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！
of him again this morning； slinking about in the shrubbery。 I would
sooner have a savage wild animal loose about the place。 I loathe and
fear him more than I can say。 How can Mr。 Carruthers endure such a
creature for a moment？ However； all my troubles will be over on
Saturday。
〃So I trust； Watson； so I trust〃 said Holmes； gravely。 〃There is
some deep intrigue going on round that little woman； and it is our
duty to see that no one molests her upon that last journey。 I think；
Watson； that we must spare time to run down together on Saturday
morning and make sure that this curious and inclusive investigation
has no untoward ending。〃
I confess that I had not up to now taken a very serious view of
the case； which had seemed to me rather grotesque and bizarre than
dangerous。 That a man should lie in wait for and follow a very
handsome woman is no unheard…of thing； and if he has so little
audacity that he not only dared not address her； but even fled from
her approach； he was not a very formidable assailant。 The ruffian
Woodley was a very different person； but； except on one occasion； he
had not molested our client； and now he visited the house of
Carruthers without intruding upon her presence。 The man on the bicycle
was doubtless a member of those week…end parties at the Hall of
which the publican had spoken； but who he was； or what he wanted；
was as obscure as ever。 It was the severity of Holmes's manner and the
fact that he slipped a revolver into his pocket before leaving our
rooms which impressed me with the feeling that tragedy might prove
to lurk behind this curious train of events。
A rainy night had been followed by a glorious morning； and the
heath…covered countryside； with the glowing clumps of flowering gorse；
seemed all the more beautiful to eyes which were weary of the duns and
drabs and slate grays of London。 Holmes and I walked along the
broad； sandy road inhaling the fresh morning air and rejoicing in
the music of the birds and the fresh breath of the spring。 From a rise
of the road on the shoulder of Crooksbury Hill； we could see the
grim Hall bristling out from amidst the ancient oaks； which； old as
they were； were still younger than the building which they surrounded。
Holmes pointed down the long tract of road which wound； a reddish
yellow band； between the brown of the heath and the budding green of
the woods。 Far away； a black dot； we could see a vehicle moving in our
direction。 Holmes gave an exclamation of impatience。
〃I have given a margin of half an hour；〃 said he。 〃If that is her
trap； she must be making for the earlier train。 I fear； Watson； that
she will be past Charlington before we can possibly meet her。〃
From the instant that we passed the rise； we could no longer see the
vehicle； but we hastened onward at such a pace that my sedentary
life began to tell upon me； and I was compelled to fall behind。
Holmes； however； was always in training； for he had inexhaustible
stores of nervous energy upon which to draw。 His springy step never
slowed until suddenly； when he was a hundred yards in front of me；
he halted； and I saw him throw up his hand with a gesture of grief and
despair。 At the same instant an empty dog…cart； the horse cantering；
the reins trailing； appeared round the curve of the road and rattled
swiftly towards us。
〃Too late； Watson； too late！〃 cried Holmes； as I ran panting to
his side。 〃Fool that I was not to allow for that earlier train！ It's
abduction； Watson… abduction！ Murder！ Heaven knows what！ Block the
road！ Stop the horse！ That's right。 Now； jump in； and let us see if
I can repair the consequences of my own blunder。〃
We had sprung into the dog…cart； and Holmes； after turning the
horse； gave it a sharp cut with the whip； and we flew back along the
road。 As we turned the curve； the whole stretch of road between the
Hall and the heath was opened up。 I grasped Holmes's arm。
〃That's the man！〃 I gasped。
A solitary cyclist was coming towards us。 His head was down and his
shoulders rounded； as he put every ounce of energy that he possessed
on to the pedals。 He was flying like a racer。 Suddenly he raised his
bearded face； saw us close to him； and pulled up； springing from his
machine。 That coal…black beard was in singular contrast to eyes were
as bright as if he had a fever。 He stared at us and at the dog…cart。
Then a look of amazement came over his face。
〃Halloa！ Stop there！〃 he shouted； holding his bicycle to block our
road。 〃Where did you get that dog…cart？ Pull up； man！〃 he yelled；
drawing a pistol from his side 〃Pull up； I say； or； by George； I'll
put a bullet into your horse。〃
Holmes threw the reins into my lap and sprang down from the cart。
〃You're the man we want to see。 Where is Miss Violet Smith？〃 he
said； in his quick； clear way。
〃That's what I'm asking you。 You're in her dog…cart。 You ought to
know where she is。〃
〃We met the dog…cart on the road。 There was no one in it。 We drove
back to help the young lady。〃
〃Good Lord！ Good Lord！ What shall I do？〃 cried the stranger； in an
ecstasy of despair。 〃They've got her； that hell…hound Woodley and
the blackguard parson。 Come； man； come； if you really are her
friend。 Stand by me and we'll save her； if I have to leave my
carcass in Charlington Wood。〃
He ran distractedly； his pistol in his hand； towards a gap in the
hedge。 Holmes followed him； and I； leaving the horse grazing beside
the road； followed Holmes。
〃This is where they came through；〃 said he； pointing to the marks of
several feet upon the muddy path。 〃Halloa！ Stop a minute！ Who's this
in the bush？〃
It was a young fellow about seventeen； dressed like an ostler；
with leather cords and gaiters。 He lay upon his back； his knees
drawn up； a terrible cut upon his head。 He was insensible； but
alive。 A glance at his wound told me that it had not penetrated the
bone。
〃That's Peter； the groom；〃 cried the stranger。 〃He drove her。 The
beasts have pulled him off and clubbed him。 Let him lie； we can't do
him any good； but we may save her from the worst fate that can
befall a woman。〃
We ran frantically down the path； which wound among the trees。 We
had reached the shrubbery which surrounded the house when Holmes
pulled up。
〃They didn't go to the house。 Here are their marks on the left…
here； beside the laurel bushes。 Ah！ I said so。〃
As he spoke； a woman's shrill scream… a scream which vibrated with a
frenzy of horror… burst from the thick； green clump of bushes in front
of us。 It ended suddenly on its highest note with a choke and a
gurgle。
〃This way！ This way！ They are in the bowling…alley；〃 cried the
stranger； darting through the bushes。 〃Ah； the cowardly dogs！ Follow
me； gentlemen！ Too late！ too late！ by the living Jingo！〃
We had broken suddenly into a lovely glade of greensward
surrounded by ancient trees。 On the farther side of it； under the
shadow of a mighty oak； there stood a singular group of three
people。 One was a woman； our client； drooping and faint； a
handkerchief round her mouth。 Opposite her stood a brutal；
heavy…faced； redmoustached young man； his gaitered legs parted wide；
one arm akimbo； the other waving a riding crop； his whole attitude
suggestive of triumphant bravado。 Between them an elderly；
gray…bearded man； wearing a short surplice over a light tweed suit；
had evidently just completed the wedding service； for he pocketed
his prayer…book as we appeared； and slapped the sinister bridegroom
upon the back in jovial congratulation。
〃They're married？〃 I gasped。
〃Come on！〃 cried our guide； 〃come on！〃 He rushed across the glade；
Holmes and I at his heels。 As we approached； the lady staggered
against the trunk of the tree for support。 Williamson； the
ex…clergyman； bowed to us with mock politeness； and the bully；
Woodley； advanced with a shout of brutal and exultant laughter。
〃You can take your beard off； Bob；〃 said he。 〃I know you； right
enough。 Well； you and your pals have just come in time for me to be
able to introduce you to Mrs。 Woodley。〃
Our guide's answer was a singular o