福尔摩斯探案集第5季 福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第4章Part7

福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第4章Part7  

"Have you seen all you want of the study?" asked White Mason as we reentered the house.
"For the time
" said the inspector
and Holmes nodded.
"Then perhaps you would now like to hear the evidence of some of the people in the house. We could use the dining room
Ames. Please e yourself first and tell us what you know."
The butler's account was a simple and a clear one
and he gave a convincing impression of sincerity. He had been engaged five years before
when Douglas first came to Birlstone. He understood that Mr. Douglas was a rich gentleman who had made his money in America. He had been a kind and considerate employer--not quite what Ames was used to
perhaps; but one can't have everything. He never saw any signs of apprehension in Mr. Douglas: on the contrary
he was the most fearless man he had ever known. He ordered the drawbridge to be pulled up every night because it was the ancient custom of the old house
and he liked to keep the old ways up. Mr. Douglas seldom went to London or left the village; but on the day before the crime he had been shopping at Tunbridge Wells. He (Ames) had observed some restlessness and excitement on the part of Mr. Douglas that day; for he had seemed impatient and irritable
which was unusual with him. He had not gone to bed that night; but was in the pantry at the back of the house
putting away the silver
when he heard the bell ring violently. He heard no shot; but it was hardly possible he would
as the pantry and kitchens were at the very back of the house and there were several closed doors and a long passage beeen. The housekeeper had e out of her room
attracted by the violent ringing of the bell. They had gone to the front of the house together. As they reached the bottom of the stairs he had seen Mrs. Douglas ing down it. No
she was not hurrying; it did not seem to him that she was particularly agitated. Just as she reached the bottom of the stair Mr. Barker had rushed out of the study. He had stopped Mrs. Douglas and begged her to go back.
"For God's sake
go back to your room!" he cried. "Poor Jack is dead! You can do nothing. For God's sake
go back!"
After some persuasion upon the stairs Mrs. Douglas had gone back. She did not scream. She made no outcry whatever. Mrs. Allen
the housekeeper
had taken her upstairs and stayed with her in the bedroom. Ames and Mr. Barker had then returned to the study
where they had found everything exactly as the police had seen it. The candle was not lit at that time; but the lamp was burning. They had looked out of the window; but the night was very dark and nothing could be seen or heard. They had then rushed out into the hall
where Ames had turned the windlass which lowered the drawbridge. Mr. Barker had then hurried off to get the police.
Such
in its essentials
was the evidence of the butler.
The account of Mrs. Allen
the housekeeper
was
so far as it went
a corroboration of that of her fellow servant. The housekeeper's room was rather nearer to the front of the house than the pantry in which Ames had been working. She was preparing to go to bed when the loud ringing of the bell had attracted her attention. She was a little hard of hearing. Perhaps that was why she had not heard the shot; but in any case the study was a long way off. She remembered hearing some sound which she imagined to be the slamming of a door. That was a good deal earlier--half an hour at least before the ringing of the bell. When Mr. Ames ran to the front she went with him. She saw Mr. Barker
very pale and excited
e out of the study. He intercepted Mrs. Douglas
who was ing down the stairs. He entreated her to go back
and she answered him
but what she said could not be heard.
"Take her up! Stay with her!" he had said to Mrs. Allen.
She had therefore taken her to the bedroom
and endeavoured to soothe her. She was greatly excited
trembling all over
but made no other attempt to go downstairs. She just sat in her dressing gown by her bedroom fire
with her head sunk in her hands. Mrs. Allen stayed with her most of the night. As to the other servants
they had all gone to bed
and the alarm did not reach them until just before the police arrived. They slept at the extreme back of the house
and could not possibly have heard anything.
So far the housekeeper could add nothing on cross-examination save lamentations and expressions of amazement.
Cecil Barker succeeded Mrs. Allen as a witness. As to the occurrences of the night before
he had very little to add to what he had already told the police. Personally
he was convinced that the murderer had escaped by the window. The bloodstain was conclusive
in his opinion
on that point. Besides
as the bridge was up
there was no other possible way of escaping. He could not explain what had bee of the assassin or why he had not taken his bicycle
if it were indeed his. He could not possibly have been drowned in the moat
which was at no place more than three feet deep.
In his own mind he had a very definite theory about the murder. Douglas was a reticent man
and there were some chapters in his life of which he never spoke. He had emigrated to America when he was a very young man. He had prospered well
and Barker had first met him in California
where they had bee partners in a successful mining claim at a place called Benito Canon. They had done very well; but Douglas had suddenly sold out and started for England. He was a widower at that time. Barker had afterwards realized his money and e to live in London. Thus they had renewed their friendship. Douglas had given him the impression that some danger was hanging over his head
and he had always looked upon his sudden departure from California
and also his renting a house in so quiet a place in England
as being connected with this peril. He imagined that some secret society
some implacable anization
was on Douglas's track
which would never rest until it killed him. Some remarks of his had given him this idea; though he had never told him what the society was
nor how he had e to offend it. He could only suppose that the legend upon the placard had some reference to this secret society.
"How long were you with Douglas in California?" asked Inspector MacDonald.
"Five years altogether."
"He was a bachelor
you say?"
"A widower."
"Have you ever heard where his first wife came from?"
"No
I remember his saying that she was of German extraction
and I have seen her portrait. She was a very beautiful woman. She died of typhoid the year before I met him."
"You don't associate his past with any particular part of America?"
"I have heard him talk of Chicago. He knew that city well and had worked there. I have heard him talk of the coal and iron districts. He had travelled a good deal in his time."
"Was he a politician? Had this secret society to do with politics?"
"No
he cared nothing about politics."