Sherlock Holmes Complete Works 2

Chapter 55 Return 31
Holmes said: "This car left at 06:30 just now, and came back three hours later, so it can cover ten to twelve miles. He goes out once a day, sometimes even twice."

"Doctor's visits are very common!"

"But Armstrong is not an ordinary visiting doctor. He is unwilling to see ordinary diseases, which will hinder his research work. Why can he take such trouble to go to such a far place? Who did he go to? "

"His coachman..."

"I was going to get some information from this coachman, but for some reason he unceremoniously let the dog out on me. Anyway, I didn't get it done. The investigation couldn't proceed with the strained relationship." But I still got some information from a kind local man. He told me about the doctor's living habits and his daily outings. Just as I was talking, the carriage arrived at the door, which showed that this local man did not lie to me. talk."

"Why don't you follow the carriage to see?"

"Excellent! There's a bicycle shop next to the inn, and I went there and rented a bicycle, and with all my might I finally caught up with the carriage, and followed it all the way out of town a hundred yards behind it. After following for a long time on the country road, an embarrassing thing happened to me: suddenly the carriage stopped, the doctor got out, and soon arrived at the place where I parked, he said to me in a sarcastic tone , he was afraid that the road was too narrow and would prevent my bicycle from passing. I had to pass the wagon and rode a few more miles on the main road, then stopped at a convenient place to see if the wagon had disappeared. Sure enough The carriage disappeared, and it must have turned into the dense road I had just seen. I rode back at once, but still did not see the carriage. Now you know that the carriage did not come until after I came back. We took this There may not be a good reason for two things and two people to be connected, but I think that all incidents related to him should be paid attention to. Since he is careful whether someone is following him, then he must be out for an important matter. Don't put Once this matter is cleared up, we will never give up.”

"Then we will continue to follow up tomorrow."

"Things are definitely not as easy as you think. The geography here is not suitable for hiding. And the man who is to be followed is a smart man, and his performance this evening has amply demonstrated that. I sent a telegram to Overton, He'll call back and let me know if there's anything new in London. Keep your eyes on Dr. Armstrong in the meantime. He knows where Staunton is, I promise. Since he knows, we should seize the opportunity to find out, or else it will be Our own fault.

A letter arrived next morning, and Holmes, having read it, handed it into my hand with a smile.

teacher:

I tell you plainly that it's a waste of time to follow me, there's a window in the back of my buggy, so if you're willing to run twenty miles up and down, it's up to you.At the same time, I can tell you that you won't do Mr. Godfrey Staunton any favors by your spying on me.If you really want to help him, go back to London and tell your client that you can't find him.All your efforts at Cambridge will be in vain.

Leslie Armstrong

Holmes said: "The opponent aroused my curiosity instead, and I must find out the truth before leaving."

I said, "The carriage is right in front of his door, and he's getting into it. How about I ride it? Maybe I can find out."

"Don't go, my dear Watson, please don't go. Although I know you are clever and quick-witted, I don't think you are a match for this doctor. I may succeed if I try it alone, and you can go as you please. .It would be very bad for us if there are two probing people appearing in the village at once. I hope you can hear my good news in the evening. "

But he failed again, and late at night he returned to the hotel tired and disappointed.

"Watson, today I made another trip in vain. I already knew the doctor's general direction. I waited for him in the surrounding villages and talked for a long time with the local innkeepers and newspaper sellers. Because there It's so secluded that one must have noticed the daily two-horse carriage, but once again I've been disappointed to get nothing. This time he's victorious. Is there a telegram from me here?"

"Yes, I have taken it apart. It reads:

'Ask Girham Dixon of Trinity College for Bombay. '

But this I can't understand. "

"Isn't the letter clear? This reply from Overton answered a question I had. All I have to do is write to Mr. Dixon and things will turn around. By the way, how is the game going?" How is it?"

"The local papers reported at length that Cambridge had one defeat by one point and two draws with Oxford. After reporting the news, the papers wrote:

'Cambridge lost purely because of Staunton's absence, he was a world-class athlete who had competed internationally and the team was greatly weakened without him, plus the players in the front line The coordination is not enough, and the offense and defense are also weak. '"

Holmes said: "It seems that Owers' estimation is quite correct. Go to sleep, there are many things waiting for us to do tomorrow."

The next morning I saw Mr. Holmes sitting by the fire with the hypodermic needle, and the sight of the doping made me think of his poor constitution, and fear what might happen.Seeing my astonished look, he couldn't help laughing:

"Don't worry about me. The use of stimulants at such an urgent moment is not drug use. Instead, it is the key to solving the mystery. All my hopes are pinned on this shot of stimulants. Watson, today we I have to continue to track down that doctor. After I keep up with him, I will definitely be able to catch up to his lair."

We descended into the stable yard, where Holmes opened the stable door, and a hound was let out.The dog was short and fat, with pendulous ears, and yellow and white, it was part beagle and foxhound.

He said: "Come, let's get to know Pang Pei. This is the most famous tracking hound in the area. It is not only fast, but also can track tenaciously. Pang Pei, there is no other way but to put a leash around your neck. Well, my dear, I leave everything to you."

Holmes led the dog to the door of the doctor's house opposite.The hound sniffed around for a while, then gave a screech and ran up the street, and we followed as best we could, pulling on the leash.Within half an hour we were galloping down the country road.

I asked Holmes, "What are you going to do?"

"The method is old, but it works. This morning I sneaked into the doctor's yard and sprinkled a needle of fennel seed oil on the rear wheel of the carriage. The hounds will chase it from there to the ends of the earth when they smell it. It is impossible for a cunning doctor to get rid of Pang Pei!"

After half a mile the hound turned from the road to a side road, and then turned to another broad road.From here, turn right and lead to the city. The main road goes to the south of the city. If you go north, you can return to the place where we started.

"This detour will help us," said Holmes. "Now I know why the village is ignorant of it. He is a real tricker, but I should like to know why he does it. Ah, the carriage is about to turn." Come here! Quick, Watson, or we shall be discovered!"

Holmes pulled Pompey and jumped into a fence gate. We had just hid when the carriage drove past at high speed.Dr. Armstrong sat in it dejectedly, with his shoulders arched and his head resting in his hands.My friend's serious expression showed that he, too, had seen this happening.

He said: "We may have misfortune, Pompeii, come! Let us go to the hut in the field!"

We can see that our journey is coming to an end.After tying the dog to the fence, we came to the door of the house.Holmes knocked on the door, but there was no answer for a long time.But the house was inhabited, for there came a muffled sound, like a cry of pain.He looked back at the road he had just crossed.A four-wheeled carriage was driving on the road, which was Dr. Armstrong's carriage.

He shouted: "The doctor is back again, you must go in and see what happened before he comes."

When we entered the house, the original low-pitched weeping became louder, and then turned into a weeping whimper.The sound came from upstairs, and the two of us hurried up.After opening the door, what appeared in front of our eyes was a very surprising scene.

A dead man was lying on the bed, it was a young and beautiful woman.Her face was serene and pale, and her dull blue eyes stared upward.A young man was half sitting and half kneeling on the bed, his face buried in the sheets, trembling with tears.It seemed that he was completely immersed in grief.

"Are you Mr. Godfrey Staunton?"

"Yes, but you are too late. She is dead."

At this time, the young man was already in a state of confusion and didn't understand that we were not doctors who came to see a doctor.My friend was about to say a few words of comfort, and explain our origins, when footsteps were heard on the stairs.Dr. Armstrong appeared at the door with a look of grief, sternness, and questioning on his face.

He said: "Gentlemen, you have got your wish, and you are still disturbing at such a particularly unfortunate hour! I cannot make a scene in the presence of the dead, but I will tell you that if I were a few years younger than I am now, I would Beat you flat."

Holmes said solemnly: "I am sorry, Dr. Armstrong. I think there is some misunderstanding between us. Shall we go downstairs and have a talk?"

The three of us went downstairs to the living room.

He said, "Sir, now you can speak."

"First of all, I state that Mr. Sir is not my party, and I am on your side in this matter. My responsibility is to find a missing person, so I hope it is to calm the rumors and not spread them, I promise Keep your mouth shut."

The doctor held my friend's hand tightly.

He said: "You're a good man! I shouldn't blame you. I'll explain it to you. A year ago Staunton was living in London, and he fell in love with the landlady's daughter, and they married. She was a smart, kind, Beautiful girl. But he is the heir of that miser, and when he hears of his marriage, he will definitely disinherit Godfrey. The remoteness of the farmhouse, and the care of this young man, so far , no one knows about it. Only me and a servant know about it. Now this servant has gone to Trumpington on business. But unfortunately, his wife is very seriously ill. The young man is very anxious, but he has to go to London races because there's a reason for not going and then the secret gets out. I sent him a telegram of condolences and he called back asking me to do my best. This is the telegram you saw , I didn't tell him how serious the illness was, but I told the patient's father the truth, and her father couldn't do anything, so he ran to tell him. As a result, Staunton came back and knelt in front of his wife's bed until her wife today Died in the morning. That's all, sir. I'm sure you're both men of good faith and won't tell."

Holmes shook the doctor's hand firmly.

Leaving that house, we come out into the sun.Holmes said: "Watson, let us go!"

(End of this chapter)