The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 91 The Return (6)
"This is to the architect's advantage," said Holmes, as we went out. "He needs no helper to prepare a secret room for himself--except, of course, his housekeeper. I should put her in your trap at once." bag."

"I accept your opinion. But how do you know about this place, Mr. Holmes?"

"I first concluded that he was hiding in the house. When I first walked down this corridor, it was six feet shorter than the same corridor downstairs, so his hiding place was very clear. I do not think he has the guts to stand still in front of the fire. We could go in and catch him, of course, but I think it would be more interesting to force him out that way. Besides, Lestrade, you in the morning You laughed at me, and I should confuse you in return."

"Well, sir, you did take revenge on me. But how do you know he's still in the house?"

"That thumbprint, Lestrade. You said it was conclusive. In an entirely different sense, it was conclusive. I know it wasn't there the day before yesterday. I've paid great attention to detail, as you know." .And I checked the lobby that day, and there was really nothing on the wall. So the fingerprints were put on later at night."

"But how did you press it?"

"Simple. When they sealed the packeted notes that night, Jonas Oldeker told MacFarlane to press his thumb on the wax on one of the envelopes to stick it firmly. The young man Man did so so quickly and so naturally that I believe he himself does not remember the incident. It is likely that it happened by chance and that Oldacre himself did not intend to take advantage of it at the time. Later he was in the Chamber of Secrets As he was thinking about the case, it occurred to him that he could use the fingerprint to create a conclusive proof of McFarlane's guilt. All he had to do was take a wax mold from the wax seal, prick enough blood with a needle to smear the mold, and then Just press the seal on the wall at night, by yourself or by the housekeeper. It's the easiest thing to do. If you go through the documents he brought into the back room, you can find the seal with fingerprints, I bet .”

"Excellent!" said Lestrade. "Excellent indeed! All doubts have been cleared up by what you have said. But, Mr. Holmes, what is the purpose of this great deception?"

It was amusing to watch how the snooty detective suddenly looked like a schoolboy asking his teacher questions.

"I don't think it's difficult to explain. The gentleman who's waiting downstairs is a very cunning, vicious, vengeful man. Do you know that he once proposed to MacFarlane's mother and was rejected? Didn't you? I warned you." But you should have gone to Blackheath first, and then to Norwood. Later, this hurt of feeling fed a resentment in his wicked and treacherous heart, and he had been planning revenge all his life, but had never found the opportunity. The last couple of days During the year, he had bad luck--probably failed in a secret speculative business, and found himself in a bad position. He was determined to deceive all other creditors. To this end, he gave a gentleman called Cornelius Big checks out. I'm guessing it was his own pseudonym. I haven't traced the checks, but I believe they were all deposited under that name at a bank in a small out-of-town town that Oldeke frequented. , change his face and live there. He intends to change his name in the future, withdraw the money, and start over elsewhere.”

"Well, it's entirely possible."

"He figured that if he could make it look like he was murdered by an old lover's only son, he could disappear and get his revenge on his old lover. This poisonous ruse was nothing short of a masterpiece, and he was about to bring it to life like a master." Fulfillment. The will, written to create an obvious criminal motive, to see McFarlane in private without the knowledge of his parents, to deliberately leave the cane, the blood in the bedroom, the animal bones in the lumber pile, and his own buttons— — all of this is admirable. He has laid a net that would have seemed unbreakable a few hours ago, but he lacks the artist's gift for knowing when to stop. The noose around the poor young man's neck was tightened a little more, and the result was superfluous, and ruined everything. Let us go downstairs, Lestrade. I have a question or two to ask him."

The villain was sitting in his living room, with a policeman standing beside him.

"It was only a joke, my good sir—a prank and nothing else," he kept pleading. "I assure you, sir, that I hid only to see what effect my disappearance would have. I I trust you don't think I'm going to do any harm to young Mr MacFarlane?"

"That's for the jury to decide," said Lestrade. "At any rate, if not attempted murder, we'd charge you with conspiracy."

"You will probably soon see your creditors order the bank to freeze Mr. Cornelias' deposits," said Holmes.

Startled, Oldek turned to look at my friend viciously.

"I have to thank you," he said, "and maybe someday I will repay you."

Holmes smiled, but did not mind.

"I don't think you'll have time for anything else for the next few years," he said. "By the way, what else did you throw into the lumber pile besides your trousers? A dead dog, a few rabbits, or something else What do you want to say? Oh, how rude you are! Never mind, I think two rabbits are enough to explain the blood and blackened ashes. Watson, if you want to write an article on the history of the case , you can write about rabbits."

dancers
For some hours Holmes sat in silence.With his slender body bent, he stared at a chemical test tube in front of him, in which a compound with a very pungent smell was being boiled.His head was drooping on his chest, and from me he looked like a lanky strange bird, all plumage dark gray, with a black crest.

He suddenly asked me: "Watson, do you plan to stop investing in South Africa?"

I was taken aback.Although I have been used to Holmes's various strange abilities, it still surprised me that he broke my heart so suddenly.

"How do you know?" I asked him.

He turned around on the round stool, holding the steaming test tube in his hand.There was a hint of a smile in his deep-set eyes.

"Now, Watson, you admit that you were taken aback," said he.

"I was taken aback."

"I should ask you to write this sentence down and sign it with your name."

"why?"

"Because 5 minutes later you're going to say it's easy."

"I will definitely not say it."

"You see, my dear Watson," he put the test-tubes back on the shelf, and began in the tone of a professor lecturing to his class, "to formulate a series of inferences, and to make each inference depend on the The reasoning that precedes it, while itself simple and straightforward, is actually not difficult. Then, removing the middle reasoning altogether, and only announcing the starting point and conclusion to your audience, you can create a startling, possibly exaggerated effect. .So it is not difficult to deduce that I can tell from a glance at the tiger's mouth in your left hand that you do not intend to invest your small capital in gold mines."

"I don't see how it matters."

"It seems not, but I can tell you these close connections right away. The missing links in this very simple chain are: one, when you came back from the club last night, there was white powder on the tiger's mouth on your left hand; [-], you never play billiards with anyone but Thurston; [-], you told me four weeks ago that Thurston bought The privilege of a certain South African industry will expire in another month, and he wants to partner with you; five, your check book is locked in my drawer, and you have never asked me for the key; six, you are not going to put The money is invested in South Africa."

"It's so easy!" I exclaimed.

"Exactly!" he said, somewhat displeased. "Every problem, once explained, becomes very simple. Here is a problem that is not clear. See how it can be explained, my friend." He Throwing a note on the table, he started his experiment again.

I was surprised to see some absurd symbols drawn on the note.

"Hey, Holmes, this is a child's drawing."

"Oh, that's what you thought."

"Could it be something else?"

"That's what Mr. Hilton Cupid is anxious to find out. He lives at Racecourse Estate in Norfolk. This little riddle has arrived by the early mail this morning, and he himself is coming here by the second train. Someone is ringing the doorbell, Watson. If nothing else, it will be him."

There was a sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs, and presently entered a gentleman, a tall, strong, clean-shaven gentleman.His bright eyes and rosy cheeks belied that he lived far from the fog of Baker Street.He seemed to bring some rich, fresh, cool East Coast air with him when he entered the door.He shook hands with us, and was about to sit down when his eyes fell on the piece of paper with strange symbols on it, which I had just looked at carefully and put on the table.

"How do you explain it, Mr. Holmes?" he cried. "They tell me that you like queer things, and I don't think there is anything more queer than that. I am sending this note first to let you Have time to study it before I come."

"It is indeed a difficult work," said Holmes. "At first glance, it looks like a children's joke. Some strange dancing figures are drawn horizontally on the paper. How can you treat such a strange piece of work?" Why do you attach so much importance to your paintings?"

"I don't think much of it, Mr. Holmes. But my wife does. The picture frightens her to death. She doesn't say a word, but I can see it in her eyes. That's me. The reason for this has to be thoroughly understood.”

Holmes held up the note so that the sun shone squarely on it.It was a page torn out of a notepad, on which the dancing figures had been drawn in pencil, arranged like this.

Holmes looked at it for a moment, then carefully folded the note up and put it in his wallet.

"This may turn out to be a most interesting and unusual case," said he. "Mr. Hilton Cupid, you have given me some details in your letter. But I would like you to repeat it to my friend Dr. Watson." .”

"I'm not very good at telling stories," said the guest.His hands were large and powerful, clenched and loosened nervously. "If something is not clear, you can just ask me. I will start from before and after my marriage last year, but I want to make it clear that although I am not a rich person, our family lives in Machang Village for about 500 years and no one in Norfolk has been more famous than us. Last year I was in London for Queen Victoria's [-]th anniversary and stayed at a flat in Russell Square because our parish vicar Parker lived This is the apartment. In this apartment also lived a young American lady, her name was Patrick, and her full name was Elsie Patrick. So we became friends. Before I had lived in London for a month, I Already deeply in love with her. We quietly registered our marriage at the registry office, and returned to Norfolk together. You must think me crazy, Holmes, for a son of a famous family to marry a wife of unknown origin in this way. Sir, but if you've seen her and know her, you'll understand.

"She was blunt on that at the time. Elsie was. I can't say she didn't give me a chance to change my mind, but it never occurred to me to change my mind. She said to me: 'I've had some nasty relationships in my life. I just want to forget about them now. I don't want to bring it up because it makes me miserable. Hilton, if you marry me, you marry a woman who has done nothing to make you feel ashamed. But, you My promise must be believed, and I must be allowed to remain silent about all that has happened to me before I married you. If you think these conditions are too harsh for you, then you can go back to Norfolk, and I will live my life as a bachelor. 'She said these words to me just the day before our wedding. I told her I would marry her on her terms and I have kept my word.

"We have been married for a year now and have been very happy. However, about a month ago, at the end of June, I saw the first sign of trouble to come. On that day my wife received a letter from the United States I saw the United States stamp on it. She turned pale and threw the letter into the fire after reading it. She didn't mention it afterward, and I didn't, because I had to keep my word Since then, she has been restless for a moment, and has always had a look of fear on her face, as if she was waiting for something. But if she does not speak, I will say nothing. By the way, Mr. Holmes, she is An honest fellow. Whatever mishaps she has had in life in the past, it was no fault of her own. I am only a common country gentleman in Norfolk, but there is no other family in England with a higher reputation. She knew it well, and she knew it well before we married me. She would not want any stain on our family's reputation, and I have no doubts about that.

"Well, now I come to the dubious part of the matter. About a week ago--it was last Tuesday--I found on a windowsill someone had drawn some funny little people dancing, exactly like the ones on the paper, in chalk. Drawn. I thought it was drawn by the stable boy, but he swore he had no idea. Anyway, those little dancing figures were painted in the night. I erased them, and only mentioned it to my wife later. to my surprise, she took the matter seriously, and begged me to show her, if such a picture ever appeared again. Nothing came up for a week. Yesterday morning, I was at I found this note on the garden sundial. I showed it to Elsie, and she fainted at once. After that, she seemed to be in a dream, trance, and her eyes were full of fear. Mr. Holmes, in that I wrote you a letter when I sent you the note. I can't give this note to the police because they'll laugh at me and you'll tell me what to do. I'm not rich, But in case something happens to my wife, I'm willing to lose everything to protect her."

He was a handsome man who grew up in England, simple, honest, and refined, with honest blue eyes and a handsome face.His love and trust for his wife were written all over his face.Holmes listened intently to his account of the story, and sat for a while in thought.

"Don't you think, Monsieur Cupid," he said at last, "that it would be best to have your wife tell you her secret?"

Hilton Cupid shook his head.

"A promise is always a promise, Mr. Holmes. If Elsie would have told me, she would have done so. If she would not, I will not compel her to. But I can do it myself. I must do it. "

"Then I'd like to help you. First, have you ever heard of any strangers coming to your house?"

"No."

"I suppose the area around your hometown is a very peaceful place, and any strange face will attract attention, isn't it?"

"It's like this in a very nearby place. However, not too far from our place, there are several watering places for livestock, and the farmers there often stay with outsiders."

"These incomprehensible symbols must have a certain meaning. If it is drawn randomly, we can hardly explain it. However, if it has a certain pattern, I believe we can make it clear. However, the only one is too short , prevents me from starting an investigation. The information you have provided is not clear enough to form the basis of an investigation. I suggest that you go back to Norfolk first, and pay close attention, and make copies of any new dancers that may appear. Earlier It is a pity that there is no copy of those dancing people chalked on the windowsill. You have to inquire carefully about any strangers who have been around. When you gather new evidence, come here again. I That is all I can advise you at the moment. If there is any urgent new case, I will be at your house in Norfolk at any time."

After the guests left, Holmes became silent and often lost in thought.Several times over the course of several days I saw him take the note out of his wallet and spend long hours poring over the odd symbols on it.However, he never mentioned it.Until about two weeks later, I was going out one afternoon when he stopped me.

"Watson, you had better not go out."

"what's wrong?"

"Because I had a telegram from Hilton Cupid this morning. Do you remember him and the dancers? He was supposed to be in Liverpool Street at twenty past one, and could be here any minute. From his telegram, I deduced that there had been important new information."

It was not long before the Norfolk gentleman arrived directly from the station in a carriage.He looked anxious and depressed, with tired eyes and a lined forehead.

"It's a tormenting thing, Mr. Holmes," he said, sinking exhaustedly into his chair. "It's enough when you feel that you are surrounded by invisible people, and you don't know who is plotting against you." Yes. And you see that it's torturing your own wife bit by bit, too, and that's not something any flesh can bear. She's getting thinner by the torture, and I've seen her thinner."

"Did she say anything?"

(End of this chapter)