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第20章 波思克姆比溪谷秘案6（第1页）

BoscombePool，whichisalittlereed-girtsheetofwatersomefiftyyardsacross，issituatedattheboundarybetweentheHatherleyFarmandtherivatearkofthewealthyMrTurner。Abovethewoodswhichlinedituonthefarthersidewecouldseethered，juttinginnacleswhichmarkedthesiteoftherichlandownersdwelling。OntheHatherleysideoftheoolthewoodsgrewverythick，andtherewasanarrowbeltofsoddengrasstwentyacesacrossbetweentheedgeofthetreesandthereedswhichlinedthelake。Lestradeshowedustheexactsotatwhichthebodyhadbeenfound，and，indeed，somoistwastheground，thatIcouldlainlyseethetraceswhichhadbeenleftbythefallofthestrickenman。ToHolmes，asIcouldseebyhiseagerfaceandeeringeyes，verymanyotherthingsweretobereaduonthetramledgrass。Heranround，likeadogwhoisickinguascent，andthenturneduonmycomanion。

"Whatdidyougointotheoolfor?

"heasked。

"Ifishedaboutwitharake。Ithoughttheremightbesomeweaonorothertrace。Buthowonearth。。。

"

"Oh，tut，tut!Ihavenotime!Thatleftfootofyourswithitsinwardtwistisalloverthelace。Amolecouldtraceit，andthereitvanishesamongthereeds。Oh，howsimleitwouldallhavebeenhadIbeenherebeforetheycamelikeaherdofbuffaloandwallowedalloverit。Hereiswheretheartywiththelodge-keeercame，andtheyhavecoveredalltracksforsixoreightfeetroundthebody。Butherearethreesearatetracksofthesamefeet。

"Hedrewoutalensandlaydownuonhiswaterrooftohaveabetterview，talkingallthetimerathertohimselfthantous。

"TheseareyoungMcCarthysfeet。Twicehewaswalking，andonceheranswiftly，sothatthesolesaredeelymarkedandtheheelshardlyvisible。Thatbearsouthisstory。Heranwhenhesawhisfatherontheground。Thenherearethefathersfeetasheaceduanddown。Whatisthis，then?Itisthebutt-endofthegunasthesonstoodlistening。Andthis?Ha，ha!Whathavewehere?Titoes!titoes!Square，too，quiteunusualboots!Theycome，theygo，theycomeagain。。。ofcoursethatwasforthecloak。Nowwheredidtheycomefrom?

"

Heranuanddown，sometimeslosing，sometimesfindingthetrackuntilwewerewellwithintheedgeofthewoodandundertheshadowofagreatbeech，thelargesttreeintheneighbourhood。Holmestracedhiswaytothefarthersideofthisandlaydownoncemoreuonhisfacewithalittlecryofsatisfaction。Foralongtimeheremainedthere，turningovertheleavesanddriedsticks，gatheringuwhatseemedtometobedustintoanenveloeandexaminingwithhislensnotonlythegroundbuteventhebarkofthetreeasfarashecouldreach。Ajaggedstonewaslyingamongthemoss，andthisalsohecarefullyexaminedandretained。Thenhefollowedaathwaythroughthewooduntilhecametothehighroad，wherealltraceswerelost。

"Ithasbeenacaseofconsiderableinterest，

"heremarked，returningtohisnaturalmanner。

"Ifancythatthisgreyhouseontherightmustbethelodge。IthinkthatIwillgoinandhaveawordwithMoran，anderhaswritealittlenote。Havingdonethat，wemaydrivebacktoourluncheon。Youmaywalktothecab，andIshallbewithyouresently。

"

ItwasabouttenminutesbeforeweregainedourcabanddrovebackintoRoss，Holmesstillcarryingwithhimthestonewhichhehadickeduinthewood。

"Thismayinterestyou，Lestrade，

"heremarked，holdingitout。

"Themurderwasdonewithit。

"

"Iseenomarks。

"

"Therearenone。

"

"Howdoyouknow，then?

"

"Thegrasswasgrowingunderit。Ithadonlylainthereafewdays。Therewasnosignofalacewhenceithadbeentaken。Itcorresondswiththeinjuries。Thereisnosignofanyotherweaon。

"

"Andthemurderer?

"

"Isatallman，left-handed，limswiththerightleg，wearsthick-soledshooting-bootsandagreycloak，smokesIndiancigars，usesacigar-holder，andcarriesablunten-knifeinhisocket。Thereareseveralotherindications，butthesemaybeenoughtoaidusinoursearch。

"

Lestradelaughed。

"IamafraidthatIamstillascetic，

"hesaid。

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