登陆注册
5212500000046

第46章 The Adventure of the Priory School(10)

"James came into contact with this fellow Hayes because the man was a tenant of mine, and James acted as agent.The fellow was a rascal from the beginning; but in some extraordinary way James became intimate with him.He had always a taste for low company.When James determined to kidnap Lord Saltire it was of this man's service that he availed himself.You remember that I wrote to Arthur upon that last day.Well, James opened the letter and inserted a note asking Arthur to meet him in a little wood called the Ragged Shaw, which is near to the school.

He used the Duchess's name, and in that way got the boy to come.

That evening James bicycled over -- I am telling you what he has himself confessed to me -- and he told Arthur, whom he met in the wood, that his mother longed to see him, that she was awaiting him on the moor, and that if he would come back into the wood at midnight he would find a man with a horse, who would take him to her.Poor Arthur fell into the trap.He came to the appointment and found this fellow Hayes with a led pony.

Arthur mounted, and they set off together.It appears -- though this James only heard yesterday -- that they were pursued, that Hayes struck the pursuer with his stick, and that the man died of his injuries.Hayes brought Arthur to his public-house, the Fighting Cock, where he was confined in an upper room, under the care of Mrs.Hayes, who is a kindly woman, but entirely under the control of her brutal husband.

"Well, Mr.Holmes, that was the state of affairs when I first saw you two days ago.I had no more idea of the truth than you.

You will ask me what was James's motive in doing such a deed.

I answer that there was a great deal which was unreasoning and fanatical in the hatred which he bore my heir.In his view he should himself have been heir of all my estates, and he deeply resented those social laws which made it impossible.At the same time he had a definite motive also.He was eager that I should break the entail, and he was of opinion that it lay in my power to do so.He intended to make a bargain with me --to restore Arthur if I would break the entail, and so make it possible for the estate to be left to him by will.He knew well that I should never willingly invoke the aid of the police against him.I say that he would have proposed such a bargain to me, but he did not actually do so, for events moved too quickly for him, and he had not time to put his plans into practice.

"What brought all his wicked scheme to wreck was your discovery of this man Heidegger's dead body.James was seized with horror at the news.It came to us yesterday as we sat together in this study.Dr.Huxtable had sent a telegram.James was so overwhelmed with grief and agitation that my suspicions, which had never been entirely absent, rose instantly to a certainty, and I taxed him with the deed.He made a complete voluntary confession.Then he implored me to keep his secret for three days longer, so as to give his wretched accomplice a chance of saving his guilty life.I yielded -- as I have always yielded -- to his prayers, and instantly James hurried off to the Fighting Cock to warn Hayes and give him the means of flight.

I could not go there by daylight without provoking comment, but as soon as night fell I hurried off to see my dear Arthur.

同类推荐
  • 楚辞补注

    楚辞补注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太上洞玄灵宝二部传授仪

    太上洞玄灵宝二部传授仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大明水记

    大明水记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 奉和圣制经河上公庙

    奉和圣制经河上公庙

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • A Man of Business

    A Man of Business

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 朝着斯德哥尔摩飞奔

    朝着斯德哥尔摩飞奔

    秋天总是来得那么突然,前几天还是炉火般散发出巨大热能的大太阳,经过昨日的一场透雨,今天再出来就绵软无力了。秋天来了,天空高远了,河流清澈了,大地空旷了,树木也斑驳起来。秋天是农人们收获的季节,也是城里人出游的大好时节,但整个十·一长假我都宅在家里,网上看看电影,打打游戏,哪里也不想去。老婆已经不止一次地骂过我,说我整个人都已经生锈了。我觉得也是,除了对季节变化敏感之外,我的其它感觉系统和神经末梢已麻木和氧化。正统一些的说法是,我正在对美好生活一点点地失去热情,对这个世界也正在失去热爱。岂止是正在失去,而是早已丧失了。这种丧失的证明就是我已经很久没有读书,更没有写作了。
  • 医疗保健与传统节日

    医疗保健与传统节日

    本书介绍了古代兵勇的有关内容。具体内容包括:春节的饮食与保健;元宵节的活动与饮食;清明节的习俗与疾病;端午节的医疗保健;中秋节饮食重时令等。
  • 白棉花(新版)

    白棉花(新版)

    1944年,逃难躲在乡下的克俭突然看见天边有一架飞机歪歪扭扭栽到田里,天边还开了一朵好大的白棉花。保安旅长沈沉说那是盟军的飞行员,是来帮中国人打日本人的,让乡亲们帮着找飞行员。乡亲们好不容易捞起来降落伞,才发现绳子被割断了,飞行员不见了……
  • 水族无鳞单

    水族无鳞单

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 那一年,有点儿小幸运

    那一年,有点儿小幸运

    初一,十五,月儿圆,喻初一怎么也想不到,她这个“初一”,居然会遇到…………“十五”?呵呵,开…什么玩笑,“唐十五”,居然会是他的大名?真的是有缘千里来相会,不是初一遇不到十五啊………喻初一的新同桌,刚从国外转学回来,一见面,就直接来了句“要不要做我女朋友?”纳尼?帅哥,你是认真的吗?说什么,对她一见钟情,不要闹了,感情的事,喻初一可是看的很重要的,不好儿戏的…虽然,她这同桌,长的不是一般帅,而且有很多人,做梦都想当他的女朋友………“不管你答不答应,我都会等,你,要谈恋爱的对象,只能是我。”面对如此霸道的表白,喻初一表示,这幸福来得太突然了…………
  • 腹黑陆少:宠妻上天,没毛病

    腹黑陆少:宠妻上天,没毛病

    前世,陶夭爱上一个渣男,死得不明不白。这一世,渣男请靠边!但是,某些男人就是臭不要脸地凑过来找抽,怎么办?温柔腹黑又忠犬的陆少将渣男一脚踢飞,“老婆,这种事情交给我,你就负责貌美如花,外加生娃,和我建立一个幸福美满的家。”陆少的人生目标很简单,只有一个:将自家的小娇妻宠上天,没毛病!
  • 凤倾天下,王的绝色弃后

    凤倾天下,王的绝色弃后

    【完结】正史记载:她是厥国皇帝最宠爱的公主,优雅尊贵,国色无双;她是轩国历史上唯一自己脱了凤冠凤袍,休了皇帝的女人,靳帝一夜白头;她是西凉历史上唯一一个二嫁为后的女人,憬帝为她遣散后宫,独宠一人。.然,野史载:她曾被山贼辱,曾百毒缠身,甚至,堕入魔教!.野史还载:曾有高僧断言她是天下的祸水,乱世的开端,憬帝为此烧了寺庙,绝了和尚,乃执政期间唯一的暴政;.野史还还载:与她纠缠不清的岂止是几个皇帝,还有天下第一公子萧轻舟,雪圣宫宫主孟无欢,甚至,那位断言她是祸水的和尚!.民间更是议论纷纷:有仰慕者道:“我曾远远看过辰后,岂止是美艳动人,完全就是仙女下凡!”有龌蹉者道:“能让双国皇帝为之倾倒的,肯定不光脸蛋漂亮,嗯嗯技巧绝对也是一流!”有所谓知内情者道:“辰后羸弱,根本无力嗯嗯!”.其实,不管正史野史如何记载,本书,才是最真实滴…………【此文非一对一,纯情小花勿进!】
  • 综漫之赛亚无敌

    综漫之赛亚无敌

    火影明志停留在空中,无奈的看着大筒木辉夜:“你对力量一无所知!”漫威“别浪费时间了,一起上吧!”明志向下方一推人影勾了勾手。......书友群:八九五六三六二
  • 娇妻在上:宝贝,快关门

    娇妻在上:宝贝,快关门

    “你又想怎么样!”程一诺怒瞪着头顶的男人,咬牙切齿。男人邪魅一笑,云淡风轻:“你出不去这个门!”“你,无耻!”“不信你可以试试,看看没有我的话谁敢让你出去?”为了女儿,她不得不靠近那权势滔天的男人,却不想一步一步沦陷,直至无法自拔。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 快穿,这个宿主有点二

    快穿,这个宿主有点二

    当一个平凡的女孩遇上一个离奇的系统……①苏宁:“你不是说把我当妹妹的吗?”安敬之:“有吗?谁说的!我怎么可能说这种话!”苏宁:“……”②楚子珉:“久闻姑娘治家有方,鄙人余生愿闻其详”林伊一:“兄die……喝高了吧!”楚子珉:“就知道你不喜欢这种酸溜溜的书呆子!”林伊一:“我也只是不喜欢你扮的而已!”楚子珉:扎心,追个女人咋这么难!……………尹南书第一次知道自己有‘渣女’属性,渣的不忍直视!可是怎么办,爱都爱了,那就只能爱下去了!什么?我爱的人其实全是同一个。怎么可能,那些傲娇的、呆萌的、冷酷的、狠辣的、病娇的、儒雅的、痞帅的…全是一个人!天呐,难道我是喜欢了个精分!