Sherlock Holmes Complete Works 1

Chapter 43 Adventure History 1
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Sherlock Holmes has always called Ellena Adler "that woman," and I hardly ever hear him call her anything else.The woman was both talented and beautiful. In Holmes's mind, everything about her was superior to other women.However, this did not mean that he had any love for Ellena Adler.Because Sherlock Holmes is a person who pursues reason, rigid and rigorous thinking, but calm and calm. For him, all emotions, especially love, are irrelevant to him.He seemed to me like a flawless machine dedicated to observation and reasoning.But let him be a lover, and he doesn't know where to put himself.He never spoke affectionate words, on the contrary, he often spoke in a mocking and mocking tone.Perhaps, to the observer, that kind of tender love is much appreciated because it can reveal a person's motives and actions.To a trained theoretician, however, such emotions serve only to distract him, to intrude on his carefulness of character, and to cast doubt on his intellectual achievements.If strong personal emotions are mixed in his mind, it will cause more disturbance than sand in a delicate instrument, or a crack in the lens of a high-power magnifying glass.But there was one woman, a dead Elena Adler, who remained in his vague and questionable memory.

I have seen very little of Holmes lately.After I got married, my family-centered pleasures took up most of my attention, and I saw him less and less.I was captivated by the perfect life I had and the joys of being a homeowner.However, Holmes is unrestrained and unwilling to be restrained by social etiquette, so he still lives in the original house on Baker Street, surrounded by old books.He took cocaine for a week, then went crazy for another week, living a life that alternated between drug-induced lethargy and intense, energetic work.Week after week reciprocating cycle.As before, he is still enthusiastic about researching crimes, using his extraordinary intelligence and observation skills to find clues and solve cases, and these unsolvable mysteries are considered unsolvable by the official police.I also sometimes heard something about Holmes: for example, he was invited to Odessa to solve the assassination of Drapov, and solved the rare tragedy that happened in Trenchomali-the tragedy of the Atkinson brothers; There are rumors that he carried out a mission for the Dutch royal family with great delicacy and success.But apart from the news about him that I get from newspapers like ordinary readers, I know almost nothing about this old friend and partner.

One evening, the evening of March [-], [-], I happened to be passing Baker Street on my way back from a medical visit (for I had resumed my practice).When I passed by the doorway that is still fresh in my memory, I always linked it with my pursuit and the mysterious events in the "Analysis of Scarlet Letters" case, and a strong desire to see Holmes suddenly surged in my heart, and I wanted to know more about it. Where is his extraordinary ability being used.His room was brightly lit.As I looked up, his tall, lanky figure flitted twice across the curtains.He was lowering his head and pacing quickly in the room with his hands folded behind his back.I knew his moods and habits so well that I knew his attitudes and manners.Fresh off his drugs, he was at work again, obsessed with a new problem.I rang the bell, and Holmes led me into a room--a part of which had formerly been mine.

His demeanor wasn't all that welcoming - he rarely was, but I think he was happy to see me.He didn't say a word, but with a friendly glance he raised his hand, beckoning me to sit in an armchair, tossed his box of cigars, and finally pointed to the alcohol bottle and the small gas stove in the corner.Then he stood in front of the fireplace and looked me up and down with his characteristic introspective way.

"Marriage suits you very well," he remarked. "I think you have put on seven and a half pounds, Watson, since we last met."

"Seven pounds!" I replied.

"Indeed, Watson. I reckon seven pounds more, a little more, I think. You've taken up medicine again. You didn't tell me you were going back to your old practice."

"Then how did you know?"

"Inferred. How else would I know that you've been drenched in the rain a lot lately, and that your maid is clumsy and careless?"

"Hello, my dear Holmes! This is incredible! If you had lived centuries ago, you would have been burned at the stake. I did go into the country on Thursday, and came back badly drenched in the rain. But I've changed my clothes. I don't know how you figured that out. As for Mary Jane, the maid, she's pretty damned. My wife has sent her away. But I still don't know how you Inferred."

He laughed to himself, rubbing his long, thin, nervous hands together.

"It's not complicated at all," he said, "I saw six almost parallel scratches on the inside of your left leather shoe from the fire, obviously someone tried to scrape the mud off the edge of the shoe." Pimples, when carelessly scraping along the heels. So lo and behold, I've come to two conclusions like this: one, you've been out in bad weather, and two, a particularly ugly scratch on the leather shoes you're wearing It was the work of the London maid. As for your return to your old business, let's say, if a man came into my room, smelling of iodine, with a black spot of silver nitrate corrosion on the index finger of his right hand, and a top black top hat on his right hand. There is a protruding piece on the side, indicating that his stethoscope is hidden there, if I don’t say that he is a professional doctor, wouldn’t I be too slow?”

I couldn't help laughing when he explained his deduction process in this way: "Every time I listen to your reasoning, I always feel that the thing is ridiculously simple, and I can make the same reasoning; but before you explain it, I always think it is ridiculous. Bewildered at your next step in reasoning, I didn't see it until you explained it. Still, I think my eyesight is as good as yours."

"That's true," he said, lighting a cigarette, and stretching himself back in the armchair, "there's a clear difference between the fact that you're just looking and I'm observing. For example, , do you often take the stairs from the hall below to this room?"

"Go often."

"How many times?"

"No less than a few hundred times."

"Excuse me, how many steps does this staircase have?"

"How many levels? I don't know."

"That's right. Because you're just looking, not observing. That's what I'm going to say. You see, I know there are seventeen steps in the stairs because I've observed them. Since you're interested in little things, and often Write down my experience, I think you may also be interested in this thing." He handed me a thick pink note paper that had been on the table. "It's from the postman lately," he said. "You read it aloud."

There is no date, no signature and no address on this note.

I read aloud:

[The note reads:] "A certain person is coming tonight at seven-thirty tonight and has important business to discuss with you. Your recent service to a royal family in Europe has turned out very well, which shows that you are capable of undertaking great things. Your name We are very aware of the broadcasts in all directions. Please do not go out at that time. If visitors wear masks, please do not take offense."

"It's a very mysterious thing," I said. "What do you think it is?"

"I haven't found an argument yet. It would be the biggest mistake to speculate before I have enough facts to back it up. Some people unconsciously and reluctantly fit the facts with the theory instead of the theory. Get used to the facts. Now, see what you can infer from this note in front of me?"

I watched the handwriting and this note carefully.

"The man who wrote this note may be rich," I said, imitating Holmes's reasoning as best I could. "You can't buy a stack of paper like this for half a crown. The quality of the paper is exceptional."

"Especially—that's the word," said Holmes. "This is not English paper at all. Hold it up to the light."

I held the paper up to the light and saw a capital "E" intertwined with a small "g", a "P", and a large "G" intertwined with a small "t" in the fibers of the paper.

"What do you think of it?" asked Holmes.

"There is no doubt that it is the manufacturer's name. A monogram of his name, to be exact."

"Not even touching the sides. The big 'G' and the small 't' stand for the word 'Gesellschaft', which is the word for company in German, like our customary acronym 'Co." Obviously, the 'P ' stands for 'Papier' (paper). Now let's look at 'Eg' and look through my Continental Place Names Dictionary." He took a book with a thick brown cover from the shelf. 'E-glow, Eglozitz - there it is, Egria. 'It's a place in German-speaking Bohemia, not far from Karlsbad. 'Famous for the death of Valentine, glass factories and paper factories. 'Haha, man, what do you think? His eyes were shining brightly, and he sprayed a cloud of blue smoke into the air triumphantly.

"That means the paper is made in Bohemia," I said.

That's right, and the note was written by a German.Have you noticed the odd structure of this sentence - 'We've got your reputation everywhere'.Neither the French nor the Russians would write like that.Only Germans mess with verbs.Now only one thing remains to be ascertained: what is the intention of this German who writes this note on Bohemian paper, who prefers to wear a mask rather than show his face?What a coincidence, you see, he is here to solve the mystery for us. "

While talking, I heard the crisp sound of horseshoes and the crunching of wheels on the road from outside.Then someone rang the doorbell vigorously.Suddenly Holmes whistled.

"Listen, it's a two-set carriage," he said, glancing out the window. "Ah, yes," he went on, "a nice little Bloom's carriage and two fine horses. That's one hundred and fifty guineas apiece. If the case is nothing serious, at least the money is essential."

"I think I must go, Holmes."

"It's all right, Doctor, just sit where you are. I'd never know what to do without my own friends. It must be an interesting case, and you'll be sorry to miss it."

"But your client—"

"Leave him alone, maybe I need your help, and he might as well. He's here, you just sit in that chair, Doctor, and just give us your full attention."

Slow, heavy footsteps moved from the stairs to the corridor, but stopped immediately when they reached the door.Then there was a loud knock on the door.

"Come in!" said Holmes.

A gentleman came into the room.He was no less than six feet six, with a Hercules-like physique; he was richly dressed, and would have looked vulgar in England: broad kraftskins trimmed the cuffs and front of his double-breasted jacket; A red cloak lined with fiery red silk; a brooch inlaid with bright emeralds at the neckline; and thick brown fur rolling over the cuffs of knee-high boots.This attire gave people a rough and luxurious impression.He held a wide-brimmed hat in his hand, and the upper half of his face was covered with a black mask that covered his cheekbones.He had clearly just finished with his hands, as he entered with his hands still on the mask.From the lower half of his face, he had a strong personality; the thick lips hung down, the chin was long and straight, and there was an air of determination, even obstinacy.

"Did you get my note?" His voice was deep and husky, with a thick German accent. "I said I would come to visit you." He looked at us in turn, as if he didn't know who to tell.

"Sit down, please," said Holmes. "This is my friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, and my right-hand man in the case. What should I call your Excellency?"

"Call me Count von Klamen, a nobleman of Bohemia. This gentleman, your friend, I think is a man of integrity and prudence, and can entrust matters of great importance to him." kind of person. But I'd rather talk to you alone."

I rose to take my leave, but Holmes seized me by the wrist, pushed me back into my seat, and said: "Speak to us, or not. Whatever you can tell me, you can tell him. "

The count shrugged his broad shoulders and said, "Then I have to make an agreement with you two before I speak: this matter must be kept absolutely secret within two years, after this time limit it will be irrelevant. At present, it is important to talk about this matter." Not too much to affect European history."

"I assure you," replied Holmes.

"me too."

"Forgive me for wearing a mask," continued the foreign guest. "The nobleman who sent me hoped that no one would recognize his agent, so I will tell you frankly that the name you just called me Not my real name."

"I know that," said Holmes coldly.

"This is a delicate matter, so every possible precaution needs to be taken to calm it down, lest it become a big scandal and affect a royal family in Europe. Frankly speaking, this matter involves the great Olmstein family, that is, Hereditary King of Bohemia."

"I know that too," said Holmes with a half-smile, leaning back in the armchair and closing his eyes.

Our visitor glanced at the listless and indolent look of Holmes with evident surprise, for Holmes was undoubtedly portrayed in his mind as the most thorough reasoner and the most energetic detective in all of Europe.Holmes slowly opened his eyes again, and looked at his tall client with some impatience. "If your Majesty would condescend to make the case clear," said he, "I should be able to serve you better."

The visitor suddenly stood up from the chair, his emotions were uncontrollable, and he kept pacing back and forth in the room.Then, he tore off the mask on his face and threw it on the ground, that action was full of despair. "Yes, I am the king," he said aloud, "why should I try to hide it?"

"Yes, why bother?" murmured Holmes. "I knew I was dealing with William Gotzlessy Gismont, His Majesty von Olmstein, Cassel-Fell before His Majesty said so." Grand Duke Stein, the hereditary king of Bohemia."

"But you can understand," our foreign guest sat down again, stroking his forehead with his hands, "I'm not used to handling this matter myself, so I came to ask you for advice."

"Speak, then," said Holmes, closing his eyes again.

"The thing is roughly like this: During my visit to Warsaw five years ago, I met a famous female adventurer, Erenna Adler. I don't think you are too familiar with the name. Strange, right?"

(End of this chapter)