登陆注册
5212500000078

第78章 The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez(2)

These have both been with him since his arrival, and they seem to be women of excellent character.The Professor is writing a learned book, and he found it necessary about a year ago to engage a secretary.The first two that he tried were not successes; but the third, Mr.Willoughby Smith, a very young man straight from the University, seems to have been just what his employer wanted.His work consisted in writing all the morning to the Professor's dictation, and he usually spent the evening in hunting up references and passages which bore upon the next day's work.This Willoughby Smith has nothing against him either as a boy at Uppingham or as a young man at Cambridge.

I have seen his testimonials, and from the first he was a decent, quiet, hardworking fellow, with no weak spot in him at all.

And yet this is the lad who has met his death this morning in the Professor's study under circumstances which can point only to murder."The wind howled and screamed at the windows.Holmes and I drew closer to the fire while the young inspector slowly and point by point developed his singular narrative.

"If you were to search all England," said he, "I don't suppose you could find a household more self-contained or free from outside influences.Whole weeks would pass and not one of them go past the garden gate.The Professor was buried in his work and existed for nothing else.Young Smith knew nobody in the neighbourhood, and lived very much as his employer did.The two women had nothing to take them from the house.Mortimer the gardener, who wheels the bath-chair, is an Army pensioner -- an old Crimean man of excellent character.He does not live in the house, but in a three-roomed cottage at the other end of the garden.Those are the only people that you would find within the grounds of Yoxley Old Place.At the same time, the gate of the garden is a hundred yards from the main London to Chatham road.It opens with a latch, and there is nothing to prevent anyone from walking in.

"Now I will give you the evidence of Susan Tarlton, who is the only person who can say anything positive about the matter.

It was in the forenoon, between eleven and twelve.

She was engaged at the moment in hanging some curtains in the upstairs front bedroom.Professor Coram was still in bed, for when the weather is bad he seldom rises before midday.

The housekeeper was busied with some work in the back of the house.

Willoughby Smith had been in his bedroom, which he uses as a sitting-room; but the maid heard him at that moment pass along the passage and descend to the study immediately below her.

She did not see him, but she says that she could not be mistaken in his quick, firm tread.She did not hear the study door close, but a minute or so later there was a dreadful cry in the room below.

It was a wild, hoarse scream, so strange and unnatural that it might have come either from a man or a woman.At the same instant there was a heavy thud, which shook the old house, and then all was silence.The maid stood petrified for a moment, and then, recovering her courage, she ran downstairs.The study door was shut, and she opened it.Inside young Mr.Willoughby Smith was stretched upon the floor.At first she could see no injury, but as she tried to raise him she saw that blood was pouring from the underside of his neck.It was pierced by a very small but very deep wound, which had divided the carotid artery.The instrument with which the injury had been inflicted lay upon the carpet beside him.

It was one of those small sealing-wax knives to be found on old-fashioned writing-tables, with an ivory handle and a stiff blade.It was part of the fittings of the Professor's own desk.

"At first the maid thought that young Smith was already dead, but on pouring some water from the carafe over his forehead he opened his eyes for an instant.`The Professor,' he murmured --`it was she.' The maid is prepared to swear that those were the exact words.He tried desperately to say something else, and he held his right hand up in the air.Then he fell back dead.

"In the meantime the housekeeper had also arrived upon the scene, but she was just too late to catch the young man's dying words.

Leaving Susan with the body, she hurried to the Professor's room.

He was sitting up in bed horribly agitated, for he had heard enough to convince him that something terrible had occurred.

Mrs.Marker is prepared to swear that the Professor was still in his night-clothes, and, indeed, it was impossible for him to dress without the help of Mortimer, whose orders were to come at twelve o'clock.The Professor declares that he heard the distant cry, but that he knows nothing more.He can give no explanation of the young man's last words, `The Professor --it was she,' but imagines that they were the outcome of delirium.

He believes that Willoughby Smith had not an enemy in the world, and can give no reason for the crime.His first action was to send Mortimer the gardener for the local police.A little later the chief constable sent for me.Nothing was moved before Igot there, and strict orders were given that no one should walk upon the paths leading to the house.It was a splendid chance of putting your theories into practice, Mr.Sherlock Holmes.

There was really nothing wanting."

"Except Mr.Sherlock Holmes," said my companion, with a somewhat bitter smile."Well, let us hear about it.What sort of job did you make of it?""I must ask you first, Mr.Holmes, to glance at this rough plan, which will give you a general idea of the position of the Professor's study and the various points of the case.

It will help you in following my investigation."He unfolded the rough chart, which I here reproduce, and he laid it across Holmes's knee.I rose, and, standing behind Holmes, I studied it over his shoulder.

GRAPHIC

"It is very rough, of course, and it only deals with the points which seem to me to be essential.All the rest you will see later for yourself.Now, first of all, presuming that the assassin entered the house, how did he or she come in?

同类推荐
  • 菩萨诃色欲法

    菩萨诃色欲法

    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。
  • 王艮杂著

    王艮杂著

    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。
  • 玄牝之门赋注释

    玄牝之门赋注释

    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。
  • Caesar and Cleopatra

    Caesar and Cleopatra

    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。
  • The Absentee

    The Absentee

    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
  • 超级枪械师

    超级枪械师

    【起点中文网火爆连载文:超级枪械师】全球进化,异物崛起。曾经站在食物链巅峰的人类,将一一遭到制裁……
  • 霍格沃茨的黑巫师

    霍格沃茨的黑巫师

    重生来到哈利波特的魔法世界,成为了拉文克劳的一员。因缘巧合之下,被迫学习了黑魔法。黑魔法没什么不好!威力大、效果奇特、学起来也不困难。只要......能抵挡住魔鬼的诱惑!恩,相信我一定能抵挡住!
  • 暴君的不死小灵妃

    暴君的不死小灵妃

    “全大陆一绝的炉鼎,一千五百万一次,一千五百万两次……”“两千万两。”男人漆黑的眼眸对上铁笼中那清澈的双眼——她,身份不明,记忆空白,有最傻白甜的性格和最狠辣的手段。“什么都不记得,也会杀人吗?”“杀人?不是生活的日常吗?”傻白甜女孩和高冷主子的爆笑日常,准备好了吗?“别废话!小心我拿斧头砍你!”冷汗——
  • 交际要懂心理学

    交际要懂心理学

    《交际要懂心理学》内容简介:你渴望成功吗?你渴望在社会交际中出类拔萃吗?你渴望得到朋友的欢迎和欣赏吗?你渴望有一份属于自己的真诚爱情吗?你渴望在工作中能得到上司的提拔吗?你渴望摆脱困绕自己的社交恐惧症吗?如果你有上面的这些需求,想在社会交际中占据主动,那么你就必须学习一点心理学知识,从了解社会中各类人的心理活动开始。
  • 穿越之异世潇湘情缘

    穿越之异世潇湘情缘

    她本是来自现代的白领丽人,独立自主。看她如何在吃人不吐骨头的红楼里以柔弱纤细的林黛玉的身份活出自己的一份精彩,一改黛玉的悲凉结局。如何与自己心目中的恋人共谱一曲恋歌,成就一段美好姻缘。我以我笔写我心,也许每个人心中都有一个不同的红楼,我笔下写的仅是我心目中的红楼,我希望林妹妹有的生活。我的QQ群号码是94737621欢迎加入一起讨论。喜欢则看,不喜莫入,绕道远行,勿坏和谐。推荐夏轻尘红楼新文《潇湘辞》
  • 重生:神医嫡妃

    重生:神医嫡妃

    她是富家千金,更是药王谷传人,有着绝世医术,却甘愿敛去一身芳华,一心只为那人筹谋。没想到却所托非人,昔日柔情蜜意的夫君,转眼变成中山狼。真心相待的姐妹一心想让她死,贴身丫鬟更也早已叛变。父母惨死,妹妹被辱,刚出生的孩子更是被一簪子刺穿心脏……一朝重生,居然回到六年前,既然上天了她再来一次的机会,前世锥心刺骨之痛她无论如何也要讨回来,一路芳华,她不再隐藏尽情绽放自己的光芒,妙手回春,起死回生……
  • 千里冽

    千里冽

    世界很大,可……却又似乎很小。心有樊笼,终是画地为牢!无知,求索,问道,杀戮……当一切的一切都明悟的时候,方知——“宇宙浩瀚,却永远不及你无限包容的一半!”……若这个世界不是我的,你我便永远都不会再次相见!
  • 天命所终:晚清皇朝的崩溃

    天命所终:晚清皇朝的崩溃

    辛亥革命一向被认为是民族主义的革命,“驱除鞑虏”更被视为革命的制胜法宝,但这种民族主义到底起到多大作用,民族问题是否真实存在或被扭曲;被视为“特殊利益集团”的清末皇族与旗人在这场革命中到底处于何等地位;革命的冲击下,他们又遭受了何等的命运等等,这些都是之前史家所未深入探讨或做忽略处理的。本书以清末皇族与旗人作为切入口,以独特的角度深入剖析旗人群体在辛亥年中的所经所历,以更全面地展示革命年代中所不为人了解的历史侧面。
  • 校园小魔术(走进魔术世界)

    校园小魔术(走进魔术世界)

    《走进魔术世界:校园小魔术》适合师生在讲台、晚会和校园生活中进行表演,当然有的魔术也适合在家庭或其他场合表演。《走进魔术世界:校园小魔术》按照校园魔术的特点分为:化学类魔术、物理类魔术、文具类魔术、纸片类魔术、扑克类魔术、巾帕类魔术、绳带类魔术、钱币类魔术、环类球类魔术、其他类魔术等几大类。每一个魔术的讲解分为“表演”和“揭秘”两个部分,力求表述清楚准确,通俗易懂。为的是让每一个魔术都具有可学性和可操作性。
  • 公子当朝

    公子当朝

    信息大爆炸时代的思维在高武力的皇权时代将有怎样别样的风采。开明与霸道于一身的男子在朝廷和江湖将创造什么样的故事?