The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 171 The Last Greeting (14)
"Oh, I am not surprised at that, Holmes. I should not have been surprised if it had been the same disease. If it had been the same disease, your prospects were not so good. Poor Victor died on the fourth day of his illness." Well, he's a healthy, lively young lad. As you say, it's certainly strange that he should have contracted this rare Asian disease in central London. I've also been tested for it. Special study. Strange coincidence, Holmes. You are very good at noticing it. But I have to tell you mercilessly that there is causality."

"I know you did it."

"Oh, you know, don't you? But there's nothing you can do about it. You go around telling lies about me, and now you're sick and begging me to save you. How do you feel about that? What kind of game is this?" Um?"

I heard the patient's rapid and labored gasps. "I want a drink!" he gasped.

"You're dying, my friend. But I've got to talk to you before you die. So I'll give you the water. Hold it, don't spill it! Yes. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Holmes groaned.

"Help me, forget the past," he whispered, "I will forget what I said, I swear, I will. As long as you cure me, I will forget it."

"Forget what?"

"Well, forget how Victor Savage died. In fact you just admitted that you did it. I'm sure I'll forget it."

"It doesn't matter if you forget or remember, it's up to you. You can't appear on the witness stand. I'll stop talking. Even if I see you again, it will be in another place. Even if you know that my nephew is How can I die? The most important thing now is not him but you."

"Yep."

"The man who came to see me, I forget his name, told me that you caught your disease at the East End sailors."

"That's all I can think of."

"You think you are very clever, don't you, Holmes? You think you are very great, don't you? This time, you have met a character who is more powerful than yourself. Think about it carefully, Holmes, and there is no other reason for your illness." Is there a reason?"

"My mind is so confused, I can't think. For God's sake, help me!"

"Yeah, I'm going to help you. I'm going to help you figure out where you are and how you got here. I want you to figure it out before you die."

"Give me something so that I don't feel so bad."

"Is it uncomfortable? Yes, coolies always let out a few howls before they die. I think you seem to have a cramp."

"Yeah, yeah, cramp."

"Well, but you can hear what I'm saying. Listen now! Do you remember anything unusual happening to you when your symptoms started?"

"No, no, not at all."

"Think again."

"My head is too confused to remember."

"Oh, let me help you then. Did you get any packages?"

"pack?"

"A small box."

"My head hurts, I'm dying!"

"Listen, Holmes!"

There was a sound, as if he was shaking a dying patient.But I can only hide there silently. "You must listen to me. You must listen to me. You remember an ivory box? It was delivered on Wednesday. You opened it, remember?"

"Yes, yes, I opened it. There's a sharp spring in it. It's a joke."

"It's not a prank. Fool, you've been fooled. You've got it on your own. Who told you to meddle in your own business? If you hadn't come to trouble me, I wouldn't have dealt with you."

"I remember," panted Holmes. "The spring! It is bleeding. That box is the one on the table."

"Yes, that's it! I'll take it away, and you'll have nothing left of the last proof. Now you know the truth, Holmes. You know I killed you, and you may go to hell." You know all about what happened to Victor Savage, and now share that feeling. You are very close to death, Holmes. I will sit here and watch you die."

Holmes' faint voice was barely audible.

"Say what?" Smith asked. "Turn the gas light up a little? Oh, it's getting dark, eh? Well, I'll turn it. That way I can see you better." As he walked across the side of the room, suddenly The whole house was brightly lit. "Is there anything else I can do for you, friend?"

"Cigarettes, matches."

I was so surprised that I almost cried out.His voice was back to normal, maybe a little weak, but a voice I was familiar with.There was a long silence.I could imagine Coverton Smith standing there staring at my friend in amazement.

"What do you mean by that?" I finally heard him speak, his voice anxious and nervous.

"The most successful way to play a part is to play it yourself," said Holmes. "I tell you, I have not eaten or drank for three days. Thank you for your kindness, and poured me a glass of water. But, I The most unbearable thing is the craving. Oh, here are the cigarettes." I heard the sound of a match being struck. "It's much more comfortable this way. Hey, are these footsteps my friend coming?"

There was a sound of footsteps.The door opened, and Sheriff Morton appeared outside.

"All is well, and here is the man you are looking for," said Holmes.

"I'm arresting you for the murder of Victor Savage," said the sheriff.

"You may add one more. He also tried to murder a man named Sherlock Holmes," laughed my friend, "to save a sick man, Sheriff, Mr. Coverton Smith is a friend, he Turn on the light and send out the signal we agreed. By the way, there is a small box in the right pocket of the prisoner's coat. It is better to take off his coat. Thank you. If I were you, I would definitely handle it carefully. Put it here, it will come in handy during the interrogation."

There was a sudden commotion and scuffling, followed by the sound of iron clashing, and a scream.

"Resistance is only asking for trouble," said the sheriff. "Stand still, do you hear me?" With a click, the handcuffs were locked.

"This is a trap!" roared. "It should be Holmes in the dock, not me. He asked me to treat him. I was afraid that his health would come. He framed me and made up a bunch of lies saying yes." I said it, to prove the truth of his delusional suspicions. Holmes, you may talk nonsense. My words are as trustworthy as yours."

"Dear me!" cried Holmes. "I am so sorry that I have forgotten you, my dear Watson. Come out! I think I need not introduce you to Mr. Coverton Smith. You have already seen him." We're meeting. Is there a carriage outside? I'll go with you after I change my clothes. Maybe I'll be of some use to the police station."

"I have no need of the dress any more," said Holmes.He drank a glass of wine and ate some biscuits between washing and grooming, and he felt much better. "You know, my living habits are very irregular. It doesn't matter to me, and it may not to others. The most important thing is to convince Mrs. Hudson of my situation, because she has to tell you, and then It's up to you to tell him. You won't be angry, Watson? You have to admit, you can't act at all, and if I let you know my secret, you won't be in a hurry to get him. That's the whole point. The key to the plan. I know he's out to get revenge on me, so I'm sure he'll come and see what he's done."

"But your appearance, Holmes, what is the matter of your hideously pale face?"

"Hunger strikes for three days won't make your face look good, Watson. As for the rest, a sponge will do the trick, vaseline on the forehead, a drop of belladonna in the eyes, a little lipstick on the cheekbones, and a dab on the lips." A coat of wax will do the trick. Masquerading is one of the subjects I would like to write about. Now and then half a crown, oysters, and the like, can give the illusion of insanity. .”

"Since you are not infected, why don't you let me get close to you?"

"Why do you ask this, my dear Watson? Do you really think I despise your medical skills? No matter how weak I am as a dying patient, my pulse and temperature are normal. Can this escape your judgment? Only four yards from you can deceive you. If you cannot be deceived, who will bring Smith to me? Only you, Watson. I will not touch the box. Before you open the box, When you look over the side of the box, you will see that spring protruding like the tooth of a poisonous snake. Savage is an obstacle to this devil's inheritance, and I dare say, it is this vicious conspiracy that he used to put poor Savage. Killed. You know, I get all sorts of mail and packages that come to me, and I'm wary of them. I know I'm faking his tricks so I can play him off and leave him unsuspecting. I am pretending to be sick with the sacrificial spirit of a true artist. Thank you, Watson, for helping me get dressed. When I am done at the police station, I am thinking of going to the Simpsons for some nutritious food. tasty."

Missing Lady Frances Carfax

"Why Turkish?" asked Sherlock Holmes, gazing at my boots.I was reclining in a wicker chair at this moment when my outstretched feet caught his attention.

"British," I replied, curiously, "from Latimer's in Oxford Street."

Holmes smiled, but his expression was somewhat impatient.

"The bathhouse!" he said. "I mean the bathhouse! Why go to the lazy and expensive Turkish bath instead of a traditional refreshing bath?"

"Because I have been suffering from rheumatism for the past few days, I feel very tired. It is said that the Turkish bath is an effective therapy and a cleanser for the body."

"Oh, yes, Holmes," I went on, "the connection between boots and Turkish baths is obvious to a careful mind, and I have no doubts about it. However, if you can make it clear, I Will be very grateful to you."

"The reasoning here is not complicated, Watson," said Holmes, blinking playfully. "I am still using the same reasoning. Let me ask you, who was driving with you when you came back this morning?"

"I don't think this novel example is an explanation," I said slightly sarcastically.

"Well, Watson! A serious and reasonable protest. Let me see, what is the problem? Let me start with the back: the carriage. Look, you have mud on your left sleeve and shoulder. If you How can there be mud when sitting in the middle of the car? If you sit in the middle of the car and get splashed with mud, you should have mud on both sides. So, it is obvious that you are sitting on one side of the car. You have people traveling with you, which is also true It is clear."

"It's obvious."

"It's boring, isn't it?"

"But what have boots got to do with bathing?"

"Simple too. You wear your boots according to your habits. But I see that the boots are tied with two knots and carefully tied, which is not the way you are used to. You have taken off your boots. Who tied them?" The shoemaker? Or the bathhouse boy. It can't be the shoemaker, because your boots are new. Oh, what else? Take a bath. That's absurd, isn't it? There's a reason for the Turkish bath anyway."

"What reason?"

"Because you want a change of bathing, and you say you have had a Turkish bath. I suggest you have one. How about a trip to Lausanne, my dear Watson? First-class tickets, and everything is very well spent."

"Fine. But why?"

Holmes leaned back in the easy chair and took out the notebook from his pocket.

"The most dangerous type of person in the world," he said, "is the woman who is wandering alone. She is harmless in herself and often useful, but she is often the object of crime. She has no one to turn to." , no fixed abode. She has enough money to move freely from country to country, from hotel to hotel. She tends to get lost in the maze of remote apartments and boarding houses. She is lost in the world of foxes. A chick. Few will remember her existence. I fear that something has happened to Lady Frances Carfax."

I was relieved that the topic suddenly changed from abstract generalizations to specific events.Holmes was leafing through his notes.

"Lady Frances," he went on, "is the only surviving immediate relative of the late Earl of Laverton, and she has inherited some very curious pieces of old Spanish silver and finely polished diamonds from him. They are deposited with the banker and are always with them.Lady Frances is a sentimental beauty, in the middle age still charming, but by an accidental encounter, from what was a large fleet some twenty years ago to what it is today. a canoe."

"What happened?"

"Kah, what happened to Lady Frances? Is she still alive? That's what we're trying to find out. For four years she wrote a letter every week to her old governess, Miss Dubney. This is her Habit never changes. Miss Dubney now lives in Camberwell, she is long retired. It is this Miss Dubney who came to me. Miss Frances sent the last letter from the Hotel National in Lausanne five weeks ago She has not heard from her since. Lady Frances left without leaving a contact address. The whole family is in a hurry. If we can find out the matter, they will reward us heavily."

"Is Miss Dubney the only one who can provide information? Does this lady write to others?"

"Watson, there is another point of contact, to be sure, and that is the bank. Single women live too. Their pass-books are diaries in miniature. Sylvester's Bank is where she keeps her money. I have seen her." The last check that was drawn was to pay off an account in Lausanne, but the amount was so large that she probably had cash on hand. Only one check has been drawn since then."

"Who is it for? Where is it going?"

"Written out to Miss Mary Devin. It is not clear where. The check was cashed at the Bank of Rinas, Montpellier, less than three weeks ago. The amount is fifty pounds."

"And who is this Miss Mary Devon?"

"Well, I've found out. Miss Mary Devon was formerly Lady Frances Carfax's maid. Why she was given this check, we are not yet sure. But it is certain that your research work will be very fast. Figure it out."

"My research work?"

"That's why I'm going on a healthy expedition to Lausanne. You know, old Abrahams is afraid of getting killed, and I've got to stay in London. Besides, I'd better not go abroad as a rule. I Scotland Yard will be lonely when you go away, and it will cause a commotion among criminals. Go, my dear Watson. I will be at hand to advise you at the other end of the Continental Telegraph."

Two days later I arrived at the Hotel National in Lausanne, where I was received graciously by the famous manager, M. Moser.According to him, Lady Frances lived there for several weeks.She is very popular.She is under 40 years old, and her charm still exists. One can imagine how beautiful she must have been when she was young.Moser was unaware of the existence of the precious jewel.But the waiter had said that the lady had a heavy trunk in her bedroom, which was always locked.Mary Devine, the maid, is as comfortable with people as her mistress.She was engaged to a head waiter in a hotel, and her address was easily found at 11, Rue Trayan, Montpellier, which I noted down.I think even if Holmes came to do this, the collection situation would be similar to mine.

I still don't understand, what is the reason for this lady's sudden departure?She had enjoyed her time in Lausanne, and had planned to spend the season in this luxurious room high above the lake, but she left one day after booking, paying for nothing for a week.Jules Verba, the maid's lover, made some observations which he ascribed to the visit of a tall, dark, bearded man two days before. "Barbarian, utter savage!" cried Jules Verba, who had been seen talking earnestly to the lady on the porch by the lake.When he came to visit afterwards, she refused to see him.He did not leave a name, only that he was an Englishman.The woman then left.Jules Verba, as well as his lover, believed that this visit caused Lady Frances to leave.Only one point, which Jules did not and would not say, was why Marie left her mistress.About that, if I want to know, I have to go to Montpellier and ask her.

This concludes the first part of my investigation.The second part deals with where Ms. Frances Carfax went after she left Lausanne.On that note, I'm sure she went to that place to get rid of someone.Otherwise why wasn't her luggage labeled for Baden?She detoured to the Rhine tourist area with her luggage.I got this information from my local Cook office manager.I telegraphed Holmes telling him of my investigation, and he returned a half-joking compliment.Then I went to Baden.

It is not difficult to follow the clues in Baden.Lady Frances stayed at the British Hotel for a fortnight.There she met Dr. Schlesinger, a missionary from South America, and his wife.Like most bachelorettes, Lady Frances found solace in religion.She was deeply moved by Dr. Schlesinger's devotion to missionary work.She had helped Mrs. Schlesinger in the care of the saint, who was recovering from health.The manager told me that three weeks ago, when the doctor had fully recovered, he took his wife to London, and Lady Frances went with them.The manager has not heard from him since.A few days ago, the maid Mary told the other maids that she would never do this job again, and she left after crying bitterly.Before Dr. Schlesinger left, his gang paid their bills.

"Oh, yes," said the manager at last, "there's been an inquiry about Ms. Frances Carfax besides you. Somebody came here about a week ago."

"Did he leave his name?" I asked.

"No, he's British and looks a little special."

"A wild fellow?" I asked.I connect what I know the way my famous friend thinks.

(End of this chapter)