第 5 节
作者:想聊      更新:2021-03-11 17:49      字数:9322
  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 on the same evening; when he had the audacity to
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  revisit   Wisteria   Lodge。   Inspector   Baynes;   considering   that   such   a   visit
  must have some purpose in view and was likely; therefore; to be repeated;
  abandoned   the   house   but   left   an   ambuscade   in   the   shrubbery。   The   man
  walked into the trap and was captured last night after a struggle in which
  Constable   Downing   was   badly  bitten   by  the savage。 We   understand   that
  when the prison is brought before the magistrates a remand will be applied
  for by the police; and that great developments are hoped from his capture。〃
  〃Really we must see Baynes at once;〃 cried Holmes; picking up his hat。
  〃We   will   just   catch   him   before   he   starts。〃   We   hurried   down   the   village
  street and found; as we had expected; that the inspector was