第20章 波思克姆比溪谷秘案6（第3页）
Themaeredwasastrangeandimpressivefigure。Hisslow，limpingstepandbowedshavetheappearaude，ahishard，deep-lined，craggyfeatures，andhisenormouslimbsshowedthatheossessedofunusualstrengthofbodyandofcharacter。Histangledbeard，grizzledhair，andoutstanding，droopingeyebrowsbiogiveanairofdignityaohisappearahisfacewasofae，whilehislipsandtheersofhisnostrilsweretihashadeofblue。Itwaseataglahewasinthegripofsomedeadlyandicdisease。
"Praysitdownonthesofa，"saidHolmesgently。"Youhadmy;
"Yes，thelodge-keeperbroughtitup。Yousaidthatyouwishedtoseemeheretoavoidsdal。"
"IthoughtpeoplewouldtalkifIwenttotheHall。"
"Andwhydidyouwishtoseeme?"Helookedaypanionwithdespairinhiswearyeyes，asthoughhisquestionwasalreadyanswered。
"Yes，"saidHolmes，ahelookratherthanthewords。"Itisso。IknowallaboutMcCarthy。"
Theoldmansankhisfahishands。"Godhelpme!"hecried。"ButIwouldheyoungmaiveyoumywordthatIokenoutifitwentagainsthimattheAssizes。"
"Iamgladtohearyousayso，"saidHolmesgravely。
"Iokennowhaditnotbeenfirl。Itwouldbreakherheart。。。itwillbreakherheartwheIamarrested。"
"Itmay，"saidHolmes。
"What?"
"Iamnooffit。Iuhatitwasyhterwhorequiredmypresencehere，andIamaheris。YoungMcCarthymustbegotoff，however。"
"Iamadyingman，"saidoldTur;Ihavehaddiabetesforyears。MydoctorsaysitisaquestioherIshallliveamoIwouldratherdieundermyownroofthaninagaol。"
Holmesroseandsatdowablewithhispeninhishandandabundleofpaperbeforehim。"Justtellusthetruth，"hesaid。"Ishalljotdows。Youwillsignit，andWatsohenIcouldproduceyouratthelastextremitytosaveyoungMcCarthy。IpromiseyouthatIshalluisabsolutely;
"It'saswell，"saidtheoldman，"it'saquestioherIshalllivetotheAssizes，soitmatterslittletome，butIshouldwishtospareAlicetheshoowIwillmakethethioyou;ithasbeenaloheag，butwillnottakemelongtotell。
"Youdidn'tknowthisdeadman，McCarthy。Hewasadeviliellyouthat。Godkeepyououtoftheclutchesofsuashe。Hisgriphasbeewentyyears，andhehasblastedmylife。I'lltellyoufirsthowIcametobeinhispower。
"Itwasintheearly60'satthediggings。Iwasayoung，hot-bloodedandreckless，readytoturnmyhandatanything;Igotamongbadpanions，tooktodrink，hadnoluckwithmyclaim，tooktothebush，andinawordbecamewhatyouwouldcallhwayrobber。Thereweresixofus，andwehadawild，freelifeofit，stigupastationfromtimetthewagoothediggings。BlackJackofBallaratwastheunder，andourpartyisstillrememberedintheyastheBallaratGang。
"OnedayagoldedownfromBallarattoMelbourne，andwelayinwaitforitahereweresixtroopersandsixofus，soitwasag，butweemptiedfouroftheirsaddlesatthefirstvolley。Threeofourboyswerekilled，however，befotthesutmypistoltotheheadofthewagon-driver，whowasthisverymanMcCarthy。IwishtotheLordthatIhadshothimthen，butIsparedhim，thoughIsawhiswickedlittleeyesfixedohoughtoremembereveryfeature。iththegold，becamewealthymen，andmadeourwaylandwithoutbeihereIpartedfrommyoldpalsaosettledowntoaquietaablelife。Iboughtthisestate，whicedtobei，amyselftodoalittlegoodwithmymoomakeupforthewayinwhichIhadear。Imarried，too，andthoughmywifediedyoumemydearlittleAliwheababyherweehaoleadmedhtpathasnothingelsehadeverdone。Inaword，Iturnedoveranewleafanddidmybesttomakeupforthepast。AllwasgoingwellwhenMcCarthylaidhisgripuponme。
"Ihadgoownabouta，ahimiwithhardlyacoattohisbackoraboottohisfoot。
"'Hereweare，Jack，'sayshe，tou;'we'llbeasgoodasafamilytoyou。There'stwoofus，meandmyson，andyouhavethekeepingofus。Ifyoudon't。。。it'safine，law-abidingtryisEngland，andthere'saloliwithinhail。'
"Well，dowothewesttry，therewasnoshakingthemoff，aheyhavelivedrentfreeolandeversiherewasforme，nopeaetfulurnwhereIwould，therewashisg，grimyelboorseasAlicegrewup，forhesoonsawIwasmoreafraidmypastthanofthepolice。Whateverhewahave，awasIgavehimwithoutquestion，land，moilatlastheaskedathingwhichIotgive。HeaskedforAlice。
"Hisson，yousee，hadgrownup，andsohadmygirl，andasIwasknowntobeiseemedafihathisladshouldstepintothewholeproperty。ButthereIwasfirm。IwouldnothavehisixedwithmiIhadahelad，buthisbloodwasinhim，andthatwasenough。Istoodfirm。McCarthythreatened。Ibravedhimtodohiseretomeetatthepoolmidwaybetweenourhousestotalkitover。
"nthereIfoundhimtalkingwithhisson，soIsmokedadwaitedbehiilheshouldbealoasIlisteohistalkallthatwasbladbitterioost。Hewasurginghisshterwithaslittleregardforwhatshemightthinkasifshewereaslutfromoffthestreets。ItdrovememadtothinkthatIandallthatIheldmostdearshouldbeinthepowerofsuasthis。otsnapthebond?Iwasalreadyadyingaeman。Thoughindandfairlystrongoflimb，Ikmyownfatewassealed。Butmymemoryandmygirl!BothcouldbesavedifIcouldbutsilefoulto，MrHolmes。Iwoulddoitagain。DeeplyasIhavesinned，Ihaveledalifeofmartyrdomtoato。ButthatmygirlshouldbeehesamemesheswhichheldmewasmorethanIcouldsuffer。Istruckhimdownwithionthanifhehadbeensomefoulandve。Hiscrybroughtba;butIhadgaihecoverofthewood，thoughIwasfobacktofetchthecloakedinmyflight。Thatisthetruestentlemen，ofallthatoccurred。"
"Well，itisojudgeyou，"saidHolmesastheoldmaatementwhichhadbeendrawnout。"Ipraythatwemayosuchatemptation。"
"Ipraynot，sir。Andwhatdoyouiodo?"
"Inviewofyourhealth，nothing。YouareyourselfawarethatyouwillsoooanswerforyourdeedatahighertheAssizes。Iwillkeepyour，andifMcCarthyisnedIshallbeforcedtouseit。Ifnot，itshallneverbeseenbymortaleye;a，whetheryoubealiveordead，shallbesafewithus。"
"Farewell，then，"saidtheoldmansolemnly。"Yourowhbeds，whentheye，willbetheeasierforthethoughtofthepeacewhichyouhavegiveandshakinginallhisgiaumbledslowlyfromtheroom。
"Godhelpus!"saidHolmesafteralo;Whydoesfateplaysuchtrickswithpoor，helplessworms?IneverhearofsuchacaseasthisthatIdonotthinkofBaxter'swords，andsay，'There，butfod，goesSherloes。'"
&hywasacquittedattheAssizesthofanumberofobjeswhichhadbeendrawnoutbyHolmesandsubmittedtothedefendiurnerlivedforsevenmoerview，butheishereiseveryprospectthatthesonanddaughtermayetolivehappilytheblackcloudwhichrestsupo。