第 1 节
作者:博搏      更新:2021-02-20 18:26      字数:9322
  SHERLOCK HOLMES
  THE ADVENTURE OF THE BRUCE…PARTINGTON PLAN
  by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  In the third week of November; in the year 1895; a dense yellow fog
  settled down upon London。 From the Monday to the Thursday I doubt
  whether it was ever possible from our windows in Baker Street to see
  the loom of the opposite houses。 The first day Holmes had spent in
  cross…indexing his huge book of references。 The second and third had
  been patiently occupied upon a subject which he had recently made
  his hobby… the music of the Middle Ages。 But when; for the fourth
  time; after pushing back our chairs from breakfast we saw the
  greasy; heavy brown swirl still drifting past us and condensing in
  oily drops upon the window…panes; my comrade's impatient and active
  nature could endure this drab existence no longer。 He paced restlessly
  about our sitting…room in a fever of suppressed energy; biting his
  nails; tapping the furniture; and chafing against inaction。
  〃Nothing of interest in the paper; Watson?〃 he said。
  I was aware that by anything of interest; Holmes meant anything of
  criminal interest。 There was the news of a revolution; of a possible
  war; and of an impending change of government; but these did not
  come within the horizon of my companion。 I could see nothing
  recorded in the shape of crime which was not commonplace and futile。
  Holmes groaned and resumed his restless meanderings。
  〃The London criminal is certainly a dull fellow;〃 said he in the
  querulous voice of the sportsman whose game has failed him。 〃Look
  out of this window; Watson。 See how the figures loom up; are dimly
  seen; and then blend once more into the cloud…bank。 The thief or the
  murderer could roam London on such a day as the tiger does the jungle;
  unseen until he pounces; and then evident only to his victim。〃
  〃There have;〃 said I; 〃been numerous petty thefts。〃
  Holmes snorted his contempt。
  〃This great and sombre stage is set for something more worthy than
  that;〃 said he。 〃It is fortunate for this community that I am not a
  criminal。〃
  〃It is; indeed!〃 said I heartily。
  〃Suppose that I were Brooks or Woodhouse; or any of the fifty men
  who have good reason for taking my life; how long could I survive
  against my own pursuit? A summons; a bogus appointment; and all
  would be over。 It is well they don't have days of fog in the Latin
  countries… the countries of assassination。 By Jove! here comes
  something at last to break our dead monotony。〃
  It was the maid with a telegram。 Holmes tore it open and burst out
  laughing。
  〃Well; well! What next?〃 said he。 〃Brother Mycroft is coming round。〃
  〃Why not?〃 I asked。
  〃Why not? It is as if you met a tram…car coming down a country lane。
  Mycroft has his rails and he runs on them。 His Pall Mall lodgings; the
  Diogenes Club; Whitehall… that is his cycle。 Once; and only once; he
  has been here。 What upheaval can possibly have derailed him?〃
  〃Does he not explain?〃
  Holmes handed me his brother's telegram。
  Must see you over Cadogan West。 Coming at once。
  MYCROFT。
  〃Cadogan West? I have heard the name。〃
  〃It recalls nothing to my mind。 But that Mycroft should break out in
  this erratic fashion! A planet might as well leave its orbit。 By the
  way; do you know what Mycroft is?〃
  I had some vague recollection of an explanation at the time of the
  Adventure of the Greek Interpreter。
  〃You told me that he had some small office under the British
  government。〃
  Holmes chuckled。
  〃I did not know you quite so well in those days。 One has to be
  discreet when one talks of high matters of state。 You are right in
  thinking that he is under the British government。 You would also be
  right in a sense if you said that occasionally he is the British
  government。〃
  〃My dear Holmes!〃
  〃I thought I might surprise you。 Mycroft draws four hundred and
  fifty pounds a year; remains a subordinate; has no ambitions of any
  kind; will receive neither honour nor title; but remains the most
  indispensable man in the country。〃
  〃But how?〃
  〃Well; his position is unique。 He has made it for himself。 There has
  never been anything like it before; nor will be again。 He has the
  tidiest and most orderly brain; with the greatest capacity for storing
  facts; of any man living。 The same great powers which I have turned to
  the detection of crime he has used for this particular business。 The
  conclusions of every department are passed to him; and he is the
  central exchange; the clearing…house; which makes out the balance。 All
  other men are specialists; but his specialism is omniscience。 We
  will suppose that a minister needs information as to a point which
  involves the Navy; India; Canada and the bimetallic question; he could
  get his separate advices from various departments upon each; but
  only Mycroft can focus them all; and say offhand how each factor would
  affect the other。 They began by using him as a short…cut; a
  convenience; now he has made himself an essential。 In that great brain
  of his everything is pigeon…holed and can be handed out in an instant。
  Again and again his word has decided the national policy。 He lives
  in it。 He thinks of nothing else save when; as an intellectual
  exercise; he unbends if I call upon him and ask him to advise me on
  one of my little problems。 But Jupiter is descending to…day。 What on
  earth can it mean? Who is Cadogan West; and what is he to Mycroft?〃
  〃I have it;〃 I cried; and plunged among the litter of papers upon
  the sofa。 〃Yes; yes; here he is; sure enough! Cadogan West was the
  young man who was found dead on the Underground on Tuesday morning。〃
  Holmes sat up at attention; his pipe halfway to his lips。
  〃This must be serious; Watson。 A death which has caused my brother
  to alter his habits can be no ordinary one。 What in the world can he
  have to do with it? The case was featureless as I remember it。 The
  young man had apparently fallen out of the train and killed himself。
  He had not been robbed; and there was no particular reason to
  suspect violence。 Is that not so?〃
  〃There has been an inquest〃 said I; 〃and a good many fresh facts
  have come out。 Looked at more closely; I should certainly say that
  it was a curious case。〃
  〃Judging by its effect upon my brother; I should think it must be
  a most extraordinary one。〃 He snuggled down in his armchair。 〃Now;
  Watson; let us have the facts。〃
  〃The man's name was Arthur Cadogan West。 He was twenty…seven years
  of age; unmarried; and a clerk at Woolwich Arsenal。〃
  〃Government employ。 Behold the link with Brother Mycroft!〃
  〃He left Woolwich suddenly on Monday night。 Was last seen by his
  fiancee; Miss Violet Westbury; whom he left abruptly in the fog
  about 7:30 that evening。 There was no quarrel between them and she can
  give no motive for his action。 The next thing heard of him was when
  his dead body was discovered by a plate…layer named Mason; just
  outside Aldgate Station on the Underground system in London。〃
  〃When?〃
  〃The body was found at six on the Tuesday morning。 It was lying wide
  of the metals upon the left hand of the track as one goes eastward; at
  a point close to the station; where the line emerges from the tunnel
  in which it runs。 The head was badly crushed… an injury which might
  well have been caused by a fall from the train。 The body could only
  have come on the line in that way。 Had it been carried down from any
  neighbouring street; it must have passed the station barriers; where a
  collector is always standing。 This point seems absolutely certain。〃
  〃Very good。 The case is definite enough。 The man; dead or alive;
  either fell or was precipitated from a train。 So much is clear to
  me。 Continue。〃
  〃The trains which traverse the lines of rail beside which the body
  was found are those which run from west to east; some being purely
  Metropolitan; and some from Willesden and outlying junctions。 It can
  be stated for certain that this young man; when he met his death;
  was travelling in this direction at some late hour of the night; but
  at what point he entered the train it is impossible to state。〃
  〃His ticket; of course; would show that。〃
  〃There was no ticket in his pockets。〃
  〃No ticket! Dear me; Watson; this is really very singular。 According
  to my experience it is not possible to reach the platform of a
  Metropolitan train without exhibiting one's ticket。 Presumably;
  then; the young man had one。 Was it taken from him in order to conceal
  the station from which he came? It is possible。 Or did he drop it in
  the carriage? That also is possible。 But the point is of curious
  interest。 I understand that there was no sign of robbery?〃
  〃Apparently not。 There is a list here of his possessions。 His
  purse contained two pounds fifteen。 He had also a check…book on the
  Woolwich branch of the Capital and Counties Bank。 Through this his
  identity was established。 There were also two dress…circle tickets for
  the Woolwich Theatre; dated for that very evening。 Also a small packet
  of t