Kitabı oku: «The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. B1 / Приключения Шерлока Холмса», sayfa 3

“Well, and what happened when Mr. Windibank, your stepfather, returned to France?”

“Mr. Hosmer Angel came to the house again and proposed that we should marry before father came back. He made meswear, with my hands on the Testament, that whatever happened I would always be true to him. Mother said he was quite right to make me swear, and that it was a sign of his passion. Mother liked him even more than I did. Then, when they talked of marrying within the week, I began to ask about father; but they both said that I should not be afraid of him, but just to tell him afterwards, and mother said she would make it all right with him. I didn't quite like that, Mr. Holmes. It seemed funny that I should ask his permission, as he was only a few years older than me; but I didn't want to do anything in secret, so I wrote to father's French office, but the letter came back to me on the very morning of the wedding.”

“It missed him, then?”

“Yes, sir; for he had started to England just before it arrived.”

“Ha! that was unfortunate. Your wedding was arranged, then, for the Friday. Was it to be in church?”

“Yes, sir, but very quietly. It was to be at St. Saviour's, near King's Cross, and we were to have breakfast afterwards at the St. Pancras Hotel. Hosmer came for us in a cab, but as there were two of us he put us both into it and stepped himself into a four-wheeler, which happened to be the only other cab in the street. We got to the church first, and when the four-wheeler drove up we waited for him to step out, but he never did. When the cabman got down from the box and looked there was no one inside! The cabman said that he could notimagine what had become of him. That was last Friday, Mr. Holmes, and I have never heard anything about him since then.”

“It seems to me that you have been very shamefully treated,” said Holmes.

“Oh, no, sir! He was too good and kind to leave me so. Why, all the morning he was saying to me that, whatever happened, I should stay true; and that even if something happened to separate us, I should always remember my promise to him. It seemed strange talk for a wedding-morning, but what has happened since gives a meaning to it.”

“Most certainly it does. Your own opinion is, then, that some catastrophe has occurred to him?”

“Yes, sir. I believe that he has known about some danger. And then I think something has happened.”

“But you have no notion as to what it could have been?”

“None.”

“One more question. How did your mother take the matter?”

“She was angry, and said that I should never speak of the matter again.”

“And your father? Did you tell him?”

“Yes; and he seemed to agree with me that something had happened and that I should hear of Hosmer again. As he said, what interest could anyone have in bringing me to the church, and then leaving me? Mr. Hosmer didn't take my money. And yet, what could have happened? And why could he not write? Oh, it drives me mad to think of it, and I can't sleep at night.” She began to cry heavily.

“I shallglance into the case for you,” said Holmes, rising, “and I have no doubt that we shall reach some definite result. Let the weight of the matter rest upon me now, and do not let your mind concentrate on it further. Above all, try to let Mr. Hosmer Angel vanish from your memory, as he has vanished from your life.”

“Then you don't think I'll see him again?”

“I fear not.”

“Then what has happened to him?”

“You will leave that question in my hands. I should like a description of him and any letters of his which you can spare.”

“I advertised for him in last Saturday's Chronicle,” said she. “Here is the slip and here are four letters from him.”

“Thank you. And youraddress?”

“No. 31 Lyon Place, Camberwell.”

“Mr. Angel'saddress you never had, I understand. Where is your father's place of business?”

“He travels for Westhouse & Marbank, the great claret importers of Fenchurch Street.”

“Thank you. You have made your statement very clear. You will leave the papers here, and remember the advice which I have given you. Let the whole incident be a sealed book, and do not allow it to affect your life.

“You are very kind, Mr. Holmes, but I cannot do that. I shall be true to Hosmer. He shall find me ready when he comes back.”

With all the silly hat and the unwise face, there was something noble in the simple faith of our visitor which made us respect her. She laid her papers upon the table and went her way, with a promise to come again whenever she might be needed.

Sherlock Holmes sat silent for a few minutes with his fingertips still pressed together, his legs stretched out in front of him, and his gaze directed upwards. Then he took down from the shelf the old and oily clay pipe, which was to him as a counsellor, and leaned back in his chair, with the thick blue smoke clouds spinning up from him, and a look of real sadness in his face.

“Quite an interesting study, that maiden,” he observed. “I found her more interesting than her little problem, which, by the way, is rather a common one. However, there were one or twodetails which were new to me. But the maiden herself was most interesting.”

“You appeared to read a good deal upon her which was quite invisible to me,” I remarked.

“Not invisible but unnoticed, Watson. You did not know where to look, and so you missed all that was important. I can never bring you to realise the importance ofsleeves, the meaning of thumbnails, or the great issues that may hang from a bootlace. Now, what did you gather from that woman's appearance? Describe it.”

“Well, she had a grey, broad straw hat, with a red feather. Her jacket was black, with black beads sewn upon it, and little black jet ornaments. Her dress was brown, rather darker than coffee colour, with a little purple plush at the neck andsleeves. Her gloves were greyish and were worn through at the right forefinger. Her boots I didn't observe. She had small round, hanging gold earrings, and a general air of being quite wealthy in a simple, comfortable, easygoing way.”

Sherlock Holmes clapped his hands softly together and laughed.

“Upon my word, Watson, you are doing very well. You have really done very well. It is true that you have missed everything important, but you have hit upon the method, and you have a quick eye for colour. Never trust to general impressions, but concentrate yourself upondetails. My first glance is always at a woman's sleeve. In a man it is perhaps better first to take the knee of the trouser. As you observe, this woman had purple plush upon her sleeves, which is a most useful material for showing traces. There was clearly a double line a little above the wrist, where the typewritist presses against the table. The sewing-machine, of the hand type, leaves a similar mark, but only on the left arm. I then glanced at her face, and, observing the trace of glasses on her nose, I made a remark upon short sight and typewriting, which seemed to surprise her.”