Sherlock Holmes Complete Works 2

Chapter 38 Return 14
"The habits of this hotel are very strange," said Holmes.

"The bar is on the other side."

"Yes, these are what people call private residents. What is Mr. Wilde doing there at this late hour, and who is the man who is meeting with him? Watson, we must take the risk."

The two of us quietly walked down the hillside and quietly came to the door of the hotel.With the bike still leaning against the wall, my companion boldly struck a match to see the rear wheel, a Dunlop tyre.Holmes gave a little chuckle of satisfaction. There were lighted windows above our heads.

"Watson, you are bending over the wall. I want to see what's going on inside."

However, he came down before standing upright.

"I think we've got enough of it," said Holmes. "We'd better hurry back to school."

He first sent a few telegrams from Macleton Station.After returning to school, he went to comfort poor Mr. Doctor again.At last he said: "My friend, all is well, and I think we shall be able to solve this mysterious case not later than to-morrow night."

At eleven o'clock the next morning, we were led into the Duke's study by a servant.We meet the suave and slightly intimidating Mr. Wilde.

"The duke is in poor health, and has been disturbed by the sad news. We had a telegram yesterday afternoon from Dr. Huxtable telling us what you have found."

"Mr. Wilde, I want to see the Duke."

"He's in the bedroom."

"Then we'll meet him in the bedroom."

Holmes was resolute.

"Okay, I'll let you know."

It took a full hour for this great nobleman to appear.His face was ashen, and he seemed to be much older than the morning before yesterday.

But my friend's gaze was fixed on the secretary standing next to the Duke's chair.

"Duke, I would like to have a casual chat with you in the absence of Mr. Wilde."

The secretary's face turned pale.

"If you are willing, my lord..."

"Well, you had better go away. What do you want to talk about, Mr. Holmes?"

After the secretary withdrew my friend closed the door, and said: "My lord, the thing is, my colleague Dr. Watson and I have a promise from Mr. Dr. Dr. He said that I will get a good fortune for solving the case." remuneration. I want you to repeat it to us yourself."

"Certainly, Mr. Holmes."

"If he is right, whoever finds your son will have five thousand pounds."

"Yes."

"Another thousand pounds for the name of the man who kidnapped your son."

"Correct."

"That includes the names of those who took your son, as well as the names of those who were complicit in keeping him, don't they?"

His Excellency the Duke was quite impatient, and he said: "Yes, yes, Mr. Holmes, after you have done your investigative work, you will stop complaining about the low salary."

My friend had a greedy look that he didn't usually have.

He said: "My lord, I think your check book is on the table. Write me a check for six thousand pounds, so that I will work harder. You'd better back it again. My correspondent bank is 'City and Country Bank Oxford Street Branch'."

The Duke sat gravely in his chair and looked at my friend indifferently.

"Mr. Detective, are you joking? There is no room for joking in this matter."

"My lord, I am serious."

"So, what do you mean?"

"I mean I've earned the money by now. I know where your son is, and I know at least a few of the people who held him back."

The duke's red beard became scarier under his pale face.

"Where is he now?"

"He is, or was last night at the Gamecock, two miles from your garden gate."

The Duke leaned back in his chair at once.

"Who are you going to sue?"

Holmes stepped forward quickly, laid the Duke on the shoulder, and answered a statement which took him by surprise.

He said: "It is you. Your Excellency, please write a check now."

I will never forget the appearance of the Duke. He jumped up from his chair and clenched his hands like a man who has fallen into the abyss.Then he sat down again, buried his face in his hands, and said nothing for a long time.

Finally he spoke, but didn't look up: "Do you know everything?"

"I saw you with them last night."

"Does anyone else know besides your friend?"

"I never told anyone."

The Duke picked up the pen with trembling hands, and opened his checkbook.

"Holmes, I mean what I say. It will be to my detriment, but I will still write you a check. I did not expect it to be so, Mr. Holmes, you and your friend are people who know priorities, are you not?"

"I do not know what you mean."

"Say it straight, Mr. Holmes. If you are the only two of you who know about it, you must not tell it. I think I should pay you twelve thousand pounds, am I not?"

My companion shook his head.

"Duke, what about the German teacher?"

"But James doesn't know anything about it, and he can't take responsibility for it. It was done by that cruel villain, who he just hired."

"My lord, but I think that when a man commits a crime, he is morally responsible for another crime which arises from it."

"But, sir, it is not so legally. An alibi should not be punished in a murder, and he hates the murderer, too. When Wilde heard it, he confessed to me, And he regretted it. Within an hour, he resolutely broke off his association with the murderer. Oh, sir, you must save him, you must save him! I beg you, you must save him!" the Duke said in despair. Walking up and down the room, and waving those two clenched fists in the air.Finally he calmed down and sat back at his desk.He said: "I am grateful that you came here without talking to anyone about it, at least we can find a way to try to stop those nasty rumors as much as possible."

My friend said: "Yes, my lord, it requires honesty between us. And it must be based on the full knowledge of the facts. I understand that you are talking about Mr. Wilde, and he is not a murderer."

"The murderer has escaped."

Mr. Holmes smiled.

"Duke, you probably don't know how famous I am, or you wouldn't try to hide it from me. Mr. Reuben Hayes was arrested at eleven o'clock last night on account of my report." .”

The Duke leaned back in his chair, showing a very surprised expression.

He said, "Rubin Hess has been arrested? I'm very happy to know this. I hope it won't affect James' fate."

"Your private secretary?"

"No, Mr. Holmes, it is my son."

Now it was time for Mr. Holmes to startle.

"Frankly speaking, I don't understand the matter at all. Please explain clearly, my lord."

"I have nothing to hide from you. In such a case, I had better be frank. It was all due to James's stupidity and jealousy. Mr. Holmes, when I was young, I was in love, and it was For the only time in my life I fell in love with passion. I proposed to this lady, but she refused, she said that would hinder my career. If she was alive, I would never marry anyone. But She died, and left behind our child. Although I can't admit our father-son relationship in front of people, I can give him the best education, and he will keep him by my side when he grows up. Unexpectedly, in my By accident he found out the truth, and since then he has abused the power I gave him, and has continued to create gossip, which I hate. He is particularly jealous of my young legal heir. I put James I stayed at home because I could see his mother's face in his face, and I couldn't do without him. But at the same time I was so worried that he might hurt Arthur, Lord Salter, that I took the He was sent to the Abbey School.

"Because Hess was my tenant and James was the rent collector, the two of them kept in touch and became close friends. James always liked to make dirty friends. When he decided to kidnap Salter He took advantage of them when he was with Lord Earle. One day before the incident, in the letter I wrote to Arthur, he inserted a note in the name of Arthur's mother asking Arthur to meet at 'Short Hill' near the school. His note. At the meeting, he told Arthur that his mother wanted to see him, and told him to wait on the moor, and he only had to go into the woods at midnight, and a man would ride him to his mother, That's how he fell into the trap. It was Hess that Arthur saw when he was on time for his appointment. But when they got in the car, there was a man chasing them, which James told me yesterday, so Hess beat him with a stick. After shooting the pursuer, who eventually died of his wounds, Hess took Arthur back to his hotel and locked him in an upstairs room, where the good-natured Black man was completely manipulated by her murderous husband. Mrs. Smith looked after.

"That was the case two days ago, Mr. Holmes, when we first met. But I knew nothing of it at the time. James was motivated by his hatred of my heir. He thought he should be The heir of all my property. At the same time, he also asked me not to follow the law, and he thought I had the right to do so. He tried every means to prevent me from making Arthur the heir, and to mark the estate to him in the will. He knew I couldn't bear to call the police and punish him. But he didn't actually threaten it because things were moving so fast that he didn't have time to implement the plan.

"James was horrified when he heard of Heidigar's death. Yesterday while we were in this study we received a telegram from Dr. Huxtable reporting the news. James is greatly distressed, and I express my condolences to his conduct." Then he confessed everything. Then begged me to keep the secret for three more days, so that the murderous accomplice might have a chance to escape. Once again I gave in, and he went at once to the inn to warn Hess and help him Escape. I was so handicapped during the day, that at night I hastened to see my dear Arthur. I found him safe and well, though he was still horrified by the violence he had undergone. To keep my word, I'll just leave the baby there for another three days, in the care of Mrs. Hayes. Obviously it's impossible to report the child's whereabouts to the police without saying who the murderer is, but I also know that punishment for a murderer will implicate My poor James. I trust you, Mr. Holmes, and I tell you all I know. Shouldn't you be so frank?"

"My lord," said Holmes, "I must first say that you are at a great disadvantage before the law. You have pardoned felons and assisted murderers in their escape."

The Duke nodded in acknowledgment.

"But what should be condemned most is that you still want to keep your youngest son in the tiger's den for three days for his behavior!"

"But they made a promise..."

"Can the assurances of such a man be trusted? Is it fair that, in order to accommodate your criminal eldest son, you should expose your innocent youngest son to undue danger?"

Although such words angered the proud Duke, his conscience kept him silent.

"Don't worry, my lord, I will help you, but there is one condition. That is, you call your servant, and I will issue orders according to my wishes."

The Duke didn't speak, just pressed the bell, and a servant came in.

Holmes said: "You must be very happy to hear that your little master has been found. The Duke hopes that you will drive to the 'Gamecock' Hotel immediately to bring Lord Salter back home."

After the servant walked out happily, my friend said: "Now that we have grasped the future, we can be tolerant of the past. I just want justice. Hess should be hanged, I don't want to save Him. I can't be sure what he'll say, but you can make him realize that silence pays off. The cops will think he's holding this kid for ransom. If they don't get more leads, why am I biased? To complicate matters? Yet I would warn you, my lord, that it would be inappropriate to keep James Wilde at the House."

"Mr. Holmes, I know that. It has been agreed that he will leave here for good and go to Australia to fend for himself."

"My lord, if this is the case, I suggest that you and the Duchess get back together and restore your relationship. Because you have also said that your misfortune after marriage is all because of James."

"I have arranged the matter, Mr. Holmes, and I wrote to my wife this morning."

Holmes said: "In this way, Watson and I can rejoice that we have achieved good results. I hope to find out whether Hess has learned from Wilde that he nailed the iron feet like cow's hooves on the horse." An unusual move?"

The Duke opened a door, and we were ushered into a large room decorated like a museum.We went to a corner where there was a glass case and he showed us the inscription on it.

"These iron palms are for horses, but the bottom of the iron palms has been beaten into a toe shape so that the pursuers will lose their way. It is estimated that they belonged to the baron who often conquered here in the Middle Ages."

Holmes opened the chest of drawers and touched the iron palm. His fingers were damp, and a thin layer of fresh earth remained on his skin.

After closing the glass case, he said, "Thank you, this is the second most interesting thing I've seen here."

"What's the first thing?"

Holmes carefully folded his check and put it in his notebook.He patted it appreciatively and said, "I'm not rich." He put the notebook deep in his underwear pocket.

(End of this chapter)