s
and left it with the lodge-keeper.
"it may be a hit or it may be a miss, but we are bound to do
something for friend hopkins, just to justify this second visit,"
said he. "i will not quite take him into my confidence yet. i
think our next scene of operations must be the shipping office of
the adelaide-southampton line, which stands at the end of pall
mall, if i remember right. there is a second line of steamers
which connect south australia with england, but we will draw the
larger cover first."
holmes's card sent in to the manager ensured instant attention,
and he was not long in acquiring all the information which he
needed. in june of '95 only one of their line had reached a home
port. it was the _rock of gibraltar_, their largest and best
boat. a reference to the passenger list showed that miss fraser
of adelaide, with her maid, had made the voyage in her. the boat
was now on her way to australia, somewhere to the south of the
suez canal. her officers were the same as in '95, with one
exception. the first officer, mr. jack croker, had been made a
captain, and was to take charge of their new ship, the _bass
rock_, sailing in two days' time from southampton. he lived at
sydenham, but he was likely to be in that morning for
instructions, if we cared to wait for him.
no; mr. holmes had no desire to see him, but would be glad to know
more about his record and character.
his record was magnificent. there was not an officer in the fleet
to touch him. as to his character, he was reliable on duty, but a
wild, desperate fellow off the deck of his ship, hot-headed,
excitable, but loyal, honest, and kind-hearted. that was the pith
of the information with which holmes left the office of the
adelaide-southampton company. thence he drove to scotland yard,
but instead of entering he sat in his cab with his brows drawn
down, lost in profound thought. finally he drove round to the
charing cross telegraph office, sent off a message, and then, at
last, we made for baker street once more.
"no, i couldn't do it, watson," said he, as we re-entered our
room. "once that warrant was made out nothing on earth would save
him. once or twice in my career i feel that i have done more real
harm by my discovery of the criminal than ever he had done by his
crime. i have learned caution now, and i had rather play tricks
with the law of england than with my own conscience. let us know
a little more before we act."
before evening we had a visit from inspector stanley hopkins.
things were not going very well with him.
"i believe that you are a wizard, mr. holmes. i really do
sometimes think that you have powers that are not human. now, how
on earth could you know that the stolen silver was at the bottom
of that pond?"
"i didn't know it."
"but you told me to examine it."
"you got it, then?"
"yes, i got it."
"i am very glad if i have helped you."
"but you haven't helped me. you have made the affair far more
difficult. what sort of burglars are they who steal silver and
then throw it into the nearest pond?"
"it was certainly rather eccentric behaviour. i was merely going
on the idea that if the silver had been taken by persons who did
not want it, who merely took it for a blind as it were, then they
would naturally be anxious to get rid of it."
"but why should such an idea cross your mind?"
"well, i thought it was possible. when they came out through the
french window there was the pond, with one tempting little hole in
the ice, right in front of their noses. could there be a better
hiding-place?"
"ah, a hiding-place -- that is better!" cried stanley hopkins.
"yes, yes, i see it all now! it was early, there were folk upon
the roads, they were afraid of being seen with the silver, so they
sank it in the pond, intending to return for it when the coast was
clear. excellent, mr. holmes -- that is better than your idea of
a blind."
"quite so; you have got an admirable theory. i have no doubt that
my own ideas were quite wild, but you must admit that they have
ended in discovering the silver."
"yes, sir, yes. it was all your doing. but i have had a bad
set-back."
"a set-back?"
"yes, mr. holmes. the randall gang were arrested in new york this
morning."
"dear me, hopkins! that is certainly rather against your theory
that they committed a murder in kent last night."
"it is fatal, mr. holmes, absolutely fatal. still, there are
other gangs of three besides the randalls, or it may be some new
gang of which the police have never heard."
"quite so; it is perfectly possible. what, are you off?"
yes, mr. holmes; there is no rest for me until i have got to the
bottom of the business. i suppose you have no hint to give me?"
"i have given you one."
"which?"
"well, i suggested a blind."
"but why, mr. holmes, why?"
"
本文链接:
http://m.picdg.com/38_38018/5748840.html