Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 32 Adventure History (10)
One morning, while my wife and I were having breakfast, a telegram came from the maid, from Sherlock Holmes, which read as follows:
Can you spare a few days?I have now received a call from the west of England concerning the case of Boscomb. I would be very pleased if I could come in person.The air here is fresh and the scenery is pleasant.Hope to leave Paddington at a quarter past eleven.

"What do you think, dear?" My wife asked me, sitting across the table, "Are you going?"

"I haven't thought about it yet. I've been very busy recently, and there are many things to do."

"Oh, Anstruther will help you with those things. You are not in a good mood these days. I think a change of environment would be better, and besides, you are very interested in the case of Sherlock Holmes."

"When I think of all the things I've learned while working on his case, I always feel embarrassed not to go," I said, "But if I do, I have to pack up right away, because there's only half an hour left before the departure time." .”

Military life in Afghanistan has taught me to move fast and be ready to go almost at any time.

In less than half an hour, I had already boarded the carriage to Paddington Station with my luggage.I was short on time, so I didn't bring too many belongings.Holmes paced up and down the platform in a long gray cloak and a tight cap which made him appear taller and thinner.

"It is very good of you to come, Watson," said he, "and it makes things a lot easier to have with me someone as trustworthy as you. Local people are often unreliable, useless or prejudiced. You go and occupy two seats first, and I will buy tickets."

Holmes and I were alone in the carriage, with his large pile of newspapers.He poked around in the papers, looking carefully, jotting something down, thinking again, until we passed Reading.Later, he rolled the newspaper into a bundle and threw it on top of the luggage rack.

"Do you know anything about the case?" he asked.

"I don't know. I haven't read a newspaper for a long time."

"The London papers are always very sketchy, and I have looked through the last ones to learn more. This case is one of those simple cases that are so difficult to solve."

"You seem to be contradicting yourself."

"However, this is a reason worth thinking about. The easier it is to find clues to solve the case, the more special the plot, and the more ordinary the case is, the harder it is to find the real criminal. In this case, they have initially identified it as Serious case of son murdering father."

"Is it a murder?"

"Yes, they do. But I would never have come to such a conclusion without investigating the case myself. Now, I will tell you what I know.

"Boscombe is in Herefordshire, a country place not far from Ross. Mr. John Turner is the largest farmer in that part of the country. He made his fortune in Australia many years ago, and when he returned to his native land One of his own farms, Hatherley Farm, was leased to Mr. Charles McCarthy. The two had known each other in Australia, so they settled together and became close neighbors. Turner was very rich, and McCarthy became his tenant. But , they are still the same as before, they are equals, McCarthy has a son, yes, and Turner has an only daughter, also. Neither of them has a wife, and they seem to shy away from the English people around them, living a kind of almost A secluded life. Both McCarthy and his son love sports and often go to the racetrack. There are two servants in their family, one male and one female. There are many people in the Turner family, it seems that there are five or six people. That's all. Let me tell you some facts about this case.

"On Monday, June [-]rd, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, McCarthy came out of his house to Boscombe Pond. This pond is a small lake formed by the stream that flows down from Boscombe. In the morning, When he went to Ross with his servant, he also told him that he had an important appointment at three o'clock in the afternoon, so he had to get there quickly, but he never came back after the appointment.

"Hatherley's farm is a quarter of a mile from Boscombe Pond, and he was seen by two men walking that way, an old woman whose name is not in the papers, and a man named William Crowder, hired by Mr. Turner to guard the game. Both of them can testify that Mr. McCarthy passed by alone. Mr. William Crowder also said that when he saw Mr. McCarthy pass by, his son Mr. James McCarthy passed there, too, with a gun under his arm. He was sure his son could see Mr. McCarthy within that range. But he did not notice it until he knew of the tragedy.

"When that William Crowder saw the McCarthys and his sons, someone saw them again, in a dense grove not far from Boscombe Pond. The pond was surrounded by weeds and reeds, and a 14-year-old The little girl Perris Moran, daughter of the porter at Boscombe Hall, who was picking flowers in the grove, said she saw Mr. McCarthy and his son arguing near the pond on the edge of the grove, and heard McCarthy scolded his son, who later raised his hand as if trying to hit his father. The sight frightened her, and she ran home and told her mother that the McCarthys were arguing by the pond when she left the woods. , it was almost a fight. She had finished speaking when McCarthy came running in, saying his father was dead in the woods, and wanted the janitor to help him. He looked very excited, with no gun or hat on, Blood was on the right hand and sleeve. They ran to the pond and saw the body of old McCarthy lying in the grass, the head of the dead man sunk by something heavy and heavy. Judging by the scars, it might be He was hit with a gun butt. A gun was thrown on the ground not far from the body. The young man was quickly apprehended by the police and arraigned on Tuesday to declare him guilty of 'premeditated murder'. On Wednesday he was referred to Ross Place's Judge, the case is currently before the Assize Court. That's how the coroner and the Assize Court dealt with the case."

After hearing this, I said, "I can't imagine that there are such bad criminals. If the scene can be used as evidence to prove a person's guilt, then this case belongs to that category."

Holmes said: "You can't just use the scene to testify. It can explain something on the surface, but if you look at it from a different angle, it may explain a different situation. However, the case is very unfavorable to this young man. Perhaps He was a murderer, but there were a few people who believed him innocent. The farmer's daughter, Turner, commissioned Leth Reid to handle the case, defending McCarthy. Do you remember that Leth Reed? Sheriff of the 'Tracking in Blood' case. He thought it was not an easy case, so he came to me again. That's why we two gentlemen couldn't stay at home after breakfast, but had to travel five miles The ins and outs of going there at an hourly pace."

I said to him, "I don't think you can get much inspiration from this case because it's so simple."

He replied: "The simpler things are, the easier it is for you to be fooled. We may find something that Lethrid thinks is not important. We must use methods that Lethrider does not use or even understand. Deny his idea. You know me well enough to think I'm bragging. For example, I might deduce that your bedroom window is on the right, but I'm afraid Lesred would won't notice."

"How did you figure it out?"

"I know you very well, my dear friend, and I know that you have a soldier's habit of cleanliness. You shave every morning, but at this season, you shave only in the sun, but the left side of your face The beard is not as clean shaven as the right side, which shows that the light on the right side is stronger than the left side. I don't think it is possible for a person like you to shave like this when the light is the same on both sides. This little thing proves how I make observations And reasoning, this is my specialty. Now, this specialty will be of great help to the case we are facing. Many issues that were ignored in the arraignment are worthy of our careful study."

"What's the problem?"

"He was arrested when he returned home, and he was not arrested on the spot. When he knew that he was arrested, he said that he was not surprised at all, that he deserved what he deserved, and his words just dispelled the doubts in the mind of the jury. "

I couldn't help shouting: "This is his confession."

"Not necessarily, because it was later disputed that he was innocent."

"The fact is so clear that there are still people who say he is innocent. From this point of view, it is indeed doubtful." Holmes said: "On the contrary, I think this is the clearest clue. No matter how stupid he is, he will not Didn't know the situation I was in. I would only be suspicious if he was surprised or angry when the police caught him, because in that case, that reaction must be fake, that's for a man with a plan Maybe a clever trick. But his bold admission of the situation made me think he was innocent, or that he was quite strong-willed. He said he deserved it, but if we think about it from another angle, it is actually normal Think about it, standing next to his father's dead body, and still arguing with his father that day, not only failed to fulfill his obligations as a son, but also beat his father. Now that his father is dead, can he not feel remorse and blame himself? Therefore , it’s not surprising to say something like that, it doesn’t prove his guilt.”

I shook my head and said, "Many people have even less evidence than this, and they were sentenced to death in the end."

"Isn't it rare that people's lives are ignored? How many people died on the gallows unjustly."

"What did the young man say himself?"

"His confession has been very disappointing to those who support him, but there are a few points worth noting in it, and here you can read it."

He took a paper from the bundle, the local Herefordshire paper.He pointed me to the passage about the young man's own account of what had happened.I sat in the carriage and read it earnestly. The newspaper wrote:

Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, appeared in court as follows: "I left home for three days in Bristol and returned home on the morning of Monday (the third). My father was not there when I got home, and the maid told me that he had John Cobb, the coachman, went to Ross. Presently there was the sound of a carriage in the yard, and I looked out of the window, and my father got out of the carriage, and then went out again, and I did not know where he was going. Then I took I took up my gun and thought of going to the warren by Boscombe Pond. William Crowder was right, and I did see him on the road, but I never followed my father. About a hundred miles from the pond When I was yarding, I heard the cry of 'Cooy', which is a common signal used by our father and son. After hearing this sound, I walked over quickly and saw my father standing by the pond. He also saw me and was very surprised. He also asked loudly what I was going to do. After a few words, we quarreled and almost fought. My father's temper was very violent. He became more and more angry and couldn't control it. I left to calm him down. I opened it. But I heard my father screaming before I walked too far. I hurried back and found that my father had almost stopped breathing. His head was seriously injured. I quickly threw the gun to the ground and picked him up. , but he soon lost his breath. I stayed with him for a few minutes, thinking of going to Mr. Turner's caretaker, as he lived nearest there. When we re-entered the pond, we saw no other Who. I don't understand how my father became like this. Usually he is not very popular and enthusiastic, which makes people feel a little intimidated, but, as far as I know, no one seems to have a deep hatred with him. That's all I know. "

Coroner: "Did your father say anything to you on his deathbed?"

Witness: "He mumbled something, but I only heard something like 'erat'."

Coroner: "Do you know what that means?"

Witness: "I don't know, I just think he was out of his mind at that time."

Coroner: "Then why did you quarrel with your father?"

Witness: "I don't want to speak."

Coroner: "But you must tell."

Witness: "I really can't say. However, I can assure you that it has nothing to do with this case."

Coroner: "That is for the court to decide. You know without telling me that it will do you no good to refuse to answer questions."

Witness: "I still can't answer that question."

Coroner: "According to our investigation, you and your father used the word 'kooy' frequently."

Witness: "Yes."

Coroner: "And how does your father explain 'Cooy' when he hasn't seen you, or even known you're back?"

Witness (somewhat panicked): "I don't know that."

A juror: "Have you noticed anything suspicious after hearing your father scream and seeing him seriously injured?"

Witness: "Nothing too suspicious."

Coroner: "How do you say that?"

Witness: "When I ran back there again, my mind was in a mess and I only thought about my father. However, I seem to remember that when I ran over, there was something on the ground on the left, gray, it seemed to be a coat, it seemed to be a cape, I stood up from my father and when I turned my head to look for it, I couldn't see it."

Coroner: "You mean, it disappeared before you went to the doorman's house for help?"

Witness: "That's right, it wasn't there then."

Coroner: "Aren't you sure what that is?"

Witness: "Yeah, I just feel like there's something there."

Coroner: "How far was it from the body?"

Witness: "About ten yards."

Coroner: "How far from the edge of the woods?"

Witness: "Almost."

Coroner: "So it was taken within a dozen yards of you?"

Witness: "Yes, I turned my back on it."

The interrogation of witnesses ends here.

As I watched, I said, "I think the words the coroner asked later were crucial to McCarthy. The coroner should have told McCarthy to pay attention to the inconsistencies in his own words, that his father hadn't seen him before. Called 'Cooy'. Also he refused to explain the content of the dispute with his father, which is very bad for him."

Holmes stretched his legs half lying on the armchair, and smiled secretly.He said: "You put as much emphasis on this as the coroner did, and at last you found something against McCarthy. But, have you noticed that you say he has too much imagination and he lacks it?" He is also contradicting himself. He lacks imagination because he has not invented a reason to quarrel with his father to make the jury sympathize; And the missing dress. It is not so, Watson, and I feel that McCarthy is telling the truth, and I will use that as a starting point to solve the case, and see how it turns out. Show you my Petrarch's Pocket Poems. I don't want to talk about the case until we get to the scene of the crime. Let's go to Swindon for lunch, and we'll be there in twenty or ten minutes."

After passing the charming Stroud Valley and crossing the wide Severn River, we finally came to the beautiful town of Ross.A tall, lanky man was waiting for us on the platform. He looked like a detective, and he seemed a little strange and mysterious.Even though he was wearing the same brown trench coat and leather feet as the country people around him, I recognized him at a glance—Inspector Rathride of Scotland Yard.The three of us rode together to the Arms Hotel in Hereford, where he booked us a room.

When we had tea together, Lethred said: "I know that you are quick and eager to be there at once, so I have hired a carriage for you."

"You are too polite to go or not to go by the barometer," said Holmes.

Lethred was taken aback by this."I don't understand what you're saying," he said.

"What's the temperature? Twenty-nine degrees. There's no cloud in the sky, and there's no wind. I've got a pipe to smoke, and the conditions here are fine. I don't think I'll need a carriage tonight."

Lesred laughed loudly and said: "Obviously, you read the reports in the newspaper and came to a conclusion. In fact, this case is very simple. The more you know, the simpler it becomes. Of course, we can't refuse a A young lady who has heard your name for a long time, and is eager to hear your opinion, though I have said that if I can't help it, you can't help it either. Oh, my God! Here comes her carriage."

As soon as the words were finished, a young lady hurried into the room.She is the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, with sparkling blue eyes, slightly parted lips, and ruddy cheeks. She looks a little excited and a little sad, and she doesn't even care about women's reserve.

She exclaimed: "Oh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," and she looked at us, and at last fixed her instinctively on Holmes. "I am so glad to see you. I have come here to tell you that James is not a murderer. I know him very well, because we grew up together. He has a good heart, and he will not hurt a fly, and he will never hurt a fly." Don’t talk about people. Anyone who really knows him will think that calling him a murderer is absurd.”

Holmes said: "I also want to make him innocent, please believe me, I will do my best."

"Have you read the testimony? Did you see any doubts or draw any conclusions? Don't you think he was wronged?"

"I think it's highly likely that he was wronged."

Hearing this, she shook her head, looked at Lethred with disdain and said, "Did you hear that? He gave me hope."

"I think he's drawing premature conclusions," Lesred said resignedly.

"But he's right. Oh, I'm sure he's right. James wouldn't have done that. I know why he didn't want to talk about the argument he had with his father, and it involved me."

"Why should you be involved?" asked Holmes.

(End of this chapter)