the adv[1]. of wisteria lodge(威斯特利亚·罗吉遇险记)-第4章
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your body。〃
〃Well； sir； it's this lonely； silent house and the queer thing in the
kitchen。 Then when you tapped at the window I thought it had come
again。〃
〃That what had come again？〃
〃The devil； sir； for all I know。 It was at the window。〃
〃What was at the window； and when？〃
〃It was just about two hours ago。 The light was just fading。 I was
sitting reading in the chair。 I don't know what made me look up； but there
was a face looking in at me through the lower pane。 Lord； sir； what a face
it was！ I'll see it in my dreams。〃
〃Tut； tut； Walters。 This is not talk for a police…constable。〃
〃I know； sir； I know； but it shook me； sir； and there's no use to deny it。
It wasn't black； sir； nor was it white； nor any colour that I know but a kind
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of queer shade like clay with a splash of milk in it。 Then there was the size
of itit was twice yours； sir。 And the look of itthe great staring goggle
eyes； and the line of white teeth like a hungry beast。 I tell you； sir； I
couldn't move a finger； nor get my breath； till it whisked away and was
gone。 Out I ran and through the shrubbery； but thank God there was no one
there。〃
〃If I didn't know you were a good man； Walters； I should put a black
mark against you for this。 If it were the devil himself a constable on duty
should never thank God that he could not lay his hands upon him。 I
suppose the whole thing is not a vision and a touch of nerves？〃
〃That； at least； is very easily settled；〃 said Holmes； lighting his little
pocket lantern。 〃Yes；〃 he reported； after a short examination of the grass
bed； 〃a number twelve shoe； I should say。 If he was all on the same scale
as his foot he must certainly have been a giant。〃
〃What became of him？〃
〃He seems to have broken through the shrubbery and made for the
road。〃
〃Well；〃 said the inspector with a grave and thoughtful face； 〃whoever
he may have been； and whatever he may have wanted； he's gone for the
present； and we have more immediate things to attend to。 Now； Mr。
Holmes； with your permission； I will show you round the house。〃
The various bedrooms and sitting…rooms had yielded nothing to a
careful search。 Apparently the tenants had brought little or nothing with
them； and all the furniture down to the smallest details had been taken
over with the house。 A good deal of clothing with the stamp of Marx and
Co。； High Holborn； had been left behind。 Telegraphic inquiries had been
already made which showed that Marx knew nothing of his customer save
that he was a good payer。 Odds and ends； some pipes； a few novels； two of
them in Spanish； and old…fashioned pinfire revolver； and a guitar were
among the personal property。
〃Nothing in all this；〃 said Baynes； stalking； candle in hand； from room
to room。 〃But now； Mr。 Holmes； I invite your attention to the kitchen。〃
It was a gloomy； high…ceilinged room at the back of the house； with a
straw litter in one corner； which served apparently as a bed for the cook。
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The table was piled with half…eaten dishes and dirty plates； the debris of
last night's dinner。
〃Look at this；〃 said Baynes。 〃What do you make of it？〃
He held up his candle before an extraordinary object which stood at
the back of the dresser。 It was so wrinkled and shrunken and withered that
it was difficult to say what it might have been。 One could but say that it
was black and leathery and that it bore some resemblance to a dwarfish；
human figure。 At first； as I examined it； I thought that it was a mummified
negro baby； and then it seemed a very twisted and ancient monkey。 Finally
I was left in doubt as to whether it was animal or human。 A double band of
white shells were strung round the centre of it。
〃Very interestingvery interesting； indeed！〃 said Holmes； peering at
this sinister relic。 〃Anything more？〃
In silence Baynes led the way to the sink and held forward his candle。
The limbs and body of some large； white bird； torn savagely to pieces with
the feathers still on； were littered all over it。 Holmes pointed to the wattles
on the severed head。
〃A white cock；〃 said he。 〃Most interesting！ It is really a very curious
case。〃
But Mr。 Baynes had kept his most sinister exhibit to the last。 》From
under the sink he drew a zinc pail which contained a quantity of blood。
Then from the table he took a platter heaped with small pieces of charred
bone。
〃Something has been killed and something has been burned。 We raked
all these out of the fire。 We had a doctor in this morning。 He says that they
are not human。〃
Holmes smiled and rubbed his hands。
〃I must congratulate you； Inspector； on handling so distinctive and
instructive a case。 Your powers； if I may say so without offence； seem
superior to your opportunities。〃
Inspector Baynes's small eyes twinkled with pleasure。
〃You're right； Mr。 Holmes。 We stagnate in the provinces。 A case of this
sort gives a man a chance； and I hope that I shall take it。 What do you
make of these bones？〃
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〃A lamb； I should say； or a kid。〃
〃And the white cock？〃
〃Curious； Mr。 Baynes； very curious。 I should say almost unique。〃
〃Yes； sir； there must have been some very strange people with some
very strange ways in this house。 One of them is dead。 Did his companions
follow him and kill him？ If they did we should have them； for every port is
watched。 But my own views are different。 Yes； sir； my own views are very
different。〃
〃You have a theory then？〃
〃And I'll work it myself； Mr。 Holmes。 It's only due to my own credit to
do so。 Your name is made； but I have still to make mine。 I should be glad
to be able to say afterwards that I had solved it without your help。〃
Holmes laughed good…humoredly。
〃Well； well； Inspector；〃 said he。 〃Do you follow your path and I will
follow mine。 My results are always very much at your service if you care
to apply to me for them。 I think that I have seen all that I wish in this
house； and that my time may be more profitably employed elsewhere。 Au
revoir and good luck！〃
I could tell by numerous subtle signs； which might have been lost upon
anyone but myself； that Holmes was on a hot scent。 As impassive as ever
to the casual observer； there were none the less a subdued eagerness and
suggestion of tension in his brightened eyes and brisker manner which
assured me that the game was afoot。 After his habit he said nothing； and
after mine I asked no questions。 Sufficient for me to share the sport and
lend my humble help to the capture without distracting that intent brain
with needless interruption。 All would come round to me in due time。
I waited； thereforebut to my ever…deepening disappointment I waited
in vain。 Day succeeded day； and my friend took no step forward。 One
morning he spent in town； and I learned from a casual reference that he
had visited the British Museum。 Save for this one excursion； he spent his
days in long and often solitary walks； or in chatting with a number of
village gossips whose acquaintance he had cultivated。
〃I'm sure； Watson； a week in the country will be invaluable to you；〃 he
remarked。 〃It is very pleasant to see the first green shoots upon the hedges
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and the catkins on the hazels once again。 With a spud； a tin box； and an
elementary book on botany； there are instructive days to be spent。〃 He
prowled about with this equipment himself； but it was a poor show of
plants which he would bring back of an evening。
Occasionally in our rambles we came across Inspector Baynes。 His fat；
red face wreathed itself in smiles and his small eyes glittered as he greeted
my companion。 He said little about the case； but from that little we
gathered that he also was not dissatisfied at the course of events。 I must
admit； however； that I was somewhat surprised when； some five days after
the crime； I opened my morning paper to find in large letters：
THE OXSHOTT MYSTERY A SOLUTION ARREST OF
SUPPOSED ASSASSIN
Holmes sprang in his chair as if he had been stung when I read the
headlines。
〃By Jove！〃 he cried。 〃You don't mean that Baynes has got him？〃
〃Apparently；〃 said I as I read the following report：
〃Great excitement was caused in Esher and the neighbouring district
when it was learned late last night that an arrest had been effected in
connection with the Oxshott murder。 It will be remembered that Mr。
Garcia； of Wisteria Lodge； was found dead on Oxshott Common； his body
showing signs of extreme violence； and that on the same night his servant
and his cook fled； which appeared to show their participation in the crime。
It was suggested； but never proved； that the deceased gentleman may have
had valuables in the house； and that their abstraction was the motive of the
crime。 Every effort was made by Inspector Baynes； who has the case in
hand； to ascertain the hiding place of the fugitives； and he had good reason
to believe that they had not gone far but were lurking in some retreat
which had been already prepared。 It was certain from the first； however；
that they would eventually be detected； as the cook； from the evidence of
one or two tradespeople who have caught a glimpse of him through the
window； was a man of most remarkable appearancebeing a huge and
hideous mulatto； with yellowish features of a pronounced negroid type。
This man has been seen since the crime； for he was detected and pursued
by Constable Walters
