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！
hands； lost in deep thought。
〃It's very black against her。 I can't deny that。 And women lead an
inward life and may do things beyond the judgment of a man。 At first I
was so rattled and taken aback that I was ready to think she had
been led away in some extraordinary fashion that was clean against her
usual nature。 One explanation came into my head。 I give it to you； Mr。
Holmes； for what it is worth。 There is no doubt that my wife was
bitterly jealous。 There is a soul…jealousy that can be as frantic as
any body…jealousy； and though my wife had no cause… and I think she
understood this… for the latter； she was aware that this English
girl exerted an influence upon my mind and my acts that she herself
never had。 It was an influence for good； but that did not mend the
matter。 She was crazy with hatred； and the beat of the Amazon was
always in her blood。 She might have planned to murder Miss Dunbar…
or we will say to threaten her with a gun and so frighten her into
leaving us。 Then there might have been a scuffle and the gun gone
off and shot the woman who held it。〃
〃That possibility had already occurred to me；〃 said Holmes。 〃Indeed；
it is the only obvious alternative to deliberate intruder。〃
〃But she utterly denies it。〃
〃Well； that is not final… is it？ One can understand that a woman
placed in so awful a position might hurry home still in her
bewilderment holding the revolver。 She might even throw it down
among her clothes； hardly knowing what she was doing； and when it
was found she might try to lie her way out by a total denial； since
all explanation was impossible。 What is against such a supposition？〃
〃Miss Dunbar herself。〃
〃Well； perhaps。〃
Holmes looked at his watch。 〃I have no doubt we can get the
necessary permits this morning and reach Winchester by the evening
train。 When I have seen this young lady it is very possible that I may
be of more use to you in the matter； though I cannot promise that my
conclusions will necessarily be such as you desire。〃
There was some delay in the official pass； and instead of reaching
Winchester that day we went down to Thor Place； the Hampshire estate
of Mr。 Neil Gibson。 He did not accompany us himself； but we had the
address of Sergeant Coventry； of the local police； who had first
examined into the affair。 He was a tall； thin； cadaverous man； with
a secretive and mysterious manner which conveyed the idea that he knew
or suspected a very great deal more than he dared say。 He had a trick；
too； of suddenly sinking his voice to a whisper as if he had come upon
something of vital importance； though the information was usually
commonplace enough。 Behind these tricks of manner he soon showed
himself to be a decent； honest fellow who was not too proud to admit
that he was out of his depth and would welcome any help。
〃Anyhow； I'd rather have you than Scotland Yard； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said
he。 〃If the Yard gets called into a case； then the local loses all
credit for success and may be blamed for failure。 Now； you play
straight； so I've heard。〃
〃I need not appear in the matter at all；〃 said Holmes to the evident
relief of our melancholy acquaintance。 〃If I can clear it up I don't
ask to have my name mentioned。〃
〃Well； it's very handsome of you； I am sure。 And your friend； Dr。
Watson； can he trusted； I know。 Now； Mr。 Holmes； as we walk down to
the place there is one question I should like to ask you。 I'd
breathe it to no soul but you。〃 He looked round as thorough he
hardly dare utter the words。 〃Don't you think there might be a case
against Mr。 Neil Gibson himself？〃
〃I have been considering that。〃
〃You've not seen Miss Dunbar。 She is a wonderful fine woman in every
way。 He may well have wished his wife out of the road。 And these
Americans are readier with pistols than our folk are。 It was his
pistol； you know。〃
〃Was that clearly made out？〃
〃Yes； sir。 It was one of a pair that he had。〃
〃One of a pair？ Where is the other？〃
〃Well； the gentleman has a lot of firearms of one sort and
another。 We never quite matched that particular pistol… but the box
was made for two。〃
〃If it was one of a pair you should surely be able to match it。〃
〃Well； we have them all laid out at the house if you would care to
look them over。〃
〃Later； perhaps。 I think we will walk down together and have a
look at the scene of the tragedy。〃
This conversation had taken place in the little front room of
Sergeant Coventry's horrible cottage which served as the local
police…station。 A walk of half a mile or so across a wind…swept heath；
all gold and bronze with the fading ferns； brought us to a side…gate
opening into the grounds of the Thor Place estate。 A path led us
through the pheasant preserves； and then from a clearing we saw the
widespread； half…timbered house； half Tudor and half Georgian； upon
the crest of the hill。 Beside us there was a long； reedy pool；
constricted in the centre where the main carriage drive passed over
a stone bridge； but swelling into small lakes on either side。 Our
guide paused at the mouth of this bridge； and he pointed to the
ground。
〃That was where Mrs。 Gibson's body lay。 I marked it by that stone。〃
〃I understand that you were there before it was moved？〃
〃Yes； they sent for me at once。〃
〃Who did？〃
〃Mr。 Gibson himself。 The moment the alarm was given and he had
rushed down with others from the house； he insisted that nothing
should be moved until the police should arrive。〃
〃That was sensible。 I gathered from the newspaper report that the
shot was fired from close quarters。〃
〃Yes； sir； very close。〃
〃Near the right temple？〃
〃Just Behind it； sir。〃
〃How did the body lie？〃
〃On the back； sir。 No trace of a struggle。 No marks。 No weapon。
The short note from Miss Dunbar was clutched in her left hand。〃
〃Clutched； you say？〃
〃Yes； sir； we could hardly open the fingers。〃
〃That is of great importance。 It excludes the idea that anyone could
have placed the note there after death in order to furnish a false
clue。 Dear me！ The note； as I remember； was quite short：
〃I will be at Thor Bridge at nine o'clock。
〃G。 DUNBAR。
Was that not so？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Did Miss Dunbar admit writing it？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃What was her explanation？〃
〃Her defence was reserved for the Assizes。 She would say nothing。〃
〃The problem is certainly a very interesting one。 The point of the
letter is very obscure； is it not？〃
〃Well； sir；〃 said the guide； 〃it seemed； if I may be so bold as to
say so； the only really clear point in the whole case。〃
Holmes shook his head。
〃Granting that the letter is genuine and was really written； it
was certainly received some time before… say one hour or two。 Why；
then； was this lady still clasping it in her left hand？ Why should she
carry it so carefully？ She did not need to refer to it in the
interview。 Does it not seem remarkable？〃
〃Well； sir； as you put it； perhaps it does。〃
〃I think I should like to sit quietly for a few minutes and think it
out。〃 He seated himself upon the stone ledge of the bridge； and I
could see his quick gray eyes darting their questioning glances in
every direction。 Suddenly he sprang up again and ran across to the
opposite parapet； whipped his lens from his pocket； and began to
examine the stonework。
〃This is curious；〃 said he。
〃Yes； sir； we saw the chip on the ledge。 I expect it's been done
by some passer…by。〃
The stonework was gray； But at this one point it showed white for
a space not larger than a sixpence。 When examined closely one could
see that the surface was chipped as by a sharp blow。
It took some violence to do that；〃 said Holmes thoughtfully。 With
his cane he struck the ledge several times without leaving a mark。
〃Yes； it was a hard knock。 In a curious place； too。 It was not from
above but from below； for you see that it is on the lower edge of
the parapet。〃
〃But it is at least fifteen feet from the body。〃
〃Yes； it is fifteen feet from the body。 It may have nothing to do
w