a scandal in bohemia-第5部分

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　　〃He　can't　lie　in　the　street。　May　we　bring　him　in；　marm？〃

　　〃Surely。　Bring　him　into　the　sitting…room。　There　is　a　comfortable

sofa。　This　way；　please！〃

　　Slowly　and　solemnly　he　was　home　into　Briony　Lodge　and　laid　out　in

the　principal　room；　while　I　still　observed　the　proceedings　from　my

post　by　the　window。　The　lamps　had　been　lit；　but　the　blinds　had　not

been　drawn；　so　that　I　could　see　Holmes　as　he　lay　upon　the　couch。　I

do　not　know　whether　he　was　seized　with　compunction　at　that　moment

for　the　part　he　was　playing；　but　I　know　that　I　never　felt　more

heartily　ashamed　of　myself　in　my　life　than　when　I　saw　the　beautiful

creature　against　whom　I　was　conspiring；　or　the　grace　and　kindliness

with　which　she　waited　upon　the　injured　man。　And　yet　it　would　be　the

blackest　treachery　to　Holmes　to　draw　back　now　from　the　part　which　he

had　intrusted　to　me。　I　hardened　my　heart；　and　took　the　smoke…rocket

from　under　my　ulster。　After　all；　I　thought　we　are　not　injuring　her。　We

are　but　preventing　her　from　injuring　another。

　　Holmes　had　sat　up　upon　the　couch；　and　I　saw　him　motion　like　a　man

who　is　in　need　of　air。　A　maid　rushed　across　and　threw　open　the　window。

At　the　same　instant　I　saw　him　raise　his　hand；　and　at　the　signal　I

tossed　my　rocket　into　the　room　with　a　cry　of　‘Fire！'　The　word　was　no

sooner　out　of　my　mouth　than　the　whole　crowd　of　spectators；　well

dressed　and　ill…　gentlemen；　ostlers；　and　servant…maids…　joined　in　a

general　shriek　of　‘Fire！'　Thick　clouds　of　smoke　curled　through　the

room　and　out　at　the　open　window。　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　rushing

figures；　and　a　moment　later　the　voice　of　Holmes　from　within　assuring

them　that　it　was　a　false　alarm。　Slipping　through　the　shouting　crowd

I　made　my　way　to　the　corner　of　the　street；　and　in　ten　minutes　was

rejoiced　to　find　my　friend's　arm　in　mine；　and　to　get　away　from　the

scene　of　uproar。　He　walked　swiftly　and　in　silence　for　some　few　minutes

until　we　had　turned　down　one　of　the　quiet　streets　which　lead　towards

the　Edgeware　Road。

　　〃You　did　it　very　nicely；　Doctor；〃　he　remarked。　〃Nothing　could　have

been　better。　It　is　all　right。〃

　　〃You　have　the　photograph？〃

　　〃I　know　where　it　is。〃

　　〃And　how　did　you　find　out？〃

　　〃She　showed　me；　as　I　told　you　she　would。〃

　　〃I　am　still　in　the　dark。〃

　　〃I　do　not　wish　to　make　a　mystery；〃　said　he；　laughing。　The　matter　was

perfectly　simple。　You；　of　course；　saw　that　everyone　in　the　street

was　an　accomplice。　They　were　all　engaged　for　the　evening。〃

　　〃I　guessed　as　much。〃

　　Then；　when　the　row　broke　out；　I　had　a　little　moist　red　paint　in

the　palm　of　my　hand。　I　rushed　forward；　fell　down；　clapped　my　hand　to

my　face；　and　became　a　piteous　spectacle。　It　is　an　old　trick。〃

　　〃That　also　I　could　fathom。〃

　　〃Then　they　carried　me　in。　She　was　bound　to　have　me　in。　What　else

could　she　do？　And　into　her　sitting…room；　which　was　the　very　room　which

I　suspected。　It　lay　between　that　and　her　bedroom；　and　I　was　determined

to　see　which。　They　laid　me　on　a　couch；　I　motioned　for　air；　they　were

compelled　to　open　the　window；　and　you　had　your　chance。〃

　　〃How　did　that　help　you？〃

　　〃It　was　all…important。　When　a　woman　thinks　that　her　house　is　on

fire；　her　instinct　is　at　once　to　rush　to　the　thing　which　she　values

most。　It　is　a　perfectly　overpowering　impulse；　and　I　have　more　than

once　taken　advantage　of　it。　In　the　case　of　the　Darlington　substitution

scandal　it　was　of　use　to　me；　and　also　in　the　Arnsworth　Castle

business。　A　married　woman　grabs　at　her　baby；　an　unmarried　one

reaches　for　her　jewel…box。　Now　it　was　clear　to　me　that　our　lady　of

to…day　had　nothing　in　the　house　more　precious　to　her　than　what　we

are　in　quest　of。　She　would　rush　to　secure　it。　The　alarm　of　fire　was

admirably　done。　The　smoke　and　shouting　were　enough　to　shake　nerves

of　steel。　She　responded　beautifully。　The　photograph　is　in　a　recess

behind　a　sliding　panel　just　above　the　right　bell…pull。　She　was　there

in　an　instant；　and　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　it　as　she　half…drew　it　out。

When　I　cried　out　that　it　was　a　false　alarm；　she　replaced　it；　glanced

at　the　rocket；　rushed　from　the　room；　and　I　have　not　seen　her　since。

I　rose；　and；　making　my　excuses；　escaped　from　the　house。　I　hesitated

whether　to　attempt　to　secure　the　photograph　at　once；　but　the

coachman　had　come　in；　and　as　he　was　watching　me　narrowly　it　seemed

safer　to　wait。　A　little　over…precipitance　may　ruin　all。〃

　　〃And　now？〃　I　asked。

　　〃Our　quest　is　practically　finished。　I　shall　call　with　the　King

to…morrow；　and　with　you；　if　you　care　to　come　with　us。　We　will　shown

into　the　sitting…room　to　wait　for　the　lady；　but　it　is　probable　that

when　she　comes　she　may　find　neither　us　nor　the　photograph。　It　might　be

a　satisfaction　to　his　Majesty　to　regain　it　with　his　own　hands。〃

　　〃And　when　will　you　call？〃

　　〃At　eight　in　the　morning。　She　will　not　be　up；　so　that　we　shall

have　a　clear　field。　Besides；　we　must　be　prompt；　for　this　marriage

may　mean　a　complete　change　in　her　life　and　habits。　I　must　wire　to

the　King　without　delay。〃

　　We　had　reached　Baker　Street　and　had　stopped　at　the　door。　He　was

searching　his　pockets　for　the　key　when　someone　passing　said：

　　〃Good…night；　Mister　Sherlock　Holmes。〃

　　There　were　several　people　on　the　pavement　at　the　time；　but　the

greeting　appeared　to　come　from　a　slim　youth　in　an　ulster　who　had

hurried　by。

　　〃I've　heard　that　voice　before；〃　said　Holmes；　staring　down　the

dimly　lit　street。

　　〃Now；　I　wonder　who　the　deuce　that　could　have　been。〃

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　　I　slept　at　Baker　Street　that　night；　and　we　were　engaged　upon　our

toast　and　coffee　in　the　morning　when　the　King　of　Bohemia　rushed　into

the　room。

　　〃You　have　really　got　it！〃　he　cried；　grasping　Sherlock　Holmes　by

either　shoulder　and　looking　eagerly　into　his　face。

　　〃Not　yet。〃

　　〃But　you　have　hopes？〃

　　〃I　have　hopes。〃

　　〃Then；　come。　I　am　all　impatience　to　be　gone。〃

　　〃We　must　have　a　cab。〃

　　〃No；　my　brougham　is　waiting。〃

　　〃Then　that　will　simplify　matters。〃　We　descended　and　started　off　once

more　for　Briony　Lodge。

　　〃Irene　Adler　is　married；〃　remarked　Holmes。

　　〃Married！　When？〃

　　〃Yesterday。〃

　　〃But　to　whom？〃

　　〃To　an　English　lawyer　named　Norton。〃

　　〃But　she　could　not　love　him。〃

　　〃I　am　in　hopes　that　she　does。〃

　　〃And　why　in　hopes？〃

　　〃Because　it　would　spare　your　Majesty　all　fear　of　future　annoyance。

If　the　lady　loves　her　husband；　she　does　not　love　your　Majesty。　If

she　does　not　love　your　Majesty；　there　is　no　reason　why　she　should

interfere　with　your　Majesty's　plan。〃

　　〃It　is　true。　And　yet…　Well！　I　wish　she　had　been　of　my　own　station！

What　a　queen　she　would　have　made！〃　He　relapsed　into　a　moody　silence；

which　was　not　broken　until　we　drew　up　in　Serpentine　Avenue。

　　The　door　of　Briony　Lodge　was　open；　and　an　elderly　woman　stood　upon

the　steps。　She　watched　us　with　a　sardonic　eye　as　we　stepped　from　the

brougham。

　　〃Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes；　I　believe？〃　said　she。

　　〃I　am　Mr。　Holmes；〃　answered　my　companion；　looking　at　her　with　a

questioning　and　rather　startled　gaze。

　　〃Indeed！　My　mistress　told　me　that　you　were　likely　to　call。　She

left　this　morning　with　her　husband　by　the　5：15　train　from　Charing

Cross　for　the　Continent。〃

　　〃What！〃　Sherlock　Holmes　staggered　back；　white　with　chagrin　and

surprise。　〃Do　you　mean　that　she　has　left　England？〃

　　〃Never　to　return。〃

　　〃And　the　papers？〃　asked　the　King　hoarsely。　〃All　is　lost。〃

　　〃We　shall　see。〃　He　pushed　past　the　servant　and　rushed　into　the

drawing…room；　followed　by　the　King　and　myself。　The　furniture　was

scattered　about　in　every　direction；　with　dismantled　shelves　and　open

drawers；　as　if　the　lady　had　hurriedly　ransacked　them　before　her

flight。　Holmes　rushed　at　the　bell…pull；　tore　back　a　small　sliding

shutter；　and；　plunging　in　his　hand；　pulled　out　a　photograph　and　a

letter。　The　photograph　was　of　Irene　Adler　herself　in　evening　dress；

the　letter　was　superscribed　to　〃Sherlock　Holmes；　Esq。　To　be　left

till　called　for。〃　My　friend　tore　it　open；　and　we　all　three　read　it

together。　It　was　dated　at　midnight　of　the　preceding　night　and　ran　in

this　way：



　　My　Dear　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes：

　　You　really　did　it　very　well。　You　took　me　in　completely。　Until

after　the　alarm　of　fire；　I　had　not　a　suspicion。　But　then；　when　I　found

how　I　had　betrayed　myself；　I　began　to　think。　I　had　been　warned　against

you　months　ago。　I　had　been　told　that　if　the　King　employed　an　agent

it　would　certainly　be　you。　And　your　address　had　been　given　me。　Yet；

with　all　this；　you　made　me　reveal　what　you　wanted　to　know。　Even

after　I　became　suspicious；　I　found　it　hard　to　think　evil　of　such　a

dear；　kind　old　clergyman。　But；　you　know；　I　have　been　trained　as　an

actress　myself。　Male　costume　is　nothing　new　to　me。　I　often　take

advantage　of　the　freedom　which　it　gives。　I　sent　John；　the　coachman；　to

watch　you；　ran　upstairs；　got　into　my　walking…clothes；　as　I　can　them；

and　came　down　just　as　you　departed。

　　Well；　I　followed　you　to　your　door；　and　so　made　sure　that　I　was

really　an　object　of　interest　to　the　celebrated　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes。

Then　I；　rather　imprudently；　wished　you　good…night；　and　started　for　the

Temple　to　see　my　husband。

　　We　both　thought　the　best　resource　was　flight；　when　pursued　by　so