修道院公学（4）

“He was last seen on the night of May 13th—that is, the night of last Monday. His room was on the second floor, and was approached through another larger room in which two boys were sleeping. These boys saw and heard nothing, so that it is certain that young Saltire did not pass out that way. His window was open, and there is a stout ivy plant leading to the ground. We could trace no footmarks below, but it is sure that this is the only possible exit.

“His absence was discovered at seven o'clock on Tuesday morning. His bed had been slept in. He had dressed himself fully before going off in his usual school suit of black Eton jacket and dark grey trousers. There were no signs that anyone had entered the room, and it is quite certain that anything in the nature of cries, or a struggle, would have been heard, since Caunter, the elder boy in the inner room, is a very light sleeper.

“When Lord Saltire's disappearance was discovered I at once called a roll of the whole establishment, boys, masters, and servants. It was then that we ascertained that Lord Saltire had not been alone in his flight. Heidegger, the German master, was missing. His room was on the second floor, at the farther end of the building, facing the same way as Lord Saltire's. His bed had also been slept in; but he had apparently gone away partly dressed, since his shirt and socks were lying on the floor. He had undoubtedly let himself down by the ivy, for we could see the marks of his feet where he had landed on the lawn. His bicycle was kept in a small shed beside this lawn, and it also was gone.

“He had been with me for two years, and came with the best references; but he was a silent, morose man, not very popular either with masters or boys. No trace could be found of the fugitives, and now on Thursday morning we are as ignorant as we were on Tuesday. Inquiry was, of course, made at once at Holdernesse Hall. It is only a few miles away, and we imagined that in some sudden attack of home-sickness he had gone back to his father; but nothing had been heard of him. The Duke is greatly agitated—and as to me, you have seen yourselves the state of nervous prostration to which the suspense and the responsibility have reduced me. Mr. Holmes, if ever you put forward your full powers, I implore you to do so now, for never in your life could you have a case which is more worthy of them.”

“最后一次见到他是在五月十三日夜晚，就是这星期一的夜晚。他的房间在二楼，是个里间，要穿过另一间有两个孩子住的较大的房间才能走到。这两个孩子当夜丝毫没有察觉有什么动静，所以可以肯定小萨尔特尔没有从这儿走出去。他的窗户是开着的，窗上有一棵茁一壮的常春藤连到地面。在地面上没有找到足迹，但是只有这个窗户是出走的唯一途径。

“星期二上午七点发现他已经不在了，他的一床一是睡过的。临走以前，他完全穿好了衣服，就是他常穿的校服——黑色伊顿上衣和深灰色的裤子。没有痕迹说明有人进过屋子，若①有喊叫和厮打的声音一定听得到，因为住在外面一间的年纪较大的孩子康特睡觉一向是很轻的——

①英国伊顿公学所穿的校服上衣，长袖，前胸翻领较大，长短只到腰部。——译者注

“发现萨尔特尔勋爵失踪以后，我立即召集全校点名，包括所有的学生、教师以及仆人。这时我们才确定了萨尔特尔不是独自出走的，因为德语教师黑底格也不见了。他的房间在二楼末端，和萨尔特尔勋爵的房间全朝着一个方向。他的一床一铺也是睡过的，但是他显然没有完全穿好衣服就走了——衬衣和袜子还在地板上。毫无疑问他是顺着常春藤下去的，在他着地的草地上，他的足迹清晰可见。他平日放在草地旁小棚子里的自行车那时也不见了。

“黑底格和我在一起已有两年了，他来的时候带来的介绍信给他的评语很好，但是他是一个忧郁寡言的人，在教师和学生中不太受欢迎。逃亡者的踪影一点也查不到，直到现在，已经是星期四的上午了，还和星期二一样一无所知。当然出事后我们立刻到霍尔得芮斯府寻找过。府邸离学校不过几英里，我们以为他也许由于想家心切突然回到他父亲那儿了，但是在那儿没有听到任何消息。公爵万分焦虑，至于我自己，您二位已经亲眼看到了，这个事件的责任和由此引起的担忧把我弄得跌倒在地失去神智。福尔摩斯先生，我恳求您在这个案件上，使出您的全部力量，在您的一生中怕是很难有能给您带来这样大好处的案子了。”