按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
mind and fearless in carrying out her resolutions。 On the other
hand； I would not have given her the name which I have the honour to
bear〃…he gave a little stately cough…〃had not I thought her to be at
bottom a noble woman。 I believe that she is capable of heroic
self…sacrifice and that anything dishonourable would be repugnant to
her。〃
〃Have you her photograph？〃
〃I brought this with me。〃 He opened a locket and showed us the
full face of a very lovely woman。 It was not a photograph but an ivory
miniature； and the artist had brought out the full effect of the
lustrous black hair； the large dark eyes； and the exquisite mouth。
Holmes gazed long and earnestly at it。 Then he closed the locket and
handed it back to Lord St。 Simon。
〃The young lady came to London； then； and you renewed your
acquaintance？〃
〃Yes； her father brought her over for this last London season。 I met
her several times； became engaged to her； and have now married her。〃
〃She brought； I understand； a considerable dowry？〃
〃A fair dowry。 Not more than is usual in my family。〃
〃And this； of course； remains to you； since the marriage is a fait
accompli？〃
〃I really have made no inquiries on the subject。〃
〃Very naturally not。 Did you see Miss Doran on the day before the
wedding？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Was she in good spirits？〃
〃Never better。 She kept talking of what we should do in our future
lives。〃
〃Indeed That is very interesting。 And on the morning of the
wedding？〃
〃She was as bright as possible…at least until after the ceremony。〃
〃And did you observe any change in her then？〃
〃Well； to tell the truth； I saw then the first signs that I had ever
seen that her temper was just a little sharp。 The incident； however；
was too trivial to relate and can have no possible bearing upon the
case。〃
〃Pray let us have it； for all that。〃
〃Oh； it is childish。 She dropped her bouquet as we went towards
the vestry。 She was passing the front pew at the time； and it fell
over into the pew。 There was a moment's delay； but the gentleman in
the pew handed it up to her again； and it did not appear to be the
worse for the fall。 Yet when I spoke to her of the matter； she
answered me abruptly； and in the carriage； on our way home； she seemed
absurdly agitated over this trifling cause。〃
〃Indeed You say that there was a gentleman in the pew。 Some of the
general public were present； then？〃
〃Oh； yes。 It is impossible to exclude them when the church is open。〃
〃This gentleman was not one of your wife's friends？〃
〃No； no； I call him a gentleman by courtesy； but he was quite a
common looking person。 I hardly noticed his appearance。 But really I
think that we are wandering rather far from the point。〃
〃Lady St。 Simon； then； returned from the wedding in a less
cheerful frame of mind than she had gone to it。 What did she do on
reentering her father's house？〃
〃I saw her in conversation with her maid。〃
〃And who is her maid？〃
〃Alice is her name。 She is an American and came from California with
her。〃
〃A confidential servant？〃
〃A little too much so。 It seemed to me that her mistress allowed her
to take great liberties。 Still； of course； in America they look upon
these things in a different way。
〃How long did she speak to this Alice？〃
〃Oh； a few minutes。 I had something else to think of。〃
〃You did not overhear what they said？〃
〃Lady St。 Simon said something about 'jumping a claim。' She was
accustomed to use slang of the kind。 I have no idea what she meant。〃
〃American slang is very expressive sometimes。 And what did your wife
do when she finished speaking to her maid？〃
〃She walked into the breakfast…room。〃
〃On your arm？〃
〃No； alone。 She was very independent in little matters like that。
Then； after we had sat down for ten minutes or so； she rose hurriedly；
muttered some words of apology； and left the room。 She never came
back。〃
〃But this maid； Alice； as I understand； deposes that she went to her
room； covered her bride's dress with a long ulster； put on a bonnet；
and went out。〃
〃Quite so。 And she was afterwards seen walking into Hyde Park in
company with Flora Millar； a woman who is now in custody； and who
had already made a disturbance at Mr。 Doran's house that morning。〃
〃Ah； yes。 I should like a few particulars as to this young lady； and
your relations to her。〃
Lord St。 Simon shrugged his shoulders and raised his eyebrows。 〃We
have been on a friendly footing for some years…I may say on a very
friendly footing。 She used to be at the Allegro。 I have not treated
her ungenerously； and she had no just cause of complaint against me；
but you know what women are； Mr。 Holmes。 Flora was a dear little
thing； but exceedingly hot…headed and devotedly attached to me。 She
wrote me dreadful letters when she heard I was about to be married；
and； to tell the truth； the reason why I had the marriage celebrated
so quietly was that I feared lest there might be a scandal in the
church。 She came to Mr。 Doran's door just after we returned； and she
endeavoured to push her way in； uttering very abusive expressions my
wife； and even threatening her； but I had foreseen the possibility
of something of the sort； and I had two police fellows there in
private clothes； who soon pushed her out again。 She was quiet when she
saw that there was no good in making a row。〃
〃Did your wife hear all this？〃
〃No； thank goodness； she did not。〃
〃And she was seen walking with this very woman afterwards？〃
〃Yes。 That is what Mr。 Lestrade； of Scotland Yard； looks upon as
so serious。 It is thought that Flora decoyed my wife out and laid some
terrible trap for her。〃
〃Well； it is a possible supposition。〃
〃You think so； too？〃
〃I did not say a probable one。 But you do not yourself look upon
this as likely？〃
〃I do not think Flora would hurt a fly。〃
〃Still； jealousy is a strange transformer of characters。 Pray what
is your own theory as to what took place？〃
〃Well； really； I came to seek a theory； not to propound one。 I
have given you all the facts。 Since you ask me； however； I may say
that it has occurred to me as possible that the excitement of this
affair； the consciousness that she had made so immense a social
stride； had the effect of causing some little nervous disturbance in
my wife。〃
〃In short； that she had become suddenly deranged？〃
〃Well； really； when I consider that she has turned her back…I will
not say upon me； but upon so much that many have aspired to without
success…I can hardly explain it in any other fashion。〃
〃Well； certainly that is also a conceivable hypothesis；〃 said
Holmes； smiling。 〃And now； Lord St。 Simon； I think that I have
nearly all my data。 May I ask whether you were seated at the
breakfast…table so that you could see out of the window？〃
〃We could see the other side of the road and the Park。〃
〃Quite so。 Then I do not think that I need to detain you longer。 I
shall communicate with you。〃
〃Should you be fortunate enough to solve this problem；〃 said our
client； rising。
〃I have solved it。〃
〃Eh？ What was that？〃
〃I say that I have solved it。〃
〃Where； then； is my wife？〃
〃That is a detail which I shall speedily supply。〃
Lord St。 Simon shook his head。 〃I am afraid that it will take
wiser heads than yours or mine；〃 he remarked； and bowing in a stately；
old…fashioned manner he departed。
〃It is very good of Lord St。 Simon to honour my head by putting it
on a level with his own；〃 said Sherlock Holmes； laughing。 〃I think
that i shall have a whisky and soda and a cigar after all this
cross…questioning。 I had formed my conclusions as to the case before
our client came into the room。〃
〃My dear Holmes！〃
〃I have notes of several similar cases； though none； as I remarked
before； which were quite as prompt。 My whole examination served to
turn my conjecture into a certainty。 Circumstantial evidence is
occasionally very convincing； as when you find a trout in the milk； to
quote Thoreau's example。〃
〃But I have heard all that you have heard。〃
〃Without； however； t