The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 44 Four Signatures (28)
I said, "He wants to return these things to the owner."

"That, my dear friend," said Holmes, "is the problem. For the goose had a little card tied to its left leg saying 'To Mrs. Henry Bate', while the lining of this hat read It bears the initials of 'HB'. But in London, there are thousands of people named Bet, and there are hundreds of people named Henry. So if you want to return this thing to the owner, It’s really not an easy thing.”

I asked, "So, what happened to Peterson?"

"Because he knew I liked to study such little things, he sent me my hat and goose on Christmas morning. The goose had stayed with me, and although it was cold, it was not advisable to Better to eat it if it lasts longer. So Peterson took it away and I kept the hat of the gentleman who had lost his Christmas meal."

"Did he advertise the lost property in the paper?"

"No."

"So, do you have a clue as to the identity of this man?"

"We can only speculate as best we can."

"From this hat?"

"Correct."

I said, "You know how to joke, what can you deduce from a shabby hat like this?"

"This is my magnifying glass. You should know my method. Try it. Can you see something about the personality of the owner of this hat?"

I took the hat in my hand and looked it over and over.It was an ordinary round black felt hat, which was worn out.The red lining inside was faded, and there was no miller's mark on it, except for Holmes' words 'HB' scrawled on one side.There are small holes pierced at the brim, but the elastic has come off.Also, it has been ink blacked out to cover up the faded cloth cover of the hat in several places, but it is still cracked in many places, dusty and stained in a few places.

I handed him the hat back and said, "I don't see anything."

"On the contrary, Watson, you can see everything, but you don't speculate on what you see, and you don't have the confidence to draw inferences."

"Then please tell me your reasoning."

He picked up his hat and gazed at it with his characteristic observation.He said: "Although there are not many things associated with this hat, a few inferences are obvious. I know that the owner of this hat is a smart person and has lived well in the past three years, but now He was in a difficult situation. He used to be very far-sighted, but his family's fortunes and ambitions are weak, and his spirits are weak. He has also fallen into the habit of drinking. From this, it may be concluded that his wife no longer loves him."

I smiled and said: "My dear Holmes, there you go."

He ignored me and continued: "But anyway, he still maintains a certain degree of self-esteem. He has always lived reclusively and rarely interacts with people. He is middle-aged, his hair is already gray, and he just cut it a few days ago , and smeared with lemon salve. These obvious facts are inferred from the hat. Incidentally, he has no gas lamps in his house."

"You must be joking, Holmes," I said.

He said: "I'm not kidding, I've told you all the results of my research, don't you see how they came out?"

"I'm sure I'm dull, but I can't follow what you're saying. For example, how did you deduce that this man was intelligent?"

Holmes put the hat on his head, so that it covered his brow and pressed down on the bridge of his nose.He said: "This is a question of volume. A person with such a big head must have something in his head! So I say he is a smart person."

I said, "Then, how do you know that his family is in trouble?"

"Have had this hat for three years, hats with the rolled up brim were all the rage at the time, it's a nice hat, you see it has ribbons and nice lining here. Since the man has three years If he could afford such an expensive hat before, and now he has no other new hats, it is conceivable that he is in a worse condition than before."

"Oh, you're right. But how do you tell if this man had a vision and then lost his ambition?"

Holmes laughed, put his finger on the small round hole for the elastic band on the hat, and said: "This thing was not there when I bought the hat, but this man made it later, which shows that this man has foresight, because he This is to prevent the hat from being blown away by the wind. But now that the elastic band has fallen off, he does not repair it, which obviously shows that he is not as good as before, and his will is getting more and more depressed. On the other hand, he used ink to paint the The taint, the attempt to conceal its shabbyness, shows that he has not quite lost his self-respect."

I said, "Your reasoning seems reasonable."

"Also, I said he was middle-aged, with gray hair, had just had a haircut the other day, and used lemon cream, etc., all by examining the lining of his hat carefully. I used a magnifying glass to find many neat spots on it. Broken hair, and they are all gray and white, and there is a smell of lemon cream in the hat. And you can see that the dust on this hat is not the sand dust on the street, but the brown fluffy dust in the room, which shows that The hat was hung in the room most of the time. And the sweat on the lining shows that the man sweated a lot, so he wasn't a very well-exercised man."

I said, "But his wife doesn't love him anymore, so how do you explain that?"

"This hat has not been wiped for some weeks. Watson, if I see that your hat has accumulated a week's worth of dust, and your wife allows you to come out like this, I am afraid I will think you too. Already lost the love of your wife."

I said, "But he might be a wifeless man."

"Impossible, because he brought the goose to his wife. Have you forgotten the card tied to the goose's leg?"

"You explained everything, but how did you know he didn't have gas in the house?"

He said: "If there are only one or two drops of candle oil on his hat, it may be dropped by accident, but I saw at least five drops of candle oil, so I think he often lights candles at home, and the candle oil is easy to drip." On the hat. After all, no gaslighter would drip so much candle oil on his hat. Will my words please anyone?"

I smiled and said, "Your mind is really sharp, but since you feel that there is no suspicion of a crime in this matter, and the man has lost nothing except losing a goose, then, isn't your energy wasted? "

Holmes was about to answer me, when the door opened suddenly, and Peterson rushed in, his face flushed with astonishment and bewilderment. He gasped and said, "That goose, Mr. Holmes! That goose ,gentlemen!"

Holmes turned from the sofa, looked at the excited expression on the man's face, and said, "Oh, what's the matter with it? Did it come alive and fly out of your kitchen window?"

Petersen said: "Sir, look what my wife found in the goose crop!" He stretched out his hand as he said, and saw a crystal sapphire in his open palm.This gem is slightly smaller than soybeans, but it is dazzling, crystal clear and clean, like a flash of lightning flashing in his dark palm.

Holmes whistled, stood up, and said, "My God, Peterson, do you know what this unexpected treasure is?"

"A diamond, sir, is a precious stone. Cut glass with it as you would cut clay."

"This is not an ordinary gem," said Holmes, "it is a very precious one."

I couldn't help shouting: "Is this the sapphire of the Countess of Moka?"

"Yes," said Holmes. "I have been reading about this gem in The Times every day lately, and I know its size and shape. We can approximate its value, as a thousand pounds is not offered for as much as this one." One-twentieth of the market price of gems."

Peterson slumped down on his chair, stared at Holmes and me and said, "My God, a thousand pounds!"

"It's just a bounty, and I know that for some reason, the countess is willing to give half of her property as long as she can find this gem."

I said, "If I remember correctly, this gem was lost at the 'World Hotel'."

Holmes said: "Yes, it was December 22, that is, five days ago. It is believed that it was stolen by a plumber named John Horner. Because the evidence is solid, he has been arrested by the police. Here I am. There are also some records about this." He took out a newspaper from the pile, looked at the date, folded the newspaper in his hand, and read the following:
The "World Hotel" Gem Heist:
John Horner, a 26-year-old plumber, was sent to the court for prosecution on suspicion of stealing the gem from the Countess of Moka on the 22nd of this month.James Ryder, the porter of the hotel, testified that on the day of the murder he had taken John Horner into the dressing room of the Countess of Morcar to fix the grate on the fireplace.He stayed with Horner for a while, then he was summoned out, and when he returned, Horner had left and the dresser had been pried open, leaving a small Moroccan locket on the dresser , but it is empty.It was later learned that the Countess used this box to hold the precious stones.Ryder immediately called the police, and Horner was apprehended that night, but the jewel was neither with him nor in his home.At the trial, Catherine Cusack, the Countess's maid, claimed that she had heard Ryder's exclamation, and testified that what she saw when she ran to the room matched Ryder's account. B District Police Inspector Bradstreet said Horner resisted his arrest and swore his innocence.Considering that the man had been guilty of theft, the magistrate refused to proceed lightly, and referred the case to the Assizes.Horner was so emotional during the trial that he fainted during the sentencing and was carried out of the courtroom.

Holmes finished reading, threw the newspaper aside, and said: "So much has been provided by the police and the courts. Now we have to solve the problem of finding out how the jewels in the jewelry box ended up in Tottenham." in the crop of a goose picked up in the street. You should know, Watson, that our little inference has now become more relevant than a frivolous act. The jewel came from the crop of the goose, and the The goose is from Mr. Henry Bate. I have studied and told you about the man's broken hat and other features, so now I will find that gentleman as soon as possible, and find out what part he plays in this matter. On this point, we'd better put an announcement in all the newspapers first, and if it doesn't work, we'll have to think of another way."

I said, "What does it say in the notice?"

"Please give me a pencil and a piece of paper." He took the paper and pen, and said as he wrote, "Here is what I want to say: 'Someone found a white goose and a crown on the corner of Goodge Street. Black felt hat. Mr. Henry Bate, please come to 06 Baker Street at 30:221 tonight, and you can get back the original if you make an inquiry.' This is short and clear."

I said, "Yeah, concise. But I don't know if he'll see it."

"He will definitely pay attention to the reports, because in the eyes of the poor, this is a heavy loss. At that time, he accidentally broke the glass on the side of the road. When Peterson approached, he panicked and just wanted to run away. Thinking of something else. But then he must regret why he left his goose. Besides, his name is in the newspaper, and everyone who knows him will remind him to read the newspaper. Mr. Peterson, this is for you, please as soon as possible Go to the ad agency and put the ad in tonight's paper."

Peterson asked, "What newspaper, sir?"

"The Globe, The Star, The Belmer Gazette, The Evening News, The Echo, St James's Palace, whatever."

Peterson said, "Okay. So, sir, what about this gem?"

Holmes said: "I will take care of this gem first, thank you. Also, when you come back, buy a goose and send it to me, because you have eaten that goose, and I must exchange it for him."

After Peterson left, Holmes took up the jewel and examined it carefully under the lamp. He said: "This is really a priceless treasure. Look at how brilliant it is! But it is also the bane of crime, and every jewel is a bait for the devil. On the bigger and older gemstones, every facet hides a bloody story. This gemstone came out less than 20 years ago and was discovered on the banks of the Xiamen River in South China. Its strangeness is that although it is azure blue Yes, but it has all the hallmarks of a ruby. This gem is not very old, but there is a lot of crime in it. I know of two murders, one disfigurement, one suicide and several burglaries, All this is for this forty-carat crystal. Who would have thought that such a beautiful treasure would be an ominous omen that tempts suicide and crime? I will now lock it in my safe and write to tell Countess, say we have found this jewel."

I said, "Do you think Horner is innocent?"

"Right now I'm not sure."

"Then, do you think Henry Bate is the criminal in this case?"

"I think Henry Bate is probably unaware. He must not have thought that the goose in his hand was more valuable than a goose made of gold. But as long as our advertisement has a response, it will not be difficult. Judgment."

"So, before that person comes, what else are you going to do?"

"There's nothing more to do."

I said, "In that case, I'll go back to my business too, but I'll see tonight how this bizarre matter is resolved."

He said: "I'll be glad to see you again. I have dinner at seven, and I think I'll have a pheasant. But in light of what's happened to me, maybe I should let Mrs. Hudson take a closer look." Is there a gem in that pheasant's crop?"

I said goodbye to Holmes with a smile.

I was delayed for some time because of the doctor's visit. When I got back to Baker Street, it was already 06:30.As I approached, I saw a tall man waiting outside in the light from the window.He was wearing a coat with a Scotch bonnet, all buttoned up.I had hardly reached the door when it opened, and we entered Holmes' room together.

Holmes rose from his chair, greeted his visitor, and said: "I suppose you are Mr. Henry Bate. Please sit by the fire. It is a cold evening, and I can see that you are too. You have come at just the right time, Watson." Time. Is this your hat, Mr. Bate?"

"Yes, sir, this is my hat."

He was a tall, round-armed, thick-chested man, with a large head, a very intelligent-looking man, with a beard, a slightly rosy nose and cheeks, and trembling arms, so that I thought of Holmes' guesses about his characteristics, and they seemed correct. .His coat was all buttoned up and his collar was turned up. There was no shirt between the leaders, and his slender wrists were exposed.He spoke with care and refinement, with the air of a scholar down on his luck.

Holmes said: "I have kept these things for you for a few days, because I hope you will publish an advertisement to retrieve them, but why don't you publish them in the newspaper?"

He smiled sheepishly and replied, "I'm not as rich as I used to be. I was attacked by gangsters and thought they had taken my hat and goose. It was hopeless trying to get them back. It costs me money."

"Your reason is very reasonable. By the way, we had to eat your goose already."

"Have you eaten?" He was so excited that he raised his head slightly, showing a disappointed expression.

"Yes, but we have already bought a goose on the sideboard, which is as fat as yours. I wonder if you are satisfied?"

"Oh, of course, of course I am," said Mr. Bate cheerfully.

"Your goose's feathers, legs, crop, etc. are still with us, so if you want..."

The man laughed suddenly and said, "I can't think of any use for those things except as a memento of my adventure. If you will allow me, sir, just give me the goose on the sideboard." "

Holmes cast a quick glance at me, shrugged his shoulders a little, and went on: "Then, take back your hat and your goose. By the way, where did you get your goose? Because I like it." Raise poultry, and seldom see a better-grown goose than yours."

Bate stood up and put the newly acquired property under his arm and said: "I often go to the Alpha Hotel, which is near the museum, so my friend and I are in the museum during the day. This year our owner Wendy Gate opened A Goose Club, where every member, for a few pennies a week, gets a goose at Christmas time. I paid as I paid, and I got the goose. You know the rest of it Thank you, sir. I wear this Scotch hat neither for my age nor for my identity. But you have benefited me a lot, thank you very much." After he finished speaking, he bowed deeply to us. bowed, and walked out of the room.

After closing the door behind him, Holmes said to me: "Mr. Henry Bate's business is over. He obviously knows nothing about it. Are you hungry, Watson?"

I said, "I'm not hungry."

"Then, we can dine later, we should visit now."

"Ok."

It was a cold night and we wore long coats and scarves.Outside, the sky was cloudless and the stars were twinkling, and the people on the road breathed out like pistol smoke to keep warm.Our feet stepped on the ground and made a crisp and loud sound.We walked through the Physician's Quarter, Wimpole Street, Harley Street, and across Wigmore Street to Oxford Street.A quarter of an hour later, we came to the Alpha Hotel near the museum.It's a small hotel on the corner of a street into Holborn.Holmes and I opened the door together, went in, and ordered two glasses of beer from the red-faced proprietor.

Holmes said: "If your beer is as good as your goose, it is the most delicious beer."

The boss asked in surprise, "My goose?"

"Yes, I spoke to Mr. Henry Bate, a member of your Goose Club, half an hour ago."

"Oh, I see. But that goose doesn't belong to my family."

"Really? Who raised that?"

(End of this chapter)