黑彼得（15）

“Where did you get it?” he groaned. “I did not know. I thought I had lost it at the hotel.”

“That is enough,” said Hopkins, sternly. “Whatever else you have to say you must say in court. You will walk down with me now to the police-station. Well, Mr. Holmes, I am very much obliged to you and to your friend for coming down to help me. As it turns out your presence was unnecessary, and I would have brought the case to this successful issue without you; but none the less I am very grateful. Rooms have been reserved for you at the Brambletye Hotel, so we can all walk down to the village together.”

“Well, Watson, what do you think of it?” asked Holmes, as we travelled back next morning.

“I can see that you are not satisfied.”

“Oh, yes, my dear Watson, I am perfectly satisfied. At the same time Stanley Hopkins's methods do not commend themselves to me. I am disappointed in Stanley Hopkins. I had hoped for better things from him. One should always look for a possible alternative and provide against it. It is the first rule of criminal investigation.”

“What, then, is the alternative?”

“The line of investigation which I have myself been pursuing. It may give us nothing. I cannot tell. But at least I shall follow it to the end.”

Several letters were waiting for Holmes at Baker Street. He snatched one of them up, opened it, and burst out into a triumphant chuckle of laughter.

“Excellent, Watson. The alternative develops. Have you telegraph forms? Just write a couple of messages for me: ‘Sumner, Shipping Agent, Ratcliff Highway. Send three men on, to arrive ten to-morrow morning.—Basil.’ That's my name in those parts. The other is: ‘Inspector Stanley Hopkins, 46, Lord Street, Brixton. Come breakfast to-morrow at nine-thirty. Important. Wire if unable to come.—Sherlock Holmes.’ There, Watson, this infernal case has haunted me for ten days. I hereby banish it completely from my presence. To-morrow I trust that we shall hear the last of it for ever.”

痛苦地说：“你是从哪儿弄到这本子的？我不知道。我想我是在旅馆里丢掉的。”

霍普金严厉地说：“够了。你还有什么要说的，到法庭上说去吧。你现在和我一同去警察局。福尔摩斯先生，我非常感谢你和你的朋友，到这儿来帮助我。事实说明，你来是不必要的，没有你我也会使案件取得圆满的结果，但是尽避这样我还是感谢你的。在勃兰布莱特旅店给你们保留了房间，现在我们可以一起到村子里去了。”

第二天早晨我们乘马车回伦敦的时候，福尔摩斯问：“华生，你觉得这事怎么样？”

“我看你是不满意的。”

“喔，亲一爱一的华生，我是很满意的。可是斯坦莱·霍普金的方法我不能赞同。我对霍普金感到失望。我本来希望他会处理得好一些。一个侦探总是应该探索是否有第二种可能一性一，并且防备确有这种可能一性一。这是侦查罪案的首要原则。”

“那么什么是此案的第二种可能一性一呢？”

“就是我自己一直在调查的线索。可能得不出结果。我很难说。但是至少我要把它进行到底。”

在贝克街有几封信正在等待着福尔摩斯。他抓起一封拆开，马上发出一阵轻轻的胜利笑声。

“华生，好极了！第二种可能一性一在发展着。你有电报纸吗？请替一我写两封：'瑞特克利夫大街，海运公司，色姆那。派三个人来，明早十点到。——巴斯尔。'这就是我扮演角色时用的名字。另外一封是：'布芮斯顿区，洛得街４６号，警长斯坦莱·霍普金。明日九点半来吃早饭。紧要。如不能来，回电。——歇洛克·福尔摩斯。'华生，这件讨厌的案子使我十天以来一直不得安宁。从此我要把它从我心中完全除掉。我相信明天我将会听到最后的结果。”