登陆注册
5212500000098

第98章 The Adventure of the Abbey Grange(6)

He sprang up on the mantelpiece, could not quite reach it, put his knee on the bracket -- you will see the impression in the dust -- and so got his knife to bear upon the cord.I could not reach the place by at least three inches, from which I infer that he is at least three inches a bigger man than I.Look at that mark upon the seat of the oaken chair! What is it?""Blood."

"Undoubtedly it is blood.This alone puts the lady's story out of court.If she were seated on the chair when the crime was done, how comes that mark? No, no; she was placed in the chair AFTER the death of her husband.I'll wager that the black dress shows a corresponding mark to this.We have not yet met our Waterloo, Watson, but this is our Marengo, for it begins in defeat and ends in victory.I should like now to have a few words with the nurse Theresa.We must be wary for awhile, if we are to get the information which we want."She was an interesting person, this stern Australian nurse.

Taciturn, suspicious, ungracious, it took some time before Holmes's pleasant manner and frank acceptance of all that she said thawed her into a corresponding amiability.She did not attempt to conceal her hatred for her late employer.

"Yes, sir, it is true that he threw the decanter at me.

I heard him call my mistress a name, and I told him that he would not dare to speak so if her brother had been there.

Then it was that he threw it at me.He might have thrown a dozen if he had but left my bonny bird alone.He was for ever illtreating her, and she too proud to complain.She will not even tell me all that he has done to her.She never told me of those marks on her arm that you saw this morning, but I know very well that they come from a stab with a hat-pin.

The sly fiend -- Heaven forgive me that I should speak of him so, now that he is dead, but a fiend he was if ever one walked the earth.

He was all honey when first we met him, only eighteen months ago, and we both feel as if it were eighteen years.She had only just arrived in London.Yes, it was her first voyage -- she had never been from home before.He won her with his title and his money and his false London ways.If she made a mistake she has paid for it, if ever a woman did.What month did we meet him? Well, I tell you it was just after we arrived.We arrived in June, and it was July.They were married in January of last year.

Yes, she is down in the morning-room again, and I have no doubt she will see you, but you must not ask too much of her, for she has gone through all that flesh and blood will stand."Lady Brackenstall was reclining on the same couch, but looked brighter than before.The maid had entered with us, and began once more to foment the bruise upon her mistress's brow.

"I hope," said the lady, "that you have not come to cross-examine me again?""No," Holmes answered, in his gentlest voice, "I will not cause you any unnecessary trouble, Lady Brackenstall, and my whole desire is to make things easy for you, for I am convinced that you are a much-tried woman.If you will treat me as a friend and trust me you may find that I will justify your trust.""What do you want me to do?"

"To tell me the truth."

"Mr.Holmes!"

"No, no, Lady Brackenstall, it is no use.You may have heard of any little reputation which I possess.I will stake it all on the fact that your story is an absolute fabrication."Mistress and maid were both staring at Holmes with pale faces and frightened eyes.

"You are an impudent fellow!" cried Theresa."Do you mean to say that my mistress has told a lie?"Holmes rose from his chair.

"Have you nothing to tell me?"

"I have told you everything."

"Think once more, Lady Brackenstall.Would it not be better to be frank?"For an instant there was hesitation in her beautiful face.

Then some new strong thought caused it to set like a mask.

"I have told you all I know."

Holmes took his hat and shrugged his shoulders."I am sorry,"he said, and without another word we left the room and the house.There was a pond in the park, and to this my friend led the way.It was frozen over, but a single hole was left for the convenience of a solitary swan.Holmes gazed at it and then passed on to the lodge gate.There he scribbled a short note for Stanley Hopkins and left it with the lodge-keeper.

"It may be a hit or it may be a miss, but we are bound to do something for friend Hopkins, just to justify this second visit,"said he."I will not quite take him into my confidence yet.

I think our next scene of operations must be the shipping office of the Adelaide-Southampton line, which stands at the end of Pall Mall, if I remember right.There is a second line of steamers which connect South Australia with England, but we will draw the larger cover first."Holmes's card sent in to the manager ensured instant attention, and he was not long in acquiring all the information which he needed.In June of '95 only one of their line had reached a home port.It was the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR, their largest and best boat.A reference to the passenger list showed that Miss Fraser of Adelaide, with her maid, had made the voyage in her.The boat was now on her way to Australia, somewhere to the south of the Suez Canal.Her officers were the same as in '95, with one exception.The first officer, Mr.Jack Croker, had been made a captain and was to take charge of their new ship, the BASS ROCK, sailing in two days' time from Southampton.He lived at Sydenham, but he was likely to be in that morning for instructions, if we cared to wait for him.

No; Mr.Holmes had no desire to see him, but would be glad to know more about his record and character.

His record was magnificent.There was not an officer in the fleet to touch him.As to his character, he was reliable on duty, but a wild, desperate fellow off the deck of his ship, hot-headed, excitable, but loyal, honest, and kind-hearted.

同类推荐
  • Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm

    Rebecca Of Sunnybrook Farm

    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。
  • 洞真西王母宝神起居经

    洞真西王母宝神起居经

    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。
  • 送赵六贞固

    送赵六贞固

    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。
  • 译语

    译语

    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。
  • 佛说海龙王经

    佛说海龙王经

    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
  • 不在秦时做咸鱼

    不在秦时做咸鱼

    提剑策马红尘客,纵笔悬江坠星河。一个智者在秦时明月里搅动风云的故事,一个屠夫追寻杀道的过程,善恶交织,堕落与救赎,笔下非种马,墨上是人心。
  • 我,皮卡丘,英灵

    我,皮卡丘,英灵

    主角叶寒被系统搞死之后带着几个英灵来到幻想乡开启了异界版的圣杯战争。叶寒:第一次把我变成皮卡丘也就算了,这次你怎么说。系统:宿主淡定,你不感觉这样很高大上吗。叶寒:高大你个头啊!别的英灵都是在地上被召唤出来的,而我却是在天上,你绝对是故意的吧。
  • 浴血重生:豪门女刹归来

    浴血重生:豪门女刹归来

    十八岁之前,她还是天真烂漫的少女,十八岁之后,她竟被毁容送进监狱,伪善父母和哥哥养她宠她竟是为了她那张绝美精致的脸!重生归来,她誓要那些欺她辱她之人通通下地狱。毒医圣手?-是我。神秘头领?-是我。商界霸主?-是我。一众迷弟:“女神,请受我一拜!”“错,姐是死神!”她一向冷情,却无奈遇到了他。——“主上,她是魔头,手染百万鲜血!”“呵,我曾屠尸千万。”……“恨吗?”“不,我想让他们死。”“如你所愿,我的女孩。”女主慢慢变强男主一直强强强!1v1双洁,欢迎来撩~
  • 毒医杀手:倾落天下不负君

    毒医杀手:倾落天下不负君

    她是21世纪的毒医杀手,他是玄灵大陆的千面圣尊一场死亡的穿越,让他们的命运从此交错从开始的死缠烂打,避之不及;到后来的相忘江湖,苦苦追寻到底谁忘却,谁执念当魂雨化去,洗净所有气息是灰飞烟灭,还是再度重生当羽化之后,归于远古混沌是彻底放手,还是继续苦寻无数个日夜难眠,期盼你熟悉的怀抱入骨的相思,可否为你博得一线生机如果能再相见,不管你是否记得,我都要紧紧抓住这一世,哪怕以死为价,我也要同你一起逆转这天命
  • 樱蓝贵族学院之恶魔在身边

    樱蓝贵族学院之恶魔在身边

    一不小心在溜冰场撞了那个高贵的大少爷一下,从此人生一片的黑暗,动不动被要挟为他做牛做马,遇到他之后,18年来倒霉的事都一齐来了,然后一个又一个的把柄落在他手上……恶魔啊!放过她吧!
  • 快穿,这个宿主有点飞

    快穿,这个宿主有点飞

    宁欢死了,变成鬼浪了多年终于决定去做一个好人。只是怎么肥事啊小老弟Σ(っ°Д°;)っ?我都说了我是个好人你非不信!!!路人甲:快快快,溜了溜了,妖女来了!!!宁欢:……路人乙:我叫你姑奶奶成不?求求你行行好放过我吧。我上有老下有小,家里就只有我一个人……宁欢:……(我只是要帮你啊,我都说了我是个好人。)有人对她说,做个荡漾的反派吧~宁欢:……(想做好人就那么难吗?(怒`Д?怒))#这是一个以做好人为目标,结果不小心浪过头成了反派的凄惨故事。#走剧情,慎入!!!
  • 每天学点投资学大全集(超值金版)

    每天学点投资学大全集(超值金版)

    每个人都希望能通过投资到达财富的天堂。但是,我们应该明白,投资是每个人通过学习和实践才能掌握的一门学问、一门艺术。每个人有必要下大工夫钻研投资学,掌握其精髓。孙豆豆编著的《每天学点投资学大全集》以实用性和趣味性为原则,对投资工具的介绍全面细致,讲授道理深入浅出,通俗易懂;推荐的方法科学实用,切实可行;内容贴近生活,紧跟时尚,适合不同层次、不同类型的读者的投资理财之需。相信通过阅读《每天学点投资学大全集》,你一定能轻松掌握有关投资的知识和技巧,尽快踏上财富的增值之路。
  • 重生90,幸福一生

    重生90,幸福一生

    (甜文,宠文)上一世的兰渝儿做了太多错事,本对生活无望的她却在醒来后发现自己回到了两岁,妈妈和爸爸还没有南下打工,爷爷奶奶也还在,自己和哥哥也还没有成为留守儿童。上辈子的遗憾,这辈子都不会再有,暗自发誓一定要珍惜这来之不易时光,不再为爱情卑微,不再被爱情麻痹了双眼。可是哪里来的小哥哥,你怎么能睡我的床呢?谁能告诉我这是怎么回事
  • 天瑞

    天瑞

    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。
  • 观自在菩萨大悲智印周遍法界利益众生薰真如法

    观自在菩萨大悲智印周遍法界利益众生薰真如法

    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。