《the adventure of the norwood builder》

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the adventure of the norwood builder- 第3部分


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  〃Well; what do you make of it?〃

  〃That it was written in a train。 The good writing represents

stations; the bad writing movement; and the very bad writing passing

over points。 A scientific expert would pronounce at once that this was

drawn up on a suburban line; since nowhere save in the immediate

vicinity of a great city could there be so quick a succession of

points。 Granting that his whole journey was occupied in drawing up the

will; then the train was an express; only stopping once between

Norwood and London Bridge。〃

  Lestrade began to laugh。

  〃You are too many for me when you begin to get on your theories; Mr。

Holmes;〃 said he。 〃How does this bear on the case?〃

  〃Well; it corroborates the young man's story to the extent that

the will was drawn up by Jonas Oldacre in his journey yesterday。 It is

curious… is it not?… that a man should draw up so important a document

in so haphazard a fashion。 It suggests that he did not think it was

going to be of much practical importance。 If a man drew up a will

which he did not intend ever to be effective; he might do it so。〃

  〃Well; he drew up his own death warrant at the same time;〃 said

Lestrade。

  〃Oh; you think so?〃

  〃Don't you?〃

  〃Well; it is quite possible; but the case is not clear to me yet。〃

  〃Not clear? Well; if that isn't clear; what could be clear? Here

is a young man who learns suddenly that; if a certain older man

dies; he will succeed to a fortune。 What does he do? He says nothing

to anyone; but he arranges that he shall go out on some pretext to see

his client that night。 He waits until the only other person in the

house is in bed; and then in the solitude of a man's room he murders

him; burns his body in the wood…pile; and departs to a neighbouring

hotel。 The blood…stains in the room and also on the stick are very

slight。 It is probable that he imagined his crime to be a bloodless

one; and hoped that if the body were consumed it would hide all traces

of the method of his death… traces which; for some reason; must have

pointed to him。 Is not all this obvious?〃

  〃It strikes me; my good Lestrade; as being just a trifle too

obvious;〃 said Holmes。 〃You do not add imagination to your other great

qualities; but if you could for one moment put yourself in the place

of this young man; would you choose the very night after the will

had been made to commit your crime? Would it not seem dangerous to you

to make so very close a relation between the two incidents? Again;

would you choose an occasion when you are known to be in the house;

when a servant has let you in? And; finally; would you take the

great pains to conceal the body; and yet leave your own stick as a

sign that you were the criminal? Confess; Lestrade; that all this is

very unlikely。〃

  〃As to the stick; Mr。 Holmes; you know as well as I do that a

criminal is often flurried; and does such things; which a cool man

would avoid。 He was very likely afraid to go back to the room。 Give me

another theory that would fit the facts。〃

  〃I could very easily give you half a dozen;〃 said Holmes。 〃Here

for example; is a very possible and even probable one。 I make you a

free present of it。 The older man is showing documents which are of

evident value。 A passing tramp sees them through the window; the blind

of which is only half down。 Exit the solicitor。 Enter the tramp! He

seizes a stick; which he observes there; kills Oldacre; and departs

after burning the body。〃

  〃Why should the tramp burn the body?〃

  〃For the matter of that; why should McFarlane?〃

  〃To hide some evidence。〃

  〃Possibly the tramp wanted to hide that any murder at all had been

committed。〃

  〃And why did the tramp take nothing?〃

  〃Because they were papers that he could not negotiate。〃

  Lestrade shook his head; though it seemed to me that his manner

was less absolutely assured than before。

  〃Well; Mr。 Sherlock Holmes; you may look for your tramp; and while

you are finding him we will hold on to our man。 The future will show

which is right。 Just notice this point; Mr。 Holmes: that so far as

we know; none of the papers were removed; and that the prisoner is the

one man in the world who had no reason for removing them; since he was

heir…at…law; and would come into them in any case。〃

  My friend seemed struck by this remark。

  〃I don't mean to deny that the evidence is in some ways very

strongly in favour of your theory;〃 said he。 〃I only wish to point out

that there are other theories possible。 As you say; the future will

decide。 Good…morning! I dare say that in the course of the day I shall

drop in at Norwood and see how you are getting on。〃

  When the detective departed; my friend rose and made his

preparations for the day's work with the alert air of a man who has

a congenial task before him。

  〃My first movement Watson;〃 said he; as he bustled into his

frockcoat; 〃must; as I said; be in the direction of Blackheath。〃

  〃And why not Norwood?〃

  〃Because we have in this case one singular incident coming close

to the heels of another singular incident。 The police are making the

mistake of concentrating their attention upon the second; because it

happens to be the one which is actually criminal。 But it is evident to

me that the logical way to approach the case is to begin by trying

to throw some light upon the first incident… the curious will; so

suddenly made; and to so unexpected an heir。 It may do something to

simplify what followed。 No; my dear fellow; I don't think you can help

me。 There is no prospect of danger; or I should not dream of

stirring out without you。 I trust that when I see you in the

evening; I will be able to report that I have been able to do

something for this unfortunate youngster; who has thrown himself

upon my protection。〃

  It was late when my friend returned; and I could see; by a glance at

his haggard and anxious face; that the high hopes with which be had

started had not been fulfilled。 For an hour he droned away upon his

violin; endeavouring to soothe his own ruffled spirits。 At last he

flung down the instrument; and plunged into a detailed account of

his misadventures。

  〃It's all going wrong; Watson… all as wrong as it can go。 I kept a

bold face before Lestrade; but; upon my soul; I believe that for

once the fellow is on the right track and we are on the wrong。 All

my instincts are one way; and all the facts are the other; and I

much fear that British juries have not yet attained that pitch of

intelligence when they will give the preference to my theories over

Lestrade's facts。〃

  〃Did you go to Blackheath?〃

  〃Yes; Watson; I went there; and I found very quickly that the late

lamented Oldacre was a pretty considerable blackguard。 The father

was away in search of his son。 The mother was at home… a little;

fluffy; blue…eyed person; in a tremor of fear and indignation。 Of

course; she would not admit even the possibility of his guilt。 But she

would not express either surprise or regret over the fate of

Oldacre。 On the contrary; she spoke of him with such bitterness that

she was unconsciously considerably strengthening the case of the

police for; of course; if her son had heard her speak of the man in

this fashion; it would predispose him towards hatred and violence。 ‘He

was more like a malignant and cunning ape than a human being;' said

she; ‘and he always was; ever since he was a young man。'

  〃‘You knew him at that time?' said I

  〃‘Yes; I knew him well; in fact; he was an old suitor of mine。 Thank

heaven that I had the sense to turn away from him and to marry a

better; if poorer; man。 I was engaged to him; Mr。 Holmes; when I heard

a shocking story of how he had turned a cat loose in an aviary; and

I was so horrified at his brutal cruelty that I would have nothing

more to do with him。' She rummaged in a bureau; and presently she

produced a photograph of a woman; shamefully defaced and mutilated

with a knife。 ‘That is my own photograph;' she said。 ‘He sent it to me

in that state; with his curse; upon my wedding morning。'

  〃‘Well;' said I; ‘at least he has forgiven you now; since he has

left all his property to your son。'

  〃‘Neither my son nor I want anything from Jonas Oldacre; dead or

alive!' she cried; with a proper spirit。 ‘There is a God in heaven;

Ah; Holmes; and that same God who has punished that wicked man will

show; in His own good time; that my son's hands are guiltless of his

blood。'

  〃Well; I tried one or two leads; but could get at nothing which

would help our hypothesis; and several points which would make against

it。 I gave it up at last and off I went to Norwood。

  〃This place; Deep Dene House; is a big modern villa of staring

brick; standing back in its own grounds; with a laurel…clumped lawn in

front of it。 To the right and some distance back from the road was the

timber…yard which had been the scene of the fire。 Here's a rough

plan on a leaf of my notebook。 This window on the left is the one

which opens into Oldacre's room。 You can look into it from the road;

you see。 That is about the only bit of consolation I have had

to…
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