The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 183 New Detective Case (5)
"I said that the room was well screened, and now I see that the shutters are still closed. However, there is a light from one window, so I concentrate on looking in from here. Luckily for me, the curtains It wasn't fully drawn, and I could see the room. It was quite bright and clean, with the fire burning and the lights shining on. Opposite me sat a little man I met this morning, smoking his pipe and reading the paper."

"What newspaper?" I asked.

My client didn't seem too happy about my interruption.

"Does it matter?" he asked rhetorically.

"It matters."

"I really didn't notice."

"Then do you see whether it is a large newspaper or a small weekly magazine?"

"By the way, when you mention it, I don't think it's Big Zhang. Maybe it's The Observer. But to be honest, I really couldn't care less about such small things at the time, because there was another person in the room with his back to the window." Sitting, I dare say he is Godfrey. Of course I can't see his face, but I know the shape of his shoulders. He rests his head on his hands, and he looks very sad, and his body is facing the wall. I just try to move Suddenly, someone patted me heavily on the shoulder, and it turned out that the colonel was standing beside me.

"'Come this way, sir!' he said in a low voice. He walked into the building without a word, and I followed him to my flat. He picked up a train time-table in the hall.

"'There is a train for London at 08:30,' said he, 'and the carriage is waiting outside the gates at eight o'clock.'

"He turned pale with anger. I felt so embarrassed that I could only stammer a few incoherent apologies, trying to argue that I did it out of concern for my friend.

"'That question is out of question,' he said emphatically. 'You have shamelessly violated the rights of our family. You have come here as a guest, but you have become a spy. I have only one thing to say, sir, and that is that I don't want it. see you again.'

"Now I'm angry too, and I said something rude.

"'I saw your son, and I think you are keeping him private for personal purposes. I don't know what your motives are for locking him up, but I'm sure he's lost his freedom of movement. I tell you, Colonel , unless I know for sure that my friend is safe and healthy, I will never stop my efforts to find out the truth, and I will never be intimidated by any threats from you.'

"The Colonel was furious at what I said, and his face was ghastly. I really thought he might do it. As I said, he was a tall, thin, violent old man, and although I am not weak, I am very difficult to deal with him. But he is furious. After staring at me for a long time, I turned around and went out. As for me, I left by train on time in the morning, and my intention was to come to you immediately to listen to your opinion and ask for your help. This is why I am writing to you Reason for dating."

These are the questions my clients put before me.Probably astute readers have already seen that this case is not difficult to solve, because the clues of the matter are not complicated.Despite its simplicity, there was something new and interesting about this case, which I take the liberty of recording.Then I used my usual logical analysis to narrow down the possible answers.

"How many servants are there in the house?" I asked.

"It seems to me that there is only the old housekeeper and his wife. Life in his family seems to be extremely frugal."

"Then there are no servants in the Garden Shed?"

"No, the short man with the beard doesn't look like a servant. It seems to be of much higher status."

"That's instructive. Have you ever noticed someone delivering meals to that house?"

"After you mentioned it, I remembered it. I did see old Ralph walking towards the garden in the direction of the bungalow with a basket. I didn't think about food at the time."

"Have you visited the local area to inquire about it?"

"Inquired. I spoke to the station master and the owner of the village inn. I simply asked them if they knew anything about my partner Godfrey. They both said he had sailed around the world. He had returned home. Played house, but then went out. It seems that the story about his travel has been accepted by everyone."

"Did you not mention your suspicions to them?"

"Not at all."

"That is sensible. The matter is to be investigated. I will go with you to the old Tewkesbury estate."

"When?"

"Next Monday. I have another case to settle these days." A week later I embarked on my journey to Bedfordshire, accompanied by Mr. James M. Dodd.As we were driving through Easton, I picked up a serious, taciturn, dark gentleman, whom I had agreed with in advance.

"Here is an old friend of mine," I said to Dodd. "It may not be of any use to have him there, but it may be decisive. There is no need to dwell on that just now, and we shall find out in due time."

Anyone who has read the records written by Watson will presumably be familiar with my practice of refraining from talking or revealing my thoughts during the investigation of a case.Dodd seemed a little puzzled, but said nothing, and the three of us continued on our way together.On the train I asked Dodd one more question, deliberately for my companion to hear.

"You say you saw your friend's face clearly through the window, so you're pretty sure it's him, aren't you?"

"There's no problem with that. His nose is against the glass and the light is shining on his face."

"Wouldn't it be another guy who looked like him?"

"Impossible, it is indeed him."

"But you said he had changed."

"It's just the color has changed. His face is...how should I put it...it's fish belly white, and his skin has turned white."

"Is the whole face pale?"

"I don't think so. It's his forehead that I see most clearly and whitest, because it's against the glass."

"Did you call his name?"

"I was startled and frightened at the time, so I didn't yell. Then I chased him, and as I told you, I didn't catch up."

My scouting is pretty much done, just one more small case to get it all done.

After much travelling, we arrived at the strange, rambling estate Dodd described.It was the old butler Ralph who opened the door.I have hired the carriage for the whole day, and I will ask my old friend to sit in the carriage and wait, and get out when we ask him.Ralph was a short, wrinkled old man in the traditional black jacket and gray-dotted trousers, except for one thing he wore, yellow leather gloves, which he flung off on the hall table when he saw us. up.I am a person, as my friend Watson says, with an astonishingly keen senses.There was an indistinct but pungent odor in the room at the time.It seemed to be coming from the hall table.I turned, put my hat on the table, dropped it on the floor, stooped to pick it up, and took the opportunity to bring my nose within a foot of the glove.Yes, the strange tar-like smell did come from the glove.The investigation is complete.I go into the study.Alas, it is not wise for me to be so straightforward in writing my own records!Watson's works are so fascinating, isn't it just by hiding these links?
The colonel was not in the room, but came as soon as Ralph announced him.We heard his rapid and heavy footsteps coming from the corridor.He slammed the door open and rushed in, his beard stood up, his eyebrows and eyes also stood up, he was indeed a rare and vicious old man.He held our business card in his hand, tore it hard, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it with his feet.

"Didn't I tell you, you meddling bastard, I won't let you in my door! I'll never let you in again, and if you ever come in here again without my permission, I have the right to use violence, I'll shoot you! I'll shoot you! As for you, sir," he said, turning to me, "I give you the same warning. I know your dishonorable profession, and you can go and show yourself elsewhere. I don't need it here. you."

"I cannot go," said my client firmly, "unless Godfrey himself tells me that his liberty is not limited."

Our reluctant host rang the bell.

"Ralph," he ordered, "call the local police station and tell them to send two cops. Just say there's a thief."

"Wait a minute," I said hastily, "Mr. Dodd, you should know that Colonel Emsworth has rights and we have no right to enter his residence. On the other hand, he should also know that your actions are completely Out of concern for his son. I would venture to say that if I were allowed to speak to Colonel Emsworth for five minutes, I could make him change his mind on the matter."

"I don't change that easily," said the old colonel. "Ralph, carry out the orders. What are you waiting for? Call!"

"No," I said, leaning against the door, "if the police intervene, it will lead to exactly what you fear." I took out my notebook and wrote two words hastily on a torn piece of paper.I handed the colonel the paper and said, "That's why we're here."

He stared at the note, all expression but surprise disappeared from his face.

"How do you know?" he said feebly, sitting heavily on the chair.

"It's my job to figure things out. It's my business."

He sat pensively, running his thin hands through his shaggy beard.Finally, he made a helpless gesture.

"Well, since you must see Godfrey, do so. I'm not responsible for this. You made me do it. Ralph, go tell Mr. Godfrey and Mr. Kent that we'll be in five minutes." arrive."

After 5 minutes we had walked the garden path and came to the front of the mystery hut.A short bearded man stood at the door with a very surprised look on his face.

"It's so sudden, Colonel," said he, "that it throws our plans into disarray."

"I can't help it, Mr. Kent, we're being made to do it. Is Mr. Godfrey here?"

"Yes, he's inside." He said, turning and leading us into a spacious and simply furnished room.There was a man standing with his back to the fireplace.On seeing the man, my client immediately jumped forward and held out his hand.

"Hi Godfrey, great to meet you!"

But the opponent waved him back.

"Don't touch me, Jimmy. Don't come near me. Yes, you're very surprised! I'm not like Private First Class Emsworth, the great boy of the squadron, are I?"

His countenance was indeed unusual.It could be seen that he was originally a handsome man with regular features and skin tanned by the African sun, but now there were some strange white spots interspersed with the dark skin, which made his skin white.

"That's why I don't see visitors," said he. "You and I don't care, but you don't need your companions. I know you mean well, but it's not good for me."

"I just want to make sure you're all right, Godfrey. I saw you when you looked out my window that night, and then I got worried and had to find out."

"Old Ralph told me you were coming, and I couldn't help looking at you. I hoped you didn't see me, but then I heard the window open, and I had to run back to the cabin."

"How did it happen, and why?"

"It's not too hard to explain," he said, lighting a cigarette. "Do you remember the battle at Bufospur that morning, on the western line of the railway outside Pretoria, you hear Did you say I was hurt?"

"I've heard about it, but don't know the details."

"Three of us have been cut off from headquarters. The terrain is rough. There's Simpson -- the guy called Bald Simpson -- Anderson, and me. We're chasing the Boers, but they're in ambush, They surrounded the three of us. Two of them were killed, and I was shot in the shoulder like a shotgun bullet. But I was desperate to lie on the horse, and I ran for several miles before I passed out and fell off the horse.

"When I came to, it was dark and I struggled to my feet, feeling very weak. To my surprise there was a house nearby, quite large, with a South African verandah and many windows. It was cold. You Knowing that freezing cold that strikes at night, a repulsive, unbearable death cold, very different from the crisp, crisp frost. Simply put, I was bone-chillingly cold, the only The hope is to manage to reach the house. I struggled to get up, dragging every step, almost unconscious. I only vaguely remember climbing the steps, entering a wide open door, and entering a room with several beds. In the big room, I fell down on a bed and snorted in satisfaction. The quilt on the bed had been spread out, but I couldn’t care less about it. I pulled the quilt over my trembling body and fell asleep.

"When I woke up in the morning, instead of entering a world of health, it seemed to me that I had entered a world of nightmares. The African sunlight pouring in through the wide open windows made this large, spacious, whitewashed room The dormitory looked particularly bright. In front of me stood a dwarf-like man with a head as large as a bulb, speaking eagerly in Dutch and waving monstrously spongy hands. Behind him stood a group of people who seemed to be Everyone thinks this situation is very interesting, but I can't help shivering when I see them. There is no normal human shape. Everyone is either crooked or bloated. The ugly laughter is worse than anything.

"It seems that none of them can speak English, but the situation must be clarified, because the more the big head talked, the more angry it became, and then he grabbed me with his deformed hand and pulled me down while screaming, regardless of the dark red blood. Straight from my wound. This little monster is as strong as a cow. I don't know what he would have done to me if an old man in charge hadn't heard the noise coming from the house. He reproached me in Dutch , the person who grabbed me dodged. Then he turned to me and looked at me with wide surprised eyes.

"'How did you come here?' he asked in amazement. 'Stay still! I know you're exhausted, and the wound on your shoulder needs attention. I'm a doctor, and I'll get you bandaged right away. But , lad! You are more dangerous here than on the battlefield. You are in a leprosy hospital, and you have spent the night in a leper's bed.'

"Jimmy, do I need to say anything else? It seems that these patients were evacuated the day before because of the approaching fire. The next day, because of the arrival of the British army, they were sent back to the hospital by the medical director. He said that although he thought he was immune, he would never have dared to sleep a night in a leper's bed like I did. Then he put me in a separate ward and nursed me carefully, and after about a week I He was taken to Pretoria General Hospital.

"You see, this is my tragedy. I hope to get away with it, but when I get home, these terrible symptoms on my face finally announce that I have not escaped the fate of being infected. What to do? What lies ahead? There are only two ways. One is to live in a peaceful house with no neighbors. We have two servants who can be absolutely trusted. This is a place to live. Mr. Kent is a surgeon. He is willing to live with me. It is very simple to deal with this way. The other way is extremely terrifying: to be quarantined for life with someone he does not know, and will never be released. But it must be kept absolutely secret, otherwise even in this remote place It would cause an uproar in the crowd, and sooner or later I would be sent to the leprosy hospital. Jimmy, even you can't tell. How my father backed down today, I don't understand."

The Colonel pointed at me.

"It was this gentleman who forced me to give in." As he spoke, he opened the note I handed him, with the word "leprosy" written on it, "Since he already knows so much, the safest way is to tell him everything .”

"Indeed," said I, "who can say that there is no advantage in doing so? Mr. Kent appears to be the only one who has seen patients. Allow me to ask if Mr. is a specialist in this disease? For, as far as I am concerned, Understand, it's a tropical or subtropical disease."

"I have the normal knowledge of a qualified medical practitioner," he said with some seriousness.

"Sir, I am convinced that you are capable, but I think it is worthwhile to have a consultation in this case. As far as I understand, you avoid the consultation because you are afraid of pressure to hand over the patient."

"Exactly," said the colonel.

"I expected this," I explained, "and today I am bringing a friend whose prudence can be absolutely trusted. I have worked for him before, so he is willing to come as a friend rather than an expert." Offer his opinion. His name is Sir James Saunders."

Hearing what I said, the look of surprise on Mr. Kent's face was almost as if a newly promoted junior officer was about to meet the Prime Minister.

"I'd be proud," he whispered.

"Then I will ask Sir James to come here. He is waiting outside in his carriage. As for us, Colonel, we can go to your study and I will explain."

It was at this crucial moment that I showed how much I needed my Watson.He is good at using appropriate questions and various exclamation words to exaggerate my investigative art, and exaggerate my investigative skills that are only systematic common sense into miracles.Now that I am telling the story myself, no one will join me.I have to tell it as it is, as I told it that day in the colonel's study to some audience, including Godfrey's mother. "My method," I said, "is based on the assumption that when you have ruled out all impossibilities, what remains, however bizarre, must also be fact. There are several explanations, and if so, they have to be confirmed again and again, until finally there is only one explanation that has sufficient grounds to support it. In the case at hand. At the beginning, it was mentioned that I There are before us three possible explanations for the seclusion or confinement of this gentleman in the cottage on his father's estate. It may be considered that he escaped from a crime, or that he was insane and unwilling to be admitted to an insane asylum, and lastly because There are certain diseases that require isolation. There are only a few possibilities. Then, it is necessary to analyze and screen out these hypotheses.

(End of this chapter)