|
三個大學生 The Adventure of the Three Students
一五年中有些互相關聯的事情，使福爾摩斯和我在我們著名的大學城住了幾周。我要記述的事正是在這時發生的。事情雖然不大，但是富有教育意義。為了使那種令人痛心的流言自行消滅，最好是不讓讀者分辨出事情發生在哪個學院，以及發生在誰的身上，因此我在敘述時竭力避免使用那些容易引僕人們聯想和猜測的詞句，衹是謹慎地追述一下事情本身，以便用它來說明我的朋友的一些傑出的氣質。
那個時候，我們住在一棟離圖書館很近帶傢具出租的寓所裏，因為福爾摩斯正在對英國早期憲章進行緊張的研究。他的研究是很有成效的，也許會成為我將來記述的題目。一天晚上，我們的熟人希爾頓·索姆茲先生來訪，他是聖路加學院的導師和講師。索姆茲先生身材較高，言語不多，但是容易緊張和激動。我知道他一嚮不夠安靜，此時他顯得格外激動，簡直無法控製自己，顯然，是發生了什麽不尋常的事情。
“福爾摩斯先生，我相信您會為我犧牲一兩個小時的寶貴時間。在聖路加學院剛剛發生了一件不幸的事情，要不是恰巧您在城內，我簡直不知道該怎麽辦。”
我的朋友答道：“我現在很忙，不希望有什麽事使我分心。您最好請去幫助您。”
“不，親愛的先生，這樣的事不能請，因為一旦交到官方，便不能撤回。這是涉及到學院名聲的事情，無論如何不能傳揚出去。您是那樣有能力，而且說話謹慎，所以衹有您能夠幫我的忙。福爾摩斯先生，我請求您盡力而為。”
自從離開貝剋街的愜意環境以來，我的朋友脾氣有些不太好。離開了他的報紙剪貼簿、化學藥品以及邋遢的住室，他便感到極不舒服。他無可奈何地聳了聳肩，我們的客人便急忙把事情傾吐出來，他談話的時候心情很激動。
“福爾摩斯先生，你知道明天是福茲求奬學金考試的第一天。我是主考人之一。我主考的科目是希臘文。試卷的第一題是一大段學生沒有讀過的希臘文，要求譯成英文。這一段已經印在試卷上，當然，要是學生事先準備了這段希臘文，會占很大的便宜。所以，我非常註意試卷的保密問題。
“今天下午三點鐘，印刷所送來了試卷的校樣。第一題是翻譯修昔的底斯著作中的一節。我仔細地校閱了清樣，因為①原文需要絶對正確。直到四點三十分，還沒有校對完。可是我答應一個朋友去他的屋裏吃茶，所以我把清樣放在桌子上，就離開了屋子，連來帶去前後衹用了半小時多一點。
------------------------------------------------
①修昔的底斯（公元前４６０年—４００年？），希臘歷史學家。——譯者註
“福爾摩斯先生，你知道我們學院的屋門都是雙重的，裏面的門覆蓋着緑色臺面呢，外面的門是橡木的。當我走近外面的屋門，很吃驚地看見屋門上有把鑰匙。一時間，我以為是我自己把鑰匙忘在門上了，但是再一摸口袋，我纔發現鑰匙在裏面。我清楚地知道，另一把鑰匙是在我的僕人班尼斯特手中。他給我收拾房間已經有十年了，是絶對誠實可靠的。鑰匙確實是他的，我推想，他一定進過我的屋子，來看我是否要喝茶，出去時，也許不小心把鑰匙忘在門上了。他來的時候，我剛剛出去幾分鐘。如果不是今天的情況，他忘記鑰匙是沒有一點關係的，但是今天卻産生了無法估量的後果。
“我一看到我的桌子，立即知道有人翻了我的試卷。清樣印在三張長條紙上。原來我是放在一起的。現在呢，一張在地板上，一張在靠近窗戶的桌子上，還有一張仍在原處。”
福爾摩斯開始感興趣了，他說：“在地板上的是第一張，在窗戶旁的桌子上的是第二張，仍在原處的是第三張。”
“福爾摩斯先生，你使我吃驚，你怎麽會知道得這樣清楚呢？”
“請繼續敘述你的有趣的事情。”
“開始的時候，我想是班尼斯特幹的，這種行為實在不可饒恕。然而他十分誠懇地否認了，我相信他講的是實話。另一個解釋衹能是這樣：有人走過看見鑰匙在門上，知道我不在屋裏，便進來看考卷。這個奬學金的金額是很高的，涉及到大筆的錢財，所以一個厚顔無恥的人或許願意冒險偷看試卷好去勝過他的同伴。
“這件事使得班尼斯特非常不安。當我們發現試卷準是被人翻過的時候，他幾乎昏了過去。我給他一點白蘭地喝，然後讓他坐在一把椅子上，他象癱了似地坐着，這時我檢查了整個房間。除了弄皺的試卷外，我很快地找到這位闖入者留下的其它痕跡。靠窗戶的桌子上有削鉛筆剩下的碎木屑，還有一塊鉛筆心的碎頭兒。顯然，這個騙子匆匆忙忙地抄試題，把鉛筆尖弄斷了，不得不重削。”
這個案件漸漸吸引了福爾摩斯，他的脾氣也就隨着好了起來。他說：“講得好極了！你是吉星高照，大有破案的希望。”
“還有一些痕跡。我有一個新寫字檯，桌面是漂亮的紅色皮革。我和班尼斯特可以發誓，桌面非常光滑，沒有一點污點。現在我發現桌面上有明顯的刀痕，大約三英寸長，不是東西擦過的痕跡，而是確實的刀痕。還有，我在桌子上看到一個小的黑色泥球，也許是面球，球面上有些斑點，象是鋸末。我肯定這些痕跡是那個弄皺試題的人所留下來的。沒有足跡或是其他證據可以辨認這個人。我正着急沒有辦法的時候，忽然想起您在城裏，就直奔您來，嚮您求教。福爾摩斯先生，請您一定幫我的忙。現在您明白了我所處的睏境：或者找出這個人來，或者推遲考試，等到印出新的試題。不能不作任何解釋就更換試題，可是，這樣一來便會引起討厭的謠言。這不僅會損害本學院的名聲，而且也會影響到領導本院的大學的名聲。最要緊的是，我希望能默默地、謹慎地解决這個問題。”
“我很高興處理這件事，而且願意盡力提供一些意見。"福爾摩斯站了起來穿上他的大衣。"這個案子還是很有意思的。你收到試卷以後有人去過你的屋子嗎？”
“有，道拉特·芮斯，一個印度學生。他和我住在同一棟樓，來問考試的方式。”
“他到你的屋裏就是為這事嗎？”
“是的。”
“那時試卷在你的桌子上嗎？”
“是的，不過我記得是捲起來的。”
“可以看出來那是清樣嗎？”
“有可能。”
“你的屋子裏沒有別人？”
“沒有。”
“有人知道清樣要送到你那兒嗎？”
“衹有那個印刷工人知道。”
“班尼斯特知道嗎？”
“他肯定不知道。誰也不知道。”
“班尼斯特現在在哪兒？”
“他身體不舒服，坐在椅子上，好象癱了似的。我立即匆忙地來找你。”
“你的屋門還開着嗎？”
“我已把試卷鎖了起來。”
“索姆茲先生，那麽可以這樣說：翻弄試題的人是偶然碰上的，事先並不知道試卷在你的桌子上。”
“我看是這樣的。”
福爾摩斯微笑了一下，可是這個微笑令人費解。
他說：“好，我們去看看。華生，這不屬於你的職業範圍，不是生理的問題，而是屬於心理方面的。不過，要是你願意去，就去吧。索姆茲先生，現在請你吩咐！”
我們當事人的起居室正對着這座古老學院的庭園，庭園的地上長滿苔蘚。起居室的窗戶又大又低，上面還有花窗欞。一扇峨特式的拱門後面有石梯，石梯已經年久失修了。這位導師的房間在第一層。另外三個大學生，分別各住一層樓。我們到達現場的時候，已經是傍晚了。福爾摩斯停住腳步，註視了一下起居室的窗戶。然後，他走近這扇窗戶，用腳尖站起來，伸着脖子往屋裏探望。
我們有學問的當事人說：“他一定是從大門進去的。除了這扇玻璃窗以外，再沒有別的開口了。”
福爾摩斯看着我們的當事人，微笑了一下，笑得有些奇怪，並且說：“哦，如果在這兒弄不清什麽，我們最好還是到屋裏去。”
這位導師打開屋門，把我們領進他的房間。我們站在門口的時候，福爾摩斯檢查了地毯。
他說：“我想這兒不會有什麽痕跡。天氣這樣乾燥，很難找到。你僕人的身體大概已經恢復了。你說你讓他坐在椅子上，是哪一把椅子？”
“窗口旁邊的那把。”
“哦，是靠近這個小桌子的。你現在可以進來了。地毯我已經檢查完了。我們再看看這個小桌子。當然，發生過的事情已經清楚了。這個人進屋後，從屋子中間這張桌子上一頁一頁地拿起試卷，拿到靠窗口的桌子上，因為假如有人從庭園走過來，從這兒一眼就可以看到，便於逃跑。”
索姆茲說：“實際上他跑不掉，因為我常常從旁門過來。”
“那很好！不管怎樣說，這是他設想的。讓我看看那三張清樣。沒有留下指紋！他先是拿過這一頁去抄寫的。這用了多長時間呢，快抄也不少於一刻鐘。然後丟掉這一張，又拿起另一張。正在這個時候，你回來了，於是他急於跑掉，所以他沒有時間把考卷放回原處。當你走進屋門的時候，聽沒聽見石梯上有急促的腳步聲？”
“沒有，我沒聽見。”
“他急忙地抄寫，把鉛筆尖弄斷了，不得不又削一次。華生，有意思的是：那支鉛筆不是普通鉛筆。它比普通鉛筆粗，軟鉛，筆桿是深藍色，製造商的名字是銀白色的，筆衹剩一英寸半長。索姆茲先生，如果能找到那樣一支鉛筆，也就找到了那個人。我還要告訴你，他的刀子較大而且很鈍，這樣你又有了一個綫索。”
索姆茲先生被福爾摩斯談的這些情況弄鬍塗了。他說：
“別的我還能理解，可是鉛筆的長短……”
福爾摩斯拿出來一小片鉛筆木屑，上面有字母ｎｎ。
“你看。”
“不，我仍然……”
“華生，我過去常常低估你的能力。好，ｎｎ是什麽意思呢？它們是一個字的末尾兩個字母。你知道ＪｏｈａｎｎFａｂｅｒ 是銷路最廣的鉛筆商的名字。這不是很清楚了嗎？鉛筆用得衹剩下了Ｊｏｈａｎｎ字後面的一小段。"他把小桌子拉到電燈下。"我希望他抄寫用的紙是很薄的，這樣便能透過紙張在光滑的桌面上留下痕跡。唔，沒有看見什麽痕跡。從小桌子上找不到什麽。現在看看中間的桌子。我猜想這個小球就是你談的那個黑色的面團。形狀略象金字塔，中間是空的。正象你說的，小球上還有鋸末屑。啊，真有意思。桌面上還有刀痕——確切地說是劃痕。開始的地方是劃的痕跡，然後纔是邊緣不整齊的小洞。索姆茲先生，我非常感謝你使我註意這個案情。那扇門通到哪兒？”
“我的臥室。”
“出事以後，你去過嗎？”
“沒有，我直接來找你。”
“最好讓我查看一下。多麽漂亮的古色古香的屋子！請你先等一分鐘，我檢查完了地板你們再進來。噢，沒有看出什麽。這塊布幔幹什麽用的？你在這塊布幔的後面挂衣服。要是有人不得已藏在這間屋裏，他必定藏在這塊布幔的後面，因為床太低，衣櫃又不夠厚。我想可能沒有人在這兒吧。”
當福爾摩斯拉那塊布幔的時候，我從他那堅决而又機警的表情知道，他已經做好準備，以防萬一。可是拉開布幔一看，除了挂在衣鈎上的三、四套衣服以外，什麽也沒有。福爾摩斯轉過身剛要走開，突然又蹲到地板上。
他說：“喂，這是什麽？”
那是一小塊金字塔形狀的黑色東西，象膩子，和書房裏桌子上的那塊完全一樣。福爾摩斯把它放在手心上拿到電燈下看。
“索姆茲先生，這位不速之客在你的起居室裏和你的臥室裏都留下了痕跡。”
“他到臥室裏去幹什麽？”
“我想這很清楚。你突然回來，到了門口，他纔發覺。他怎麽辦呢？無論做什麽都會暴露他自己，所以他衹好衝進你的臥室躲藏起來。”
“哎呀，我的上帝，福爾摩斯先生，你是不是說，我和班尼斯特在起居室談話的時候，這個人一直藏在這裏？”
“我是這樣看的。”
“福爾摩斯先生，當然還有另外一種可能性。我不知道你是否註意到我臥室的窗戶了？”
“玻璃上面有花窗欞，框子是金屬的，共三扇，一扇有折葉，可以鑽進人來。”
“正是這樣的。臥室對着庭園的一角，所以從外面看不到整個臥室。這個人也許是從窗戶進來的，走過臥室，留下了痕跡，最後，發現門開着，便從門那兒跑掉。”
福爾摩斯不耐煩地搖了搖頭。
他說：“讓我們從實際情況着手。你說過，有三個學生用這個石梯，並且總是走過你的門前。”
“是有三名學生。”
“他們都要參加這次考試嗎？”
“是的。”
“三個人裏有沒有人嫌疑較大呢？”
索姆茲猶豫不决。
他說：“這是一個很難答復的問題。沒有證據不好輕易懷疑某一個人。”
“你說說你的懷疑，我來給你找證據。”
“那麽，我簡單地告訴你住在這兒的三個人的性格。三個人中住在最下面的是吉爾剋利斯特，一位優秀的學生，也是個優秀的運動員，參加了學院的足球隊和板球隊，低欄和跳遠他都得過奬。他是一個漂亮的、很有風度的男人。他父親是名聲不好的紮別茲·吉爾剋利斯特勳爵，因為賽馬破了産。這個學生很窮，但是他很努力，很勤奮。他是有前途的。
“住在中間一屋的是一位印度人，名字叫道拉斯·芮斯。他是一個性情安靜但是難於接近的人，多數印度人都是這樣，他學習得很好，不過他的希臘文差一些。他很穩健，辦事很有條理。
“最上面住的是邁爾茲·麥剋拉倫。他要是想學習，可以學得很出色，他是這所大學裏最有才華的一個。但是，他任性，生活放蕩。第一學年因為打牌的事他差一點被開除。這一學其他懶散地混過來了，對於這次奬學金考試他一定很怕。”
“那麽，你懷疑的就是他了？”
'我還不敢這樣說。但是，這三個人裏面或許他是最有可能做這種事的。”
“很好，索姆茲先生，現在我們見見你的僕人班尼斯特。”
這個僕人個子不高，面色蒼白，鬍須剃得很幹淨，花白頭髮，年紀有五十多歲。自從試題的事打亂了他安靜的生活，他還沒有完全平靜下來。由於緊張他那圓圓的面頰還在抽動，手指也在顫動。
他的主人說：“班尼斯特，我們正在調查這件不幸的事。”
“是的，先生。”
福爾摩斯說：“我聽說你把鑰匙忘在門上了。”
“是的，先生。”
“正當試卷放在屋裏的時候，你這樣做，那不是很反常嗎？”
“先生，發生這事是很不應該的。但是，在別的時候，我也忘過。”
“你什麽時候進的屋子？”
“大約四點半。是索姆茲先生吃茶的時間。”
“你在屋裏等了多久？”
“我看見他不在，就趕緊出來了。”
“你看桌子上的試卷了嗎？”
“沒有，先生，真的沒看。”
“你怎麽會把鑰匙忘在門上的？”
“我手裏拿着茶盤。我想等回來再拿鑰匙。後來就忘了。”
“通到外邊的屋門是不是有把彈簧鎖？”
“沒有，先生。”
“那扇門一直開着嗎？”
“是的，先生。”
“不管誰從屋裏全可以出來嗎？”
“是的，先生。”
“索姆茲先生回來後找你，你很不安，是嗎？”
“是的，先生。我來這裏這麽多年沒有發生過這樣的事。我差一點昏過去了。”
“我知道你昏過去了。你開始感覺不舒服的時候，你在哪兒？”
“我在哪兒，先生？怎麽？就在這兒，靠近屋門。”
“那就有些奇怪了，你坐的是那邊靠屋角的椅子。你為什麽要走過另外這幾張椅子呢？”
“先生，我不知道，我沒有註意我坐在哪兒。”
“福爾摩斯先生，我也認為他不會註意他當時坐在哪兒。那時他臉色很不好，特別蒼白。”
“你的主人離開以後，你還在這裏？”
“衹有一兩分鐘。然後我鎖上門就回我自己的屋子了。”
“你懷疑誰呢？”
“噢，我不敢隨便說。我不相信這所大學裏有人會做出這種不擇手段損人利己的事。先生，我不信會有這樣的人。”
福爾摩斯說：“謝謝你，就談到這裏。噢，還有一句話。你沒有嚮你服侍的三位先生提到出了事吧？”
“沒有，先生，沒提一個字。”
“你看見他們了嗎？”
“沒有。”
“很好。索姆茲先生，您願意和我在這個院子裏走走嗎？”
天色愈來愈黑，樓上各層的窗戶上全有燈光閃耀着。
福爾摩斯擡頭看了看，說：“你的三個小鳥全回窩了。喂！那是什麽？他們當中有一個象是坐立不安。”
原來是那個印度人，窗簾上突然出現了他的側影。他在屋內迅速來回踱步。
福爾摩斯說：“我希望見每個人一面。這可能嗎？”
索姆茲說：“沒有問題。這些房間是學院裏最古老的，常有客人來參觀。來，我親自領你去。”
當我們敲吉爾剋利斯特的屋門的時候，福爾摩斯說：“請不要通報姓名。"一個細高個、黃頭髮的青年開了門，當他知道我們是來參觀的時候，他表示歡迎。屋內有一些罕見的中世紀室內結構，福爾摩斯對於一個結構很感興趣，一定要畫在他的筆記本上，他弄斷了鉛筆尖，希望嚮主人藉一支，最後是藉了一把小刀削他自己的鉛筆。在印度人的房間中，他也做了同樣的事情。這個印度人是個沉默寡言、身材矮小、長着彎勾鼻子的人。他斜眼看着我們，當福爾摩斯畫完建築結構圖的時候，他顯得十分高興。我看不出福爾摩斯從這兩處找到了他所查尋的綫索。我們沒有能夠訪問第三處。我們敲不開他的門，而且從門內傳過來一陣責駡聲，夾雜着憤怒的吼聲。"我不管你是誰。去你媽的！明天就要考試了，少來打擾我！”
我們的嚮導氣得臉都紅了，一面下臺階一面說：“真是粗魯！即使他不知道是我敲門，這樣做不也太無禮了嗎？在目前的情況下看來，很值得懷疑。”
福爾摩斯的回答卻很奇怪。
他問：“你能告訴我他的確切身高嗎？”
“福爾摩斯先生，這個我實在說不準確。他比那個印度人高一些，但是又不象吉爾剋利斯特那樣高。我想大約是五英尺六英寸吧。”
福爾摩斯說：“這一點很重要。那麽，索姆茲先生，我祝你晚安。”
我們的當事人是又驚訝又失望，大聲喊道：“天啊，福爾摩斯先生，你不會這樣突然地走掉吧！你好象沒有理解我的處境。明天就要考試啦！今天晚上我必須采取一定的措施。試卷被人翻弄了，我就不能舉行考試。一定要正視這種情況。”
“事情衹能達到目前這一步。我明天清早再來和你談這件事。也許我能夠告訴你怎樣辦。可是，你不要動什麽東西，什麽都不要動。”
“好，就這樣，福爾摩斯先生。”
“你完全不必擔憂。我們一定會找到擺脫睏境的辦法。我要帶走那兩個黑泥球和鉛筆屑。再見。”
我們走出了院子，在黑暗中又擡頭看了看那幾扇窗戶。那個印度人仍然在屋內踱步。其他兩扇窗戶裏已經沒有燈光了。
走到大街上，福爾摩斯問：“華生，你怎樣看這件事呢？這完全是個客廳中的小遊戲，從三張牌中摸出一張，是不是？一定是三個人中的一個幹的。你挑你的牌，你說是哪個人？”
“最上面那個嘴不幹淨的傢夥。他的品行最壞。可是那個印度人也很狡猾。為什麽他總在屋內走來走去呢？”
“這沒有什麽關係。有些人在努力記東西的時候，常常走來走去。”
“他看着我們的那個樣子，很奇怪。”
“假如你正準備功課，第二天參加考試，每時每刻都很寶貴，這時有一群人突然找到你，你也會這樣看他們的。我看這一點不能說明什麽。至於那兩支鉛筆和兩把刀子全沒有問題。可是那個人我確實弄不清。”
“哪一個人？”
“那個僕人班尼斯特。在這件事情中他耍了什麽花招呢？”
“他給我的印象是一個十分誠實的人。”
“我也有這種印象。這是使人不能理解的。為什麽一個誠實的人——哦，這兒有一傢文具店。我們從這傢商店開始調查。”
城內衹有四傢較大的文具店，福爾摩斯到每一傢文具店全拿出那幾片鉛筆屑，並且要付高價買同樣的鉛筆。四傢全要給他訂做一支，因為這不是一支普通尺寸的鉛筆，很少有存貨。我的朋友並沒因此而失望，衹是隨便地聳一下肩，表示無可奈何罷了。
“親愛的華生，我們沒有得到什麽結果。這個最能說明問題的綫索也沒有用了。但是，我深信我們仍然能夠弄清原來的情況。天哪！已經快九點了，女房東還嘮叨過七點半給我們做好豌豆湯呢。華生，你總是不停地抽煙，還不按時吃飯。我想房東會通知你退房的，而我也要隨着你倒黴了——不管怎麽樣，我們還是先解决這位焦慮不安的導師、粗心大意的僕人和三個前程無限的大學生這些人的問題吧。”
到我們吃飯時候已經很晚了，儘管飯後他沉思了很久，可是他再也沒有和我提到這件事。第二天早晨八點鐘，我剛剛盥洗完畢，福爾摩斯便到我的屋裏來了。
他說：“華生，我們應該去聖路加學院了。你不吃早飯行嗎？”
“可以。”
“要是我們不給索姆茲肯定的回答，他是要坐立不安的。”
“你有什麽明確的回答嗎？”
“有的。”
“你已經得出結論了？”
“是的，親愛的華生，我已經解决了這個謎。”
“可是你弄到了什麽新的證據呢？”
“我六點鐘就早早地起了床，决不會一無所得。我已經辛苦地工作了兩小時，至少走了五英裏路，終於得到一點東西說明問題。請看這個！”
他伸出手掌，掌心上有三個金字塔形狀的小黑泥團。
“怎麽，你昨天衹有兩個？”
“今天清早又得到一個。可以斷定第三個小泥球的來源，也就是第一、第二個泥球的來源。走吧，華生，我們要讓我們的朋友索姆茲安心。”
我們在索姆茲的房間裏看到他心情十分不安。過幾個小時考試即將開始，可是他還處於進退維𠔌的地位——是宣佈事實，還是允許罪犯參加這個高額奬學金的考試，他拿不定主意，看樣子簡直連站都站不穩了，可是一見福爾摩斯，他立刻伸出兩手急忙迎上去。
“謝天謝地，你終於來了！我真擔心你因為感到沒有辦法而不管這件事了。我怎麽辦呢？考試還要舉行嗎？”
“是的，無論如何還要舉行。”
“可是這個騙子呢？”
“不能讓他參加。”
“你找出來了嗎？”
“我想會找出來的。如果不想讓事情傳到公衆的耳中，我們必須有點權威，自己組成一個私人軍事法庭。索姆茲，你坐在那裏。華生，你坐這兒。我坐在中間的扶手椅上。我想這樣足以使犯罪的人産生畏懼的心情。請按鈴吧！”
班尼斯特進來了，看見我們威嚴的面容感到驚恐，後退了一步。
福爾摩斯說：“請你關上門。班尼斯特，現在請你告訴我們昨天事件的真實情況。”
他的臉色完全嚇白了。
“先生，我全都說了。”
“沒有要補充的嗎？”
“一點沒有了，先生。”
“好，我來提醒你一下。你昨天坐到那把椅子上的時候，是不是為了要遮掩一件東西？這件東西正好說明誰到這個屋子裏來過。”
班尼斯特臉色慘白。
“不，先生，絶不是。”
福爾摩斯又緩和地說：“這不過是提醒你一下。我坦率地承認我無法證實這件事情。但是，很可能是這樣的，索姆茲先生一轉過身去，你便放走了臥室裏的人。”
班尼斯特舔了舔他發幹的嘴唇。
“先生，沒有人。”
“班尼斯特，這可不好。到了現在，你應該說真話，可是我知道你還在說謊。”
他綳着臉表示若無其事。
“先生，沒有人。”
“班尼斯特，說出來吧！”
“先生，是沒有人。”
“你拒絶給我們提供情況。是否請你留下不要出去？站到臥室的門旁。索姆茲先生，請你費心親自去吉爾剋利斯特屋中，請他到你這兒來。”
一會兒，這位導師帶着那個學生回來了。這個學生體格很健壯，高高的身材，行動輕巧又靈活，步伐矯健，面容愉快開朗。他用不安的眼光看了看我們每個人，最後茫然失措地凝視着角落裏的班尼斯特。
福爾摩斯說：“請關上門。吉爾剋利斯特先生，我們這兒沒有外人，而且也沒有必要讓人知道我們之間談了什麽。我們彼此可以以誠相待。吉爾剋利斯特先生，我想要知道你這樣一位誠實的人怎麽會做出昨天那樣的事情？”
這位不幸的青年後退了一步，並且用恐懼和責備的目光看了班尼斯特一眼。
僕人說：“不，不，吉爾剋利斯特先生，我沒有說過一個字，一個字也沒說過。”
福爾摩斯說：“可是現在你說出來了。吉爾剋利斯特先生，你必須明白，班尼斯特說話以後，你便毫無辦法了，你的唯一出路是坦率地承認事實。”
一瞬間，吉爾剋利斯特舉起雙手想要控製他抽動着的身體。緊接着他跪倒在桌旁，把臉埋在雙手中，他激動得不停地嗚咽起來。
福爾摩斯溫和地說：“不要這樣，人總是要犯錯誤的，至少沒有人責備你是個心腸不正的罪犯。如果由我來把發生的事告訴索姆茲先生，不對的地方，你來改正，這樣你或許感覺方便一些。我開始說吧，好，你聽着，以免我把你做的事說錯了。
“索姆茲先生，你曾經告訴我沒有一個人，包括班尼斯特在內，知道試卷在你的屋中。從那時期，在我的心裏就開始有一個明確的看法。當然這沒有把那個印刷工考慮在內，因為這個工人要想偷看試卷的話可以在自己的辦公室裏看。還有那個印度人，我想他也不會做什麽壞事。如果清樣捲成一捲，你可能不會知道那是什麽東西。另一方面，假設有一個人竟敢擅自進屋，並且恰巧碰上桌子上有試卷，這種巧合是很難想象的。所以我排除了這種可能性。進到屋裏的人知道試卷在哪兒。他怎麽知道的呢？
“當我走近你的屋子的時候，我檢查了那扇窗戶。你那時的設想使我發笑，你以為我會相信或許有一個人會在青天白日之下，在對面屋子裏衆人的註視下破窗而入嗎？不，這樣的想法是荒謬的。我是在衡量一個過路的人要有多高才能往裏看到桌子上有試卷。我六英尺高，費點勁可以看到。低於六英尺的人是看不到的。所以，我想要是你的三個學生裏有一個比一般人高，他便是最可能做這件事的人。
“我進屋後，發現了靠窗桌子上的綫索，這一點曾經告訴過你。從中間的桌子上我沒有得出什麽結論。後來你談到吉爾剋利斯特是個跳遠運動員，這時我立即明白了全部經過，可是我還需要一些旁證。這些旁證我也很快地弄到了。
“事情是這樣的：這位年輕人下午在運動場練習跳遠。他回來的時候，帶着他的跳鞋。你知道，跳鞋底上有幾個尖釘。他路過你的窗口的時候，由於他個子很高，看見你桌子上的清樣，他猜出了那是試卷。要是他經過你的屋門，沒有看見有把鑰匙忘在門上，就不會有什麽壞事了。突然的衝動使他進到屋裏，看看那是否是清樣。這並不是冒險的行動，因為他完全可以裝作進來是想要問個問題。
“當他看清那確是清樣的時候，他抵製不住了。他把鞋放到桌子上。在靠近窗口的椅子上，你放的是什麽呢？”
年輕人回答：“手套。”
福爾摩斯得意地看着班尼斯特。"他把手套放在椅子上，然後他拿起清樣一張一張地抄寫。他以為這位導師一定從院子大門回來，這樣他可以看得見。可是我們知道，索姆茲先生是從旁門回來的。他突然聽到導師的腳步聲已到屋門口。已經沒有辦法跑掉了。於是他抓起跳鞋立即竄到臥室裏，但是忘了他的手套。你們看到桌面上的劃痕一頭很輕，可是對着臥室的一頭漸漸加深。劃痕本身就足以說明是朝着臥室的方向抓起跳鞋的。這個犯法的人就躲在臥室裏。鞋釘上的泥土留在桌子上，另一塊掉在臥室內。我還要說明，今天清早我去過運動場，看見跳坑內用的黑色粘土，上面灑着細的黃色鋸末，為的是防止運動員滑倒。我帶來了一小塊黑土做樣子。吉爾剋利斯特先生，我說得符合事實嗎？”
這個學生已經站了起來。
他說：“是的，完全是事實。”
索姆茲說：“你還有什麽要補充的嗎？”
“是的，先生。我做了這件不光彩的事以後，驚慌得不知所措。索姆茲先生，我有一封信給您，信是我一夜未睡今天清早寫的。也就是說在我知道我的罪行已經被查出來之前寫的。先生，請您看這封信。我寫道：'我已經决定不參加考試。我收到羅得西亞總部的任命，我準備立即動身去南非。'”
索姆茲說：“我聽到你不打算用品起手段取得奬學金，我很高興。但是你是怎樣改變了你的意圖的呢？”
吉爾剋利斯特指着班尼斯特說：
“是他使我走上了正路。”
福爾摩斯說：“班尼斯特，你過來。我已經講得很清楚，衹有你能放走這個青年人，因為當時留在屋中的衹是你一人，並且你出去的時候一定把門鎖上了。至於他從窗口跑掉，那是不可能的。請你把這個案件最後一個疑問講清楚，並且告訴我們你這樣做的理由。”
“要是你一瞭解，理由就很簡單了。不過，儘管你很聰明，你也不可能瞭解。事情是這樣的，我曾經是這位年輕先生的父親——老吉爾剋利斯特勳爵的管傢。他破産以後，我來到這所學院做僕人，但是我從未因為老主人沒落而忘記他。為了紀念過去，我盡可能地照顧他的兒子。昨天你按鈴叫我來的時候，我首先看到的是吉爾剋利斯特先生的棕黃色手套放在椅子上。我知道這副手套是誰的，我也知道手套在這兒意味着什麽。要是索姆茲先生看見，秘密就要暴露了。我急忙坐到椅子上，直到索姆茲先生去找您，我纔敢移動。這時我可憐的小主人出來了，他是我抱大的，他對我承認了一切。我要救他，這不是很自然的嗎？我要象他的已死的父親一樣開導他不應當這樣取巧，這不是也很自然嗎？先生，你能責怪我嗎？”
福爾摩斯很高興地站起來，說：“確實不能。索姆茲，我看我們已經把你的小問題弄了個水落石出，而我們還沒有吃早飯。華生，我們走吧！至於你，先生，我相信在羅得西亞會有你的光明前途。儘管你這次跌倒了，我們仍然期望你將來會前程無量。”
We were residing at the time in furnished lodgings close to a library where Sherlock Holmes was pursuing some laborious researches in early English charters -- researches which led to results so striking that they may be the subject of one of my future narratives. Here it was that one evening we received a visit from an acquaintance, Mr. Hilton Soames, tutor and lecturer at the College of St. Luke's. Mr. Soames was a tall, spare man, of a nervous and excitable temperament. I had always known him to be restless in his manner, but on this particular occasion he was in such a state of uncontrollable agitation that it was clear something very unusual had occurred.
"I trust, Mr. Holmes, that you can spare me a few hours of your valuable time. We have had a very painful incident at St. Luke's, and really, but for the happy chance of your being in the town, I should have been at a loss what to do."
"I am very busy just now, and I desire no distractions," my friend answered. "I should much prefer that you called in the aid of the police."
"No, no, my dear sir; such a course is utterly impossible. When once the law is evoked it cannot be stayed again, and this is just one of those cases where, for the credit of the college, it is most essential to avoid scandal. Your discretion is as well known as your powers, and you are the one man in the world who can help me. I beg you, Mr. Holmes, to do what you can."
My friend's temper had not improved since he had been deprived of the congenial surroundings of Baker Street. Without his scrap-books, his chemicals, and his homely untidiness, he was an uncomfortable man. He shrugged his shoulders in ungracious acquiescence, while our visitor in hurried words and with much excitable gesticulation poured forth his story.
"I must explain to you, Mr. Holmes, that to-morrow is the first day of the examination for the Fortescue Scholarship. I am one of the examiners. My subject is Greek, and the first of the papers consists of a large passage of Greek translation which the candidate has not seen. This passage is printed on the examination paper, and it would naturally be an immense advantage if the candidate could prepare it in advance. For this reason great care is taken to keep the paper secret.
"To-day about three o'clock the proofs of this paper arrived from the printers. The exercise consists of half a chapter of Thucydides. I had to read it over carefully, as the text must be absolutely correct. At four-thirty my task was not yet completed. I had, however, promised to take tea in a friend's rooms, so I left the proof upon my desk. I was absent rather more than an hour.
"You are aware, Mr. Holmes, that our college doors are double -- a green baize one within and a heavy oak one without. As I approached my outer door I was amazed to see a key in it. For an instant I imagined that I had left my own there, but on feeling in my pocket I found that it was all right. The only duplicate which existed, so far as I knew, was that which belonged to my servant, Bannister, a man who has looked after my room for ten years, and whose honesty is absolutely above suspicion. I found that the key was indeed his, that he had entered my room to know if I wanted tea, and that he had very carelessly left the key in the door when he came out. His visit to my room must have been within a very few minutes of my leaving it. His forgetfulness about the key would have mattered little upon any other occasion, but on this one day it has produced the most deplorable consequences.
"The moment I looked at my table I was aware that someone had rummaged among my papers. The proof was in three long slips. I had left them all together. Now, I found that one of them was lying on the floor, one was on the side table near the window, and the third was where I had left it."
Holmes stirred for the first time.
"The first page on the floor, the second in the window, the third where you left it," said he.
"Exactly, Mr. Holmes. You amaze me. How could you possibly know that?"
"Pray continue your very interesting statement."
"For an instant I imagined that Bannister had taken the unpardonable liberty of examining my papers. He denied it, however, with the utmost earnestness, and I am convinced that he was speaking the truth. The alternative was that someone passing had observed the key in the door, had known that I was out, and had entered to look at the papers. A large sum of money is at stake, for the scholarship is a very valuable one, and an unscrupulous man might very well run a risk in order to gain an advantage over his fellows.
"Bannister was very much upset by the incident. He had nearly fainted when we found that the papers had undoubtedly been tampered with. I gave him a little brandy and left him collapsed in a chair while I made a most careful examination of the room. I soon saw that the intruder had left other traces of his presence besides the rumpled papers. On the table in the window were several shreds from a pencil which had been sharpened. A broken tip of lead was lying there also. Evidently the rascal had copied the paper in a great hurry, had broken his pencil, and had been compelled to put a fresh point to it."
"Excellent!" said Holmes, who was recovering his good-humour as his attention became more engrossed by the case. "Fortune has been your friend."
"This was not all. I have a new writing-table with a fine surface of red leather. I am prepared to swear, and so is Bannister, that it was smooth and unstained. Now I found a clean cut in it about three inches long -- not a mere scratch, but a positive cut. Not only this, but on the table I found a small ball of black dough, or clay, with specks of something which looks like sawdust in it. I am convinced that these marks were left by the man who rifled the papers. There were no footmarks and no other evidence as to his identity. I was at my wits' ends, when suddenly the happy thought occurred to me that you were in the town, and I came straight round to put the matter into your hands. Do help me, Mr. Holmes! You see my dilemma. Either I must find the man or else the examination must be postponed until fresh papers are prepared, and since this cannot be done without explanation there will ensue a hideous scandal, which will throw a cloud not only on the college, but on the University. Above all things I desire to settle the matter quietly and discreetly."
"I shall be happy to look into it and to give you such advice as I can," said Holmes, rising and putting on his overcoat. "The case is not entirely devoid of interest. Had anyone visited you in your room after the papers came to you?"
"Yes; young Daulat Ras, an Indian student who lives on the same stair, came in to ask me some particulars about the examination."
"For which he was entered?"
"Yes."
"And the papers were on your table?"
"To the best of my belief they were rolled up."
"But might be recognised as proofs?"
"Possibly."
"No one else in your room?"
"No."
"Did anyone know that these proofs would be there?"
"No one save the printer."
"Did this man Bannister know?"
"No, certainly not. No one knew."
"Where is Bannister now?"
"He was very ill, poor fellow. I left him collapsed in the chair. I was in such a hurry to come to you."
"You left your door open?"
"I locked up the papers first."
"Then it amounts to this, Mr. Soames, that unless the Indian student recognised the roll as being proofs, the man who tampered with them came upon them accidentally without knowing that they were there."
"So it seems to me."
Holmes gave an enigmatic smile.
"Well," said he, "let us go round. Not one of your cases, Watson -- mental, not physical. All right; come if you want to. Now, Mr. Soames -- at your disposal!"
The sitting-room of our client opened by a long, low, latticed window on to the ancient lichen-tinted court of the old college. A Gothic arched door led to a worn stone staircase. On the ground floor was the tutor's room. Above were three students, one on each story. It was already twilight when we reached the scene of our problem. Holmes halted and looked earnestly at the window. Then he approached it, and, standing on tiptoe with his neck craned, he looked into the room.
"He must have entered through the door. There is no opening except the one pane," said our learned guide.
"Dear me!" said Holmes, and he smiled in a singular way as he glanced at our companion. "Well, if there is nothing to be learned here we had best go inside."
The lecturer unlocked the outer door and ushered us into his room. We stood at the entrance while Holmes made an examination of the carpet.
"I am afraid there are no signs here," said he. "One could hardly hope for any upon so dry a day. Your servant seems to have quite recovered. You left him in a chair, you say; which chair?"
"By the window there."
"I see. Near this little table. You can come in now. I have finished with the carpet. Let us take the little table first. Of course, what has happened is very clear. The man entered and took the papers, sheet by sheet, from the central table. He carried them over to the window table, because from there he could see if you came across the courtyard, and so could effect an escape."
"As a matter of fact he could not," said Soames, "for I entered by the side door."
"Ah, that's good! Well, anyhow, that was in his mind. Let me see the three strips. No finger impressions -- no! Well, he carried over this one first and he copied it. How long would it take him to do that, using every possible contraction? A quarter of an hour, not less. Then he tossed it down and seized the next. He was in the midst of that when your return caused him to make a very hurried retreat -- VERY hurried, since he had not time to replace the papers which would tell you that he had been there. You were not aware of any hurrying feet on the stair as you entered the outer door?"
"No, I can't say I was."
"Well, he wrote so furiously that he broke his pencil, and had, as you observe, to sharpen it again. This is of interest, Watson. The pencil was not an ordinary one. It was above the usual size, with a soft lead; the outer colour was dark blue, the maker's name was printed in silver lettering, and the piece remaining is only about an inch and a half long. Look for such a pencil, Mr. Soames, and you have got your man. When I add that he possesses a large and very blunt knife, you have an additional aid."
Mr. Soames was somewhat overwhelmed by this flood of information. "I can follow the other points," said he, "but really, in this matter of the length ----"
Holmes held out a small chip with the letters NN and a space of clear wood after them.
"You see?"
"No, I fear that even now ----"
"Watson, I have always done you an injustice. There are others. What could this NN be? It is at the end of a word. You are aware that Johann Faber is the most common maker's name. Is it not clear that there is just as much of the pencil left as usually follows the Johann?" He held the small table sideways to the electric light. "I was hoping that if the paper on which he wrote was thin some trace of it might come through upon this polished surface. No, I see nothing. I don't think there is anything more to be learned here. Now for the central table. This small pellet is, I presume, the black, doughy mass you spoke of. Roughly pyramidal in shape and hollowed out, I perceive. As you say, there appear to be grains of sawdust in it. Dear me, this is very interesting. And the cut -- a positive tear, I see. It began with a thin scratch and ended in a jagged hole. I am much indebted to you for directing my attention to this case, Mr. Soames. Where does that door lead to?"
"To my bedroom."
"Have you been in it since your adventure?"
"No; I came straight away for you."
"I should like to have a glance round. What a charming, old-fashioned room! Perhaps you will kindly wait a minute until I have examined the floor. No, I see nothing. What about this curtain? You hang your clothes behind it. If anyone were forced to conceal himself in this room he must do it there, since the bed is too low and the wardrobe too shallow. No one there, I suppose?"
As Holmes drew the curtain I was aware, from some little rigidity and alertness of his attitude, that he was prepared for an emergency. As a matter of fact the drawn curtain disclosed nothing but three or four suits of clothes hanging from a line of pegs. Holmes turned away and stooped suddenly to the floor.
"Halloa! What's this?" said he.
It was a small pyramid of black, putty-like stuff, exactly like the one upon the table of the study. Holmes held it out on his open palm in the glare of the electric light.
"Your visitor seems to have left traces in your bedroom as well as in your sitting-room, Mr. Soames."
"What could he have wanted there?"
"I think it is clear enough. You came back by an unexpected way, and so he had no warning until you were at the very door. What could he do? He caught up everything which would betray him and he rushed into your bedroom to conceal himself."
"Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, do you mean to tell me that all the time I was talking to Bannister in this room we had the man prisoner if we had only known it?"
"So I read it."
"Surely there is another alternative, Mr. Holmes. I don't know whether you observed my bedroom window?"
"Lattice-paned, lead framework, three separate windows, one swinging on hinge and large enough to admit a man."
"Exactly. And it looks out on an angle of the courtyard so as to be partly invisible. The man might have effected his entrance there, left traces as he passed through the bedroom, and, finally, finding the door open have escaped that way."
Holmes shook his head impatiently.
"Let us be practical," said he. "I understand you to say that there are three students who use this stair and are in the habit of passing your door?"
"Yes, there are."
"And they are all in for this examination?"
"Yes."
"Have you any reason to suspect any one of them more than the others?"
Soames hesitated.
"It is a very delicate question," said he. "One hardly likes to throw suspicion where there are no proofs."
"Let us hear the suspicions. I will look after the proofs."
"I will tell you, then, in a few words the character of the three men who inhabit these rooms. The lower of the three is Gilchrist, a fine scholar and athlete; plays in the Rugby team and the cricket team for the college, and got his Blue for the hurdles and the long jump. He is a fine, manly fellow. His father was the notorious Sir Jabez Gilchrist, who ruined himself on the turf. My scholar has been left very poor, but he is hard-working and industrious. He will do well.
"The second floor is inhabited by Daulat Ras, the Indian. He is a quiet, inscrutable fellow, as most of those Indians are. He is well up in his work, though his Greek is his weak subject. He is steady and methodical.
"The top floor belongs to Miles McLaren. He is a brilliant fellow when he chooses to work -- one of the brightest intellects of the University, but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled. He was nearly expelled over a card scandal in his first year. He has been idling all this term, and he must look forward with dread to the examination."
"Then it is he whom you suspect?"
"I dare not go so far as that. But of the three he is perhaps the least unlikely."
"Exactly. Now, Mr. Soames, let us have a look at your servant, Bannister."
He was a little, white-faced, clean-shaven, grizzly-haired fellow of fifty. He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quiet routine of his life. His plump face was twitching with his nervousness, and his fingers could not keep still.
"We are investigating this unhappy business, Bannister," said his master.
"Yes, sir."
"I understand," said Holmes, "that you left your key in the door?"
"Yes, sir."
"Was it not very extraordinary that you should do this on the very day when there were these papers inside?"
"It was most unfortunate, sir. But I have occasionally done the same thing at other times."
"When did you enter the room?"
"It was about half-past four. That is Mr. Soames's tea time."
"How long did you stay?"
"When I saw that he was absent I withdrew at once."
"Did you look at these papers on the table?"
"No, sir; certainly not."
"How came you to leave the key in the door?"
"I had the tea-tray in my hand. I thought I would come back for the key. Then I forgot."
"Has the outer door a spring lock?"
"No, sir."
"Then it was open all the time?"
"Yes, sir."
"Anyone in the room could get out?"
"Yes, sir."
"When Mr. Soames returned and called for you, you were very much disturbed?"
"Yes, sir. Such a thing has never happened during the many years that I have been here. I nearly fainted, sir."
"So I understand. Where were you when you began to feel bad?"
"Where was I, sir? Why, here, near the door."
"That is singular, because you sat down in that chair over yonder near the corner. Why did you pass these other chairs?"
"I don't know, sir. It didn't matter to me where I sat."
"I really don't think he knew much about it, Mr. Holmes. He was looking very bad -- quite ghastly."
"You stayed here when your master left?"
"Only for a minute or so. Then I locked the door and went to my room."
"Whom do you suspect?"
"Oh, I would not venture to say, sir. I don't believe there is any gentleman in this University who is capable of profiting by such an action. No, sir, I'll not believe it."
"Thank you; that will do," said Holmes. "Oh, one more word. You have not mentioned to any of the three gentlemen whom you attend that anything is amiss?"
"No, sir; not a word."
"You haven't seen any of them?"
"No, sir."
"Very good. Now, Mr. Soames, we will take a walk in the quadrangle, if you please."
Three yellow squares of light shone above us in the gathering gloom."
"Your three birds are all in their nests," said Holmes, looking up. "Halloa! What's that? One of them seems restless enough."
It was the Indian, whose dark silhouette appeared suddenly upon his blind. He was pacing swiftly up and down his room.
"I should like to have a peep at each of them," said Holmes. "Is it possible?"
"No difficulty in the world," Soames answered. "This set of rooms is quite the oldest in the college, and it is not unusual for visitors to go over them. Come along, and I will personally conduct you."
"No names, please!" said Holmes, as we knocked at Gilchrist's door. A tall, flaxen-haired, slim young fellow opened it, and made us welcome when he understood our errand. There were some really curious pieces of mediaeval domestic architecture within. Holmes was so charmed with one of them that he insisted on drawing it on his note-book, broke his pencil, had to borrow one from our host, and finally borrowed a knife to sharpen his own. The same curious accident happened to him in the rooms of the Indian -- a silent, little, hook-nosed fellow, who eyed us askance and was obviously glad when Holmes's architectural studies had come to an end. I could not see that in either case Holmes had come upon the clue for which he was searching. Only at the third did our visit prove abortive. The outer door would not open to our knock, and nothing more substantial than a torrent of bad language came from behind it. "I don't care who you are. You can go to blazes!" roared the angry voice. "To-morrow's the exam, and I won't be drawn by anyone."
"A rude fellow," said our guide, flushing with anger as we withdrew down the stair. "Of course, he did not realize that it was I who was knocking, but none the less his conduct was very uncourteous, and, indeed, under the circumstances rather suspicious."
Holmes's response was a curious one.
"Can you tell me his exact height?" he asked.
"Really, Mr. Holmes, I cannot undertake to say. He is taller than the Indian, not so tall as Gilchrist. I suppose five foot six would be about it."
"That is very important," said Holmes. "And now, Mr. Soames, I wish you good-night."
Our guide cried aloud in his astonishment and dismay. "Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, you are surely not going to leave me in this abrupt fashion! You don't seem to realize the position. To-morrow is the examination. I must take some definite action to-night. I cannot allow the examination to be held if one of the papers has been tampered with. The situation must be faced."
"You must leave it as it is. I shall drop round early to-morrow morning and chat the matter over. It is possible that I may be in a position then to indicate some course of action. Meanwhile you change nothing -- nothing at all."
"Very good, Mr. Holmes."
"You can be perfectly easy in your mind. We shall certainly find some way out of your difficulties. I will take the black clay with me, also the pencil cuttings. Good-bye."
When we were out in the darkness of the quadrangle we again looked up at the windows. The Indian still paced his room. The others were invisible.
"Well, Watson, what do you think of it?" Holmes asked, as we came out into the main street. "Quite a little parlour game -- sort of three-card trick, is it not? There are your three men. It must be one of them. You take your choice. Which is yours?"
"The foul-mouthed fellow at the top. He is the one with the worst record. And yet that Indian was a sly fellow also. Why should he be pacing his room all the time?"
"There is nothing in that. Many men do it when they are trying to learn anything by heart."
"He looked at us in a queer way."
"So would you if a flock of strangers came in on you when you were preparing for an examination next day, and every moment was of value. No, I see nothing in that. Pencils, too, and knives -- all was satisfactory. But that fellow DOES puzzle me."
"Who?"
"Why, Bannister, the servant. What's his game in the matter?"
"He impressed me as being a perfectly honest man."
"So he did me. That's the puzzling part. Why should a perfectly honest man -- well, well, here's a large stationer's. We shall begin our researches here."
There were only four stationers of any consequence in the town, and at each Holmes produced his pencil chips and bid high for a duplicate. All were agreed that one could be ordered, but that it was not a usual size of pencil and that it was seldom kept in stock. My friend did not appear to be depressed by his failure, but shrugged his shoulders in half-humorous resignation.
"No good, my dear Watson. This, the best and only final clue, has run to nothing. But, indeed, I have little doubt that we can build up a sufficient case without it. By Jove! my dear fellow, it is nearly nine, and the landlady babbled of green peas at seven-thirty. What with your eternal tobacco, Watson, and your irregularity at meals, I expect that you will get notice to quit and that I shall share your downfall -- not, however, before we have solved the problem of the nervous tutor, the careless servant, and the three enterprising students."
Holmes made no further allusion to the matter that day, though he sat lost in thought for a long time after our belated dinner. At eight in the morning he came into my room just as I finished my toilet.
"Well, Watson," said he, "it is time we went down to St. Luke's. Can you do without breakfast?"
"Certainly."
"Soames will be in a dreadful fidget until we are able to tell him something positive."
"Have you anything positive to tell him?"
"I think so."
"You have formed a conclusion?"
"Yes, my dear Watson; I have solved the mystery."
"But what fresh evidence could you have got?"
"Aha! It is not for nothing that I have turned myself out of bed at the untimely hour of six. I have put in two hours' hard work and covered at least five miles, with something to show for it. Look at that!"
He held out his hand. On the palm were three little pyramids of black, doughy clay.
"Why, Holmes, you had only two yesterday!"
"And one more this morning. It is a fair argument that wherever No. 3 came from is also the source of Nos. 1 and 2. Eh, Watson? Well, come along and put friend Soames out of his pain."
The unfortunate tutor was certainly in a state of pitiable agitation when we found him in his chambers. In a few hours the examination would commence, and he was still in the dilemma between making the facts public and allowing the culprit to compete for the valuable scholarship. He could hardly stand still, so great was his mental agitation, and he ran towards Holmes with two eager hands outstretched.
"Thank Heaven that you have come! I feared that you had given it up in despair. What am I to do? Shall the examination proceed?"
"Yes; let it proceed by all means."
"But this rascal ----?"
"He shall not compete."
"You know him?"
"I think so. If this matter is not to become public we must give ourselves certain powers, and resolve ourselves into a small private court-martial. You there, if you please, Soames! Watson, you here! I'll take the arm-chair in the middle. I think that we are now sufficiently imposing to strike terror into a guilty breast. Kindly ring the bell!"
Bannister entered, and shrunk back in evident surprise and fear at our judicial appearance.
"You will kindly close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Bannister, will you please tell us the truth about yesterday's incident?"
The man turned white to the roots of his hair.
"I have told you everything, sir."
"Nothing to add?"
"Nothing at all, sir."
"Well, then, I must make some suggestions to you. When you sat down on that chair yesterday, did you do so in order to conceal some object which would have shown who had been in the room?"
Bannister's face was ghastly.
"No, sir; certainly not."
"It is only a suggestion," said Holmes, suavely. "I frankly admit that I am unable to prove it. But it seems probable enough, since the moment that Mr. Soames's back was turned you released the man who was hiding in that bedroom."
Bannister licked his dry lips.
"There was no man, sir."
"Ah, that's a pity, Bannister. Up to now you may have spoken the truth, but now I know that you have lied."
The man's face set in sullen defiance.
"There was no man, sir."
"Come, come, Bannister!"
"No, sir; there was no one."
"In that case you can give us no further information. Would you please remain in the room? Stand over there near the bedroom door. Now, Soames, I am going to ask you to have the great kindness to go up to the room of young Gilchrist, and to ask him to step down into yours."
An instant later the tutor returned, bringing with him the student. He was a fine figure of a man, tall, lithe, and agile, with a springy step and a pleasant, open face. His troubled blue eyes glanced at each of us, and finally rested with an expression of blank dismay upon Bannister in the farther corner.
"Just close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Mr. Gilchrist, we are all quite alone here, and no one need ever know one word of what passes between us. We can be perfectly frank with each other. We want to know, Mr. Gilchrist, how you, an honourable man, ever came to commit such an action as that of yesterday?"
The unfortunate young man staggered back and cast a look full of horror and reproach at Bannister.
"No, no, Mr. Gilchrist, sir; I never said a word -- never one word!" cried the servant.
"No, but you have now," said Holmes. "Now, sir, you must see that after Bannister's words your position is hopeless, and that your only chance lies in a frank confession."
For a moment Gilchrist, with upraised hand, tried to control his writhing features. The next he had thrown himself on his knees beside the table and, burying his face in his hands, he had burst into a storm of passionate sobbing.
"Come, come," said Holmes, kindly; "it is human to err, and at least no one can accuse you of being a callous criminal. Perhaps it would be easier for you if I were to tell Mr. Soames what occurred, and you can check me where I am wrong. Shall I do so? Well, well, don't trouble to answer. Listen, and see that I do you no injustice.
"From the moment, Mr. Soames, that you said to me that no one, not even Bannister, could have told that the papers were in your room, the case began to take a definite shape in my mind. The printer one could, of course, dismiss. He could examine the papers in his own office. The Indian I also thought nothing of. If the proofs were in a roll he could not possibly know what they were. On the other hand, it seemed an unthinkable coincidence that a man should dare to enter the room, and that by chance on that very day the papers were on the table. I dismissed that. The man who entered knew that the papers were there. How did he know?
"When I approached your room I examined the window. You amused me by supposing that I was contemplating the possibility of someone having in broad daylight, under the eyes of all these opposite rooms, forced himself through it. Such an idea was absurd. I was measuring how tall a man would need to be in order to see as he passed what papers were on the central table. I am six feet high, and I could do it with an effort. No one less than that would have a chance. Already you see I had reason to think that if one of your three students was a man of unusual height he was the most worth watching of the three.
"I entered and I took you into my confidence as to the suggestions of the side table. Of the centre table I could make nothing, until in your description of Gilchrist you mentioned that he was a long-distance jumper. Then the whole thing came to me in an instant, and I only needed certain corroborative proofs, which I speedily obtained.
"What happened was this. This young fellow had employed his afternoon at the athletic grounds, where he had been practising the jump. He returned carrying his jumping shoes, which are provided, as you are aware, with several sharp spikes. As he passed your window he saw, by means of his great height, these proofs upon your table, and conjectured what they were. No harm would have been done had it not been that as he passed your door he perceived the key which had been left by the carelessness of your servant. A sudden impulse came over him to enter and see if they were indeed the proofs. It was not a dangerous exploit, for he could always pretend that he had simply looked in to ask a question.
"Well, when he saw that they were indeed the proofs, it was then that he yielded to temptation. He put his shoes on the table. What was it you put on that chair near the window?"
"Gloves," said the young man.
Holmes looked triumphantly at Bannister. "He put his gloves on the chair, and he took the proofs, sheet by sheet, to copy them. He thought the tutor must return by the main gate, and that he would see him. As we know, he came back by the side gate. Suddenly he heard him at the very door. There was no possible escape. He forgot his gloves, but he caught up his shoes and darted into the bedroom. You observe that the scratch on that table is slight at one side, but deepens in the direction of the bedroom door. That in itself is enough to show us that the shoe had been drawn in that direction and that the culprit had taken refuge there. The earth round the spike had been left on the table, and a second sample was loosened and fell in the bedroom. I may add that I walked out to the athletic grounds this morning, saw that tenacious black clay is used in the jumping-pit, and carried away a specimen of it, together with some of the fine tan or sawdust which is strewn over it to prevent the athlete from slipping. Have I told the truth, Mr. Gilchrist?"
The student had drawn himself erect.
"Yes, sir, it is true," said he.
"Good heavens, have you nothing to add?" cried Soames.
"Yes, sir, I have, but the shock of this disgraceful exposure has bewildered me. I have a letter here, Mr. Soames, which I wrote to you early this morning in the middle of a restless night. It was before I knew that my sin had found me out. Here it is, sir. You will see that I have said, `I have determined not to go in for the examination. I have been offered a commission in the Rhodesian Police, and I am going out to South Africa at once."'
"I am indeed pleased to hear that you did not intend to profit by your unfair advantage," said Soames. "But why did you change your purpose?"
Gilchrist pointed to Bannister.
"There is the man who set me in the right path," said he.
"Come now, Bannister," said Holmes. "It will be clear to you from what I have said that only you could have let this young man out, since you were left in the room, and must have locked the door when you went out. As to his escaping by that window, it was incredible. Can you not clear up the last point in this mystery, and tell us the reasons for your action?"
"It was simple enough, sir, if you only had known; but with all your cleverness it was impossible that you could know. Time was, sir, when I was butler to old Sir Jabez Gilchrist, this young gentleman's father. When he was ruined I came to the college as servant, but I never forgot my old employer because he was down in the world. I watched his son all I could for the sake of the old days. Well, sir, when I came into this room yesterday when the alarm was given, the very first thing I saw was Mr. Gilchrist's tan gloves a-lying in that chair. I knew those gloves well, and I understood their message. If Mr. Soames saw them the game was up. I flopped down into that chair, and nothing would budge me until Mr. Soames he went for you. Then out came my poor young master, whom I had dandled on my knee, and confessed it all to me. Wasn't it natural, sir, that I should save him, and wasn't it natural also that I should try to speak to him as his dead father would have done, and make him understand that he could not profit by such a deed? Could you blame me, sir?"
"No, indeed," said Holmes, heartily, springing to his feet. "Well, Soames, I think we have cleared your little problem up, and our breakfast awaits us at home. Come, Watson! As to you, sir, I trust that a bright future awaits you in Rhodesia. For once you have fallen low. Let us see in the future how high you can rise."
那個時候，我們住在一棟離圖書館很近帶傢具出租的寓所裏，因為福爾摩斯正在對英國早期憲章進行緊張的研究。他的研究是很有成效的，也許會成為我將來記述的題目。一天晚上，我們的熟人希爾頓·索姆茲先生來訪，他是聖路加學院的導師和講師。索姆茲先生身材較高，言語不多，但是容易緊張和激動。我知道他一嚮不夠安靜，此時他顯得格外激動，簡直無法控製自己，顯然，是發生了什麽不尋常的事情。
“福爾摩斯先生，我相信您會為我犧牲一兩個小時的寶貴時間。在聖路加學院剛剛發生了一件不幸的事情，要不是恰巧您在城內，我簡直不知道該怎麽辦。”
我的朋友答道：“我現在很忙，不希望有什麽事使我分心。您最好請去幫助您。”
“不，親愛的先生，這樣的事不能請，因為一旦交到官方，便不能撤回。這是涉及到學院名聲的事情，無論如何不能傳揚出去。您是那樣有能力，而且說話謹慎，所以衹有您能夠幫我的忙。福爾摩斯先生，我請求您盡力而為。”
自從離開貝剋街的愜意環境以來，我的朋友脾氣有些不太好。離開了他的報紙剪貼簿、化學藥品以及邋遢的住室，他便感到極不舒服。他無可奈何地聳了聳肩，我們的客人便急忙把事情傾吐出來，他談話的時候心情很激動。
“福爾摩斯先生，你知道明天是福茲求奬學金考試的第一天。我是主考人之一。我主考的科目是希臘文。試卷的第一題是一大段學生沒有讀過的希臘文，要求譯成英文。這一段已經印在試卷上，當然，要是學生事先準備了這段希臘文，會占很大的便宜。所以，我非常註意試卷的保密問題。
“今天下午三點鐘，印刷所送來了試卷的校樣。第一題是翻譯修昔的底斯著作中的一節。我仔細地校閱了清樣，因為①原文需要絶對正確。直到四點三十分，還沒有校對完。可是我答應一個朋友去他的屋裏吃茶，所以我把清樣放在桌子上，就離開了屋子，連來帶去前後衹用了半小時多一點。
------------------------------------------------
①修昔的底斯（公元前４６０年—４００年？），希臘歷史學家。——譯者註
“福爾摩斯先生，你知道我們學院的屋門都是雙重的，裏面的門覆蓋着緑色臺面呢，外面的門是橡木的。當我走近外面的屋門，很吃驚地看見屋門上有把鑰匙。一時間，我以為是我自己把鑰匙忘在門上了，但是再一摸口袋，我纔發現鑰匙在裏面。我清楚地知道，另一把鑰匙是在我的僕人班尼斯特手中。他給我收拾房間已經有十年了，是絶對誠實可靠的。鑰匙確實是他的，我推想，他一定進過我的屋子，來看我是否要喝茶，出去時，也許不小心把鑰匙忘在門上了。他來的時候，我剛剛出去幾分鐘。如果不是今天的情況，他忘記鑰匙是沒有一點關係的，但是今天卻産生了無法估量的後果。
“我一看到我的桌子，立即知道有人翻了我的試卷。清樣印在三張長條紙上。原來我是放在一起的。現在呢，一張在地板上，一張在靠近窗戶的桌子上，還有一張仍在原處。”
福爾摩斯開始感興趣了，他說：“在地板上的是第一張，在窗戶旁的桌子上的是第二張，仍在原處的是第三張。”
“福爾摩斯先生，你使我吃驚，你怎麽會知道得這樣清楚呢？”
“請繼續敘述你的有趣的事情。”
“開始的時候，我想是班尼斯特幹的，這種行為實在不可饒恕。然而他十分誠懇地否認了，我相信他講的是實話。另一個解釋衹能是這樣：有人走過看見鑰匙在門上，知道我不在屋裏，便進來看考卷。這個奬學金的金額是很高的，涉及到大筆的錢財，所以一個厚顔無恥的人或許願意冒險偷看試卷好去勝過他的同伴。
“這件事使得班尼斯特非常不安。當我們發現試卷準是被人翻過的時候，他幾乎昏了過去。我給他一點白蘭地喝，然後讓他坐在一把椅子上，他象癱了似地坐着，這時我檢查了整個房間。除了弄皺的試卷外，我很快地找到這位闖入者留下的其它痕跡。靠窗戶的桌子上有削鉛筆剩下的碎木屑，還有一塊鉛筆心的碎頭兒。顯然，這個騙子匆匆忙忙地抄試題，把鉛筆尖弄斷了，不得不重削。”
這個案件漸漸吸引了福爾摩斯，他的脾氣也就隨着好了起來。他說：“講得好極了！你是吉星高照，大有破案的希望。”
“還有一些痕跡。我有一個新寫字檯，桌面是漂亮的紅色皮革。我和班尼斯特可以發誓，桌面非常光滑，沒有一點污點。現在我發現桌面上有明顯的刀痕，大約三英寸長，不是東西擦過的痕跡，而是確實的刀痕。還有，我在桌子上看到一個小的黑色泥球，也許是面球，球面上有些斑點，象是鋸末。我肯定這些痕跡是那個弄皺試題的人所留下來的。沒有足跡或是其他證據可以辨認這個人。我正着急沒有辦法的時候，忽然想起您在城裏，就直奔您來，嚮您求教。福爾摩斯先生，請您一定幫我的忙。現在您明白了我所處的睏境：或者找出這個人來，或者推遲考試，等到印出新的試題。不能不作任何解釋就更換試題，可是，這樣一來便會引起討厭的謠言。這不僅會損害本學院的名聲，而且也會影響到領導本院的大學的名聲。最要緊的是，我希望能默默地、謹慎地解决這個問題。”
“我很高興處理這件事，而且願意盡力提供一些意見。"福爾摩斯站了起來穿上他的大衣。"這個案子還是很有意思的。你收到試卷以後有人去過你的屋子嗎？”
“有，道拉特·芮斯，一個印度學生。他和我住在同一棟樓，來問考試的方式。”
“他到你的屋裏就是為這事嗎？”
“是的。”
“那時試卷在你的桌子上嗎？”
“是的，不過我記得是捲起來的。”
“可以看出來那是清樣嗎？”
“有可能。”
“你的屋子裏沒有別人？”
“沒有。”
“有人知道清樣要送到你那兒嗎？”
“衹有那個印刷工人知道。”
“班尼斯特知道嗎？”
“他肯定不知道。誰也不知道。”
“班尼斯特現在在哪兒？”
“他身體不舒服，坐在椅子上，好象癱了似的。我立即匆忙地來找你。”
“你的屋門還開着嗎？”
“我已把試卷鎖了起來。”
“索姆茲先生，那麽可以這樣說：翻弄試題的人是偶然碰上的，事先並不知道試卷在你的桌子上。”
“我看是這樣的。”
福爾摩斯微笑了一下，可是這個微笑令人費解。
他說：“好，我們去看看。華生，這不屬於你的職業範圍，不是生理的問題，而是屬於心理方面的。不過，要是你願意去，就去吧。索姆茲先生，現在請你吩咐！”
我們當事人的起居室正對着這座古老學院的庭園，庭園的地上長滿苔蘚。起居室的窗戶又大又低，上面還有花窗欞。一扇峨特式的拱門後面有石梯，石梯已經年久失修了。這位導師的房間在第一層。另外三個大學生，分別各住一層樓。我們到達現場的時候，已經是傍晚了。福爾摩斯停住腳步，註視了一下起居室的窗戶。然後，他走近這扇窗戶，用腳尖站起來，伸着脖子往屋裏探望。
我們有學問的當事人說：“他一定是從大門進去的。除了這扇玻璃窗以外，再沒有別的開口了。”
福爾摩斯看着我們的當事人，微笑了一下，笑得有些奇怪，並且說：“哦，如果在這兒弄不清什麽，我們最好還是到屋裏去。”
這位導師打開屋門，把我們領進他的房間。我們站在門口的時候，福爾摩斯檢查了地毯。
他說：“我想這兒不會有什麽痕跡。天氣這樣乾燥，很難找到。你僕人的身體大概已經恢復了。你說你讓他坐在椅子上，是哪一把椅子？”
“窗口旁邊的那把。”
“哦，是靠近這個小桌子的。你現在可以進來了。地毯我已經檢查完了。我們再看看這個小桌子。當然，發生過的事情已經清楚了。這個人進屋後，從屋子中間這張桌子上一頁一頁地拿起試卷，拿到靠窗口的桌子上，因為假如有人從庭園走過來，從這兒一眼就可以看到，便於逃跑。”
索姆茲說：“實際上他跑不掉，因為我常常從旁門過來。”
“那很好！不管怎樣說，這是他設想的。讓我看看那三張清樣。沒有留下指紋！他先是拿過這一頁去抄寫的。這用了多長時間呢，快抄也不少於一刻鐘。然後丟掉這一張，又拿起另一張。正在這個時候，你回來了，於是他急於跑掉，所以他沒有時間把考卷放回原處。當你走進屋門的時候，聽沒聽見石梯上有急促的腳步聲？”
“沒有，我沒聽見。”
“他急忙地抄寫，把鉛筆尖弄斷了，不得不又削一次。華生，有意思的是：那支鉛筆不是普通鉛筆。它比普通鉛筆粗，軟鉛，筆桿是深藍色，製造商的名字是銀白色的，筆衹剩一英寸半長。索姆茲先生，如果能找到那樣一支鉛筆，也就找到了那個人。我還要告訴你，他的刀子較大而且很鈍，這樣你又有了一個綫索。”
索姆茲先生被福爾摩斯談的這些情況弄鬍塗了。他說：
“別的我還能理解，可是鉛筆的長短……”
福爾摩斯拿出來一小片鉛筆木屑，上面有字母ｎｎ。
“你看。”
“不，我仍然……”
“華生，我過去常常低估你的能力。好，ｎｎ是什麽意思呢？它們是一個字的末尾兩個字母。你知道ＪｏｈａｎｎFａｂｅｒ 是銷路最廣的鉛筆商的名字。這不是很清楚了嗎？鉛筆用得衹剩下了Ｊｏｈａｎｎ字後面的一小段。"他把小桌子拉到電燈下。"我希望他抄寫用的紙是很薄的，這樣便能透過紙張在光滑的桌面上留下痕跡。唔，沒有看見什麽痕跡。從小桌子上找不到什麽。現在看看中間的桌子。我猜想這個小球就是你談的那個黑色的面團。形狀略象金字塔，中間是空的。正象你說的，小球上還有鋸末屑。啊，真有意思。桌面上還有刀痕——確切地說是劃痕。開始的地方是劃的痕跡，然後纔是邊緣不整齊的小洞。索姆茲先生，我非常感謝你使我註意這個案情。那扇門通到哪兒？”
“我的臥室。”
“出事以後，你去過嗎？”
“沒有，我直接來找你。”
“最好讓我查看一下。多麽漂亮的古色古香的屋子！請你先等一分鐘，我檢查完了地板你們再進來。噢，沒有看出什麽。這塊布幔幹什麽用的？你在這塊布幔的後面挂衣服。要是有人不得已藏在這間屋裏，他必定藏在這塊布幔的後面，因為床太低，衣櫃又不夠厚。我想可能沒有人在這兒吧。”
當福爾摩斯拉那塊布幔的時候，我從他那堅决而又機警的表情知道，他已經做好準備，以防萬一。可是拉開布幔一看，除了挂在衣鈎上的三、四套衣服以外，什麽也沒有。福爾摩斯轉過身剛要走開，突然又蹲到地板上。
他說：“喂，這是什麽？”
那是一小塊金字塔形狀的黑色東西，象膩子，和書房裏桌子上的那塊完全一樣。福爾摩斯把它放在手心上拿到電燈下看。
“索姆茲先生，這位不速之客在你的起居室裏和你的臥室裏都留下了痕跡。”
“他到臥室裏去幹什麽？”
“我想這很清楚。你突然回來，到了門口，他纔發覺。他怎麽辦呢？無論做什麽都會暴露他自己，所以他衹好衝進你的臥室躲藏起來。”
“哎呀，我的上帝，福爾摩斯先生，你是不是說，我和班尼斯特在起居室談話的時候，這個人一直藏在這裏？”
“我是這樣看的。”
“福爾摩斯先生，當然還有另外一種可能性。我不知道你是否註意到我臥室的窗戶了？”
“玻璃上面有花窗欞，框子是金屬的，共三扇，一扇有折葉，可以鑽進人來。”
“正是這樣的。臥室對着庭園的一角，所以從外面看不到整個臥室。這個人也許是從窗戶進來的，走過臥室，留下了痕跡，最後，發現門開着，便從門那兒跑掉。”
福爾摩斯不耐煩地搖了搖頭。
他說：“讓我們從實際情況着手。你說過，有三個學生用這個石梯，並且總是走過你的門前。”
“是有三名學生。”
“他們都要參加這次考試嗎？”
“是的。”
“三個人裏有沒有人嫌疑較大呢？”
索姆茲猶豫不决。
他說：“這是一個很難答復的問題。沒有證據不好輕易懷疑某一個人。”
“你說說你的懷疑，我來給你找證據。”
“那麽，我簡單地告訴你住在這兒的三個人的性格。三個人中住在最下面的是吉爾剋利斯特，一位優秀的學生，也是個優秀的運動員，參加了學院的足球隊和板球隊，低欄和跳遠他都得過奬。他是一個漂亮的、很有風度的男人。他父親是名聲不好的紮別茲·吉爾剋利斯特勳爵，因為賽馬破了産。這個學生很窮，但是他很努力，很勤奮。他是有前途的。
“住在中間一屋的是一位印度人，名字叫道拉斯·芮斯。他是一個性情安靜但是難於接近的人，多數印度人都是這樣，他學習得很好，不過他的希臘文差一些。他很穩健，辦事很有條理。
“最上面住的是邁爾茲·麥剋拉倫。他要是想學習，可以學得很出色，他是這所大學裏最有才華的一個。但是，他任性，生活放蕩。第一學年因為打牌的事他差一點被開除。這一學其他懶散地混過來了，對於這次奬學金考試他一定很怕。”
“那麽，你懷疑的就是他了？”
'我還不敢這樣說。但是，這三個人裏面或許他是最有可能做這種事的。”
“很好，索姆茲先生，現在我們見見你的僕人班尼斯特。”
這個僕人個子不高，面色蒼白，鬍須剃得很幹淨，花白頭髮，年紀有五十多歲。自從試題的事打亂了他安靜的生活，他還沒有完全平靜下來。由於緊張他那圓圓的面頰還在抽動，手指也在顫動。
他的主人說：“班尼斯特，我們正在調查這件不幸的事。”
“是的，先生。”
福爾摩斯說：“我聽說你把鑰匙忘在門上了。”
“是的，先生。”
“正當試卷放在屋裏的時候，你這樣做，那不是很反常嗎？”
“先生，發生這事是很不應該的。但是，在別的時候，我也忘過。”
“你什麽時候進的屋子？”
“大約四點半。是索姆茲先生吃茶的時間。”
“你在屋裏等了多久？”
“我看見他不在，就趕緊出來了。”
“你看桌子上的試卷了嗎？”
“沒有，先生，真的沒看。”
“你怎麽會把鑰匙忘在門上的？”
“我手裏拿着茶盤。我想等回來再拿鑰匙。後來就忘了。”
“通到外邊的屋門是不是有把彈簧鎖？”
“沒有，先生。”
“那扇門一直開着嗎？”
“是的，先生。”
“不管誰從屋裏全可以出來嗎？”
“是的，先生。”
“索姆茲先生回來後找你，你很不安，是嗎？”
“是的，先生。我來這裏這麽多年沒有發生過這樣的事。我差一點昏過去了。”
“我知道你昏過去了。你開始感覺不舒服的時候，你在哪兒？”
“我在哪兒，先生？怎麽？就在這兒，靠近屋門。”
“那就有些奇怪了，你坐的是那邊靠屋角的椅子。你為什麽要走過另外這幾張椅子呢？”
“先生，我不知道，我沒有註意我坐在哪兒。”
“福爾摩斯先生，我也認為他不會註意他當時坐在哪兒。那時他臉色很不好，特別蒼白。”
“你的主人離開以後，你還在這裏？”
“衹有一兩分鐘。然後我鎖上門就回我自己的屋子了。”
“你懷疑誰呢？”
“噢，我不敢隨便說。我不相信這所大學裏有人會做出這種不擇手段損人利己的事。先生，我不信會有這樣的人。”
福爾摩斯說：“謝謝你，就談到這裏。噢，還有一句話。你沒有嚮你服侍的三位先生提到出了事吧？”
“沒有，先生，沒提一個字。”
“你看見他們了嗎？”
“沒有。”
“很好。索姆茲先生，您願意和我在這個院子裏走走嗎？”
天色愈來愈黑，樓上各層的窗戶上全有燈光閃耀着。
福爾摩斯擡頭看了看，說：“你的三個小鳥全回窩了。喂！那是什麽？他們當中有一個象是坐立不安。”
原來是那個印度人，窗簾上突然出現了他的側影。他在屋內迅速來回踱步。
福爾摩斯說：“我希望見每個人一面。這可能嗎？”
索姆茲說：“沒有問題。這些房間是學院裏最古老的，常有客人來參觀。來，我親自領你去。”
當我們敲吉爾剋利斯特的屋門的時候，福爾摩斯說：“請不要通報姓名。"一個細高個、黃頭髮的青年開了門，當他知道我們是來參觀的時候，他表示歡迎。屋內有一些罕見的中世紀室內結構，福爾摩斯對於一個結構很感興趣，一定要畫在他的筆記本上，他弄斷了鉛筆尖，希望嚮主人藉一支，最後是藉了一把小刀削他自己的鉛筆。在印度人的房間中，他也做了同樣的事情。這個印度人是個沉默寡言、身材矮小、長着彎勾鼻子的人。他斜眼看着我們，當福爾摩斯畫完建築結構圖的時候，他顯得十分高興。我看不出福爾摩斯從這兩處找到了他所查尋的綫索。我們沒有能夠訪問第三處。我們敲不開他的門，而且從門內傳過來一陣責駡聲，夾雜着憤怒的吼聲。"我不管你是誰。去你媽的！明天就要考試了，少來打擾我！”
我們的嚮導氣得臉都紅了，一面下臺階一面說：“真是粗魯！即使他不知道是我敲門，這樣做不也太無禮了嗎？在目前的情況下看來，很值得懷疑。”
福爾摩斯的回答卻很奇怪。
他問：“你能告訴我他的確切身高嗎？”
“福爾摩斯先生，這個我實在說不準確。他比那個印度人高一些，但是又不象吉爾剋利斯特那樣高。我想大約是五英尺六英寸吧。”
福爾摩斯說：“這一點很重要。那麽，索姆茲先生，我祝你晚安。”
我們的當事人是又驚訝又失望，大聲喊道：“天啊，福爾摩斯先生，你不會這樣突然地走掉吧！你好象沒有理解我的處境。明天就要考試啦！今天晚上我必須采取一定的措施。試卷被人翻弄了，我就不能舉行考試。一定要正視這種情況。”
“事情衹能達到目前這一步。我明天清早再來和你談這件事。也許我能夠告訴你怎樣辦。可是，你不要動什麽東西，什麽都不要動。”
“好，就這樣，福爾摩斯先生。”
“你完全不必擔憂。我們一定會找到擺脫睏境的辦法。我要帶走那兩個黑泥球和鉛筆屑。再見。”
我們走出了院子，在黑暗中又擡頭看了看那幾扇窗戶。那個印度人仍然在屋內踱步。其他兩扇窗戶裏已經沒有燈光了。
走到大街上，福爾摩斯問：“華生，你怎樣看這件事呢？這完全是個客廳中的小遊戲，從三張牌中摸出一張，是不是？一定是三個人中的一個幹的。你挑你的牌，你說是哪個人？”
“最上面那個嘴不幹淨的傢夥。他的品行最壞。可是那個印度人也很狡猾。為什麽他總在屋內走來走去呢？”
“這沒有什麽關係。有些人在努力記東西的時候，常常走來走去。”
“他看着我們的那個樣子，很奇怪。”
“假如你正準備功課，第二天參加考試，每時每刻都很寶貴，這時有一群人突然找到你，你也會這樣看他們的。我看這一點不能說明什麽。至於那兩支鉛筆和兩把刀子全沒有問題。可是那個人我確實弄不清。”
“哪一個人？”
“那個僕人班尼斯特。在這件事情中他耍了什麽花招呢？”
“他給我的印象是一個十分誠實的人。”
“我也有這種印象。這是使人不能理解的。為什麽一個誠實的人——哦，這兒有一傢文具店。我們從這傢商店開始調查。”
城內衹有四傢較大的文具店，福爾摩斯到每一傢文具店全拿出那幾片鉛筆屑，並且要付高價買同樣的鉛筆。四傢全要給他訂做一支，因為這不是一支普通尺寸的鉛筆，很少有存貨。我的朋友並沒因此而失望，衹是隨便地聳一下肩，表示無可奈何罷了。
“親愛的華生，我們沒有得到什麽結果。這個最能說明問題的綫索也沒有用了。但是，我深信我們仍然能夠弄清原來的情況。天哪！已經快九點了，女房東還嘮叨過七點半給我們做好豌豆湯呢。華生，你總是不停地抽煙，還不按時吃飯。我想房東會通知你退房的，而我也要隨着你倒黴了——不管怎麽樣，我們還是先解决這位焦慮不安的導師、粗心大意的僕人和三個前程無限的大學生這些人的問題吧。”
到我們吃飯時候已經很晚了，儘管飯後他沉思了很久，可是他再也沒有和我提到這件事。第二天早晨八點鐘，我剛剛盥洗完畢，福爾摩斯便到我的屋裏來了。
他說：“華生，我們應該去聖路加學院了。你不吃早飯行嗎？”
“可以。”
“要是我們不給索姆茲肯定的回答，他是要坐立不安的。”
“你有什麽明確的回答嗎？”
“有的。”
“你已經得出結論了？”
“是的，親愛的華生，我已經解决了這個謎。”
“可是你弄到了什麽新的證據呢？”
“我六點鐘就早早地起了床，决不會一無所得。我已經辛苦地工作了兩小時，至少走了五英裏路，終於得到一點東西說明問題。請看這個！”
他伸出手掌，掌心上有三個金字塔形狀的小黑泥團。
“怎麽，你昨天衹有兩個？”
“今天清早又得到一個。可以斷定第三個小泥球的來源，也就是第一、第二個泥球的來源。走吧，華生，我們要讓我們的朋友索姆茲安心。”
我們在索姆茲的房間裏看到他心情十分不安。過幾個小時考試即將開始，可是他還處於進退維𠔌的地位——是宣佈事實，還是允許罪犯參加這個高額奬學金的考試，他拿不定主意，看樣子簡直連站都站不穩了，可是一見福爾摩斯，他立刻伸出兩手急忙迎上去。
“謝天謝地，你終於來了！我真擔心你因為感到沒有辦法而不管這件事了。我怎麽辦呢？考試還要舉行嗎？”
“是的，無論如何還要舉行。”
“可是這個騙子呢？”
“不能讓他參加。”
“你找出來了嗎？”
“我想會找出來的。如果不想讓事情傳到公衆的耳中，我們必須有點權威，自己組成一個私人軍事法庭。索姆茲，你坐在那裏。華生，你坐這兒。我坐在中間的扶手椅上。我想這樣足以使犯罪的人産生畏懼的心情。請按鈴吧！”
班尼斯特進來了，看見我們威嚴的面容感到驚恐，後退了一步。
福爾摩斯說：“請你關上門。班尼斯特，現在請你告訴我們昨天事件的真實情況。”
他的臉色完全嚇白了。
“先生，我全都說了。”
“沒有要補充的嗎？”
“一點沒有了，先生。”
“好，我來提醒你一下。你昨天坐到那把椅子上的時候，是不是為了要遮掩一件東西？這件東西正好說明誰到這個屋子裏來過。”
班尼斯特臉色慘白。
“不，先生，絶不是。”
福爾摩斯又緩和地說：“這不過是提醒你一下。我坦率地承認我無法證實這件事情。但是，很可能是這樣的，索姆茲先生一轉過身去，你便放走了臥室裏的人。”
班尼斯特舔了舔他發幹的嘴唇。
“先生，沒有人。”
“班尼斯特，這可不好。到了現在，你應該說真話，可是我知道你還在說謊。”
他綳着臉表示若無其事。
“先生，沒有人。”
“班尼斯特，說出來吧！”
“先生，是沒有人。”
“你拒絶給我們提供情況。是否請你留下不要出去？站到臥室的門旁。索姆茲先生，請你費心親自去吉爾剋利斯特屋中，請他到你這兒來。”
一會兒，這位導師帶着那個學生回來了。這個學生體格很健壯，高高的身材，行動輕巧又靈活，步伐矯健，面容愉快開朗。他用不安的眼光看了看我們每個人，最後茫然失措地凝視着角落裏的班尼斯特。
福爾摩斯說：“請關上門。吉爾剋利斯特先生，我們這兒沒有外人，而且也沒有必要讓人知道我們之間談了什麽。我們彼此可以以誠相待。吉爾剋利斯特先生，我想要知道你這樣一位誠實的人怎麽會做出昨天那樣的事情？”
這位不幸的青年後退了一步，並且用恐懼和責備的目光看了班尼斯特一眼。
僕人說：“不，不，吉爾剋利斯特先生，我沒有說過一個字，一個字也沒說過。”
福爾摩斯說：“可是現在你說出來了。吉爾剋利斯特先生，你必須明白，班尼斯特說話以後，你便毫無辦法了，你的唯一出路是坦率地承認事實。”
一瞬間，吉爾剋利斯特舉起雙手想要控製他抽動着的身體。緊接着他跪倒在桌旁，把臉埋在雙手中，他激動得不停地嗚咽起來。
福爾摩斯溫和地說：“不要這樣，人總是要犯錯誤的，至少沒有人責備你是個心腸不正的罪犯。如果由我來把發生的事告訴索姆茲先生，不對的地方，你來改正，這樣你或許感覺方便一些。我開始說吧，好，你聽着，以免我把你做的事說錯了。
“索姆茲先生，你曾經告訴我沒有一個人，包括班尼斯特在內，知道試卷在你的屋中。從那時期，在我的心裏就開始有一個明確的看法。當然這沒有把那個印刷工考慮在內，因為這個工人要想偷看試卷的話可以在自己的辦公室裏看。還有那個印度人，我想他也不會做什麽壞事。如果清樣捲成一捲，你可能不會知道那是什麽東西。另一方面，假設有一個人竟敢擅自進屋，並且恰巧碰上桌子上有試卷，這種巧合是很難想象的。所以我排除了這種可能性。進到屋裏的人知道試卷在哪兒。他怎麽知道的呢？
“當我走近你的屋子的時候，我檢查了那扇窗戶。你那時的設想使我發笑，你以為我會相信或許有一個人會在青天白日之下，在對面屋子裏衆人的註視下破窗而入嗎？不，這樣的想法是荒謬的。我是在衡量一個過路的人要有多高才能往裏看到桌子上有試卷。我六英尺高，費點勁可以看到。低於六英尺的人是看不到的。所以，我想要是你的三個學生裏有一個比一般人高，他便是最可能做這件事的人。
“我進屋後，發現了靠窗桌子上的綫索，這一點曾經告訴過你。從中間的桌子上我沒有得出什麽結論。後來你談到吉爾剋利斯特是個跳遠運動員，這時我立即明白了全部經過，可是我還需要一些旁證。這些旁證我也很快地弄到了。
“事情是這樣的：這位年輕人下午在運動場練習跳遠。他回來的時候，帶着他的跳鞋。你知道，跳鞋底上有幾個尖釘。他路過你的窗口的時候，由於他個子很高，看見你桌子上的清樣，他猜出了那是試卷。要是他經過你的屋門，沒有看見有把鑰匙忘在門上，就不會有什麽壞事了。突然的衝動使他進到屋裏，看看那是否是清樣。這並不是冒險的行動，因為他完全可以裝作進來是想要問個問題。
“當他看清那確是清樣的時候，他抵製不住了。他把鞋放到桌子上。在靠近窗口的椅子上，你放的是什麽呢？”
年輕人回答：“手套。”
福爾摩斯得意地看着班尼斯特。"他把手套放在椅子上，然後他拿起清樣一張一張地抄寫。他以為這位導師一定從院子大門回來，這樣他可以看得見。可是我們知道，索姆茲先生是從旁門回來的。他突然聽到導師的腳步聲已到屋門口。已經沒有辦法跑掉了。於是他抓起跳鞋立即竄到臥室裏，但是忘了他的手套。你們看到桌面上的劃痕一頭很輕，可是對着臥室的一頭漸漸加深。劃痕本身就足以說明是朝着臥室的方向抓起跳鞋的。這個犯法的人就躲在臥室裏。鞋釘上的泥土留在桌子上，另一塊掉在臥室內。我還要說明，今天清早我去過運動場，看見跳坑內用的黑色粘土，上面灑着細的黃色鋸末，為的是防止運動員滑倒。我帶來了一小塊黑土做樣子。吉爾剋利斯特先生，我說得符合事實嗎？”
這個學生已經站了起來。
他說：“是的，完全是事實。”
索姆茲說：“你還有什麽要補充的嗎？”
“是的，先生。我做了這件不光彩的事以後，驚慌得不知所措。索姆茲先生，我有一封信給您，信是我一夜未睡今天清早寫的。也就是說在我知道我的罪行已經被查出來之前寫的。先生，請您看這封信。我寫道：'我已經决定不參加考試。我收到羅得西亞總部的任命，我準備立即動身去南非。'”
索姆茲說：“我聽到你不打算用品起手段取得奬學金，我很高興。但是你是怎樣改變了你的意圖的呢？”
吉爾剋利斯特指着班尼斯特說：
“是他使我走上了正路。”
福爾摩斯說：“班尼斯特，你過來。我已經講得很清楚，衹有你能放走這個青年人，因為當時留在屋中的衹是你一人，並且你出去的時候一定把門鎖上了。至於他從窗口跑掉，那是不可能的。請你把這個案件最後一個疑問講清楚，並且告訴我們你這樣做的理由。”
“要是你一瞭解，理由就很簡單了。不過，儘管你很聰明，你也不可能瞭解。事情是這樣的，我曾經是這位年輕先生的父親——老吉爾剋利斯特勳爵的管傢。他破産以後，我來到這所學院做僕人，但是我從未因為老主人沒落而忘記他。為了紀念過去，我盡可能地照顧他的兒子。昨天你按鈴叫我來的時候，我首先看到的是吉爾剋利斯特先生的棕黃色手套放在椅子上。我知道這副手套是誰的，我也知道手套在這兒意味着什麽。要是索姆茲先生看見，秘密就要暴露了。我急忙坐到椅子上，直到索姆茲先生去找您，我纔敢移動。這時我可憐的小主人出來了，他是我抱大的，他對我承認了一切。我要救他，這不是很自然的嗎？我要象他的已死的父親一樣開導他不應當這樣取巧，這不是也很自然嗎？先生，你能責怪我嗎？”
福爾摩斯很高興地站起來，說：“確實不能。索姆茲，我看我們已經把你的小問題弄了個水落石出，而我們還沒有吃早飯。華生，我們走吧！至於你，先生，我相信在羅得西亞會有你的光明前途。儘管你這次跌倒了，我們仍然期望你將來會前程無量。”
We were residing at the time in furnished lodgings close to a library where Sherlock Holmes was pursuing some laborious researches in early English charters -- researches which led to results so striking that they may be the subject of one of my future narratives. Here it was that one evening we received a visit from an acquaintance, Mr. Hilton Soames, tutor and lecturer at the College of St. Luke's. Mr. Soames was a tall, spare man, of a nervous and excitable temperament. I had always known him to be restless in his manner, but on this particular occasion he was in such a state of uncontrollable agitation that it was clear something very unusual had occurred.
"I trust, Mr. Holmes, that you can spare me a few hours of your valuable time. We have had a very painful incident at St. Luke's, and really, but for the happy chance of your being in the town, I should have been at a loss what to do."
"I am very busy just now, and I desire no distractions," my friend answered. "I should much prefer that you called in the aid of the police."
"No, no, my dear sir; such a course is utterly impossible. When once the law is evoked it cannot be stayed again, and this is just one of those cases where, for the credit of the college, it is most essential to avoid scandal. Your discretion is as well known as your powers, and you are the one man in the world who can help me. I beg you, Mr. Holmes, to do what you can."
My friend's temper had not improved since he had been deprived of the congenial surroundings of Baker Street. Without his scrap-books, his chemicals, and his homely untidiness, he was an uncomfortable man. He shrugged his shoulders in ungracious acquiescence, while our visitor in hurried words and with much excitable gesticulation poured forth his story.
"I must explain to you, Mr. Holmes, that to-morrow is the first day of the examination for the Fortescue Scholarship. I am one of the examiners. My subject is Greek, and the first of the papers consists of a large passage of Greek translation which the candidate has not seen. This passage is printed on the examination paper, and it would naturally be an immense advantage if the candidate could prepare it in advance. For this reason great care is taken to keep the paper secret.
"To-day about three o'clock the proofs of this paper arrived from the printers. The exercise consists of half a chapter of Thucydides. I had to read it over carefully, as the text must be absolutely correct. At four-thirty my task was not yet completed. I had, however, promised to take tea in a friend's rooms, so I left the proof upon my desk. I was absent rather more than an hour.
"You are aware, Mr. Holmes, that our college doors are double -- a green baize one within and a heavy oak one without. As I approached my outer door I was amazed to see a key in it. For an instant I imagined that I had left my own there, but on feeling in my pocket I found that it was all right. The only duplicate which existed, so far as I knew, was that which belonged to my servant, Bannister, a man who has looked after my room for ten years, and whose honesty is absolutely above suspicion. I found that the key was indeed his, that he had entered my room to know if I wanted tea, and that he had very carelessly left the key in the door when he came out. His visit to my room must have been within a very few minutes of my leaving it. His forgetfulness about the key would have mattered little upon any other occasion, but on this one day it has produced the most deplorable consequences.
"The moment I looked at my table I was aware that someone had rummaged among my papers. The proof was in three long slips. I had left them all together. Now, I found that one of them was lying on the floor, one was on the side table near the window, and the third was where I had left it."
Holmes stirred for the first time.
"The first page on the floor, the second in the window, the third where you left it," said he.
"Exactly, Mr. Holmes. You amaze me. How could you possibly know that?"
"Pray continue your very interesting statement."
"For an instant I imagined that Bannister had taken the unpardonable liberty of examining my papers. He denied it, however, with the utmost earnestness, and I am convinced that he was speaking the truth. The alternative was that someone passing had observed the key in the door, had known that I was out, and had entered to look at the papers. A large sum of money is at stake, for the scholarship is a very valuable one, and an unscrupulous man might very well run a risk in order to gain an advantage over his fellows.
"Bannister was very much upset by the incident. He had nearly fainted when we found that the papers had undoubtedly been tampered with. I gave him a little brandy and left him collapsed in a chair while I made a most careful examination of the room. I soon saw that the intruder had left other traces of his presence besides the rumpled papers. On the table in the window were several shreds from a pencil which had been sharpened. A broken tip of lead was lying there also. Evidently the rascal had copied the paper in a great hurry, had broken his pencil, and had been compelled to put a fresh point to it."
"Excellent!" said Holmes, who was recovering his good-humour as his attention became more engrossed by the case. "Fortune has been your friend."
"This was not all. I have a new writing-table with a fine surface of red leather. I am prepared to swear, and so is Bannister, that it was smooth and unstained. Now I found a clean cut in it about three inches long -- not a mere scratch, but a positive cut. Not only this, but on the table I found a small ball of black dough, or clay, with specks of something which looks like sawdust in it. I am convinced that these marks were left by the man who rifled the papers. There were no footmarks and no other evidence as to his identity. I was at my wits' ends, when suddenly the happy thought occurred to me that you were in the town, and I came straight round to put the matter into your hands. Do help me, Mr. Holmes! You see my dilemma. Either I must find the man or else the examination must be postponed until fresh papers are prepared, and since this cannot be done without explanation there will ensue a hideous scandal, which will throw a cloud not only on the college, but on the University. Above all things I desire to settle the matter quietly and discreetly."
"I shall be happy to look into it and to give you such advice as I can," said Holmes, rising and putting on his overcoat. "The case is not entirely devoid of interest. Had anyone visited you in your room after the papers came to you?"
"Yes; young Daulat Ras, an Indian student who lives on the same stair, came in to ask me some particulars about the examination."
"For which he was entered?"
"Yes."
"And the papers were on your table?"
"To the best of my belief they were rolled up."
"But might be recognised as proofs?"
"Possibly."
"No one else in your room?"
"No."
"Did anyone know that these proofs would be there?"
"No one save the printer."
"Did this man Bannister know?"
"No, certainly not. No one knew."
"Where is Bannister now?"
"He was very ill, poor fellow. I left him collapsed in the chair. I was in such a hurry to come to you."
"You left your door open?"
"I locked up the papers first."
"Then it amounts to this, Mr. Soames, that unless the Indian student recognised the roll as being proofs, the man who tampered with them came upon them accidentally without knowing that they were there."
"So it seems to me."
Holmes gave an enigmatic smile.
"Well," said he, "let us go round. Not one of your cases, Watson -- mental, not physical. All right; come if you want to. Now, Mr. Soames -- at your disposal!"
The sitting-room of our client opened by a long, low, latticed window on to the ancient lichen-tinted court of the old college. A Gothic arched door led to a worn stone staircase. On the ground floor was the tutor's room. Above were three students, one on each story. It was already twilight when we reached the scene of our problem. Holmes halted and looked earnestly at the window. Then he approached it, and, standing on tiptoe with his neck craned, he looked into the room.
"He must have entered through the door. There is no opening except the one pane," said our learned guide.
"Dear me!" said Holmes, and he smiled in a singular way as he glanced at our companion. "Well, if there is nothing to be learned here we had best go inside."
The lecturer unlocked the outer door and ushered us into his room. We stood at the entrance while Holmes made an examination of the carpet.
"I am afraid there are no signs here," said he. "One could hardly hope for any upon so dry a day. Your servant seems to have quite recovered. You left him in a chair, you say; which chair?"
"By the window there."
"I see. Near this little table. You can come in now. I have finished with the carpet. Let us take the little table first. Of course, what has happened is very clear. The man entered and took the papers, sheet by sheet, from the central table. He carried them over to the window table, because from there he could see if you came across the courtyard, and so could effect an escape."
"As a matter of fact he could not," said Soames, "for I entered by the side door."
"Ah, that's good! Well, anyhow, that was in his mind. Let me see the three strips. No finger impressions -- no! Well, he carried over this one first and he copied it. How long would it take him to do that, using every possible contraction? A quarter of an hour, not less. Then he tossed it down and seized the next. He was in the midst of that when your return caused him to make a very hurried retreat -- VERY hurried, since he had not time to replace the papers which would tell you that he had been there. You were not aware of any hurrying feet on the stair as you entered the outer door?"
"No, I can't say I was."
"Well, he wrote so furiously that he broke his pencil, and had, as you observe, to sharpen it again. This is of interest, Watson. The pencil was not an ordinary one. It was above the usual size, with a soft lead; the outer colour was dark blue, the maker's name was printed in silver lettering, and the piece remaining is only about an inch and a half long. Look for such a pencil, Mr. Soames, and you have got your man. When I add that he possesses a large and very blunt knife, you have an additional aid."
Mr. Soames was somewhat overwhelmed by this flood of information. "I can follow the other points," said he, "but really, in this matter of the length ----"
Holmes held out a small chip with the letters NN and a space of clear wood after them.
"You see?"
"No, I fear that even now ----"
"Watson, I have always done you an injustice. There are others. What could this NN be? It is at the end of a word. You are aware that Johann Faber is the most common maker's name. Is it not clear that there is just as much of the pencil left as usually follows the Johann?" He held the small table sideways to the electric light. "I was hoping that if the paper on which he wrote was thin some trace of it might come through upon this polished surface. No, I see nothing. I don't think there is anything more to be learned here. Now for the central table. This small pellet is, I presume, the black, doughy mass you spoke of. Roughly pyramidal in shape and hollowed out, I perceive. As you say, there appear to be grains of sawdust in it. Dear me, this is very interesting. And the cut -- a positive tear, I see. It began with a thin scratch and ended in a jagged hole. I am much indebted to you for directing my attention to this case, Mr. Soames. Where does that door lead to?"
"To my bedroom."
"Have you been in it since your adventure?"
"No; I came straight away for you."
"I should like to have a glance round. What a charming, old-fashioned room! Perhaps you will kindly wait a minute until I have examined the floor. No, I see nothing. What about this curtain? You hang your clothes behind it. If anyone were forced to conceal himself in this room he must do it there, since the bed is too low and the wardrobe too shallow. No one there, I suppose?"
As Holmes drew the curtain I was aware, from some little rigidity and alertness of his attitude, that he was prepared for an emergency. As a matter of fact the drawn curtain disclosed nothing but three or four suits of clothes hanging from a line of pegs. Holmes turned away and stooped suddenly to the floor.
"Halloa! What's this?" said he.
It was a small pyramid of black, putty-like stuff, exactly like the one upon the table of the study. Holmes held it out on his open palm in the glare of the electric light.
"Your visitor seems to have left traces in your bedroom as well as in your sitting-room, Mr. Soames."
"What could he have wanted there?"
"I think it is clear enough. You came back by an unexpected way, and so he had no warning until you were at the very door. What could he do? He caught up everything which would betray him and he rushed into your bedroom to conceal himself."
"Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, do you mean to tell me that all the time I was talking to Bannister in this room we had the man prisoner if we had only known it?"
"So I read it."
"Surely there is another alternative, Mr. Holmes. I don't know whether you observed my bedroom window?"
"Lattice-paned, lead framework, three separate windows, one swinging on hinge and large enough to admit a man."
"Exactly. And it looks out on an angle of the courtyard so as to be partly invisible. The man might have effected his entrance there, left traces as he passed through the bedroom, and, finally, finding the door open have escaped that way."
Holmes shook his head impatiently.
"Let us be practical," said he. "I understand you to say that there are three students who use this stair and are in the habit of passing your door?"
"Yes, there are."
"And they are all in for this examination?"
"Yes."
"Have you any reason to suspect any one of them more than the others?"
Soames hesitated.
"It is a very delicate question," said he. "One hardly likes to throw suspicion where there are no proofs."
"Let us hear the suspicions. I will look after the proofs."
"I will tell you, then, in a few words the character of the three men who inhabit these rooms. The lower of the three is Gilchrist, a fine scholar and athlete; plays in the Rugby team and the cricket team for the college, and got his Blue for the hurdles and the long jump. He is a fine, manly fellow. His father was the notorious Sir Jabez Gilchrist, who ruined himself on the turf. My scholar has been left very poor, but he is hard-working and industrious. He will do well.
"The second floor is inhabited by Daulat Ras, the Indian. He is a quiet, inscrutable fellow, as most of those Indians are. He is well up in his work, though his Greek is his weak subject. He is steady and methodical.
"The top floor belongs to Miles McLaren. He is a brilliant fellow when he chooses to work -- one of the brightest intellects of the University, but he is wayward, dissipated, and unprincipled. He was nearly expelled over a card scandal in his first year. He has been idling all this term, and he must look forward with dread to the examination."
"Then it is he whom you suspect?"
"I dare not go so far as that. But of the three he is perhaps the least unlikely."
"Exactly. Now, Mr. Soames, let us have a look at your servant, Bannister."
He was a little, white-faced, clean-shaven, grizzly-haired fellow of fifty. He was still suffering from this sudden disturbance of the quiet routine of his life. His plump face was twitching with his nervousness, and his fingers could not keep still.
"We are investigating this unhappy business, Bannister," said his master.
"Yes, sir."
"I understand," said Holmes, "that you left your key in the door?"
"Yes, sir."
"Was it not very extraordinary that you should do this on the very day when there were these papers inside?"
"It was most unfortunate, sir. But I have occasionally done the same thing at other times."
"When did you enter the room?"
"It was about half-past four. That is Mr. Soames's tea time."
"How long did you stay?"
"When I saw that he was absent I withdrew at once."
"Did you look at these papers on the table?"
"No, sir; certainly not."
"How came you to leave the key in the door?"
"I had the tea-tray in my hand. I thought I would come back for the key. Then I forgot."
"Has the outer door a spring lock?"
"No, sir."
"Then it was open all the time?"
"Yes, sir."
"Anyone in the room could get out?"
"Yes, sir."
"When Mr. Soames returned and called for you, you were very much disturbed?"
"Yes, sir. Such a thing has never happened during the many years that I have been here. I nearly fainted, sir."
"So I understand. Where were you when you began to feel bad?"
"Where was I, sir? Why, here, near the door."
"That is singular, because you sat down in that chair over yonder near the corner. Why did you pass these other chairs?"
"I don't know, sir. It didn't matter to me where I sat."
"I really don't think he knew much about it, Mr. Holmes. He was looking very bad -- quite ghastly."
"You stayed here when your master left?"
"Only for a minute or so. Then I locked the door and went to my room."
"Whom do you suspect?"
"Oh, I would not venture to say, sir. I don't believe there is any gentleman in this University who is capable of profiting by such an action. No, sir, I'll not believe it."
"Thank you; that will do," said Holmes. "Oh, one more word. You have not mentioned to any of the three gentlemen whom you attend that anything is amiss?"
"No, sir; not a word."
"You haven't seen any of them?"
"No, sir."
"Very good. Now, Mr. Soames, we will take a walk in the quadrangle, if you please."
Three yellow squares of light shone above us in the gathering gloom."
"Your three birds are all in their nests," said Holmes, looking up. "Halloa! What's that? One of them seems restless enough."
It was the Indian, whose dark silhouette appeared suddenly upon his blind. He was pacing swiftly up and down his room.
"I should like to have a peep at each of them," said Holmes. "Is it possible?"
"No difficulty in the world," Soames answered. "This set of rooms is quite the oldest in the college, and it is not unusual for visitors to go over them. Come along, and I will personally conduct you."
"No names, please!" said Holmes, as we knocked at Gilchrist's door. A tall, flaxen-haired, slim young fellow opened it, and made us welcome when he understood our errand. There were some really curious pieces of mediaeval domestic architecture within. Holmes was so charmed with one of them that he insisted on drawing it on his note-book, broke his pencil, had to borrow one from our host, and finally borrowed a knife to sharpen his own. The same curious accident happened to him in the rooms of the Indian -- a silent, little, hook-nosed fellow, who eyed us askance and was obviously glad when Holmes's architectural studies had come to an end. I could not see that in either case Holmes had come upon the clue for which he was searching. Only at the third did our visit prove abortive. The outer door would not open to our knock, and nothing more substantial than a torrent of bad language came from behind it. "I don't care who you are. You can go to blazes!" roared the angry voice. "To-morrow's the exam, and I won't be drawn by anyone."
"A rude fellow," said our guide, flushing with anger as we withdrew down the stair. "Of course, he did not realize that it was I who was knocking, but none the less his conduct was very uncourteous, and, indeed, under the circumstances rather suspicious."
Holmes's response was a curious one.
"Can you tell me his exact height?" he asked.
"Really, Mr. Holmes, I cannot undertake to say. He is taller than the Indian, not so tall as Gilchrist. I suppose five foot six would be about it."
"That is very important," said Holmes. "And now, Mr. Soames, I wish you good-night."
Our guide cried aloud in his astonishment and dismay. "Good gracious, Mr. Holmes, you are surely not going to leave me in this abrupt fashion! You don't seem to realize the position. To-morrow is the examination. I must take some definite action to-night. I cannot allow the examination to be held if one of the papers has been tampered with. The situation must be faced."
"You must leave it as it is. I shall drop round early to-morrow morning and chat the matter over. It is possible that I may be in a position then to indicate some course of action. Meanwhile you change nothing -- nothing at all."
"Very good, Mr. Holmes."
"You can be perfectly easy in your mind. We shall certainly find some way out of your difficulties. I will take the black clay with me, also the pencil cuttings. Good-bye."
When we were out in the darkness of the quadrangle we again looked up at the windows. The Indian still paced his room. The others were invisible.
"Well, Watson, what do you think of it?" Holmes asked, as we came out into the main street. "Quite a little parlour game -- sort of three-card trick, is it not? There are your three men. It must be one of them. You take your choice. Which is yours?"
"The foul-mouthed fellow at the top. He is the one with the worst record. And yet that Indian was a sly fellow also. Why should he be pacing his room all the time?"
"There is nothing in that. Many men do it when they are trying to learn anything by heart."
"He looked at us in a queer way."
"So would you if a flock of strangers came in on you when you were preparing for an examination next day, and every moment was of value. No, I see nothing in that. Pencils, too, and knives -- all was satisfactory. But that fellow DOES puzzle me."
"Who?"
"Why, Bannister, the servant. What's his game in the matter?"
"He impressed me as being a perfectly honest man."
"So he did me. That's the puzzling part. Why should a perfectly honest man -- well, well, here's a large stationer's. We shall begin our researches here."
There were only four stationers of any consequence in the town, and at each Holmes produced his pencil chips and bid high for a duplicate. All were agreed that one could be ordered, but that it was not a usual size of pencil and that it was seldom kept in stock. My friend did not appear to be depressed by his failure, but shrugged his shoulders in half-humorous resignation.
"No good, my dear Watson. This, the best and only final clue, has run to nothing. But, indeed, I have little doubt that we can build up a sufficient case without it. By Jove! my dear fellow, it is nearly nine, and the landlady babbled of green peas at seven-thirty. What with your eternal tobacco, Watson, and your irregularity at meals, I expect that you will get notice to quit and that I shall share your downfall -- not, however, before we have solved the problem of the nervous tutor, the careless servant, and the three enterprising students."
Holmes made no further allusion to the matter that day, though he sat lost in thought for a long time after our belated dinner. At eight in the morning he came into my room just as I finished my toilet.
"Well, Watson," said he, "it is time we went down to St. Luke's. Can you do without breakfast?"
"Certainly."
"Soames will be in a dreadful fidget until we are able to tell him something positive."
"Have you anything positive to tell him?"
"I think so."
"You have formed a conclusion?"
"Yes, my dear Watson; I have solved the mystery."
"But what fresh evidence could you have got?"
"Aha! It is not for nothing that I have turned myself out of bed at the untimely hour of six. I have put in two hours' hard work and covered at least five miles, with something to show for it. Look at that!"
He held out his hand. On the palm were three little pyramids of black, doughy clay.
"Why, Holmes, you had only two yesterday!"
"And one more this morning. It is a fair argument that wherever No. 3 came from is also the source of Nos. 1 and 2. Eh, Watson? Well, come along and put friend Soames out of his pain."
The unfortunate tutor was certainly in a state of pitiable agitation when we found him in his chambers. In a few hours the examination would commence, and he was still in the dilemma between making the facts public and allowing the culprit to compete for the valuable scholarship. He could hardly stand still, so great was his mental agitation, and he ran towards Holmes with two eager hands outstretched.
"Thank Heaven that you have come! I feared that you had given it up in despair. What am I to do? Shall the examination proceed?"
"Yes; let it proceed by all means."
"But this rascal ----?"
"He shall not compete."
"You know him?"
"I think so. If this matter is not to become public we must give ourselves certain powers, and resolve ourselves into a small private court-martial. You there, if you please, Soames! Watson, you here! I'll take the arm-chair in the middle. I think that we are now sufficiently imposing to strike terror into a guilty breast. Kindly ring the bell!"
Bannister entered, and shrunk back in evident surprise and fear at our judicial appearance.
"You will kindly close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Bannister, will you please tell us the truth about yesterday's incident?"
The man turned white to the roots of his hair.
"I have told you everything, sir."
"Nothing to add?"
"Nothing at all, sir."
"Well, then, I must make some suggestions to you. When you sat down on that chair yesterday, did you do so in order to conceal some object which would have shown who had been in the room?"
Bannister's face was ghastly.
"No, sir; certainly not."
"It is only a suggestion," said Holmes, suavely. "I frankly admit that I am unable to prove it. But it seems probable enough, since the moment that Mr. Soames's back was turned you released the man who was hiding in that bedroom."
Bannister licked his dry lips.
"There was no man, sir."
"Ah, that's a pity, Bannister. Up to now you may have spoken the truth, but now I know that you have lied."
The man's face set in sullen defiance.
"There was no man, sir."
"Come, come, Bannister!"
"No, sir; there was no one."
"In that case you can give us no further information. Would you please remain in the room? Stand over there near the bedroom door. Now, Soames, I am going to ask you to have the great kindness to go up to the room of young Gilchrist, and to ask him to step down into yours."
An instant later the tutor returned, bringing with him the student. He was a fine figure of a man, tall, lithe, and agile, with a springy step and a pleasant, open face. His troubled blue eyes glanced at each of us, and finally rested with an expression of blank dismay upon Bannister in the farther corner.
"Just close the door," said Holmes. "Now, Mr. Gilchrist, we are all quite alone here, and no one need ever know one word of what passes between us. We can be perfectly frank with each other. We want to know, Mr. Gilchrist, how you, an honourable man, ever came to commit such an action as that of yesterday?"
The unfortunate young man staggered back and cast a look full of horror and reproach at Bannister.
"No, no, Mr. Gilchrist, sir; I never said a word -- never one word!" cried the servant.
"No, but you have now," said Holmes. "Now, sir, you must see that after Bannister's words your position is hopeless, and that your only chance lies in a frank confession."
For a moment Gilchrist, with upraised hand, tried to control his writhing features. The next he had thrown himself on his knees beside the table and, burying his face in his hands, he had burst into a storm of passionate sobbing.
"Come, come," said Holmes, kindly; "it is human to err, and at least no one can accuse you of being a callous criminal. Perhaps it would be easier for you if I were to tell Mr. Soames what occurred, and you can check me where I am wrong. Shall I do so? Well, well, don't trouble to answer. Listen, and see that I do you no injustice.
"From the moment, Mr. Soames, that you said to me that no one, not even Bannister, could have told that the papers were in your room, the case began to take a definite shape in my mind. The printer one could, of course, dismiss. He could examine the papers in his own office. The Indian I also thought nothing of. If the proofs were in a roll he could not possibly know what they were. On the other hand, it seemed an unthinkable coincidence that a man should dare to enter the room, and that by chance on that very day the papers were on the table. I dismissed that. The man who entered knew that the papers were there. How did he know?
"When I approached your room I examined the window. You amused me by supposing that I was contemplating the possibility of someone having in broad daylight, under the eyes of all these opposite rooms, forced himself through it. Such an idea was absurd. I was measuring how tall a man would need to be in order to see as he passed what papers were on the central table. I am six feet high, and I could do it with an effort. No one less than that would have a chance. Already you see I had reason to think that if one of your three students was a man of unusual height he was the most worth watching of the three.
"I entered and I took you into my confidence as to the suggestions of the side table. Of the centre table I could make nothing, until in your description of Gilchrist you mentioned that he was a long-distance jumper. Then the whole thing came to me in an instant, and I only needed certain corroborative proofs, which I speedily obtained.
"What happened was this. This young fellow had employed his afternoon at the athletic grounds, where he had been practising the jump. He returned carrying his jumping shoes, which are provided, as you are aware, with several sharp spikes. As he passed your window he saw, by means of his great height, these proofs upon your table, and conjectured what they were. No harm would have been done had it not been that as he passed your door he perceived the key which had been left by the carelessness of your servant. A sudden impulse came over him to enter and see if they were indeed the proofs. It was not a dangerous exploit, for he could always pretend that he had simply looked in to ask a question.
"Well, when he saw that they were indeed the proofs, it was then that he yielded to temptation. He put his shoes on the table. What was it you put on that chair near the window?"
"Gloves," said the young man.
Holmes looked triumphantly at Bannister. "He put his gloves on the chair, and he took the proofs, sheet by sheet, to copy them. He thought the tutor must return by the main gate, and that he would see him. As we know, he came back by the side gate. Suddenly he heard him at the very door. There was no possible escape. He forgot his gloves, but he caught up his shoes and darted into the bedroom. You observe that the scratch on that table is slight at one side, but deepens in the direction of the bedroom door. That in itself is enough to show us that the shoe had been drawn in that direction and that the culprit had taken refuge there. The earth round the spike had been left on the table, and a second sample was loosened and fell in the bedroom. I may add that I walked out to the athletic grounds this morning, saw that tenacious black clay is used in the jumping-pit, and carried away a specimen of it, together with some of the fine tan or sawdust which is strewn over it to prevent the athlete from slipping. Have I told the truth, Mr. Gilchrist?"
The student had drawn himself erect.
"Yes, sir, it is true," said he.
"Good heavens, have you nothing to add?" cried Soames.
"Yes, sir, I have, but the shock of this disgraceful exposure has bewildered me. I have a letter here, Mr. Soames, which I wrote to you early this morning in the middle of a restless night. It was before I knew that my sin had found me out. Here it is, sir. You will see that I have said, `I have determined not to go in for the examination. I have been offered a commission in the Rhodesian Police, and I am going out to South Africa at once."'
"I am indeed pleased to hear that you did not intend to profit by your unfair advantage," said Soames. "But why did you change your purpose?"
Gilchrist pointed to Bannister.
"There is the man who set me in the right path," said he.
"Come now, Bannister," said Holmes. "It will be clear to you from what I have said that only you could have let this young man out, since you were left in the room, and must have locked the door when you went out. As to his escaping by that window, it was incredible. Can you not clear up the last point in this mystery, and tell us the reasons for your action?"
"It was simple enough, sir, if you only had known; but with all your cleverness it was impossible that you could know. Time was, sir, when I was butler to old Sir Jabez Gilchrist, this young gentleman's father. When he was ruined I came to the college as servant, but I never forgot my old employer because he was down in the world. I watched his son all I could for the sake of the old days. Well, sir, when I came into this room yesterday when the alarm was given, the very first thing I saw was Mr. Gilchrist's tan gloves a-lying in that chair. I knew those gloves well, and I understood their message. If Mr. Soames saw them the game was up. I flopped down into that chair, and nothing would budge me until Mr. Soames he went for you. Then out came my poor young master, whom I had dandled on my knee, and confessed it all to me. Wasn't it natural, sir, that I should save him, and wasn't it natural also that I should try to speak to him as his dead father would have done, and make him understand that he could not profit by such a deed? Could you blame me, sir?"
"No, indeed," said Holmes, heartily, springing to his feet. "Well, Soames, I think we have cleared your little problem up, and our breakfast awaits us at home. Come, Watson! As to you, sir, I trust that a bright future awaits you in Rhodesia. For once you have fallen low. Let us see in the future how high you can rise."
|
|
|
|