Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 164: Investigating Strange Cases (6)
As soon as Madam spoke here, Holmes suddenly stretched out his hand to stop her. He rushed to the door, flung it open, and dragged in a tall, thin, middle-aged woman.

Holmes grabbed the woman by the arms and shoulders, and she struggled and screamed.

She screamed: "Let go of me, what are you doing with me?"

"Susan? Why are you standing at the door?" Mrs. Maberley asked in surprise.

"Ma'am, I want to ask these two guests if they want to stay for dinner. I can prepare, but he—"

Holmes said coldly: "Don't lie! You have been standing outside the door for at least five minutes. I have already discovered it. You are not familiar with this matter. Tell me, who sent you here?"

Susan looked at Holmes suspiciously.

"Why do you say that? Do you have the right to catch me?"

Holmes ignored her and turned to Mrs. Maberley.

"Mrs. Maberley, have you ever spoken to anyone about writing to me or wanting to write to me?"

"I never said that."

"Who sent the letter for you then?"

"Susan."

"That's right," Holmes turned to the maid. "Susan, are you still arguing? Who is behind you? How do you inform him?"

"I do not have!"

"You have no good results like this, so why don't we send you to the police station?"

"Give it away, I'm not afraid!"

Mrs. Maberley said now angrily:
"Susan, you were talking to a man on the lawn one day, what did you do behind my back?"

"That's my private matter, there's no need to tell you."

"If I'm not mistaken, that person should be Barney."

"What? How do you know?"

"I guess I guessed right. Susan, I'll give you ten pounds if you tell me who's above Barney?"

"They paid thousands of pounds!"

"That must be a very rich man?"

Susan smiled contemptuously.

"Oh? You laughed, so this 'man' is wrong, he must be a very wealthy woman? Look, I already know a lot, so hurry up and name me!"

"Never tell!"

Mrs. McBerry said, "Susan, I command you, my master, to speak!"

"'Master'? At most, I won't be here anymore. I've had enough. Now I'll take my things and go." The woman went out boldly as she spoke.

Holmes did not stop her.He said to me and Mrs. Maberley very solemnly:
"It seems that he is a person with a lot of background. This case is interesting. Look at how fast they moved. I just received my wife's letter after ten o'clock in the morning. Susan immediately reported it to Barney, and Barney asked for his instructions. The hostess immediately formulated a plan of action and asked Steve to threaten me. I admire this continuous action."

"But what exactly is their purpose?"

"I would like to know too. May I ask madam who lived in the house before you came?"

"A retired naval captain whose name seems to be Ferguson."

"Is this person special?"

"I didn't find out, and I didn't hear that he was special."

"Then maybe he buried jewelry or something under the foundation of his house? There are always some people in the world who like to do that. No, why would they buy your furniture? There can't be anything under the ground. Then you have something like a famous painting handed down from generation to generation. Kind of collectible?"

"No, only one set of court tea set is more valuable."

"A tea set won't let them do that, and besides, he can buy it directly from you if he wants it. Why should he buy all your things? I think there must be something in your house that they are particularly interested in , but you don't know."

I said beside me: "I think so too."

"Watson agrees, and that must be right."

Mrs. Maberley said: "What could that be? I can't think of anything unusual in the house."

"Okay, let's analyze it first, and try to narrow down its scope through logical reasoning. How long have you lived here?"

"It's been almost two years."

"Two years, you have been very peaceful during these two years, haven't you?"

"Yes, this strange thing just happened in the past few days."

"It's been quiet all the time. Suddenly, within four or five days, someone is eager to buy your house and furniture. Then there is only one problem, Watson, what do you think is the problem?"

I said: "It can only show that no matter what the other party is interested in, this thing has just entered this house."

"Yes. Mrs. Maberley, what new additions have you made to your house recently?"

"No, nothing new."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, I haven't bought anything for half a year."

"That would be strange. Well, since we can no longer analyze it, let us wait for the development of the situation. Yes, what is the ability of your lawyer?"

"Mr. Sutro is very competent."

"Then do you have any other servants besides Susan?"

"And a young maid."

"I think you are in danger, I'd better ask Sutro to stay here for a few days."

"What danger?"

"I don't know that very well. The case is still shrouded in clouds and it is difficult to see clearly. I think we need to start from the other side. Do you have the address of the middleman who negotiated with you?"

"He has his business card, but only his name and occupation: Auctioneer and Appraiser."

"There is no address, so you can't find him in the phone book. Come here today, and let me know if there is anything new."

As we said good-bye to Mrs. Maberley, and passing through the hall, Holmes was fascinated by a few boxes piled in a corner.Customs labels of various colors were affixed to the boxes.

He asked: "What is this?"

"It was sent last week, belonging to my poor son Douglas."

"You haven't opened it?"

"No."

"Sent last week, isn't this new? There may be precious items here."

"Improbable. I know Douglas, Mr. Holmes. His income is only a wage and a small annuity. How can he have anything precious?"

"Don't be careless," said Holmes thoughtfully.

"Mrs. Maberley, I suggest you open the box and have a look. We will come back tomorrow to hear your results."

We left.

At the corner of the road we met the boxer who was coming and going in a hurry.Apparently he was sent to spy on us.The sun that was about to set in the west stretched his originally tall figure longer, making him look even more terrifying.

Holmes reached into his pocket.

"Sir, are you drawing a gun?"

"Sir Steve, of course not, I'm looking for my snuff bottle."

"Mr. Holmes, you know how to joke."

"Do you think being followed is a joke? You won't forget what I said this morning."

"Don't dare. I have made up my mind, Mr. Holmes. I don't want to mention the Perkins thing again. Therefore, if you need me, I will be willing to work for you, if you only ask."

"Okay then. I'll just ask you one thing, who is your top boss?"

"My God! This stumps me. I know that Barney gave me orders, and they don't let me know anything else. Please believe me, I am absolutely telling the truth."

"In that case, then I will trust you first. Steve, listen, I will protect the house in front of you, the people in the house and everything in the room, understand?"

We still move forward.

Holmes said: "I think he really doesn't know who the mastermind is, otherwise, he would have said it in order to protect himself. Watson, we need the help of Randyr Pike now. You go back first, and I will go to him right away. See Can you find out something new?"

I heard that Landell Pike's income is equivalent to that of a government official. He specializes in collecting information on all aspects of society and contributing articles to tabloids.He can be said to be the most accurate and vivid dictionary of social rumors.Occasionally Holmes provides him with some information, and he can also help Holmes get the fastest information.

I went to Holmes' room the next morning. From his expression, I could tell that I had learned a lot from Pike yesterday.But before we could greet each other, a telegram came.The content of the telegram is surprising:
Come quickly, the villa is stolen, and the police are here.

Sutro

Holmes clapped his hands: "They did it really fast, faster than I expected. The climax is coming, Watson, do you feel it? The man who manipulates this case is really coming, otherwise every step will not be taken seriously." It is so timely, which is consistent with what I inquired about yesterday. However, regarding the theft, it would have been nice if you had been guarded there yesterday. Alright, let’s go to Harrow as soon as possible.”

Returning to Rose Mountain Villa, the scene is completely different from yesterday.A crowd of residents gathered around the door, and two policemen were checking the door and windows.

In the back room we found an old grizzled gentleman, Lawyer Sutro, who wrote the cable.Next to him was a police officer who was in good spirits and pointed fingers.As soon as we got up, he started talking to me.

"Oh, it's a great honor to meet a famous detective. However, I think this is just an ordinary burglary case, and the ordinary police can handle it. I'm afraid you, an expert, don't need to intervene."

Holmes said: "I am not an expert. You and your brothers are experts in handling cases. But, can you be sure that this is an ordinary theft?"

"Of course I'm sure. And I know it's the Barney Group. Someone saw that big Steve in the side, and we know where to find them."

"Then what did they steal?"

"Well, they don't seem to have all of them, some—oh, Mrs. Maberley's here."

Mrs. Maberley was helped in by a little maid.The lady looked weak, pale and listless.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Holmes, but yesterday I did not listen to your advice and let Mr. Sutro come to guard. I was afraid of disturbing others, but this happened."

"In that case, let's think about how to deal with it. Ma'am, you look very weak. Can you tell me the whole process?"

"I don't think it's necessary for Madam to bother you, I can tell you." The police officer held the notebook very attentively.

"Thank you. But if Madame persists, I still hope—"

Mrs. Maberley said: "I can do it, and the situation is actually not very complicated. The group seems to be very familiar with this house. It must be that annoying Susan who has been in collusion with them. My mouth was dipped in potion. I covered myself with a cloth and lost consciousness. When I woke up, there was a person standing by the bed, and another person stood up from the pile of my son's luggage, holding a roll of paper in his hand."

"and after?"

"Then I caught the guy."

"Oh, it's too dangerous," said the officer.

"Indeed, when I caught him, another jumped and beat me, and then I didn't know it. Mary the maid seemed to hear a noise, and the police came, and the gangster ran away."

"Then what did they take?"

"It didn't seem like they took anything valuable. They kept rummaging through my son's suitcase. I knew there would be nothing of value there."

"Leaving any clues?"

"When I arrested the man, I took a crumpled piece of paper from his hand, and the words on it seemed to be written by my son."

"Oh? Where is that paper?"

The officer said, "I don't think the paper is useful, and it's not the thief's—"

"But I'm still curious."

The police officer took out a large sheet of writing paper from his notebook, handed it to Holmes, and said in his mouth: "Mr. Holmes, I have the same habit as you. I don't miss any clues. There may be fingerprints of thieves on it. .”

Holmes studied the paper carefully.

"What do you think, Mr. Inspector?"

"It's kind of like the end of a novel. It's a puzzling text."

"This is page 240, and there are 240 pages before it, probably stolen by thieves."

"I think so."

"It's strange to break into a house in the middle of the night for a manuscript. What do you think this means?"

"Maybe they caught something in the rush, but this time they were disappointed." Mrs. Maberley asked, "Why are you looking for my son's things?"

"I don't think they got anything downstairs, so they ran upstairs, expecting something good in the chest. What do you think, Holmes?"

My friend said: "Let me see, Watson, come and let us have a look at this thing."

Holmes and I stood at the window and read the manuscript paper carefully.

The beginning of the manuscript begins with an incomplete sentence:

—a great deal of blood flowed from his face, from fists and knife wounds.However, when he saw the face that he was willing to give everything for, the owner of that face was indifferent to his pain and humiliation. At this time, his heart was bleeding more than his face, and his heart was more painful than his face!He looked up and saw that she was smiling!What an inhuman devil, oh!Immediately, love is gone and hate is born.People always live for goals, Miss, if my goal is no longer to embrace you, let me make destroying you the goal of my existence!

Holmes handed back the manuscript to the police officer and said with a smile:
"How strange! At first the author used the third person pronoun 'he', but later it became No.1 pronoun 'I'. The author must have been too excited and imagined himself as the male protagonist."

"Perhaps. But I don't think it's a very good work." The inspector put away the paper and looked at Holmes.

Holmes and the Inspector said:

"Let's go, Mr. Inspector. I think you are quite capable of handling this case, and I can't help you here."

He turned to Mrs. Maberley.

"Mrs. Maberley, you said you were going abroad for a visit. Do you still have this idea?"

"Oh, I've always thought of that."

"Where would you most like to go? The Madumbar Islands, the Riviera, or Cairo?"

"If I have enough travel money, I want to travel around the world."

"'Around the World'? Very good! Well then, you will have my letter in the afternoon. Good-bye, madam, Sergeant, good-bye!"

So we left Rose Hill.

"I need to do something at once," said Holmes to me in the noisy street. "You will come with me to a woman like Isadora Klein, and you'd better bring a witness, or— —”

He stopped the following words.

We hired a cab and drove to an address in the Grand Place.

In the carriage my friend asked me: "Do you know what's going on, Watson?"

"I can only say that I know a little. Now we are going to meet the mastermind who planned the whole thing?"

"Yes! You've heard the name Isadora Klein, haven't you? This woman is famous for her incomparable beauty. She is the richest and most beautiful widow in the world, the German sugar magnate Klein is Her dead husband, she was married to him, but he was in his 60s at the time. After widowhood, she was free and even did whatever she wanted, and she had several lovers, Douglas Maberley being one of them. Parker The news is very accurate. Isadora and Douglas used to be tender and affectionate, and they had a very good understanding, but this woman was born to like the new and dislike the old, and soon had a new lover. Douglas couldn't tolerate this. He was proud and stubborn, and wanted to stay with her forever. So there was a conflict between the two."

"So, the manuscript is about his personal experiences and feelings?"

"Yes. We now basically know the outline of the whole matter. It is said that she is going to marry Duke Romo, who is more than 20 years younger than her. Originally, the Duke's mother disagreed. If there is another scandal, then This marriage is in danger. So she—here we are."

The dwelling before us is one of the best in all of London.One of the servants, who did not look sideways and acted dullly, took our cards and came back to say that the mistress is not at home now.

Holmes was not in a hurry, he wrote a few words in the notebook, tore it out, folded it and gave it to the servant.

"Give this to your master."

The servant took the note away.

I asked, "What did you write?"

"It's very simple. I wrote 'That can only be handed over to the police'. After reading this, she will definitely meet us."

As my friend thought, the robotic servant ushered us into a large living room in less than a minute.The luxurious decoration and exquisite arrangement in the room are the first time I have seen in my life.In the pink half-light, we see this peerless beauty.

Although she is no longer young, I still can't see her age.As soon as we entered the room, she rose from the armchair, tall and graceful, as delicate and beautiful as if carved in ivory.Unfortunately, there was an unfriendly gleam in her eyes.

She took the note that Holmes had just written and said, "This note is an insult to me."

"Don't get excited, madam. You know in your heart, who dares to insult you?"

"Why do you have trouble with me? Why do you meddle in my business?"

"Do I need to say that too? You are such a smart person. However, your mind has been malfunctioning recently."

"What do you mean?"

"Just by hiring a gangster to threaten me will show you are unwise. You should understand that detective Sherlock Holmes will not back down under any threat. I chose this career because I like excitement and adventure. If it is not for your goons Intimidation, I may not make up my mind to investigate the Douglas case."

"I don't know what you're talking about. What a joke! I've got nothing to do with hiring hoodlums."

Upon hearing this, Holmes turned and went away.

Isadora called, "Wait a minute, where are you going?"

"Police Headquarters."

Before we reached the door, the hostess had chased us out.She took Holmes' arm, and changed from rough and indifferent to gentle and kind.

She said: "Sit down, gentlemen, and let's have a good talk. Mr. Detective, I think you are a real gentleman. I can trust you. I can treat you as a friend. I can talk to you." Tell the truth."

Holmes said: "I dare not treat you as a friend. That is a very dangerous thing. I am talking to you on behalf of social justice. You should tell the truth."

"It seems that I really shouldn't send someone to intimidate you."

"You shouldn't hire a group of guys who may betray and betray you."

"It's not possible. I can guarantee that only Barney and his wife Susan know me, and the rest of the people I use don't even know that they are working for me. But these two people—" She smiled, "Yes Absolutely confidential."

"Have you tested them?"

"It can be said like this."

"But this time it's different, they've committed theft, they're being hunted by the police, they're going to be caught and you're going to be bitten."

"No way. They'll take it on themselves without saying a word about me. I'm sure it's not the first time."

"Then I'm the only one who will reveal the truth for you?"

"I don't think so. A gentleman with self-respect and respect for others will definitely let a woman keep some privacy."

"Then you must return Douglas' manuscript."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She laughed, and went to the fireplace and poked a pile of ashes with a poker. "Do you want this? It's probably hard to get it now." She smiled triumphantly while dialing.

"Ma'am, I can't do anything about it. Your behavior is simply too much. Therefore, we have to meet at the police station."

She stopped laughing abruptly, and angrily threw away the poker in her hand.

She cried: "Don't you have any sympathy? Can you look at this from my point of view?"

"Your angle? I'd love to hear it."

(End of this chapter)