跳舞的小人（7）

“It's getting on my nerves, this business, Mr. Holmes,” said he, as he sank, like a wearied man, into an arm-chair. “It's bad enough to feel that you are surrounded by unseen, unknown folk, who have some kind of design upon you; but when, in addition to that, you know that it is just killing your wife by inches, then it becomes as much as flesh and blood can endure. She's wearing away under it—just wearing away before my eyes.”

“Has she said anything yet?”

“No, Mr. Holmes, she has not. And yet there have been times when the poor girl has wanted to speak, and yet could not quite bring herself to take the plunge. I have tried to help her; but I dare say I did it clumsily, and scared her off from it. She has spoken about my old family, and our reputation in the county, and our pride in our unsullied honour, and I always felt it was leading to the point; but somehow it turned off before we got there.”

“But you have found out something for yourself?”

“A good deal, Mr. Holmes. I have several fresh dancing men pictures for you to examine, and, what is more important, I have seen the fellow.”

“What, the man who draws them?”

“Yes, I saw him at his work. But I will tell you everything in order. When I got back after my visit to you, the very first thing I saw next morning was a fresh crop of dancing men. They had been drawn in chalk upon the black wooden door of the tool-house, which stands beside the lawn in full view of the front windows. I took an exact copy, and here it is.” He unfolded a paper and laid it upon the table. Here is a copy of the hieroglyphics:—

Picture of a few dancing men

“Excellent!” said Holmes. “Excellent! Pray continue.”

“When I had taken the copy I rubbed out the marks; but two mornings later a fresh inscription had appeared. I have a copy of it here”:—

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Holmes rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight.

“这件事真叫我受不了，福尔摩斯先生，"他说着，就象个一精一疲力尽的人一屁一股坐进椅子里。“当你感觉到无形中被人包围，又不清楚在算计你的是谁，这就够糟心的了。加上你又看见这件事正在一点一点地折磨自己的妻子，那就不是血肉之躯所能忍受的。她给折磨得消瘦了，我眼见她瘦下去。”

“她说了什么没有？”

“没有，福尔摩斯先生。她还没说。不过，有好几回这个可怜的人想要说，又鼓不起勇气来开这个头。我也试着来帮助她，大概我做得很笨，反而吓得她不敢说了。她讲到过我的古老家庭、我们在全郡的名片和引以为自豪的清白声誉，这时候我总以为她就会说到要点上来了，但是不知怎么，话还没有讲到那儿就岔开了。”

“但是你自己有所发现吗？”

“可不少，福尔摩斯先生。我给您带来了几张新的画，更重要的是我看到那个家伙了。”

“怎么？是画这些符号的那个人吗？”

“就是他，我看见他画的。还是一切都按顺序跟您说吧。上次我来拜访您以后，回到家里的第二天早上，头一件见到的东西就是一行新的跳舞的人，是用粉笔画在工具房门上的。这间工具房挨着草坪，正对着前窗。我照样临摹了一张，就在这儿。"他打开一张叠着的纸，把它放在桌上。下面就是他临摹下来的符号：

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