📄 priory_school.txt
字号:
<s> WE HAVE HAD SOME DRAMATIC ENTRANCES AND EXITS UPON OUR SMALL STAGE AT BAKER STREET BUT I CANNOT RECOLLECT ANYTHING MORE SUDDEN AND STARTLING THAN THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF THORNEYCROFT HUXTABLE M. A. P. H. D. ET CETERA </s><s> HIS CARD WHICH SEEMED TOO SMALL TO CARRY THE WEIGHT OF HIS ACADEMIC DISTINCTIONS PRECEDED HIM BY A FEW SECONDS AND THEN HE ENTERED HIMSELF SO LARGE SO POMPOUS AND SO DIGNIFIED THAT HE WAS THE VERY EMBODIMENT OF SELF POSSESSION AND SOLIDITY </s><s> AND YET HIS FIRST ACTION WHEN THE DOOR HAD CLOSED BEHIND HIM WAS TO STAGGER AGAINST THE TABLE WHENCE HE SLIPPED DOWN UPON THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS THAT MAJESTIC FIGURE PROSTRATE AND INSENSIBLE UPON OUR BEARSKIN HEARTHRUG </s><s> WE HAD SPRUNG TO OUR FEET AND FOR A FEW MOMENTS WE STARED IN SILENT AMAZEMENT AT THIS PONDEROUS PIECE OF WRECKAGE WHICH TOLD OF SOME SUDDEN AND FATAL STORM FAR OUT ON THE OCEAN OF LIFE </s><s> THEN HOLMES HURRIED WITH A CUSHION FOR HIS HEAD. AND I WITH BRANDY FOR HIS LIPS </s><s> THE HEAVY WHITE FACE WAS SEAMED WITH LINES OF TROUBLE THE HANGING POUCHES UNDER THE CLOSED EYES WERE LEADEN IN COLOUR THE LOOSE MOUTH DROOPED DOLOROUSLY AT THE CORNERS THE ROLLING CHINS WERE UNSHAVEN </s><s> COLLAR AND SHIRT BORE THE GRIME OF A LONG JOURNEY AND THE HAIR BRISTLED UNKEMPT FROM THE WELL SHAPED HEAD </s><s> IT WAS A SORELY STRICKEN MAN WHO LAY BEFORE US </s><s> QUOTE WHAT IS IT WATSON QUOTE ASKED HOLMES </s><s> ABSOLUTE EXHAUSTION POSSIBLY MERE HUNGER AND FATIGUE SAID I WITH MY FINGER ON THE THREADY PULSE WHERE THE STREAM OF LIFE TRICKLED THIN AND SMALL </s><s> RETURN TICKET FROM MACKLETON IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND SAID HOLMES DRAWING IT FROM THE WATCH POCKET </s><s> IT IS NOT TWELVE O'CLOCK YET </s><s> HE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN AN EARLY STARTER </s><s> THE PUCKERED EYELIDS HAD BEGUN TO QUIVER AND NOW A PAIR OF VACANT GRAY EYES LOOKED UP AT US </s><s> AN INSTANT LATER THE MAN HAD SCRAMBLED ON TO HIS FEET HIS FACE CRIMSON WITH SHAME </s><s> FORGIVE THIS WEAKNESS MR. HOLMES I HAVE BEEN A LITTLE OVERWROUGHT </s><s> THANK YOU IF I MIGHT HAVE A GLASS OF MILK AND A BISCUIT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT I SHOULD BE BETTER </s><s> I CAME PERSONALLY MR. HOLMES IN ORDER TO INSURE THAT YOU WOULD RETURN WITH ME </s><s> I FEARED THAT NO TELEGRAM WOULD CONVINCE YOU OF THE ABSOLUTE URGENCY OF THE CASE QUOTE </s><s> I AM QUITE WELL AGAIN </s><s> I CANNOT IMAGINE HOW I CAME TO BE SO WEAK </s><s> I WISH YOU MR. HOLMES TO COME TO MACKLETON WITH ME BY THE NEXT TRAIN </s><s> MY FRIEND SHOOK HIS HEAD </s><s> MY COLLEAGUE DOCTOR WATSON COULD TELL YOU THAT WE ARE VERY BUSY AT PRESENT </s><s> I AM RETAINED IN THIS CASE OF THE FERRERS DOCUMENTS AND THE ABERGAVENNY MURDER IS COMING UP FOR TRIAL </s><s> ONLY A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE COULD CALL ME FROM LONDON AT PRESENT </s><s> IMPORTANT </s><s> OUR VISITOR THREW UP HIS HANDS </s><s> QUOTE HAVE YOU HEARD NOTHING OF THE ABDUCTION OF THE ONLY SON OF THE DUKE OF HOLDERNESSE QUOTE </s><s> WHAT THE LATE CABINET MINISTER </s><s> EXACTLY </s><s> WE HAD TRIED TO KEEP IT OUT OF THE PAPERS BUT THERE WAS SOME RUMOR IN THE GLOBE LAST NIGHT </s><s> I THOUGHT IT MIGHT HAVE REACHED YOUR EARS </s><s> HOLMES SHOT OUT HIS LONG THIN ARM AND PICKED OUT VOLUME H. IN HIS ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF REFERENCE </s><s> HOLDERNESSE SIXTH DUKE K. G. P. C. HALF THE ALPHABET </s><s> BARON BEVERLEY EARL OF CARSTON DEAR ME WHAT A LIST </s><s> LORD LIEUTENANT OF HALLAMSHIRE SINCE NINETEEN HUNDRED </s><s> MARRIED EDITH DAUGHTER OF SIR CHARLES APPLEDORE ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY EIGHT </s><s> HEIR AND ONLY CHILD LORD SALTIRE </s><s> OWNS ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND ACRES </s><s> MINERALS IN LANCASHIRE AND WALES </s><s> ADDRESS CARLTON HOUSE TERRACE HOLDERNESSE HALL HALLAMSHIRE CARSTON CASTLE BANGOR WALES </s><s> LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTY TWO CHIEF SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WELL WELL THIS MAN IS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE GREATEST SUBJECTS OF THE CROWN QUOTE </s><s> THE GREATEST AND PERHAPS THE WEALTHIEST </s><s> I AM AWARE MR. HOLMES THAT YOU TAKE A VERY HIGH LINE IN PROFESSIONAL MATTERS AND THAT YOU ARE PREPARED TO WORK FOR THE WORK'S SAKE </s><s> I MAY TELL YOU HOWEVER THAT HIS GRACE HAS ALREADY INTIMATED THAT A CHECK FOR FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS WILL BE HANDED OVER TO THE PERSON WHO CAN TELL HIM WHERE HIS SON IS AND ANOTHER THOUSAND TO HIM WHO CAN NAME THE MAN OR MEN WHO HAVE TAKEN HIM </s><s> IT IS A PRINCELY OFFER SAID HOLMES </s><s> WATSON I THINK THAT WE SHALL ACCOMPANY DOCTOR HUXTABLE BACK TO THE NORTH OF ENGLAND </s><s> AND NOW DOCTOR HUXTABLE WHEN YOU HAVE CONSUMED THAT MILK YOU WILL KINDLY TELL ME WHAT HAS HAPPENED WHEN IT HAPPENED HOW IT HAPPENED AND FINALLY WHAT DOCTOR THORNEYCROFT HUXTABLE OF THE PRIORY SCHOOL NEAR MACKLETON HAS TO DO WITH THE MATTER AND WHY HE COMES THREE DAYS AFTER AN EVENT THE STATE OF YOUR CHIN GIVES THE DATE TO ASK FOR MY HUMBLE SERVICES </s><s> OUR VISITOR HAD CONSUMED HIS MILK AND BISCUITS </s><s> THE LIGHT HAD COME BACK TO HIS EYES AND THE COLOUR TO HIS CHEEKS AS HE SET HIMSELF WITH GREAT VIGOUR AND LUCIDITY TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION </s><s> QUOTE I MUST INFORM YOU GENTLEMEN THAT THE PRIORY IS A PREPARATORY SCHOOL OF WHICH I AM THE FOUNDER AND PRINCIPAL </s><s> HUXTABLE'S SIDELIGHTS ON HORACE MAY POSSIBLY RECALL MY NAME TO YOUR MEMORIES </s><s> THE PRIORY IS WITHOUT EXCEPTION THE BEST AND MOST SELECT PREPARATORY SCHOOL IN ENGLAND </s><s> LORD LEVERSTOKE THE EARL OF BLACKWATER SIR CATHCART SOAMES THEY ALL HAVE INTRUSTED THEIR SONS TO ME </s><s> BUT I FELT THAT MY SCHOOL HAD REACHED ITS ZENITH WHEN THREE WEEKS AGO THE DUKE OF HOLDERNESSE SENT MR. JAMES WILDER HIS SECRETARY WITH THE INTIMATION THAT YOUNG LORD SALTIRE TEN YEARS OLD HIS ONLY SON AND HEIR WAS ABOUT TO BE COMMITTED TO MY CHARGE </s><s> LITTLE DID I THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE THE PRELUDE TO THE MOST CRUSHING MISFORTUNE OF MY LIFE </s><s> ON MAY FIRST THE BOY ARRIVED THAT BEING THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER TERM </s><s> HE WAS A CHARMING YOUTH AND HE SOON FELL INTO OUR WAYS </s><s> I MAY TELL YOU I TRUST THAT I AM NOT INDISCREET BUT HALF CONFIDENCES ARE ABSURD IN SUCH A CASE THAT HE WAS NOT ENTIRELY HAPPY AT HOME </s><s> IT IS AN OPEN SECRET THAT THE DUKE'S MARRIED LIFE HAD NOT BEEN A PEACEFUL ONE AND THE MATTER HAD ENDED IN A SEPARATION BY MUTUAL CONSENT THE DUCHESS TAKING UP HER RESIDENCE IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE </s><s> THIS HAD OCCURRED VERY SHORTLY BEFORE AND THE BOY'S SYMPATHIES ARE KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN STRONGLY WITH HIS MOTHER </s><s> HE MOPED AFTER HER DEPARTURE FROM HOLDERNESSE HALL AND IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE DUKE DESIRED TO SEND HIM TO MY ESTABLISHMENT </s><s> IN A FORTNIGHT THE BOY WAS QUITE AT HOME WITH US AND WAS APPARENTLY ABSOLUTELY HAPPY </s><s> HE WAS LAST SEEN ON THE NIGHT OF MAY THIRTEENTH THAT IS THE NIGHT OF LAST MONDAY </s><s> HIS ROOM WAS ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND WAS APPROACHED THROUGH ANOTHER LARGER ROOM IN WHICH TWO BOYS WERE SLEEPING </s><s> THESE BOYS SAW AND HEARD NOTHING SO THAT IT IS CERTAIN THAT YOUNG SALTIRE DID NOT PASS OUT THAT WAY </s><s> HIS WINDOW WAS OPEN AND THERE IS A STOUT IVY PLANT LEADING TO THE GROUND </s><s> WE COULD TRACE NO FOOTMARKS BELOW BUT IT IS SURE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY POSSIBLE EXIT </s><s> HIS ABSENCE WAS DISCOVERED AT SEVEN O'CLOCK ON TUESDAY MORNING </s><s> HIS BED HAD BEEN SLEPT IN </s><s> HE HAD DRESSED HIMSELF FULLY BEFORE GOING OFF IN HIS USUAL SCHOOL SUIT OF BLACK ETON JACKET AND DARK GRAY TROUSERS </s><s> THERE WERE NO SIGNS THAT ANYONE HAD ENTERED THE ROOM AND IT IS QUITE CERTAIN THAT ANYTHING IN THE NATURE OF CRIES OR A STRUGGLE WOULD HAVE BEEN HEARD SINCE CAUNTER THE ELDER BOY IN THE INNER ROOM IS A VERY LIGHT SLEEPER </s><s> WHEN LORD SALTIRE'S DISAPPEARANCE WAS DISCOVERED I AT ONCE CALLED A ROLL OF THE WHOLE ESTABLISHMENT BOYS MASTERS AND SERVANTS </s><s> IT WAS THEN THAT WE ASCERTAINED THAT LORD SALTIRE HAD NOT BEEN ALONE IN HIS FLIGHT </s><s> HEIDEGGER THE GERMAN MASTER WAS MISSING </s><s> HIS ROOM WAS ON THE SECOND FLOOR AT THE FARTHER END OF THE BUILDING FACING THE SAME WAY AS LORD SALTIRE'S </s><s> HIS BED HAD ALSO BEEN SLEPT IN BUT HE HAD APPARENTLY GONE AWAY PARTLY DRESSED SINCE HIS SHIRT AND SOCKS WERE LYING ON THE FLOOR </s><s> HE HAD UNDOUBTEDLY LET HIMSELF DOWN BY THE IVY FOR WE COULD SEE THE MARKS OF HIS FEET WHERE HE HAD LANDED ON THE LAWN </s><s> HIS BICYCLE WAS KEPT IN A SMALL SHED BESIDE THIS LAWN AND IT ALSO WAS GONE </s><s> HE HAD BEEN WITH ME FOR TWO YEARS AND CAME WITH THE BEST REFERENCES BUT HE WAS A SILENT MOROSE MAN NOT VERY POPULAR EITHER WITH MASTERS OR BOYS </s><s> NO TRACE COULD BE FOUND OF THE FUGITIVES AND NOW ON THURSDAY MORNING WE ARE AS IGNORANT AS WE WERE ON TUESDAY </s><s> INQUIRY WAS OF COURSE MADE AT ONCE AT HOLDERNESE HALL </s><s> IT IS ONLY A FEW MILES AWAY AND WE IMAGINED THAT IN SOME SUDDEN ATTACK OF HOMESICKNESS HE HAD GONE BACK TO HIS FATHER BUT NOTHING HAD BEEN HEARD OF HIM </s><s> THE DUKE IS GREATLY AGITATED AND AS TO ME YOU HAVE SEEN YOURSELVES THE STATE OF NERVOUS PROSTRATION TO WHICH THE SUSPENSE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY HAVE REDUCED ME </s><s> MR. HOLMES IF EVER YOU PUT FORWARD YOUR FULL POWERS I IMPLORE YOU TO DO SO NOW FOR NEVER IN YOUR LIFE COULD YOU HAVE A CASE WHICH IS MORE WORTHY OF THEM QUOTE </s><s> SHERLOCK HOLMES HAD LISTENED WITH THE UTMOST INTENTNESS TO THE STATEMENT OF THE UNHAPPY SCHOOLMASTER </s><s> HIS DRAWN BROWS AND THE DEEP FURROW BETWEEN THEM SHOWED THAT HE NEEDED NO EXHORTATION TO CONCENTRATE ALL HIS ATTENTION UPON A PROBLEM WHICH APART FROM THE TREMENDOUS INTERESTS INVOLVED MUST APPEAL SO DIRECTLY TO HIS LOVE OF THE COMPLEX AND THE UNUSUAL </s><s> HE NOW DREW OUT HIS NOTEBOOK AND JOTTED DOWN ONE OR TWO MEMORANDA </s><s> YOU HAVE BEEN VERY REMISS IN NOT COMING TO ME SOONER SAID HE SEVERELY </s><s> YOU START ME ON MY INVESTIGATION WITH A VERY SERIOUS HANDICAP </s><s> IT IS INCONCEIVABLE FOR EXAMPLE THAT THIS IVY AND THIS LAWN WOULD HAVE YIELDED NOTHING TO AN EXPERT OBSERVER </s><s> I AM NOT TO BLAME MR. HOLMES </s><s> HIS GRACE WAS EXTREMELY DESIROUS TO AVOID ALL PUBLIC SCANDAL </s><s> HE WAS AFRAID OF HIS FAMILY UNHAPPINESS BEING DRAGGED BEFORE THE WORLD </s><s> HE HAS A DEEP HORROR OF ANYTHING OF THE KIND </s><s> QUOTE BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION QUOTE </s><s> YES SIR AND IT HAS PROVED MOST DISAPPOINTING </s><s> AN APPARENT CLUE WAS AT ONCE OBTAINED SINCE A BOY AND A YOUNG MAN WERE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN SEEN LEAVING A NEIGHBOURING STATION BY AN EARLY TRAIN </s><s> ONLY LAST NIGHT WE HAD NEWS THAT THE COUPLE HAD BEEN HUNTED DOWN IN LIVERPOOL AND THEY PROVE TO HAVE NO CONNECTION WHATEVER WITH THE MATTER IN HAND </s><s> THEN IT WAS THAT IN MY DESPAIR AND DISAPPOINTMENT AFTER A SLEEPLESS NIGHT I CAME STRAIGHT TO YOU BY THE EARLY TRAIN </s><s> I SUPPOSE THE LOCAL INVESTIGATION WAS RELAXED WHILE THIS FALSE CLUE WAS BEING FOLLOWED UP </s><s> IT WAS ENTIRELY DROPPED </s><s> SO THAT THREE DAYS HAVE BEEN WASTED </s><s> THE AFFAIR HAS BEEN MOST DEPLORABLY HANDLED QUOTE </s><s> I FEEL IT AND ADMIT IT </s><s> AND YET THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE CAPABLE OF ULTIMATE SOLUTION </s><s> I SHALL BE VERY HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT </s><s> HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO TRACE ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MISSING BOY AND THIS GERMAN MASTER </s><s> NONE AT ALL </s><s> WAS HE IN THE MASTER'S CLASS </s><s> QUOTE NO HE NEVER EXCHANGED A WORD WITH HIM SO FAR AS I KNOW QUOTE </s><s> THAT IS CERTAINLY VERY SINGULAR </s><s> HAD THE BOY A BICYCLE </s><s> NUMBER </s><s> WAS ANY OTHER BICYCLE MISSING </s><s> NUMBER </s><s> QUOTE IS THAT CERTAIN QUOTE </s><s> QUITE </s><s> WELL NOW YOU DO NOT MEAN TO SERIOUSLY SUGGEST THAT THIS GERMAN RODE OFF UPON A BICYCLE IN THE DEAD OF THE NIGHT BEARING THE BOY IN HIS ARMS </s><s> CERTAINLY NOT </s><s> THEN WHAT IS THE THEORY IN YOUR MIND </s><s> THE BICYCLE MAY HAVE BEEN A BLIND </s><s> IT MAY HAVE BEEN HIDDEN SOMEWHERE AND THE PAIR GONE OFF ON FOOT QUOTE </s><s> QUITE SO BUT IT SEEMS RATHER AN ABSURD BLIND DOES IT NOT </s><s> WERE THERE OTHER BICYCLES IN THIS SHED </s><s> SEVERAL </s><s> WOULD HE NOT HAVE HIDDEN A COUPLE HAD HE DESIRED TO GIVE THE IDEA THAT THEY HAD GONE OFF UPON THEM </s><s> I SUPPOSE HE WOULD </s><s> QUOTE OF COURSE HE WOULD </s><s> THE BLIND THEORY WON'T DO </s><s> BUT THE INCIDENT IS AN ADMIRABLE STARTING POINT FOR AN INVESTIGATION </s><s> AFTER ALL A BICYCLE IS NOT AN EASY THING TO CONCEAL OR TO DESTROY </s><s> ONE OTHER QUESTION </s><s> DID ANYONE CALL TO SEE THE BOY ON THE DAY BEFORE HE DISAPPEARED </s><s> NUMBER </s><s> DID HE GET ANY LETTERS </s><s> YES ONE LETTER </s><s> FROM WHOM </s><s> QUOTE FROM HIS FATHER QUOTE </s><s> DO YOU OPEN THE BOYS' LETTERS </s><s> NUMBER </s><s> HOW DO YOU KNOW IT WAS FROM THE FATHER </s><s> THE COAT OF ARMS WAS ON THE ENVELOPE AND IT WAS ADDRESSED IN THE DUKE'S PECULIAR STIFF HAND </s><s> BESIDES THE DUKE REMEMBERS HAVING WRITTEN </s><s> QUOTE WHEN HAD HE A LETTER BEFORE THAT QUOTE </s><s> NOT FOR SEVERAL DAYS </s><s> HAD HE EVER ONE FROM FRANCE </s><s> NO NEVER </s><s> YOU SEE THE POINT OF MY QUESTIONS OF COURSE </s><s> EITHER THE BOY WAS CARRIED OFF BY FORCE OR HE WENT OF HIS OWN FREE WILL </s><s> IN THE LATTER CASE YOU WOULD EXPECT THAT SOME PROMPTING FROM OUTSIDE WOULD BE NEEDED TO MAKE SO YOUNG A LAD DO SUCH A THING </s><s> IF HE HAS HAD NO VISITORS THAT PROMPTING MUST HAVE COME IN LETTERS HENCE I TRY TO FIND OUT WHO WERE HIS CORRESPONDENTS </s><s> QUOTE I FEAR I CANNOT HELP YOU MUCH </s><s> HIS ONLY CORRESPONDENT SO FAR AS I KNOW WAS HIS OWN FATHER </s><s> WHO WROTE TO HIM ON THE VERY DAY OF HIS DISAPPEARANCE </s><s> WERE THE RELATIONS BETWEEN FATHER AND SON VERY FRIENDLY </s><s> HIS GRACE IS NEVER VERY FRIENDLY WITH ANYONE </s><s> HE IS COMPLETELY IMMERSED IN LARGE PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND IS RATHER INACCESSIBLE TO ALL ORDINARY EMOTIONS </s><s> BUT HE WAS ALWAYS KIND TO THE BOY IN HLS OWN WAY </s><s> QUOTE BUT THE SYMPATHIES OF THE LATTER WERE WITH THE MOTHER QUOTE </s><s> YES </s><s> DID HE SAY SO </s><s> NUMBER </s><s> THE DUKE THEN </s>
⌨️ 快捷键说明
复制代码
Ctrl + C
搜索代码
Ctrl + F
全屏模式
F11
切换主题
Ctrl + Shift + D
显示快捷键
?
增大字号
Ctrl + =
减小字号
Ctrl + -