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第19章 波思克姆比溪谷秘案5（第1页）

yman：Didyouseenothingwhicharousedyoursusicionswhenyoureturnedonhearingthecryandfoundyourfatherfatallyinjured？

"Witness：Nothingdefinite。

"

"TheCoroner：Whatdoyoumean？

"

"Witness：IwassodisturbedandexcitedasIrushedoutintotheoen，thatIcouldthinkofnothingexcetofmyfather。YetIhaveavagueimressionthatasIranforwardsomethinglayuonthegroundtotheleftofme。Itseemedtometobesomethinggreyincolour，acoatofsomesort，oralaiderhas。WhenIrosefrommyfatherIlookedroundforit，butitwasgone。

"Doyoumeanthatitdisaearedbeforeyouwentforhel？

"Yes，itwasgone。

"Youcannotsaywhatitwas？

"No，Ihadafeelingsomethingwasthere。

"Howfarfromthebody？

"

"Adozenyardsorso。

"Andhowfarfromtheedgeofthewood？

"Aboutthesame。

"Thenifitwasremoveditwaswhileyouwerewithinadozenyardsofit？

"Yes，butwithmybacktowardsit。

"Thisconcludedtheexaminationofthewitness。

"

"Isee，

"saidIasIglanceddownthecolumn，

"thatthecoronerinhisconcludingremarkswasrathersevereuonyoungMcCarthy。Hecallsattention，andwithreason，tothediscreancyabouthisfatherhavingsignalledtohimbeforeseeinghim，alsotohisrefusaltogivedetailsofhisconversationwithhisfather，andhissingularaccountofhisfathersdyingwords。Theyareall，asheremarks，verymuchagainsttheson。

"

Holmeslaughedsoftlytohimselfandstretchedhimselfoutuonthecushionedseat。

"Bothyouandthecoronerhavebeenatsomeains，

"saidhe，

"tosingleouttheverystrongestointsintheyoungmansfavour。Dontyouseethatyoualternatelygivehimcreditforhavingtoomuchimaginationandtoolittle？Toolittle，ifhecouldnotinventacauseofquarrelwhichwouldgivehimthesymathyofthejury；toomuch，ifheevolvedfromhisowninnerconsciousnessanythingsooutréasadyingreferencetoarat，andtheincidentofthevanishingcloth。No，sir，Ishallaroachthiscasefromtheointofviewthatwhatthisyoungmansaysistrue，andweshallseewhitherthathyothesiswillleadus。AndnowhereismyocketPetrarch，andnotanotherwordshallIsayofthiscaseuntilweareonthesceneofaction。WelunchatSwindon，andIseethatweshallbethereintwentyminutes。

"

Itwasnearlyfouroclockwhenweatlast，afterassingthroughthebeautifulStroudValley，andoverthebroadgleamingSevern，foundourselvesattherettylittlecountry-townofRoss。Alean，ferret-likeman，furtiveandsly-looking，waswaitingforusuonthelatform。Insiteofthelightbrowndustcoatandleather-leggingswhichheworeindeferencetohisrusticsurroundings，IhadnodifficultyinrecognisingLestrade，ofScotlandYard。WithhimwedrovetotheHerefordArmswherearoomhadalreadybeenengagedforus。

"Ihaveorderedacarriage，

"saidLestradeaswesatoveracuoftea。

"Iknewyourenergeticnature，andthatyouwouldnotbehayuntilyouhadbeenonthesceneofthecrime。

"

"Itwasveryniceandcomlimentaryofyou，

"Holmesanswered。

"Itisentirelyaquestionofbarometricressure。

"