第3部分(第4/7 頁)

　We

must　leave　that　question　to　the　future。 Now　we　shall　turn　to　the

Cadogan　Wests。〃

A　small　but　well…kept　house　in　the　outskirts　of　the　town

sheltered　the　bereaved　mother。 The　old　lady　was　too　dazed　with

grief　to　be　of　any　use　to　us；　but　at　her　side　was　a　white…faced

young　lady；　who　introduced　herself　as　Miss　Violet　Westbury；　the

fiancee　of　the　dead　man；　and　the　last　to　see　him　upon　that　fatal

night。

〃I　cannot　explain　it；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　she　said。 〃I　have　not　shut　an

eye　since　the　tragedy；　thinking；　thinking；　thinking；　night　and

day；　what　the　true　meaning　of　it　can　be。 Arthur　was　the　most

single…minded；　chivalrous；　patriotic　man　upon　earth。 He　would

have　cut　his　right　hand　off　before　he　would　sell　a　State　secret

confided　to　his　keeping。 It　is　absurd；　impossible；　preposterous

to　anyone　who　knew　him。〃

〃But　the　facts；　Miss　Westbury？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　admit　I　cannot　explain　them。〃

〃Was　he　in　any　want　of　money？〃

〃No；　his　needs　were　very　simple　and　his　salary　ample。 He　had

saved　a　few　hundreds；　and　we　were　to　marry　at　the　New　Year。〃

〃No　signs　of　any　mental　excitement？ e；　Miss　Westbury；　be

absolutely　frank　with　us。〃

The　quick　eye　of　my　panion　had　noted　some　change　in　her

manner。 She　coloured　and　hesitated。

〃Yes；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　had　a　feeling　that　there　was

something　on　his　mind。〃

〃For　long？〃

〃Only　for　the　last　week　or　so。 He　was　thoughtful　and　worried。

Once　I　pressed　him　about　it。 He　admitted　that　there　was

something；　and　that　it　was　concerned　with　his　official　life。 'It

is　too　serious　for　me　to　speak　about；　even　to　you；'　said　he。 I

could　get　n