布鲁斯-帕廷顿计划-the bruce-partington plans-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


suppose；　for　example；　that　he　had　been　approached　by　some　foreign
agent。　　It　might　have　been　done　under　such　pledges　as　would　have
prevented　him　from　speaking　of　it；　and　yet　would　have　affected
his　thoughts　in　the　direction　indicated　by　his　remarks　to　his
fiancee。　　Very　good。　　We　will　now　suppose　that　as　he　went　to　the
theatre　with　the　young　lady　he　suddenly；　in　the　fog；　caught　a
glimpse　of　this　same　agent　going　in　the　direction　of　the　office。
He　was　an　impetuous　man；　quick　in　his　decisions。　　Everything　gave
way　to　his　duty。　　He　followed　the　man；　reached　the　window；　saw
the　abstraction　of　the　documents；　and　pursued　the　thief。　　In　this
way　we　get　over　the　objection　that　no　one　would　take　originals
when　he　could　make　copies。　　This　outsider　had　to　take　originals。
So　far　it　holds　together。〃

〃What　is　the　next　step？〃

〃Then　we　e　into　difficulties。　　One　would　imagine　that　under
such　circumstances　the　first　act　of　young　Cadogan　West　would　be
to　seize　the　villain　and　raise　the　alarm。　　Why　did　he　not　do　so？
Could　it　have　been　an　official　superior　who　took　the　papers？
That　would　explain　West's　conduct。　　Or　could　the　chief　have　given
West　the　slip　in　the　fog；　and　West　started　at　once　to　London　to
head　him　off　from　his　own　rooms；　presuming　that　he　knew　where　the
rooms　were？　　The　call　must　have　been　very　pressing；　since　he　left
his　girl　standing　in　the　fog　and　made　no　effort　to　municate
with　her。　　Our　scent　runs　cold　here；　and　there　is　a　vast　gap
between　either　hypothesis　and　the　laying　of　West's　body；　with
seven　papers　in　his　pocket；　on　the　roof　of　a　Metropolitan　train。
My　instinct　now　is　to　work　form　the　other　end。　　If　Mycroft　has
given　us　the　list　of　addresses　we　may　be　able　to　pick　our　man　and
follow　two　tracks　instead　of　one。〃

Surely　enough；　a　note　awaited　us　at　Baker　Street。　　A　government
messenger　had　brought　it　post…haste。　　Holmes　glanced　at　it　and
threw　it　over　to　me。

There　are　numerous　small　fry；　but　few　who　would　handle　so　big　an
affair。　　The　only　men　worth　considering　are　Adolph　Mayer；　of　13
Great　George　Street；　Westminster；　Louis　La　Rothiere；　of　Campden
Mansions；　Notting　Hill；　and　Hugo　Oberstein；　13　Caulfield　Gardens；
Kensington。　　The　latter　was　known　to　be　in　town　on　Monday　and　is
now　reported　as　having　left。　　Glad　to　hear　you　have　seen　some
light。　　The　Cabi　awaits　your　final　report　with　the　utmost
anxiety。　　Urgent　representations　have　arrived　from　the　very
highest　quarter。　　The　whole　force　of　the　State　is　at　your　back　if
you　should　need　it。

Mycroft。

〃I'm　afraid；〃　said　Holmes；　smiling；　〃that　all　the　queen's　horses
and　all　the　queen's　men　cannot　avail　in　this　matter。〃　　He　had
spread　out　his　big　map　of　London　and　leaned　eagerly　over　it。
〃Well；　well；〃　said　he　presently　with　an　exclamation　of
satisfaction；　〃things　are　turning　a　little　in　our　direction　at
last。　　Why；　Watson；　I　do　honestly　believe　that　we　are　going　to
pull　it　off；　after　all。〃　　He　slapped　me　on　the　shoulder　with　a
sudden　burst　of　hilarity。　　〃I　am　going　out　now。　　It　is　only　a
reconnaissance。　　I　will　do　nothing　serious　without　my　trusted
rade　and　biographer　at　my　elbow。　　Do　you　stay　here；　and　the
odds　are　that　you　will　see　me　again　in　an　hour　or　two。　　If　time
hangs　heavy　get　foolscap　and　a　pen；　and　begin　your　narrative　of
how　we　saved　the　State。〃

I　felt　some　reflection　of　his　elation　in　my　own　mind；　for　I　knew
well　that　he　would　not　depart　so　far　from　his　usual　austerity　of
demeanour　unless　there　was　good　cause　for　exultation。　　All　the
long　November　evening　I　waited；　filled　with　impatience　for　his
return。　　At　last；　shortly　after　nine　o'clock；　there　arrived　a
messenger　with　a　note：

Am　dining　at　Goldini's　Restaurant；　Gloucester　Road；　Kensington。
Please　e　at　once　and　join　me　there。　　Bring　with　you　a　jemmy；　a
dark　lantern；　a　chisel；　and　a　revolver。

S。H。

It　ent　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　bee　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　Cabi；　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　plication。〃

Caulfield　Gardens　was　one　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　let　the　way　up
the　curving；　uncarpeted　stair。　　His　little　fan　of　yellow　light
shone　upon　a　low　window。

〃Here　we　are；　W