Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 41 Adventure History (19)
"Sir, I will stay out of here, out of this country, and the charges against him will be dropped automatically."

"Hmph, I'll talk about this topic later. You first tell the truth about how you acted in the second act, how the gemstone got into the goose's belly, and why the goose was sold in the market? If you want to mitigate your crimes, you must tell the truth."

Ryder licked his chapped lips. "I'll tell you the truth, sir. I've been worried since Horner's arrest that the police would suddenly come and search my house. So, it's good for me to have the gem on me." Said it was the only way out. But there was no place in the hotel that was safe, so I walked out of the hotel pretending to be on an errand, and took a flight to my sister's. On Prixton Road. She raises geese there and sells them to the market. I'm nervous on the road, feeling like everyone is cops and detectives, so I haven't reached Prixton yet despite the cold weather I was already drenched in sweat as we walked in. My sister, seeing my pale face, asked what was the matter, and I told her I was bothered by the theft of jewels at the hotel, and went into the backyard, smoking and thinking.

"I used to have a friend named Maury, he'd done some illegal stuff before, and he'd just been released from Baintonville. I met him one day and we talked about stealing and selling. He had a thing or two. I've got the case and I know he won't betray me, so I decided to tell him the secret and ask him how to turn gems into money. But he lives in Jelbain, how do I get there safely? I may be searched and arrested at any time. Gems cannot always be kept in my vest pocket. At this time, a large flock of geese happened to pass by me. no.

"My sister told me a few weeks ago that she was going to pick one of those geese for me as a Christmas present, and she must have said what she said, so I will choose now. I decided to stuff the gemstone into the goose's stomach, and then put it on the goose. The goose was sent to Jelbain. I drove out a large white goose with a black edge on its tail behind a shed in my sister's yard, caught it, pried open its mouth, and stuffed the gems in as hard as it could go. When it was plugged again, the goose swallowed the gem at once. It flapped its wings and tried to break free. My sister heard the voice and came over and asked me what was wrong. When I turned to talk to her, the goose escaped from my hand and flew away. Run to the geese.

"My sister asked me: 'What are you doing with it, Jem?'

"I said, 'Didn't you promise me a goose for Christmas? I'll see which one is the fattest.'

"'Oh, well,' said she, 'you picked that one earlier, over there, that white one, we call it Jem's goose, I fed twenty-six of them, and kept one Eat it yourself, one will be given to you, and the other 26 will be sold to the market.'

"I said: 'Thanks sister, if it's all the same for you, I want the one I just caught.'

"She said, 'That's what I fed for you, and it's three pounds heavier than the one you asked for.'

"'Never mind, I want that one. I want to take it now if I can,' I said.

"'It's up to you, which one did you choose?' My sister was a little unhappy.

"'Just over there, with a black streak on the tail.'

"'Okay, kill it, and you take it.'

"In this way, Mr. Holmes, I did as my sister told me, and took the goose without stopping to Jelbain. I told my friend everything without reservation, and he listened. I was very excited afterwards. But when we cut open the breast of the goose, my heart sank. There was no sapphire in it. I thought I must have made a mistake, so I hurried back to my sister’s house, but when I arrived, the goose was already gone. All gone.

"I yelled: 'Sister, where's the goose?'

"'Jem, sold to the dealership.'

"'Which one?'

"'Blake Ridge of Covent Garden.'

"'Is there one of them with a mob on the tail? Like the one I picked?' I asked.

"'Yes, but there are two of them, and we can't tell them apart.'

"I understood what was going on, and ran to Blakeridge's without stopping, but he'd sold the geese and told me nothing. You heard him tonight, too, he's always like that, terrific. My sister said I was insane, and I felt like I was going crazy. Not only did I not get the gem that cost me my reputation, but now I will be branded as a thief. I pray to God to forgive me and forgive my crime!" He trembled all over , covered his face with his hands and cried.After a long time, the room finally became silent, save for his heavy panting and Holmes' knocking on the table.Suddenly, Holmes stood up and opened the door.

"Get out now!"

"Sir, are you serious? Oh, God bless you!"

"Stop talking nonsense, get out!"

Sure enough, he didn't say anything, turned around and ran away.The door was closed with a bang, and footsteps were heard on the stairs.Then, the sound of him rolling and crawling was heard from the street.

With a pipe in his hand, Holmes said calmly, "Watson, in any case, we are not obliged to help the police solve the case. As long as this guy doesn't bite Horner, the case can be closed. Our approach Not only a felony was acquitted, but also a person's soul was saved. I believe this person will not dare to do illegal things again, because he has been terrified. If we put him in prison, he will probably be arrested. Sentenced to life imprisonment. Now it's time for amnesty, let's just push the boat along. This is a miracle that happened by chance, and it's a kind of confession that the problem is solved. Doctor, please press the bell, let's move on to the next case Investigation, the object is still poultry." The strange case of "spotted belt"

In a blink of an eye, eight years have passed.During these eight years, I have seriously studied the detection methods of my friend Sherlock Holmes, and recorded more than seventy cases intermittently.However, after a cursory scan, it turned out that most of them had tragic endings.Although there are comedies, they are few and far between.Another characteristic is that these cases are all eccentric, and almost none of them are ordinary.The reason is very simple, that is, Sherlock Holmes solves the case not only for the reward of the parties, but also because he loves this detective technology very much.The cases he is interested in are all unique or absurd. He has always dismissed simple and clear cases and refused to take them.Of these cases, I think there is none more memorable to me than that of the Roylotts.The family is well known in Stormokland, Surrey.It happened not long before I met Holmes, when we were both single and shared a flat in Baker Street.The reason I did not record the case at the time was because I promised to keep it a secret no matter what.Last month, the woman I made the promise to died untimely, so the promise was broken.Now, at last, I can reveal to the world the cause of Dr. Gramsby Roylott's death.I know very well that the outside world has different opinions on the cause of his death, and various bizarre and terrifying rumors have been widely circulated among the people. This is even more appalling than the truth of the matter.

I distinctly remember that it happened at the beginning of April, 1883.Sherlock Holmes and I both like to sleep late, but when we woke up one day, he was standing in front of my bed fully dressed.I looked at my watch, it was a quarter past seven.My boss looked at him unwillingly, you know, I have always liked a regular life.

"I'm sorry, Watson, but I must wake you up," he said. "We were doomed to sleep late this morning. First, Mrs. Hudson was awakened by the knocking at the door, and she knocked on my door in revenge. , so I was woken up, and now I am waking you up again."

"What's wrong, is there a fire?"

"No, it's a young lady, a client to be precise. She's very excited to see me, and she's waiting in the living room. I think she's in a hurry, you know, a big city, a It's unusual for a young lady to wake up someone who is still dreaming in bed early in the morning. It must be something unusual. I think you don't want to miss this great opportunity, and would rather start listening to the story from the beginning. As a friend, it should be called Wake up, give you a chance."

"So, man, I must seize this opportunity?"

In fact, it is really my interest to observe Holmes' professional investigation and reasoning from the sidelines.The swiftness of his judgments, the exactness and delicacy of his inferences, I greatly admired.Those conclusions seem to be made by intuition, but in fact they are all based on logical thinking.He relied on these skills to solve the client's problems one after another.A few minutes later, fully dressed, I followed my friend downstairs to the living room.A lady in black and covered with thick gauze sat in front of the window.Seeing us walk into the room, she stood up hastily.

"Good morning, ma'am," said Holmes cheerfully. "My name is Sherlock Holmes. He is Dr. Watson, and you may speak to him as you would to me without any scruples. For he is my dear friend and Colleague. Ah! Mrs. Hudson is very thoughtful, and it is a pleasure to have the fireplace fired up. I see you are shaking, please sit by the fire, and I will send you a cup of hot coffee. "

"I am shivering, not from the cold," said the lady, in a low voice, changing seats as Holmes suggested.

"Then why are you trembling?"

"Because of fear, sir." As she spoke, she lifted her veil, looking indeed anxious and sympathetic.She was pale and despondent, with eyes like those of a hunted animal.She was very haggard, with some silver streaks in her hair, but her figure and appearance seemed to be only 30 years old.Sherlock Holmes gave her a quick survey, from head to toe.

"Don't be afraid," he comforted her, and patted her hand lightly, "We will try our best to help you solve the problem, I know, you came by train this morning."

"Do you know me?"

"No, you have half a return ticket in your left glove. I saw it. You must have set off very early, and you drove a long and rough dirt road in a one-horse carriage before you reached the station."

The lady was stunned and looked at my friend with a puzzled face.

"My dear lady, it's not mysterious at all," he smiled. "There are at least seven fresh spots of mud on the left arm of your coat. You know, only a one-horse cart can throw mud. You must be sitting To the left of the coachman, the only place where you get splashed with mud."

"You are quite right, no matter how you deduce it," said the lady. "I left the house before six o'clock, and it was twenty past six when I reached Leatherhead. I was in time for the The first train from Waterloo is in a hurry. Sir, I'm so frightened that I can't stand it, and I'm going to be crazy if this goes on, and there's no one to help me—no one. Although there is one person who cares I, but he can do nothing, and he is very poor. Mr. Holmes, I heard about you from Mrs. Farintosh. You helped her when she was most in need, and I got your address from her. Come. Oh, sir, help me too, at least show me a way out. I have fallen into the dark abyss, I have no way out. I swear, I will not be ungrateful, although I can't pay you now, but a month or a month After half a month, when I get married, I can control my own income, and I will definitely pay you the salary at that time."

Holmes went to the desk, unlocked the drawer, took out a small case book, and glanced at it.

"Fallintosh," said he, "oh, yes, the case in connection with the cat's-eye jeweled tiara. You were not at that time, Watson. I would be at your service, madam, as I was at your service." As friends do. As far as remuneration is concerned, my profession itself is the best remuneration. However, you are free to pay what you can, please tell the truth."

"Well," said the visitor, "I am in a dreadful situation, and my fears are vague, and my doubts and anxieties are caused by trifles, so that they do not seem worth mentioning to others. Everyone thinks what I'm talking about is all a neurotic woman's cranky thoughts, even those closest to me who are most likely to get help and guidance from him. Although he didn't say anything, I could also sense that he was avoiding me Mr. Holmes, I heard that you can see all kinds of evils in people's hearts, so please tell me, what should I do in a crisis-ridden situation?"

"Miss, I am listening carefully."

"My name is Helen Steiner, and I live with my stepfather, the last surviving members of the Roylott family of Stormokland, on the western border of Surrey, the oldest Saxon family in England. one."

Holmes nodded. "I am familiar with that name."

"This family used to be one of the wealthiest families in England. Its territory crossed the county border, from Berkshire in the north to Hampshire in the west. But in the last century, due to the squandering of four successive generations , by the time of the Regency it had begun to decline, and was finally ruined by a gambler, leaving nothing but a few acres of land and an old mansion. And all the hundred-year-old mansions were almost as good as , the last landowner lived the miserable life of a fallen nobleman there. My stepfather was the only son of that landowner. Unlike his ancestors, he learned to adapt to the new environment early. He borrowed a sum of money from a relative to study With a medical degree, he also went abroad to practice medicine in Calcutta. He has excellent medical skills and a strong personality, so he lived there fairly well. But then his home was burglarized many times. He felt that it was the housekeeper’s mistake, and in anger he accidentally killed the Indian housekeeper. As a result, he was almost sentenced to death. Although he saved his life, he was imprisoned for a long time. After returning to England, he became very violent and lived a miserable life.

"My mother, Mrs. Sterner, was the widow of Major-General Sterner, Commander of the Bengal Artillery. Roylot married my mother when she was in India. My twin sister Julia and I were two years old when she remarried. My mother was very money, with an annual income of no less than a thousand pounds. But after we lived with Dr. Roylott, my mother made a will and bequeathed all the property to him, but there was one condition, that is, after my sister and I got married Afterwards, we had to be given a sum of money every year to keep us going. Unfortunately my mother died in a train accident near Cope shortly after her return to London. That happened eight years ago. Roilo After my mother passed away, Te decided to give up the idea of ​​re-practicing medicine in London and took us back to his hometown, because the inheritance alone was enough to make us live happily.

"However, my stepfather's temper took a horrific turn when we returned. The neighbors were delighted to see the scion of the old family back at the mansion. It was later discovered that he shut himself up in the In the room, no matter who he met, he would be vexatious. It was completely different from what he used to be. Although this eccentricity was inherited in this family, I think it seemed to be aggravated by a long stay in the tropics, and it became more and more serious. The more serious. The series of quarrels with the neighbors made us very humiliated. Twice, even the courts were resolved. This made the whole village fearful of him. He was so powerful that no one could subdue him when he was angry. I got him, so as soon as people saw his shadow, they immediately avoided it, for fear of getting into trouble.

"But tragedies still happen. Last week he threw the blacksmith in the village over the railing into the river, and I spent all my money to calm things down. He didn't have a single friend, except the wandering gypsies. people. He got on quite well with them. He allowed them to camp and live on the only piece of land that symbolized his family status. It was a few acres of land overgrown with thorns. He often went to see them. Whenever he went He was very happy to receive warm hospitality whenever he visited the tents of the gypsies. Sometimes he even wandered with them for weeks. In addition, he was particularly fond of Indian animals, which were given to him by a reporter-a A cheetah and a baboon. These two pets roam freely around his territory every day, and the villagers have two more things to fear. The neighbors are as afraid of them as they are of their owners.

"Through what I have said, you should also know what kind of environment my sister and I live in. We are lonely, without a friend, and no one wants to get along with us for a long time. We are at home all day long and we are tired of doing all the housework. The bones are almost falling apart, my sister died at the age of 30, her temples were already gray when she died, and there were many terrible white hairs mixed in her originally black hair, even as white as mine now."

"Your sister is dead?"

"It's been two years since she died. I was just about to tell you about her death. In the circumstances we live in, we don't see anyone of our age and position. But we have an aunt—Holora Wesfa Miss Elle--my mother's sister, who never married, lived near Harrow. We had to ask permission to visit her, and not for very long. My sister went to her house for Christmas two years ago, in There she met a Marine Corps major, and they fell in love and got engaged. When she returned from her aunt's house, she told her stepfather about it, but he lost his temper. As a result, within two weeks before the wedding, Something unexpected happened, my only relative, my sister died."

Holmes had kept his eyes closed and leaned back in his chair while the lady related her tragic story, but when the death of her poor sister was mentioned my friend opened his eyes and looked at his guest.

"Please describe in detail the whole process of the matter." He said.

(End of this chapter)