Sherlock Holmes Complete Works 1

Chapter 37 Four Signatures 15
Everyone enjoyed the meal.Because of his joy, Holmes was full of enthusiasm and eloquence.He was very energetic that night, chattering all the time.I never knew he was so talkative.Of course, all he talked about were light topics.From miracle dramas to medieval pottery, from Italian violins to Sri Lankan Buddhism and future warships, it seems that he has conducted special research on these fields, so he talks logically.It seems Ethelney?Jones is also a laughing and easy-going man in his spare time, so he was able to cater to the cheerful atmosphere of the dinner.As for myself, I was delighted at the instant conclusion of our case, so I drank as much as Holmes, and the three of us were cheerful and harmonious, and no one mentioned the after-dinner adventure.

After supper, Holmes looked at his watch and said, "Time to go, Watson?"

"You'd better take a pistol, in case of danger." I took the pistol and followed them both downstairs.We hired a carriage.

Soon, Westminster Pier arrived, where the steamer had already moored.We boarded the steamboat one after another.Jones, Holmes, and I sat in the rear, with one man at the helm and one in charge of the machinery, and two burly officers in the front.

"Where are you going?" Jones asked.

"Go to the Tower of London. Tell them to dock opposite the Jackbertson Dock."

Our boat was fast, passing many flat-bottomed boats full of cargo, which seemed to be swimming slowly in the river by comparison.Holmes smiled contentedly as we overtook another steamer and left it far behind."At this speed, we can catch up with all the boats on the river," he said.

Jones said: "That's not necessarily the case. But it's rare to see a steamboat faster than ours."

'Dawn' is a famous speedboat, we must catch up with it.Watson, while I am free, I will tell you the current progress of the case.Do you still remember that I once said that I would never be reconciled to a very inconspicuous little obstacle that stumped me? "

"of course I remember."

One of the greatest statesmen ever said: 'A change of work is the best rest. '" So, I took a chemical experiment to rest and adjust my brain to get a complete rest. After I successfully completed the experiment of dissolving hydrocarbons, my brain returned to Sholto's problem and put this The whole problem was reconsidered. The boys I sent searched up and down the river, but there was no trace of the boat. The steamboat neither docked at any pier, nor returned, nor did it appear to be an attempt to destroy the trace. Sink it to the bottom of the river—of course, if it can't be found in the end, this is still a possible hypothesis. I know that Small is a little clever, but he has not much education, and he can't think well. In order to find out the situation of Yingnuma Villa, he even lived in London for a long time - this can be confirmed by the fact that he has been monitoring Yingnuma Villa for a long time. Only one day, which is very possible."

I said, "That doesn't seem likely. Maybe he was ready to flee before he acted."

"No, I don't think so. This lair is his best hiding place, and he won't give it up unless he is absolutely sure that the place is useless to him. I also thought of another point: Small's accomplice's That strange appearance, no matter how it is disguised, will attract people's attention. Therefore, for safety, they left the stronghold at night and had to return before early morning. Mrs. Smith said that they boarded the boat at Smith Pier at three o'clock in the morning. Another hour later , it will be daylight, and there will be more people. So I don't think they will go far. They bought Smith for a high price, and told him not to go out. They also booked his boat so that they could get away.

"And the boat won't go too far, even though we didn't find it. From Small's point of view, it will be easier for the police to track the boat back or park it on the shore. Then how to hide the boat?" , and can it be on call? I think we can only drive the boat to a dock for minor repairs. In this way, the boat can be hidden and the dock can be notified in time to use the boat.”

"But this is too simple."

"It was because of the simplicity that we ignored it. I adjusted the plan according to this idea, so this morning, I pretended to be an old sailor to investigate this area. I went to every dock to ask, None of them were spared. As a result, the first 16 all said no, and when it came to No. [-], which is Jacobsen Shipyard, they told me that a person with a wooden leg was sent in two days ago. The only ship to be overhauled, that is the "Dawn". The foreman pointed to the motorboat and said to me: "The one with the red line drawn on the body, in fact, there is nothing wrong with it, and there is no need for overhaul." God's Mordecai? Mr. Smith came over there, smelling of wine. Of course, I don't know him, he said his name and the ship's name. He said again: 'We will be eight tonight Going out at o'clock. Remember, it's exactly eight o'clock, don't delay, there are two gentlemen going on the boat.' He said as he clapped his pockets full of silver coins. There was a clang. I think he must have got a lot money. I followed him, and saw him turn into a tavern. So I went back, and I happened to meet one of my little helpers on the way, and I left him there to keep an eye on the steamboat. We made an appointment, and he Standing at the exit of the dock, as soon as the boat leaves, he shakes his handkerchief to us. Let's wait on the river for a while, blocking their way, and it would be strange if they didn't get all the stolen goods in a while."

Jones said: "Whether they are real murderers or not, your plan is absolutely perfect. If I were in my place, I would send some capable people and arrest them as soon as they show up."

"I don't agree with this. Small is very cunning. He will definitely send someone to scout the way first. If the situation is not right, even if it is a little suspicious, he will immediately retreat and hide for a while."

I said, "Just keep an eye on Mordecai Smith, and we'll find their lair too."

"In that case, everything we've done before will be for nothing. I don't think Smith knows where they live at all. As long as he can drink and make money, why should he care so much about other things? For insurance, crafty Small will not tell him where he lives at all. If something happens, the gangsters will naturally send someone to deliver a letter to him. I have considered all possibilities. At present, we are implementing the best method."

During the conversation, we have crossed several bridges across the Thames without knowing it.When we walked through the river in the urban area, the afterglow of the setting sun had reflected the cross on the roof of St. Paul's Church brilliantly.It was nightfall when we reached the Tower of London.

Holmes pointed to a place lined with mast walls on the bank of the Surrey River in the distance, and said, "That is the Jacobsen Dockyard. With this string of barges as a cover, our ship will wait here." He went from He took out the binoculars in his pocket, looked at the shore, and said, "I saw the sentinel, and there is no movement from him yet."

Jones said impatiently: "Let's go downstream and wait for them." Even the sheriffs and firemen who didn't know what was going on showed anxious expressions.

Holmes replied: "Although they will go downstream, we are not [-]% sure. And we are in the position where we can observe the ship but they can hardly see us. This is a position that is difficult to find with a lantern. Today The evening moon is perfectly round, and there are no clouds and fog to cover it, and you can see under the gas lamp over there, there are so many people coming and going, it is extremely crowded."

"Those are dockworkers who just got off work."

Their appearance is vulgar and dirty, but there is some immortal spirit in each of them's inner world.This is the talent of being human.Life itself is a mystery. "

Holmes said: "Wen Wude Reed has his own theory on this issue. He said that individual people seem to be different, but when people are aggregated into human beings, laws will emerge. It is difficult for you to predict A personality, but it can predict the commonality of human beings. Statisticians also believe that personalities are different, but commonality can be eternal... Oh, do you see that handkerchief? There is a white thing moving over there."

I couldn't help shouting: "Yes, I can see clearly, it's the little helper you sent on the pier."

Holmes also shouted: "See, the 'Dawn', its speed is extremely fast.Full speed, man, follow the boat with the yellow light.If I can't catch up with it, I will never forgive myself in my life. "

The "Dawn" had already sailed a long way, and several small boats blocked our sight.By the time it appeared within our field of vision again, its speed was already quite fast.At this time, it was heading downstream at a fast speed.Seeing this, Jones shook his head and said, "It's too fast, we're afraid we won't be able to catch up with it."

Holmes cried: "We must overtake her. Add coal quickly. Make more horsepower, and even if the boat is set on fire, we must overtake her!"

The fire in the boiler of the steamer was blazing, and the engine, at full throttle, made a panting sound like a beating heart of steel.The bow of the opening boat cut through the calm river and hit the billowing waves on both sides.Every time the engine vibrated, the hull vibrated with it.A yellow light on the ship's side cast a long beam forward.We are in hot pursuit.There was a wave ahead, holding a black spot, that was the "Dawn" moving at full speed.At this time, many ships on the river blocked our way, and we rushed left and right like flying, and followed closely behind the "Dawn".

Holmes called to the engine room: "Calliers, my fellows! Make the fire hotter! Make the boat go as fast as you can!" The light from the engine room below reflected his hawk-like face.

Jones looked at the Dawn and said, "I think we're a little bit behind."

I said: "We did catch up a lot. We can catch up with it in a few minutes."

At this moment, something unexpected happened. A tugboat towed three or four flat-bottomed boats staggered in front of us. Fortunately, the sailors turned the rudder sharply to avoid colliding with it.But by the time we rounded them and continued galloping on, the Aurora was well two hundred yards ahead.

Fortunately we can still see it clearly, for the shadowy twilight has turned into a starry night.The fire on the ship was burned to the maximum limit, and the force driving the ship forward was extremely strong, causing the fragile hull to vibrate and creak.We crossed London Bridge, passed the West India Dockyards to the long Dorfu, rounded the Isle of Dogs, and continued on.Not long ago, the "Dawn" was just a small black spot, but now it can see the whole picture clearly.

Jones shone our searchlight directly on it so we could see the figures on the deck.There was a man sitting in the stern with something black between his legs and beside him there was a bunch of black things that looked like a Newfoundland dog.It was a boy at the helm.By the red light of the fire in the hearth, we can see Smith, shirtless, furiously stoking coal.At first they may not have noticed that we were chasing them, but now that we were clearly following, pressing on, they could see that we were definitely chasing them.At Greenwich the distance between the two ships was only about three hundred paces, and at Levaux there was no more than two hundred and fifty paces between them.

I have been hunted many times in many places in the course of my career, but never have I felt so thrilled as tonight on the Thames.The distance between the two ships has become smaller and smaller.The man on the quarterdeck was still crouching.He was busy waving his arms, raising his head from time to time to estimate the distance between the two ships.The distance between the two ships is getting closer and closer.

Jones shouted to the boat ahead to stop.A tall man in the stern stood up and stood with his legs spread apart.He waved his hands and cursed at us.I could see that his right thigh was only supported by a wooden post.Hearing his shout, the black shadow under him also stood up slowly.It was a very short black man with a huge ugly head and unkempt hair.

Holmes drew his pistol.Seeing this grotesque black man, I also pulled out a pistol.In addition to his ugly face, he was covered with a black blanket.Just looking at this face can make people unappetizing. The thick lips are turned outward from the roots of the teeth.He yelled and yelled at us with wild, bestial movements.I have never seen such an ugly face as his.

Holmes said to me softly, "The moment he raises his hand, we'll shoot." The two ships were now drawing closer, and seeing each other more clearly.The two men continued to yell and curse in our direction.

We clearly saw the short black man take out a short round stick like a ruler from the blanket and put it to his mouth.We pull the trigger at the same time.With a bleak scream, the man turned around, and then threw his hands up into the river, his eyes full of resentment were also submerged in the rapidly rotating vortex.

The wooden-legged man now rushed with all his might to the rudder, turned the rudder, and the steamer made for the south bank, and within a few feet our steamer avoided its stern, and we changed direction to catch up. .The moonlight shone on a lonely and desolate swamp on the south bank. The ground was full of puddles of stagnant water and piles of rotting plants. The "Dawn" had approached the south bank, then rushed ashore and ran aground, with her bow up in the air and her stern submerged in the water.

As soon as the man jumped onto the bank, his wooden leg sank into the mud. Although he tried hard to grab the ball, he couldn't move a step.The harder he struggled, the deeper the wooden leg of his right leg sank.When our boat docked, he was stuck there like a nail.We put a rope around his shoulders and pulled him aboard like a fish.

The Smiths sat in the boat, dejected.We ordered them to come, and they reluctantly and helplessly left the "Dawn" and boarded our speedboat.On that boat, there is an exquisite Indian iron box, that is the treasure box, and that box is very heavy.We moved it into our cabin.We dragged the "Dawn" and slowly drove back upstream.

"We seem to be slow in firing," said Holmes, pointing to the hatch. Just aft and above where we had stood stood a stinger.That probably came when we fired the gun.Holmes looked at the stinger, shrugged his shoulders habitually, and smiled slightly.However, it reminded me of the horrible death that night, and I couldn't help feeling horrified.

(End of this chapter)