The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 169 The Last Greeting (12)
After a while, we came to the basement.We were just about to go into the darkness when we heard the footsteps of the police above us.After the sound of these light footsteps died away, Holmes fiddled with the cellar door in an attempt to open it.He bent down and pried hard, and there was a harsh sound, and the door opened.We walked down the dark hallway, then turned and closed the basement door.Holmes went first, and I followed him up the winding, uncarpeted staircase.He shone a low window with his little yellow lamp.

"I found it, Watson. It must be this one." He pushed open the window, and there was a low, piercing sound that gradually became a rumbling, and a train sped by in the darkness.Holmes shone along the window-sill with his lamp.The window sills were thick with soot from passing trains, but there were a few places where the soot had been rubbed.

"Watson, you saw the place where they put the corpse. What is it? Yes, it's blood." He pointed to a mark on the window frame and said, "Here, there is also on the stone steps. We have found sufficient evidence .Wait here for the train to stop."

It didn't take long, as usual, the next train roared through the tunnel, slowed down after exiting the tunnel, and then with screeching brakes, the train stopped below us.The top of the carriage was less than four feet from the ledge.Holmes gently closed the window.

"Our assumptions have been confirmed so far," said he. "What do you think, Watson?"

"Great, great result."

"I don't agree with that. I think the body was placed on the roof of the car--this speculation is not difficult to understand, and when I think about it, all the rest will be obvious. If there is no major stake involved, this point It doesn't make much sense either. There are plenty of questions ahead of us, however, we may be able to find some helpful clues here."

We went up the kitchen stairs and then into a suite on the second floor.One is a restaurant, the decoration is very simple, there is nothing that can attract our attention.The second, the bedroom, was also quite empty.The remaining one seemed more promising, and my companion stopped to examine it earnestly and thoroughly.The room was full of books and newspapers and was apparently used as a study.Holmes quickly and methodically examined the contents of every drawer, every cupboard, but seemed hopeless, for his face remained sullen.An hour passed, and there was still no progress in his work.

"The cunning fox covered his tracks," he said, "and left nothing that would bring him to justice, and the incriminating letters were either destroyed or transferred. This is Our last chance."

It was an iron box for putting money on the desk.Holmes pried open the iron box with a knife.There are a few rolls of paper inside, on which are some numbers and calculation formulas, which cannot be seen. The series of words "water pressure" and "pressure per square inch" may have something to do with submarines.Holmes took out the papers impatiently and threw them aside.An envelope and a few scraps of newspaper remained in the box.He took it out and put it on the table.From his eager look, I know that there is more hope.

"Well, what is this, Watson? An advertisement for a newspaper. According to the print and paper, it is the missing person column of the Daily Telegraph, in the upper right-hand corner of the newspaper. No date, but the information itself is organized. This Then it must start with:
Hope to reply as soon as possible.The condition is fulfilled.According to the business card address details.

Pirot

"Second:

Complex and difficult to describe.A detailed report is required.Give something when it's delivered.

Pirot

"Then:
Urgent situation.The asking price must be recouped, unless contracted.Look forward to the letter, and look forward to the advertisement.

Pirot

"The last one:
After nine o'clock on Monday night.Knock twice.They are all their own people.Don't be suspicious.Cash upon delivery.

Pirot

"A very complete record, Watson! Hopefully we can find the man at the other end of the trail!" he mused, tapping his hand on the table.Finally, he jumped up suddenly.

"Oh, perhaps it's not that hard. There's nothing much to do here, Watson, and I think we'd better go and ask the Daily Telegraph for a favor and wrap up our work for the day."

After breakfast the next day, Mycroft Holmes and Lestrade arrived as promised.Sherlock Holmes confessed to them our actions the previous day.The professional policeman shook his head frequently at our burglary.

"We policemen cannot do that, Mr. Holmes," he said. "No wonder you always find out the answers before us. But if you continue to do so, you will get into trouble."

"For the sake of England, and for the happiness of the family, we would die on the national altar. Would you not, Watson? But, Mycroft, what do you think?"

"Great, Sherlock! Admirable! But what is the practical significance of all that you have done?"

Holmes picked up the Daily Telegraph from the table.

"Did you see Pirot's advertisement today?"

"What? There are ads?"

"Yes, right here."

Tonight, in the same place at the same time.Knock twice.It is very critical, and it is a matter of life and death for you.

Pirot

"Yes!" cried Lestrade, "if he replies we shall have him!"

"I thought so too at first. If you wish, please come with us to Caulfield Gardens. We may have further answers at around eight o'clock in the evening."

One of Sherlock Holmes' greatest qualities is that he dares to put his ideas into action, but when he finds his work bogged down, he can divert all his thoughts to light things.I remember well that memorable day when he spent the whole day working on his treatise on the harmonic hymns of Lassus.As for me, I didn't have his detachment, and that day seemed endlessly long to me.The mix of national events, the anxieties of the highest authorities, and the fallout from our impending experiment had my nerves on edge.It wasn't until after a simple meal that I relaxed a little.Finally, we are about to start our adventure.Lestrade and Mycroft were waiting for us outside Gloucester Road station at the agreed time.The door to Oberstein's cellar had been broken by us the night before, and as Mycroft Holmes would not climb the railing, I had to go in and open the main door of the hall.About nine o'clock in the evening we sat in the study and waited for our guests.

An hour passed, and another hour passed.At eleven o'clock in the evening, the rhythmic bells in the church sounded like an elegy for our hope.Lestrade and Mycroft waited restlessly, checking their watches twice a minute.Holmes sat quite still, his eyes half-closed, but very alert.Suddenly, he turned his head sharply.

"Here he is," he said.

Light footsteps, walked past the door, and then turned back. After a sound of footsteps outside, the door knocker was only heard to hit twice heavily on the door.Holmes rose, and beckoned us to sit still.The light from the gas lamps in the hall was weak.He opened the outer door, and a shadow came in, and as he passed, he closed the door and bolted it instantly. "Come this way!" we heard him say.Before long, our guests appeared before us.Holmes followed him.When the man turned with a cry of alarm and was about to run, Holmes seized him by the collar and thrust him back into the room.Before he could recover from his panic, the door was slammed shut, and Holmes blocked the door with his body.The man stared and looked around, and finally staggered down, and he lost consciousness.In a panic, his wide-brimmed hat fell off his head, and his tie slipped to his mouth, revealing a handsome face with a long light beard. The man was Farentin Walter. Colonel.

Holmes groaned in surprise.

"Now, Watson, I am joking," said he, "this fellow is not the man we are looking for."

"Who is he?" asked Mycroft anxiously.

"Brother of the late Sir James Walter, Chief of Submarines. Yes, yes, he will come. You'd better have me come for the interrogation."

We got this limp guy on the couch.At this time, he sat up, looked around in a panic, and then touched his forehead with his hand, as if he couldn't believe his perception.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "I've come to visit Mr. Oberstein."

"Everything is now clear, Colonel Walter," said Holmes. "I am astonished that an English gentleman should do such a thing. We have all the correspondence and relations between you and Oberstein. We also have the circumstances surrounding the death of young Cadogan West. I urge you not to miss our last ounce of trust in you, and you better confess and repent, for we still have some details to learn from you. "

The guy sighed and covered his face and we waited but he didn't say a word.

"I can tell you the truth," said Holmes, "that we have all the important details. We know that you are in dire need of money, that you have copied the keys which your brother holds, that you and Oberstein have been in correspondence, and that the Daily Telegraph The ad column in the newspaper is his way of answering your letters. We know you walked to the office in the fog on Monday night. But young Cadogan West spotted you and he followed you. Perhaps he had Suspicious of you. He saw you stealing the plans, but he couldn't call the police, because you might have taken the plans to London to give to your brother. He put his private business aside, like a good citizen would In that way, he followed you in the mist all the way to this place. He intervened in this matter. Colonel Walter, besides treason, you have committed a far more horrific crime of murder."

"I didn't do it! I didn't do it! I swear before God I didn't!" cried the poor and hateful criminal.

"Tell us, how did you kill Cadogan West before putting his body on the roof?"

"I said, I said. I swear I did the rest, I admit it. You're right. I want to pay the stock exchange. I need money. Oberstein five thousand pounds , saved me. As for murdering others, I am as innocent as you are.”

"So, what's next?"

"West has suspected me for a long time. He followed me, just like you said. I didn't realize that I was followed by him until I got to this door. The fog was so thick that I couldn't see anything three yards away. I knocked on the door twice. , Oberstein came over and opened the door. West rushed over and asked what we were doing with the blueprints. Oberstein had a self-defense weapon on his body all the time. When West followed us into the house, Oberstein It was a fatal blow to his head and he was dead in less than 5 minutes. He was lying in the hall and we were overwhelmed. Later, Oberstein thought of the train parked under the rear window. However, he looked through the blueprints I brought first. He said that there were three most important ones, and he asked me to give them to him, 'You can't take them away,' I said, 'If you don't put them back, there will be a riot in Woolwich There was an uproar." "I have to take it away," he said, "because there is a lot of cutting-edge technology in it, and it is impossible to copy it immediately." I said: "Well, you must put it all back tonight." He thought Say he's got it.'I'll take three,' he said, 'and put the rest in the young man's pocket. When he's found out, it'll all be on his account.' I had no other choice but to do what he said. We waited at the window for half an hour before the train stopped. The fog was so thick that we couldn't see much at all, so we put West's body in it easily. On the roof. That's all about me."

"Where's your brother?"

"He didn't say anything. Once I took his key and he saw me. I think he was beginning to suspect me. I could see it in his eyes. He was suspicious of me. As you know Yes, he can't hold his head up anymore."

The room was silent.Mycroft Holmes broke the silence.

"Can't you make amends? To assuage your conscience, and perhaps your punishment."

"How can I do it?"

"Where are Oberstein and those blueprints?"

"do not know."

"Did he leave you his address?"

"He said he would receive it by posting it at the Hotel Laurel in Paris."

"You still have a chance to make amends. Whether you want to make amends or not is up to you," Holmes said.

"I'm willing to do what I can to make it right, I have nothing against this guy. He's ruined me and ruined my reputation."

"Here's pen and paper. Come to the table. I'll tell you. You write. Write the address. Yes, now write:

'Dear Sir:

You must have noticed by now that our deal is missing an important submap.I have a copy of this diagram to make it complete.But this matter has already caused me unexpected trouble, please add another five hundred pounds.Postal money is not reliable.I want nothing but gold or pounds.I originally wanted to go abroad to find you, but this would certainly arouse suspicion.So hope to see you in the smoking room of the Charing Cross Hotel on Saturday at noon.Remember, only gold or sterling. '

"Very well. It would be a shame if we don't catch the one we want this time."

This history is really good!This is a history, a secret history of the country.This exciting history is far more interesting than the country's public memorabilia.Eager to make the biggest deal of his life, Oberstein was lured into a net, caught without a fight, and sentenced to 15 years in prison in the UK.The priceless Bruce-Partington Project was found in his suitcase.He intends to sell it openly at various naval centers in Europe.

Colonel Walter died in prison the year after his sentence.As for Holmes, he was again studying Lassus's harmonic hymn with gusto.After his article was published, it spread in a small area, and according to experts, it is an authoritative work in this field.A few weeks later, I heard that my friend had spent the day in Windsor and had brought home a very nice emerald tie pin.I asked him where he bought it, and he said it was given to him by some kind lady.He had had the honor of helping this noble lady.He said nothing else.But I think I can guess the lady's name, and I am sure that this jeweled brooch will forever remind my friend of the adventures of Bruce-Partington's plan.

dying detective

Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes, has suffered a lot for a long time.Her second-floor tenants had frequent odd and often unwelcome visits, and her famous tenant's erratic eccentricities had tested her patience as never before.Her lodger is unbearably slovenly; listens to music at odd hours; practices marksmanship in his room from time to time; often conducts weird, fetid scientific experiments; and is surrounded by an atmosphere of violence and danger.All this made him the worst tenant in London.But the rent he paid was high.During the years I lived with Holmes the rent he paid was undoubtedly sufficient to purchase the house.

The landlady was terrified of him, and never dared interfere with him, however intolerable his behavior.She also liked him because he was very gentle with ladies.Although he doesn't like or trust women, he is always a gentleman.Because I knew that the landlady was genuinely interested in him, I listened carefully to her account when the landlady came to my house in the second year of my marriage to tell me about my poor friend's miserable situation.

"He is dying, Dr. Watson," she said. "He has been very ill for three days, and I am afraid he will not survive today. He will not let me call for a doctor. I saw him in a terrible state this morning, and I will not suffer any more." No more. He had protruding cheekbones on both sides, and stared at me with large eyes. "Whether you agree or not, Mr. Holmes, I must call the doctor at once," I said. "Then call Watson." He Say. There is no time to waste, sir, and save him while he has breath, or you shall never see him again."

I was terrified.Because I never heard about his illness.I didn't say much, and quickly got dressed.On the way, I asked her to tell me the details.

"Not much to say, sir. He's been working on some disease in a little alley by the Roseheight. He's back, but he's got it too. Since lying in bed on Wednesday afternoon, He hasn't moved around. For three days, he hasn't eaten or drank."

"My God, why didn't you call a doctor?"

"He won't let me, sir. You know his stubborn temper. I dare not contradict him. His time is short. You'll see him when you see him."

He looked forlorn indeed.It was foggy November.The light was dim, and the small room was gloomy.But it was the thin face on the hospital bed that made my heart tremble.Because of the fever, his cheeks were flushed, his eyes looking at me were red, and a layer of black skin had formed on his lips.The two hands on the sheet were twitching constantly, and the voice was hoarse and urgent.He was lying limp when I came in.When he saw me, he had a look of recognition in his eyes.

"Well, Watson, it looks like we're having a bad day." His voice was weak, but in his usual nonchalant tone.

"My dear companion!" I cried, going up to him.

"Go away! Go away!" he cried, with an expression which reminded me of those dangerous moments before. "Get away from me, Watson, or I will order you out."

"why?"

"Because, that's what I want to do. Isn't that reason enough?"

Mrs. Hudson was right.He was more outrageous than ever.But seeing his exhausted appearance makes people feel pity.

"I just wanted to help you," I explained.

"That's right, you can do whatever you are asked to do. This is the best help."

"Of course, Holmes."

(End of this chapter)