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the adventure of the noble bachelor-第5部分
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of satisfaction。 〃This is indeed important;〃 said he。
〃Ha! you find it so?〃
〃Extremely so。 I congratulate you warmly。〃
Lestrade rose in his triumph and bent his head to look。 〃Why;〃 he
shrieked; 〃you're looking at the wrong side!〃
〃On the contrary; this is the right side。〃
〃The right side? You're mad! Here is the note written in pencil over
here。〃
〃And over here is what appears to be the fragment of a hotel bill;
which interests me deeply。〃
〃There's nothing in it。 I looked at it before;〃 said Lestrade。
〃Oct。 4th; rooms 8s。; breakfast 2s。 6d。; cocktail 1s。; lunch 2S。
6d。; glass sherry; 8d。〃
〃I see nothing in that。〃
〃Very likely not。 It is most important; all the same。 As to the
note; it is important also; or at least the initials are; so I
congratulate you again。〃
〃I've wasted time enough;〃 said Lestrade; rising。 〃I believe in hard
work and not in sitting by the fire spinning fine theories。
Good…day; Mr。 Holmes; and we shall see which gets to the bottom of the
matter first。〃 He gathered up the garments; thrust them into the
bag; and made for the door。
〃Just one hint to you; Lastrade;〃 drawled Holmes before his rival
vanished; 〃I will tell you the true solution of the matter。 Lady St。
Simon is a myth。 There is not; and there never has been; any such
person。〃
Lestrade looked sadly at my companion。 Then he turned to me;
tapped his forehead three times; shook his head solemnly; and
hurried away。
He had hardly shut the door behind him when Holmes rose to put on
his overcoat。 〃There is something in what the fellow says about
outdoor work;〃 he remarked; 〃so I think; Watson; that I must leave you
to your papers for a little。〃
It was after five o'clock when Sherlock Holmes left me; but I had no
time to be lonely; for within an hour there arrived a confectioners
man with a very large flat box。 This he unpacked with the help of a
youth whom he had brought with him; and presently; to my very great
astonishment; a quite epicurean little cold supper began to be laid
out upon our humble lodging…house mahogany。 There were a couple of
brace of cold woodcock; a pheasant; a pate de foie gras pie with a
group of ancient and cobwebby bottles。 Having laid out all these
luxuries; my two visitors vanished away; like the genii of the Arabian
Nights; with no explanation save that the things had been paid for and
were ordered to this address。
Just before nine o'clock Sherlock Holmes stepped briskly into the
room。 His features were gravely set but there was a light in his eye
which made me think that he had not been disappointed in his
conclusions。
〃They have laid the supper; then;〃 he said; rubbing his hands。
〃You seem to expect company。 They have laid for five。〃
〃Yes; I fancy we may have some company dropping in;〃 said he。 〃I
am surprised that Lord St。 Simon has not already arrived。 Ha! I
fancy that I hear his step now upon the stairs。'
It was indeed our visitor of the afternoon who came bustling in;
dangling his glasses more vigorously than ever; and with a very
perturbed expression upon his aristocratic features。
〃My messenger reached you; then?〃 asked Holmes。
〃Yes; and I confess that the contents startled me beyond measure。
Have you good authority for what you say?〃
〃The best possible。〃
Lord St。 Simon sank into a chair and passed his hand over his
forehead authority
〃What will the Duke say;〃 he murmured; 〃when he hears that one of
the family has been subjected to such humiliation?〃
〃It is the purest accident。 I cannot allow that there is any
humiliation。〃
〃Ah; you look on these things from another standpoint。〃
〃I fail to see that anyone is to blame。 I can hardly see how the
lady could have acted otherwise; though her abrupt method of doing
it was undoubtedly to be regretted。 Having no mother; she had no one
to advise her at such a crisis。〃
〃It was a slight; sir; a public slight;〃 said Lord St。 Simon;
tapping his fingers upon the table。
〃You must make allowance for this poor girl; placed in so
unprecedented。 a position。〃
〃I will make no allowance。 I am very angry indeed; and I have been
shamefully used。〃
〃I think that I heard a ring;〃 said Holmes。 〃Yes; there are steps on
the landing。 If I cannot persuade you to take a lenient view of the
matter; Lord St。 Simon; I have brought an advocate here who may be
more successful。〃 He opened the door and ushered in a lady and
gentleman。 〃Lord St。 Simon;〃 said he; 〃allow me to introduce you to
Mr。 and Mrs。 Francis Hay Moulton。 The lady; I think; you have
already met。〃
At the sight of these newcomers our client had sprung from his
seat and stood very erect; with his eyes cast down and his hand thrust
into the breast of his frock…coat; a picture of offended dignity。
The lady had taken a quick step forward; but had held out her hand
to him; but he still refused to raise his eyes。 It was as well for his
resolution; perhaps; for her pleading face was one which it was hard
to resist。
〃You're angry; Robert;〃 said she。 〃Well; I guess you have every
cause to be。〃
〃Pray make no apology to me;〃 said Lord St。 Simon bitterly。
〃Oh; yes; I know that I have treated you real bad and that I
should have spoken to you before I went; but I was kind of rattled;
and from the time when I saw Frank here again I just didn't know
what I was doing or saying。 I only wonder I didn't fall down and do
a faint right there before the altar。〃
〃Perhaps; Mrs。 Moulton; you would like my friend and me to leave the
room while you explain this matter?〃
〃If I may give an opinion;〃 remarked the strange gentleman; 〃we've
had just a little too much secrecy over this business already。 For
my part; I should like all Europe and America to hear the rights of
it。〃 He was a small; wiry; sunburnt man; clean…shaven; with a sharp
face and alert manner。
〃Then I'll tell our story right away;〃 said the lady。 〃Frank here
and I met in '84; in McQuire's camp; near the Rockies; where pa was
working a claim。 We were engaged to each other; Frank and I; but
then one day father struck a rich pocket and made a pile; while poor
Frank here had a claim that petered out and came to nothing。 The
richer pa grew the poorer was Frank; so at last pa wouldn't hear of
our engagement lasting any longer; and he took me away to 'Frisco。
Frank wouldn't throw up his hand; though; so he followed me there; and
he saw me without pa knowing anything about it。 It would only have
made him mad to know; so we just fixed it all up for ourselves。
Frank said that he would go and make his pile; too; and never come
back to claim me until he had as much as pa。 So then I promised to
wait for him to the end of time and pledged myself not to marry anyone
else while he lived。 'Why shouldn't we be married right away; then;'
said he; 'and then I will feel sure of you; and I won't claim to be
your husband until I come back?' Well; we talked it over; and he had
fixed it all up so nicely; with a clergyman all ready in waiting; that
we just did it right there; and then Frank went off to seek his
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