the greek interpreter-第2部分

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the　bow…window　of　the　club。　To　anyone　who　wishes　to　study　mankind　this

is　the　spot；〃　said　Mycroft。　〃Look　at　the　magnificent　types！　Look　at

these　two　men　who　are　coming　towards　us；　for　example。〃

　　〃The　billiard…marker　and　the　other？〃

　　〃Precisely。　What　do　you　make　of　the　other？〃

　　The　two　men　had　stopped　opposite　the　window。　Some　chalk　marks　over

the　waistcoat　pocket　were　the　only　signs　of　billiards　which　I　could

see　in　one　of　them。　The　other　was　a　very　small；　dark　fellow；　with

his　hat　pushed　back　and　several　packages　under　his　arm。

　　〃An　old　soldier；　I　perceive；〃　said　Sherlock。

　　〃And　very　recently　discharged；〃　remarked　the　brother。

　　〃Served　in　India；　I　see。〃

　　〃And　a　non…commissioned　officer。〃

　　〃Royal　Artillery；　I　fancy；〃　said　Sherlock。

　　〃And　a　widower。〃

　　〃But　with　a　child。〃

　　〃Children；　my　dear　boy；　children。〃

　　〃Come；〃　said　I；　laughing；　〃this　is　a　little　too　much。〃

　　〃Surely；〃　answered　Holmes；　〃it　is　not　hard　to　say　that　a　man　with

that　bearing；　expression　of　authority；　and　sun…baked　skin；　is　a

soldier；　is　more　than　a　private；　and　is　not　long　from　India。〃

　　〃That　he　has　not　left　the　service　long　is　shown　by　his　still　wearing

his　ammunition　boots；　as　they　are　called；〃　observed　Mycroft。

　　〃He　had　not　the　cavalry　stride；　yet　he　wore　his　hat　on　one　side；

as　is　shown　by　the　lighter　skin　on　that　side　of　his　brow。　His　weight

is　against　his　being　a　sapper。　He　is　in　the　artillery。〃

　　〃Then；　of　course；　his　complete　mourning　shows　that　he　has　lost

someone　very　dear。　The　fact　that　he　is　doing　his　own　shopping　looks　as

though　it　were　his　wife。　He　has　been　buying　things　for　children；　you

perceive。　There　is　a　rattle；　which　shows　that　one　of　them　is　very

young。　The　wife　probably　died　in　childbed。　The　fact　that　he　has　a

picture…book　under　his　arm　shows　that　there　is　another　child　to　be

thought　of。〃

　　I　began　to　understand　what　my　friend　meant　when　he　said　that　his

brother　possessed　even　keener　faculties　than　he　did　himself。　He

glanced　across　at　me　and　smiled。　Mycroft　took　snuff　from　a

tortoise…shell　box　and　brushed　away　the　wandering　grains　from　his　coat

front　with　a　large；　red　silk　handkerchief。

　　〃By　the　way；　Sherlock；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　had　something　quite　after

your　own　heart…a　most　singular　problem…submitted　to　my　judgment。　I

really　had　not　the　energy　to　follow　it　up　save　in　a　very　incomplete

fashion；　but　it　gave　me　a　basis　for　some　pleasing　speculations。　If　you

would　care　to　hear　the　facts…〃

　　〃My　dear　Mycroft；　I　should　be　delighted。〃

　　The　brother　scribbled　a　note　upon　a　leaf　of　his　pocket…book；　and；

ringing　the　bell；　he　handed　it　to　the　waiter。

　　〃I　have　asked　Mr。　Melas　to　step　across；〃　said　he。　〃He　lodges　on

the　floor　above　me；　and　I　have　some　slight　acquaintance　with　him；

which　led　him　to　come　to　me　in　his　perplexity。　Mr。　Melas　is　a　Greek　by

extraction；　as　I　understand；　and　he　is　a　remarkable　linguist。　He　earns

his　living　partly　as　interpreter　in　the　law　courts　and　partly　by

acting　as　guide　to　any　wealthy　Orientals　who　may　visit　the

Northumberland　Avenue　hotels。　I　think　I　will　leave　him　to　tell　his

very　remarkable　experience　in　his　own　fashion。〃

　　A　few　minutes　later　we　were　joined　by　a　short；　stout　man　whose　olive

face　and　coal　black　hair　proclaimed　his　Southern　origin；　though　his

speech　was　that　of　an　educated　Englishman。　He　shook　hands　eagerly　with

Sherlock　Holmes；　and　his　dark　eyes　sparkled　with　pleasure　when　he

understood　that　the　specialist　was　anxious　to　hear　his　story。

　　〃I　do　not　believe　that　the　police　credit　me…on　my　word；　I　do　not；〃

said　he　in　a　wailing　voice。　〃Just　because　they　have　never　heard　of

it　before；　they　think　that　such　a　thing　cannot　be。　But　I　know　that　I

shall　never　be　easy　in　my　mind　until　I　know　what　has　become　of　my　poor

man　with　the　sticking…plaster　upon　his　face。〃

　　〃I　am　all　attention；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。

　　〃This　is　Wednesday　evening；〃　said　Mr。　Melas。　〃Well；　then；　it　was

Monday　night…only　two　days　ago；　you　understand…that　all　this　happened。

I　am　an　interpreter；　as　perhaps　my　neighbour　there　has　told　you。　I

interpret　all　languages…or　nearly　all…but　as　I　am　a　Greek　by　birth　and

with　a　Grecian　name；　it　is　with　that　particular　tongue　that　I　am

principally　associated。　For　many　years　I　have　been　the　chief　Greek

interpreter　in　London；　and　my　name　is　very　well　known　in　the　hotels。

　　〃It　happens　not　unfrequently　that　I　am　sent　for　at　strange　hours

by　foreigners　who　get　into　difficulties；　or　by　travellers　who　arrive

late　and　wish　my　services。　I　was　not　surprised；　therefore；　on　Monday

night　when　a　Mr。　Latimer；　a　very　fashionably　dressed　young　man；　came

up　to　my　rooms　and　asked　me　to　accompany　him　in　a　cab　which　was

waiting　at　the　door。　A　Greek　friend　had　come　to　see　him　upon　business；

he　said；　and　as　he　could　speak　nothing　but　his　own　tongue；　the

services　of　an　interpreter　were　indispensable。　He　gave　me　to

understand　that　his　house　was　some　little　distance　off；　in　Kensington；

and　he　seemed　to　be　in　a　great　hurry；　bustling　me　rapidly　into　the　cab

when　we　had　descended　to　the　street。

　　〃I　say　into　the　cab；　but　I　soon　became　doubtful　as　to　whether　it　was

not　a　carriage　in　which　I　found　myself。　It　was　certainly　more　roomy

than　the　ordinary　four…wheeled　disgrace　to　London；　and　the　fittings；

though　frayed；　were　of　rich　quality。　Mr。　Latimer　seated　himself

opposite　to　me　and　we　started　off　through　Charing　Cross　and　up　the

Shaftesbury　Avenue。　We　had　come　out　upon　Oxford　Street　and　I　had

ventured　some　remark　as　to　this　being　a　roundabout　way　to

Kensington；　when　my　words　were　arrested　by　the　extraordinary　conduct

of　my　companion。

　　〃He　began　by　drawing　a　most　formidable…looking　bludgeon　loaded

with　lead　from　his　pocket；　and　switching　it　backward　and　forward

several　times；　as　if　to　test　its　weight　and　strength。　Then　he　placed

it　without　a　word　upon　the　seat　beside　him。　Having　done　this；　he

drew　up　the　windows　on　each　side；　and　I　found　to　my　astonishment

that　they　were　covered　with　paper　so　as　to　prevent　my　seeing　through

them。

　　〃'I　am　sorry　to　cut　off　your　view；　Mr。　Melas；'　said　he。　'The　fact　is

that　I　have　no　intention　that　you　should　see　what　the　place　is　to

which　we　are　driving。　It　might　possibly　be　inconvenient　to　me　if　you

could　find　your　way　there　again。'

　　〃As　you　can　imagine；　I　was　utterly　taken　aback　by　such　an　address。

My　companion　was　a　powerful；　broad…shouldered　young　fellow；　and；　apart

from　the　weapon；　I　should　not　have　had　the　slightest　chance　in　a

struggle　with　him。

　　〃'This　is　very　extraordinary　conduct；　Mr。　Latimer；'　I　stammered。

'You　must　be　aware　that　what　you　are　doing　is　quite　illegal。'

　　〃'It　is　somewhat　of　a　liberty；　no　doubt；'　said　he；　'but　we'll　make

it　up　to　you。　I　must　warn　you；　however；　Mr。　Melas；　that　if　at　any　time

to…night　you　attempt　to　raise　an　alarm　or　do　anything　which　is　against

my　interest；　you　will　find　it　a　very　serious　thing。　I　beg　you　to

remember　that　no　one　knows　where　you　are；　and　that；　whether　you　are　in

this　carriage　or　in　my　house；　you　are　equally　in　my　power。'

　　〃His　words　were　quiet　but　he　had　a　rasping　way　of　saying　them；　which

was　very　menacing