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第19章 波思克姆比溪谷秘案5（第2页）

"Butyouhavereadtheevidence。Youhaveformedsome？Doyounotseesomeloophole，someflaw？Doyouhinkthatheisi;

"Ithinkthatitisveryprobable。"

"There，now！"shecried，throwingbackherheadandlookilyatLestrade。"Yivesmehopes。"

&radeshruggedhisshoulders。"Iamafraidthatmycolleaguehasbeenalittlequiinghiss，"hesaid。

"Butheisright。Oh！Iknowthatheisright。James。Andabouthisquarrelwithhisfather，IamsurethatthereasonwhyhewouldittotheerwasbecauseIwasedinit。"

"Inwhatway？"askedHolmes。

"Itisohideanything。Jamesandhisfatherhadmasaboutme。MrMcCarthywasveryanxiousthatthereshouldbeamarriagebetweenus。JamesandIhavealwayslovedeachotherasbrotheraofcourseheisyoungandhasseeleoflifeyet，and-and-well，henaturallydidnotwishtodoanythi。Sotherewerequarrels，andthis，Iamsure，waso;

"Andyourfather？"askedHolmes。"Washeinfavourofsu？"

"No，hewasaversetoitalso。MrMcCarthywasinfavourofit。"Aquickblushpassedoverherfreshyoungfaesshotoneofhiskeeioniher。

"Thankyouforthisinformation，"saidhe。"MayIseeyourfatherifIorrow？"

"Iamafraidthedo'tallowit。"

"Thedoctor？"

"Yes，haveyounotheard？Poorfatherhasrongforyearsback，butthishasbrokenhimdowely。Hehastakentohisbed，andDrWillowssaysthatheisawredthathisnervoussystemisshattered。MrMcCarthywastheonlymanalivewhohadknowndadintheolddaysinVictoria。"

"Ha！InVictoria！Thatisimportant。"

"Yes，atthemi;

"Quiteso；atthegold-mines，where，asIuand，MrTurnermadehismo;

"Yes，ly。"

"Thankyou，MissTurner。Youhavebeenofmaterialassista;

"Youwilltellmeifyouhaveaomorrow。NodoubtyouwillgototheprisontoseeJames。Oh，ifyoudo，MrHolmes，dotellhimthatIknowhimtobei;

"Iwill，MissTur;

"Imustgohomenow，fordadisveryill，andhemissesmesoifIleavehim。Goodbye，andGodhelpyouiny。"Shehurriedfromtheroomasimpulsivelyasshehadentered，ahewheelserattleoffdow。

"Iamashamedofyou，Holmes，"saidLestradewithdignityafterafewminutes'sile;Whyshouldyouraiseuphopeswhichyouareboundtodisappoint？IameIcallitcruel。"

"IthinkthatIseemywaytJamesMcCarthy，"saidHolmes。"Haveyouaoseehiminprison？"

"Yes，butonlyforyoua;

"ThenIshallreyresolutionaboutgoiilltimetotakeatraintoHerefordaonight？"

"Ample。"

"Theusdoso。Watsoyouwillfinditveryslow，butIshallonlybealeofhours。"

Iwalkeddowiohehroughthestreetsofthelittletown，fiothehotel，onthesofaaerestmyselfinayellow-baovel。Thepunyplotofthestorywassothin，however，whehedeepmysterythrougheregroping，andIfouioinuallyfromtheatothefact，thatIatlastflungitacravemyselfupeoasideratiosoftheday。Supposingthatthisunhappyyoungman'sstorywereabsolutelytrue，thehing，whatabsolutelyuraordinarycalamitycouldhaveoccurredbetweeimewheedfromhisfather，awhen，drawnbackbyhisscreams，herushediwassomethingterribleacoulditbe？Mightureoftheinjuriesrevealsomethingtomymedigthebellaheweeklytypaper，whiedaverbatimatoftheihesurgeon'sdepositionitwasstatedthattheposteriorthirdoftheleftparietalbohalfoftheoccipitalboeredbyaheavyblowfromabluntohespotuponmyownhead。Clearlysuusthavebeenstrubehind。Thatwastosomeextentinfavouroftheaccused，aswhenseenquarrellinghewasfacetofacewithhisfather。Still，itdidnotgoforverymuch，forthehthaveturnedhisbackbeforetheblowfell。Still，itmightbeworthwhiletoes'attentiontoit。Thehepeculiardyioarat。Whatcouldthatmean？Itotbedelirium。Amandyingfromasuddeedelirious。No，itwasmorelikelytobeaoexplaihisfate。Butwhatcoulditindicate？IcudgelledmybrainstofindsomepossibleexplanatioheihegreybyyoungMcCarthy。Ifthatweretruethemurderermusthavedroppedsomepartofhisdress，presumablyhisoverhisflight，andmusthavehadthehardihoodtoreturnandtocarryitawayattheihesohhisbaednotadozenpacesoff。Whatatissueofmysteriesandimprobabilitiesthewholethingwas！Ididrade'sopinioIhadsomuchfaithinSherloes'insightthatIotlosehopeaslongaseveryfreshfactseemedtthenhisofyoungMcCarthy'sinnoce。