Sherlock Holmes Complete Works 2

Chapter 53 Return 29
It is not at all surprising that we received strange telegrams from our Baker Street lodgings.But seven or eight years ago, we received a telegram that left a deep impression on me and puzzled Mr. Holmes.The telegram was sent to Holmes, and the full text is as follows:

Please wait for me.Very unfortunate.The right center back is missing.Need it tomorrow.

Overton

Holmes read the telegram several times, and said: "It was postmarked at Riverside, and sent at ten-thirty-six. Mr. Overton must have been very excited when he sent the telegram, for the words in it were incoherent. I will wait until I finish reading the telegram." He'll be here when the Times is published, and then we'll know everything."

As expected, Mr. Overton himself came.His card read: "Cambridge, Trinity College, Cyril Overton." He was a huge man, weighing a good two hundred pounds.He was handsome, but haggard.He looked at us slowly with his dull eyes.

"Which one is Mr. Sherlock Holmes?"

Holmes nodded his head as an answer.

"Mr. Holmes, I have seen Inspector Hopkins at Scotland Yard. He sent me to you. He said that it was not the official business to meddle in the case, and that it was best left to you."

"Sit down and tell us your problems!"

"Things are terrible! Mr. Holmes, have you heard of the name Godfrey Staunton? He is the soul of our team. I would rather only have Staunton in the halfback than the other two. No one can match his passing, dribbling and stealing. He is the core of our team. Only he can drive our whole team. What should I do? Of course we have a substitute, Moore House, but he plays in the front and always likes to show off. He used to squeeze in the ball instead of defending the touchline. Two old Oxford players, Moulton or Johnson, may stalk him. Stevenson is fast, but he won't kick the ball from 25 yards. A central defender who can neither kick the ball nor kick the ball can't play at all. Sir, If we can't find Godfrey Staunton, we will definitely lose, please help us quickly."

Holmes listened with relish, and as soon as he finished speaking, Holmes took out the volume of materials marked with the letter "S".Although it was rich in content, he didn't find anything in it.

He said: "There was Arthur H. Staunton, a counterfeiter who made a fortune. Henry Staunton, who was hanged by the police, was in there. But the name of Godfrey Staunton never came up." .”

Our guest looks incredible.

He said: "Sir, I thought you knew everything. If you haven't even heard of Godfrey Staunton, you certainly haven't heard of Cyril Overton."

Holmes shook his head with a smile.

The young man said: "Mr. Detective, our team is the first team in England and Wales. I am the team leader, but it doesn't matter if you know it or not. But I think Godfrey Staunton This is a name that everyone in England knows. He is the best central defender, Cambridge, Blackheath and the national team have asked him to play centre-half, and the national team has invited him five times!"

Holmes said:

"Mr. Overton, our life circle is different. I have contact with people from all walks of life in addition to sports circles. I know that amateur sports are the most meaningful and beneficial to health in the UK. Your opinion This unexpected visit shows that I will have something to do even in the most disciplined outdoor sports. Please sit down and tell me what happened, slowly and precisely. Explain how you want me to help you."

He begins to tell us this strange story:

"Sir, here's the thing. I'm the captain of the Cambridge rugby team and Godfrey Staunton is the best centre-half we have. Tomorrow we have a game against Oxford. After we got here yesterday I stayed at the Bentleigh Hotel. At ten o'clock in the evening, the other team members were asleep, but Staunton was pale and seemed very disturbed. I asked him what happened, and he said he had a headache, so I said After saying good night, he left. Half an hour later, the waiter reported that there was a bearded, poorly dressed man with a letter asking for Godfrey. After that, he collapsed on the chair. This surprised the waiter. He wanted to come to me, but was stopped by Goffley. Then he went downstairs, whispered a few words to the person waiting at the gate, and the two went out together. The two of them ran towards the river beach on the street. These were the last scenes the waiter saw. His room was empty this morning, without any trace of sleeping. After the stranger came to him, he immediately followed The guy went away and was never heard from again, and I don't think he's coming back. Staunton is a true athlete, and if he hadn't been hit hard, he would never have quit a game or cheated on the leader. I have a feeling, It's as if he's never coming back and we'll never see him again."

Mr. Holmes listened with great interest.

He asked, "Have you taken any measures?"

"I sent a telegram to Cambridge asking if they had heard from him, and they said no."

"Will he return to Cambridge?"

"Possibly, because there is a train at eleven fifteen in the evening."

"However, in your judgment, he did not take this train."

"Yes, he has not been seen by anyone."

"Then what happened next?"

"I have another telegram to Sir Mount James."

"Why send him a telegram?"

"Goffley was an orphan, and Mr James was his next of kin, probably his uncle."

"These circumstances may favor a solution, and Sir James is the wealthiest person in Britain."

"I've heard him talk about it too."

"Goffley is his next of kin?"

"Yes, Godfrey is his heir. The old gentleman is nearly eighty, and has a terrible rheumatism, and may be going to God soon. He's a real miser, and never gave Godfrey a shilling, But Godfrey will get the property sooner or later."

"Any news from Jazz?"

"No."

"If he went to Jazz's for what?"

"Goffley was in a bad mood last night. If it was about the money, it is likely that Mr. James is going to give him the inheritance, but as far as I know, it is unlikely that Godfrey will get the money. Because he doesn't like it. That old man always tries to avoid him."

"May we think so now, then? Suppose your friend went to Sir James at Mount James. Why did that poorly clad man come so late? Why was Godfrey so anxious about his arrival?"

Cyril Overton said puzzledly: "I don't know that."

Holmes said: "Very well! I would like to investigate. Whatever happens to Godfrey, I suggest that you prepare to participate in the competition. His sudden departure must be due to extremely important matters, and it is also because of this that he has not been able to return so far. thing. Let's go to the hotel together and see if we can get any clues from the waiter."

After Holmes' careful enlightenment, the mood of the person concerned immediately calmed down.A short time later we were at the hotel, and in the single room where Staunton had lived.Holmes found out all about it.Last night's messenger was what the waiter called "a badly dressed fellow," about fifty, with a thin beard, a pale face, and plain clothes.From the shaking of his hand holding the letter, it can be seen that he is very excited.Godfrey pocketed the letter, and the two of them did not shake hands in the hall.The two chatted for a few words, but the waiter heard the word "time" and they walked out. At that time, the wall clock in the hall pointed to 50:10.

"You're on the day shift, aren't you?" said Holmes.

"Yes, sir, I get off work at eleven."

"Did that waiter on the night shift see anything?"

"No, sir, only the theatergoers come back late, and nothing else."

"Were you on duty all day yesterday?"

"Yes, sir."

"Has Mr. Staunton received anything else?"

"Yes, sir. It was a telegram."

"Ah, this is very important, when did you receive it?"

"About six o'clock in the evening."

"Where did he get the telegram?"

"It's in this room."

"Were you there when he opened the telegram?"

"Yes, I'm still here waiting to see if I need to call back."

"Did he call back?"

"Back, sir."

"Did you take the call back?"

"No, he went by himself."

"However, he must write a reply in front of your face."

"Yes, sir, he turned around and wrote on the desk. He said to me after he finished writing: 'Okay, it's none of your business. I'll take the film myself.'"

"What pen did he use to write his telegrams back?"

"It's a pencil, sir."

"Is it the telegram from this table?"

"Yes."

Holmes stood up, took the telegram to the window, and examined it carefully for traces.

"It's a pity he didn't write with a pencil," said he. "With a pencil, Watson, the writing would show through to the second sheet of paper, but I see nothing on this one. Ah, There! He wrote it with a thick quill, so we must find something on the blotting paper."

He tore off a strip of blotting paper, on which the writing was reversed.

Cyril said excitedly: "Look with a magnifying glass!"

Holmes said: "No, the paper is thin, and we can see what is written on the reverse side." We read the words on it:

For God's sake support us!

"This is the last sentence of a telegram sent by Godfrey Staunton before his disappearance. At least six words have been lost, but what remains of the telegram proves that the young man saw the danger approaching him, And it can also be seen that he can get help from another person. The word "we" above means that a third party is involved. The third party must be the bearded man, so what is the relationship between the two of them? ? In order to eliminate the danger, who will the two of them turn to for help? We should investigate this issue."

I suggested: "It would be nice to know to whom he sent the telegram!"

"That's what we want to do, Watson. However, the staff at the post office may not be able to meet your request. There are many formalities to go through to achieve the goal, but I believe we will get things done. Mr. Overton, while With you here, I want to see the papers left on the table."

(End of this chapter)