It was nearly two o'clock in the morning when we arrived at Mrs Heather forest's house. The servants have all gone to bed, and Mrs. frist is very concerned about the strange letter that Miss Morstan received. That night, she has been sitting under the lamp waiting for her. It was Madame who opened the door for us herself. This lady is nearly middle-aged and generous. She put her arms around Miss Morstan's waist and comforted her like a loving mother. It can be seen that Miss Morstan is not only a hired tutor, but also a respected friend here. After a brief introduction, Mrs frist sincerely invited me into the house to tell her what happened tonight. Because I have other things, I can't sit here for a long time. I promised her that I would keep her informed of the progress of the case. I couldn't help looking back at them when I left. They stood hand in hand on the steps. You can vaguely see that the door behind them is half open, and the light emitted through the glass is soft and warm. For a moment, I felt that when I was depressed. Such a warm and quiet home is really relaxing.
When I was driving a carriage, I naturally remembered this headache case, and the more I thought about it, the more confused I became. Now we have a general idea of Captain Mostain's death, the pearls he sent, the advertisements in the newspaper and the strange letters that Miss Mostain received. However, this fact has brought us into a more mysterious and tragic realm. For example, Indian treasures, strange pictures in Captain Mustang's luggage, strange shapes before Colonel Schulto's death, the discovery of treasures, the subsequent murder and the tragic faces of the victims, footprints in the rooftop room, and strange weapons. In addition, the note found is the same as the text on Captain Mustang's drawing. One by one. I think only Sherlock Holmes with superhuman abilities can find hidden cases, and others can't find clues.
Pinqinli is located at the end of Rumbes district, where there is a narrow and shabby two-story building. In front of number three, I knocked on the door for a long time before someone answered it. Then there was a light in the room and a man's head came out of the window.
The man who poked his head out shouted, "Get out, drunkard, if you make any noise again, I'll let 43 dogs bite you."
I said, "I don't want that much, just let a dog go."
The voice shouted again, "Why don't you get out? I will kill you with a hammer. I have one in this bag. "
I said loudly, "I just want a dog, not a hammer." Do you understand? "
"Stay away from me and stop talking. I'm going to throw a hammer on the count of three. "
So I quickly said, "Mr. Sherlock Holmes ..." This sentence had a magical effect. The door opened before I finished speaking. A tall old man with a hunchback came out of the door. The veins stood out on his neck and he wore a pair of blue glasses on his nose. I think he is Sherman.
The old man said, "As long as they are friends of Mr. Holmes, I will always welcome them. Be careful, there is a badger who loves to bite. " Just then, the head of a weasel with red eyes came out of the cage. He quickly said, "You naughty boy, don't touch this gentleman." Don't be afraid, sir. It's a lizard with its fangs pulled out. I let it eat worms here. You don't know, I always have naughty children to wake me up here. I was so sorry for you just now. I thought you ... By the way, what did Sherlock Holmes say to you? "
"He wants to borrow one of your dogs." I answered.
"Oh, what he wants must be passed."
"Yes, that's what you want."
"Toby is in the third column from the left." Sherman led the way with a candle in his hand, and we walked slowly through the strange animals. In the flickering candlelight, I saw that there seemed to be many eyes staring at us. Our arrival alarmed the sleeping wild birds, who stood lazily in different postures.
Tubby is ugly, with long hair hanging over his ears and yellow and white. He is a mixed-race dog and can't walk steadily. Sherman handed it a candy, and Toby trusted me and got on the bus with me. Just three o'clock, we arrived at Sakuranuma Villa. Unfortunately, the doormen McMurdo and Mr. Schulto were taken away as suspects. The janitor was replaced by two policemen. As soon as I mentioned the detective's name to them, I went in smoothly
Holmes stood on the steps with a pipe in his mouth and his hands akimbo, waiting for me to come back.
He said, "Great, you brought such a good dog. Just now, I had a big fight with Esenie Jones. He took away the janitor, housekeeper and servant here, as well as our friends, leaving only one sheriff. You see, in this yard, it has become our world. Come on, tie the dog here and let's go up and have a look. "
I tied the dog to the leg of the table in the door and went upstairs with it. At first glance, this room is the sheriff lying in the corner except the sheets on the deceased.
Sherlock Holmes said, "Sheriff, let me use your bull's-eye lamp. In order to let this cardboard hang down in front, you help me tie it around my neck. " Watson, remember that when I take off my shoes and socks, you take off the cardboard. I'm going to fly over the eaves. Come on, soak my towel in some pomegranate oil and walk with me in the room on the roof. "
We climbed into the room on the roof, and Holmes looked at the footprints carefully again. He said, "Look at those footprints carefully. Did you find anything special? "
I said, "It looks like a child left it, but it may also be a little woman."
"That's all, and then what?"
"Naturally, the rest is almost the same as ordinary people."
"No, it's not the same. Look, there is a right foot print here. I will print my right foot. Take a closer look. Is it the same? "
"This person's five toes are separated, and the toes of ordinary people are all together, which is different."
"It is so. Please remember this. Please, I am standing here with a towel. You used to smell the wooden frame of the hanging window? "
I did this and smelled a strong smell of durian oil.
"When the man went out to escape, his foot stepped on it. You can smell it. Toby's fine. Ok, now you go down with Toby and wait for me. "
When I walked back to the yard, I looked back and saw that Holmes had quickly climbed onto the roof. He walked slowly on it, and the light hanging on his chest looked like a jumping firefly. One moment it appears in front of the chimney, and the other moment it flashes vaguely in the back. I took Toby to the back and found him sitting in the corner of the eaves.
Holmes asked, "Watson, are you there?"
"coming."
"You see, the place where I stand is the way for the murderer to escape. What's that dark thing down there? "
"It's a bucket."
"Do you see a cover on it?"
"yes."
"Is there a ladder next to the bucket?"
"I didn't see it."
"This guy chose such a dangerous place. But if he can come up, I can go down. Look, this water pipe is strong. I have to go down anyway. "
With a slight noise, he slowly slid down the wall with a lamp in his hand. Then, with a bang, he stepped on the bucket and jumped to the ground with another force.
He put on his shoes and socks and said, "It is not difficult to simply find the trace of the murderer. You can find it along the loose tiles he stepped on. " He dropped something in a hurry. According to your doctor, this confirms my diagnosis. "
He showed me a pocket the size of a paper cigarette case, which was made of colored straw and decorated with several worthless beads. There were six black wooden thorns, one with a root tip and the other with a circle, just like the one that stabbed bartholomew to death.
He said, "This is a dangerous weapon. Be careful not to stab you. I'm so glad I found this. Maybe this is all they have. We can rest assured. I would rather be shot than suffer this punishment. Watson, do you have the strength to run six miles? "
I said, "Sure, no problem."
"Your leg hurts. Does it matter?"
"It doesn't matter."
He put a towel soaked in durian oil on Toby's nose and said, "Hey, Toby! Smell this. " Tubby's legs spread apart and his nose turned up, as if a winemaker were tasting wine. Holmes threw away a towel, tied a rope around the dog's neck and took it under the bucket. Tubby suddenly barked and sniffed on the surrounding ground, his tail sticking up high. Then Toubi ran forward with a smell, and we dragged the rope and followed closely.
At this time, the dawn gradually emerged in the east, and the scenery in the distance was faintly visible. Behind me is a big lonely house. The windows are dim, the walls are bare, and the yard is full of rubbish. This messy situation hints at last night's tragedy.
We walked through the messy potholes in the yard and came to the high wall. We walked all the way through and screamed before we met this obstacle. We finally found a corner with a small beech tree. People may often climb up and down in this place, the joints of bricks have been worn and the edges and corners of bricks have been ground flat. After climbing up, Holmes took the dog from me and put it down from the other side. When I climbed to the wall, he said, "There is also a handprint of a man with wooden legs on the wall. Look at the blood on the white ash. Fortunately, there was no heavy rain last night. Although it has been 28 hours, I can still smell the road. "
As we passed the endless main road in London, we began to wonder if Toby could chase the smell and find the murderer. However, Toby did not hesitate to smell, lead the way, shake and be firm, which dispelled my concerns. Obviously, this strong durian oil has a strong smell.
Holmes said, "I have mastered several ways to solve this case." I chose the simplest and most effective one, and it was very labor-saving to trace the smell with his feet dipped in China pomegranate oil. We simplified a complicated problem. But we can solve the case with a simple clue, and it is difficult to show our credit. "
I said, "Holmes, you've done a lot. I think this is better than the way you murdered Jefferson Hou Bo. For example, you have clearly stated the important characteristics of a man with wooden legs. How did you infer it? "
"Well, man, it's too simple, needless to say, the whole process is very clear. First of all, two officers learned the secret of the treasure when the garrison was in charge of commanding and guarding the prisoners; A man named Jonozan Small drew a simple map for them. The name is written on Captain Morstan's map. He signed it himself and on behalf of his associates, which means "four signatures". Next, one of the two officers found the treasure and took it back to England. I guess this man may have broken the original agreement. The reason why Jonozan Smaller failed to get the treasure is simple. When he painted, Mostan was a commander in India, and Jonozan Small and his three accomplices were prisoners and had no personal freedom. "
I said, "This is your reasoning hypothesis again."
"This is not just a hypothesis, this is the only appropriate inference. Do you think the inferred result is different from the previous one? Colonel Schulto brought back the treasure and enjoyed his old age at home until he received a letter from India, which made him deeply uneasy. What is this? "
"Maybe the letter told him that the person who signed with him was free."
"I think it is more accurate to say prison break. Major Schulto knows their sentence, and he won't be particularly worried if he is released. Think about his reaction after this. He accidentally injured a man with wooden legs. This shows that he is particularly wary of people wearing wooden legs. On the symbol of four in that picture, only the name Jonozan Small is white, and other people's names are like Indian or Muslim names. Do you think this analysis is clear? "
"Very clear and concise."
"Well, let's change the role and analyze it from the standpoint of Joan Nozan Smalls. He returned to England for a purpose. First, he wants to get his share of the treasure back; Besides, he wants to avenge his partner. After he found Schulto's residence, he probably bribed one of his servants. Mrs Bourne Si Tong told me that there was a servant named Lal Rao who was misbehaving. Only Major Schulto and a dead loyal servant knew the location of the treasure, but Smallville couldn't find it. He was afraid that the major would take the secret to another world. So, as soon as he heard that the major was going to die, he risked his life and ran to the major's window to eavesdrop. If he didn't see the major's son inside, he would really break into houses. That night, he sneaked into the room and wandered around, trying to find the trace of the treasure, but found nothing, so he left a note of "Four Signs". So, after he wanted to kill Major Schulto, he left such a note beside his body as a sign of justice for' me' and' my friend'. It is not uncommon for him to kill people in this way, which will also provide us with some information about the murderer. I said this, do you have eyebrows? "
"I know much better."
"What would he do? He can only peek at other people's actions. Maybe he sometimes goes abroad and sometimes comes back here for information. When the secret was revealed, someone told him at once. This also proves another saying that someone was there to meet him. How could Jonozan climb over the high wall of Schulto's house with his prosthetic leg? So he found a partner and let him climb the stairs first. But this guy accidentally stepped on pomegranate oil, so we asked Tubby to find his whereabouts. Even an officer with half salary, you, ran six miles with interest. "
"According to your conjecture, the murderer was not Smallville, but his accomplice."
"yes. Maybe he opposed the man's crime, so he kept stamping his feet in the house. Jono agreed that the deceased didn't have much hatred, and he wanted to kill for his life. He doesn't want to try the law. He didn't expect his partner to stab bartholomew with a stinger in cold blood. Finally, he had to take the treasure, leave a note and slip away with his companions. These situations are inferred from my experience. As for his age and appearance, he will be middle-aged and dark-skinned. He has been stranded in the sweltering Andaman for many years. Can he not get a tan? I can know his height according to the size of his steps. Besides, Sadie Chalks Schulto saw the beard on his face with his own eyes.
"What does his partner look like?"
"It's not difficult, you will soon understand. Take a breath of the fresh air in London. Look, the sun shines through the clouds. How beautiful the clouds are, like the beautiful feathers of flamingos. There are many busy people in the sun, but there are too few people like us who shoulder heavy responsibilities. What is our ambition compared with the vast universe? Have you read John Paul's book? "
"I know a little. I didn't start reading Carlyle's books until I read his works. "
"It's like a river returning to a lake. He said,' A person's real greatness lies in his awareness of his own smallness'. His words are very profound. What we are talking about here is the power of comparison and discrimination, which itself has lofty proof. In Paul's works, you will get a lot of spiritual nutrients. Watson, do you have a pistol? "
"I didn't bring a pistol, I brought a cane."
"When we found the robber's lair, we had to use self-defense weapons. You deal with that hillbilly. If another bad guy is too bad, I have to shoot. " With that, Holmes loaded the revolver and put the gun back in his pocket.
We trotted to the road to downtown London with Tubby. Through the semi-bungalow villas on both sides of the road, a bustling street appeared. These days, the workers are getting up and moving, and some women are opening the door to clean the steps. The pub with a square roof on the corner just opened, and the stout man came out of the pub and wiped the drink on his beard with his sleeves. The wild dog in the street glared at us, completely ignored us, ran forward with his head down, and his nose growled once or twice from time to time, indicating that he was interested in the taste of pomegranate oil.
We passed Leisen, Freeston and Camberwell, and made a detour through some unknown hutongs until we reached Kennington Road in the east of Hoffelt. We are looking for people who are afraid of being followed, choose a winding path and avoid the main road as much as possible. Turn left at the end of Kennington Road, pass Securities Street and Wells Road, and come to Knight Street. Toubi suddenly stopped moving, one ear stood upright, and the other ear hung down and circled back and forth, as if hesitating. After several turns, it looked up and seemed to ask for help from us.
Holmes scolded it: "What's the matter? Criminals will not get on the bus and run, let alone escape by balloon. "
Tubby turned for a while, then moved on. Holmes' spirit is good again. This time, Toby made up his mind and rushed forward without hesitation after thoroughly smelling around for a while. The hound did not smell the smell with its nose, but simply straightened the rope and galloped away. Holmes' eyes lit up, as if he had reached the den of thieves.
We walked through nine elms and came to Prodrick and Nelson Woodyards near the White Eagle Hotel. Tubby jumped out of the corner door excitedly and rushed into the woodworking room. It passed through piles of sawdust and shavings and flew quickly on a path full of wood. Finally, it proudly jumped into a bucket that was still on the cart, and Tubby stuck out his tongue and blinked at us. The barrels and wheels of the wheelbarrow are covered with black oil stains, and the air is filled with a strong smell of durian oil.
Sherlock Holmes and I looked at each other and couldn't help laughing.