第3部分(第3/7 頁)

ow　did　he　die？〃

〃Perhaps　you　would　care　to　step　in；　sir；　and　see　his　brother；

Colonel　Valentine？〃

〃Yes；　we　had　best　do　so。〃

We　were　ushered　into　a　dim…lit　drawing…room；　where　an　instant

later　we　were　joined　by　a　very　tall；　handsome；　light…beared　man

of　fifty；　the　younger　brother　of　the　dead　scientist。 His　wild

eyes；　stained　cheeks；　and　unkempt　hair　all　spoke　of　the　sudden

blow　which　had　fallen　upon　the　household。 He　was　hardly

articulate　as　he　spoke　of　it。

〃It　was　this　horrible　scandal；〃　said　he。 〃My　brother；　Sir　James；

was　a　man　of　very　sensitive　honour；　and　he　could　not　survive　such

an　affair。 It　broke　his　heart。 He　was　always　so　proud　of　the

efficiency　of　his　department；　and　this　was　a　crushing　blow。〃

〃We　had　hoped　that　he　might　have　given　us　some　indications　which

would　have　helped　us　to　clear　the　matter　up。〃

〃I　assure　you　that　it　was　all　a　mystery　to　him　as　it　is　to　you

and　to　all　of　us。 He　had　already　put　all　his　knowledge　at　the

disposal　of　the　police。 Naturally　he　had　no　doubt　that　Cadogan

West　was　guilty。 But　all　the　rest　was　inconceivable。〃

〃You　cannot　throw　any　new　light　upon　the　affair？〃

〃I　know　nothing　myself　save　what　I　have　read　or　heard。 I　have　no

desire　to　be　discourteous；　but　you　can　understand；　Mr。　Holmes；

that　we　are　much　disturbed　at　present；　and　I　must　ask　you　to

hasten　this　interview　to　an　end。〃

〃This　is　indeed　an　unexpected　development；〃　said　my　friend　when

we　had　regained　the　cab。 〃I　wonder　if　the　death　was　natural；　or

whether　the　poor　old　fellow　killed　himself！ If　the　latter；　may

it　be　taken　as　some　sign　of　self…reproach　for　duty　neglected？