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！
grotesquely horrible in its contortion and his head encircled by a
ghastly crimson halo of blood； lying in a broad wet circle upon the
white woodwork。 His knees were drawn up； his hands thrown out in
agony； and from the centre of his broad； brown； upturned throat
there projected the white haft of a knife driven blade…deep into his
body。 Giant as he was； the man must have gone down like a pole…axed ox
before that terrific blow。 Beside his right hand a most formidable
horn…handled； two…edged dagger lay upon the floor； and near it a black
kid glove。
〃By George！ it's Black Gorgiano himself！〃 cried the American
detective。 〃Someone has got ahead of us this time。〃
Here is the candle in the window； Mr。 Holmes；〃 said Gregson。 〃Why；
whatever are you doing？〃
Holmes had stepped across； had lit the candle； and was passing it
backward and forward across the window…panes。 Then he peered into
the darkness； blew the candle out； and threw it on the floor。
〃I rather think that will be helpful；〃 said he。 He came over and
stood in deep thought while the two professionals were examining the
body。 〃You say that three people came out from the flat while you were
waiting downstairs；〃 said he at last。 〃Did you observe them closely？〃
〃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 woman… the 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。 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。〃
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 ever 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 position…
nothing but his beauty and strength and energy… so my father forbade
the match。 We fled 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 gentleman… he 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
come also from Posilippo。 He was a huge man； as you can testify； for
you have looked upon his corpse。 Not only was his body that of a giant
but everything about him was grotesque； gigantic； and terrifying。
His voice was like thunder in our little house。 There was scarce
room for the whirl of his great arms as he talked。 His thoughts； his
emotions； his passions； all were exaggerated and monstrous。 He talked；
or rather roared； with such energy that others could but sit and
listen； cowed with the mighty stream of words。 His eyes blazed at
you and held you at his mercy。 He was a terrible and wonderful man。
I thank God that he is dead！
〃He came again and again。 Yet I was aware that Gennaro was no more
happy than I was in his presence。 My poor husband would sit pale and
listless； listening to the endless raving upon politics and upon
social questions which made up our visitor's conversation。 Gennaro
said nothing； but I； who knew him so well； could read in his face some
emotion which I had never seen there before。 At first I thought that
it was dislike。 And then； gradually； I understood that it was more
than dislike。 It was fear… a deep； secret； shrinking fear。 That night…
the night that I read his terror… I put my arms round him and I
implored him by his love for me and by all that he held dear to hold
nothing from me； and to tell me why this huge man overshadowed him so。
〃He told me； and my own heart grew cold as ice as I listened。 My
poor Gennaro； in his wild and fiery days； when all the world seemed
against him and his mind was driven half mad by the injustices of
life； had joined a Neapolitan society； the Red Circle； which was
allied to the old Carbonari。 The oaths and secrets of this brotherhood
were frightful； but once within its rule no escape was possible。
When we had fled to America Gennaro thought that he had cast it all
off forever。 What was his horror one evening to meet in the streets
the very man who had initiated him in Naples； the giant Gorgiano； a
man who had earned the name of 'Death' in the south of Italy； for he
was red to the elbow in murder！ He had come to New York to avoid the
Italian police； and he had already planted a branch of this dreadful
society in his new home。 All this Gennaro told me and showed me a
summons which he had received that very day； a Red Circle drawn upon