福尔摩斯探案主要内容 福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第5章Part2

福尔摩斯探案经典:《恐怖谷》第5章Part2  

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."