the adventure of the six napoleons-第3部分

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foolscap。

　　The　spat　where　the　fragments　of　the　bust　had　been　found　was　only　a

few　hundred　yards　away。　For　the　first　time　our　eyes　rested　upon　this

presentment　of　the　great　emperor；　which　seemed　to　raise　such　frantic

and　destructive　hatred　in　the　mind　of　the　unknown。　It　lay　scattered；

in　splintered　shards；　upon　the　grass。　Holmes　picked　up　several　of　them

and　examined　them　carefully。　I　was　convinced；　from　his　intent　face　and

his　purposeful　manner；　that　at　last　he　was　upon　a　clue。

　　〃Well？〃　asked　Lestrade。

　　Holmes　shrugged　his　shoulders。

　　〃We　have　a　long　way　to　go　yet；〃　said　he。　〃And　yet…　and　yet…　well；　we

have　some　suggestive　facts　to　act　upon。　The　possession　of　this

trifling　bust　was　worth　more；　in　the　eyes　of　this　strange　criminal；

than　a　human　life。　That　is　one　point。　Then　there　is　the　singular

fact　that　he　did　not　break　it　in　the　house；　or　immediately　outside　the

house；　if　to　break　it　was　his　sole　object。〃

　　〃He　was　rattled　and　bustled　by　meeting　this　other　fellow。　He

hardly　knew　what　he　was　doing。〃

　　〃Well；　that's　likely　enough。　But　I　wish　to　call　your　attention

very　particularly　to　the　position　of　this　house；　in　the　garden　of

which　the　bust　was　destroyed。〃

　　Lestrade　looked　about　him。

　　〃It　was　an　empty　house；　and　so　he　knew　that　he　would　not　be

disturbed　in　the　garden。〃

　　〃Yes；　but　there　is　another　empty　house　farther　up　the　street　which

he　must　have　passed　before　he　came　to　this　one。　Why　did　he　not　break

it　there；　since　it　is　evident　that　every　yard　that　he　carried　it

increased　the　risk　of　someone　meeting　him？〃

　　〃I　give　it　up；〃　said　Lestrade。

　　Holmes　pointed　to　the　street　lamp　above　our　heads。

　　〃He　could　see　what　he　was　doing　here；　and　he　could　not　there。　That

was　his　reason。〃

　　〃By　Jove！　that's　true；〃　said　the　detective。　〃Now　that　I　come　to

think　of　it；　Dr。　Barnicot's　bust　was　broken　not　far　from　his　red　lamp。

Well；　Mr。　Holmes；　what　are　we　to　do　with　that　fact？〃

　　〃To　remember　it…　to　docket　it。　We　may　come　on　something　later

which　will　bear　upon　it。　What　steps　do　you　propose　to　take　now；

Lestrade？〃

　　〃The　most　practical　way　of　getting　at　it；　in　my　opinion；　is　to

identify　the　dead　man。　There　should　be　no　difficulty　about　that。

When　we　have　found　who　he　is　and　who　his　associates　are；　we　should

have　a　good　start　in　learning　what　he　was　doing　in　Pitt　Street　last

night；　and　who　it　was　who　met　him　and　killed　him　on　the　doorstep　of

Mr。　Horace　Harker。　Don't　you　think　so？〃

　　〃No　doubt；　and　yet　it　is　not　quite　the　way　in　which　I　should

approach　the　case。〃

　　〃What　would　you　do　then？〃

　　〃Oh；　you　must　not　let　me　influence　you　in　any　way。　I　suggest　that

you　go　on　your　line　and　I　on　mine。　We　can　compare　notes　afterwards；

and　each　will　supplement　the　other。〃

　　〃Very　good；〃　said　Lestrade。

　　〃If　you　are　going　back　to　Pitt　Street；　you　might　see　Mr。　Horace

Harker。　Tell　him　for　me　that　I　have　quite　made　up　my　mind；　and　that　it

is　certain　that　a　dangerous　homicidal　lunatic；　with　Napoleonic

delusions；　was　in　his　house　last　night。　It　will　be　useful　for　his

article。〃

　　Lestrade　stared。

　　〃You　don't　seriously　believe　that？〃

　　Holmes　smiled。

　　〃Don't　I？　Well；　perhaps　I　don't。　But　I　am　sure　that　it　will　interest

Mr。　Horace　Harker　and　the　subscribers　of　the　Central　Press

Syndicate。　Now；　Watson；　I　think　that　we　shall　find　that　we　have　a　long

and　rather　complex　day's　work　before　us。　I　should　be　glad；　Lestrade；

if　you　could　make　it　convenient　to　meet　us　at　Baker　Street　at　six

o'clock　this　evening。　Until　then　I　should　like　to　keep　this

photograph；　found　in　the　dead　man's　pocket。　It　is　possible　that　I

may　have　to　ask　your　company　and　assistance　upon　a　small　expedition

which　will　have　be　undertaken　to…night；　if　my　chain　of　reasoning

should　prove　to　be　correct。　Until　then　good…bye　and　good　luck！〃

　　Sherlock　Holmes　and　I　walked　together　to　the　High　Street；　where　we

stopped　at　the　shop　of　Harding　Brothers；　whence　the　bust　had　been

purchased。　A　young　assistant　informed　us　that　Mr。　Harding　would　be

absent　until　afternoon；　and　that　he　was　himself　a　newcomer；　who

could　give　us　no　information。　Holmes's　face　showed　his

disappointment　and　annoyance。

　　〃Well；　well；　we　can't　expect　to　have　it　all　our　own　way；　Watson；〃　he

said；　at　last。　〃We　must　come　back　in　the　afternoon；　if　Mr。　Harding

will　not　be　here　until　then。　I　am；　as　you　have　no　doubt　surmised；

endeavouring　to　trace　these　busts　to　their　source；　in　order　to　find　if

there　is　not　something　peculiar　which　may　account　for　their　remarkable

fate。　Let　us　make　for　Mr。　Morse　Hudson；　of　the　Kennington　Road；　and

see　if　he　can　throw　any　light　upon　the　problem。〃

　　A　drive　of　an　hour　brought　us　to　the　picture…dealer's　establishment。

He　was　a　small；　stout　man　with　a　red　face　and　a　peppery　manner。

　　〃Yes；　sir。　On　my　very　counter；　sir；〃　said　he。　〃What　we　pay　rates　and

taxes　for　I　don't　know；　when　any　ruffian　can　come　in　and　break　one's

goods。　Yes；　sir；　it　was　I　who　sold　Dr。　Barnicot　his　two　statues。

Disgraceful；　sir！　A　Nihilist　plot…　that's　what　I　make　it。　No　one　but

an　anarchist　would　go　about　breaking　statues。　Red　republicans…

that's　what　I　call　'em。　Who　did　I　get　the　statues　from？　I　don't　see

what　that　has　to　do　with　it。　Well；　if　you　really　want　to　know；　I　got

them　from　Gelder　&　Co。；　in　Church　Street；　Stepney。　They　are　a

well…known　house　in　the　trade；　and　have　been　this　twenty　years。　How

many　had　I？　Three…　two　and　one　are　three…　two　of　Dr。　Barnicot's；　and

one　smashed　in　broad　daylight　on　my　own　counter。　Do　I　know　that

photograph？　No；　I　don't。　Yes；　I　do；　though。　Why；　it's　Beppo。　He　was

a　kind　of　Italian　piece…work　man；　who　made　himself　useful　in　the　shop。

He　could　carve　a　bit；　and　gild　and　frame；　and　do　odd　jobs。　The

fellow　left　me　last　week；　and　I've　heard　nothing　of　him　since。　No；　I

don't　know　where　he　came　from　nor　where　he　went　to。　I　had　nothing

against　him　while　he　was　here。　He　was　gone　two　days　before　the　bust

was　smashed。〃

　　〃Well；　that's　all　we　could　reasonably　expect　from　Morse　Hudson；〃

said　Holmes；　as　we　emerged　from　the　shop。　We　have　this　Beppo　as　a

common　factor；　both　in　Kennington　and　in　Kensington；　so　that　is

worth　a　ten…mile　drive。　Now；　Watson；　let　us　make　for　Gelder　&　Co。；

of　Stepney；　the　source　and　origin　of　the　busts。　I　shall　be　surprised

if　we　don't　get　some　help　down　there。〃

　　In　rapid　succession　we　passed　through　the　fringe　of　fashionable

London；　hotel　London；　theatrical　London；　literary　London；　commercial

London；　and；　finally；　maritime　London；　till　we　came　to　a　riverside

city　of　a　hundred　thousand　souls；　where　the　tenement　houses　swelter

and　reek　with　the　outcasts　of　Europe。　Here；　in　a　broad　thorough

fare；　once　the　abode　of　wealthy　City　merchants；　we　found　the　sculpture

works　for　which　we　searched。　Outside　was　a　considerable　yard　full　of

monumental　masonry。　Inside　was　a　large　room　in　which　fifty　workers

were　carving　or　moulding。　The　manager；　a　big　blond　German；　received　us

civilly　and　gave　a　clear　answer　to　all　Holmes's　questions。　A　reference

to　his　books　showed　that　hundreds　of　casts　had　been　taken　from　a

marble　copy　of　Devine's　head　of　Napoleon；　but　that　the　three　w