福爾摩斯探案經典:《恐怖谷》第5章Part1
"Have you seen all you want of the study?" asked White Mason as we reentered the house.
"For the time," said the inspector, and Holmes nodded.
"Then perhaps you would now like to hear the evidence of some of the people in the house. We could use the dining room, Ames. Please come yourself first and tell us what you know."
The butler's account was a simple and a clear one, and he gave a convincing impression of sincerity. He had been engaged five years before, when Douglas first came to Birlstone. He understood that Mr. Douglas was a rich gentleman who had made his money in America. He had been a kind and considerate employer--not quite what Ames was used to, perhaps; but one can't have everything. He never saw any signs of apprehension in Mr. Douglas: on the contrary, he was the most fearless man he had ever known. He ordered the drawbridge to be pulled up every night because it was the ancient custom of the old house, and he liked to keep the old ways up. Mr. Douglas seldom went to London or left the village; but on the day before the crime he had been shopping at Tunbridge Wells. He (Ames) had observed some restlessness and excitement on the part of Mr. Douglas that day; for he had seemed impatient and irritable, which was unusual with him. He had not gone to bed that night; but was in the pantry at the back of the house, putting away the silver, when he heard the bell ring violently. He heard no shot; but it was hardly possible he would, as the pantry and kitchens were at the very back of the house and there were several closed doors and a long passage between. The housekeeper had come out of her room, attracted by the violent ringing of the bell. They had gone to the front of the house together.
After some persuasion upon the stairs Mrs. Douglas had gone back. She did not scream. She made no outcry whatever. Mrs. Allen, the housekeeper, had taken her upstairs and stayed with her in the bedroom. Ames and Mr. Barker had then returned to the study, where they had found everything exactly as the police had seen it. The candle was not lit at that time; but the lamp was burning. They had looked out of the window; but the night was very dark and nothing could be seen or heard. They had then rushed out into the hall, where Ames had turned the windlass which lowered the drawbridge. Mr. Barker had then hurried off to get the police.
Such, in its essentials, was the evidence of the butler.
我們重新回到屋裏時，懷特·梅森問道：“你們對書房要檢查的地方，都檢查完了嗎？”
“暫時就算完了，"警官麥克唐納回答道，福爾摩斯也點了點頭。
“那麼，現在你們願意聽聽莊園裏一些人的證詞嗎？我們就利用這間餐室吧，艾姆斯，請你先來把你所知道的事情告訴我們。”
管家的敘述簡單、明瞭，給人一種誠實可靠的印象。他還是在五年前道格拉斯先生剛到伯爾斯通時受僱的。他知道道格拉斯先生是一個很有錢的紳士，是在美洲致富的。道格拉斯先生是一位和藹可親、善於體貼人的主人——或許艾姆斯對這個不完全習慣，不過，一個人不能事事具備。他從來沒見過道格拉斯先生有過什麼驚恐的跡象 ，相反，道格拉斯先生是他所見過的最大膽的人。道格拉斯先生之所以叫人每晚把吊橋拉起，只是因爲這是古老莊園的古老的習俗，道格拉斯先生喜歡把這種古老的習俗保持下去。道格拉斯先生很少到倫敦去，也難得離開村子，不過，在被害的頭一天，曾到滕布里奇韋爾斯市去買過東西。那天，艾姆斯發現道格拉斯先生有些坐臥不安，情緒激動，看來他是一反往常，變得性情急躁，容易發火。發案那天晚上，艾姆斯還沒有就寢，正在房後面的餐具室裏收拾銀器，忽然聽到鈴聲大作。他沒有聽到槍聲，因爲餐具室和廚房在莊園的最後面，中間還隔着幾重關着的門和一條長廊，所以確實很難聽到。艾倫太太也因爲聽到急促的鈴聲，趕忙跑出來，他們就一起跑到前廳。他們跑到樓下時，艾姆斯看到道格拉斯太太正從樓梯上走下來。不，她走得並不急，艾姆斯覺得，道格拉斯太太並不顯得特別驚慌。她一到樓下，巴克先生就從書房裏衝了出來，他極力阻攔道格拉斯太太，央求她回到樓上去。
巴克先生勸說了一會兒，道格拉斯太太就回到樓上去了。她既沒有尖叫，也沒有大喊大鬧。女管家艾倫太太陪她上了樓，一起留在臥室裏。艾姆斯和巴克先生回到書房，他們所看①傑克爲約翰的愛稱，死者的全名爲約翰·道格拉斯。——譯者注到的屋內一切情況，完全和警署來人所看到的一樣。那時燭光已經熄滅了，可是油燈還點着呢。他們從窗裏向外望，但那天晚上非常黑，什麼東西也看不見，聽不到。後來他們奔到大廳，艾姆斯在這裏搖動捲揚機放下吊橋，巴克先生就匆匆地趕到警署去了。
這就是管家艾姆斯的簡要證詞。
