按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
in deep thought while the two professionals were examining the body。
〃You say that three people came out form the flat while you were waiting
downstairs；〃 said he at last。 〃Did you observe them closely？〃
15
… Page 16…
The Adventure of the Red Circle
〃Yes； I did。〃
〃Was there a fellow about thirty； black…bearded； dark； of middle size？〃
〃Yes； he was the last to pass me。〃
〃That is your man； I fancy。 I can give you his description； and we
have a very excellent outline of his footmark。 That should be enough for
you。〃
〃Not much； Mr。 Holmes； among the millions of London。〃
〃Perhaps not。 That is why I thought it best to summon this lady to your
aid。〃
We all turned round at the words。 There； framed in the doorway； was
a tall and beautiful womanthe mysterious lodger of Bloomsbury。
Slowly she advanced； her face pale and drawn with a frightful
apprehension； her eyes fixed and staring； her terrified gaze riveted upon
the dark figure on the floor。
〃You have killed him！〃 she muttered。 〃Oh； Dio mio； you have killed
him！〃 Then I heard a sudden sharp intake of her breath； and she sprang
into the air with a cry of joy。 Round and round the room she danced； her
hands clapping； her dark eyes gleaming with delighted wonder； and a
thousand pretty Italian exclamations pouring from her lips。 It was
terrible and amazing to see such a woman so convulsed with joy at such a
sight。 Suddenly she stopped and gazed at us all with a questioning stare。
〃But you！ You are police； are you not？ You have killed Giuseppe
Gorgiano。 Is it not so？〃
〃We are police； madam。〃
She looked round into the shadows of the room。
〃But where； then； is Gennaro？〃 she asked。 〃He is my husband；
Gennaro Lucca。 I am Emilia Lucca； and we are both from New York。
Where is Gennaro？ He called me this moment from this window； and I
ran with all my speed。〃
〃It was I who called；〃 said Holmes。
〃You！ How could you call？〃
〃Your cipher was not difficult； madam。 Your presence here was
desirable。 I knew that I had only to flash 'Vieni' and you would surely
come。〃
16
… Page 17…
The Adventure of the Red Circle
The beautiful Italian looked with awe at my companion。 〃I do not
understand how you know these things；〃 she said。 〃Giuseppe Gorgiano
how did he〃 She paused； and then suddenly her face lit up with pride
and delight。 〃Now I see it！ My Gennaro！ My splendid； beautiful
Gennaro； who has guarded me safe from all harm； he did it； with his own
strong hand he killed the monster！ Oh； Gennaro； how wonderful you are！
What woman could every be worthy of such a man？〃
〃Well； Mrs。 Lucca；〃 said the prosaic Gregson； laying his hand upon the
lady's sleeve with as little sentiment as if she were a Notting Hill hooligan；
〃I am not very clear yet who you are or what you are； but you've said
enough to make it very clear that we shall want you at the Yard。〃
〃One moment； Gregson；〃 said Holmes。 〃I rather fancy that this lady
may be as anxious to give us information as we can be to get it。 You
understand； madam； that your husband will be arrested and tried for the
death of the man who lies before us？ What you say may be used in
evidence。 But if you think that he has acted from motives which are not
criminal； and which he would wish to have known； then you cannot serve
him better than by telling us the whole story。〃
〃Now that Gorgiano is dead we fear nothing；〃 said the lady。 〃He was
a devil and a monster； and there can be no judge in the world who would
punish my husband for having killed him。〃
〃In that case；〃 said Holmes； 〃my suggestion is that we lock this door；
leave things as we found them； go with this lady to her room ；and form our
opinion after we have heard what it is that she has to say to us。〃
Half an hour later we were seated； all four； in the small sitting…room of
Signora Lucca； listening to her remarkable narrative of those sinister
events； the ending of which we had chanced to witness。 She spoke in
rapid and fluent but very unconventional English； which； for the sake of
clearness； I will make grammatical。
〃I was born in Posilippo； near Naples；〃 said she； 〃and was the daughter
of Augusto Barelli； who was the chief lawyer and once the deputy of that
part。 Gennaro was in my father's employment； and I came to love him；
as any woman must。 He had neither money nor positionnothing but his
beauty and strength and energyso my father forbade the match。 We fled
17
… Page 18…
The Adventure of the Red Circle
together； were married at Bari； and sold my jewels to gain the money
which would take us to America。 This was four years ago； and we have
been in New York ever since。
〃Fortune was very good to us at first。 Gennaro was able to do a
service to an Italian gentlemanhe saved him from some ruffians in the
place called the Bowery； and so made a powerful friend。 His name was
Tito Castalotte； and he was the senior partner of the great firm of
Castalotte and Zamba； who are the chief fruit importers of New York。
Signor Zamba is an invalid； and our new friend Castalotte has all power
within the firm； which employs more than three hundred men。 He took
my husband into his employment； made him head of a department； and
showed his good… will towards him in every way。 Signor Castalotte was
a bachelor； and I believe that he felt as if Gennaro was his son； and both
my husband and I loved him as if he were our father。 We had taken and
furnished a little house in Brooklyn； and our whole future seemed assured
when that black cloud appeared which was soon to overspread our sky。
〃One night； when Gennaro returned from his work； he brought a
fellow…countryman back with him。 His name was Gorgiano； and he had
co