The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 110 The Return (25)
"Can't you see? I'm not saying it's necessarily related, but I think it will help. Let's go together, and you introduce me to the professor."

We walked through this passage, which was as long as the one leading to the garden.At the end of the hallway was a flight of stairs, and at the end of the stairs was a door.Hopkins knocked on the door and led us into the professor's bedroom.

This room is very large and full of books. There are books on the shelves and under the bookcases. A single bed is placed in the middle of the room.The owner of the house is lying on the bed with pillows.I have never seen such a strange looking person.The professor has a thin, hooked nose, and when he turns his face, we see a pair of keen dark blue eyes set deep in their sockets, eyebrows drooping in clusters, his hair and beard are completely white, except for his mouth. The surrounding beard is still a little yellow.A cigarette shone brightly amidst the shaggy white beard.The house smelled badly of stale tobacco.As he held out his hand to Holmes, I saw that his fingers were stained yellow with nicotine.

He is very particular about his choice of words and sentences, and his tone is very slow: "Mr. Holmes, do you smoke? Please smoke one. This gentleman, please smoke one too. I would like to let you taste this cigarette, because this is Alexander Aeonides in Hong Kong specially made it for me. I have to ask him to send it once every two weeks, and he will send a thousand each time. This is not good, very bad, but what can I do? No more hobbies. All I'm left with is tobacco and work."

Holmes lit a cigarette and cast his eyes round the room.

The old man said with emotion: "Smoke and work, but now there is only smoke. Alas, it is really unfortunate that this happened, and I have no intention of working! This is really a disaster from heaven! What a rare good young man! I dare Say, after a few more months of training, he will make a very good assistant. What do you think of that, Mr. Holmes?"

"I haven't made up my mind yet."

"This case has no clue at the moment, and I would appreciate it if you could give us a clue or two. For a bookworm and a handicapped person like me, it's fatal to be hit like this. I can't even think. No. It’s a good thing you’re here, your talents and your profession are so seamlessly blended that you can handle whatever emergencies come your way. It’s a real honor to have you helping us.”

Holmes paced up and down the room, while the old professor continued to chatter.I found that Holmes was a quick smoker.It seems that like the old professor, he likes this new Alexander smoke very much.

"Yes, sir," said the old man, "it was a devastating blow to me. The stack of manuscripts on the little table is my unfinished work. I have made a deep study of the theoretical foundations of the Synoptic Sect, and Analyzed documents found in Coptic monasteries in Syria and Egypt. This work is very valuable. However, my body is getting weaker and now I have lost my assistant. I really don't know if I can finish this work. Yeah , Mr. Holmes, you smoke faster than I!"

Holmes laughed. He took another cigarette out of the case and lit it with the remaining cigarette. This was already the fourth cigarette.Then he said: "Professor Colum, I don't want to trouble you with long questions. I know you were in bed when it happened, so I don't know anything. I just want to ask a question, poor man." Willoughby said at last: 'Professor, it is she.' What do you think that means?"

The professor shook his head and said: "Susan is a country girl. You know that kind of person is stupid. I think it was just some incoherent words muttered by the young man on his deathbed, which Susan mistook for meaning." Unknown words."

"And what do you think of the matter yourself?"

"It may be an accident, or it may be suicide, but I only say this among ourselves. Young people have some troubles hidden deep in their hearts, such as things like love, which we cannot know. Maybe that's more likely than murder."

"But how to explain those glasses?"

"I am only a scholar, fond of fantasies, and not good at explaining the practical things in life. But, my friend, we know that the barometer of love has its own special manifestations. Have another cigarette, I am very happy." Glad you like it. When a man is about to end his life, a fan, a pair of gloves, a pair of spectacles, etc., can be held as treasures in one's hands. The gentleman spoke of footprints in the grass, Such conjectures are easily mistaken. As for the knife, it is probable that the young man threw it when he fell. Perhaps I have misspoken, but I think Willoughby committed suicide."

This explanation seemed quite unexpected to Holmes, who was lost in thought, still pacing up and down, smoking one cigarette after another.

After a while, he said: "Professor Colum, please tell me what is in the small cabinet of the desk?"

"Things that wouldn't interest a thief. Some family papers, letters from my poor wife, my diplomas from some colleges. Here's the key. You can open it yourself."

Holmes took the key, looked at it for a moment, and then returned it to the professor.He said: "I don't think the key will be of much use to me. I would rather go to your garden alone now and think about the whole incident. Your hypothetical suicide is still possible. Professor Colum, I'm sorry, We have come to disturb you suddenly. We shall not disturb you until lunchtime. We shall return at two o'clock and report to you."

Strangely, Holmes seemed a little absent-minded.We walked up and down the garden path for a long time in silence.

I asked him later, "Do you have a clue?"

"It all depends on what I'm smoking," he said. "It could be that I'm completely wrong, but the smoke will tell me."

I said in amazement: "Dear Holmes, how do you—"

"You'll understand. It's no harm if it doesn't. Of course, we can also use the optical shop as a clue. But if the optician's clue is wrong, I have found a shortcut to solve the problem. Ah, Mrs. Marco is here , we have a good talk with her for 5 minutes, it will be inspiring to solve the case."

I should have pointed out that Holmes, if he so chooses, is a master of women's favors, and he is quick to gain their confidence.In less than 5 minutes, he gained the trust of the housekeeper, and talked with her very congenially, as if he had been an old friend for many years.

"Yes, Mr. Holmes, as you say, something must have kept him smoking. Sometimes he was smoking all day and all night. I went to his room one morning, and the room was full. The smoke, as thick as the smog in London. Poor Mr. Smith smokes, too, but not as much as the Professor does. For the Professor's health, well, I don't know whether smoking is good or bad."

"Ah, but smoking affects appetite," said Holmes.

"Sir, I don't understand that."

"I think the professor must eat very little."

"I should say that his appetite fluctuates."

"I'll bet he didn't eat anything this morning. I've seen him smoke so many cigarettes that he probably couldn't eat lunch."

"You're wrong, sir. Contrary to what you think, he ate a lot this morning. I've never seen him eat so much, and he asked for a big plate of steak for lunch. I'm surprised. But I, Since I saw Mr. Smith lying on the floor in the room yesterday morning, I have not even wanted to look at the food. Yes, there are all kinds of people in the world, and the professor has not affected his appetite because of this incident."

We spent the whole morning in the garden.Stanley Hopkins went into the village to investigate rumors that some children had seen a strange woman on the Casham Road early the morning before yesterday.As for my friend, he became like a languid man, and I never saw him deal with a case with such absent-mindedness.Even the news that Hopkin brought back did not arouse his interest.Hopkins said: "Some children did see a woman who looked exactly like Sherlock Holmes said. She wore a pair of spectacles, maybe a pince-nez." talked about some situations.What she said aroused Holmes' great interest.Susan said: "Mr. Smith went out for a walk yesterday morning, and within half an hour of his return, this tragedy happened." I really can't understand how the walk has any effect on the whole case.But it was clear to me that Holmes incorporated this into his explanation of the whole case.Suddenly Holmes stood up and glanced at his watch.He said: "It's two o'clock, we should go upstairs and talk things over with our professor."

The old man had just eaten his lunch, and the empty plate on the table showed that he had a good appetite, and the housekeeper was quite right.He turned his head and his eyes sparkled. I felt that he was really mysterious.He was dressed and sitting in an arm-chair by the fire, still smoking.

"Mr. Holmes, have you figured out this bizarre case?" He pushed a large tin pack of cigarettes on the table near him towards Holmes.So Holmes stretched out his hand, but the two of them overturned the cigarette case, and the cigarettes rolled all over the floor.We had to kneel down and pick up scattered cigarettes here and there, which took a minute or two.When we arose I saw a gleam in Holmes' eyes, and a peculiar flush in his cheeks.There was a fleeting look of readiness on his face, which I saw only once in the most critical situation.

"Yes, I've figured it out," he said.

Hopkins and I were dumbfounded.The old professor's haggard face kept trembling, and at the same time showed a sarcasm.

"Really? In the garden?"

"not here."

"Here? When?"

"Now."

"Mr. Holmes, you must be joking. I must remind you that this is a matter of the utmost seriousness, which cannot be taken lightly."

"Professor Colum, I have investigated and verified every link when I came to my conclusion, so I am sure it is correct. As for your motives and what role you played in this strange case, I have no idea." Not sure. Maybe you will say it yourself in a few minutes. For your convenience, let me describe what happened in the past two days, so that you can also understand what I have to ask.

"A woman came into your study yesterday to remove the papers from your desk cupboard. She had a key with her, and as for your key, I have examined it and it is not slightly faded from that scratch. .I know from relevant evidence that you didn't know she came to get the documents, so you are not an accessory."

The professor exhaled a puff of smoke and said, "It's very interesting and inspiring to me. Then you have already figured out a lot about this lady, and of course you can tell her later situation."

"Yes, sir, I was going to tell you. At first your secretary caught her, and to get away she stabbed him with a pocket knife. I am inclined, however, to regard the case as an unfortunate accident." , for I do not think the lady intended to stab the secretary. If it was a premeditated murder, she must have been armed herself. What she did in the end frightened her so much that she was desperate to get away, only to find herself in a fight with Willoughby She lost her glasses when she was in the middle of the night. She was very short-sighted and could not see clearly without glasses. She ran along the aisle, thinking that it was the aisle she walked when she came here. Coincidentally, the aisles on both sides were covered with coconut wool mats. By the time she knew she was going wrong, it was too late, the way of retreat was cut off. What to do? She couldn't go back, and she couldn't stand still, so she had to go on. She went up the stairs, pushed away door, and come to your room."

The old professor sat there with his mouth open, looking intently at Holmes with extreme surprise and terror on his face.With an affected shrug of his shoulders and a smirk, he said: "Mr. Holmes, your deduction is very good, but there is a small loophole. I have been in the room, you know, and have not left it all day."

"Professor Colum, I know this."

"So I was lying in bed and didn't notice a woman come into my room?"

"I didn't say that. You noticed someone coming. You talked to her, you knew her, and you helped her escape."

The professor laughed again.He jumped to his feet, with a last hope in his eyes, and shouted, "You're crazy! You're talking nonsense! Did I help her escape? Where is she now?"

"There she is," said Holmes calmly, pointing to a tall bookcase in one corner of the room.

For a moment, the old man was stunned.He raised his trembling hands, but then his whole body slumped on the chair again.At this time, the door of the bookcase in the corner of the room opened automatically, and a woman came out suddenly and stood in the room."You're right! You're right! I'm here," she said in a strange foreign accent.

She was covered in streaks of dust, and there were cobwebs hanging from the wall on her clothes.She was not handsome, her figure and face were exactly as Holmes supposed, and her chin, moreover, was long and resolute.Her eyesight was already poor, and she had just come from the dark to the light, so she stood and blinked, trying to make out where we were standing and who we were.Although she is not beautiful, she has a dignified manner, a calm demeanor, and a tenacious and heroic spirit, which is admired by all the people present.

Stanley Hopkins grabbed her arms and was about to handcuff her.She gently pushed Hopkins away with a solemn expression.The old professor leaned back in the armchair, trembling slightly, looking at her gloomyly.

She said, "Sir, I was arrested. I stood in the closet and heard everything, and I know you've figured it out. I'm willing to tell you the whole truth. I killed that young man. You said it was Accident, that's right. I didn't know I had a knife in my hand because I grabbed something off the table and stabbed the young man in desperation to get him to let me go. I'm telling the truth .”

"Madam," said Holmes, "I believe what you say is true. I see that you are in poor health."

Her face was ugly, and with the streaks of dust, she looked terrible.She sat down on the edge of the bed and went on: "I don't have much time left, but I still want to tell you the whole truth. I am the wife of this man. He is not English, but a Russian, and I don't want to say Say his name."

The old man looked agitated and shouted, "Anna, God bless you, God bless you!"

She looked at the old man very contemptuously, and said: "Sergis, why do you have to live such a miserable life? You have ruined many people in your life, and it is not even good for yourself. Are you in God's eyes?" It's up to you to end your life before you're called, but I must say it, or I don't have time.

"Gentlemen, I said I was his wife. He was fifty when we got married, and I was just a silly girl of twenty. I went to university in a city in Russia, I don't want to name it. "

The old man muttered again: "Anna, God bless you."

"You know, we were innovators, revolutionaries, anarchists. There were a lot of us. Then there was trouble, a sheriff was killed, and a lot of us were arrested. And he, for a lot of money, even He denounced us for his life and betrayed his wife and partner. We were all arrested because of his betrayal. Some were hanged, some were exiled to Siberia. I was sent to Siberia, but not Exiled for life. My husband came to England with his ill-gotten gains and lived a peaceful life. He knew full well that if our community knew of his whereabouts, it would end his life in less than a week. "

The old man stretched out his hand tremblingly and picked up another cigarette.He said: "Anna, you can deal with me as you like, you have always been very kind to me."

She said: "I haven't told you about his greatest sin. In our group, there is a comrade who is my friend now. He is noble, selfless, and helpful. These qualities are not my husband. He hates violence. , if the use of violence is a crime, we have all committed crimes, but he has not. He always writes to us advising us not to use violence. These letters can save him from punishment. My diary can also attest , because I wrote in my diary my feelings for him and my opinion of each of us. But when my husband found these letters and my diary, he secretly hid them and wanted the young man to be sentenced. Death sentence. Although he failed to achieve his goal, Alexei was sent to Siberia as a criminal to work in a salt mine. You villain, think about it, think about it, such a noble person lives a life like a slave , and you, your life is in my hands, but I still let you go."

While puffing out the cigarette, the old man said, "Anna, you are a noble woman."

She stood up slowly, but then with a cry of pain she sat down again.

(End of this chapter)