第2部分(第7/7 頁)

s　keen；　alert　face　that　tightening　of　the

lips；　that　quiver　of　the　nostrils；　and　concentration　of　the

heavy；　tufted　brows　which　I　knew　so　well。

〃Points；〃　he　muttered；　〃the　points。〃

〃What　of　it？ What　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　suppose　there　are　no　great　number　of　points　on　a　system　such

as　this？〃

〃No；　they　are　very　few。〃

〃And　a　curve；　too。 Points；　and　a　curve。 By　Jove！　if　it　were

only　so。〃

〃What　is　it；　Mr。　Holmes？ Have　you　a　clue？〃

〃An　idea……an　indication；　no　more。 But　the　case　certainly　grows

in　interest。 Unique；　perfectly　unique；　and　yet　why　not？ I　do

not　see　any　indications　of　bleeding　on　the　line。〃

〃There　were　hardly　any。〃

〃But　I　understand　that　there　was　a　considerable　wound。〃

〃The　bone　was　crushed；　but　there　was　no　great　external　injury。〃

〃And　yet　one　would　have　expected　some　bleeding。 Would　it　be

possible　for　me　to　inspect　the　train　which　contained　the

passenger　who　heard　the　thud　of　a　fall　in　the　fog？〃

〃I　fear　not；　Mr。　Holmes。 The　train　has　been　broken　up　before

now；　and　the　carriages　redistributed。〃

〃I　can　assure　you；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　said　Lestrade；　〃that　every

carriage　has　been　carefully　examined。 I　saw　to　it　myself。〃

It　was　one　of　my　friend's　most　obvious　weaknesses　that　he　was

impatient　with　less　alert　intelligences　than　his　own。

〃Very　likely；〃　said　he；　turning　away。 〃As　it　happens；　it　was　not

the　carriages　which　I　desired　to　examine。 Watson；　we　have　done

all　we　can　here。 We　need　not　trouble　you　any　further；　Mr。

Lestrade。 I　think　our