登陆注册
5243600000019

第19章 CHAPTER 6(1)

A DAWNING LIGHT

The three detectives had many matters of detail into which to inquire; so I returned alone to our modest quarters at the village inn. But before doing so I took a stroll in the curious old-world garden which flanked the house. Rows of very ancient yew trees cut into strange designs girded it round. Inside was a beautiful stretch of lawn with an old sundial in the middle, the whole effect so soothing and restful that it was welcome to my somewhat jangled nerves.

In that deeply peaceful atmosphere one could forget, or remember only as some fantastic nightmare, that darkened study with the sprawling, bloodstained figure on the floor. And yet, as I strolled round it and tried to steep my soul in its gentle balm, a strange incident occurred, which brought me back to the tragedy and left of a sinister impression in my mind.

I have said that a decoration of yew trees circled the garden. At the end farthest from the house they thickened into a continuous hedge. On the other side of this hedge, concealed from the eyes of anyone approaching from the direction of the house, there was a stone seat. As I approached the spot I was aware of voices, some remark in the deep tones of a man, answered by a little ripple of feminine laughter.

An instant later I had come round the end of the hedge and my eyes lit upon Mrs. Douglas and the man Barker before they were aware of my presence. Her appearance gave me a shock. In the dining room she had been demure and discreet. Now all pretense of grief had passed away from her. Her eyes shone with the joy of living, and her face still quivered with amusement at some remark of her companion. He sat forward, his hands clasped and his forearms on his knees, with an answering smile upon his bold, handsome face. In an instant- but it was just one instant too late- they resumed their solemn masks as my figure came into view. A hurried word or two passed between them, and then Barker rose and came towards me.

"Excuse me, sir," said he, "but am I addressing Dr. Watson?"

I bowed with a coldness which showed, I dare say, very plainly the impression which had been produced upon my mind.

"We thought that it was probably you, as your friendship with Mr.

Sherlock Holmes is so well known. Would you mind coming over and speaking to Mrs. Douglas for one instant?"

I followed him with a dour face. Very clearly I could see in my mind's eye that shattered figure on the floor. Here within a few hours of the tragedy were his wife and his nearest friend laughing together behind a bush in the garden which had been his. I greeted the lady with reserve. I had grieved with her grief in the dining room.

Now I met her appealing gaze with an unresponsive eye.

"I fear that you think me callous and hard-hearted," said she.

I shrugged my shoulders. "It is no business of mine," said I.

"Perhaps some day you will do me justice. If you only realized-"

"There is no need why Dr. Watson should realize," said Barker quickly. "As he has himself said, it is no possible business of his."

"Exactly," said I, "and so I will beg leave to resume my walk."

"One moment, Dr. Watson," cried the woman in a pleading voice.

"There is one question which you can answer with more authority than anyone else in the world, and it may make a very great difference to me. You know Mr. Holmes and his relations with the police better than anyone else can. Supposing that a matter were brought confidentially to his knowledge, is it absolutely necessary that he should pass it on to the detectives?"

"Yes, that's it," said Barker eagerly. "Is he on his own or is he entirely in with them?"

"I really don't know that I should be justified in discussing such a point."

"I beg- I implore that you will, Dr. Watson! I assure you that you will be helping us- helping me greatly if you will guide us on that point."

There was such a ring of sincerity in the woman's voice that for the instant I forgot all about her levity and was moved only to do her will.

"Mr. Holmes is an independent investigator," I said. "He is his own master, and would act as his own judgment directed. At the same time, he would naturally feel loyalty towards the officials who were working on the same case, and he would not conceal from them anything which would help them in bringing a criminal to justice.

Beyond this I can say nothing, and I would refer you to Mr. Holmes himself if you wanted fuller information."

So saying I raised my hat and went upon my way, leaving them still seated behind that concealing hedge. I looked back as I rounded the far end of it, and saw that they were still talking very earnestly together, and, as they were gazing after me, it was clear that it was our interview that was the subject of their debate.

"I wish none of their confidences," said Holmes, when I reported to him what had occurred. He had spent the whole afternoon at the Manor House in consultation with his two colleagues, and returned about five with a ravenous appetite for a high tea which I had ordered for him. "No confidences, Watson; for they are mighty awkward if it comes to an arrest for conspiracy and murder."

"You think it will come to that?"

He was in his most cheerful and debonair humour. "My dear Watson, when I have exterminated that fourth egg I shall be ready to put you in touch with the whole situation. I don't say that we have fathomed it- far from it- but when we have traced the missing dumb-bell-"

"The dumb-bell!"

"Dear me, Watson, is it possible that you have not penetrated the fact that the case hangs upon the missing dumb-bell? Well, well, you need not be downcast, for between ourselves I don't think that either Inspector Mac or the excellent local practitioner has grasped the overwhelming importance of this incident. One dumb-bell, Watson!

Consider an athlete with one dumb-bell! Picture to yourself the unilateral development, the imminent danger of a spinal curvature.

Shocking, Watson, shocking!"

同类推荐
  • 病榻寤言

    病榻寤言

    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。
  • 帝王世纪

    帝王世纪

    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。
  • 普照禅师修心诀

    普照禅师修心诀

    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。
  • 涅槃经游意

    涅槃经游意

    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。
  • 武当福地总真集

    武当福地总真集

    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
  • 美丽的大自然

    美丽的大自然

    儿童诗对于提升小读者的审美品位具有极其重要的作用。一个爱写诗的孩子,注定是热爱生活、热爱自然、热爱祖国的孩子。我们愿意把自己的思考化作诗的雨露,洒向孩子们天真的心田。
  • 孙子智慧故事

    孙子智慧故事

    开阔知识视野,造就智慧人生。 本书汇集的是最经典、最有趣、最发人深思、最耐人寻味的孙子兵法中的智慧故事。该书内容丰富,文字优美,情节生动,这些充满智慧的故事,仿佛是一盏盏明灯,照亮我们成长的一程又一程。
  • 昙无德律部杂羯磨

    昙无德律部杂羯磨

    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。
  • H7N9禽流感预防知识手册

    H7N9禽流感预防知识手册

    有着丰富医学经验的南昌大学第一附属医院主任医师、教授蒋泽先和他的医疗团队成员以最快的时间编写了,这本深入浅出地全面介绍甲型H7N9禽流感的发生、发展、诊断、传播与预防,尤其重点介绍甲型H7N9禽流感的最新有效诊断与预防措施的知识手册。对临床医师和动物疫病防控工作者均有参考价值。该书通俗易懂,是一本普及公众病毒性流感的科学知识,提高公众的联控能力的实用的科普读物,值得民众一读。
  • 误惹冷酷总裁

    误惹冷酷总裁

    因为妈妈,她误惹了那个神秘的冷酷男人,让她三天之内陪他一百万..........走投无路,她唯一能出卖的只有自己............战战兢兢的等在那个豪华的房间里,她没想到买她的男人居然是他.............又恨又恼又怒,真是冤家路窄.............汪昊天怎么也没有想到?自己买的这个女孩,居然是她....一场豪华的婚礼上,她看着帅气的新郎,从自己的身边走过,而开始新娘却不是她.......
  • 神族奶爸

    神族奶爸

    刘牧星很郁闷。别人奇遇,要么戒指里住着老爷爷,要么脑袋里绑定系统,可是他得到的,却是把户口莫名其妙地改成了神族,顺便学会了说外星话。学会外星话有嘛用?自言自语自己嗨?直天某天,刘牧星发现,当用外星语写“好雨知时节”时,外面竟然真的下起了春雨……从此后,刘牧星的生活发生了翻天覆地的变化。唯一没变的是他对宝贝女儿的宠溺——“粑粑,我想要天上的星星。”“没问题。说吧,你都想要哪颗?
  • 大风吹来的档案

    大风吹来的档案

    陈大年认识老齐是在去年有关收藏话题的一次座谈会上,当时主持座谈会的晚报副刊主任给与会者介绍时,陈大年记得老齐的身份是收藏家,哪想到再次见面,老齐说自己是“收破烂的”。陈大年说,齐先生您开玩笑呀。老齐说,我真是“收破烂的”。陈大年顿时面色严肃起来。陈大年不是爱开玩笑的人,尤其在他觉得没有可笑情况下的玩笑他会非常不高兴,甚至还会特别愤怒。只有一面之交的老齐看见陈老师脸色不悦,赶紧解释说,我认识一位收废品的朋友,这位朋友不是亲临前线、身先士卒收废品的那种人,他应该算是转运站吧,全市有两个区的废品收购点跟我这位朋友保持密切联系。
  • 太空知识探秘

    太空知识探秘

    本书介绍了太空中各种各样的现象和科普知识,引领青少年朋友追随着人类探索太空的足迹,走过一个个以现代和未来航空航天为主题的场景,体验波澜壮阔的太空旅程。让青少年朋友在进行宇宙之旅的同时,兴致盎然地探索太空的奥秘。本书极具知识性和趣味性,主题明确,内容丰富,以深入浅出的方式介绍了人们最好奇的太空知识,充分满足了青少年朋友探索太空的渴望。
  • 孤女宅斗手札

    孤女宅斗手札

    被大房算计产业,被三房算计嫁妆,被王爷看上,被太后嫌弃:这是青蕴出嫁前。被小妾使绊子,被宫里人来回折腾,被丈夫宠上了天:这是青蕴出嫁后。孤女——王妃——国夫人,这是青蕴的一生。
  • 临床肿瘤外科疾病治疗与护理

    临床肿瘤外科疾病治疗与护理

    良性肿瘤及临界性肿瘤以手术切除为主,需要强调的是临界性肿瘤必须彻底切除,以避免复发或恶性变。恶性肿瘤常常累及全身性并伴浸润与转移,必须从整体考虑,拟订综合治疗方案,在控制原发病灶后进行转移灶的治疗,尤其是第一次治疗的正确与否会对预后产生很大影响。