the adventure of the three garridebs-第1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！


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SHERLOCK　HOLMES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　ADVENTURE　OF　THE　THREE　GARRIDEBS

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle



　　It　may　have　been　a　comedy；　or　it　may　have　been　a　tragedy。　It　cost

one　man　his　reason；　it　cost　me　a　blood…letting；　and　it　cost　yet

another　man　the　penalties　of　the　law。　Yet　there　was　certainly　an

element　of　comedy。　Well；　you　shall　judge　for　yourselves。

　　I　remember　the　date　very　well；　for　it　was　in　the　same　month　that

Holmes　refused　a　knighthood　for　services　which　may　perhaps　some　day　be

described。　I　only　refer　to　the　matter　in　passing；　for　in　my　position

of　partner　and　confidant　I　am　obliged　to　be　particularly　careful　to

avoid　any　indiscretion。　I　repeat；　however；　that　this　enables　me　to　fix

the　date；　which　was　the　latter　end　of　June；　1902；　shortly　after　the

conclusion　of　the　South　African　War。　Holmes　had　spent　several　days

in　bed；　as　was　his　habit　from　time　to　time；　but　he　emerged　that

morning　with　a　long　foolscap　document　in　his　hand　and　a　twinkle　of

amusement　in　his　austere　gray　eyes。

　　〃There　is　a　chance　for　you　to　make　some　money；　friend　Watson；〃

said　he。　〃Have　you　ever　heard　the　name　of　Garrideb？〃

　　I　admitted　that　I　had　not。

　　〃Well；　if　you　can　lay　your　hand　upon　a　Garrideb；　there's　money　in

it。〃

　　〃Why？〃

　　〃Ah；　that's　a　long　story…　rather　a　whimsical　one；　too。　I　don't　think

in　all　our　explorations　of　human　complexities　we　have　ever　come　upon

anything　more　singular。　The　fellow　will　be　here　presently　for

cross…examination；　so　I　won't　open　the　matter　up　till　he　comes。　But；

meanwhile；　that's　the　name　we　want。〃

　　The　telephone　directory　lay　on　the　table　beside　me；　and　I　turned

over　the　pages　in　a　rather　hopeless　quest。　But　to　my　amazement　there

was　this　strange　name　in　its　due　place。　I　gave　a　cry　of　triumph。

　　〃Here　you　are；　Holmes！　Here　it　is！〃

　　Holmes　took　the　book　from　my　hand。

　　〃'Garrideb；　N。；'〃　he　read；　136　Little　Ryder　Street；　W。'　Sorry　to

disappoint　you；　my　dear　Watson；　but　this　is　the　man　himself。　That　is

the　address　upon　his　letter。　We　want　another　to　match　him。〃

　　Mrs。　Hudson　had　come　in　with　a　card　upon　a　tray。　I　took　it　up　and

glanced　at　it。

　　〃Why；　here　it　is！〃　I　cried　in　amazement。　〃This　is　a　different

initial。　John　Garrideb；　Counsellor　at　Law；　Moorville；　Kansas；　U。S。A。〃

　　Holmes　smiled　as　he　looked　at　the　card。　〃I　am　afraid　you　must　make

yet　another　effort；　Watson；〃　said　he。　〃This　gentleman　is　also　in　the

plot　already；　though　I　certainly　did　not　expect　to　see　him　this

morning。　However；　he　is　in　a　position　to　tell　us　a　good　deal　which　I

want　to　know。〃

　　A　moment　later　he　was　in　the　room。　Mr。　John　Garrideb；　Counsellor

at　Law；　was　a　short；　powerful　man　with　the　round；　fresh；

clean…shaven　face　characteristic　of　so　many　American　men　of　affairs。

The　general　effect　was　chubby　and　rather　childlike；　so　that　one

received　the　impression　of　quite　a　young　man　with　a　broad　set　smile

upon　his　face。　His　eyes；　however；　were　arresting。　Seldom　in　any

human　head　have　I　seen　a　pair　which　bespoke　a　more　intense　inward

life；　so　bright　were　they；　so　alert；　so　responsive　to　every　change

of　thought。　His　accent　was　American；　but　was　not　accompanied　by　any

eccentricity　of　speech。

　　〃Mr。　Holmes？〃　he　asked；　glancing　from　one　to　the　other。　〃Ah；　yes！

Your　pictures　are　not　unlike　you；　sir；　if　I　may　say　so。　I　believe

you　have　had　a　letter　from　my　namesake；　Mr。　Nathan　Garrideb；　have

you　not？〃

　　〃Pray　sit　down；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。　〃We　shall；　I　fancy；　have　a

good　deal　to　discuss。〃　He　took　up　his　sheets　of　foolscap。　〃You　are；　of

course；　the　Mr。　John　Garrideb　mentioned　in　this　document。　But　surely

you　have　been　in　England　some　time？〃

　　〃Why　do　you　say　that；　Mr。　Holmes？〃　I　seemed　to　read　sudden　suspicion

in　those　expressive　eyes。

　　〃Your　whole　outfit　is　English。〃

　　Mr。　Garrideb　forced　a　laugh。　〃I've　read　of　your　tricks；　Mr。

Holmes；　but　I　never　thought　I　would　be　the　subject　of　them。　Where　do

you　read　that？〃

　　〃The　shoulder　cut　of　your　coat；　the　toes　of　your　boots…　could　anyone

doubt　it？〃

　　〃Well；　well；　I　had　no　idea　I　was　so　obvious　a　Britisher。　But

business　brought　me　over　where　some　time　ago；　and　so；　as　you　say；　my

outfit　is　nearly　all　London。　However；　I　guess　your　time　is　of　value；

and　we　did　not　meet　to　talk　about　the　cut　of　my　socks。　What　about

getting　down　to　that　paper　you　hold　in　your　hand？〃

　　Holmes　had　in　some　way　ruffled　our　visitor；　whose　chubby　face　had

assumed　a　far　less　amiable　expression。

　　〃Patience！　Patience；　Mr。　Garrideb！〃　said　my　friend　in　a　soothing

voice。　〃Dr。　Watson　would　tell　you　that　these　little　digressions　of

mine　sometimes　prove　in　the　end　to　have　some　bearing　on　the　matter。

But　why　did　Mr。　Nathan　Garrideb　not　come　with　you？〃

　　〃Why　did　he　ever　drag　you　into　it　at　all？〃　asked　our　visitor　with

a　sudden　outflame　of　anger。　〃What　in　thunder　had　you　to　do　with　it？

Here　was　a　bit　of　professional　business　between　two　gentlemen；　and　one

of　them　must　needs　call　in　a　detective！　I　saw　him　this　morning；　and　he

told　me　this　fool…trick　he　had　played　me；　and　that's　why　I　am　here。

But　I　feel　bad　about　it；　all　the　same。〃

　　〃There　was　no　reflection　upon　you；　Mr。　Garrideb。　It　was　simply

zeal　upon　his　part　to　gain　your　end…　an　end　which　is；　I　understand；

equally　vital　for　both　of　you。　He　knew　that　I　had　means　of　getting

information；　and；　therefore；　it　was　very　natural　that　he　should

apply　to　me。〃

　　Our　visitor's　angry　face　gradually　cleared。

　　〃Well；　that　puts　it　different；〃　said　he。　〃When　I　went　to　see　him

this　morning　and　he　told　me　he　had　sent　to　a　detective；　I　just　asked

for　your　address　and　came　right　away。　I　don't　want　police　butting　into

a　private　matter。　But　if　you　are　content　just　to　help　us　find　the　man；

there　can　be　no　harm　in　that。〃

　　〃Well；　that　is　just　how　it　stands；〃　said　Holmes。　〃And　now；　sir；

since　you　are　here；　we　had　best　have　a　clear　account　from　your　own

lips。　My　friend　here　knows　nothing　of　the　details。〃

　　Mr。　Garrideb　surveyed　me　with　not　too　friendly　a　gaze。

　　〃Need　he　know？〃　be　asked。

　　〃We　usually　work　together。〃

　　〃Well；　there's　no　reason　it　should　be　kept　a　secret。　I'll　give　you

the　facts　as　short　as　I　can　make　them。　If　you　came　from　Kansas　I　would

not　need　to　explain　to　you　who　Alexander　Hamilton　Garrideb　was。　He

made　his　money　in　real　estate；　and　afterwards　in　the　wheat　pit　at

Chicago；　but　he　spent　it　in　buying　up　as　much　land　as　would　make　one

of　your　counties；　lying　along　the　Arkansas　River；　west　of　Fort

Dodge。　It's　grazing…land　and　lumber…land　and　arable…land　and

mineralized　land；　and　just　every　sort　of　land　that　brings　dollars　to

the　man　that　owns　it。

　　He　had　no　kith　nor　kin…　or；　if　he　had；　I　never　heard　of　it。　But　he

took　a　kind　of　pride　in　the　queerness　of　his　name。　That　was　what

brought　us　together。　I　was　in　the　law　at　Topeka；　and　one　day　I　had　a

visit　from　the　old　man；　and　he　was　tickled　to　death　to　meet　another

man　with　his　own　name。　It　was　his　pet　fad；　and　he　was　dead　set　to　find

out　if　there　were　any　more　Garridebs　in　the　world。　'Find　me

another！'　said　he。　I　told　him　I　was　a　busy　man　and　could　not　spend

my　life　hiking　round　the　world　in　search　of　Garridebs。　'None　the

less；'　said　he；　'that　is　just　what　you　will　do　if　things　pan　out　as

I　planned　them。'　I　thought　he　was　joking；　but　there　was　a　powerful　lot

of　meaning　in　the　words；　as　I　was　soon　to　discover。

　　〃For　he　died　within　a　year　of　saying　them；　and　he　left　a　will　behind

him。　It　was　the　queerest　will　that　has　ever　been　filed　in　the　State　of

Kansas。　His　property　was　divided　into　three　parts；　and　I　was　to　have

one　on　condition　that　I　found　two　Garridebs　who　would　share　the

remainder。　It's　five　million　dollars　for　each　if　it　is　a　cent；　but

we　can't　lay　a　finger　on　it　until　we　all　three　stand　in　a　row。

　　〃It　was　so　big　a　chance　that　I　just　let　my　legal　practice　slide

and　I　set　forth　looking　for　Garridebs。　There　is　not　one　in　the

United　States。　I　went　through　it；　sir；　with　a　fine…toothed　comb　and

never　a　Garrideb　could　I　catch。　Then　I　tried　the　old　country。　Sure

enough　there　was　the　name　in　the　London　telephone　directory。　I　went

after　him　two　days　ago　and　explained　the　whole　matter　to　him。　But　he

is　a　lone　man；　like　myself；　with　some　women　relations；　but　no　men。

It　says　three　adult　men　in　the　will。　So　you　see　we　still　have　a

vacancy；　and　if　you　can　help　to　fill　it　we　will　be　very　ready　to　pay

your　charges。〃

　　〃Well；　Watson；〃　said　Holmes　with　a　smile；　〃I　said　it　was　rather

whimsical；　did　I　not？　I　should　have　thought；　sir；　that　your　obvious

way　was　to　advertise　in　the　agony　columns　of　the　papers。〃

　　〃I　have　done　that；　Mr。　Holmes。　No　replies。〃

　　〃Dear　me！　Well；　it　is　certainly　a　most　curious　little　problem。　I　may

take　a　glance　at　it　in　my　leisure。　By　the　way；　it　is　curious　that

you　should　have　come　from　Topeka。　I　used　to　have　a　correspondent…　he

is　dead　now…　old　Dr。　Lysander　Starr；　who　was　mayor　in　1890。〃

　　〃Good　old　Dr。　Starr！〃　said　our　visitor。　〃His　name　is　still　honoured。

Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　I　suppose　all　we　can　do　is　to　report　to　you　and

let　you　know　how　we　progress。　I　reckon　you　will　hear　within　a　day