the adventure of the bruce-partington plan-第6章

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last；　shortly　after　nine　o'clock；　there　arrived　a　messenger　with　a

note：



　　Am　dining　at　Goldini's　Restaurant；　Gloucester　Road；　Kensington。

Please　come　at　once　and　join　me　there。　Bring　with　you　a　jemmy；　a

dark　lantern；　a　chisel；　and　a　revolver。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S。　H。



　　It　was　a　nice　equipment　for　a　respectable　citizen　to　carry　through

the　dim；　fog…draped　streets。　I　stowed　them　all　discreetly　away　in　my

overcoat　and　drove　straight　to　the　address　given。　There　sat　my

friend　at　a　little　round　table　near　the　door　of　the　garish　Italian

restaurant。

　　〃Have　you　had　something　to　eat？　Then　join　me　in　a　coffee　and

curacao。　Try　one　of　the　proprietor's　cigars。　They　are　less　poisonous

than　one　would　expect。　Have　you　the　tools？〃

　　〃They　are　here；　in　my　overcoat。〃

　　〃Excellent。　Let　me　give　you　a　short　sketch　of　what　I　have　done；　with

some　indication　of　what　we　are　about　to　do。　Now　it　must　be　evident

to　you；　Watson；　that　this　young　man's　body　was　placed　on　the　roof　of

the　train。　That　was　clear　from　the　instant　that　I　determined　the

fact　that　it　was　from　the　roof；　and　not　from　a　carriage；　that　he　had

fallen。〃

　　〃Could　it　not　have　been　dropped　from　a　bridge？〃

　　〃I　should　say　it　was　impossible。　If　you　examine　the　roofs　you　will

find　that　they　are　slightly　rounded；　and　there　is　no　railing　round

them。　Therefore；　we　can　say　for　certain　that　young　Cadogan　West　was

placed　on　it。〃

　　〃How　could　he　be　placed　there？〃

　　〃That　was　the　question　which　we　had　to　answer。　There　is　only　one

possible　way。　You　are　aware　that　the　Underground　runs　clear　of　tunnels

at　some　points　in　the　West　End。　I　had　a　vague　memory　that　as　I　have

travelled　by　it　I　have　occasionally　seen　windows　just　above　my　head。

Now；　suppose　that　a　train　halted　under　such　a　window；　would　there　be

any　difficulty　in　laying　a　body　upon　the　roof？〃

　　〃It　seems　most　improbable。〃

　　〃We　must　fall　back　upon　the　old　axiom　that　when　all　other

contingencies　fail；　whatever　remains；　however　improbable；　must　be

the　truth。　Here　all　other　contingencies　have　failed。　When　I　found　that

the　leading　international　agent；　who　had　just　left　London；　lived　in

a　row　of　houses　which　abutted　upon　the　Underground；　I　was　so　pleased

that　you　were　a　little　astonished　at　my　sudden　frivolity。〃

　　〃Oh；　that　was　it；　was　it？〃

　　〃Yes；　that　was　it。　Mr。　Hugo　Oberstein；　Of　13　Caulfield　Gardens；

had　become　my　objective。　I　began　my　operations　at　Gloucester　Road

Station；　where　a　very　helpful　official　walked　with　me　along　the

track　and　allowed　me　to　satisfy　myself　not　only　that　the　back…stair

windows　of　Caulfield　Gardens　open　on　the　line　but　the　even　more

essential　fact　that；　owing　to　the　intersection　of　one　of　the　larger

railways；　the　Underground　trains　are　frequently　held　motionless　for

some　minutes　at　that　very　spot。〃

　　〃Splendid；　Holmes！　You　have　got　it！〃

　　〃So　far…　so　far；　Watson。　We　advance；　but　the　goal　is　afar。　Well；

having　seen　the　back　of　Caulfield　Gardens；　I　visited　the　front　and

satisfied　myself　that　the　bird　was　indeed　flown。　It　is　a

considerable　house；　unfurnished；　so　far　as　I　could　judge；　in　the　upper

rooms。　Oberstein　lived　there　with　a　single　valet；　who　was　probably　a

confederate　entirely　in　his　confidence。　We　must　bear　in　mind　that

Oberstein　has　gone　to　the　Continent　to　dispose　of　his　booty；　but　not

with　any　idea　of　flight；　for　he　had　no　reason　to　fear　a　warrant；　and

the　idea　of　an　amateur　domiciliary　visit　would　certainly　never　occur

to　him。　Yet　that　is　precisely　what　we　are　about　to　make。〃

　　〃Could　we　not　get　a　warrant　and　legalize　it？〃

　　〃Hardly　on　the　evidence。〃

　　〃What　can　we　hope　to　do？〃

　　〃We　cannot　tell　what　correspondence　may　be　there。〃

　　〃I　don't　like　it；　Holmes。〃

　　〃My　dear　fellow；　you　shall　keep　watch　in　the　street。　I'll　do　the

criminal　part。　It's　not　a　time　to　stick　at　trifles。　Think　of　Mycroft's

note；　of　the　Admiralty；　the　Cabinet；　the　exalted　person　who　waits

for　news。　We　are　bound　to　go。〃

　　My　answer　was　to　rise　from　the　table。

　　〃You　are　right；　Holmes。　We　are　bound　to　go。〃

　　He　sprang　up　and　shook　me　by　the　hand。

　　〃I　knew　you　would　not　shrink　at　the　last；〃　said　he；　and　for　a　moment

I　saw　something　in　his　eyes　which　was　nearer　to　tenderness　than　I

had　ever　seen。　The　next　instant　he　was　his　masterful；　practical　self

once　more。

　　〃It　is　nearly　half　a　mile；　but　there　is　no　hurry。　Let　us　walk；〃　said

he。　〃Don't　drop　the　instruments；　I　beg。　Your　arrest　as　a　suspicious

character　would　be　a　most　unfortunate　complication。〃

　　Caulfield　Gardens　was　on　of　those　lines　of　flat…faced　pillared；

and　porticoed　houses　which　are　so　prominent　a　product　of　the　middle

Victorian　epoch　in　the　West　End　of　London。　Next　door　there　appeared　to

be　a　children's　party；　for　the　merry　buzz　of　young　voices　and　the

clatter　of　a　piano　resounded　through　the　night。　The　fog　still　hung

about　and　screened　us　with　its　friendly　shade。　Holmes　had　lit　his

lantern　and　flashed　it　upon　the　massive　door。

　　〃This　is　a　serious　proposition；〃　said　he。　〃It　is　certainly　bolted　as

well　as　locked。　We　would　do　better　in　the　area。　There　is　an

excellent　archway　down　yonder　in　case　a　too　zealous　policeman　should

intrude。　Give　me　a　hand；　Watson；　and　I'll　do　the　same　for　you。〃

　　A　minute　later　we　were　both　in　the　area。　Hardly　had　we　reached　the

dark　shadows　before　the　step　of　the　policeman　was　heard　in　the　fog

above。　As　its　soft　rhythm　died　away；　Holmes　set　to　work　upon　the　lower

door。　I　saw　him　stoop　and　strain　until　with　a　sharp　crash　it　flew

open。　We　sprang　through　into　the　dark　passage；　closing　the　area　door

behind　us。　Holmes　led　the　way　up　the　curving；　uncarpeted　stair。　His

little　fan　of　yellow　light　shone　upon　a　low　window。

　　〃Here　we　are；　Watson…　this　must　be　the　one。〃　He　threw　it　open；　and

as　he　did　so　there　was　a　low；　harsh　murmur；　growing　steadily　into　a

loud　roar　as　a　train　dashed　past　us　in　the　darkness。　Holmes　swept

his　light　along　the　window…sill。　It　was　thickly　coated　with　soot

from　the　passing　engines；　but　the　black　surface　was　blurred　and　rubbed

in　places。

　　〃You　can　see　where　they　rested　the　body。　Halloa；　Watson！　what　is

this？　There　can　be　no　doubt　that　it　is　a　blood　mark。〃　He　was

pointing　to　faint　discolourations　along　the　woodwork　of　the　window。

〃Here　it　is　on　the　stone　of　the　stair　also。　The　demonstration　is

complete。　Let　us　stay　here　until　a　train　stops。〃

　　We　had　not　long　to　wait。　The　very　next　train　roared　from　the

tunnel　as　before；　but　slowed　in　the　open；　and　then；　with　a　creaking　of

brakes；　pulled　up　immediately　beneath　us。　It　was　not　four　feet　from

the　window…ledge　to　the　roof　of　the　carriages。　Holmes　softly　closed

the　window。

　　〃So　far　we　are　justified；〃　said　he。　〃What　do　you　think　of　it；

Watson？〃

　　〃A　masterpiece。　You　have　never　risen　to　a　greater　height。〃

　　〃I　cannot　agree　with　you　there。　From　the　moment　that　I　conceived　the

idea　of　the　body　being　upon　the　roof；　which　surely　was　not　a　very

abstruse　one；　all　the　rest　was　inevitable。　If　it　were　not　for　the

grave　interests　involved　the　affair　up　to　this　point　would　be

insignificant。　Our　difficulties　are　still　before　us。　But　perhaps　we

may　find　something　here　which　may　help　us。〃

　　We　had　ascended　the　kitchen　stair　and　entered　the　suite　of　rooms

upon　the　first　floor。　One　was　a　dining…room；　severely　furnished　and

containing　nothing　of　interest。　A　second　was　a　bedroom；　which　also

drew　blank。　The　remaining　room　appeared　more　promising　and　my

companion　settled　down　to　a　systematic　examination。　It　was　littered

with　books　and　papers；　and　was　evidently　used　as　a　study。　Swiftly

and　methodically　Holmes　turned　over　the　contents　of　drawer　after

drawer　and　cupboard　after　cupboard；　but　no　gleam　of　success　came　to

brighten　his　austere　face。　At　the　end　of　an　hour　he　was　no　further

than　when　he　started。

　　〃The　cunning　dog　has　covered　his　tracks；〃　said　he。　〃He　has　left

nothing　to　incriminate　him。　His　dangerous　correspondence　has　been

destroyed　or　removed。　This　is　our　last　chance。〃

　　It　was　a　small　tin　cash…box　which　stood　upon　the　writing…desk。

Holmes　pried　it　open　with　his　chisel。　Several　rolls　of　paper　were

within；