The adventure of the blanched soldier

I find from my documents that it was in Janu­ary, 1903, just after the conclusion of the Boer War, that I was visited by Mr. James M. Dodd. Mr. James M. Dodd seemed somewhat at a loss how to begin the interview.

"From South Africa, sir, I see."

"Yes, sir," he answered, with some surprise.

"Imperial Yeomanry, I think."

"That is so. Mr. Holmes, you are a wizard."

I smiled at his surprise.

"When a gentleman enters my room with such a tan upon his face as an English sun could never give, and with his handkerchief in his sleeve in­stead of in his pocket, it is not difficult to say where he has come from. You wear a short beard, which shows that you were not a regular."

"You see everything."

"I see no more than you, but I have trained myself to notice what I see. What has been happening at Tuxbury Old Park?"

"Mr. Holmes -!"

"My dear sir, there is no mystery. Your letter came with that heading, and it was clear that some­thing sudden and important had occurred."

"Yes, indeed. I will give you the facts, and I hope that you will be able to tell me what they mean," said my client.

"When I joined the army in January, 1901 - just two years ago - young Godfrey Emsworth had joined the same squadron. He was Colonel Emsworth's only son. He was a very fine lad. We became friends. It was the sort of friendship which can only be made when one lives the same life and shares the same joys and sorrows. Then he was wounded near Pretoria. I got one letter from the hospital at Cape Town and one from Southamp­ton. Since then not a word - not one word, Mr. Holmes, for six months and more, and he is my best friend.

"Well, when the war was over and we all got back, I wrote to his father and asked where God­frey was. No answer. I waited a bit and then I wrote again. This time I had a short reply. Colonel Emsworth wrote that Godfrey had gone on a voy­age round the world, and was not likely to be back for a year. That was all.

"I wasn't satisfied, Mr. Holmes. The whole thing seemed to me so unnatural. He was a good lad and he would not drop a friend like that. It was not like him. Then I happened to know that he was heir to a lot of money, and also that his father and he were not on very good terms. No, I wasn't sat­isfied, and I determined to find out the truth.

"First of all I wanted to get to his home, Tux-bury Old Park. I wrote to his mother: Godfrey was my friend, I had a great deal to tell her of our common experiences, I should be in the neighbour­hood soon, would she object if I came to Tuxbury Old Park, etcetera? In reply I got an invitation to come. I went there on Monday.

"Tuxbury Old Park is five miles from anywhere. It was nearly dark before I arrived. It is a big house standing in a large park. Inside the house there were a lot of old pictures and tapestry. It looked a house of shadows and mystery. There was a butler, old Ralph, who seemed about the same age as the house, and there was his wife who looked still older. I liked Godfrey's mother: she was a gentle little woman. But I did not like the father at all.

"He tried to make himself unpleasant from the very beginning. I was shown straight into his study. 'Well, sir,' said he, 'I am interested to know the real reason for your visit.'

"'I was fond of your son Godfrey, sir, and we were very good friends. Is it not natural that I should be surprised at his sudden silence and should wish to know what has become of him?'

"I remember, sir, that I have already correspond­ed with you and have told you what has become of him. He has gone upon a voyage round the world.'

"Perhaps you will tell me the name of the ship by which he sailed and the date. I have no doubt that I shall be able to send a letter to him.'

"My request seemed to irritate my host. 'Mr. Dodd,' said he, 'every family has its own inner knowledge and its own motives, which cannot always be explained to outsiders. My wife is anxious to hear something of Godfrey's past. But I would ask you to let the present and the future alone.'

"That was the end of our conversation, Mr. Hol­mes. It was a dull evening. As soon as it was con­venient, I went to my bedroom. It was a large room on the ground floor, as gloomy as the rest of the house. I sat down at the table and tried to read, but was interrupted by Ralph, the old butler.

"Beg your pardon, sir,' said he, 'but I could not help hearing what you said of young Master God­frey at dinner. You know, sir, my wife nursed him. It is natural that we are interested. You say that he was a gallant soldier, sir?'

'There was no braver man in the regiment.'

"Yes, sir, yes, that is Master Godfrey all over,' said the old butler. 'He was always courageous. There is not a tree in the park, sir, that he has not climbed. He was a fine boy - and oh, sir, he was a fine man.'

"I sprang to my feet.

'Look here!' I cried, 'You say he was. You speak as if he were dead. What is all this mystery? What has become of Godfrey Emsworth?'

'I don't know what you mean, sir. Ask the master, he knows.'

"Listen,' I said, 'you are going to answer one question before you leave, or I'll keep you here all night. Is Godfrey dead?'

"The answer was terrible and unexpected.

"'I wish he was!' he cried and rushed out of the room.

"I returned to my chair. The old man's words seemed to me to mean only one thing. Clearly my poor friend had become involved in something ter­rible which touched the family honour. I was think­ing about it when I looked up, and there was God­frey Emsworth standing before me.

"He was outside the window, Mr. Holmes, with his face pressed against the glass. His face was deadly pale - never have I seen a man so white. When he saw that I was looking at him, he sprang back and vanished into the darkness.

"The next moment I was at the window. I jumped through and ran down the garden path. It was a long path and the light was not very good. I ran on and called his name, but it was no use. When I got to the end of the path, there were several others going in different directions. As I stood hesitating, I heard the sound of a closing door. It was not behind me in the house, but in front of me, somewhere in the darkness. That was enough for me, Mr. Holmes, to assure me that what I had seen was not a vision.

"There was nothing more I could do, and I re­turned into the house. I spent a sleepless night thinking over the matter. It was clear that God­frey was hiding somewhere near. But where and why? The door, which I had heard, was certainly not in the house. I decided that I must explore the garden and see what I could find.

"At the end of the garden there was a small building - large enough for a gardener's house. Could this be the place from where the sound of that shutting door had come? I approached it slowly, pretending that I was strolling aimlessly. As I did so, a small bearded man in a black coat and hat -not at all the gardener type - came out of the door. To my surprise, he locked it after him and put the key in his pocket. Then he looked at me with some surprise on his face.

"'Are you a visitor here?' he asked.

"I told him that I was and added that I was a friend of Godfrey's.

"'What a pity that he is away travelling,' I con­tinued. 'He would have liked to see me.'

"Quite so. Exactly,' said he with a rather guilty air. He walked away, but when I turned I noticed that he was standing watching me, half-concealed by the bushes at the far end of the garden.

"I walked back to the house and waited for the night. When all was dark and quiet, I slipped out of my window and made my way as silently as pos­sible to the mysterious building.

"Some light was coming through one of the win­dows of the house, and I went up to it. I was lucky: the curtain had not been quite drawn so that I could see the inside of the room. Opposite to me I saw the little man whom I had met in the morning. He was smoking a pipe and reading a paper..

"A second man was sitting with his back to the window, and I could swear that this second man was Godfrey. I stood hesitating what to do, when there was a sharp tap on my shoulder. I turned and saw Colonel Emsworth beside me.

"This way, sir!' said he in a low voice. He walked in silence to the house and I followed him. In the hall he took a time-table of trains. 'There is a train to London at 8.30,' said he. He was white with rage.

"You were here as a guest and you have become a spy. I have nothing more to say, sir, except that I have no wish ever to see you again.'

"He turned upon his heel and walked out of the room. In the morning I took the appointed train, fully determined to go straight to you and ask for your advice and assistance."

"How many servants are there in the house?" I asked.

"I saw only the old butler and his wife."

"Did you see that food was brought from the one house to the other?"

"I saw old Ralph carrying a basket down the gar­den path and going in the direction of this house. The idea of food did not occur to me at the moment."

"We must certainly look into the matter," I said. "I will go back with you to Tuxbury Old Park."

In company with Mr. James M. Dodd we drove to the railway station. On our way we picked up a grave gentleman.

"This is an old friend," said I to Dodd. "Maybe, his presence will be entirely unnecessary, but on the other hand, it may be very important."

Dodd seemed surprised, but I told him nothing else. In the train I asked Dodd one more question which I wished our companion to hear.

"You say that you saw your friend's face quite clearly at the window, and you say he was changed." us "Only in colour. His face was - how shall I de­scribe it? - it was of a fish-belly whiteness. It was bleached."

"Was it equally pale all over?"

"I think not."

When we arrived at the strange old house which my client had described, it was Ralph, the elderly butler, who opened the door. He wore brown leath­er gloves, which, when he saw us, he instantly took off and put down on the hall table. I turned, put my hat on the hall table, knocked it off, stooped to pick it up, and managed to bring my nose within a foot of the gloves. Yes, it was undoubtedly from them that the curious scent was coming.

Colonel Emsworth was not in his room, but he came immediately.

"You!" he roared. "Never dare to show your damned face here again, or I'll shoot you, sir! By God, I will!"

"I cannot go," said my client firmly, "until I hear from Godfrey's own lips that he is free."

The Colonel rang the bell.

"Ralph," he said, "telephone to the county po­lice and ask the inspector to send two constables. Tell him there are burglars in the house."

I put my back to the door. "Nothing of the sort¹," I said. "Any police interference will bring about the very catastrophe which you dread." I took out my notebook and wrote one word. "That," I said as I handed it to Colonel Emsworth, "is what has brought us here."

He stared at the writing with amazement. Then he gave in.

"Well," he said, "if you wish to see Godfrey, you shall. Ralph, tell Master Godfrey and Mr. Kent that in five minutes we shall be with them."

We passed down the garden path and found our­selves in front of the mysterious house.

He led us into a large room. A man was standing with his back to the fire, and at the sight of him my client sprang forward with outstretched hands.

"Why, Godfrey, old man, this is fine!"

But the other waved him back.

"Don't touch me, Jimmy. Keep away."

His appearance was extraordinary. One could see that he had indeed been a handsome man sunburned by an African sun, but over this darker surface there were curious whitish patches which had bleached his skin.

"But what in Heaven's name is the matter?"

"Well, it's not a long story to tell," said God­frey. "You remember that morning fight near Pre­toria. You heard I was hit?"

"Yes, I heard that, but I never got particulars."

"I got a bullet through my shoulder. However, I kept sitting on my horse, and he galloped several miles before I fainted and rolled off the saddle.

"When I came to myself, it was night. I stood up, feeling very weak and ill. To my surprise, there was a house close beside me. It was deadly cold. I slowly walked up to the house, entered a wide-opened door and passed into a large room which contained several beds. I threw myself down upon one of them, and in a moment I was asleep.

"It was morning when I woke up, and it seemed to me that I had come into some extraordinary night­mare. In front of me I saw a small, dwarf-like man with a huge head, who was talking excitedly in Dutch. Behind him stood a group of people. I grew cold as I looked at them. Not one of them was a normal human being. Every one was twisted or swol­len or disfigured in some strange way.

"None of them could speak English. The creature with the big head was growing angry and was drag­ging me out of bed. The little monster was as strong as a bull, and I don't know what he would have done to me, but he was stopped by an elderly man who entered the room at that moment. He said a few words in Dutch, and they stepped aside from my bed. Then he looked at me in great amazement.

"'How did you come here?' he asked. 'Oh, but I see that you have a wound in your shoulder. I am a doctor, I will take care of your wound. But my God! You are in far greater danger here than you were on the battlefield. You are in the Leper Hos­pital, and you have slept in a leper's bed.'

"The doctor treated me well, and within a week or so I was removed to the general hospital in Pre­toria.

"Now you know my tragedy. The terrible signs which you see on my face appeared only when I was already at home. Then I understood that I had not escaped. What was I to do? We thought of this walked up to Colonel Emsworth and shook him by the hand.

"I am glad to bring you good news," he said. "It is not leprosy."

"What?"

"A well-marked case of pseudo-leprosy obstinate, but possibly curable, and certainly noninfective. Yes, Mr. Holmes, the coincidence is remarkable. But is it a coincidence? We know, don't we, that the fear and strain may produce a physical effect which stimulates that which it fears². At any rate, I pledge my professional reputation - but the lady has fainted! I think that Mr. Kent had better be with her until she recovers from this joyous shock."

EXERCISES

1. Practice the pronunciation of the following words and translate:

wizard undoubtedly

handkerchief county police

beard catastrophe

colonel bullet

wound shoulder

wounded nightmare

heir dwarf-like

tapestry leper

doubt leprosy

anxious pseudo-leprosy

courageous foresaw

honour discretion

occur asylum

bleached insanity

leather coincidence

gloves

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14