Sherlock Holmes.

Chapter 149 The Last Greeting (11)
"Here it is, Watson—it must be the window." He opened it.As soon as the window opened, there was a low, piercing chugging sound, which gradually became a loud rumbling sound, and a train rushed past us through the darkness.Holmes shone along the window-sill with his lamp.The window sills were covered with a thick layer of soot left by passing locomotives, but the black ash had been mopped in several places.

"You see, this is where they left the body. Well, Watson! What is it? Yes, it's blood." He pointed to some faint stains on the window-sill. "There's stains on the step-stones here. The evidence is solid. We'll wait until a train stops."

After a short wait, the next train roared out of the tunnel just like the previous one, but immediately slowed down as soon as it exited the tunnel, and then the brakes creaked and stopped right in front of our eyes.The windowsill was now within four feet of the roof of the car.Holmes closed the window softly.

"So far, our theory is confirmed," said he. "What do you think, Watson?"

"Breakthrough. You've reached heights you've never seen before."

"I can't stand you saying that. It started when I had the idea that the dead body was placed on the roof of the car. Of course, this idea is not profound, but in this way, all other problems are solved. If it weren't for the case The stakes are so high that the facts of the case are of little interest. We still have difficulties before us, but there may be something here to be found that will help us."

We climbed the kitchen stairs and entered a suite on the second floor to examine the rooms.One was the dining room, which was simply furnished and contained nothing of note.The second bedroom was also empty.There was another room, which looked promising, and my companion stopped to check the system.There are books and newspapers strewn here and there, obviously used as a study.Holmes rummaged through drawer after drawer, cupboard after cupboard, quickly and methodically.But there was no gleam of success on his tense face.An hour passed, as at the beginning, with no progress.

"This cunning fox has destroyed every clue," he said, "everything that might be incriminated. The criminal letters have been destroyed or transferred. This is our last chance. We can't catch it." There is no more."

There is a tin box on the desk, which is a small box for cash.Holmes used a chisel to pry it open, and there were several rolls of paper inside. There were some numbers and calculation formulas on the paper, without any explanation, only words such as "water pressure" and "pressure per square inch" appeared repeatedly, indicating that they might have something to do with submarines.Holmes tossed it all aside impatiently.In the end, there was only one envelope left, which contained small pieces of newspaper clippings, which he shook off on the table.Suddenly, his eager face lit up with hope.

"Well, what's this, Watson? What's this? A few postal advertisements in a newspaper. From the print and paper, it's the missing persons column of The Daily Telegraph, in the upper right-hand corner of the newspaper. No date." — but the postage itself has its order. This is the first one:
Hope to hear from you soon.The conditions are right.According to the business card address details.

Pirot

"Second:

It's complicated.A detailed report is required, see payment upon delivery.

Pirot

"Then:
Urgent situation.Call back the asking price unless executed as contracted.Greeting letter, advertising as evidence.

Pirot

"The last one:
Monday night at nine o'clock sharp.Knock on the door twice, my own people, don't be suspicious.Payment is made upon delivery.

Pirot

"It's well documented, Watson! If only we could find the man on the other side!" He was lost in thought, tapping his fingers on the table.Finally he jumped up.

"Well, perhaps it is not so difficult. There is nothing more to do here, Watson. I think we shall go and ask the Telegraph for help, and we shall conclude our day's hard work."

Mycroft Holmes and Lethyred came by appointment after breakfast the next day.Sherlock Holmes told them what we had done on the first day.The career police officer shook his head at our confession of burglary.

"We policemen cannot do that, Mr. Holmes," said he. "No wonder you have achieved what we have not. But perhaps you have gone too far, and you will find that you and your friend are asking for trouble." .”

"For the country, for the good life--well, don't you, Watson? We are willing to be martyrs on the national altar. But what do you think, Mycroft?"

"Very well, Sherlock! Admirable! But what is your next step?"

Holmes picked up the Daily Telegraph from the table.

"Did you see Pirot's advertisement today?"

"What? Another advertisement?"

"Yes, here."

Tonight, same time, same place.Knock twice.It is very important and your own safety is at stake.

Pirot

"Really!" cried Lethred, "if he answers, we'll have him!"

"That's what I thought at the beginning. If you two are convenient, please come to Caulfield Garden with us. Around eight o'clock, we may get further answers."

Sherlock Holmes had a faculty, a most remarkable faculty, of simply shutting his mind down and turning all his thoughts to light things, when he felt that his work could not possibly be more productive.I remember one memorable day when he was working on his treatise on the polyphonic hymns of Lassus.As for myself, without this faculty of detachment, the whole day turned out to be incomparably long.The stakes of the country in this case, the anxiety of the highest authorities, and our attempt to get right into the pockets of the thief—these all came together and irritated my nerves.It wasn't until after a relaxed dinner that I breathed a sigh of relief, and we finally embarked on the journey.Les Reed and Mycroft were waiting for us at Gloucester Road station as promised.The door to the basement of Oberstein's lodgings had been forced open the night before, but Mycroft Holmes would not give in to climbing the banister, so I was left to go in and open the hall door.By nine o'clock we were seated in our study, waiting patiently for the arrival of our invited persons.

An hour passed, and another hour passed, and eleven o'clock struck.The deliberate mournful chiming of cathedral bells sounds like a dirge to our hopes.Lethred and Mycroft sat anxiously, looking at their watches twice a minute.Holmes sat very still, with his eyes half-closed and his nerves strained.Suddenly, his body shook and he raised his head.

"Here we come," he said.

Sneaky footsteps walked past the door.Walk back again.We heard a flurry of steps to the door, and then the knocker slammed twice on the door.Holmes rose, and motioned us to sit still.The gas lamps in the hall were dimly lit.He opened the outer door, and a dark figure stepped in, then closed the door and unbarred it. "This way!" we heard him say, and in a moment a man stood before us, followed by Holmes.Noticing something was wrong, the man screamed and turned to leave the room. Holmes grabbed him by the collar and threw him back into the room.Before he could stand still, Holmes had closed the door of this room and stood with his back against the door.The man stared around, staggered, and fell to the floor in a faint.In a panic, his wide-brimmed hat fell from his head, and his scarf slipped from his mouth, revealing a delicate and handsome face with a thin beard. It was Colonel Valentine Walter.

Holmes hissed in surprise.

"You can make me a jackass this time, Watson," said he, "and it's the bird I'm catching."

"Who is this?" asked Mycroft eagerly.

"Chief of Submarines, brother of the late Sir James Walter. Yes, yes, I see the cards. He'll come, and you'd better let me inquire."

We put the limp guy on the couch.At this moment he sat up, looked around with a panicked expression, and touched his forehead with his hand, as if he didn't believe his own perception.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "I've come to visit Herr Oberstein."

"Everything is now clear, Colonel Walter," said Holmes. "It is a surprise to me that such a thing should be done by an English gentleman. We have all your contacts and relations with Oberstein. Also have the relevant circumstances of the death of young Cadogan West. I advise you not to let go of the little trust we have given you, and you must confess and repent, because there are still certain details that we can only take from your mouth. to find out."

The fellow sighed and covered his face with his hands.We waited, but he was silent.

"I can assure you," said Holmes, "that every major circumstance has been uncovered. We know that you are in dire need of money, that you have forged the key held by your brother, and that you have connected yourself with Oberstein. The ad column in the Daily Telegraph wrote back to you. We know you went to the office in the fog on Monday night. However, you were spotted by young Cadogan West, who followed you. Possibly He had suspicions about you. He saw you stealing papers, but he couldn't call the police, because you might have taken them to London to give to your brother. He left his private business, as a good citizen does, Followed you through the fog to this place. He stepped forward. Colonel Walter, you have committed murder, a far more horrific crime than treason."

"I didn't! I didn't! By God, I swear I didn't kill!" cried the poor, despicable criminal.

"So, you say, how did Cadogan West die? You threw him on the roof of the train car."

"I say, I swear to you, I say. I admit, I did the other thing, exactly as you said. I was cornered to pay the stock exchange, and Oberstein gave me five thousand to save me." Pass the test. However, I am innocent of murder, as innocent as you."

"What's going on, tell me!"

"He has suspected me for a long time. As you said, he stared at me that day, but I didn't know it. I didn't find him until I got to the door here. The fog was so thick that no one could be seen three yards away. I knocked After two knocks on the door, Oberstein came to open the door. This young man rushed up and asked us what we were doing with the documents. Oberstein always carried a bodyguard with him, and when West followed us into the house, Oberstein was right A club was given to him on the head, which killed him, and he died five minutes later, lying in the hall. We didn't know what to do, and finally Oberstein thought of the train that was parked outside the rear window. But He just checked the papers I brought him first. He said three of them were the most important ones, and he was going to take them. 'Can't take them,' I said, 'if they don't get back, Woolwich will be turned upside down !''I must take it away,' he said, 'it's too technical, and I can't copy it for a while.' 'We must send it all back today.' I said. He thought for a while, then cried out, saying that there is a way 'I'll take three,' said he, 'and put the rest in the young man's pocket. And when it's revealed, it'll be on the dead boy.' I can't think of any other way, So we had to do as he said. We waited at that window for half an hour, and a train stopped. The fog was so thick that we couldn't see anything, and we had no difficulty getting West's body on the roof of the car. No. That's all about me."

"Where's your brother?"

"He didn't say anything. Just showed him once, and I took his key. I think that aroused his suspicion, and I saw it in his eyes. He suspected me. You already know, he can't lift it up again." Get up, don't have the face to see people."

There was no sound in the room.Mycroft Holmes broke the silence.

"You don't want to be remedied? It can appease your conscience and reduce your punishment."

"How to fix it?"

"Where did Oberstein get the papers?"

"I do not know."

"He didn't give you the address?"

"He said he could send a letter to the Hôtel de Laurey in Paris, and he would receive it."

"It's up to you whether you want to remedy it or not," said Sherlock Holmes.

"I can do it, I will do it. I have no friendship with this person. He ruined me, and my life is over."

"Take a pen and paper, sit at the table, I say you write, and write the address he gave on the envelope. Okay, now write:
Dear Sir:
The transaction between you and me is not over.You have no doubt discovered by now that there is one important submap missing, without which you can do nothing.The photocopies I have on hand can help you realize your sweet dreams.But this matter has caused me a lot of trouble. I have to evade the police and ask you for five hundred pounds.No wire transfers, that's unreliable, I just want gold or pounds.I wanted to go abroad to find you, but going out at this moment will arouse suspicion.So I hope to meet you in the smoking room of the Charing Cross Hotel at noon on Saturday.Just gold or sterling.Remember.

"Very well. It will be a wonder if we don't catch the man we're looking for this time."

Sure enough!This is a history—the secret history of a country.This history is much more real and interesting than the public memorabilia of this country. Oberstein was eager to make the biggest deal of his life, was lured into a trap, caught without a fight, and sentenced to 15 years in prison.The invaluable Bruce-Partington plan was found in his suitcase.He had planned to sell the plan to the naval technology centers of European countries.

Colonel Walter died in prison at the end of the second year after sentencing.As for Holmes, he resumed his study of Lassus's harmonic hymn with gusto.After his article was published, it was widely circulated in private circles, and according to experts, it can be regarded as an authoritative work in this field.A few weeks later, I happened to hear that my friend had spent the day in Windsor and had brought home a very nice emerald tie pin.I asked him if he had bought it, and he said it was a present from some gallant lady whom he had had the honor of serving.Other than that, nothing was mentioned.But I think I can guess the lady's name.There is no doubt that this jeweled pin will forever evoke my friend's memories of the Bruce-Partington scheme.The "Death" of Sherlock Holmes

Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Holmes, has suffered a lot over the years, because her famous tenant lives an extremely eccentric and irregular life, and is often visited by unwelcome strange guests. She really can't believe herself. Patience will be so good.

Holmes was indeed a headache for the landlady. He was used to listening to some music at unexpected times, and he often practiced marksmanship in the house.To make matters worse, his chemistry experiments always made the house stink.Because of him, there is violence and danger all around, which makes him the most annoying tenant in all of London.But the rent he paid was surprisingly high. During the years I lived with him, the rent he paid was enough to buy the house.

For some reason, the landlady was afraid of him, and although she couldn't stand his behavior, she never interfered with him, and Mrs. Hudson liked his gentle attitude towards women very much.Although he doesn't like or trust women, he is always against chivalry.Since I knew that the landlady really cared about Holmes, I did not refuse her to come to my house and tell me about my friend's miserable situation during the second year of my marriage.I listened carefully to her narrative.

"Dr. Watson, Mr. Holmes is about to die. He has been ill for three days. He is very serious and may not survive today. But he will not let me call for a doctor for him.

"This morning, he was so sick that his cheekbones were protruding on both sides and his eyes were wide open. I couldn't take it anymore and yelled at him: 'I have to go to the doctor whether you want it or not.' He I agreed, and said: "If you really want to call for a doctor, go and call for Watson." Doctor, please don't waste any more time in order to save this poor man, otherwise, you may not see Mr. Holmes alive."

I was really taken aback, not knowing that he was ill, so I dressed at once, and asked Mrs. Hudson for details as I walked. "What's there to say, Doctor, he's been working on a disease at Rose-Ehhet, and he brought it back in an alley by the river, and he lay down on Wednesday afternoon and never got up again. , I haven’t eaten or drank water for three days.”

"My God, why didn't you call a doctor?"

"He won't let it go. It's not like you don't know that he has such a weird temper. Who would dare to disobey him? He won't live long. After you meet him, you will naturally believe me."

His condition was indeed quite serious. The weather in November was very foggy and the light was not clear, so the small ward was even more gloomy and frightening.The thin face on the hospital bed chilled me even more.His eyes were red, his cheeks seemed to be smeared with rouge, his lips were covered with black skin, his hands were trembling on the bed sheet, and his voice was extremely hoarse.

He lay there limp when we went in, saw me, and acted like he recognized me. "Oh, Watson, I'm very unlucky." His voice was very low, but there was still the old indifference.

"My dear companion!" I cried, going up to him.

"Don't come, get out of the way!" he cried, as if the danger had come again. "Watson, if you come near me, I will ask you to go out."

"why?"

"I like this, okay?"

Mrs. Hudson was right, he was unreasonable now more than ever, but he was so pitiful that you had to pity him.

"I just want to help you," I told him.

"Okay, then I tell you what to do, and you do what you want. That is the best help for me."

"Of course, Holmes."

His stern demeanor finally softened.

"Aren't you angry?" he asked, panting.

"What's the use of being angry with such a helpless person?"

"It's for your own good, Watson," he told me hoarsely.

"For my good?"

"I know what's wrong with me. I've got a coolie disease from Sumatra. Perhaps the Dutch know it better than we do, and though they haven't been able to do anything about it yet, there's no doubt that it's a terrible disease. infectious disease."

He seemed to be having a high fever, and he spoke softly, waving his hands to signal me to avoid it.

"If you come across something contagious, Watson, don't touch me, and you'll be all right."

"My God! Holmes! Do you think you can stop me by saying this? Even if I don't know you, you can't stop me. Do you really think you can make me give up my doctor's duties and ignore the life and death of old friends?"

(End of this chapter)