第20章 波思克姆比溪谷秘案6（第1页）

第20章波思克姆比溪谷秘案（6）

TheBosbePool，whichisalittlereed-girtsheetofwatersomefiftyyardsacross，issituatedatthebouheHatherleyFarmaeparkofthewealthyMrTurhewoodswhieditupohersidewecouldseethered，juttingpinnacleswhichmarkedthesiteoftherier'sdwelliherleysideofthepoolthewoodsgrewverythidtherewasaofsoddengrasstwentypacesacrossbetweereesandthereedswhiedthelake。Lestradeshowedustheexactspotatwhichthebodyhadbeenfound，and，indeed，somoistwastheground，thatIcouldplairaceswhichhadbeehefallofthestri。ToHolmes，asIcouldseebyhiseagerfadpeeringeyes，verymahiobereaduprass。Heranround，likeadogwhoispigupasdthenturneduponmypanion。

"Whatdidyougointothepoolfor?"heasked。

"Ifishedaboutwitharake。Ithhtbesomeorace。Buthowoh。。。"

"Oh，tut，tut!Ihaveleftfootofyourswithitsinwardtwistisallovertheplace。Amolecouldtradthereitvahereeds。Oh，howsimpleitwouldallhavebeenhadIbeeheycamelikeaherdofbuffaloandwallowedalloverit。Hereiswherethepartywiththelodge-keeperdtheyhavecoveredalltracksfhtfeetrouherearethreeseparatetraefeet。"Hedrewoutalensandlaydownupoohaveabetterview，talkihertohimselfthantous。"TheseareyoungMcCarthy'sfeet。Talking，andonswiftly，sothatthesolesaredeeplymarkedandtheheelshardlyvisible。Thatbearsouthisstory。Heranwhenhesawhisfatheroheher'sfeetashepaddown。Whatisthis，then?Itisthebutt-ehesonstoodlistening。Andthis?Ha，ha!Whathavewehere?Tiptoes!tiptoes!Square，too，quiteunusualboots!Theye，theygo，theyeagain。。。ofcoursethatwasfortheowwheredidthey?"

Heranupanddowimeslosiimesfiratilithihewoodaheshadowofagreatbeech，thelargesttreeintheneighbourhood。Holmestracedhiswaytothefarthersideofthisandlaydownoncemoreupohalittlecryofsatisfa。Ftimeheremaiurheleavesaicks，gatheringupwhatseemedtometobedustintoanenvelopeandexaminingwithhislensnotonlythegrouhebarkofthetreeasfarashecouldreach。Ajaggedstonewaslyingamongthemoss，andthisalsohecarefullyexamihenhefolloathwaythroughthewooduothehighroad，wherealltraceswerelost。

"Ithasbeenacaseofsiderablei;heremarked，returningtohisnaturalma;Ifancythatthisgreyhousehtmustbethelodge。IthinkthatIwillgoinandhaveaworderhapswritealittlenote。Havi，wemaydrivebacktoourlunaywalktothedIshallbewithyoupresently。"

Itwasabouttenminutesbefainedourddrovebaesstillgwithhimthestonewhichhehadpithewood。

"Thismayiyou，Lestrade，"heremarked，holdingitout。"Themurderwasdo。"

"Iseenomarks。"

"Thereare;

"Howdoyouk;

&qurowihadonlylainthereafewdays。Therewasnosignofaplaceithadbeedswiththeihereisnosignofanyotheron。"

"Andthemurderer?"

"Isatallma-handed，limpswiththerightleg，wearsthick-soledshooting-bootsandagreyokesIndiancigars，usesacigar-holder，apen-knifeinhispocket。Thereareseveralotherindis，butthesemaybeenoughtoaidusinoursearch。"

&radelaughed。"IamafraidthatIamstillasceptic，"hesaid。"Theoriesareallverywell，butwehavetodealwithahard-headedBritishjury。"

"Nousverrons，"answeredHolmescalmly。"Youworkyourowhod，andIshallworkmine。Ishallbebusythisafternoon，andshallprobablyreturntoLondorain。"

"Andleaveyourished?"

"No，fi;

"Butthemystery?"

"Itissolved。"

"Whowastheal，then?"

"ThegentlemanIdescribe。"

"Butwhoishe?"

"Surelyitwouldnotbedifficulttofindout。Thisisnotsuchapopulousneighbourhood。"

&radeshruggedhisshoulders。"Iamapra，"hesaid，"andIreallydertaketogoaboutthetrylookingforaleft-halemanwithagameleg。Ishouldbeethelaughing-stockofSdYard。"

&quht，"saidHolmesquietly。"Ihavegivenyouthece。Hereareys。Good-bye。IshalldropyoualinebeforeIleave。"

Havihisrooms，wedrovetoourhotel，wherewefoundlunthetable。Holmeswassilentahoughtressionuponhisfaewhofindshimselfinaperplexingposition。