Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 18 Four Signatures Revealed (7)
Time passed so slowly that when I heard a knock on the door or footsteps in the street, I thought Holmes had returned, or someone who had seen the advertisement and came to report.I tried to keep my thoughts on the book, but I couldn't help thinking about those two strange criminals.I even thought maybe the evidence was insufficient, and Holmes' deduction was wrong?Or is his theory flawed?Or is he seriously deluding himself?I have never found that he made a mistake in his speculation, but a wise man is bound to make a mistake. Maybe he is too confident, so that he regards a very ordinary case as a very complicated one, so he makes mistakes again and again.But I did see the evidence with my own eyes and hear his reasoning with my own ears.Even if some of these strange pieces of evidence aren't all that important, they all have something in common.So I have to admit that even if Holmes's deduction is really wrong, this case is definitely not trivial.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, the doorbell rang suddenly, and then I heard a voice of command. It turned out that it was Ethelney Jones' visit.This time, his attitude was completely different from when he was in Norwood. He no longer regarded himself as an expert. He was very humble and even a little ashamed.

He said: "Good day, sir. Is Holmes in?"

"No, I don't know when he will be back. Please sit down and wait a while, have a cigar, please sit down."

"Thank you." He said while wiping his forehead with a red silk scarf.

"How about another whiskey with soda?"

"Half a glass will do. It's so hot now it's annoying. Do you remember what I said about the Norwood case?"

"Remember a little."

"I have to overthrow it now and reconsider. I have caught Sholto, but he has an irrefutable fact, that is, after breaking up with his brother, there are people who have been with him, and there are people who can prove otherwise. He entered the room through a secret door. In this way, my prestige in the police station will be shaken. But it is difficult for me to solve this case alone, so I hope you can help."

"Everyone needs help sometimes."

He said firmly: "Sir, Holmes is too great for ordinary people to match. Many of his cases are convincing. His method of handling cases is subtle, although sometimes too hasty. But in short, he can be regarded as one of the most effective. Sergeant of his caliber. Honestly, I can't. He sent me a telegram this morning saying there's a new lead in Sholto's case, and here's the telegram."

He handed me the telegram.The telegram was sent from Baiyang Town at twelve o'clock, and the content was:

Please go to Baker Street at once, if I'm not here, please wait a while.I have a lead on the Sholto case, and if you would like to see the outcome of the case with your own eyes, you can come with me tonight.

I said, "Great, he must have picked up the broken thread." Jones was very pleased with it, and said, "It seems that he made a mistake sometimes. Maybe this time it was a waste of time, but as long as there is a glimmer of hope we It must be seized, that is the duty. There is a knock at the door, and perhaps Holmes has returned." At this moment there were heavy breathing and steps on the floor.Listening to the voice, the man's breathing was very difficult, because he had rested twice, and it seemed that going upstairs was also very strenuous.After he came in, it really confirmed my speculation.It was an elderly man in sailor's clothes, with a coat buttoned up to the neck over the sailor's suit.The man's legs were trembling, his waist was bowed and he was panting heavily, and he was obviously old.His shoulders were shaking constantly, his breathing seemed to be laborious, and he was holding a thick wooden stick in his hand. His scarf covered his face, only his gray eyebrows and beard, and a pair of glowing eyes could be seen.From the outside, this man seems to be a very respected navigator, but unfortunately his family has come down.

I asked him, "Are you okay?"

He looked around with the peculiar habit of an old man, and asked, "Is Holmes there?"

"He's not here. But if you need anything, you can tell me."

"I only speak to him personally," he said.

"You told me I could represent him. Did you mean to tell me about the steamboat Mydecai Smith?"

"That's it. I know where the ship is, and I know where the man is, and the treasure, I know all about it."

"Then tell me, and I can tell him everything."

"I only speak to him," he said with old man's obstinacy.

"Then just wait a while."

"No, I can't waste a day here waiting for him. If Holmes is really not at home, I can't help but let him find out the information himself. I don't like you two, and I won't tell you. .”

He got up to go, but Ethelney Jones stopped him and said: "My friend, wait a moment. You have brought very useful news, and you cannot go away like this. You must wait for me whether you like it or not." Friends come back."

The old man wanted to run away, but Jones quickly blocked him at the door.

The old man knocked on the floor with a wooden stick and said loudly, "It's unreasonable! It's unreasonable! I came here to visit my friend, but you two insisted on keeping me. It's so rude to meet you for the first time!"

I said: "Don't be in a hurry, we will try to make up for your wasted time. Please sit on the sofa, and Holmes will be back in a moment."

He covered his face with his hands and sat down very unhappy.Jones and I continued our conversation as we smoked cigars.Suddenly, I heard Holmes' voice: "Friends, you should give me a cigarette too."

We jumped up in surprise, and sure enough, we saw Holmes with a wide smile.

I exclaimed in surprise, "Holmes, it's you! Where's that old man just now?"

He took out the white hair and said, "Here it is. The eyebrows, the beard, the wig, it's all here. I didn't think I could fool you with my disguise. I knew from the beginning that I was good at it."

Jones said excitedly: "Holmes, you are so talented as an actor. With your ability to cough like an old man and your legs, you can earn ten pounds a week without any problem. But, you haven't completely deceived us. , I can already see the look in your eyes."

He lit a cigarette and said: "I have been dressed like this for a day. After this friend wrote a book about me and published it, many criminals knew me. So I can only dress up a little at work. My telegram ,Did you get it?"

"I came here after I got the telegram."

"How's it going on your side?"

"I don't have any clues. Because there is not enough evidence, I put two, and there are two left, but there is no obvious evidence."

"It's okay, you listen to me. There will be two people to fill their vacancies later. As long as you follow my instructions, you will get all the credit in the future, how about it?"

"I'm okay with anything as long as the criminals are caught."

"Good. First of all, I want a speedboat, and it must be a steamer, to be at Westminster Dock at seven o'clock to-night."

"That's no problem. A speedboat often stops there. I'll just call when the time comes."

"To prevent criminals from resisting, there must be two strong policemen."

"There are often two or three men guarding the speedboat. What else is needed?"

"Once the murderer is caught, the treasure will be recovered. A young lady should have half, and I want my friend to deliver it to her with his own hands. What do you think, Watson?"

"I am very honored."

Jones shook his head and said: "I'm afraid this is not in compliance with the rules, but it can be given a green light, but it must be sent back immediately after reading it, waiting for the superior to investigate."

"That's for sure. In the end, you know, I always have to be clear and clear in my cases, so I want to hear the details of the case from Jonathan Small himself, so I want to be under police guard. , to interrogate him informally once. Do you agree?"

"You are in control of the whole case. If you can catch Small, you can interrogate him first. But I don't know, is there such a person?"

"So, you agree?"

"Totally agree. Anything else?"

"Besides, I want you to dine with us, and it will be ready in no time. I have oysters, pheasant and some white wine ready. Watson, you may not know, but I am a very good housekeeper." catch the murderer

We had a great time with this meal.Holmes was always talkative when he was happy, and he was even more so tonight.He talked endlessly, and I haven't seen him like this for a long time.From mythological dramas to medieval pottery, to music, warships, and Buddhism, he covered everything. It seemed that he knew everything, and he could talk about everything. The boredom of the past few days seemed to have disappeared.Mr. Ethelney Jones was also jovial and approachable in his breaks.And the reason for my excitement is: I will know the outcome of the case tonight.So all three of us enjoyed ourselves, but none of us mentioned the post-dinner adventure.After dinner, Holmes looked at his watch, poured out three more glasses of red wine and said, "Let us wish all the best tonight. Cheers and action. Do you have a gun, Watson?"

"I used one in the army before, and it's still in the drawer."

"Maybe you need it. Take it. I booked a carriage. I'll pick us up at 06:30, and I'm waiting outside the door." Just after seven o'clock, we arrived at Westminster Pier, where There are steamboats waiting.Holmes examined it carefully, and asked, "Is there any sign of the police station on board?"

"There's a green light next to the boat."

"Pick it off quickly."

The three of us boarded the boat one by one and sat in the stern.In front of the boat sat two strong sheriffs, and a man at the helm, and a man who ran the machine.

Jones asked, "Where are we sailing to?"

"Tower of London, tell them to park opposite Jacobsen's Dock."

Our boat passed many laden flat-bottomed boats, and left a small steamer behind.Holmes nodded with a smile of satisfaction.

"At this speed, we should be able to pass any boat in the river," he said.

Jones said, "That's not likely. But it's not much faster than our boat."

"The Aurora is famous for its speed, and we must surpass it. Just now, Watson, let me talk to you about the progress of the case. I don't want to trip me up with such a small bend, remember Did I say so?"

"of course I remember."

"A politician once said: 'A change of work is the best rest.' Very true, in order to completely rest the brain, I did a chemical experiment. After doing this experiment, I rethought Sholto's Case. The boys searched up and down the river, but found no boat, and it was neither parked at any pier nor home, and it was impossible for the ship to sink. Possibly. Although Small is very cunning, he doesn't have much culture, so it is impossible to come up with such a careful plan. He has been spying on the Yingzhang Villa for so long, which shows that he has lived in London for a long time, and it is impossible for him to make no preparations. Flee London immediately. He needs time to pack up, even for a day, and I think that's a possibility."

"Maybe he was ready before he was ready to act. Your speculation is unlikely."

"I don't think so. He wouldn't abandon his nest so easily, unless it didn't do him any good. Besides, Jonathan Small must have thought that no matter how he dressed his companion, that face would attract attention. , and immediately reminds people of the Upper Norwood tragedy. With Small's intelligence, he will not ignore these. Therefore, in order to avoid suspicion, they must be out at night. According to Mrs. Smith, they may be at three o'clock in the morning. The boat on point. In another hour, it will be dawn and there will be more pedestrians. So they won't go too far.

"He booked Smith's steamboat in advance, gave him a lot of money, and asked him to keep quiet. Then, after he got it, he planned to escape to his hometown by boat. But he should check the wind direction in his old nest first. It's possible to get on a big ship they've booked from Kent or Gravesound and go off to America or somewhere else."

"But he can't take the boat with him."

"It really can't. Although we haven't found the boat yet, I think it must be somewhere not far away. With Small's shrewdness, he certainly won't drive the boat back, or park it at any dock, and the police will be very worried. It's easy to smell their tracks. So how do you get the boat safely stored and ready to use? I think the best way is to have it repaired at a dock so it can be safely hidden away, just tell the dock ahead of time , they can use it anytime.”

"But it seems too simple."

"We overlooked it just because it was so simple. So I pretended to be an old sailor this morning and went to investigate. I asked every dock, but the first fifteen said no, only No. 16, which is Jacques At Busson Dockyard, they said that two days ago a man with a wooden leg brought the ship 'Dawn' for repairs. The foreman pointed to the ship and said to me: "That ship has lines drawn on it, and it doesn't need repairs at all. At this moment, Merdecai Smith, who had been missing for two days, came up, smelling of wine. Of course I didn't recognize him, he introduced him and the ship himself. He said: "Tonight Eight o'clock, we're going out. It's exactly eight o'clock, don't delay, there are two people on the boat.' He said as he patted his jingling money pockets. I guess he must have made a lot of money. So I followed him, and saw him go into a tavern. So I went back, and I met a little helper halfway, so I let him stay there and watch the steamboat. He stood by the exit of the dock, and we We made an appointment, as soon as the boat leaves, he will shake towels at us. We will wait here first to block their way, and we will get all the stolen goods later.”

Jones said: "Leaving aside whether he is the real murderer or not, your plan is already very thorough. But if it were me, I would send some smart and capable people to arrest them as soon as they are found."

"I dare not do this. Small is very cunning. He will definitely send someone to scout the way first. If something goes wrong, he will definitely go back and hide for a while."

I said, "Just keep an eye on Merdecai Smith and we'll find their lair."

"Not necessarily. I think nine times out of ten Smith doesn't know where they live. All Smith cares about is the money for the drinks, and if Small's in business, he just needs to be notified. All things considered, I see My method is the most feasible."

Before we knew it, we drove over many bridges and gradually drove out of the city.The sunset glowed golden on the cross on top of St. Paul's Church.Before reaching the Tower of London, it was almost dusk.

Pointing to a place lined with masts in the Causalli district in the distance, Holmes said, "That's the Jacobson's Dockyard. Let's take this barge as cover and stay here for a while." He looked at the opposite bank through his binoculars and said : "I spotted the guy sent there, but he hasn't waved the handkerchief yet."

Jones said anxiously: "Why don't we block them downstream." It's not just him, we are all impatient.Even the sheriffs and boatmen couldn't wait, even though they didn't know the main task of this operation very well.

Holmes said: "They are most likely to go downstream, but they must not let go of the possibility of upstream. We are in a very good position here, and we can see the boats coming and going, but they cannot see us. The moon is very round tonight. There is no cloud and fog to cover it, look over there under the gas light, there are many people walking around."

"It's a worker just off the dock."

"Although these people look dirty and vulgar, how do you know the vitality and spirit in each of them. This is a human talent, and life is a mystery."

"Some people say that man is a thinking animal." I said.

Holmes said: "Winwood Rhett has such a theory on this problem. Human beings, a single human being is a mystery, but if a single human being is aggregated into a human being, laws will emerge. For example, it is difficult for you to guess the personality of a single human being. But it can predict the commonality of human beings. Statisticians agree: Although the personalities are different, the commonality is eternal...Hey, see that handkerchief? A white thing is moving over there."

I yelled, "Yes, I see, that little guy on the pier was sent by you."

Holmes also shouted: "See, 'Dawn', she is extremely fast. Pilot, speed up and catch up with the ship with the yellow light. If I can't catch up with it, I will find it hard to forgive myself in my life."

The Aurora was far away and had disappeared ahead of several ships.Its speed was very fast, and it was heading downstream like flying.Seeing this, Jones said: "I'm afraid we can't catch up, it's too fast."

Holmes shouted: "It must be pursued. Add coal quickly, and even if the ship is burned, it must be overtaken!" The fire in the steamer's boiler was very fierce, and it was already at full power, and the sound of the engine was like the heart of a giant iron giant.The fast-moving bow broke through the calm river surface and knocked up waves rolling on both sides.Once the engine shuddered, the boat shuddered, as if the steamboat had life force.The yellow light on the side of the ship was projected into the distance, and only a black spot in front was looming supported by a wave of spray—the "Dawn" was also advancing at full speed.At this time, many boats on the river blocked our way, so we could only dash left and right at high speed, closely following the "Dawn".

Holmes yelled to his companions in the machine room: "Quickly, add more coal, burn steam quickly, and overtake them!" In the raging fire in the machine room, his anxious face flashed from time to time.

Jones looked at the Dawn and said, "We've caught up a little bit."

I said, "Yes, we'll catch them in a few minutes."

(End of this chapter)