adventure10-第8部分

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you　remember；　before　the　sleepy　commissionnaire　drew

your　attention　to　the　bell；　and　those　were　just　enough

to　give　the　thief　time　to　make　his　escape。



〃He　made　his　way　to　Woking　by　the　first　train；　and

having　examined　his　booty　and　assured　himself　that　it

really　was　of　immense　value；　he　had　concealed　it　in

what　he　thought　was　a　very　safe　place；　with　the

intention　of　taking　it　out　again　in　a　day　or　two；　and

carrying　it　to　the　French　embassy；　or　wherever　he

thought　that　a　long　price　was　to　be　had。　　Then　came

your　sudden　return。　　He；　without　a　moment's　warning；

was　bundled　out　of　his　room；　and　from　that　time　onward

there　were　always　at　least　two　of　you　there　to　prevent

him　from　regaining　his　treasure。　　The　situation　to　him

must　have　been　a　maddening　one。　　But　at　last　he

thought　he　saw　his　chance。　　He　tried　to　steal　in；　but

was　baffled　by　your　wakefulness。　　You　remember　that

you　did　not　take　your　usual　draught　that　night。〃



〃I　remember。〃



〃I　fancy　that　he　had　taken　steps　to　make　that　draught

efficacious；　and　that　he　quite　relied　upon　your　being

unconscious。　　Of　course；　I　understood　that　he　would

repeat　the　attempt　whenever　it　could　be　done　with

safety。　　Your　leaving　the　room　gave　him　the　chance　he

wanted。　　I　kept　Miss　Harrison　in　it　all　day　so　that　he

might　not　anticipate　us。　　Then；　having　given　him　the

idea　that　the　coast　was　clear；　I　kept　guard　as　I　have

described。　　I　already　knew　that　the　papers　were

probably　in　the　room；　but　I　had　no　desire　to　rip　up

all　the　planking　and　skirting　in　search　of　them。　　I

let　him　take　them；　therefore；　from　the　hiding…place；

and　so　saved　myself　an　infinity　of　trouble。　　Is　there

any　other　point　which　I　can　make　clear？〃



〃Why　did　he　try　the　window　on　the　first　occasion；〃　I

asked；　〃when　he　might　have　entered　by　the　door？〃



〃In　reaching　the　door　he　would　have　to　pass　seven

bedrooms。　　On　the　other　hand；　he　could　get　out　on　to

the　lawn　with　ease。　　Anything　else？〃



〃You　do　not　think；〃　asked　Phelps；　〃that　he　had　any

murderous　intention？　　The　knife　was　only　meant　as　a

tool。〃



〃It　may　be　so；〃　answered　Holmes；　shrugging　his

shoulders。　　〃I　can　only　say　for　certain　that　Mr。

Joseph　Harrison　is　a　gentleman　to　whose　mercy　I　should

be　extremely　unwilling　to　trust。〃