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！
〃it is not part of my duties to my client； but here's a hunting
crop handy； and I think I shall just treat myself to〃 He took
two swift steps to the whip； but before he could grasp it there was
a wild clatter of steps upon the stairs； the heavy hall door
banged； and from the window we could see Mr。 James Windibank
running at the top of his speed down the road。
〃There's a cold…blooded scoundrel！〃 said Holmes； laughing as he
threw himself down into his chair once more。 〃That fellow will
rise from crime to crime until he does something very bad and ends
on a gallows。 The case has； in some respects； been not entirely
devoid of interest。〃
〃I cannot now entirely see all the steps of your reasoning；〃 I
remarked。
〃Well； of course it was obvious from the first that this Mr。 Hosmer
Angel must have some strong object for his curious conduct； and it
was equally clear that the only man who really profited by the
incident； as far as we could see； was the stepfather。 Then the
fact that the two men were never together； but that the one always
appeared when the other was away； was suggestive。 So were the
tinted spectacles and the curious voice； which both hinted at a
disguise； as did the bushy whiskers。 My suspicions were all
confirmed by his peculiar action in typewriting his signature；
which； of course； inferred that his handwriting was so familiar to
her that she would recognize even the smallest sample of it。 You
see all these isolated facts； together with many minor ones； all
pointed in the same direction。〃
〃And how did you verify them？〃
〃Having once spotted my man； it was easy to get corroboration。 I
knew the firm for which this man worked。 Having taken the printed
description； I eliminated everything from it which could be the
result of a disguise；the whiskers； the glasses； the voice；and I
sent it to the firm with a request that they would inform me
whether it answered to the description of any of their travelers。
I had already noticed the peculiarities of the typewriter； and I
wrote to the man himself at his business address； asking him if he
would come here。 As I expected； his reply was typewritten； and
revealed the same trivial but characteristic defects。 The same
post brought me a letter from Westhouse & Marbank； of Fenchurch
Street； to say that the description tallied in every respect with
that of their employee； James Windibank。 Voila tout！〃
〃And Miss Sutherland？〃
〃If I tell her she will not believe me。 You may remember the old
Persian saying； 'There is danger for him who taketh the tiger cub；
and danger also for whoso snatcheth a delusion from a woman。'
There is as much sense in Hafiz as in Horace； and as much knowledge
of the world。〃
A Scandal in Bohemia
I
To Sherlock Holmes she is always THE woman。 I have seldom heard
him mention her under any other name。 In his eyes she eclipses and
predominates the whole of her sex。 It was not that he felt any
emotion akin to love for Irene Adler。 All emotions； and that one
particularly； were abhorrent to his cold； precise but admirably
balanced mind。 He was； I take it； the most perfect reasoning and
observing machine that the world has seen； but as a lover； he would
have placed himself in a false position。 He never spoke of the
softer passions； save with a gibe and a sneer。 They were admirable
things for the observerexcellent for drawing the veil from men's
motives and actions。 But for the trained reasoner to admit such
intrusions into his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament
was to introduce a distracting factor which might throw a doubt
upon all his mental results。 Grit in a sensitive instrument； or a
crack in one of his own high…power lenses； would not be more
disturbing that a strong emotion in a nature such as his。 And yet
there was but one woman to him； and that woman was the late Irene
Adler； of dubious and questionable memory。
I had seen little of Holmes lately。 My marriage had drifted us
away from each other。 My own complete happiness； and the home…
centered interests which rise up around the man who first finds
himself master of his own establishment； were sufficient to absorb
all my attention； while Holmes； who loathed every form of society
with his whole Bohemian soul； remained in our lodgings in Baker
Street； buried among his old books； and alternating from week to
week between cocaine and ambition； the drowsiness of the drug and
the fierce energy of his own keen nature。 He was still； as ever；
deeply attracted by the study of crime； and occupied his immense
faculties and extraordinary powers of observation in following out
those clews； and clearing up those mysteries； which had been
abandoned as hopeless by the official police。 From time to time I
heard some vague account of his doings； of his summons to Odessa in
the case of the Trepoff murder； of his clearing up of the singular
tragedy of the Atkinson brothers at Trincomalee； and finally of the
mission which he had accomplished so delicately and successfully
for the reigning family of Holland。 Beyond these signs of his
activity； however； which I merely shared with all the readers of
the daily press； I knew little of my former friend and companion。
One nightit was on the 20th of March； 1888I was returning from
a journey to a patient （for I had now returned to civil practice）；
when my way led me through Baker Street。 As I passed the well…
remembered door； which must always be associated in my mind with my
wooing； and with the dark incidents of the Study in Scarlet； I was
seized with a keen desire to see Holmes again； and to know how he
was employing his extraordinary powers。 His rooms were brilliantly
lighted； and even as I looked up； I saw his tall； spare figure pass
twice in a dark silhouette against the blind。 He was pacing the
room swiftly； eagerly； with his head sunk upon his chest； and his
hands clasped behind him。 To me； who knew his every mood and
habit； his attitude and manner told their own story。 He was at
work again。 He had risen out of his drug…created dreams； and was
hot upon the scent of some new problem。 I rang the bell； and was
shown up to the chamber which had formerly been in part my own。
His manner was not effusive。 It seldom was； but he was glad； I
think； to see me。 With hardly a word spoken； but with a kindly
eye； he waved me to an armchair； threw across his case of cigars；
and indicated a spirit case and a gasogene in the corner。 Then he
stood before the fire； and looked me over in his singular
introspective fashion。
〃Wedlock suits you；〃 he remarked。 〃I think； Watson； that you have
put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you。〃
〃Seven；〃 I answered。
〃Indeed； I should have thought a little more。 Just a trifle more；
I fancy； Watson。 And in practice again； I observe。 You did not
tell me that you intended to go into harness。〃
〃Then how do you know？〃