The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 106 The Return (21)
"I don't want to go. I think we can get there more easily. I'm not [-] percent sure, it all depends... on a factor beyond our control at all. But there's a good chance--one-thirds, so to speak. Two sureties—if you go with us tonight, I can arrest him for you."

"In the Italian Quarter?"

"No, I think it is more likely to find him in the Zizwick District. Lestrade, if you go to the Zizwick District with me tonight, then I will definitely accompany you to the Italian District tomorrow night, so as to delay the night It won't matter. I think it's better for us to sleep for a few hours now, because we don't act until after eleven o'clock in the evening, and we won't be back until dawn. Lestrade, you can have dinner with us, and then sit on the sofa. Go to rest. Watson, you had better call for an emergency correspondent, I have a very important letter which must be dispatched at once."

With these words, Holmes went up to the attic to leaf through the old bound newspapers.It was a long time before he came downstairs, with triumph in his eyes, but he said nothing to either of us.This complicated case has gone through many twists and turns, and I have followed closely the steps Holmes took in the investigation.Although I could not see clearly what we were finally going to achieve, I was well aware that Holmes was waiting for this grotesque criminal to smash the other two statues.I remember one of them was in the Zizwick area.There is no doubt that the purpose of our operation tonight is to catch him on the spot.So I applaud my friend's tact in giving the evening papers a false message which led the criminal to think he could go on with impunity.I was not surprised, therefore, that Holmes asked me to take a pistol with me on my departure.He himself took a loaded shotgun, his favorite weapon.

At eleven o'clock we got into a carriage at Hammersmith Bridge, alighted, left the coachman to wait for us, and went on.Soon came to a peaceful road, there was a neat row of houses beside the road, and each house had its own garden in front of it.With the dim light of the street lamp, we found the house number that said "Villa Rabnom".The master had evidently rested, for on the garden path it was dark save for a circle of dim light from the lintel window.The wooden palisade which separated the road from the garden cast a deep black shadow in the garden, and we happened to hide there.

"I'm afraid we'll have to wait a long time," said Holmes in a low voice. "Thank God it hasn't rained to-night. We can't pass the time smoking cigarettes, it's not safe. But rest assured, the matter is two-thirds certain, so we eat." It’s worth the pain.”

Surprisingly, we did not wait as long as Holmes had said, when we suddenly heard a movement.Without the slightest sound to herald someone's arrival, the door was pushed open, and a nimble black figure rushed like a monkey to the garden path.We saw the figure rush through the light of the lintel window and disappear into the shadows of the house.Then there was silence again, and we held our breath.Then suddenly heard a slight creak, the window has been opened.The sound died away, followed by a long silence.It is estimated that this guy is trying to sneak into the room.After a while, we saw another flicker of the light of a dark lantern.What he was looking for was obviously not there, for we saw another flash through the curtains of another window, and then another through the curtains of a third window.

Lestrade whispered: "Let's go to the open window. We'll catch him as soon as he climbs out."

But before we could act, this man appeared.When he came to the shimmering patch of light on the path, we saw something white under his arm.He looked around furtively.The silence of the street emboldened him a little.He turned his back on us and dropped the thing, followed by a loud snap, followed by another continuous rattle.He was so absorbed in his work that he didn't hear our footsteps as we moved quietly across a meadow.So when Holmes sprang at him like a tiger, Lestrade and I immediately grabbed his wrists and handcuffed him.When we turned him around, I saw a sunken, hideous face that glared at us and twitched.Only then did I see that he was indeed the man in the photo.

However, Holmes paid no attention to the man we had captured. He crouched on the steps and examined carefully what the man had brought out of the house.It was a statue of Napoleon, the same as the one we had seen that morning, and it was also broken into little pieces.Holmes held the fragments up to the bright light and examined them carefully, but saw nothing unusual about these gypsum fragments.He had just finished his inspection when the lights in the house came on, the door opened, and the occupant of the house—a kind, stout man—appeared before us in shirt and trousers.

"I suppose you are Mr. Jozia Brown?" said Holmes.

"Yes, sir, you must be Mr. Holmes? I received an urgent letter from the courier, and I did exactly what you said. We locked every door from the inside and waited for something to happen. I I am glad you have caught the criminal, gentlemen, please come and sit down."

Lestrade, however, was anxious to get the prisoner to safety, and within a few minutes a carriage was called, and the four of us set off for London.The prisoner didn't say a word, but just looked at us viciously from the shadow of his disheveled hair. Once my hand was close to him, he grabbed it like a hungry wolf.We searched him at the police station and found nothing on him but a few shillings and a long knife with fresh blood on the handle.

As they parted, Lestrade said: "That's the way it is. Hill knows these rascals well enough to convict them. You see, I'm not wrong to explain it in terms of the Mafia, but, Mr. Holmes, I'm very sorry. Thank you for catching him so adroitly, but I don't quite understand what's going on."

"It is too late for an explanation," said Holmes. "There are, besides, one or two other minor matters which should be thoroughly settled. If you come to my house at six o'clock to-morrow afternoon, I will explain to you what you have been up to now. The significance of this case is not fully understood. On the whole, this case is indeed very strange and unique. If I allow you to continue to record my case, Watson, I dare say that this case will definitely make your record. This book adds a lot of color."

When we met next afternoon, Lestrade gave us details about the prisoner.We already know that the prisoner's name is Beppo, but his surname is unknown, and he is a well-known villain in the Italian Quarter.He was good at making statues, and for a time lived quite honestly, but then he went into evil ways, and was twice arrested, once for stealing something, and again for stabbing a fellow countryman of his.He speaks English very well.His reasons for destroying the statues are unclear, and he declined to answer questions about them.But the police discovered that he might have made the statues himself, because he had done this work when he was at Geldel's company.Holmes listened politely to what we already knew, but I had the distinct feeling—for I knew him well—that his mind was not here.I noticed that under his usual facial expressions, there was anxiety and expectation hidden.Finally, he rose from his chair, his eyes shining brightly.At this time, the doorbell rang.Presently we heard footsteps on the stairs, and a servant ushered in an old man with a ruddy complexion and gray sideburns.He held a travel bag in his hand and put it on the table after entering the door.

"Is Mr. Sherlock Holmes here?"

My friend nodded and said with a smile: "I suppose you are Mr. Sandford from Reading?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I was a little late, the trains are so inconvenient. You wrote me about the bust of Napoleon I bought."

"Yes."

"Here is your letter. You said: 'I would like a Napoleon after Devin, and I would pay ten pounds for yours.' Is that so?"

"Yes, it is."

"I was surprised to hear from you because I can't figure out how you came to know that I have this statue."

"Of course you will be surprised, but the reason is very simple. Mr. Harding of Harding said they sold you the last one and gave me your address."

"Oh, that's right! Did he tell you how much it cost me?"

"No, he didn't say."

"I'm not rich, but I'm honest. I bought it for fifteen shillings, and I think you should know that before I take your ten-pound note."

"Mr. Sandford, your scruples show your honesty. Now that I have fixed the price, I will pay you the ten pounds."

"Mr. Holmes, you are very generous. I have brought this statue at your request. Look!" He unfastened the bag.So, we finally saw a complete statue of Napoleon, the previous few times we saw only fragments.

Holmes drew a note and a ten pound note from his pocket, and laid them on the table.

"Mr. Sandford, please sign this note in the presence of these witnesses. It simply means that your possession of this statue and all rights related to it are transferred to me. I am abiding by the rules. but no one can foresee what will happen in the future. Thank you, Mr. Sandford, this is your money, and good night."

The behavior of Holmes, after our visitor had gone, attracted our attention.He took out a white cloth from the drawer, spread it on the table, and put the newly bought bust in the middle of the white cloth.Then he picked up his shotgun and fired a single shot over the top of the statue of Napoleon, which instantly shattered into pieces.Holmes stooped eagerly to examine the scattered fragments.Presently he cried out excitedly, and I saw that he was holding aloft in his hand a splinter with a dark object embedded in it like a raisin in a pudding.

He shouted: "Gentlemen, let me introduce you to the famous Black Pearl of Boggs!"

Lestrade and I were stunned for a moment, and we couldn't help clapping, as if we had seen a climax in a play.Holmes's pale face flushed, and he bowed to us like a master of theater accepting the enthusiastic applause of the audience.It is only at such moments that he temporarily suspends rational thinking and reveals a feeling of liking to be praised.The admiration and praise of my friends actually deeply moved such a person who despises worldly honor, has a unique personality, and is deep and reticent.

He said: "Gentlemen, this is the most famous pearl in existence in the world. I was very fortunate to be able to follow a series of reasonings from the place where this pearl was lost-Prince Colonna at the Hotel Dakur. From the bedroom to the last of the six statues of Napoleon built by the Gelder company in Stepany. Do you remember, Lestrade, what a commotion caused by the loss of this priceless treasure? and the police in London were helpless at the time. In this case they asked my opinion, but I could do nothing. I suspected the princess's maid, who was an Italian, and the authorities found out that she had a The brother is in London but we don't know if there is any connection between them, the maid's name is Lucrezia Vannucci. I guess Pedro who was killed two days ago is her brother. I checked The date on the newspaper, the pearl was lost two days before Beppo was arrested at Geldel's Co. for stabbing the fellow, while he was making these statues. You can now fully understand the matter The order of events happened, of course, when I think about it, the train of thought is the reverse of the order of events. Beppo did get the pearl. He may have stolen it from Pedro, or he may have been Pedro's accomplice, or Possibly an intermediary between Pedro and his sister. But it doesn't matter whether we know about it or not.

"The important thing is that he seized the pearl, and while he was carrying it, the police came after him. He ran to the factory where he worked, knowing that he had only a few minutes, and he had to take this priceless treasure Good, otherwise when the police searched you, you would definitely be found out. At that time, six plaster statues of Napoleon were drying in the aisle, and one was still soft. Bepo is a skilled worker, so he immediately put it on the wet plaster A small hole was dug, the pearl was placed in it, and the hole was smoothed out with a few more swabs. The plaster was an ideal shell, and no one thought that the pearl would be hidden in the statue. Beppo was locked up for a while. and six of his plaster casts were sold all over London. He didn't know which one the pearl was in. Shaking the plaster didn't work because the pearl stuck to the wet plaster, so only The plaster cast was broken to find it. Beppo was not disappointed, he was resourceful and persevering, and kept looking. Through a cousin who worked for the Geldel Company, he found out who bought the statues. which retail companies. So he managed to get a job at Moss Hudson, so he found out the whereabouts of the three statues. However, the pearls were not in the three statues. Then with the help of other Italian hirelings, he Find out the whereabouts of the other three statues. One is at Mr. Harker's house. There he was followed by his accomplice, who thought he stole the pearl, and stabbed his accomplice to death during the struggle."

I asked, "If the man who died was his accomplice, why is there a picture of him?"

"That's for tracking him down. When he wants to ask a third party about Bepo, he can take out the photo. The reason is obvious. I think that after the murder, Bepo's actions will only speed up, and he doesn't dare to delay. He was afraid that the police would find out his secret, so he wanted to end the operation before the police chased him. Of course, I can't say for sure that he didn't find the pearl in the bust that Huck bought. I can't even conclude that the plaster cast hides It was pearls, but I knew exactly what he was looking for, for he took the bust out and walked through several houses and in the lighted garden before breaking it. Since the bust Huck bought was One out of three, then it proves what I told you, there is a one-in-three chance that the pearl is in it. There are two busts, and it is obvious that he will look for the one in London first. I write Warned the master of the house to avoid a second tragedy, and we acted, with the best results. Of course, it was only then that it became clear to me that we were looking for the Black Pearl of the Borgs. The name of the victim made me connect the two events. Then there is only one bust left - the one in Reading - and the pearl must be in that statue, so I give ten Bought from the owner for £[-]--here is the pearl."

We sat in silence for a while.

"Mr. Holmes," said Lestrade, "I see that you have handled many cases, but none so skillfully as this one. We at Scotland Yard do not envy you, no, sir, but are proud of you." If you could go tomorrow, both old detectives and young policemen would be happy to shake your hand and congratulate you."

"Thank you, thank you!" said Holmes, and turned away.I have never seen him so excited by the warmth of human affection.After a while, he calmly threw himself into new thoughts.He said: "Watson, put the pearl in the safe. Get out the papers of the Conker-Singleton forgery case. Good-bye, Lestrade. If you have any new problems, I will do my best." My strength will help you."

three college students

In [-] Holmes and I were obliged to spend some weeks in the famous university town because of a series of connected cases.It was at this time that what I am about to describe happened.It's not a big deal, but it's very educational.In order to let those distressing gossip die by itself, I try not to let the reader distinguish in which college and who the person is involved in the story, and I also try my best to avoid the use of words and phrases that are prone to association and speculation.I am only cautiously recounting the incident itself, which may illustrate a peculiar temperament in my friend.

At the time, we were living in a furnished rental apartment near the library.Holmes was busy studying the early English charters, and soon achieved astonishing results, which may become the subject of my future account.One evening our acquaintance, Mr. Hilton Soames, who was tutor at St. Luke's College, called.Mr. Soames was a tall, quiet man who was easily nervous and excitable.I knew he was a restless man, and at this moment he was out of control, and it was evident that something very unusual had happened.

"Mr. Holmes, I am sure you will sacrifice an hour or two of your precious time on my behalf. An unfortunate incident has just happened at St. Luke's, and I do not know what I should have done had it not happened that you were in town."

My friend replied, "I'm busy right now and don't want to be distracted. You'd better call the police."

"No, dear sir, this kind of matter cannot be investigated by the police, because once it is handed over to the authorities, it will not be withdrawn. This is a matter related to the reputation of the academy, and no matter what, there must be no rumors outside. You are very capable and talkative Prudence, so that you are the only one who can help me. Mr. Holmes, I beg you to do your best."

(End of this chapter)