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！
SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE ADVENTURE OF THE SUSSEX VAMPIRE
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Holmes had read carefully a note which the last post had brought
him。 Then； with the dry chuckle which was his nearest approach to a
laugh； he tossed it over to me。
〃For a mixture of the modern and the mediaeval； if the practical and
of the wildly fanciful； I think this is surely the limit；〃 said he。
〃What do you make of it； Watson？〃
I read as follows：
46； OLD JEWRY；
Nov。 19th。
Re Vampires
SIR：
Our client； Mr。 Robert Ferguson； of Ferguson and Muirhead； tea
brokers； of Mincing Lane； has made some inquiry from us in a
communication of even date concerning vampires。 As our firm
specializes entirely upon the assessment of machinery the matter
hardly comes within our purview； and we have therefore recommended Mr。
Ferguson to call upon you and lay the matter before you。 We have not
forgotten your successful action in the case of Matilda Briggs。
We are； sir；
Faithfully yours；
MORRISON； MORRISON； AND DODD。
per E。 J。 C。
〃Matilda Briggs was not the name of a young woman； Watson；〃 said
Holmes in a reminiscent voice。 〃It was a ship which is associated with
the giant rat of Sumatra； a story for which the world is not yet
prepared。 But what do we know about vampires？ Does it come within
our purview either？ Anything is better than stagnation； but really
we seem to have been switched on to a Grimms' fairy tale。 Make a
long arm； Watson； and see what V has to say。〃
I leaned back and took down the great index volume to which he
referred。 Holmes balanced it on his knee； and his eyes moved slowly
and lovingly over the record of old cases； mixed with the
accumulated information of a lifetime。
〃Voyage of the Gloria Scott；〃 he read。 〃That was a bad business。 I
have some recollection that you made a record of it； Watson； though
I was unable to congratulate you upon the result。 Victor Lynch； the
forger。 Venomous lizard or gila。 Remarkable case； that！ Vittoria；
the circus belle。 Vanderbilt and the Yeggman。 Vipers。 Vigor； the
Hammersmith wonder。 Hullo！ Hullo！ Good old index。 You can't beat it。
Listen to this； Watson。 Vampirism in Hungary。 And again； Vampires in
Transylvania。〃 He turned over the pages with eagerness； but after a
short intent perusal he threw down the great book with a snarl of
disappointment。
〃Rubbish； Watson； rubbish！ What have we to do with walking corpses
who can only be held in their grave by stakes driven through their
hearts？ It's pure lunacy。〃
〃But surely；〃 said I； 〃the vampire was not necessarily a dead man？ A
living person might have the habit。 I have read； for example； of the
old sucking the blood of the young in order to retain their youth。〃
〃You are right； Watson。 It mentions the legend in one of these
references。 But are we to give serious attention to such things？
This agency stands flat…footed upon the ground； and there it must
remain。 The world is big enough for us。 No ghosts need apply。 I fear
that we cannot take Mr。 Robert Ferguson very seriously。 Possibly
this note may be from him and may throw some light upon what is
worrying him。〃
He took up a second letter which had lain unnoticed upon the table
while he had been absorbed with the first。 This he began to read
with a smile of amusement upon his face which gradually faded away
into an expression of intense interest and concentration。 When he
had finished he sat for some little time lost in thought with the
letter dangling from his fingers。 Finally； with a start； he aroused
himself from his reverie。
〃Cheeseman's； Lamberley。 Where is Lamberley； Watson？〃
〃It is in Sussex； south of Horsham。〃
〃Not very far； eh？ And Cheeseman's？〃
〃I know that country； Holmes。 It is full of old houses which are
named after the men who built them centuries ago。 You get Odley's
and Harvey's and Carriton's… the folk are forgotten but their names
live in their houses。
〃Precisely；〃 said Holmes coldly。 It was one of the peculiarities
of his proud； self…contained nature that though he docketed any
fresh information very quietly and accurately in his brain； he
seldom made any acknowledgment to the giver。 〃I rather fancy we
shall know a good deal more about Cheeseman's； Lamberley； before we
are through。 The letter is； as I had hoped； from Robert Ferguson。 By
the way； he claims acquaintance with you。〃
〃With me！〃
〃You had better read it。〃
He handed the letter across。 It was headed with the address quoted。
DEAR MR。 HOLMES ＇it said＇：
I have been recommended to you by my lawyers； but indeed the
matter is so extraordinarily delicate that it is most difficult to
discuss。 It concerns a friend for whom I am acting。 This gentleman
married some five years ago a Peruvian lady； the daughter of a
Peruvian merchant； whom he had met in connection with the
importation of nitrates。 The lady was very beautiful； but the fact
of her foreign birth and of her alien religion always caused a
separation of interests and of feelings between husband and wife； so
that after a time his love may have cooled towards her and he may have
come to regard their union as a mistake。 He felt there were sides of
her character which he could never explore or understand。 This was the
more painful as she was as loving a wife as a man could have… to all
appearance absolutely devoted。
Now for the point which I will make more plain when we meet。 Indeed；
this note is merely to give you a general idea of the situation and to
ascertain whether you would care to interest yourself in the matter。
The lady began to show some curious traits quite alien to her
ordinarily sweet and gentle disposition。 The gentleman had been
married twice and he had one son by the first wife。 This boy was now
fifteen； a very charming and affectionate youth； though unhappily
injured through an accident in childhood。 Twice the wife was caught in
the act of assaulting this poor lad in the most unprovoked way。 Once
she struck him with a stick and left a great weal on his arm。
This was a small matter； however； compared with her conduct to her
own child； a dear boy just under one year of age。 On one occasion
about a month ago this child had been left by its nurse for a few
minutes。 A loud cry from the baby； as of pain； called the nurse
back。 As she ran into the room she saw her employer； the lady； leaning
over the baby and apparently biting his neck。 There was a small
wound in the neck from which a stream of blood had escaped。 The
nurse was so horrified that she wished to call the husband； but the
lady implored her not to do so and actually gave her five pounds as
a price for her silence。 No explanation was ever given； and for the
moment the matter was passed over。
It left； however； a terrible impression upo