"DERLETH, August - The Adventure of the Late Mr. Faversham (A Solar Pons story)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Derleth August)

THE ADVENTURE OF THE LATE MR. FAVERSHAM
A Solar Pons story
By August Derleth
(From Regarding Sherlock Holmes: The Adventures of Solar Pons, Copyright 1945 by August Derleth)
Version 1.0

WHEN I LOOK over my notes on the cases that engaged Solar Pons' attention during the decade begun in 1919, I find many amazing adventures whose details ought to be placed before the public. There were in that time, for instance, the perplexing affair of the Mumbles, known to the public for many months as the Swansea Mystery; the curious interlude of the Sotheby Salesman, who was found dead in an empty house; the adventure of the Black Cardinal, that unbelievable conspiracy which threatened to undermine the Papacy and overthrow half the governments of Europe. But few of the problems of that decade so fascinated me as the affair of the late Mr. Faversham.

The facts of the case were utterly baffling when Pons first read of it in the News of the World, where it appeared under the head: "Amazing Mystery in Strand." I saw his eyes gleam, and I observed that he read the account twice before he turned to me.

"Now here's a pretty mystery, Parker," he chuckled. "Professor F.V. Faversham of Merk College, has walked into his house and disappeared."

"Of course there's some mistake in the report."

Pons shook his head thoughtfully. "That seems hardly likely at first glance. The word into is especially black-faced, and while the matter is treated rather lightly, the fact remains that Faversham's disappearance into his house is unmistakably emphasized."

"No doubt there are any number of ways he might have got out."

"It does not seem so. Observe: the house was boarded during the extent of the professor's six months' leave; his front door, the only entrance not so treated, was under observation. Faversham had returned to London from Scotland and was to spend a five-day interval in London before completing his vacation in Germany."

"Aha!" I laughed. "Secret passages!"

Pons smiled. "Perhaps we shall walk over in that direction this evening."

"It will certainly do no harm. But I daresay the matter is much more simple than the papers would have it."

"That is quite possible, Parker," returned Pons. "But at least this gentleman, Mr. Faversham, has done us a favor in so radically departing from precedent as to walk into his house and vanish. So many persons walk out of their houses and are never seen again; the occurrence is so common that it seldom attracts my attention, unless of course, its salient features are so strange that I cannot help feeling drawn toward the matter."

"His name is familiar to me," I said presently. "It occurs to me that I have seen it in connection with Lincoln's Inn Fields--a barrister, I believe."

"So? Then doubtless he holds classes in law at Merk College."

He said nothing more, and apparently the matter of the lost Mr. Faversham was relegated to the past, for Pons did not touch upon his suggestion of walking to the house on Slade Street that evening.

But our attention was shortly recalled to the case of Mr. Faversham, for an hour afterward, there was a sharp ring at the bell, and in a few moments Mrs. Johnson ushered two elderly gentlemen into the room. I recognized one of them immediately as Dr. Joseph Dunnel, President of Merk College. He took precedence over his companion and bowed to Pons, introducing himself, and then his companion, Dr. Hanley Fessenden, likewise of Merk College.

"Be seated, Gentlemen," said Pons.

"Thank you," replied Dr. Dunnel gravely, nervously fingering his sideburns. "We've come to consult you professionally about a matter deeply concerning our college--a very delicate matter, Mr. Pons."

"Indeed?" Correctly interpreting their glance in my direction, he introduced me, and almost instantly diverted their attention from me by observing that if they insisted upon walking, they might better have come up Southampton Road and crossed to our lodgings on Praed Street than to have come up Kingsway and along Oxford Street and Edgware Road, which were considerably more dusty than the more direct route. The dust on their trousers clearly indicated the basis for Pons' deduction, which served his purpose in bringing their attention back to him. Pons leaned back, bringing his fingertips together, and waited, suggestively.

Dr. Dunnel coughed. "You may have seen the account of the disappearance of Professor Faversham, of our faculty?"

"Walked into his house and vanished," said Pons, reaching again for the paper he had only a little while before put to one side.

Dr. Dunnel nodded. "Then you know the primary facts of the matter. Professor Faversham has always been a man of the most upright character, Mr. Pons; he is highly respected at the college, with a reputation for extraordinary wit and a very pleasant personality. His life has always been very regular, and therefore his strange disappearance is all the more amazing. We cannot help but suspect foul play."

"You have someone in mind, perhaps, Gentlemen?"