Sherlock Holmes Complete Works 2

Chapter 54 Return 30
There were letters, bills, notebooks, etc. on the table, which Holmes turned quickly and earnestly over.After a while he said, "There's nothing wrong with that stuff, and by the way, your friend Staunton won't mess with anything, he's in good health and clear mind, isn't he?"

"Yes, he is strong."

"Has he ever been ill?"

"Never had a single illness. But he has been lying down because of a kick in the shin, and he has had some injuries, which were from slipping and falling on the knee, but these are not illnesses."

"He may not be as strong as you think, and he may have a disease that is not known to outsiders. If possible, I will take one or two materials from this table for future investigations."

Suddenly a person shouted anxiously: "Please wait a moment, wait a moment!" I saw a little old man standing tremblingly at the door, looking very strange, he was wearing black clothes that had already turned white, and he was wearing a wide brim He looked rustic in a top hat and with a white tie, but even so, he spoke with a crisp, urgent look that caught our attention.

He asked: "Sir, who are you? Do you have the authority to use these documents?"

"I'm a private detective, and I'm trying to find out why he disappeared."

"Detective? Who hired you?"

"This gentleman, a friend of Staunton's. Scotland Yard sent him to my aid."

"Sir, who are you?"

"I am Cyril Overton."

"Then it was you who telegraphed me. I am Sir Mount James. Have you entrusted the matter to a private detective?"

"Yes, sir."

"Are you ready to pay?"

"If we can find his friend Godfrey, he will definitely give the money."

"What if you can't find it? You must answer!"

"If that's the case, his family will definitely..."

The old man shrieked, "Sir, don't expect to ask me for a penny--I won't give a penny. I'm the only kin he has, but I tell you plainly I'm not responsible for it. Because I never waste money, so he may get my property, but now I haven't let him inherit, how can you move these things casually? But if there is anything valuable in it, you are fully responsible."

Holmes said: "Sir, so be it! Are you not responsible for the disappearance of this young man?"

"Of course not, sir. He's grown up now and can take care of himself. He's so stupid that he can't look after himself well, and I don't take any responsibility for that."

My companion said in a mocking tone: "I understand you very well, but you don't understand me. People have always thought that Godfrey Staunton was a poor man, and he was kidnapped by no means because of his own property. Sir, you are very rich and famous, and it is very likely that a gang of robbers kidnapped your nephew in order to blackmail you."

The miser turned pale.

"My God, it's terrible! I can't believe that anyone can do such a bad thing! These scoundrels! He is a good boy, he is so tenacious, I am sure he will never betray his uncle, and I will send him tonight. Send my belongings to the bank for safekeeping. Sir, you must do your best, money is not a problem, just ask for five pounds or ten pounds.”

We sent the miser away.The surviving telegram is our only clue.So Holmes picked up a fragment of a transcript and went to find his clue.

There is a post office not far from the hotel.At the gate of the post office, Holmes said to me: "Watson, we can go in and try it. I think the post office is very busy and cannot remember our faces. Let's take a risk."

He said nonchalantly to a young woman behind the grill: "Excuse me, the telegram I sent yesterday has not been answered until now. I think there may be something wrong with the telegram. Maybe I forgot to post it later." The name is written, can you look it up for me?"

"When was it taken?" she asked.

"A quarter past six."

"Who was it for?"

Holmes put his finger to his lips in a silencing motion, and said confidently: "The last words of the telegram are 'For God's sake support us.' I am eager to get a call back as soon as possible."

The young woman produced a stub.

"That's the one, but it doesn't have a name on it," she said, spreading the stub flat on the counter.

My friend said: "No wonder I can't get a call back! Ah, how stupid I am! Good morning, madam, thank you very much." Out in the street Holmes chuckled.

I asked: "What's wrong?"

"A great progress has been made. Watson, I have conceived seven methods of obtaining the stubs of the telegram, but I did not expect it to go so smoothly. I succeeded the first time."

"What happened to you again?"

"I already know where to start the investigation," he said.

He called a carriage.

"Are we going far away?"

"Yes, we have to go to Cambridge. These clues seem to be related to Cambridge."

As we drove down the highway, I asked him again, "What do you think about Staunton's disappearance? You don't think Staunton was robbed because of his uncle's property?"

"I didn't think about it that way. I just said it out of the blue just to interest that annoying old man."

"How do you actually think about it, though?"

"I can express a few points of my opinion. It happened on the eve of this important game, and it involved a key player related to the victory of the whole team. But I think this situation is purely coincidental. Amateur games are not Betting, but there are still some people who bet off the track, which is the same as a racetrack hooligan betting on a horse. This can also be used as an explanation. Obviously there is another reason for the explanation, that is, the young man has no money now, but In the future, he will have a large amount of money to inherit, and he was hijacked for property, and this kind of thing is also possible."

"Neither case, however, explains the contents of the telegram."

"Well, we must solve the problem of the telegram, and we must devote ourselves to it. It is for the purpose of finding out the telegram that we went to Cambridge. Now we can't find out, Of course, it must be confirmed before dark, and at least one clue must be found."

We arrived in Cambridge when it was dark.Then to Dr. Leslie Armstrong's.A few minutes later, the carriage stopped in front of a luxurious house.We were led into the house by a servant, and after a long time we were ushered into a consulting room, where a doctor sat behind a desk.

I had never heard the name of Leslie Armstrong before, and I only knew when I got there that he was not only one of the heads of the University of Cambridge Medical School, but also had a deep knowledge of the disciplines he studied , is a well-known scholar in Europe.He was sullen, quick-witted, ruthless, hard-working, self-controlled, and difficult, and that was my first impression of him.He was holding my friend's business card, still expressionless on his face.

"I have heard your name, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and I know your profession, but I absolutely disapprove of your profession."

"In this way," said Holmes serenely, "you are supporting every criminal in the country."

"Your career is devoted to stopping crime, but I think that kind of thing can be left to official agencies. People often take a skeptical view of what you do, because you spy on private and other people's families. What should be covered up is publicized, and sometimes people who are much busier than you are disturbed by you, and I am an example. Now I should be writing papers instead of talking to you."

"Perhaps you are right, doctor, but my talk is more important than your paper, and that will be proven. By the way, what I did was exactly the opposite of what you accuse, and we try not to let private News of the incident is known, but once it has been handed over to the police there is no secret. I wish to find out about Mr. Godfrey Staunton on this visit."

"What happened to him?"

"Don't you two know each other at all?"

"No, he's a close friend of mine."

"Did you know? He's missing."

"Really?" The doctor seemed indifferent.

"He disappeared after leaving the hotel last night."

"He'll definitely be back."

"But there's a football game tomorrow."

"I don't like this kind of children's game. Because we are close friends, I also like this youth very much. As for whether the rugby game can be held, I have nothing to do with it."

"I'm investigating his situation and need your help. Do you know where he is now?"

"I don't know."

"Have you seen him since yesterday?"

"No."

"Is he in good health?"

"Very healthy."

"Has he been ill before?"

"there has never been."

Holmes suddenly took out a bill and put it before the doctor's eyes. "Then how do you explain this bill for thirteen guineas? It was paid to you by Staunton last month."

The doctor was so angry that his face turned red.

"Sir, I don't need to explain to you."

Holmes put the slip back into his notebook, and said: "If you want to explain it in front of everyone, sooner or later, there will be such a day. I can keep silent about what other detectives will surely tell. I hope you will be wise. Son, tell us everything."

"I do not know anything."

"Did Staunton write to you from London?"

"No."

"Alas," said Holmes impatiently, "the Post Office is again responsible for the matter! He sent you an urgent telegram from London at six-fifteen last night, and his disappearance is evidently connected with this telegram." It's a big deal, but you didn't receive it. It was really an oversight by the post office!"

The doctor said sternly: "I'm sorry, sir, please go out. You can tell your client, Mr. Monte James, that I don't want to have any relationship with him and his agent." He shook his head angrily. The bell rang. "John, send the two gentlemen out!" A fat butler ushered us out the gate.

After coming out, Holmes said: "Dr. Armchans is very stubborn. He is the most suitable person to solve the problems left by the famous scholar Dr. Moati. Go to the small hotel opposite the doctor's house and book a room facing the street. Buy something for the night. I can use this time to do some more research. We're not going to stop until we get there."

However, he did not return to the hotel until nine o'clock in the evening.He was covered in dirt, hungry, tired, and depressed.After supper, he lit his pipe, and was about to share his humorous and philosophical opinions (as he always did when things went wrong), when the sound of wheels outside made him stop. up.Under the light, a four-wheeled carriage stopped in front of Dr. Armstrong's door.

(End of this chapter)