奇书网

第20章 波思克姆比溪谷秘案6（第3页）

Themaeredwasastrangeandimpressivefigure。Hisslow，limpingstepandbowedshavetheappearaude，ahishard，deep-lined，craggyfeatures，andhisenormouslimbsshowedthatheossessedofunusualstrengthofbodyandofcharacter。Histangledbeard，grizzledhair，andoutstanding，droopingeyebrowsbiogiveanairofdignityaohisappearahisfacewasofae，whilehislipsandtheersofhisnostrilsweretihashadeofblue。Itwaseataglahewasinthegripofsomedeadlyandicdisease。

"Praysitdownonthesofa，"saidHolmesgently。"Youhadmy;

"Yes，thelodge-keeperbroughtitup。Yousaidthatyouwishedtoseemeheretoavoidsdal。"

"IthoughtpeoplewouldtalkifIwenttotheHall。"

"Andwhydidyouwishtoseeme?"Helookedaypanionwithdespairinhiswearyeyes，asthoughhisquestionwasalreadyanswered。

"Yes，"saidHolmes，ahelookratherthanthewords。"Itisso。IknowallaboutMcCarthy。"

Theoldmansankhisfahishands。"Godhelpme!"hecried。"ButIwouldheyoungmaiveyoumywordthatIokenoutifitwentagainsthimattheAssizes。"

"Iamgladtohearyousayso，"saidHolmesgravely。

"Iokennowhaditnotbeenfirl。Itwouldbreakherheart。。。itwillbreakherheartwheIamarrested。"

"Itmay，"saidHolmes。

"What?"

"Iamnooffit。Iuhatitwasyhterwhorequiredmypresencehere，andIamaheris。YoungMcCarthymustbegotoff，however。"

"Iamadyingman，"saidoldTur;Ihavehaddiabetesforyears。MydoctorsaysitisaquestioherIshallliveamoIwouldratherdieundermyownroofthaninagaol。"

Holmesroseandsatdowablewithhispeninhishandandabundleofpaperbeforehim。"Justtellusthetruth，"hesaid。"Ishalljotdows。Youwillsignit，andWatsohenIcouldproduceyouratthelastextremitytosaveyoungMcCarthy。IpromiseyouthatIshalluisabsolutely;

"It'saswell，"saidtheoldman，"it'saquestioherIshalllivetotheAssizes，soitmatterslittletome，butIshouldwishtospareAlicetheshoowIwillmakethethioyou;ithasbeenaloheag，butwillnottakemelongtotell。

"Youdidn'tknowthisdeadman，McCarthy。Hewasadeviliellyouthat。Godkeepyououtoftheclutchesofsuashe。Hisgriphasbeewentyyears，andhehasblastedmylife。I'lltellyoufirsthowIcametobeinhispower。

"Itwasintheearly60'satthediggings。Iwasayoung，hot-bloodedandreckless，readytoturnmyhandatanything;Igotamongbadpanions，tooktodrink，hadnoluckwithmyclaim，tooktothebush，andinawordbecamewhatyouwouldcallhwayrobber。Thereweresixofus，andwehadawild，freelifeofit，stigupastationfromtimetthewagoothediggings。BlackJackofBallaratwastheunder，andourpartyisstillrememberedintheyastheBallaratGang。

"OnedayagoldedownfromBallarattoMelbourne，andwelayinwaitforitahereweresixtroopersandsixofus，soitwasag，butweemptiedfouroftheirsaddlesatthefirstvolley。Threeofourboyswerekilled，however，befotthesutmypistoltotheheadofthewagon-driver，whowasthisverymanMcCarthy。IwishtotheLordthatIhadshothimthen，butIsparedhim，thoughIsawhiswickedlittleeyesfixedohoughtoremembereveryfeature。iththegold，becamewealthymen，andmadeourwaylandwithoutbeihereIpartedfrommyoldpalsaosettledowntoaquietaablelife。Iboughtthisestate，whicedtobei，amyselftodoalittlegoodwithmymoomakeupforthewayinwhichIhadear。Imarried，too，andthoughmywifediedyoumemydearlittleAliwheababyherweehaoleadmedhtpathasnothingelsehadeverdone。Inaword，Iturnedoveranewleafanddidmybesttomakeupforthepast。AllwasgoingwellwhenMcCarthylaidhisgripuponme。

"Ihadgoownabouta，ahimiwithhardlyacoattohisbackoraboottohisfoot。

"'Hereweare，Jack，'sayshe，tou;'we'llbeasgoodasafamilytoyou。There'stwoofus，meandmyson，andyouhavethekeepingofus。Ifyoudon't。。。it'safine，law-abidingtryisEngland，andthere'saloliwithinhail。'

"Well，dowothewesttry，therewasnoshakingthemoff，aheyhavelivedrentfreeolandeversiherewasforme，nopeaetfulurnwhereIwould，therewashisg，grimyelboorseasAlicegrewup，forhesoonsawIwasmoreafraidmypastthanofthepolice。Whateverhewahave，awasIgavehimwithoutquestion，land，moilatlastheaskedathingwhichIotgive。HeaskedforAlice。

"Hisson，yousee，hadgrownup，andsohadmygirl，andasIwasknowntobeiseemedafihathisladshouldstepintothewholeproperty。ButthereIwasfirm。IwouldnothavehisixedwithmiIhadahelad，buthisbloodwasinhim，andthatwasenough。Istoodfirm。McCarthythreatened。Ibravedhimtodohiseretomeetatthepoolmidwaybetweenourhousestotalkitover。

"nthereIfoundhimtalkingwithhisson，soIsmokedadwaitedbehiilheshouldbealoasIlisteohistalkallthatwasbladbitterioost。Hewasurginghisshterwithaslittleregardforwhatshemightthinkasifshewereaslutfromoffthestreets。ItdrovememadtothinkthatIandallthatIheldmostdearshouldbeinthepowerofsuasthis。otsnapthebond?Iwasalreadyadyingaeman。Thoughindandfairlystrongoflimb，Ikmyownfatewassealed。Butmymemoryandmygirl!BothcouldbesavedifIcouldbutsilefoulto，MrHolmes。Iwoulddoitagain。DeeplyasIhavesinned，Ihaveledalifeofmartyrdomtoato。ButthatmygirlshouldbeehesamemesheswhichheldmewasmorethanIcouldsuffer。Istruckhimdownwithionthanifhehadbeensomefoulandve。Hiscrybroughtba;butIhadgaihecoverofthewood，thoughIwasfobacktofetchthecloakedinmyflight。Thatisthetruestentlemen，ofallthatoccurred。"

"Well，itisojudgeyou，"saidHolmesastheoldmaatementwhichhadbeendrawnout。"Ipraythatwemayosuchatemptation。"

"Ipraynot，sir。Andwhatdoyouiodo?"

"Inviewofyourhealth，nothing。YouareyourselfawarethatyouwillsoooanswerforyourdeedatahighertheAssizes。Iwillkeepyour，andifMcCarthyisnedIshallbeforcedtouseit。Ifnot，itshallneverbeseenbymortaleye;a，whetheryoubealiveordead，shallbesafewithus。"

"Farewell，then，"saidtheoldmansolemnly。"Yourowhbeds，whentheye，willbetheeasierforthethoughtofthepeacewhichyouhavegiveandshakinginallhisgiaumbledslowlyfromtheroom。

"Godhelpus!"saidHolmesafteralo;Whydoesfateplaysuchtrickswithpoor，helplessworms?IneverhearofsuchacaseasthisthatIdonotthinkofBaxter'swords，andsay，'There，butfod，goesSherloes。'"

&hywasacquittedattheAssizesthofanumberofobjeswhichhadbeendrawnoutbyHolmesandsubmittedtothedefendiurnerlivedforsevenmoerview，butheishereiseveryprospectthatthesonanddaughtermayetolivehappilytheblackcloudwhichrestsupo。