on drawing it on his
note-book, broke his pencil, had to borrow one from our
host, and finally borrowed a knife to sharpen his own. the
same curious accident happened to him in the rooms of the
indian -- a silent, little, hook-nosed fellow, who eyed us
askance and was obviously glad when holmes's architectural
studies had come to an end. i could not see that in either
case holmes had come upon the clue for which he was
searching. only at the third did our visit prove abortive.
the outer door would not open to our knock, and nothing
more substantial than a torrent of bad language came from
behind it. "i don't care who you are. you can go to
blazes!" roared the angry voice. "to-morrow's the exam.,
and i won't be drawn by anyone."
"a rude fellow," said our guide, flushing with anger as we
withdrew down the stair. "of course, he did not realize
that it was i who was knocking, but none the less his
conduct was very uncourteous, and, indeed, under the
circumstances rather suspicious."
holmes's response was a curious one.
"can you tell me his exact height?" he asked.
"really, mr. holmes, i cannot undertake to say.
he is taller than the indian, not so tall as gilchrist.
i suppose five foot six would be about it."
"that is very important," said holmes. "and now, mr. soames,
i wish you good-night."
our guide cried aloud in his astonishment and dismay.
"good gracious, mr. holmes, you are surely not going to
leave me in this abrupt fashion! you don't seem to realize
the position. to-morrow is the examination. i must take
some definite action to-night. i cannot allow the
examination to be held if one of the papers has been
tampered with. the situation must be faced."
"you must leave it as it is. i shall drop round early
to-morrow morning and chat the matter over. it is possible
that i may be in a position then to indicate some course of
action. meanwhile you change nothing -- nothing at all."
"very good, mr. holmes."
"you can be perfectly easy in your mind. we shall
certainly find some way out of your difficulties. i will
take the black clay with me, also the pencil cuttings.
good-bye."
when we were out in the darkness of the quadrangle we again
looked up at the windows. the indian still paced his room.
the others were invisible.
"well, watson, what do you think of it?" holmes asked, as
we came out into the main street. "quite a little parlour
game -- sort of three-card trick, is it not? there are
your three men. it must be one of them. you take your
choice. which is yours?"
"the foul-mouthed fellow at the top. he is the one with
the worst record. and yet that indian was a sly fellow
also. why should he be pacing his room all the time?"
"there is nothing in that. many men do it when they are
trying to learn anything by heart."
"he looked at us in a queer way."
"so would you if a flock of strangers came in on you when
you were preparing for an examination next day, and every
moment was of value. no, i see nothing in that. pencils,
too, and knives -- all was satisfactory. but that fellow
_does_ puzzle me."
"who?"
"why, bannister, the servant. what's his game in the
matter?"
"he impressed me as being a perfectly honest man."
"so he did me. that's the puzzling part. why should a
perfectly honest man -- well, well, here's a large
stationer's. we shall begin our researches here."
there were only four stationers of any consequence in the
town, and at each holmes produced his pencil chips and bid
high for a duplicate. all were agreed that one could be
ordered, but that it was not a usual size of pencil and
that it was seldom kept in stock. my friend did not appear
to be depressed by his failure, but shrugged his shoulders
in half-humorous resignation.
"no good, my dear watson. this, the best and only final
clue, has run to nothing. but, indeed, i have little doubt
that we can build up a sufficient case without it. by
jove! my dear fellow, it is nearly nine, and the landlady
babbled of green peas at seven-thirty. what with your
eternal tobacco, watson, and your irregularity at meals,
i expect that you will get notice to quit and that i shall
share your downfall -- not, however, before we have solved
the problem of the nervous tutor, the careless servant, and
the three enterprising students."
holmes made no further allusion to the matter that day,
though he sat lost in thought for a long time after our
belated dinner. at eight in the morning he came into my
room just as i finished my toilet.
"well, watson," said he, "it is time we went down to st. luke's.
can you do without breakfast?"
"certainly."
"soames will be in a dreadful fidget until we are able to
tell him something positive."
"have you anything positive to tell him?"
"i think so."
"you have formed a conclusion
本文链接:
http://m.picdg.com/38_38018/5748810.html