the adventure of the solitary cyclist-第3章

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and　followed　her。　In　all　the　broad　landscape　those　were　the　only

moving　figures；　the　graceful　girl　sitting　very　straight　upon　her

machine；　and　the　man　behind　her　bending　low　over　his　handle…bar　with　a

curiously　furtive　suggestion　in　every　movement。　She　looked　back　at　him

and　slowed　her　pace。　He　slowed　also。　She　stopped。　He　at　once

stopped；　too；　keeping　two　hundred　yards　behind　her。　Her　next

movement　was　as　unexpected　as　it　was　spirited。　She　suddenly　whisked

her　wheels　round　and　dashed　straight　at　him。　He　was　as　quick　as　she；

however；　and　darted　off　in　desperate　flight。　Presently　she　came　back

up　the　road　again；　her　head　haughtily　in　the　air；　not　deigning　to　take

any　further　notice　of　her　silent　attendant。　He　had　turned　also；　and

still　kept　his　distance　until　the　curve　of　the　road　hid　them　from　my

sight。

　　I　remained　in　my　hiding…place；　and　it　was　well　that　I　did　so；　for

presently　the　man　reappeared；　cycling　slowly　back。　He　turned　in　at　the

Hall　gates；　and　dismounted　from　his　machine。　For　some　minutes　I

could　see　him　standing　among　the　trees。　His　hands　were　raised；　and

he　seemed　to　be　settling　his　necktie。　Then　he　mounted　his　cycle；　and

rode　away　from　me　down　the　drive　towards　the　Hall。　I　ran　across　the

heath　and　peered　through　the　trees。　Far　away　I　could　catch　glimpses　of

the　old　gray　building　with　its　bristling　Tudor　chimneys；　but　the　drive

ran　through　a　dense　shrubbery；　and　I　saw　no　more　of　my　man。

　　However；　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　had　done　a　fairly　good　morning's

work；　and　I　walked　back　in　high　spirits　to　Farnham。　The　local　house

agent　could　tell　me　nothing　about　Charlington　Hall；　and　referred　me　to

a　well　known　firm　in　Pall　Mall。　There　I　halted　on　my　way　home；　and　met

with　courtesy　from　the　representative。　No；　I　could　not　have

Charlington　Hall　for　the　summer。　I　was　just　too　late。　It　had　been

let　about　a　month　ago。　Mr。　Williamson　was　the　name　of　the　tenant。　He

was　a　respectable；　elderly　gentleman。　The　polite　agent　was　afraid　he

could　say　no　more；　as　the　affairs　of　his　clients　were　not　matters

which　he　could　discuss。

　　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes　listened　with　attention　to　the　long　report　which

I　was　able　to　present　to　him　that　evening；　but　it　did　not　elicit

that　word　of　curt　praise　which　I　had　hoped　for　and　should　have　valued。

On　the　contrary；　his　austere　face　was　even　more　severe　than　usual　as

he　commented　upon　the　things　that　I　had　done　and　the　things　that　I　had

not。

　　〃Your　hiding…place；　my　dear　Watson；　was　very　faulty。　You　should　have

been　behind　the　hedge；　then　you　would　have　had　a　close　view　of　this

interesting　person。　As　it　is；　you　were　some　hundreds　of　yards　away　and

can　tell　me　even　less　than　Miss　Smith。　She　thinks　she　does　not　know

the　man；　I　am　convinced　she　does。　Why；　otherwise；　should　he　be　so

desperately　anxious　that　she　should　not　get　so　near　him　as　to　see

his　features？　You　describe　him　as　bending　over　the　handle…bar。

Concealment　again；　you　see。　You　really　have　done　remarkably　badly。

He　returns　to　the　house；　and　you　want　to　find　out　who　he　is。　You

come　to　a　London　house　agent！〃

　　〃What　should　I　have　done？〃　I　cried；　with　some　heat。

　　〃Gone　to　the　nearest　public…house。　That　is　the　centre　of　country

gossip。　They　would　have　told　you　every　name；　from　the　master　to　the

scullery…maid。　Williamson？　It　conveys　nothing　to　my　mind。　If　he　is

an　elderly　man　he　is　not　this　active　cyclist　who　sprints　away　from

that　young　lady's　athletic　pursuit。　What　have　we　gained　by　your

expedition？　The　knowledge　that　the　girl's　story　is　true。　I　never

doubted　it。　That　there　is　a　connection　between　the　cyclist　and　the

Hall。　I　never　doubted　that　either。　That　the　Hall　is　tenanted　by

Williamson。　Who's　the　better　for　that？　Well；　well；　my　dear　sir；

don't　look　so　depressed。　We　can　do　little　more　until　next　Saturday；

and　in　the　meantime　I　may　make　one　or　two　inquiries　myself。〃

　　Next　morning；　we　had　a　note　from　Miss　Smith；　recounting　shortly

and　accurately　the　very　incidents　which　I　had　seen；　but　the　pith　of

the　letter　lay　in　the　postscript：



　　I　am　sure　that　you　will　respect　my　confidence；　Mr。　Holmes；　when　I

tell　you　that　my　place　here　has　become　difficult；　owing　to　the　fact

that　my　employer　has　proposed　marriage　to　me。　I　am　convinced　that

his　feelings　are　most　deep　and　most　honourable。　At　the　same　time；　my

promise　is　of　course　given。　He　took　my　refusal　very　seriously；　but

also　very　gently。　You　can　understand；　however；　that　the　situation　is　a

little　strained。



　〃Our　young　friend　seems　to　be　getting　into　deep　waters；〃　said　Holmes；

thoughtfully；　as　he　finished　the　letter。　〃The　case　certainly

presents　more　features　of　interest　and　more　possibility　of　development

than　I　had　originally　thought。　I　should　be　none　the　worse　for　a　quiet；

peaceful　day　in　the　country；　and　I　am　inclined　to　run　down　this

afternoon　and　test　one　or　two　theories　which　I　have　formed。〃

　　Holmes's　quiet　day　in　the　country　had　a　singular　termination；　for　he

arrived　at　Baker　Street　late　in　the　evening；　with　a　cut　lip　and　a

discoloured　lump　upon　his　forehead；　besides　a　general　air　of

dissipation　which　would　have　made　his　own　person　the　fitting　object　of

a　Scotland　Yard　investigation。　He　was　immensely　tickled　by　his　own

adventures　and　laughed　heartily　as　be　recounted　them。

　　〃I　get　so　little　active　exercise　that　it　is　always　a　treat〃　said　he。

〃You　are　aware　that　I　have　some　proficiency　in　the　good　old　British

sport　of　boxing。　Occasionally；　it　is　of　service；　to…day；　for

example；　I　should　have　come　to　very　ignominious　grief　without　it。〃

　　I　begged　him　to　tell　me　what　had　occurred。

　　〃I　found　that　country　pub　which　I　had　already　recommended　to　your

notice；　and　there　I　made　my　discreet　inquiries。　I　was　in　the　bar；

and　a　garrulous　landlord　was　giving　me　all　that　I　wanted。　Williamson

is　a　white…bearded　man；　and　he　lives　alone　with　a　small　staff　of

servants　at　the　Hall。　There　is　some　rumor　that　he　is　or　has　been　a

clergyman；　but　one　or　two　incidents　of　his　short　residence　at　the　Hall

struck　me　as　peculiarly　unecclesiastical。　I　have　already　made　some

inquiries　at　a　clerical　agency；　and　they　tell　me　that　there　was　a

man　of　that　name　in　orders；　whose　career　has　been　a　singularly　dark

one。　The　landlord　further　informed　me　that　there　are　usually　weekend

visitors…　‘a　warm　lot；　sir'…　at　the　Hall；　and　especially　one　gentleman

with　a　red　moustache；　Mr。　Woodley　by　name；　who　was　always　there。　We

had　got　as　far　as　this；　when　who　should　walk　in　but　the　gentleman

himself；　who　had　been　drinking　his　beer　in　the　tap…room　and　had

heard　the　whole　conversation。　Who　was　I？　What　did　I　want？　What　did　I

mean　by　asking　questions？　He　had　a　fine　flow　of　language；　and　his

adjectives　were　very　vigorous。　He　ended　a　string　of　abuse　by　a　vicious

backhander；　which　I　failed　to　entirely　avoid。　The　next　few　minutes

were　delicious。　It　was　a　straight　left　against　a　slogging　ruffian。　I

emerged　as　you　see　me。　Mr。　Woodley　went　home　in　a　cart。　So　ended　my

country　trip；　and　it　must　be　confessed　that；　however　enjoyable；　my　day

on　the　Surrey　border　has　not　been　much　more　profitable　than　your　own。〃

　　The　Thursday　brought　us　another　letter　from　our　client。



　　You　will　not　be　surprised；　Mr。　Holmes　＇said　she＇　to　hear　that　I　am

leaving　Mr。　Carruthers's　employment。　Even　the　high　pay　cannot

reconcile　me　to　the　discomforts　of　my　situation。　On　Saturday　I　come　up

to　town；　and　I　do　not　intend　to　return。　Mr。　Carruthers　has　got　a　trap；

and　so　the　dangers　of　the　lonely　road；　if　there　ever　were　any　dangers；

are　now　over。

　　As　to　the　special　cause　of　my　leaving；　it　is　not　merely　the　strained

situation　with　Mr。　Carruthers；　but　it　is　the　reappearance　of　that

odious　man；　Mr。　Woodley。　He　was　always　hideous；　but　he　looks　more

awful　than　ever　now；　for　he　appears　to　have　had　an　accident　and　he

is　much　disfigured。　I　saw　him　out　of　the　window；　but　I　am　glad　to

say　I　did　not　meet　him。　He　had　a　long　talk　with　Mr。　Carruthers；　who

seemed　much　excited　afterwards。　Woodley　must　be　staying　in　the

neighbourhood；　for　he　did　not　sleep　here；　and　yet　I　caught　a　glimpse

of　him　again　this　morning；　slinking　about　in　the　shrubbery。　I　would

so