友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
the adventure of the noble bachelor-第3部分
快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!
〃Oh; really! I had no idea。 And which king?〃
〃The King of Scandinavia。〃
〃What! Had he lost his wife?〃
〃You can understand;〃 said Holmes suavely; 〃that I extend to the
affairs of my other clients the same secrecy which I promise to you in
yours。〃
〃Of course! Very right! very right! I'm sure I beg pardon。 As to
my own case; I am ready to give you any information which may assist
you in forming an opinion。〃
〃Thank you。 I have already learned all that is in the public prints;
nothing more。 I presume that I may take it as correct…this article;
for example; as to the disappearance of the bride。〃
Lord St。 Simon glanced over it。 〃Yes; it is correct; as far as it
goes。〃
〃But it needs a great deal of supplementing before anyone could
offer an opinion。 I think that I may arrive at my facts most
directly by questioning you。〃
〃Pray do so。〃
〃When did you first meet Miss Hatty Doran?〃
〃In San Francisco; a year ago。〃
〃You were travelling in the States?〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Did you become engaged then?〃
〃No。〃
〃But you were on a friendly footing?〃
〃I was amused by her society; and she could see that I was amused。〃
〃Her father is very rich?〃
〃He is said to be the richest man on the Pacific slope。〃
〃And how did he make his money?〃
〃In mining。 He had nothing a few years ago。 Then he struck gold;
invested it; and came up by leaps and bounds。〃
〃Now; what is your own impression as to the young lady's…your wife's
character?〃
The nobleman swung his glasses a little faster and stared down
into the fire。 〃You see; Mr。 Holmes;〃 said he; 〃my wife was twenty
before her father became a rich man。 During that time she ran free
in a mining camp and wandered through woods or mountains; so that
her education has come from Nature rather than from the
schoolmaster。 She is what we call in England a tomboy; with a strong
nature; wild and free; unfettered by any sort of traditions。 She is
impetuous; volcanic; I was about to say。 She is swift in making up her
mind and fearless in carrying out her resolutions。 On the other
hand; I would not have given her the name which I have the honour to
bear〃…he gave a little stately cough…〃had not I thought her to be at
bottom a noble woman。 I believe that she is capable of heroic
self…sacrifice and that anything dishonourable would be repugnant to
her。〃
〃Have you her photograph?〃
〃I brought this with me。〃 He opened a locket and showed us the
full face of a very lovely woman。 It was not a photograph but an ivory
miniature; and the artist had brought out the full effect of the
lustrous black hair; the large dark eyes; and the exquisite mouth。
Holmes gazed long and earnestly at it。 Then he closed the locket and
handed it back to Lord St。 Simon。
〃The young lady came to London; then; and you renewed your
acquaintance?〃
〃Yes; her father brought her over for this last London season。 I met
her several times; became engaged to her; and have now married her。〃
〃She brought; I understand; a considerable dowry?〃
〃A fair dowry。 Not more than is usual in my family。〃
〃And this; of course; remains to you; since the marriage is a fait
accompli?〃
〃I really have made no inquiries on the subject。〃
〃Very naturally not。 Did you see Miss Doran on the day before the
wedding?〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Was she in good spirits?〃
〃Never better。 She kept talking of what we should do in our future
lives。〃
〃Indeed That is very interesting。 And on the morning of the
wedding?〃
〃She was as bright as possible…at least until after the ceremony。〃
〃And did you observe any change in her then?〃
〃Well; to tell the truth; I saw then the first signs that I had ever
seen that her temper was just a little sharp。 The incident; however;
was too trivial to relate and can have no possible bearing upon the
case。〃
〃Pray let us have it; for all that。〃
〃Oh; it is childish。 She dropped her bouquet as we went towards
the vestry。 She was passing the front pew at the time; and it fell
over into the pew。 There was a moment's delay; but the gentleman in
the pew handed it up to her again; and it did not appear to be the
worse for the fall。 Yet when I spoke to her of the matter; she
answered me abruptly; and in the carriage; on our way home; she seemed
absurdly agitated over this trifling cause。〃
〃Indeed You say that there was a gentleman in the pew。 Some of the
general public were present; then?〃
〃Oh; yes。 It is impossible to exclude them when the church is open。〃
〃This gentleman was not one of your wife's friends?〃
〃No; no; I call him a gentleman by courtesy; but he was quite a
common looking person。 I hardly noticed his appearance。 But really I
think that we are wandering rather far from the point。〃
〃Lady St。 Simon; then; returned from the wedding in a less
cheerful frame of mind than she had gone to it。 What did she do on
reentering her father's house?〃
〃I saw her in conversation with her maid。〃
〃And who is her maid?〃
〃Alice is her name。 She is an American and came from California with
her。〃
〃A confidential servant?〃
〃A little too much so。 It seemed to me that her mistress allowed her
to take great liberties。 Still; of course; in America they look upon
these things in a different way。
〃How long did she speak to this Alice?〃
〃Oh; a few minutes。 I had something else to think of。〃
〃You did not overhear what they said?〃
〃Lady St。 Simon said something about 'jumping a claim。' She was
accustomed to use slang of the kind。 I have no idea what she meant。〃
〃American slang is very expressive sometimes。 And what did your wife
do when she finished speaking to her maid?〃
〃She walked into the breakfast…room。〃
〃On your arm?〃
〃No; alone。 She was very independent in little matters like that。
Then; after we had sat down for ten minutes or so; she rose hurriedly;
muttered some words of apology; and left the room。 She never came
back。〃
〃But this maid; Alice; as I understand; deposes that she went to her
room; covered her bride's dress with a long ulster; put on a bonnet;
and went out。〃
〃Quite so。 And she was afterwards seen walking into Hyde Park in
company with Flora Millar; a woman who is now in custody; and who
had already made a disturbance at Mr。 Doran's house that morning。〃
〃Ah; yes。 I should like a few particulars as to this young lady; and
your relations to her。〃
Lord St。 Simon shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows。 〃We
have been on a friendly footing for some years…I may say on a very
friendly footing。 She used to be at the Allegro。 I have not treated
her ungenerously; and she had no just cause of complaint against me;
but you know what women are; Mr。 Holmes。 Flora was a dear little
thing; but exceedingly hot…headed and devotedly attached to me。 She
wrote me dreadful letters when she heard I was about to be married;
and; to tell the truth; the reason why I had the marriage celebrated
so quietly was that I feared lest there might be a scandal in the
church。 She came to Mr。 Doran's door just after we returned; and she
endeavoured to push
快捷操作: 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!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!