door。　　Now　it　returned。
We　heard　a　shuffling　sound　outside；　and　then　two　sharp　taps　with
the　knocker。　Holmes　rose；　motioning　us　to　remain　seated。　　The　gas
in　the　hall　was　a　mere　point　of　light。　　He　opened　the　outer　door；
and　then　as　a　dark　figure　slipped　past　him　he　closed　and　fastened
it。　　〃This　way！〃　we　heard　him　say；　and　a　moment　later　our　man
stood　before　us。　　Holmes　had　followed　him　closely；　and　as　the　man
turned　with　a　cry　of　surprise　and　alarm　he　caught　him　by　the
collar　and　threw　him　back　into　the　room。　　Before　our　prisoner　had
recovered　his　balance　the　door　was　shut　and　Holmes　standing　with
his　back　against　it。　　The　man　glared　round　him；　staggered；　and
fell　senseless　upon　the　floor。　　With　the　shock；　his　broad…brimmed
hat　flew　from　his　head；　his　cravat　slipped　sown　from　his　lips；
and　there　were　the　long　light　beard　and　the　soft；　handsome
delicate　features　of　Colonel　Valentine　Walter。

Holmes　gave　a　whistle　of　surprise。

〃You　can　write　me　down　an　ass　this　time；　Watson；〃　said　he。　　〃This
was　not　the　bird　that　I　was　looking　for。〃

〃Who　is　he？〃　asked　Mycroft　eagerly。

〃The　younger　brother　of　the　late　Sir　James　Walter；　the　head　of
the　Submarine　Department。　　Yes；　yes；　I　see　the　fall　of　the　cards。
He　is　ing　to。　　I　think　that　you　had　best　leave　his　examination
to　me。〃

We　had　carried　the　prostrate　body　to　the　sofa。　　Now　our　prisoner
sat　up；　looked　round　him　with　a　horror…stricken　face；　and　passed
his　hand　over　his　forehead；　like　one　who　cannot　believe　his　own
senses。

〃What　is　this？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　came　here　to　visit　Mr。　Oberstein。〃

〃Everything　is　known；　Colonel　Walter；〃　said　Holmes。　　〃How　an　English　gentleman　could　behave　in　such　a　manner　is　beyond　my　prehension。　　But　your　whole　correspondence　and　relations　with　Oberstein　are　within　our　knowledge。　　So　also　are　the　circumstances　connected　with　the　death　of　young　Cadogan　West。
Let　me　advise　you　to　gain　at　least　the　small　credit　for　repentance　and　confession；　since　there　are　still　some　details　which　we　can　only　learn　from　your　lips。〃

The　man　groaned　and　sank　his　face　in　his　hands。　　We　waited；　but　he　was　silent。

〃I　can　assure　you；〃　said　Holmes；　〃that　every　essential　is　already　known。　　We　know　that　you　were　pressed　for　money；　that　you　took　an　impress　of　the　keys　which　your　brother　held；　and　that　you　entered　into　a　correspondence　with　Oberstein；　who　answered　your　letters　through　the　advertisement　columns　of　the　Daily　Telegraph。
　　We　are　aware　that　you　went　down　to　the　office　in　the　fog　on　Monday　night；　but　that　you　were　seen　and　followed　by　young　Cadogan　West；　who　had　probably　some　previous　reason　to　suspect　you。　　He　saw　your　theft；　but　could　not　give　the　alarm；　as　it　was　just　possible　that　you　were　taking　the　papers　to　your　brother　in　London。
Leaving　all　his　private　concerns；　like　the　good　citizen　that　he　was；　he　followed　you　closely　in　the　fog　and　kept　at　your　heels　until　you　reached　this　very　house。　　There　he　intervened；　and　then　it　was；　Colonel　Walter；　that　to　treason　you　added　the　more　terrible　crime　of　murder。〃

〃I　did　not！　　I　did　not！　　Before　God　I　swear　that　I　did　not！〃　cried　our　wretched　prisoner。

〃Tell　us；　then；　how　Cadogan　West　met　his　end　before　you　laid　him　upon　the　roof　of　a　railway　carriage。〃

〃I　will。　　I　swear　to　you　that　I　will。　　I　did　the　rest。　　I　confess　it。　　It　was　just　as　you　say。　　A　Stock　Exchange　debt　had　to　be　paid。　　I　needed　the　money　badly。　　Oberstein　offered　me　five　thousand。　　It　was　to　save　myself　from　ruin。　　But　as　to　murder；　I　am　as　innocent　as　you。〃

〃What　happened；　then？〃

〃He　had　his　suspicions　before；　and　he　followed　me　as　you　describe。　　I　never　knew　it　until　I　was　at　the　very　door。　　It　was　thick　fog；　and　one　could　not　see　three　yards。　　I　had　given　two　taps　and　Oberstein　had　e　to　the　door。　　The　young　man　rushed　up　and　demanded　to　know　what　we　were　about　to　do　with　the　papers。
Oberstein　had　a　short　life…preserver。　　He　always　carried　it　with　him。　　As　West　forced　his　way　after　us　into　the　house　Oberstein　struck　him　on　the　head。　　The　blow　was　a　fatal　one。　　He　was　dead　within　five　minutes。　　There　he　lay　in　the　hall；　and　we　were　at　our　wit's　end　what　to　do。　　Then　Oberstein　had　this　idea　about　the　trains　which　halted　under　his　back　window。　　
But　first　he　examined　the　papers　which　I　had　brought。　　
He　said　that　three　of　them　were　essential；　and　that　he　must　keep　them。　　'You　cannot　keep　them；'　said　I。　
　'There　will　be　a　dreadful　row　at　Woolwich