the adventure of the copper beeches-第1部分

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　COPPER　BEECHES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle

　　　　　　　　　　The　Adventure　of　the　Copper　Beeches



　　〃To　the　man　who　loves　art　for　its　own　sake；〃　remarked　Sherlock

Holmes；　tossing　aside　the　advertisement　sheet　of　the　Daily

Telegraph；　〃it　is　frequently　in　its　least　important　and　lowliest

manifestations　that　the　keenest　pleasure　is　to　be　derived。　It　is

pleasant　to　me　to　observe；　Watson；　that　you　have　so　far　grasped　this

truth　that　in　these　little　records　of　our　cases　which　you　have　been

good　enough　to　draw　up；　and；　I　am　bound　to　say；　occasionally　to

embellish；　you　have　given　prominence　not　so　much　to　the　many　causes

celebres　and　sensational　trials　in　which　I　have　figured　but　rather

to　those　incidents　which　may　have　been　trivial　in　themselves；　but

which　have　given　room　for　those　faculties　of　deduction　and　of

logical　synthesis　which　I　have　made　my　special　province。〃

　　〃And　yet；〃　said　I；　smiling；　〃I　cannot　quite　hold　myself　absolved

from　the　charge　of　sensationalism　which　has　been　urged　against　my

records。〃

　　〃You　have　erred；　perhaps；〃　he　observed；　taking　up　a　glowing　cinder

with　the　tongs　and　lighting　with　it　the　long　cherry…wood　pipe　which

was　wont　to　replace　his　clay　when　he　was　in　a　disputatious　rather　than

a　meditative　mood…〃you　have　erred　perhaps　in　attempting　to　put

colour　and　life　into　each　of　your　statements　instead　of　confining

yourself　to　the　task　of　placing　upon　record　that　severe　reasoning　from

cause　to　effect　which　is　really　the　only　notable　feature　about　the

thing。〃

　　〃It　seems　to　me　that　I　have　done　you　full　justice　in　the　matter；〃

I　remarked　with　some　coldness；　for　I　was　repelled　by　the　egotism　which

I　had　more　than　once　observed　to　be　a　strong　factor　in　my　friend's

singular　character。

　　〃No；　it　is　not　selfishness　or　conceit；〃　said　he；　answering；　as　was

his　wont；　my　thoughts　rather　than　my　words。　〃If　I　claim　full　justice

for　my　art；　it　is　because　it　is　an　impersonal　thing…a　thing　beyond

myself。　Crime　is　common。　Logic　is　rare。　Therefore　it　is　upon　the　logic

rather　than　upon　the　crime　that　you　should　dwell。　You　have　degraded

what　should　have　been　a　course　of　lectures　into　a　series　of　tales。〃

　　It　was　a　cold　morning　of　the　early　spring；　and　we　sat　after

breakfast　on　either　side　of　a　cheery　fire　in　the　old　room　at　Baker

Street。　A　thick　fog　rolled　down　between　the　lines　of　dun…coloured

houses；　and　the　opposing　windows　loomed　like　dark；　shapeless　blurs

through　the　heavy　yellow　wreaths。　Our　gas　was　lit　and　shone　on　the

white　cloth　and　glimmer　of　china　and　metal；　for　the　table　had　not　been

cleared　yet。　Sherlock　Holmes　had　been　silent　all　the　morning；

dipping　continuously　into　the　advertisement　columns　of　a　succession　of

papers　until　at　last；　having　apparently　given　up　his　search；　he　had

emerged　in　no　very　sweet　temper　to　lecture　me　upon　my　literary

shortcomings。

　　〃At　the　same　time；〃　he　remarked　after　a　pause；　during　which　he　had

sat　puffing　at　his　long　pipe　and　gazing　down　into　the　fire；　〃you　can

hardly　be　open　to　a　charge　of　sensationalism；　for　out　of　these　cases

which　you　have　been　so　kind　as　to　interest　yourself　in；　a　fair

proportion　do　not　treat　of　crime；　in　its　legal　sense；　at　all。　The

small　matter　in　which　I　endeavoured　to　help　the　King　of　Bohemia；　the

singular　experience　of　Miss　Mary　Sutherland；　the　problem　connected

with　the　man　with　the　twisted　lip；　and　the　incident　of　the　noble

bachelor；　were　all　matters　which　are　outside　the　pale　of　the　law。

But　in　avoiding　the　sensational；　I　fear　that　you　may　have　bordered

on　the　trivial。〃

　　〃The　end　may　have　been　so；〃　I　answered；　〃but　the　methods　I　hold　to

have　been　novel　and　of　interest。〃

　　〃Pshaw；　my　dear　fellow；　what　do　the　public；　the　great　unobservant

public；　who　could　hardly　tell　a　weaver　by　his　tooth　or　a　compositor　by

his　left　thumb；　care　about　the　finer　shades　of　analysis　and　deduction！

But；　indeed；　if　you　are　trivial；　I　cannot　blame　you；　for　the　days　of

the　great　cases　are　past。　Man；　or　at　least　criminal　man；　has　lost

all　enterprise　and　originality。　As　to　my　own　little　practice；　it　seems

to　be　degenerating　into　an　agency　for　recovering　lost　lead　pencils　and

giving　advice　to　young　ladies　from　boarding…schools。　I　think　that　I

have　touched　bottom　at　last；　however。　This　note　I　had　this　morning

marks　my　zero…point；　I　fancy。　Read　it！〃　He　tossed　a　crumpled　letter

across　to　me。

　　It　was　dated　from　Montague　Place　upon　the　preceding　evening；　and　ran

thus：



　　DEAR　MR。　HOLMES：

　　I　am　very　anxious　to　consult　you　as　to　whether　I　should　or　should

not　accept　a　situation　which　has　been　offered　to　me　as　governess。　I

shall　call　at　half…past　ten　to…morrow　if　I　do　not　inconvenience　you。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Yours　faithfully；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VIOLET　HUNTER。



　　〃Do　you　know　the　young　lady？〃　I　asked。

　　〃Not　I。〃

　　〃It　is　half…past　ten　now。〃

　　〃Yes；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　is　her　ring。〃

　　〃It　may　turn　out　to　be　of　more　interest　than　you　think。　You　remember

that　the　affair　of　the　blue　carbuncle；　which　appeared　to　be　a　mere

whim　at　first；　developed　into　a　serious　investigation。　It　may　be　so　in

this　case；　also。〃

　　〃Well；　let　us　hope　so。　But　our　doubts　will　very　soon　be　solved；

for　here；　unless　I　am　much　mistaken；　is　the　person　in　question。〃

　　As　he　spoke　the　door　opened　and　a　young　lady　entered　the　room。　She

was　plainly　but　neatly　dressed；　with　a　bright；　quick　face；　freckled

like　a　plover's　egg；　and　with　the　brisk　manner　of　a　woman　who　has

had　her　own　way　to　make　in　the　world。

　　〃You　will　excuse　my　troubling　you；　I　am　sure；〃　said　she；　as　my

companion　rose　to　greet　her；　〃but　I　have　had　a　very　strange

experience；　and　as　I　have　no　parents　or　relations　of　any　sort　from

whom　I　could　ask　advice；　I　thought　that　perhaps　you　would　be　kind

enough　to　tell　me　what　I　should　do。〃

　　〃Pray　take　a　seat；　Miss　Hunter。　I　shall　be　happy　to　do　anything　that

I　can　to　serve　you。〃

　　I　could　see　that　Holmes　was　favourably　impressed　by　the　manner　and

speech　of　his　new　client。　He　looked　her　over　in　his　searching　fashion；

and　then　composed　himself；　with　his　lids　drooping　and　his

finger…tips　together；　to　listen　to　her　story。

　　〃I　have　been　a　governess　for　five　years；〃　said　she；　〃in　the　family

of　Colonel　Spence　Munro；　but　two　months　ago　the　colonel　received　an

appointment　at　Halifax；　in　Nova　Scotia；　and　took　his　children　over

to　America　with　him；　so　that　I　found　myself　without　a　situation。　I

advertised；　and　I　answered　advertisements；　but　without　success。　At

last　the　little　money　which　I　had　saved　began　to　run　short；　and　I

was　at　my　wit's　end　as　to　what　I　should　do。

　　〃There　is　a　well…known　agency　for　governesses　in　the　West　End　called

Westaway's；　and　there　I　used　to　call　about　once　a　week　in　order　to　see

whether　anything　had　turned　up　which　might　suit　me。　Westaway　was　the

name　of　the　founder　of　the　business；　but　it　is　really　managed　by

Miss　Stoper。　She　sits　in　her　own　little　office；　and　the　ladies　who　are

seeking　employment　wait　in　an　anteroom；　and　are　then　shown　in　one　by

one；　when　she　consults　her　ledgers　and　sees　whether　she　has　anything

which　would　suit　them。

　　〃Well；　when　I　called　last　week　I　was　shown　into　the　little　office　as

usual；　but　found　that　Miss　Stoper　was　not　alone。　A　prodigiously

stout　man　with　a　very　smiling　face　and　a　great　heavy　chin　which　rolled

down　in　fold　upon　fold　over　his　throat　sat　at　her　elbow　with　a　pair　of

glasses　on　his　nose；　looking　very　earnestly　at　the　ladies　who　entered。

As　I　came　in　he　gave　quite　a　jump　in　his　chair　and　turned　quickly　to

Miss　Stoper。

　　〃'That　will　do；'　said　he；　'I　could　not　ask　for　anything　better。

Capital！　capital！'

　　He　seemed　quite　enthusiastic　and　rubbed　his　hands　together　in　the

most　genial　fashion。　He　was　such　a　comfortable…looking　man　that　it　was

quite　a　pleasure　to　look　at　him。

　　〃'You　are　looking　for　a　situation；　miss？'　he　asked。

　　〃'Yes；　sir。'

　　〃'As　governess？'

　　〃'Yes；　sir。'

　　〃'And　what　salary　do　you　ask？'

　　〃'I　had　L4　a　month　in　my　last　place　with　Colonel　Spence　Munro。'

　　〃'Oh；　tut；　tut！　sweating…rank　sweating！'　he　cried；　throwing　his

fat　hands　out　into　the　air　like　a　man　who　is　in　a　boiling　passion。

'How　could　anyone　offer　so　pitiful　a　sum　to　a　lady　with　such

attractions　and　accomplishments？'

　　〃'My　accomplishments；　sir；　may　be　less　than　you　imagine；'　said　I。　'A

little　French；　a　little　German；　music；　and　drawing…'

　　〃'Tut；　tut！'　he　cried。　'This　is　all　quite　beside　the　question。　The

point　is；　have　you　or　have　you　not　the　bearing　and　deportment　of　a

lady？　There　it　is　in　a　nutshell。　If　you　have　not；　you　are　not　fitted

for　the　rearing　of　a　child　who　may　some　day　play　a　considerable　part

in　the　history　of　the　country。　But　if　you　have；　why；　then；　how　could

any　gentleman　ask　you　to　condescend　to　accept　anything　under　the　three

figures？　Your　salary　with　me；　madam；　would　commence　at　L100　a　year。'

　　〃You　may　imagine；　Mr。　Holmes；　that　to　me；　destitute　as　I　was；　such

an　offer　seemed　almost　too　good　to　be　true。　The　gentleman；　however；

seeing　perhaps　the　look　of　incredulity　upon　my　face；　opened　a

pocket…book　and　took　out　a　note。

　　〃'It　is　also　my　custom；'　said　he；　smiling　in　the　most　pleasant

fashion　until　his　eyes　were　just　two　little　shining　slits　amid　the

white　creases　of　his　face；　'to　advance　to　my　young　ladies　half　their

salary　beforehand；　so　that　they　may　meet　any　little　expenses　of

their　journey　and　their　wardrobe。'

　　〃It　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　never　met　so　fascinating　and　so

thoughtful　a　man。　As　I　was　already　in　debt　to　my　tradesmen；　the

advance　was　a　great　convenience；　and　Yet　there　was　something　unnatural

about　the　whole　transaction　which　made　me　wish　to　know　a　little　more

before　I　quite　committed　myself。

　　〃'May　I　ask　where　you　live；　sir？'　said　I。

　　〃'Hampshire。　Charming　rural　place。　The　Copper　Beeches；　five　miles　on

the　far　side　of　Winchester。　It　is　the　most　lovely　country；　my　dear

young　lady；　and　the　dearest　old　country…house。'

　　〃'And　my　duties；　sir？　I　should　be　glad　to　know　what　they　would