福爾摩斯探案經典:《恐怖谷》第4章Part21
"Well, I started from the fact that Mr. Douglas had seemed disturbed since the day before, when he had been at Tunbridge Wells. It was at Tunbridge Wells then that he had become conscious of some danger. It was clear, therefore, that if a man had come over with a bicycle it was from Tunbridge Wells that he might be expected to have come. We took the bicycle over with us and showed it at the hotels. It was identified at once by the manager of the Eagle Commercial as belonging to a man named Hargrave, who had taken a room there two days before. This bicycle and a small valise were his whole belongings. He had registered his name as coming from London, but had given no address. The valise was London made, and the contents were British; but the man himself was undoubtedly an American."
"Well, well," said Holmes gleefully, "you have indeed done some solid work while I have been sitting spinning theories with my friend! It's a lesson in being practical, Mr. Mac."
"Ay, it's just that, Mr. Holmes," said the inspector with satisfaction.
"But this may all fit in with your theories," I remarked.
"That may or may not be. But let us hear the end, Mr. Mac. Was there nothing to identify this man?"
"So little that it was evident that he had carefully guarded himself against identification. There were no papers or letters, and no marking upon the clothes. A cycle map of the county lay on his bedroom table. He had left the hotel after breakfast yesterday morning on his bicycle, and no more was heard of him until our inquiries."
"That's what puzzles me, Mr. Holmes," said White Mason. "If the fellow did not want the hue and cry raised over him, one would imagine that he would have returned and remained at the hotel as an inoffensive tourist. As it is, he must know that he will be reported to the police by the hotel manager and that his disappearance will be connected with the murder."
"So one would imagine. Still, he has been justified of his wisdom up to date, at any rate, since he has not been taken. But his description--what of that?"
MacDonald referred to his notebook.
“好，我是從這個事實入手的：道格拉斯先生曾經到過滕布里奇韋爾斯市，從那一天氣，他就顯得神情不安了。那麼，正是在滕布里奇韋爾斯市，他意識到了有某種危險。很明顯，如果一個人是騎自行車來的話，那就可以料想是從滕布里奇韋爾斯市來的了。我們把自行車隨身帶上，把它給各旅館看。車馬上被伊格爾商業旅館的經理認出來了，說車主是一個叫哈格雷夫的人。他兩天前在那裏開過房間。這輛自行車和一個小手提箱，就是他的全部家當。他登記是從倫敦來的，可是沒有寫地址。手提箱是倫敦出品，裏面的東西也是英國貨，不過那人本身卻無疑是美國人。”
“很好，很好，"福爾摩斯高興地說道，“你們確實做了一件紮實的工作，而我卻和我的朋友坐在這裏編造各種推論。麥克先生，這的確是一次教訓呢。是得多做些實際的工作啊。”
“當然，這話不錯，福爾摩斯先生，"警官麥克唐納滿意地說道。
“可是這也完全符合你的推論啊，"我提醒說。
“那也說不定。不過，讓我們聽聽結果如何吧，麥克先生。沒有什麼線索可以查清這個人嗎？”
“很明顯，他非常小心謹慎提防着，不放別人認出他來。既沒有文件也沒有書信，衣服上也沒有特記。他臥室桌上有一張本郡的自行車路線圖。昨天早晨，他吃過早飯，騎上自行車離開旅館，直到我們去查問爲止，也沒有再聽到他的情況。”
“福爾摩斯先生，這正是使我迷惑不解的，"懷特·梅森說道，“如果這個人不想叫人懷疑他，他就應當想到，他必須返回旅館，並且象一個與事無關的遊客那樣呆在那裏。象現在這樣，他應當知道，旅館主人會去向警察報告的，必然要把他的失蹤和兇殺案聯繫起來。”
“人家是要這樣想的。既然還沒有捉到他，至少直到現在證明他還是機智的。不過他的外貌特徵到底是什麼樣的呢？”
麥克唐納查看了一下筆記本。
