The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 189 New Detective Case (11)
"Ask Mrs. Mason to bring the baby," said Ferguson.The child walked with a strange, shambling gait, and in my doctor's opinion he had spondylochondrosis.In a moment he was back, followed by a tall, thin woman, holding in her arms a beautiful baby, dark-eyed, fair-haired, a wonderful mixture of Saxon and Latin blood.Ferguson obviously loved him very much, and when he met, he took him into his arms and caressed him very affectionately.

"I really don't understand how anyone would have the heart to hurt him." He was talking to himself, while looking down at the little red wrinkles on that angelic white and tender neck.

At this very moment, my eyes happened to fall on Holmes, and I noticed that his expression was particularly attentive.His face was as motionless as an ivory carving, and after looking at the father and son, his eyes were fixed on something opposite with extreme curiosity.I followed his gaze, but could only guess that he was looking out the window at the depressing, dripping garden.In reality the shutters were half closed and nothing could be seen, but his eyes were evidently fixed on the windows.Then with a slight smile, his eyes returned to the baby.There was a small scar on the baby's neck.Holmes studied the wound in silence.Finally he squeezed the baby's tiny fist that was dangling in the air.

"Good-bye, dear. You have a strange beginning in life. Let me say a few words to you, nurse."

He and the nurse stepped aside for a few minutes of earnest talk.I only heard the last sentence: "Your worries will be relieved soon." The nanny seemed to be a bit stubborn and didn't talk much, so she left with the baby in her arms.

"What kind of person is Mrs. Mason?" asked Holmes.

"Although she doesn't look good on the surface, she is very kind-hearted and loves this baby."

"Jack, do you like nurses?" said Holmes suddenly to the older boy.The boy's expressive, mobile face darkened, and he shook his head.

"Jack is a kid with strong likes and dislikes," Ferguson said, putting his arms around the kid. "Fortunately, I'm the one he likes."

Jack hummed and plunged his head into Dad's arms.Ferguson gently pulled him away.

"Go and play, my good boy," he said, watching him go out with caressing eyes, and then went on to say to Holmes: "Mr. Holmes, I really feel that you have made your trip for nothing, because you have nothing to do but express sympathy." What else can you do? From your point of view, this must be a particularly complex and sensitive case."

"Sensitivity is indeed sensitive," Holmes said a little amusedly, "but I haven't discovered how complicated it is. It was originally a reasoning process, but when the original reasoning was confirmed step by step by objective facts, the subjective It becomes objective, and we can confidently say that we have achieved our goal. In fact, I have reached a conclusion before leaving Baker Street, and all that remains is observation and confirmation.”

Ferguson pressed his big hand to his wrinkled forehead.

"For God's sake, Mr. Holmes," he said, hoarse with impatience, "now that you see the truth of the matter, don't leave me in suspense. What is it all about? I What should I do? Please tell me the truth directly."

"Yes, I will tell you the truth at once. But I will use my own method to solve the mystery for you. Watson, how is your wife's health? Can you meet us and say a few words?"

"It's true that she's very ill, but she's clear enough to see her without any problem."

"Very well. We can only clarify the truth in her presence. Let's go upstairs to her."

"But she won't see me," Ferguson said loudly.

"She will," said Holmes, scribbling a few lines on a piece of paper and handing the note to me. "Watson, you are a doctor. At least you will not be rejected. Please give me this note." Leave it to the mistress."

I went upstairs, and Dolores opened the door vigilantly, and I handed her the note. After 1 minute, I heard a shout in the room, it was a cry of surprise.Then Dolores stuck her head out and said to me, "She wants to see them, and she wants to listen."

I called Ferguson and Holmes upstairs.As soon as he entered the door, Ferguson took two steps towards the head of the bed, but his wife half sat up and stopped him with her hand.He had no choice but to sit down on a sofa chair.Holmes bowed and sat beside him.The mistress looked at Holmes with wide-eyed wonder.

"I don't think Dolores is to be used here," said Holmes. "Oh, yes, madam, I would have no objection if you wished her to stay. Well, Mr. Ferguson, I am a busy man, and have a lot of business to do. My approach must be short and to the point. The faster the operation, the less the pain. I will start by saying that which reassures you. Your wife was wronged and she was a very kind, very tender and loving woman people."

Ferguson straightened up with a cheer.

"I shall be indebted to you as long as I live, Mr. Holmes, if only you can prove it."

"I'm trying to prove it to you, but unfortunately the other half of the truth may be painful for you."

"As long as you can wash away my wife's grievances, I don't care about anything else. I don't care about anything else."

"Well, then, let me tell you the reasoning I've begun to think about at home. The idea of ​​a vampire seems absurd to me. It doesn't happen in the annals of British crime. But you see It was also true. You saw the mistress standing up beside the crib with blood on her lips."

"Yes, I saw it with my own eyes."

"But haven't you ever thought that sucking a bleeding wound has other uses besides sucking blood? Isn't there a story in British history where a queen sucked the poison from a wound with her mouth?"

"Suck out the poison! You mean—"

"In a family with a South American flair. I instinctively felt the presence of these weapons hanging on your wall before I saw them with my own eyes. It could be other poisons, but South American poison arrows came to mind first. When I I wasn't surprised to see the empty quiver next to the little bird's bow in the living room, it was what I was expecting to see. If a baby is wounded by one of these poisoned arrows dipped in nux, if not Sucking the poison out immediately is fatal.

"And the dog! If a man decides to use poison, doesn't he try first to be sure? I didn't see this dog, but at least I knew it when I saw it, and this dog The case fits perfectly with my reasoning.

"Do you understand this time? Your wife is afraid of this kind of harm. She saw it happen, she saved the baby's life, but she avoided telling you the truth, because she knew how much you loved your son, She's afraid of breaking your heart."

"It turned out to be Jack!"

"I watched Jack just now while you were fondling the baby. His face was clearly reflected in the pane of the window, for the shutters were behind it. I saw such intense jealousy and cruel hatred in his face." , that's rare."

"My Jack!"

"You've got to face it, Mr. Ferguson. It's especially painful precisely because it's out of a distorted love, an exaggerated morbid love for you and possibly his dead mother, It was this love which constituted the motive of his action. His whole soul was filled with hatred for the baby, whose health and beauty were a reflection of his handicap and handicap."

"My God! It's impossible!"

"Ma'am, am I right?"

The hostess was crying, with her head buried in the pillow.Then she looked up at her husband.

"How could I have told you then, Bob? I could feel the shock you might have taken. I might as well have waited for someone else to tell you. When this gentleman's note said he knew it all , I'm so happy, he seems to have magical powers."

"I think a year's voyage would be wholesome for little Jack, and that is my prescription," said Holmes.He stood up. "Only one thing is not clear, ma'am. We can understand why you beat Jack. A mother's tolerance cannot be unlimited. But how dare you leave the baby these two days?"

"I told Mrs. Mason the truth, and she got it all."

"So it is, and I suppose it is."

At this time Ferguson had already stood in front of the bed, stretched out his trembling hands, weeping uncontrollably.

"Now, I think, it is time for us to retire, Watson," said Holmes softly in my ear. "You take that hand of faithful Dolores, and I will take this. Well," shut the door Then he added, "Let them both figure out the rest."

There is one thing I should add to this case, and that is Holmes' reply to the letter at the beginning of this piece, which follows in full:

about vampires

Dear Sirs:
After receiving your letter on the [-]th, I have investigated the case brought by your customer, Robert Ferguson of the Ferguson Millhead Tea Distribution Company in Minshing Avenue, and the result has been satisfactory.Thanks for the introduction of your store.

sherlock holmes

Baker Street, 21 November

Same name case

This case may be a comedy, or it may be a tragedy.It made one man insane, it wounded me, and brought another to justice.But there is still a comic element to the case.As for whether it is a tragedy or a comedy, let the readers judge for themselves.

I remember the date well, for it happened in the same month that Holmes refused his knighthood for a service which I may have to write some day.I only mention the knighthood in passing, because as a collaborator I should be cautious and avoid all rash actions.This event, however, brought to my mind the above-mentioned date, which was the end of June [-], shortly after the end of the South African War.Holmes lay in bed for days at a time, as was his habit from time to time, but one morning he arose with a large writing page in his hand, and a sarcasm in his stern gray eyes. smile.

"Here is a good chance of making you rich, Mr. Watson," said he. "Have you ever heard of the name Garrideb?"

"No, what a strange surname, does it really exist?"

"If you can find a Garrideb, you'll make a fortune."

"why?"

"That's a long story, and a bit of a whimsical one. I don't think there's anything so new in the complex human problems we've studied. The guy is coming soon, and we'll ask more about it then, So I won't say much until he arrives, but that's the last name we need to look up."

The phone book is on the table next to me.I opened the book without hope and flipped through it.But what surprises me is that there is such a strange surname where it should be arranged.I shouted triumphantly.

"Here! Holmes, right here!"

He took the notebook.

"Nathan Garrideb," he read, "13V Little Ryde Street, West End. Sorry, Watson, but this may disappoint you. This is the writer himself. We need another Garrideb of the same name. people."

Just as he was talking, the maid came in with a tray with a business card on it.I took the business card over and took a look, then jumped up.

"There, here!" I exclaimed in amazement. "It's the initials of a different name. John Garrideb, attorney, Mulville, Kansas, USA."

Holmes smiled at the sight of the card. "I reckon you'll have to get another one out, Watson," said he. "This one is also planned, though I didn't expect him to come this morning. But at any rate he can tell us a lot. What I want to know."

After a while, a smiling young man walked in. He was not tall, but he had a strong body and a round, well-complexioned and neat face, just like the characteristics of many American businessmen.His eyes were most striking, and I have seldom seen a pair of eyes so reflective of the inner life, so bright, so alert, so quick to reflect every change of thought.His accent was American, but without the weird earthiness.

"Which one is Mr. Holmes?" He looked back and forth between us. "Yes, you are very similar to the image in the photograph. Mr. Holmes, I am sorry, but as far as I know, my surname has written to you." A letter, right?"

"Sit down and talk," said Holmes. "I think I have much to discuss with you." He picked up the pad of writing-paper. "You are Mr. John Garrideb mentioned in this document. But you have been in England some time?"

"Why do you say that, Mr. Holmes?" The young man's face was full of doubts.

"You're all dressed in English fashion."

Garrideb forced a smile. "I had read of your deduction skills, Mr. Holmes, but I did not expect to be your subject. How did you see that?"

"The shoulder of your coat, the toe of your boot—who can't see it?"

"Oh, I didn't expect me to be so distinctly British. I came to England on business some days ago, so, as you say, the attire is almost Londonized. I suppose your time, however, is Precious, we didn't meet to talk about boot styles. Would you like to talk about the document you have in your hand?"

Holmes somehow offended the visitor, and his boyish countenance became far less agreeable.

"Don't worry, Mr. Garrideb!" my friend reassured him. "Dr. Watson can tell you that these digressions of mine sometimes have something to do with the main topic. But why didn't Mr. Nathan Garrideb join you?" How about getting up?"

"I just don't understand why he brought you in!" The guest suddenly became angry. "What does this have to do with you? It was supposed to be a matter between two gentlemen, and one of them suddenly called in a detective! I saw him earlier, and he told me he did this stupid thing, that's why I'm here. I feel bad luck!"

"What's the matter?" said Holmes. "It's nothing shameful. Your companion is only too eager to achieve your object, no, it should be your common object. He knows I have There are ways to obtain all kinds of news and intelligence, so he naturally found me."

The anger on the guest's face gradually dissipated.

"In that case, it doesn't matter," he said. "I went to see him this morning, and he told me he had a detective, and I asked for your address and came right away. I didn't want the police to get involved in a purely personal matter. But it won't do any harm if you just help us find another Garrideb."

"That is the case," said Holmes. "Since you have come, sir, we had better hear from you your own account of the situation. My friend does not know the details."

Mr. Garrideb looked me up and down with a not very friendly look.

"Does he need to know the details?" he asked.

"He's my partner."

"Well, there's no need to keep it a secret. I'll try to keep it brief. If you're from Kansas, it goes without saying that you know who Alexander Hamilton Garrideb was. He really started out on the estate. , and later made his fortune in wheat warehouses in Chicago, but he spent all his money on land in the Kansas River valley west of Fort Dodge, an estate the size of your county, pastures, forests, Cultivated land, mining areas, everything, these are real estates that make money for him.

"He has no blood offspring—at least I haven't heard of any. But he's very proud of his rare name. That's how he and I got acquainted. I was in the law business in Topeka, and one day this old man suddenly Came to the door. He was delighted to know another Garrideb like me. He had a quirk, and he wanted to find out if there was another Garrideb in the world. 'Find me another Garridebs!' said he. I told him I'm a busy man and I don't have time to run around all day looking for Garridebs. 'Anyway,' said he , "If I don't expect it, one day, you will have to look for it if you don't want to." I thought he was joking, but I found out soon that his words came true.

"He died less than a year after he said that and left a will. It's the weirdest will ever in the state of Kansas. He asked for three equal parts and I could have one of them. , on the condition that I find two more people surnamed Garrideb to share the two estates. Each estate is no more than 500 million US dollars, but unless the three of us come together, otherwise no money will be used.

"This is such a big opportunity that I simply put my legal business aside and set out to find the Garridebs. There aren't any in America. Sir, I've been all over America like a fine comb, but one Garrideb couldn't find it either. Then I came to my home country to try my luck. His name is actually in the London phone book. I found him two days ago and explained the situation to him. But he was alone, with me Similarly, there are several female relatives, but no male relatives. The will stipulates that there are three grown males. So, you see, there is still one missing, and if you can help us find another one, we will pay you immediately."

"You see, Watson," said Holmes, with a smile, "that what I am talking about is not a little wild. But, sir, I think the easiest way to do it is to advertise it in a newspaper."

"I have already registered, but no one has applied."

"Gee! That's a weird little question. Well, I'll keep an eye on it in my spare time. By the way, you're from Topeka, and I had an old friend, the late Lysander Dr. Starr, who was mayor of Topeka in [-]."

"Old Dr. Starr?" said the guest. "His name is still venerated. Well, Mr. Holmes, I see that all we can do is to report to you how things are going. You will listen to me in a day or two." Believe me." After speaking, the American bowed and left.

Holmes had lighted his pipe, and sat for a long time with a queer smile on his face.

"What do you think?" I finally asked him.

"I am queer, Watson, I am queer!"

"What's strange?"

(End of this chapter)