the adventure of the copper beeches-第4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！


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

middle　of　a　sentence；　he　ordered　me　to　cease　and　to　change　my　dress。

　　〃You　can　easily　imagine；　Mr。　Holmes；　how　curious　I　became　as　to　what

the　meaning　of　this　extraordinary　performance　could　possibly　be。

They　were　always　very　careful；　I　observed；　to　turn　my　face　away　from

the　window；　so　that　I　became　consumed　with　the　desire　to　see　what

was　going　on　behind　my　back。　At　first　it　seemed　to　be　impossible；

but　I　soon　devised　a　means。　My　hand…mirror　had　been　broken；　so　a　happy

thought　seized　me；　and　I　concealed　a　piece　of　the　glass　in　my

handkerchief。　On　the　next　occasion；　in　the　midst　of　my　laughter；　I　put

my　handkerchief　up　to　my　eyes；　and　was　able　with　a　little　management

to　see　all　that　there　was　behind　me。　I　confess　that　I　was

disappointed。　There　was　nothing。　At　least　that　was　my　first

impression。　At　the　second　glance；　however；　I　perceived　that　there

was　a　man　standing　in　the　Southampton　Road；　a　small　bearded　man　in　a

gray　suit；　who　seemed　to　be　looking　in　my　direction。　The　road　is　an

important　highway；　and　there　are　usually　people　there。　This　man；

however；　was　leaning　against　the　railings　which　bordered　our　field　and

was　looking　earnestly　up。　I　lowered　my　handkerchief　and　glanced　at

Mrs。　Rucastle　to　find　her　eyes　fixed　upon　me　with　a　most　searching

gaze。　She　said　nothing；　but　I　am　convinced　that　she　had　divined　that　I

had　a　mirror　in　my　hand　and　had　seen　what　was　behind　me。　She　rose　at

once。

　　〃'Jephro；'　said　she；　'there　is　an　impertinent　fellow　upon　the　road

there　who　stares　up　at　Miss　Hunter。'

　　〃'No　friend　of　yours；　Miss　Hunter？'　he　asked。

　　〃'No；　I　know　no　one　in　these　parts。'

　　〃'Dear　me！　How　very　impertinent！　Kindly　turn　round　and　motion　to　him

to　go　away。'

　　〃'Surely　it　would　be　better　to　take　no　notice。'

　　〃'No；　no；　we　should　have　him　loitering　here　always。　Kindly　turn

round　and　wave　him　away　like　that。'

　　〃I　did　as　I　was　told；　and　at　the　same　instant　Mrs。　Rucastle　drew

down　the　blind。　That　was　a　week　ago；　and　from　that　time　I　have　not　sat

again　in　the　window；　nor　have　I　worn　the　blue　dress；　nor　seen　the

man　in　the　road。〃

　　〃Pray　continue；〃　said　Holmes。　〃Your　narrative　promises　to　be　a

most　interesting　one。〃

　　〃You　will　find　it　rather　disconnected；　I　fear；　and　there　may　prove

to　be　little　relation　between　the　different　incidents　of　which　I

speak。　On　the　very　first　day　that　I　was　at　the　Copper　Beeches；　Mr。

Rucastle　took　me　to　a　small　outhouse　which　stands　near　the　kitchen

door。　As　we　approached　it　I　heard　the　sharp　rattling　of　a　chain；　and

the　sound　as　of　a　large　animal　moving　about。

　　〃Look　in　here！〃　said　Mr。　Rucastle；　showing　me　a　slit　between　two

planks。　〃Is　he　not　a　beauty？〃

　　〃I　looked　through　and　was　conscious　of　two　glowing　eyes；　and　of　a

vague　figure　huddled　up　in　the　darkness。

　　〃Don't　be　frightened；〃　said　my　employer；　laughing　at　the　start　which

I　had　given。　〃It's　only　Carlo；　my　mastiff。　I　call　him　mine；　but　really

old　Toller；　my　groom；　is　the　only　man　who　can　do　anything　with　him。　We

feed　him　once　a　day；　and　not　too　much　then；　so　that　he　is　always　as

keen　as　mustard。　Toller　lets　him　loose　every　night；　and　God　help　the

trespasser　whom　he　lays　his　fangs　upon。　For　goodness'　sake　don't　you

ever　on　any　pretext　set　your　foot　over　the　threshold　at　night；　for

it's　as　much　as　your　life　is　worth。〃

　　〃The　warning　was　no　idle　one；　for　two　nights　later　I　happened　to

look　out　of　my　bedroom　window　about　two　o'clock　in　the　morning。　It　was

a　beautiful　moonlight　night；　and　the　lawn　in　front　of　the　house　was

silvered　over　and　almost　as　bright　as　day。　I　was　standing；　rapt　in　the

peaceful　beauty　of　the　scene；　when　I　was　aware　that　something　was

moving　under　the　shadow　of　the　copper　beeches。　As　it　emerged　into

the　moonshine　I　saw　what　it　was。　It　was　a　giant　dog；　as　large　as　a

calf；　tawny　tinted；　with　hanging　jowl；　black　muzzle；　and　huge

projecting　bones。　It　walked　slowly　across　the　lawn　and　vanished　into

the　shadow　upon　the　other　side。　That　dreadful　sentinel　sent　a　chill　to

my　heart　which　I　do　not　think　that　any　burglar　could　have　done。

　　〃And　now　I　have　a　very　strange　experience　to　tell　you。　I　had；　as　you

know；　cut　off　my　hair　in　London；　and　I　had　placed　it　in　a　great　coil

at　the　bottom　of　my　trunk。　One　evening；　after　the　child　was　in　bed；

I　began　to　amuse　myself　by　examining　the　furniture　of　my　room　and　by

rearranging　my　own　little　things。　There　was　an　old　chest　of　drawers　in

the　room；　the　two　upper　ones　empty　and　open；　the　lower　one　locked。　I

had　filled　the　first　two　with　my　linen；　and　as　I　had　still　much　to

pack　away　I　was　naturally　annoyed　at　not　having　the　use　of　the　third

drawer。　It　struck　me　that　it　might　have　been　fastened　by　a　mere

oversight；　so　I　took　out　my　bunch　of　keys　and　tried　to　open　it。　The

very　first　key　fitted　to　perfection；　and　I　drew　the　drawer　open。　There

was　only　one　thing　in　it；　but　I　am　sure　that　you　would　never　guess

what　it　was。　It　was　my　coil　of　hair。

　　〃I　took　it　up　and　examined　it。　It　was　of　the　same　peculiar　tint；　and

the　same　thickness。　But　then　the　impossibility　of　the　thing　obtruded

itself　upon　me。　How　could　my　hair　have　been　locked　in　the　drawer？　With

trembling　hands　I　undid　my　trunk；　turned　out　the　contents；　and　drew

from　the　bottom　my　own　hair。　I　laid　the　two　tresses　together；　and　I

assure　you　that　they　were　identical。　Was　it　not　extraordinary？

Puzzle　as　I　would；　I　could　make　nothing　at　all　of　what　it　meant。　I

returned　the　strange　hair　to　the　drawer；　and　I　said　nothing　of　the

matter　to　the　Rucastles　as　I　felt　that　I　had　put　myself　in　the　wrong

by　opening　a　drawer　which　they　had　locked。

　　〃I　am　naturally　observant；　as　you　may　have　remarked；　Mr。　Holmes；　and

I　soon　had　a　pretty　good　plan　of　the　whole　house　in　my　head。　There　was

one　wing；　however；　which　appeared　not　to　be　inhabited　at　all。　A　door

which　faced　that　which　led　into　the　quarters　of　the　Tollers　opened

into　this　suite；　but　it　was　invariably　locked。　One　day；　however；　as

I　ascended　the　stair；　I　met　Mr。　Rucastle　coming　out　through　this　door；

his　keys　in　his　hand；　and　a　look　on　his　face　which　made　him　a　very

different　person　to　the　round；　jovial　man　to　whom　I　was　accustomed。

His　cheeks　were　red；　his　brow　was　all　crinkled　with　anger；　and　the

veins　stood　out　at　his　temples　with　passion。　He　locked　the　door　and

hurried　past　me　without　a　word　or　a　look。

　　〃This　aroused　my　curiosity；　so　when　I　went　out　for　a　walk　in　the

grounds　with　my　charge；　I　strolled　round　to　the　side　from　which　I

could　see　the　windows　of　this　part　of　the　house。　There　were　four　of

them　in　a　row；　three　of　which　were　simply　dirty；　while　the　fourth

was　shuttered　up。　They　were　evidently　all　deserted。　As　I　strolled　up

and　down；　glancing　at　them　occasionally；　Mr。　Rucastle　came　out　to

me；　looking　as　merry　and　jovial　as　ever。

　　〃'Ah！'　said　he；　'you　must　not　think　me　rude　if　I　passed　you

without　a　word；　my　dear　young　lady。　I　was　preoccupied　with　business

matters。'

　　〃I　assured　him　that　I　was　not　offended。　'By　the　way；'　said　I；　'you

seem　to　have　quite　a　suite　of　spare　rooms　up　there；　and　one　of　them

has　the　shutters　up。'

　　〃He　looked　surprised　and；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　a　little　startled　at

my　remark。

　　〃'Photography　is　one　of　my　hobbies；'　said　he。　'I　have　made　my　dark

room　up　there。　But；　dear　me！　what　an　observant　young　lady　we　have　come

upon。　Who　would　have　believed　it？'　He　spoke　in　a　jesting　tone；　but

there　was　no　jest　in　his　eyes　as　he　looked　at　me。　I　read　suspicion

there　and　annoyance；　but　no　jest。

　　〃Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　from　the　moment　that　I　understood　that　there

was　something　about　that　suite　of　rooms　which　I　was　not　to　know；　I　was

all　on　fire　to　go　over　them。　It　was　not　mere　curiosity；　though　I

have　my　share　of　that。　It　was　more　a　feeling　of　duty…a　feeling　that

some　good　might　come　from　my　penetrating　to　this　place。　They　talk　of

woman's　instinct；　perhaps　it　was　woman's　instinct　which　gave　me　that

feeling。　At　any　rate；　it　was　there；　and　I　was　keenly　on　the　lookout

for　any　chance　to　pass　the　forbidden　door。

　　〃It　was　only　yesterday　that　the　chance　came。　I　may　tell　you　that；

besides　Mr。　Rucastle；　both　Toller　and　his　wife　find　something　to　do　in

these　deserted　rooms；　and　I　once　saw　him　carrying　a　large　black

linen　bag　with　him　through　the　door。　Recently　he　has　been　drinking

hard；　and　yesterday　evening　he　was　very　drunk；　and　when　I　came

upstairs　there　was　the　key　in　the　door。　I　have　no　doubt　at　all　that　he

had　left　it　there。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Rucastle　were　both　downstairs；　and　the

child　was　with　them；　so　that　I　had　an　admirable　opportunity。　I

turned　the　key　gently　in　the　lock；　opened　the　door；　and　slipped

through。

　　〃There　was　a　little　passage　in　front　of　me；　unpapered　and

uncarpeted；　which　turned　at　a　right　angle　at　the　farther　end。　Round

this　corner　were　three　doors　in　a　line；　the　first　and　third　of　which

were　open。　They　each　led　into　an　empty　room；　dusty　and　cheerless；　with

two　windows　in　the　one　and　one　in　the　other；　so　thick　with　dirt　that

the　evening　light　glimmered　dimly　through　them。　The　centre　door　was

closed；　and　across　the　outside　of　it　had　been　fastened　one　of　the

broad　bars　of　an　iron　bed；　padlocked　at　one　end　to　a　ring　in　the　wall；

and　fastened　at　the　other　with　stout　cord。　The　door　itself　was

locked　as　well；　and　the　key　was　not　there。　This　barricaded　door

corresponded　clearly　with　the　shuttered　window　outside；　and　yet　I

could　see　by　the　glimmer　from　beneath　it　that　the　room　was　not　in

darkness。　Evidently　there　was　a　skylight　which　let　in　light　from

above。　As　I　stood　in　the　passage　gazing　at　the　sinister　door　and

wondering　what　secret　it　might　veil；　I　suddenly　heard　the　sound　of

steps　within　the　room　and　saw　a　shadow　pass　backward　and　forward

against　the　little　slit　of　dim　light　which　shone　out　from　under　the

door。　A　mad；　unreasoning　terror　rose　up　in　me　at　the　sight；　Mr。

Holmes。　My　overstrung　nerves　failed　me　suddenly；　and　I　turned　and

ran…ran　as　though　some　dreadful　hand　were　behind　me　clutching　at　the

skirt　of　my　dress。　I　rushed　down　the　passage；　through　the　door；　and

straight　into　the　arms　of　Mr。　Rucastle；　who　wa