the adventure of the copper beeches-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


all　the　way　down；　but　after　we　had　passed　the　Hampshire　border　he

threw　them　down　and　began　to　admire　the　scenery。　It　was　an　ideal

spring　day；　a　light　blue　sky；　flecked　with　little　fleecy　white

clouds　drifting　across　from　west　to　east。　The　sun　was　shining　very

brightly；　and　yet　there　was　an　exhilarating　nip　in　the　air；　which

set　an　edge　to　a　man's　energy。　All　over　the　countryside；　away　to　the

rolling　hills　around　Aldershot；　the　little　red　and　gray　roofs　of　the

farm…steadings　peeped　out　from　amid　the　light　green　of　the　new

foliage。

　　〃Are　they　not　fresh　and　beautiful？〃　I　cried　with　all　the

enthusiasm　of　a　man　fresh　from　the　fogs　of　Baker　Street。

　　But　Holmes　shook　his　head　gravely。

　　〃Do　you　know；　Watson；〃　said　he；　〃that　it　is　one　of　the　curses　of　a

mind　with　a　turn　like　mine　that　I　must　look　at　everything　with

reference　to　my　own　special　subject。　You　look　at　these　scattered

houses；　and　you　are　impressed　by　their　beauty。　I　look　at　them；　and　the

only　thought　which　comes　to　me　is　a　feeling　of　their　isolation　and

of　the　impunity　with　which　crime　may　be　committed　there。〃

　　〃Good　heavens！〃　I　cried。　〃Who　would　associate　crime　with　these

dear　old　homesteads？〃

　　〃They　always　fill　me　with　a　certain　horror。　It　is　my　belief；　Watson；

founded　upon　my　experience；　that　the　lowest　and　vilest　alleys　in

London　do　not　present　a　more　dreadful　record　of　sin　than　does　the

smiling　and　beautiful　countryside。〃

　　〃You　horrify　me！〃

　　〃But　the　reason　is　very　obvious。　The　pressure　of　public　opinion

can　do　in　the　town　what　the　law　cannot　accomplish。　There　is　no　lane　so

vile　that　the　scream　of　a　tortured　child；　or　the　thud　of　a

drunkard's　blow；　does　not　beget　sympathy　and　indignation　among　the

neighbours；　and　then　the　whole　machinery　of　justice　is　ever　so　close

that　a　word　of　complaint　can　set　it　going；　and　there　is　but　a　step

between　the　crime　and　the　dock。　But　look　at　these　lonely　houses；

each　in　its　own　fields；　filled　for　the　most　part　with　poor　ignorant

folk　who　know　little　of　the　law。　Think　of　the　deeds　of　hellish

cruelty；　the　hidden　wickedness　which　may　go　on；　year　in；　year　out；

in　such　places；　and　none　the　wiser。　Had　this　lady　who　appeals　to　us

for　help　gone　to　live　in　Winchester；　I　should　never　have　had　a　fear

for　her。　It　is　the　five　miles　of　country　which　makes　the　danger。

Still；　it　is　clear　that　she　is　not　personally　threatened。〃

　　〃No。　If　she　can　come　to　Winchester　to　meet　us　she　can　get　away。〃

　　〃Quite　so。　She　has　her　freedom。〃

　　〃What　can　be　the　matter；　then？　Can　you　suggest　no　explanation？〃

　　〃I　have　devised　seven　separate　explanations；　each　of　which　would

cover　the　facts　as　far　as　we　know　them。　But　which　of　these　is

correct　can　only　be　determined　by　the　fresh　information　which　we　shall

no　doubt　find　waiting　for　us。　Well；　there　is　the　tower　of　the

cathedral；　and　we　shall　soon　learn　all　that　Miss　Hunter　has　to　tell。〃

　　The　Black　Swan　is　an　inn　of　repute　in　the　High　Street；　at　no

distance　from　the　station；　and　there　we　found　the　young　lady　waiting

for　us。　She　had　engaged　a　sitting…room；　and　our　lunch　awaited　us

upon　the　table。

　　〃I　am　so　delighted　that　you　have　come；〃　she　said　earnestly。　〃It　is

so　very　kind　of　you　both；　but　indeed　I　do　not　know　what　I　should　do。

Your　advice　will　be　altogether　invaluable　to　me。〃

　　〃Pray　tell　us　what　has　happened　to　you。〃

　　〃I　will　do　so；　and　I　must　be　quick；　for　I　have　promised　Mr。　Rucastle

to　be　back　before　three。　I　got　his　leave　to　come　into　town　this

morning；　though　he　little　knew　for　what　purpose。〃

　　〃Let　us　have　everything　in　its　due　order。〃　Holmes　thrust　his　long

thin　legs　out　towards　the　fire　and　composed　himself　to　listen。

　　〃In　the　first　place；　I　may　say　that　I　have　met；　on　the　whole；　with

no　actual　ill…treatment　from　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Rucastle。　It　is　only　fair　to

them　to　say　that。　But　I　cannot　understand　them；　and　I　am　not　easy　in

my　mind　about　them。〃

　　〃What　can　you　not　understand？〃

　　〃Their　reasons　for　their　conduct。　But　you　shall　have　it　all　just

as　it　occurred。　When　I　came　down；　Mr。　Rucastle　met　me　here　and　drove

me　in　his　dog…cart　to　the　Copper　Beeches。　It　is；　as　he　said；

beautifully　situated；　but　it　is　not　beautiful　in　itself；　for　it　is　a

large　square　block　of　a　house；　whitewashed；　but　all　stained　and

streaked　with　damp　and　bad　weather。　There　are　grounds　round　it；

woods　on　three　sides；　and　on　the　fourth　a　field　which　slopes　down　to

the　Southampton　highroad；　which　curves　past　about　a　hundred　yards　from

the　front　door。　This　ground　in　front　belongs　to　the　house；　but　the

woods　all　round　are　part　of　Lord　Southerton's　preserves。　A　clump　of

copper　beeches　immediately　in　front　of　the　hall　door　has　given　its

name　to　the　place。

　　〃I　was　driven　over　by　my　employer；　who　was　as　amiable　as　ever；　and

was　introduced　by　him　that　evening　to　his　wife　and　the　child。　There

was　no　truth；　Mr。　Holmes；　in　the　conjecture　which　seemed　to　us　to　be

probable　in　your　rooms　at　Baker　Street。　Mrs。　Rucastle　is　not　mad。　I

found　her　to　be　a　silent；　pale…faced　woman；　much　younger　than　her

husband；　not　more　than　thirty；　I　should　think；　while　he　can　hardly

be　less　than　forty…five。　From　their　conversation　I　have　gathered

that　they　have　been　married　about　seven　years；　that　he　was　a

widower；　and　that　his　only　child　by　the　first　wife　was　the　daughter

who　has　gone　to　Philadelphia。　Mr。　Rucastle　told　me　in　private　that　the

reason　why　she　had　left　them　was　that　she　had　an　unreasoning

aversion　to　her　stepmother。　As　the　daughter　could　not　have　been　less

than　twenty；　I　can　quite　imagine　that　her　position　must　have　been

uncomfortable　with　her　father's　young　wife。

　　〃Mrs。　Rucastle　seemed　to　me　to　be　colourless　in　mind　as　well　as　in

feature。　She　impressed　me　neither　favourably　nor　the　reverse。　She

was　a　nonentity。　It　was　easy　to　see　that　she　was　passionately

devoted　both　to　her　husband　and　to　her　little　son。　Her　light　gray　eyes

wandered　continually　from　one　to　the　other；　noting　every　little　want

and　forestalling　it　if　possible。　He　was　kind　to　her　also　in　his　bluff；

boisterous　fashion；　and　on　the　whole　they　seemed　to　be　a　happy　couple。

And　yet　she　had　some　secret　sorrow；　this　woman。　She　would　often　be

lost　in　deep　thought；　with　the　saddest　look　upon　her　face。　More　than

once　I　have　surprised　her　in　tears。　I　have　thought　sometimes　that　it

was　the　disposition　of　her　child　which　weighed　upon　her　mind；　for　I

have　never　met　so　utterly　spoiled　and　so　ill…natured　a　little

creature。　He　is　small　for　his　age；　with　a　head　which　is　quite

disproportionately　large。　His　whole　life　appears　to　be　spent　in　an

alternation　between　savage　fits　of　passion　and　gloomy　intervals　of

sulking。　Giving　pain　to　any　creature　weaker　than　himself　seems　to　be

his　one　idea　of　amusement；　and　he　shows　quite　remarkable　talent　in

planning　the　capture　of　mice；　little　birds；　and　insects。　But　I　would

rather　not　talk　about　the　creature；　Mr。　Holmes；　and；　indeed；　he　has

little　to　do　with　my　story。〃

　　〃I　am　glad　of　all　details；〃　remarked　my　friend；　〃whether　they　seem

to　you　to　be　relevant　or　not。〃

　　〃I　shall　try　not　to　miss　anything　of　importance。　The　one

unpleasant　thing　about　the　house；　which　struck　me　at　once；　was　the

appearance　and　conduct　of　the　servants。　There　are　only　two；　a　man

and　his　wife。　Toller；　for　that　is　his　name；　is　a　rough；　uncouth　man；

with　grizzled　hair　and　whiskers；　and　a　perpetual　smell　of　drink。　Twice

since　I　have　been　with　them　he　has　been　quite　drunk；　and　yet　Mr。

Rucastle　seemed　to　take　no　notice　of　it。　His　wife　is　a　very　tall　and

strong　woman　with　a　sour　face；　as　silent　as　Mrs。　Rucastle　and　much

less　amiable。　They　are　a　most　unpleasant　couple；　but　fortunately　I

spend　most　of　my　time　in　the　nursery　and　my　own　room；　which　are　next

to　each　other　in　one　corner　of　the　building。

　　〃For　two　days　after　my　arrival　at　the　Copper　Beeches　my　life　was

very　quiet；　on　the　third；　Mrs。　Rucastle　came　down　just　after　breakfast

and　whispered　something　to　her　husband。

　　〃'Oh；　yes；'　said　he；　turning　to　me；　'we　are　very　much　obliged　to

you；　Miss　Hunter；　for　falling　in　with　our　whims　so　far　as　to　cut

your　hair。　I　assure　you　that　it　has　not　detracted　in　the　tiniest

iota　from　your　appearance。　We　shall　now　see　how　the　electric…blue

dress　will　become　you。　You　will　find　it　laid　out　upon　the　bed　in

your　room；　and　if　you　would　be　so　good　as　to　put　it　on　we　should

both　be　extremely　obliged。'

　　〃The　dress　which　I　found　waiting　for　me　was　of　a　peculiar　shade　of

blue。　It　was　of　excellent　material；　a　sort　of　beige　but　it　bore

unmistakable　signs　of　having　been　worn　before。　It　could　not　have

been　a　better　fit　if　I　had　been　measured　for　it。　Both　Mr。　and　Mrs。

Rucastle　expressed　a　delight　at　the　look　of　it；　which　seemed　quite

exaggerated　in　its　vehemence。　They　were　waiting　for　me　in　the

drawing…room；　which　is　a　very　large　room；　stretching　along　the

entire　front　of　the　house；　with　three　long　windows　reaching　down　to

the　floor。　A　chair　had　been　placed　close　to　the　central　window；　with

its　back　turned　towards　it。　In　this　I　was　asked　to　sit；　and　then　Mr。

Rucastle；　walking　up　and　down　on　the　other　side　of　the　room；　began

to　tell　me　a　series　of　the　funniest　stories　that　I　have　ever

listened　to。　You　cannot　imagine　how　comical　he　was；　and　I　laughed

until　I　was　quite　weary。　Mrs。　Rucastle；　however；　who　has　evidently

no　sense　of　humour；　never　so　much　as　smiled；　but　sat　with　her　hands　in

her　lap；　and　a　sad；　anxious　look　upon　her　face。　After　an　hour　or　so；

Mr。　Rucastle　suddenly　remarked　that　it　was　time　to　commence　the　duties

of　the　day；　and　that　I　might　change　my　dress　and　go　to　little　Edward

in　the　nursery。

　　〃Two　days　later　this　same　performance　was　gone　through　under　exactly

similar　circumstances。　Again　I　changed　my　dress；　again　I　sat　in　the

window；　and　again　I　laughed　very　heartily　at　the　funny　stories　of

which　my　employer　had　an　immense　repertoire；　and　which　he　told

inimitably。　Then　he　handed　me　a　yellow…backed　novel；　and　moving　my

chair　a　little　sideways；　that　my　own　shadow　might　not　fall　upon　the

page；　he　begged　me　to　read　aloud　to　him。　I　read　for　about　ten　minutes；

beginning　in　the　heart　of　a　chapter；　and　then　suddenly；　in　th