Sherlock Holmes Detective Collection Four Signatures (Part 2)

Eight Detective Squads on Baker Street

　　I asked, "What now?" Toby also lost its ability to make a hundred shots. ”

　　Holmes took Toby off the barrel, led it out of the wood yard, and said, "Toby acts according to its own opinion, and if you calculate the amount of wood distillate transported in London every day, then you can understand why we have gone the wrong way." There are many places where wood distillate is used now, especially for the embalming of wood, and should not be blamed. ”

　　I suggested, "Let's go back to the place where the smell of oil is mixed." ”

　　"Yeah, thankfully it's not a long way off. Toby had hesitated on the left side of Knight Street, apparently diverging in the direction of the oil smell there. We went down the wrong path, and now we have to go down another path. ”

　　We led Toby back to the spot where the mistake had occurred. Toby made a big circle, without any trouble, and ran in a new direction.

　　I said, "Be careful not to let it lead us to the place where the wood distillate barrel was originally transported." ”

　　"I thought of that too. But you see it running on the sidewalk, and the car carrying the barrel should go on the road, so this time we didn't take the wrong way. ”

　　Passing belmont Road and Prince Street, it runs to the riverfront until it reaches a small timber dock on the banks of the Broad Street River. Toby led us to the edge of the water, where we stood looking at the river and humming from our noses.

　　Holmes said, "Our luck is not good, they got on the ship from here." "There are a couple of small punts and dinghies tied to the docks. We led Tobi to the boats, and though they sniffed it very carefully, they did not make any representation.

　　Near the boarding place, there is a small brick house with a wooden sign hanging from the second window with several large letters on it: "Modikai Smith". There are small words below: "Boat rental: on time and daily in order." "There was another sign on the door that said there were other steamboats here. There are many coke piles on the docks, and it can be known that it is the fuel for this steamboat. Holmes looked around slowly, his face very unhappy.

　　He said, "This matter seems to be a bit troublesome." They had prepared to hide their whereabouts in advance, and their shrewdness was unexpected. ”

　　He walked toward the door, and out of it came a little boy with curly hair, about six years old. A fat, red-faced woman came up from behind, holding a sponge in her hand.

　　She shouted, "Jack, come back and take a shower!" Come back, you little devil! Your father came back to see you like this, and he couldn't spare you! ”

　　Holmes took the opportunity and said, "Little friend! Your little blush is all over the place, what a good boy! Jack, do you want anything? ”

　　The child thought for a moment and said, "I want a shilling." "Don't you want a better one than a shilling?"

　　The child thought for a moment and said, "It's better to give me two shillings." ”

　　"Well, catch it!" Mrs. Smith, he was such a good boy. ”

　　"Sir, he's such a mischievous guy, my wife sometimes goes out all day, I can't control him."

　　Holmes, pretending to be disappointed, asked, "Ah, he's out?" What a coincidence! I came to see Mr. Smith for something to do. ”

　　"Sir, he's been out since yesterday morning. To be honest, he hasn't come back yet, and I'm in a bit of a hurry. But, sir, if you want to rent a boat, you can talk to me. ”

　　"I'm going to rent his steamboat."

　　"Sir, he just took the steamboat." Strangely enough, I knew that the ship didn't have enough coal to burn back and forth to Woolwig. If he had gone on a large bottom boat, I would not have been in such a hurry, because sometimes he would have to go further afield to Greifzand. Besides, if he has something to do, there may be some delay, but how can the steamboat go without coal? ”

　　"Or he can buy some coal halfway through."

　　"Maybe, but he never did that, and he often said that the price of a bag of coal was too expensive." Besides, I don't like the man with the wooden legs, his ugly face and foreign style. He used to come here and didn't know what was going on with him. ”

　　Holmes asked in astonishment, "A man with wooden legs?" ”

　　"Yes, sir! A monkey-headed monkey-brained kid who has been here more than once, and he woke my wife up from bed last night. Also, my wife knew he was coming beforehand because he had already set the steamboat on fire and waited. I honestly tell you, sir, I am really not at ease. ”

　　Holmes shrugged and said, "But my dear Mrs. Smith, you don't have to worry about yourself. How do you know that the man who came last night was the one with the wooden leg? I don't understand how you can be sure of him? ”

　　"Sir, listen to his thick, vague accent, I know. He flicked a few times through the window—it was about three o'clock—and said, 'Man, hurry up, it's time for us to go!' My wife woke up Jim, my eldest son, without saying a word to me, and the two of them left. I also heard the sound of the wooden leg walking on the stone. ”

　　"Here comes the man with the wooden legs, and there is no companion?" "Sir, I can't tell, I didn't hear anyone else."

　　"Mrs. Smith, it's so unfortunate that I want to rent a steamboat, because I've heard of this one for a long time... Let me think! This boat is called...? ”

　　"Sir, the name of the ship is 'Dawn.'"

　　"Ah! Is it the old green boat with wide yellow lines painted on the boat gang? ”

　　"No, it's not. It is like the neat boats commonly found on the river, freshly brushed with oil, and two red lines painted on the black hull. ”

　　"Thank you, and I hope Mr. Smith will be back soon." I'm going downstream now, and if I come across dawn, I'll tell him you're thinking about him. Did you just say that the ship's chimney was black? ”

　　"No, it's a black chimney with a white line."

　　"Oh, yes, that hull is black. Goodbye, Mrs. Smith! Watson, there was a small sampan there, and told him to cross us to the other side of the river. ”

　　After sitting on the boat, Holmes said: "The most important thing to talk to such people is not to let them know that the news they are saying is related to you, otherwise they will immediately say nothing." If you tease with words, you will get what you know. ”

　　I said, "The steps we should take are already clear. ”

　　"What steps do you think should be taken?"

　　"Hire a steamboat to go downstream to find the Dawn."

　　"My good fellow, you're too much of a hassle to do this. The ship could have docked on either dock on either side of the river from here to Greenwich. There were dozens of miles of the bridge full of mooring places. If you look for them one by one, how many days will it take? ”

　　"Then ask the police for help?"

　　"No, at the last critical moment I might call Estherney Jones. He's not a bad person, and I don't want to influence his position. We've scouted to this point, and I'd love to go it alone. ”

　　"Can we advertise in the newspapers to get news of the Dawn from the owner of the dock?"

　　"That's even worse! Then the bandits will know that we are pursuing them, and they will leave England quickly, even now they do not want to leave the country. But when they thought it was safe, they were in no hurry to go. Jones' actions are good for us in this regard. Because his opinions were all visible in the newspapers every day, these bandits would think that everyone was scouting in the wrong direction, and they could rest in peace for a while. ”

　　As we disembarked in front of the Millbank prison, I asked, "What the hell are we going to do?" ”

　　"Now let's go back in this car, have some breakfast, sleep for an hour, maybe we'll have to run tonight." Coachman, please stop at the telegraph office. We will leave it for the time being, or we may use it later. ”

　　We stopped at the Post and Telecommunications Office on Big Peter Street, and Holmes sent a telegram. He got in the car and asked me, "Do you know who I'm sending a telegram to?" ”

　　"I don't know."

　　"Do you remember the Baker Street Detective Squad we hired in jefferson Houbo?"

　　I laughed and said, "That's them!" ”

　　"They could be useful in this case. If they fail, I have other options, but I'm willing to try them first. The telegram was sent to my squad leader, Wiggins, and their group of children arrived before we had finished breakfast. ”

　　It was eight or nine o'clock in the morning. After a night of hard work, I felt extremely tired, and my legs were lame when I walked, which was really exhausting. In this case, I do not have the professional enthusiasm of my partner in the investigation, and I do not regard it as an abstract theoretical problem. As for the murder of Basolomew Shulto, because everyone was not angry about his behavior, I did not have much resentment towards the murderers. But when it comes to treasures, that's a different story. These treasures—or part of them—should have belonged to Miss Mostan. When there may be a chance to retrieve the treasure, I am willing to do my best to get it back. Yes, if the treasure could be retrieved, I personally would never be able to get close to her. But if love is swayed by this kind of thinking, this kind of love becomes boring and selfish. If Holmes could find the murderer, I would have put in ten times as much effort to find the treasure. Taking a shower and changing my clothes again at my Baker Street home lifted my spirits tremendously. When I went downstairs, I saw that breakfast was already prepared, and Holmes was pouring coffee there.

　　He smiled and pointed to an open newspaper and said to me, "You see, this very ambitious Jones and a vulgar reporter have taken care of this case." This case has annoyed you enough, so let's eat your ham eggs first. ”

　　I took the newspaper from him with the headline "Solving the Case of Upper Norwood." The "Banner" reported that at about twelve o'clock last night, Mr. Bartholomew Shulto, the owner of the Sakuranuma Villa in Upper Norwood, was killed indoors, and his apparent family was assassinated. According to this newspaper, there were no wounds on the deceased's body, but a batch of Indian treasures inherited by his father had all been stolen. The brother of the deceased, Mr. Sedius Schulto, together with Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who also visited the deceased, first discovered the murder of the deceased. Fortunately, mr. Etherney Jones, a famous detective of the police station, was at the Norwood Police Branch, so he was able to arrive at the scene within half an hour of the tragedy to preside over everything. He was well trained and experienced, and had discovered clues soon after arriving. The brother of the deceased, Sedius Shulto, has been arrested on suspicion. Also arrested were the housekeeper, Mrs. Bornstone, the Indian servant Lal Rao, and the janitor McMurdo. It has been confirmed that the killer was very familiar with the path of access to the house. Thanks to Mr. Jones's skilled skills and sophisticated observation, it has been proved that the murderer could neither enter the room through doors and windows, but must have sneaked in through a secret door from the roof. From this obvious fact, it can be concluded that this is not an ordinary theft case. This timely and responsible handling by the police station illustrates that in this case a seasoned officer must preside over everything, and that the proposal to disperse the detective forces of the police station throughout the city in order to arrive in time for an investigation is worth considering. ”

　　Holmes drank coffee and laughed: "This is great! What is your opinion? ”

　　"I think we're on the verge of being identified as murderers and being arrested."

　　"I also think so, as long as he has another clever move, he still can't keep us from being arrested."

　　Just then, the doorbell rang, and then we heard our landlord, Mrs. Hudson, arguing with people.

　　I half-stood up and said, "Oh my God! Holmes, these guys are really catching us! ”

　　"Not so much. Here comes our unofficial troop, the Miscellaneous Army of Baker Street. ”

　　During the conversation, there were already barefoot and loud voices on the stairs. Walked in a dozen small street wanderers in tattered clothes. Although they were clamoring to come in, there was some discipline among them. They immediately stood in a row, their faces facing us and waiting for us to speak. One of them, an older, seemingly captain, stood in front of him, and the god AE f1 was full of f1, but it was ridiculous from the point of view of his ragged condition.

　　"Sir, as soon as I received your order, I brought them with me. Fare three shillings and six pence. ”

　　Holmes gave him the money and said, "Give you money." I once told you, Wiggins, that in the future, if something happens, you come by yourself. They listen to you, don't bring them all, my house can't accommodate so many people. However, this time, all of them came or could hear my orders. I am now looking for a steamboat called Dawn, whose owner is Mautike Smith. The hull was black with two red lines, and there was a white line on the black chimney, and the boat was downstream in the river. I want a child to stand guard on the docks of Maudike Smith on the other side of Milbank Prison. Report as soon as the ship returns. You must be scattered on both sides of the downstream, searching carefully, and reporting as soon as you have news. Do you all understand? ”

　　Wiggins said, "Yes, Commander, you can hear me clearly." ”

　　"The remuneration is still the same as the old practice. Find another one more for the boat, (1) this is the prepayment of your salary for the day, now go! He gave each person a shilling.

　　--------

　　(1) Kini is an old British coin, each worth 21 shillings. The children went downstairs happily, and after a while I saw them disappear into the middle of the road.

　　Holmes left the table and stood up, lit his pipe and said, "As long as the boat is still floating on the water, we can find it." They can run around, see all sorts of things, eavesdrop on anyone's conversation. I expected them to report the news of the steamboat before dusk, and we had to wait for nothing to do. Until dawn or Maudike Smith is found, we cannot conduct reconnaissance. ”

　　"Just eat our leftovers." Holmes, are you going to sleep for a while? ”

　　"No, I don't feel tired. My physique is very special. I don't feel tired at all when I work, and if I am idle, it will make me feel bad. I'm going to smoke now, and I think about the broken thing that my mistress entrusted to us. Our problem is not difficult to solve, because there are not many people who install wooden legs, and the other person is even more unique. ”

　　"You mentioned the other person again."

　　"At least I didn't want to keep a secret from you, but you may have your opinion." Now consider all the situations: small footprints, barefoot feet that don't wear shoes, wooden sticks with stones at one end, sensitive movements, and poisonous wooden thorns. What conclusion do you draw from this? ”

　　I shouted, "A raw fan! Probably an Indian with Jonozan Smoy. ”

　　He said, "That's not quite the case." I thought about it when I first saw what seemed to be a monster-breaking weapon. But because of that particular footprint, I thought about something else. Some of the inhabitants of the Indian Peninsula are short, but none of them can leave such footprints. The feet of the indian natives were long and narrow, and the Muslims who wore sandals were separated from the other toes because the laces were tied in the toe slit next to the thumb. These wood thorns are only one way to release outward from the blowpipe. Where should we go to find such a life? ”

　　I said, "From South America." ”

　　He stretched out his arm, took a thick book from the shelf, and said: "This is the first volume of the newly published geographical dictionary, which can be considered the latest authoritative work." What is written here? The Andaman Islands are located in the Bay of Bengal, three hundred and forty miles from Sumatra. 'Drink! drink! What is this? 'Humid climate, coral reefs, sharks, Burrell Harbour, Prisoner Camp, Rottland Island, poplar trees...' Over here! 'The natives of the Andaman Islands can be called the smallest people in the world, although anthropologists have also said that the Bushi people in Africa or the Digg Indians and The Fuegos in the Americas were the most (1) (2) short. The characters here are less than four feet tall, and there are many adults shorter than this one. They are fierce, irritable and stubborn by nature, but as long as they establish trust and affection with them, they can die. 'Watch out for this, Watson! Listen to the following: 'They are born terrible, with large deformed heads, fierce little eyes, strange faces, and very small hands and feet. Because they were fierce and stubborn, the British officials, though doing everything in their power, could not win them over. For sailors who shipwrecked ships, they were always a scourge, often smashed in the head with stone-studded wooden sticks or stabbed to death with poisoned arrows. The outcome of such massacres, without exception, ends with a feast of human flesh. 'What a lovely nice guy!' Watson! If the boy had no one to take care of him and told him to move freely, the result would have been even more unimaginable. I think that even Joannozan Smo hired him, I am afraid that it was also out of necessity. ”

　　(1) The Bushids are an indigenous tribal people of the South African state. - Translator's Note

　　(2) The Digg Indians are red people living in the northwest of the Americas and are known for digging up tree roots. — Translator's Note

　　"But how did he find such a strange accomplice?"

　　"Ah, I don't know. But since we know that Smou is from the Andaman Islands, there is nothing rare about this native man with him. There is no doubt that we will have to know some details in the future. Watson, it seems that you are very tired, you lie down on that couch, wait for me to urge you to sleep. ”

　　He picked up the violin from the corner of the house and began to play a low lullaby—no doubt his own arrangement, for he had a knack for improvisational composition. I still vaguely remember his thin hands, his sincere face, and the movements of the bowstring up and down. I was alone in the music, entering the dream, and I saw Merley Mostan's sweet face smiling at me.

　　Nine Interruptions of clues

　　When I woke up in the afternoon, it was not early and my spirits had fully recovered. Holmes had set the violin aside and sat there with a book to read carefully. He saw me wake up and looked at me with a very unpleasant look.

　　He said, "You're sleeping soundly, and I'm afraid our voices are going to wake you up." ”

　　I replied, "I didn't hear anything, did you get any new news?" "Unfortunately, still not. I really didn't expect it, and I was disappointed, and I expected that by this time there would always be real news coming. Wiggins had just come to report that he had no trace of the steamboat at all, which was really worrying. Because the time is pressing, every hour is important. ”

　　"Can I help?" My spirits have recovered and I will have no problem going out for another night. ”

　　"No, we can't do anything now, we just have to wait for news." If we go out now, if there is news coming, it will be a mistake. You have something to do, and I have to wait here. ”

　　"Then I thought of Camberwell visiting Mrs. Cyser Freest, whom she had agreed with yesterday."

　　Holmes asked with a smile in his eyes, "Is it to visit Madame Cyser Freest?" ”

　　"And, of course, Miss Mostan, who is anxious to know the news of this case."

　　Holmes said, "Don't tell them too much, even the best women must not fully trust them." ”

　　I didn't argue with him about his unreasonable remarks, I said, "I'll be back in an hour or two." "All right! I wish you all the best! If you cross the river, you might as well send Toby back, because I don't think we'll use it anymore. ”

　　I returned the lure to its owner according to his words and paid him half a pound. Arrived at Camberwell and met Miss Mostan. She was still a little tired after last night's adventure, but she was looking forward to the news. Mrs. Freest was also very upset and anxious to know everything. I told them all the stories, leaving some sinister places unspoken. Although mr. Schulto's murder is mentioned, there is no description of the terrible situation and the murder weapon used by the murderer. It was told about it in such a rough way, or enough to make them listen to it with shock and taste.

　　Mrs. Freest said, "It's a novel!" A wronged girl, a treasure of half a million pounds, a man-eating black raw fan, and a bandit with wooden legs. This is very different from the plot of ordinary novels. ”

　　Miss Mostan looked at me pleasantly and said, "There are two more knights to save." ”

　　"But Mei Li, your wealth depends entirely on this search." I don't think you're so excited. Think about how gratifying it would be to become extremely rich. ”

　　She shook her head, as if she didn't care much about it. Seeing that she did not have any particularly happy expressions about the imminent enrichment made my heart feel infinite comfort.

　　She said, "All I care about is the safety of Mr. Sedius Schulto, and the rest is not enough to worry about." His performance in the whole case is very generous and honorable, and it is our duty to wash him away from this shameful and unfounded wrong. ”

　　It was late when I got home from Camberwell. My partner's books and pipes were still sitting next to his chair, but he himself was gone. I looked around and hoped he would leave a note, but I couldn't find a single word.

　　Mrs. Hudson came into the room to put the curtains, and I asked, "Is Monsieur Sherlock Holmes out?" ”

　　"Sir, he didn't go out, he was in his own house." She lowered her voice and said quietly, "Sir, do you know, I'm afraid he's sick!" ”

　　"Mrs. Hedson, how do you know he's sick?"

　　"Sir, things are a little weird. After you left, he walked around the house, walking around, and the sound of his footsteps annoyed me. Later, he heard himself talking to himself, and every time someone called for the door, he ran to the staircase and shouted, 'Mrs. Hudson, who is it?' Now he shut himself in the house, but I could still hear him walking around the house. Sir, I hope he is not sick. I took the liberty of telling him to take some cold medicine, but, sir, he glared at me, so frightened that I didn't know how I had escaped from that room. ”

　　I replied, "Mrs. Hudson, I don't think you'll have to worry, I've seen him like this before." He had something in mind, so it made him uneasy. I pretended to talk to our good landlord with ease, but I kept faintly hearing his footsteps throughout the long night, and I knew that his eagerness had become more and more agitated by his inability to act.

　　At breakfast the next day, his face was tired and thin, and his cheeks were slightly red.

　　I said, "Dude, you've exhausted yourself. I hear you pacing around the house at night. ”

　　He replied, "I can't sleep, this nasty question has upset me." All the great difficulties have been overcome, and now it is difficult to call a very small obstacle, which is too unwilling to let people be. Now we know who the bandits are, we know the name of the ship and everything else, but we just can't get news of the boat. All other parties have acted, I have exhausted my methods, the whole bank of the river has been searched, and there is still no news. Mrs. Smith did not hear from her husband, and I almost thought they had sunk the boat to the bottom of the river, but there was also a certain contradiction in this layer. ”

　　"We may have been fooled by Mrs. Smith."

　　"Otherwise, I think this layer can not be worried, because after investigation, such a steamboat does have one."

　　"Is it going to go upstream?"

　　"I also thought of this possibility, and I have sent a group of searchers back to the area of Ray-Tramende. If there is no news today, I will give up looking for the steamboat tomorrow when I personally go out to find the bandits. But sure, we're going to get some news. ”

　　A day passed, and wiggins and the other searchers were not heard from. Most newspapers were full of reports of the Norwood massacre. They attacked the unfortunate Cedinian Shulto very hard. Aside from the official autopsy the next day, there was little new news from the newspapers. I walked to Camberwell in the early evening and reported our failure to the two ladies. When I returned, I saw holmes still dejected, very unhappy, and even indifferent to my questions. He had been busy there all night doing a mysterious chemical experiment, and the stench of the distillation gas when heated up forced me to leave the room. It was almost dawn when I heard the sound of test tubes and knew that he was still there carrying out this foul-smelling experiment.

　　The next morning I woke up to see Holmes already standing in front of my bed. He wore a sailor's costume, a short coat over his back, and a red scarf around his neck.

　　He said, "Watson, I'm going downstream now." After much thought, I felt that this was the only thing that was worth a try anyway. ”

　　I said, "Then shall I go with you?" ”

　　"Not bad. It would be useful for you to stay here as my representative. I don't want to go myself, although Wiggins was discouraged last night, but I think there will be news today. All letters and calls are asked to be dismantled on your behalf, and act cheaply according to your judgment. Can you do it for you? ”

　　"Absolutely."

　　"My whereabouts are uncertain, and I'm afraid you won't be able to send me a telegram either." But if I'm lucky, I may not delay for long. There will always be some news to report to you when you come back. ”

　　At breakfast, he had no news yet. But when I opened the "Banner Newspaper", I saw that it contained new developments in the case. It reported that regarding the massacre at Upper Norwood, it is reported that the content of the case is very complicated and not as simple as expected. New findings prove that Mr. Sedius Schulto is not suspicious. Mr. Schulto and the housekeeper, Mrs. Bornstone, were released from the police station last night. As for the real culprits, there are new clues from the police station. The case is now being investigated by Mr. Etherney Jones, an able Scottish Yard, and it is expected that the case will be solved within a few days.

　　I thought: It's satisfactory, our friend Shulto is finally free. What are the new clues? This still seems to be an old-fashioned way of covering up mistakes on the part of the police. I threw the newspaper on the table, and my eyes were suddenly attracted by a small advertisement in the search column of the newspaper. The advertisement reads: "Looking for someone: The owner of the ship, Mawdikai Smith, and his eldest son Jim left Smith's dock on the steamboat 'Dawn' at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning, and have not yet returned." The hull of the Dawn is black, with two red lines, a black chimney, and a white line. If you have the whereabouts of Mawdikai Smith and his ship The Dawn, please report to Mrs. Smith at Smith's Dock or B at 221 Baker Street as a reward of five pounds. ”

　　This little ad was apparently Holmesden's, as evidenced by Baker Street's address. I thought the wording of this advertisement was very clever, because even if the bandits saw it, they would think that it was just a normal advertisement for a bottle looking for a husband, and they could not see the secrets in it.

　　The day went by so slowly. Every time I heard a knock at the door or a heavy footstep on the street, I thought it was Holmes or someone who had seen the advertisement to report the letter. I tried to read, but my mind could not concentrate, and my thoughts always ran to the two strange bandits we were tracking. Sometimes I wonder: Could it be that Holmes's theory is fundamentally wrong? Did he commit serious self-deception? Could it be that because the evidence is not true enough, he is wrong? I have never seen a mistake in his work, but the wise man must have a mistake, I think or maybe because his self-confidence is too strong, he regards a bland problem as a very complex and extremely unsolvable case, so that he will make a mistake again and again? But looking back, I saw this evidence with my own eyes, and I heard the reason for his inference. Looking at this series of strange facts, although some of them are irrelevant, they all point in the same direction. I have to admit that even if Holmes's understanding is really wrong, the case itself must be unusually incomprehensible.

　　At three o'clock in the afternoon, the bell was ringing loudly, and there was a commanding loud conversation downstairs, and it was not anyone else who did not expect to come up, but Mr. Etherney Jones. But his attitude was no longer the same as before, he was no longer as rough, shelfy and self-styled as an expert in common sense as he had been in Upper Norwood, and he was a little ashamed of himself beyond modesty.

　　He said, "Hello, sir, hello!" I heard that Mr. Holmes had gone out. ”

　　"Yes, I don't know when he can come back. Please wait, okay? Please sit down and smoke one of our cigars? ”

　　"Thanks, please give me a suck." He gently rubbed his forehead with a red silk scarf as he spoke.

　　"Would it be nice to toast you with a whiskey with soda?"

　　"Well, half a cup is enough. By this time the weather was still so hot, and my mood was so upset, do you remember my understanding of the Norwood case? ”

　　"I remember you said it once."

　　"Cough, I have to reconsider this case now. I had kept Mr. Schulto tightly in the net, but, cough, sir, he slipped out of the net again in the middle of the way. He proved an irrefutable fact—he had been with him since he had left his brother, so the man who had entered the house through the secret door would not have been him. The case was so difficult to crack that my prestige at the police station was shaken, and I would love to get some help. ”

　　I said, "We all need help from others." ”

　　He said with certainty: "Sir, your friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes is truly an extraordinary man. He is beyond the reach of man. I've seen many of the cases he's been through, and there's not a single one that he's not figured out. The methods he used varied infinitely, and of course sometimes he was in a hurry, but in general he could become one of the most capable police officers. I'm not afraid of jokes, I really can't wait. I received a telegram from him this morning, from which I could tell that he had made new discoveries about Schulto's case. That's the telegram. ”

　　He took the telegram out of his pocket and handed it to me. The telegram had been sent from Poplar Town at twelve o'clock, and the telegram said, "Please go to Baker Street at once." If I haven't come back, please wait. I have found traces of the Shulto bandits. If you would like to see the end of this case, come with me tonight. ”

　　I said, "The tone of this telegram is very pleasing. He must have picked up the broken thread. ”

　　Jones said triumphantly, "Ah, he sometimes gets it wrong." Our experts in investigation often go the wrong way. This time may also be an empty joy, but the responsibility of our police cannot be wronged by any opportunity. Now someone called the door, maybe he was back. ”

　　There was a heavy sound of footsteps going upstairs, and the sound of wheezing was heavy, indicating that the man had difficulty breathing; there was a slight pause or two in the middle, as if he had a hard time going up the stairs. Finally he came into the house, and his countenance matched the voice we heard. An old man, dressed in a sailor's clothes, with a coat over the outside, buttons that go all the way to the neck. He was bent over, his legs trembling, and his breathing was in pain. He carried a thick wooden stick in his hand, and his shoulders kept shrugging, as if he were struggling to breathe. His face, except for a pair of twinkling eyes, was only white eyebrows and gray beard, and the rest was covered by his scarf. The whole thing seemed to him to be an old, dismal and respectable navigator.

　　I asked, "Friend, what's the matter?" ”

　　With the habits characteristic of the elderly, he looked around slowly and methodically.

　　He asked, "Is Monsieur Sherlock Holmes at home?" "Not at home. But I can speak for him, and you can tell me anything you want. ”

　　He said, "I can only say it to him personally." ”

　　"But I tell you that I can represent him, is it about the Mudika Smith steamboat?"

　　"Yes, I know where this ship is, where the people he is tracking are, and where the treasures are, and I know everything."

　　"You told me it was all right, and I'll tell him."

　　He fully showed the irritability and stubborn attitude of the old man. He said, "I can only tell him personally." ”

　　"Then you'll have to wait."

　　"No, no, I cannot waste a day on this matter, and if Mr. Holmes is not at home, he will have to ask him to inquire about the news on his own." I don't like the dignity of both of you, and I won't tell you a word. ”

　　He got up and was about to go out, but Etherney Jones ran ahead of him and stopped him.

　　Jones said, "Friend, please wait. You have important news reports, you can't just go that way. Whether you like it or not, we're going to keep you until our friends come back. ”

　　The old man tried to snatch the door and get out, but Etherney Jones had already leaned his back against the door, blocking the old man's way.

　　The old man shouted angrily on the floor with his cane, "How could this be! I came here to visit a friend, but the two of you and I don't know each other, and insist on leaving me behind, treating me so rudely! ”

　　I said, "Please don't worry, we'll make up for your time." Please sit on the couch over there, and soon Mr. Holmes will be back. ”

　　He happily covered his face with both hands and sat there helplessly. Jones and I continued to talk while smoking our cigars. Suddenly we heard Holmes's voice speaking to us.

　　"I think you should toast me with a cigar as well."

　　The two of us jumped up from our chairs in surprise, and next to us sat Holmes, smiling.

　　I shouted in amazement, "Sherlock Holmes! Is that you? Where did the old man go? ”

　　He took out a handful of white hair and said, "He's right here, wig, beard, eyebrows, all here." I thought my makeup was pretty good, but I didn't expect to fool you too. ”

　　Jones shouted happily, "Ah, you bastard! You're worthy of a theatrical actor — a wonderful actor, and you learn the cough of a worker, and you earn ten pounds a week for your leg performances. But I think I can see the look in your eyes, and you haven't deceived us into full belief. ”

　　He lit a cigar and said, "I've been dressed like this all day today." You know, a lot of the gangsters have come to know me—especially after our friend wrote a book about my detective story. So I had to simply dress up at work. Did you receive my telegram? ”

　　"I got it, that's why I came."

　　"How are your work on this case progressing?"

　　"I don't have a clue at all. I had no choice but to release two people, and there was no evidence for the other two. ”

　　"It doesn't matter, I'll give you two other guys to fill their gaps in a minute." But you must obey my command completely, all merits can be attributed to you, but all actions must be obeyed by me. ”

　　"As long as you help me catch the bandits, everything is agreed."

　　"Okay, first thing: I need a police speedboat — a steamboat — to sail to Westminster Docks tonight."

　　"This is easy to do, there is often a stop there, I go to the opposite side and then contact it by phone."

　　"I also need two stout sergeants to prevent the bandits from resisting arrest."

　　"There have always been two or three people in the ship, is there anything else?"

　　"We caught the bandits, and the treasure would be in our hands, and I suppose my friend would have liked to personally deliver the treasure chest to the young lady—half of the treasure should belong to her, and she would open it herself." Hey, Watson, okay? ”

　　"This is my supreme honor."

　　Jones shook his head, "This approach is not out of line with the rules — but we can do it with accommodation." But after reading it, the treasure must be returned to the government for inspection. ”

　　"Of course, this is easy to do. Another point, I would have liked to hear Joannozan Smo personally say the details of the case. You know, I've always needed to fully understand the details of a case. You probably don't disagree with the fact that I'm going to give him an informal interrogation here or somewhere else, first, under police guard? ”

　　"You're the one who holds the whole picture. Although I have not yet been able to prove that there is such a man named Jonnozan Smo, if you can catch him, I have no reason to stop you from interrogating him first. ”

　　"So, that's what it's agreed to?"

　　"Totally agree, what else is there to ask for?"

　　"Only I will leave you for dinner with us, and I will be ready in half an hour." I prepared oysters and a pair of pheasants, as well as some specially selected liquor. Watson, you don't know, I'm still a master of family governance. ”

　　Ten The end of the murderer

　　We had a great meal. When Holmes is happy, the conversation has always been smooth. Tonight his spirit seemed to be unusually pleasant, so the world talked endlessly. I have never known him so talkatively, he talked about medieval pottery from the mythical drama, the Italian Stredivius violin, ceylon Buddhism and the future (1) battleship,—— which aspect of him seems to have studied in particular, so he talked about it endlessly, and swept away the depression of these days. Etherney Jones was also an easy-going man at rest, and he tried to appreciate the exquisite dinner. Personally, I think the end of the whole case seems to be tonight, and I am just as happy as Holmes, and the three guests and hosts are extremely happy, and no one mentions our adventure after dinner.

　　(1) The violin made by the Italian Stredivlieus is world-famous. - Translator's Note

　　After the meal, Holmes looked at his watch, filled three glasses of red wine, and said, "One more cup, I wish you success tonight." The time has come and it's time to go. Watson, do you have a pistol? ”

　　"There's one in the drawer that used to be used in the army."

　　"You'd better take it with you, prepared and untroubled. The car was waiting outside the door, and he and I had booked to come here at half past six to pick us up. ”

　　Just after seven o'clock, we reached Westminster Pier, where the steamboat was already waiting. Holmes looked at it carefully and asked, "Is there any sign on this ship that indicates that it was used by the police?" ”

　　"Yes, the green light on the side of the ship."

　　"Then, take it off."

　　After the green light was removed, we boarded the boat one after the other. The cables were untied, and Jones, Holmes, and I were all sitting at the stern, with another at the helm, one in charge of the machine, and two lean sheriffs sitting in front of us.

　　Jones asked, "Where is the ship going?" ”

　　"Go to the Tower of London and tell them to park the boat opposite the Jack Boothon Dockyard."

　　Our boat was indeed very fast, surpassing countless fully loaded punts and surpassing a small steamboat, and Holmes smiled with satisfaction.

　　He said, "At this speed, we can catch up with any boat in the river." ”

　　Jones said, "That's not necessarily true, but it's rare for a steamboat to catch up with us." ”

　　"We have to catch dawn, which is a famous speedboat. Watson, it's okay now, I can tell you about the current development. Do you remember what I said about a very small obstacle that stuck me, and I was not willing to accept it? ”

　　"Remember."

　　"I used the method of chemical analysis experiments to give my brain a complete rest. One of our great statesmen once said: 'Changing work is the best rest.' That's not a bad sentence at all. When I had succeeded in my experiments on dissolving hydrocarbons, I went back to Schulto's problem and reconsidered it. The children I sent searched up and down, and there was no result. The steamboat was neither moored on any dock nor turned around, nor did it feel like it had sunk itself for the sake of extinction—a possible hypothesis if it could not be found. I know that Smou has some cunning tricks, but I don't think he has much education and can't possibly have such elaborate methods. Since he had lived in London for quite a long time, as evidenced by the fact that he had been investigating Sakuranuma Villa for a long time, it was impossible for him not to make some preparations for a short time, even a day, before he could leave his lair and travel. In any case, this is a possibility. ”

　　I said, "I don't think this is very likely, I'm afraid he has already made preparations for a long journey before the action." ”

　　"Otherwise, I don't think so. Unless he knew for sure that the lair was of no use to him, he would not give up easily. I thought of another layer: Joannozan Smaeu must have expected that the strange appearance of his accomplice, no matter how he was modified, would attract the attention of others, and would be linked to the Norwood massacre, and Smaug's alertness would not ignore this layer. In order to avoid people's eyes and ears, they leave the nest after dark and must also be rushed back before dawn. According to Mrs. Smith, it was three o'clock when they boarded the ship at Smith's Dock, and in a little more than an hour it would be bright and there would be more pedestrians. So I don't think they're going to go too far. They gave Smith enough money, told him not to be silent, booked his ship for the final voyage, and returned to the lair with the treasure. Read the newspapers in a day or two, listen to the wind, and then choose another night from Greifzand or kent's Grand Dock to board the big ship they have booked and flee to america or other colonies. ”

　　"But he can't take this ship to the nest."

　　"Of course not. I think that although this ship has not been discovered by us, it will not be too far away. In Smou's position, based on his ability as a man, he would have thought that if there were indeed police stalking, then if the ship were to be returned or parked next to the dock, it would have made it much easier to track. So how can we hide the ship and use it without mistaking it? What if I stand in his shoes? I think there is only one way to get the boat into a dock for minor repairs, both for concealment purposes and for use with a few hours' notice. ”

　　"It seems simple."

　　"It's so simple that it's easy to be overlooked." So I decided to follow this path to investigate. I immediately put on a sailor's outfit and went downstream to every dock to inquire. Fifteen docks failed, but the sixteenth—Jack Boson Dockyard—learned two days earlier that a man with wooden legs had sent the Dawn into the dock to repair the rudder. The foreman there said to me, 'There is nothing wrong with the rudder drawn with the red line drawn.' As he was speaking, a man came from over there. It was none other than the missing ship's owner, Maudika Smith, who had drunk a lot of wine. Naturally I didn't know him, but he called out his name and the name of the boat and said, 'Tonight at eight o'clock our ship is going to go out of the dock.' Remember, it's almost eight o'clock. There are two guests to take the boat, don't delay. The bandits must have given him a lot of money, and he slapped the workers on his pockets full of silver coins, clanging. I followed him a few steps, and he ran into a tavern. So I went back to the dockyard, and on the way I happened to meet one of my little helpers, and I placed him there, keeping an eye on the steamboat. Let him stand at the exit of the dock, make an appointment, and wave a handkerchief at us as a code when the ticket ship is out of the dock. We took a break on the river and watched his way, and it would be strange if it wasn't for the people who stole and got it. ”

　　Jones said, "Whether these people are real murderers or not, your preparation is very thorough." But if I had, I would have sent a few capable policemen to arrest the bandits on the spot when they came to the Jack Boothon Dockyard. ”

　　"I don't dare to agree with this, because Simao is a very cunning person, and he must send someone to check on the movements before he leaves, and if there is a suspicious situation, he will naturally hide for another period of time."

　　I said, "But if you keep an eye on Maudike Smith, you can also find the bandit's den." ”

　　"Then my time will be wasted." I think ninety-nine percent of the bandits' quarters smiths don't know. Smith had wine to drink and money to spend, and the rest asked what it did? When something happens, the bandits send someone to inform him. I've thought about everything and I thought it was the best thing to do. ”

　　In between conversations, we had crossed several bridges over the River Thames. By the time we left the city, the afterglow of the setting sun had shone golden on the cross on the roof of St. Paul's Church. Before we reached the Tower of London, it was already dusk.

　　Holmes pointed from a distance to the place where the mast stood on the banks of the river in Sally and said, "That is the JackBoson Dockyard, let our boats slowly swim back and forth under the cover of this string of barges." He looked ashore with a telescope again and said, "I have found the man I sent, but the hand towel has not yet been waved." ”

　　Jones said impatiently, "Let's moor downstream and wait for them." "At this time, we were all anxious, and even the sheriffs and firemen who were not very clear about our task also showed their eager spirits there.

　　Holmes replied, "Although nine out of ten they will go downstream, we must not ignore the upstream without permission." From our current place we could see the entrance to the dock, but they didn't see us easily. There are no clouds tonight, the moonlight is bright, let's just be here. You see how crowded the people are underneath the gas lights over there. ”

　　"Those are the workers who got off the dock."

　　"Although the appearance of these people is dirty and vulgar, everyone has some immortal anger in their hearts. Just look at their appearance, you can't imagine. This is not innate, life is a mystery. ”

　　I said, "Some people say that people have souls in animals. ”

　　Holmes said, "Winwood Red has a good explanation for this question. He argues that although everyone is a difficult mystery, there are laws when humans are brought together. For example, you cannot predict a person's personality, but you can know for sure what human beings have in common. Personalities are different, but commonality is eternal, and statisticians say the same thing... Did you see that hand towel? There was indeed a white thing waving over there. ”

　　I shouted, "Yes, that's the little helper you sent, I see it very clearly." ”

　　Holmes shouted, "That's Dawn, you see how fast it is." Pilot, we sped forward, chasing the steamboat with the yellow light. If we can't catch up with it, I'll never be able to forgive myself. ”

　　The Dawn had sailed out of the dock and was obscured by two or three small boats. By the time we saw it again, it was already moving quite fast. It was rushing downstream along the riverbank, and Jones just shook his head and said, "This boat is so fast that we probably won't be able to catch up with it." ”

　　Holmes cried, "We must catch up with it." Fireman, add coal quickly! Do your best to catch up! Even if we burn our ship, we must catch up with it! ”

　　We were in hot pursuit, the boiler on fire. The powerful lead e, panting, sonorous, like a steel heart, the sharp bow of the boat cut through the calm river, to the left and right sides of each rushed a rolling wave, with each throbbing of the lead, the hull of the ship was trembling, leaping forward, as if it were a living thing. A large yellow lamp on the side of the ship shot a long flashing beam of light forward. A black dot far ahead is the Dawn, and there are two rows of white waves behind it, indicating the speed of its voyage. At that time, there were many large and small boats on the river, and we flew around the side across the side. But the dawn

　　Holmes shouted to the machine room: "Guys, add coal, add more coal!" Try to burn as much steam as you can to get forward! The raging fire of the machine room below shone on his anxious eagle-like face.

　　Jones looked at dawn and said, "I think we've caught up a little bit." ”

　　I said, "We've already caught up with quite a few, and we'll be able to catch up in a few minutes." ”

　　Just then, misfortune came. A steamboat dragged three cargo ships across us. Fortunately, we turned the rudder sharply to avoid colliding with it. But by the time we had bypassed them and continued to chase them, dawn had gone more than two hundred yards farther away, but it could still be seen. At that time, the dark and hazy twilight had turned into a starry night. Our boilers had burned to the extreme, and the force of the ship's advance was so strong that it made the fragile hull creak and tremble. We had crossed from the middle of London Bridge, past the West India Dockyard and the long Dayford River district, and around Dog Island. The Dawn, which used to be just a black dot, is now clearly visible. Jones shot our searchlight straight at it and saw the figures on the surface of the ship. A man sat at the stern of the boat, straddling a black thing with his legs straddling him, and crouched next to him a pile of black shadows, like a Newfoundland dog. A boy turned the rudder, and from the red light of the boiler, he could see Smith naked and struggling. At first they may not be sure if we are chasing them, but now that we are closely following them in every corner, there is no problem in chasing them. By the time we got to Greenwich, the distance between the two ships was about three hundred paces, and when we got to Blackwall, the two ships were no more than two hundred and fifty paces apart. I have traveled all my life, hunted in many countries, and chased many wild beasts, but none of them have made such a thrilling breakthrough as chasing people on the Thames tonight. We were already one step closer to the front ship, and in the silent night, the sound of the machines on the ship in front of us could be clearly heard. The man sitting on the stern of the boat was still crouching there, his hands seemed to be waving busily, constantly raising his head to measure the distance between the two ships. We were even closer, only the length of four boats, and the two were still galloping ahead. By this time it was near the mouth of the river, with Bucking Flat on one side and The Pramstide Swamp on the other. Jones shouted and ordered the ship to stop, and the man at the back of the ship heard our shouts, stood up from the surface of the ship, swung two fists, and shouted angrily at us. He was strong and tall, standing there with his legs apart. I saw that under his right thigh was only a wooden pillar supporting it. The black shadow crouching next to him, heard his voice, and stood up slowly, it turned out to be a black man, a short physique I had never seen before. His large, deformed head had unkempt hair on it. Holmes had already had the pistol in his hand, and I saw this strange raw fan and pulled it out. He was wrapped around a black blanket-like thing, showing only his face. But this face, that ugly strange shape is enough to make people lose their souls. I had never seen such a vicious strange appearance, his two small eyes shining fiercely, his lips extremely thick, rolling up from the base of his teeth, he was shouting at us wildly, and the half-animal rage was attacking.

　　Holmes said softly to me, "As soon as he raises his hand, we will shoot." At this time, there was only one boat between them, and they could see more clearly. The white man kept cursing on his legs, and the little black man was screaming at our lights with a look of resentment on his face.

　　Fortunately, we saw them very clearly. The little black man took out from the blanket a short round wooden stick that looked like a wooden ruler and rested it on his lips. We immediately pulled the bolt, two bullets inspired. The black man turned around and raised his hands high and fell into Hanoi, and in an instant I saw his vicious eyes disappear in the white whirlpool. At this moment, the man with the wooden legs rushed to the rudder and used all his strength to pull the tiller, and the ship rushed toward the south shore, and we dodged its stern at a distance of a few feet and finally did not collide. We then turned direction and caught up. By then dawn was approaching the south shore, and on shore was a desolate wilderness, with the moonlight shining on the empty moorland, and the ground was full of stagnant water and piles of rotting plants. The steamboat ran aground when it reached shore, its bow towering into the air, its stern not in the water. The bandit jumped to the shore, but his wooden leg was completely stuck in the mud. He struggled hard, but he couldn't even take a step back. He screamed and beat his left foot, but the wooden leg sank deeper and deeper in the mud. By the time we had pulled the boat ashore, he was already pinned there and could not move. We threw a rope from the boat over his shoulders and dragged him onto the boat like a fish. Smith and son sat on the boat with a sad face, listened to our orders, and then helplessly left the "Dawn" and walked to this side of the ship. An Indian iron chest, placed on the deck of the ship, knew without asking that it was the treasure chest that had caused Shulto's misfortune. There was no key on the box, it was very heavy and we carefully carried it to our cabin. We dragged dawn behind and slowly headed upstream back. We kept using searchlights to reflect on all sides of the river, but the negro was long gone, presumably buried at the bottom of the Thames.

　　Holmes pointed to the hatch and said, "Look here, our guns are almost late. "There was a stinger stuck in the back of where we had been standing, about the same time we were firing our guns. Holmes still shrugged at the stinger and smiled slightly, as usual, but every time I thought of the situation that night, I still couldn't help but shudder.

　　XI Treasures of Agra

　　Our prisoner sat in the cabin of the ship, facing the iron box he had painstakingly obtained after years of hard work. His skin was tanned by the scorching sun, and his two eyes symbolized his daring nature, his face full of wrinkles, and he knew at a glance that he had been doing years of hard work outside. The strange appearance of his bearded jaw protruding outwards shows his stubborn character. His curly black hair was already mostly gray, and he was expected to be in his fifties. In normal times, his face was not ugly, but under the fury, his thick eyebrows and fierce jaw formed an abominable face. He sat there, resting his handcuffed hands on his lap and bowing his head in silence, constantly looking with his sharp eyes at the iron box that had made him a crime. To me, his expression seemed more sorrowful than angry. At one point he glanced up at me, and there seemed to be some humor in his eyes.

　　Holmes lit a cigar and said, "Joanozan Smo, I am so unhappy to see that things have come to such an end." ”

　　He replied bluntly, "Sir, I don't want to either." I don't think I can escape this life. But I swear to you, I really didn't want to kill Mr. Schulto, but the evil boy shot a bastard stinger and killed him. Sir, I have no idea. Mr. Schulto's death made me very uncomfortable. I whipped the little devil with a rope, but what could I do if the man was already dead! ”

　　Holmes said, "You smoke a cigar first." You see you're soaking wet, drink some of the wine in my bottle to warm up first. I ask you, when you climbed the rope, how did you know that the little and powerless black boy could stand up to Mr. Schulto? ”

　　"Sir, you say this as if you had seen it with your own eyes. I had thought there was no one in the room, and I knew all the habits of life there, and that was when Mr. Schulto used to go downstairs for dinner. I didn't hide anything, I thought telling the truth was my best defense. If the old major had been in the house, I would have strangled him to death without pity. I killed him and smoked this cigar. It is sad that I am now imprisoned because of little Shulto, because I have never had any entanglement with him. ”

　　"You are now in the custody of Mr Etherni Jones at Scotland Yard. He is ready to take you to my house, and I will ask you for your confession first. You have to tell me the truth, if you can be honest, or I can do you a favor. I think I have a way to prove that the stinger is very toxic, and that Mr. Schulto was poisoned to death before you climbed into the house. ”

　　"Sir, it's good, he's already dead first. When I climbed into the window and saw his crooked head and smirking, it frightened me. If it weren't for Tong Ge running fast, I would have slaughtered him at that time. That's why he later told me how he lost the stick and a bag of stingers in his busyness, and I think this thing must have provided some clues to help you find us. As for how you caught me by connecting the clues, then I can't think of it. It's my own bad and can't resent you. He smiled bitterly again, "But this is really a strange thing." You see, I, who has the right to enjoy these half a million yuan, spent half my life building breakwaters in the Andaman Islands, and I am afraid that I will have to go to the special moorland to dig a trench in the second half of my life. From the first day I met the merchant Apocamet and thus had a relationship with the treasure of Agra, I was unlucky, and no one who touched the treasure was unlucky; the merchant died because of the treasure, and Major Schulto brought him fear and sin because of the treasure, and I was going to do hard labor for the rest of my life. ”

　　At this point, Etherney Jones leaned into the cabin and said, "You are really like a family reunited." Holmes, please give me some wine to drink. We should all celebrate each other. Unfortunately, that one was not captured alive by us, and there was no way. Holmes, you must be the first to attack, otherwise you will be poisoned by him. ”

　　Holmes said, "The result is always satisfactory." But I didn't expect that the Dawn had such a speed. ”

　　Jones said: "According to Smith, the Dawn was one of the fastest steamboats on the Thames, and if there had been someone to help him pilot at that time, we would never have been able to catch up with it." He also gambled that he knew nothing about Norwood's massacre. ”

　　Our prisoner shouted, "He really didn't know it, because I heard that his ship was fast, so I rented it from him." We didn't tell him anything, just paid a big price. If he could send us to the Emerald ship moored in Gravezand on the way to Brazil, he would have received another large honorarium. ”

　　Jones said, "If he hadn't committed a crime, we'd take it lightly." Although we arrested people quickly, we sentenced them cautiously. By this time the arrogant Jones had gradually revealed his majesty toward the prisoners. From Holmes's slight smile, I could tell that Jones's words had caught his attention.

　　Jones added, "We're going to Vauxhall Bridge." Dr. Watson, you can go down here with the treasure chest. I think you know how much responsibility I have for this. Of course, this practice is extremely illegal, but since there is a consensus first, I cannot be dishonest. But because the treasure is very precious, it is my duty to send a sheriff to accompany you. Are you ready to go by car? ”

　　"I'm going to go in the car."

　　"It's a pity that there are no keys here, otherwise we can count them in advance, and you may need to smash the box open." Smou, where did the keys go? ”

　　Smo said briefly, "Under the river." "Ahem! It's superfluous that you're giving us this trouble. For your sake, we have spent a lot of manpower and material resources. But doctor, I don't have to tell you anymore, be careful. Bring the box to Baker Street when you return, where we will be waiting for you before going to the police station. ”

　　I disembarked at Vauxhall, with a heavy treasure chest, accompanied by a gentle and frank sheriff, and a quarter of an hour later we arrived at Mrs. Cythor Freest's house. The maid who opened the door was surprised by my visitors this evening, and she said that Mrs. Frist was not at home, and that she would not be able to return until late at night, and that Miss Mostan was still in the drawing room. I left the sheriff in the car and waited, and I carried the treasure chest straight into the living room.

　　She sat in front of the window, dressed in white translucent clothes, with red bands tied around her neck and waist. Under the soft light that shot through the hood, she sat down on a wicker chair. A white arm rested on the back of the chair, and the light shone on her beautiful and solemn face and her fluffy golden hair, and the gesture and expression showed that she seemed to have infinite melancholy in her heart. She stood up when she heard my footsteps, a flush of surprise on her face with joy.

　　She said, "I heard the sound of cars outside the door, and I thought Mrs. Frist had returned early, but I never thought it was you." What news did you bring me? ”

　　I put the box on the table, and although I was bored, I pretended to be happy and said: "What I brought is better than the news, what I bring is more precious than any news, I have brought you wealth." ”

　　She glanced at the iron box and asked coldly, "Is that a treasure?" ”

　　"Yes, inside the box is the great treasure of Agra; half of it belongs to you, and half of it belongs to Monsieur Sedius Schulto. The two of you should each receive about two hundred thousand pounds. Think about it! The annual interest rate is 10,000 pounds, which is rare among British women. Isn't that a great thing to be thankful for? ”

　　I said that my happiness was probably a little too much, and she had sensed that my sincerity was insufficient. She raised her eyebrows slightly, looked at me and said, "If I can get the treasure, it is all because of your help." ”

　　I replied, "No! No! You are able to have today entirely with the assistance of my friend Sherlock Holmes. Even if he had the ability to analyze like that, he spent a lot of effort to solve the case, and in the end he almost failed. People like me are trying their best and can't find a clue. ”

　　She said, "Doctor Watson, please sit down and tell me how it went." ”

　　I gave a brief account of all the things that had happened since the last time I had met her—Holmes's new method of searching, the discovery of the Dawn, the visit of Etherney Jones, tonight's expedition and the tracking on the River Thames. She listened, and when she said that we were on the verge of being hurt by the stinger, her face turned miserable and she seemed to be about to faint.

　　I hurriedly poured some water for her to drink, and she said, "It doesn't matter, I'm fine." I heard that my friends were in such danger for me, and I was very uneasy. ”

　　I replied, "That's all in the past, and it's nothing." I will not talk about these sullen things anymore, let us see what makes us happy. This is a treasure, I brought it for you, I think you will be willing to open it yourself and have a sneak peek. ”

　　She said, "It couldn't be better." But her words did not show how excited she was. Because this treasure took a lot of painstaking effort to get her hands on, she couldn't help but express it like this, otherwise it would also seem that she was too unsentimental.

　　She looked at the box and said, "This box is so beautiful!" This is done in India, right? ”

　　"Yes, it's India's famous Benariz metalwork."

　　She tried to lift the box and said, "It's really heavy, and the box itself is probably worth a lot." Where is the key? ”

　　I replied, "Thrown into the River Thames by Smou, we must borrow Mrs. Freest's tongs and use them." "In front of the box there was a thick iron ring with a Buddha statue cast on it. I inserted the fire tongs under the iron ring and pried it up with force, and the iron ring should be opened by hand. I lifted the lid of the box with trembling fingers, and both of us stared into the box, stunned. This box is empty!

　　No wonder this chest is so heavy, the box is surrounded by two-thirds of an inch thick iron plate, very strong, and the manufacture is also extremely delicate, it is indeed used as a treasure chest. But there was nothing in it, it was completely empty.

　　Miss Mostan said quietly, "The treasure has been lost. ”

　　I heard her words and felt the implications. A shadow in my soul seemed to be disappearing. I can't tell how heavy this Agra treasure weighed on my heart, and now it has finally been removed. Yes, this idea is selfish, unfaithful, and wrong, but I cannot think of anything other than the fact that the barrier to money between the two of us has been removed.

　　I was overjoyed from the bottom of my heart and said, "Thank God! ”

　　She smiled incomprehensibly and asked me, "Why do you say that?" ”

　　I took her hand and she didn't retract. I said, "Because I dare to open my mouth, Mellie, I love you as earnestly as any man loves a woman." Before, these treasures, these treasures blocked my mouth, and now that the treasures are lost, I can tell you how much I love you. That's why I said, 'Thank God. '”

　　I took her to my side and she said softly, "Then I should also say, 'Thank God.' '”

　　Whoever lost the treasure, I knew that I had received a treasure that night.

　　XII The Bizarre Story of Jonozin Smow

　　The sheriff patiently waited for me in the car, and it was late when I got back to the car. I showed him the empty box, and he was disappointed.

　　He said dejectedly, "This time, the bonus is over!" If there is no treasure in the chest, there will be no bonus, otherwise tonight my companion Sam Brown and I will each receive a ten pound bonus. ”

　　I said, "Mr. Sedius Schulto is a rich man, and he will reward you with or without treasures." ”

　　The sheriff shook his head in frustration and said, "Mr. Etherni Jones would think this is a terrible job." ”

　　The sheriff's expectations were good, and when I returned to Baker Street and showed the detective the empty box, he looked very bad. The three of them—Holmes, Jones, and the prisoner—had just arrived at Baker Street; they had changed their plans and had made their way to the police station halfway through to give a report. Holmes, as usual, sat lazily in his chair, facing Smou, who was sitting there tenaciously. Smo put the wooden leg on top of the good leg. When I showed everyone the empty box, he leaned back in his chair and laughed loudly.

　　Etherney Jones said angrily, "Smou, this is a good thing you did!" ”

　　Smao laughed wildly and shouted, "Yes, I have put the treasure in a place you will never be able to touch." The treasure belongs to me, and if I don't get my hands on it, I have to find a way to make it impossible for anyone to touch it. I tell you, with the exception of the three men in the Prisoner Camp on Andaman Island and myself, no one else has the right to ask for these treasures. Now since none of us could get it, I disposed of the treasure on behalf of the three of them. This is in line with the vow made by the four of us when we signed: we will always be consistent. I knew that the three of them must have agreed to me doing so—rather sinking the treasure to the bottom of the Thames than in the hands of the children or relatives of Shulto or Mostan. We didn't kill Aporat to make them rich. The treasure and the key were buried with Tong Ge. When I saw that your ship would be able to catch up with me, I put the treasure in a safe place. You can't get a rupee this time. ”

　　Etherney Jones snapped, "Smou, you bottle! Wouldn't it be easier if you were to throw the treasure into the River Thames and throw it down with the chest? ”

　　Smoo squinted at him slyly and replied, "I'm throwing it to save trouble, and you can save trouble by fishing." You have the ability to pursue me, and you have the ability to catch an iron box. Now that I've scattered the treasure in a five-mile stretch of river, it's not easy to catch. I was also reckless, and when I saw you catch up, I almost went crazy. There is no use in regretting, the fate of my life has been prosperous and declined, and I have never regretted it afterwards. ”

　　Jones said, "Smol, this is a very serious matter. If you can help the law in breaking it instead of in this way, then you will have a chance to get a lighter sentence at the time of sentencing. ”

　　"Law?!" The criminal growled, "What a beautiful law! Whose treasure is not ours? Isn't it fair that the treasure they earned is not something they want to give to them? Look at how I have earned treasures: for twenty years, living in the wetlands where fever is rampant, doing hard work under mangroves during the day (1), locked in filthy prisons at night, shackled, bitten by mosquitoes, tormented by malaria, and humiliated by every abominable black-faced jailer who likes to vent the anger of the Caucasians, this is the price I have earned for the treasures of Agra, and you are coming to tell me justice. Do you think it is unfair because I refuse to let others enjoy what I have worked so hard to achieve? I'd rather be hanged or have a stinger than be alive in prison and have another person take what should be my money! By this time Smao was no longer as silent as before, and he poured out these words incessantly. His eyes lit up, and the handcuffs shook with excitement. Seeing him so angry and impulsive, I could understand why Major Schulto panicked at the news of the prisoner's escape, which was natural and well-founded.

　　(1) Mangrove is a kind of tree that grows on the tropical seashore. - Translator's Note

　　Holmes said serenely: "You forget, we know nothing about these things. You don't tell us the whole story, so you can't say how reasonable you were. ”

　　"Ah, sir, what you said is fair and reasonable, though I should thank you for putting on my bracelet. But I don't resent... It's all about being bright and just. If you are willing to listen to my story, I will not hide it, and everything I have to say is the truth. Thank you, please put the cup next to me, I will put my lips close to the cup to drink when I am thirsty.

　　"I'm from Worcester and live near the city of Bosshur. We Smoo lived there a lot, and I sometimes wanted to go back and see it, but because I had always behaved inappropriately, the people of the tribe did not necessarily welcome me. They were all sedate believers, respected peasants in the township, and I had always been a tramp. At the age of eighteen, because of the trouble of love, the family could not survive, so they had to find another way to make a living. At that time, it happened that the three regiments of infantry were about to be transferred to India, and in order to get out, I enlisted in the army and chose the road of eating military salaries for a living.

　　"However, my military life is inherently doomed not to last long. When I was just learning to walk and use a rifle, and occasionally going to swim in the Ganges, a crocodile bit my entire calf like a surgical operation in the middle of the stream. Fortunately, the company's swimmer, John Houdd, was also in the river. Frightened and bleeding, I fainted, and I would have drowned if Houd hadn't grabbed me and swam to the shore. I was in the hospital for five months before I put on wooden legs and limped out of the hospital. I was disqualified from the military because of my disability, making it harder to find employment. "You can imagine how bad luck it was that I was not yet twenty years old, that I had become a useless cripple. But it was not long before the embarrassment came to run, and it happened that a new owner named Abwaite, who had come to India to run the indigo garden, was looking for someone to supervise the coolies of the indigo garden. The owner of the garden happened to be a friend of the commander of the unit to which I had belonged. The regimental commander often took care of me because of my disability, and in short, the regimental commander tried his best to recommend me. Because this job is mainly riding on a horse, I can still hold the horse's belly on both knees, although it is crippled, riding a horse is not a problem. My job was to patrol the manor, supervise the workers and report the workers' diligence to the owners at all times. The rewards are good and the accommodation is comfortable, so I am very willing to do this indigo business for the rest of my life. The owner, Mr. Abbewright, was a very amiable man and used to come to my hut to smoke a cigarette and chat, because the Caucasians there were not as concerned about each other as they were here.

　　"Alas, it was not a good time. Suddenly, the Great Rebellion broke out unexpectedly (1). One month, people were living and working in peace and contentment as they were in their homeland, and by the next month, more than two hundred thousand black devils had lost their restraints and turned all of India into hell. (2) Of course, several of you have seen these things in the newspapers, or know them more than I, the illiterate, because I only know what I see. The location of our indigo garden is called Mutra, near the edge of several northwestern provinces. Every night the flames that burn the house shine bright red. Every day during the day, small groups of European soldiers protect their homes, passing through our indigo garden and taking refuge in the recently garrisoned city of Agra. The owner of the garden, Mr. Abwaite, was a stubborn man, and he thought that the news of these rebellions was inevitably exaggerated, and he thought that he would soon be able to calm down, and he still sat on the veranda drinking and smoking, but there was already smoke all around him. I and a couple named Dawson, who manages the accounts, are both loyal to their duties, and of course they are inseparable from him. Well, one day things will change. I was on my way to a garden in the distance that day, and slowly rode back on my horse at dusk. On the way, my eyes were drawn to a pile of things crouched up on the bottom of the steep canyon. As I rode down on horseback, I couldn't help but marvel at the fact that it was Dawson's bottle that had been cut into strips and half eaten by jackals and wild dogs. Dawson's body lay not far away, holding an empty pistol in his hand, and in front of him lay the corpses of four Indian soldiers pressed against each other. I was holding the reins of the horse, and I was not sure where to go, when I suddenly saw the owner's house burning, and the flames had rushed out of the roof. I knew that rushing over would not do my master any good, and I could only put my own life into it. From where I stood, I could see hundreds of black devils dressed in red dancing against the burning house, several of them pointing at me, followed by two stray bullets skimming over my head. I twisted my horse's head and ran wildly into the rice fields, escaping late at night into the city of Agra.

　　(1) Refers to the anti-British national drama that broke out in India in 1857. - Translator's Note

　　(2) The British colonialists' insulting name for indians. - Translator's Note

　　"But in fact Agra is not a very safe place, and the whole of India has become like a swarm of wasps. Wherever the British could gather a few people, they could only keep a small part of the range of the guns, and the British everywhere else became wandering refugees. It's a war of millions of people against hundreds of people. The saddest thing is that our enemies, whether infantry, cavalry or artillery, are elite warriors who have been trained by us, who use our weapons, and whose trumpets are blown in the same tone as ours. In Agra was stationed the Bengal Third Musket Regiment, some of whom were Indian soldiers, two teams of horses and a company of artillerymen. A new volunteer brigade was also formed, composed of businessmen and government workers. Although I was wearing wooden legs, I still participated. At the beginning of July we went to Shagengi to meet the rebels, and we repelled them for a period of time, and then returned to the city due to lack of ammunition. All that's coming from all directions is the worst news – and that's not enough, because just look at the map and you know we're in the center of chaos. Lacnau was to the east, more than a hundred miles apart; Commstown was in the south, about the same distance. Everywhere is suffering, carnage and atrocities.

　　"Agra is a big city, inhabited by all sorts of strange and terrible devil believers. In the narrow, winding streets, our few Britons were unable to defend themselves. So our commander mobilized his army and established a position in an Agra castle on the other side of the river. I wonder if any of you have heard of this castle or have you read about this castle? This castle is a very strange place - although I have been to many strange places, it is one of the most strange places I have ever seen when I am angry. First of all, it is so large that I estimate that it occupies a lot of acres, and the newer part is very large, accommodating all our troops, women and children, and the heavy and rich. But this newer part was nowhere near the size of the older part, and no one went there, and the scorpion centipede was there. The old fort is full of empty halls, winding corridors and winding corridors, and it is easy for people who walk in to get lost. So few people went to the Old Fort, but occasionally people with torches joined forces to go on expeditions.

　　"The small river that flows in front of the old fort forms a moat. There were many entrance and exit gates on both sides of the fort and behind it, and naturally there must be guards here and where our army lived. Our numbers were too small to take care of every corner of the fort and all the gun positions, so it was impossible to send heavy guards at the countless fort gates. Our solution was to set up a central guard room in the center of the fort, each gate guarded by two or three Indian soldiers led by a caucasian. I was assigned to guard a small isolated fort gate on the southwest side of the fort for a fixed period of time each night. Under my command were two Sikh soldiers. The instructions I received were: In case of crisis, if you fire a shot, someone will come from the central guard room to answer. But we were more than two hundred paces from the center of the fort, and we had to pass through many labyrinth-like winding corridors and corridors. I doubt very much whether the rescuers will arrive in time when they are really attacked.

　　"I am a new soldier, and I am a crippled man, and I am very proud to be a small leader. For the first two nights I and two indian soldiers from Punjab guarded the fort gates. One of their names was Mohomette Singh and the other was Eberdler Khan. They were all tall, fierce-looking fellows who had been on the battlefield for a long time, and had all fought us at the Battle of Chirenwala. Although they all spoke very good English, I didn't hear them talk about anything. The two always liked to stand together and muttered in the weird Sikh language all night. I used to stand alone outside the fort gate, looking down at the wide, curved river and the flickering lights of the big city. The sound of drums and Indian gongs, the shouts of opium-sucking rebels, reminded us all night of dangerous neighbors across the river. Every two o'clock, officers on duty patrolled the sentries in case of accidents.

　　"On the third night of duty, the sky was hazy and drizzled. Standing in this kind of weather for several hours in a row is indeed very distressed. I tried to talk to the two Indian soldiers again, but they still didn't care about me. At two o'clock in the middle of the night, the patrol that slightly broke the silence of the whole night passed. My companion did not want to talk to me, so I put the gun down, took out my pipe and drew a match. Suddenly two Indian soldiers rushed up to me, one grabbing the gun, opening the safety door of the gun and pointing it at my head; the other drew a large knife and rested it on my neck, gritting his teeth and saying that he would stab the knife into my throat as soon as I moved.

　　"My first thought was that they must be with the rebels, and that was the beginning of their assault. If they had occupied the fort gate, the entire bunker would have fallen into enemy hands, and the women and children in the fort would have suffered the same fate as they had at Comms. Maybe a few of you will think that I am here to make a fool of myself, but I swear that when I think of this, although I think of it, the tip of the knife is against my throat, I still open my mouth and want to scream, even if it is the last one, because maybe this will give a warning to the central guardhouse. The man who held me seemed to already know my thoughts, and just as I was about to make a sound, he whispered to me: 'Don't make a sound, there will be no danger in the fortress, there are no rebels on this side of the river.' His words sounded true. I knew I was going to be killed as soon as I made a sound, and I could tell what he meant in this guy's brown eyes, so I didn't make a sound. I waited to see what they were going to do to me.

　　"The taller, fiercer, one named Alberter Kehan said to me, 'Sir, listen to me.' Now there are only two paths for you to choose: one way is to cooperate with us; the other way is to make you never come out again. It's too big for any of us to hesitate. Or you sincerely swear to God to cooperate with us to the end; or we will throw your body into the ditch tonight and then surrender to our rebel brethren, and there is absolutely no middle way. Which path do you choose, life or death? We can only give you three minutes to make a decision, because time is short and things must be done before the next patrol arrives. '

　　"I said, 'You didn't tell me what was going on, how do I make decisions?' But I tell you, if your plot involves the safety of the bunker, I cannot conspire with you, just give me a knife, very welcome! '

　　He said, 'This has nothing to do with the bunker, and I will do only one thing, which is the same purpose that you British have come to India for—we will make you rich.' Tonight, if you decide to cooperate with us, we will solemnly swear to you with this knife—a vow never broken by a Sikh—to share with you fairly and equally. A quarter of the treasure goes to you, and there can be no fairer way to do it. '

　　"I asked, 'What treasure?' I'd like to be as rich as you are, but you have to tell me what to do. '

　　"He said, 'Then do you swear?' With your father's body, your mother's honor, and your religious beliefs, you swear that you will never do anything against us, and never say anything against us. '

　　"I replied, 'As long as the bunker is not threatened, I am willing to swear by this.'"

　　"Then my accomplices and myself swear to give you a quarter of the treasure." That said: there are four of us, and each of us has a share. '

　　"I said, 'There are only three of us.'

　　"Not really. Dest Akbar had to share a share. While waiting for him, I can tell you this secret. Mohomette Singer please stand outside the door and let us know when they come. Here's the thing, sir, I know Europeans are oath-keepers, so we trust you. If you are an Indian who is accustomed to lying, no matter how much you swear to God, your blood will have stained my knife, and your body will be thrown into the river. But we trust the British, and the British trust us, so listen to me.

　　"We have a king in northern India whose territory is small but rich in property. Half of his possessions were handed down from his father and half were collected by himself. He was a money-hungry man and very miserly. After the chaos, the king of the land heard that the white man had been slaughtered, and while echoing the rebels to resist the white man, he was afraid that if the white man succeeded, he would be disadvantaged himself. Hesitated for a long time, unable to decide. Finally he came up with a plan to do both: he divided all his possessions into two parts, and placed all gold and silver coins in a safe in his palace; and all the jewels and diamonds in an iron box, and sent a close associate posing as a merchant to the Agra Bunker to hide. If the rebels were victorious, they kept the gold and silver coins; if the whites were victorious, the money was lost, and there were diamond jewelry to preserve. After he had divided his property in this way, he threw himself into the rebel party—because the rebels on his borders were very strong. Sir, wonder if his property should go into the hands of a man who has always been loyal to one side.

　　"This disguised merchant who was sent under the pseudonym Atramet, now in the city of Agra, is preparing to infiltrate the fort. His companion was my allied brother Dest Akbar, and he knew the secret. Deste Akbar and we agreed to bring him in through the fort gate we were guarding tonight. Soon they were coming, and he knew that Mohomette Singh was waiting for him with me. The place was very calm, no one would know about their arrival, and from then on there would be no more merchants in the world, and the treasures of the Earth King would be shared by a few of us. Sir, do you think so? In Worcester, life is taken very seriously, as sacred, but in this environment of slaughter and looting, where everyone is precarious, it is not very different. The life and death of this merchant Atramet, I felt at the time was insignificant, and the treasures touched my heart. I imagined how I would dispose of this fortune when I returned to my hometown, and how the villagers would look at me with wide eyes when they saw me, a man who had never done a good job, come back with a pocket full of gold coins. So I made up my mind, but Alberter Kehan thought I was hesitating and pressed again.

　　He said, 'Sir, please consider again, if this man is caught by the commander, he will be sentenced to death and confiscated, and no one will receive a single penny.' Now that he is in our hands, why don't we divide his treasure equally with him in private? The treasure returned to us is not the same as the silver vault that entered the army. These treasures are enough to make each of us rich. We are far away from others, no one will know, do you see anything better than this idea? May you, sir, still be with us, or do you have to ask us to recognize you as an enemy? '

　　"I said, 'My heart and soul are with you.'"

　　"He gave me the gun back and said, 'This is wonderful, we believe that your oath, like ours, will always be kept.'" Now there were only my brothers and the merchant waiting. '

　　"I asked, 'So, do you know our plan?'

　　"He was the mastermind, and he orchestrated everything. Let's go outside the door now and stand guard with Mohomette Singer. '

　　"It was the beginning of the rainy season, and the rain hadn't stopped. Thick brown clouds drifted in the sky, and the night was foggy, and it was not clear from the distance of a stone's throw away. In front of our door was a moat, and the water in the trench had dried up in some places, and it was easy to walk over. We stood there, waiting for the man who had come to die.

　　Suddenly, on the other side of the trench there was a veiled light that disappeared in front of the embankment, and soon reappeared, and walked slowly in our direction.

　　"I cried, 'Here they come!'

　　"Albertler said softly, 'Please cross-examine him as usual, but do not frighten him, and give him to us to take him into the door, and you are guarding outside, and we have our own way.' Prepare the lamp so as not to recognize the wrong person. '

　　The light moved forward in a flash, stopping and advancing, until it saw two black shadows on the other side of the trench. I waited for them to get out of the trench, wade through the water, and climb ashore before I lowered my voice and asked, 'Who is coming?' '

　　"The visitor replied, 'It's a friend.'" I shone the lamp on them, and the Indian in front of me was extremely tall, with a black beard that grew longer than a belt, and I had never seen such a tall man except on stage. The other man was a diminutive, chubby, round guy with a rhubarb bun wrapped around his head and a scarf wrapped around his hand. His whole body seemed to tremble with horror, and his hands twitched as if they were malaria. He was like a rat out of the hole, looking left and right unceasingly, his two small eyes shining. I thought that it was a little unbearable to kill this person, but when I thought of the treasure, my heart immediately turned into iron. He saw that I was caucasian and couldn't help but run to me with joy.

　　"He gasped and said, 'Sir, please protect me, please protect this fleeing merchant Atramet.' I took refuge in the Agra Bunker from Raghitano. I have been robbed, whipped and insulted because in the past I was a friend of your army. Now I'm safe with my stuff, thanks so much. '

　　"I asked, 'What's in the bag?'

　　"He replied, 'An iron box with one or two ancestral things in it, which is worthless to others, but I am reluctant to throw it away.' I am not a poor beggar, and if your superior will allow me to live here, I must be somewhat compensated to you, the young gentleman, and your superior. '

　　"I don't dare to talk to him anymore. The more I looked at his poor little fat face, the more I couldn't bear to kill him fiercely, so I might as well have killed him sooner.

　　"I said, 'Take him to headquarters.'" Two Indian soldiers, one left and one right, led him into the dark doorway, and the tall man followed behind, who had never been surrounded on all sides like this, and could not escape the life, and I stayed alone outside the door with the lamp.

　　I could hear their footsteps walking on the silent promenade. Suddenly, the sound stopped, followed by the sound of fighting and wrestling. Soon after, someone suddenly ran towards me with a short breath, and I was surprised. I raised the lamp and looked closely into the door, and it turned out to be the little fat man, running forward with a bloodied face, and the tall man with a knife chased after him like a tiger. I have never seen anyone running as fast as this businessman, and the people who are chasing him can't catch up. I knew that if he could get past me and run out the door, he would most likely be saved. I had already moved my heart of compassion and wanted to keep him alive, but when I thought of the treasure, my heart hardened again. When he approached, I threw my open musket between his legs, and he tripped and rolled over like a rabbit that had been shot. Before he could get up, the Indian soldier got up and stabbed him twice in the ribs. He didn't struggle or hum, and he lay motionless on the ground. I think maybe he fell to his death when he tripped. Gentlemen, you see, whether it is in my favor or not, I have confessed what has happened. ”

　　He stopped at this point, reached out his handcuffed hand, and took the watered whiskey that Holmes had poured for him. I think that not only his cruel behavior, but also from his indifferent demeanor when he told this story, you can also imagine the extreme cruelty and viciousness of this man. Whatever punishment he receives in the future, I will not sympathize with him. Sherlock Holmes and Jones sat there, hands on his knees, listening with his ears open, his face showing disgust. Smao may have seen it, because as he continued, there was a hint of resistance in his voice and movements.

　　He said, "Of course, the whole truth is really terrible." But I would like to know, how many people in my position would rather be killed than have those treasures? On another level, as soon as he entered the fort, a situation was formed in which one of the two of us had to die; if he had run out of the fort, the whole thing would have been exposed, and I would have been subjected to a military trial and be shot—for, at that moment, the sentence would not have been lenient. ”

　　Holmes cut him off and said, "Let's talk about you." ”

　　"Ibradler Khan, Dest Akbar and I, three men carried the bodies in. Although he was short, he was really heavy. Mohomette Singh stayed outside to keep the goal. We carried him to the place where he had been prepared, which was quite far from the fort gate, and through a curved corridor he entered an empty hall, the brick walls of which were all shattered, and there was a pit in the ground, which was just a natural tomb. We put the body of the merchant Admaite in it, covered it with broken bricks, and when we were done, we all went back to examine the treasure.

　　The iron box was still placed in the place where Apomet had been knocked down, the same box that is now on the table, and the key was tied with a silk rope to the carved handle on the lid of the box. We opened the box, and the jewelry in the box shone brightly by the light, just as I had read in the story when I was a child in Boschul and as I had imagined at the time. Looking at these jewels, it is dazzling. After I was full of eyes, I set out to make a list of jewels. There were one hundred and forty-three fine diamonds, including one called 'Big Mogol'—said to be the second largest diamond in the world, and ninety-seven fine emeralds, one hundred and seventy rubies (some of which were small), forty pieces of carnelian, two hundred and ten pieces of green jade, sixty-one pieces of agate, many emeralds, onyx, opal, Turkish jade, and other gems that I did not recognize at the time, but then I gradually recognized them. In addition, there are more than three hundred fine round pearls, of which twelve are set on a gold collar. After retrieving the treasure chest from Sakuranuma Villa, after inspection, everything else was still there, except for this collar.

　　After we had ordered it, we put the treasure back in the box and took it out of the fort to show it to Mohomette Singer. We solemnly swear once again: to unite and keep secrets. We decided to hide the treasure chest and wait for the overall situation to settle down before averaging the shares. It was inappropriate to divide the stolen goods at that time, because the value of the jewelry was too high, and if it was found on us, it would arouse the suspicion of others, and there was no hidden place in our residence to collect. So we moved the box to the room where the body was buried, removed a few bricks from the most complete wall, put the box in, and put the bricks back in, covering it tightly. We carefully remembered the place where the treasure was hidden, and the next day I drew four drawings, one for each of them, and written below them the signatures of four people as a sign of our oath: henceforth we will represent the interests of four people in every move, and we must not swallow it alone. I can swear to the weather and never break that oath.

　　"Well, I don't need to tell you gentlemen again what the outcome of the future rebellion in India will be." The rebellion collapsed after Wilson captured Delhi and Sir Cowling regained Lakenow. New armies arrived. Nano Sahib escaped at the border, Colonel Gretehead led a rapid column to Agra to eliminate the rebels, and the country seemed to have gradually regained its state of peace. The four of us hoped that soon we would be able to divide the loot equally and fly away, but in the blink of an eye our hopes were dashed, because we were all arrested for killing Atramet.

　　"Here's what happened: The king of the earth gave him the treasure because he trusted Atramet. But the Orientals were too suspicious, and the king of the earth sent a more loyal servant to follow him, secretly investigating Achamet's actions, and ordering the servant to keep a close eye on Apatmet. That night he followed darkly behind him and watched as Atramet walked into the fort gate. He thought that Achamet had settled in the fort, so he managed to enter the fort the next day, but he could not find Atramet. Thinking that the matter was too broken, he talked to the squad leader of the guard, who again reported to the commander, so he immediately conducted a meticulous search throughout the fort and found the body. While we thought we were safe, we were arrested on charges of murder —three were the guardians of the day, and the other one came with the victims. No one spoke of the treasure during the interrogation, because the king of the earth had been deposed and expelled from India, and no one had a direct relationship with the treasure anymore. But the murder was conclusive, and all four of us were convicted of being murderers. Three Indians were sentenced to life in prison, and I was sentenced to death, but then got a reduced sentence, just like them.

　　"Our situation is very strange. The four of us were sentenced to prison, and I am afraid that it would be difficult to regain our freedom in this life, but at the same time, the four of us together kept a secret, as long as we can use the treasure, we can become rich and enjoy the blessings. The most unbearable thing is that I know that the treasures are waiting for us to take them outside, but I still have to be arbitrarily humiliated by the jailers in order to eat some brown rice and drink cold water, and I really want to go crazy, fortunately, I am stubborn by nature, so I can endure patiently and wait for the opportunity.

　　"Finally, it seems that the time has come. I was transferred from Agra to Madras and from there to Brel Island in the Andaman Islands. There were very few Caucasian prisoners on the island, and because I had done well in the first place, I was soon treated specially. In the city of Good Hope in the foothills of the Horiot Mountains, I got a small hut where I lived, and I was very comfortable. The island is a terrible fever-endemic area, and not far from us there are man-eating tribes of Shengfan, who will cast stingers at us when they have the opportunity. There we were busy all day with reclamation, digging ditches and growing potatoes, and many other miscellaneous errands, until the evening when we could have some leisure. I also learned to dispense recipes for surgeons and learned nothing about surgical techniques. I was always looking for an opportunity to escape, but it was hundreds of miles from any continent, and there was little wind on the sea nearby, if not at all. Therefore, it is really difficult to escape.

　　"The surgeon Samoton was a lively and playful young man, and every night the young officers of the garrison often came to his house to play cards and gamble money. The operating room where I dispense medicines and his living room are separated by only one wall, with a small window connecting them. I sometimes felt depressed in the operating room, often turning off the lights in the operating room, standing in front of the window to listen to their conversations, watching them gamble money. I myself had fun with cards, and I was also very addicted to watching them from the sidelines. They were often together with Major Shulto, Captain Mostan and Lieutenant Bromley Braun with the territorial army and the physician himself, as well as two or three prison officers. These officials are veterans of playing cards and are very skilled in gambling. A few of them got together and played happily.

　　"There was a situation that soon caught my attention: every time the money was gambled, the officers always lost, and the prison officials won. I'm not saying there's any ill here, it's just that since the officials of the prison have come to the Andaman Islands, they have nothing to do every day, they just play cards and spend time, and as they become skilled, their skills are refined. The officers were not highly skilled, so every bet they had to lose, and the more they lost, the greater the bet, so the officers were increasingly embarrassed financially, with Major Schulto losing the most. At first he used coins and banknotes, and then the money ran out, so he had to gamble with promissory notes, and sometimes he won a little, he had a lot of courage, and then he lost more, so that he was sad all day and borrowed wine to pour sorrow.

　　"One night he lost more than usual, when I was chilling outside the hut and he and Captain Mostan walked slowly back to camp. The two of them are extremely good friends, inseparable every day. The major was complaining about his bad luck.

　　"As I passed my hut, he and the captain said, 'Mostan, what to do?' I'm ruined, I have to resign. '

　　"The captain patted him on the shoulder and said, 'Dude, there's nothing remarkable, I've had worse situations than this, but...' I can only hear that, but that's enough to make my brain.

　　"Two days later, while Major Schulto was walking along the waterfront, I took the opportunity to go up and talk to him.

　　"I said, 'Major, I have something to ask you.'"

　　"He took the cigar in his mouth and asked, 'Smou, what's the matter?'

　　"I said, 'Sir, I would like to ask you, if there is a buried treasure, who should I give it to? I know where a treasure worth half a million pounds was buried; since I cannot use it myself, I think it would be better to give it to the relevant authorities, and perhaps they will shorten my sentence. '

　　"He took a breath, stared at me deadly to see if I was telling the truth, and then asked, 'Smou, half a million pounds?'

　　'

　　"'Sir, not bad at all, half a million pounds of ready-made jewelry, ready to go.' The strange thing is that the original owner has committed a crime and fled away, and those who have a quick foot can get it. '

　　"He stammered and said, 'It should be handed over to the government, and Smou, it should be handed over to the government.'" His tone was very unsteady, and I knew in my heart that he had fallen into my trap.

　　"I asked slowly, 'Sir, do you think I should report this to the Governor?'

　　"Don't be busy first, or you'll regret it." Smao, tell me the whole truth first. '

　　"I told him everything that had happened, just changing some of the facts so as not to reveal the location of the treasure." When I had finished speaking, he stood in a daze and pondered for a long time, and from the fluttering of his lips, I could see that there was a struggle of thoughts going on in his heart.

　　"Finally he said, 'Smao, this matter is very important, don't say a word to anyone first, let me think about it, and then tell you what to do.'"

　　"Two nights later, he and his friend Captain Mostan came to my hut in the middle of the night with a lamp.

　　"He said, 'Smou, I ask Captain Mostan to come and hear you tell the story yourself.'"

　　I said it again as before.

　　Shulto said, 'Sounds like the truth, huh?' It's worth it, right? '

　　Captain Mostan nodded.

　　Shulto said, 'Smou, let's do this.' After my friend and I studied your affairs, we believed that this secret belonged to you personally, not to the government. This is your personal private matter, and you have the right to do anything about it. The question now is how much do you have to pay? If we can reach an agreement, we may agree to do it on your behalf, or at least investigate it on your behalf. He spoke with a strong expression of calmness and indifference, but there was excitement and greed in his eyes.

　　"I also pretended to be calm, but in my heart I replied with the same excitement: 'There is only one condition in my situation: I want you to help me and my three friends regain their freedom, and then cooperate with you to pay both of you with one-fifth of the treasure.'"

　　"He said, 'Hum! One in five, this one is not worth doing! '

　　"I said, 'Fifty thousand pounds per person.'

　　"But how can we restore your freedom?" You have to know that your request is something that is absolutely impossible.

　　I replied, 'There is nothing difficult about this, I have thought about it very maturely.' The difficulty is that we do not have a ship suitable for navigation and sufficient dry food. In Kolkata or Madras, there are so many small speedboats and brigs that you get one, and as soon as we get on board at night and take us anywhere on the indian coast, your obligations will be fulfilled. '

　　"He said, 'You're the only one who can do it.'"

　　"I replied, 'One less is not enough, we have sworn that four people will live and die.'"

　　"He said, 'Mostan, you see, Smou is a trustworthy man, he lives up to his friends, we can trust him.'"

　　Mostan replied, 'What a dirty thing.' But as you said, this money can really solve our problems. '

　　"The Major said, 'Smou, I think we have to agree, but we need to try first to see if what you say is true, and you can tell me where the box is hidden, and when the regular ships come, I will take a leave of absence to investigate in India.'

　　"The more anxious he is, the calmer I become. I said, 'Don't be busy, I have to ask my three partners for permission first.' I've already told you that one in four people who doesn't agree can't do it. '

　　"He interjected, 'How could this be! What does our agreement have to do with the three black guys? '

　　"I said, 'Black or blue, I have a pact with them, and I have to agree to do so.'"

　　Finally, at the second meeting, Mohomette Singer, Ibrahim Khan and Dest Akbar were all present, and after much deliberation, the matter was decided. As a result, we gave each of the two officers a map of the treasures of the Agra Bunker, and marked on the map the place where the treasure was hidden on the wall, so that Major Schulto could go to India to investigate. If Major Schulto finds the treasure chest, he must first move it, but must first send a small speedboat, prepared with enough food, to meet us on the island of Rotland, at which time Major Schulto should immediately return to market leave, and then Captain Morse (1) Tan will take a leave of absence to meet us in Agra, divide the treasure equally, and captain Mostan will take the part that the two of them deserve on behalf of Major Schulto. All these conditions are guaranteed to be observed together and never violated by the most solemn oath that we have collectively taken — the oath that can be conceived and spoken of. I sat under the lamp and spent the night drawing two treasure maps, each signed with four names: Mohomette Singh, Ibrahim Khan, Dest Akbar and myself.

　　"Gentlemen, I'm afraid you're tired of hearing me tell stories, aren't you?" I knew that Mr. Jones must be anxious to send me to the detention center so that he could be at ease. Let me say as briefly as I can. This villain, Shulto, traveled to India and never returned. Soon after, Captain Mostan showed me a list of passengers from India and returning to England, including Shulto's name. It was also heard that his uncle had left him a large inheritance after his death, so he retired from the army. But he actually got such a despicable degree that he deceived the four of us not counting, and actually deceived all five of us together. Soon, Mostan went to Agra, and as we expected, the treasure was lost. This villain did not fulfill our conditions for selling our secrets, but stole all the treasures. From that weather, I lived only for revenge, day and night. I was filled with resentment, regardless of the law or the guillotine. I was bent on escaping, and it was my only wish to pursue Shulto and kill him. Even the treasure of Agra in my mind was secondary to the idea of killing Shulto.

　　(1) Rothland Island is a small island at the southern tip of the Andaman Islands. - Translator's Note

　　"I have made a lot of volunteers in my life, and I can do everything. But in the years of waiting for this opportunity, I have suffered a lot. I told you that I learned some medicine. One day, Dr. Samoton was lying in bed with a high fever, and a young student from the Andaman Islands found a secluded place to die because he was seriously ill, but was brought back by a prisoner who worked in the woods. Although I knew that shengfan was as vicious as a snake, I still nursed him for two months, and he finally gradually recovered his health and was able to walk. He developed feelings for me, and it was rare to go back to the woods once, staying in my hut all day long. I learned some of his vernacular from him again, and he became more devoted to me.

　　"His name was Tong Ge, he was a well-trained boatman, and he had a very large canoe. Ever since I found out that he was loyal to me and willing to do anything for me, I finally found a chance to escape, and I told him about this plan, and I asked him to row the boat to an unguarded pier one night to pick me up, and asked him to prepare a few bottles of fresh water, many potatoes, coconuts and sweet potatoes.

　　"This little boy was so loyal and reliable, and there was no more loyal companion than him, and that night he rowed the boat under the dock. Coincidentally, an Afghan jailer who had always liked to insult me and whom I deliberately wanted to take revenge on was on duty on the docks. I didn't want to take revenge all the time, and now the opportunity was available, as if God had deliberately sent him there to give me a chance to reciprocate when I was leaving. He stood on the shore, with a gun on his shoulder, his back to me. I wanted to find a stone to smash his head, but I couldn't find one. Finally I had a plan and came up with a weapon. I sat down in the darkness, untied my wooden leg and held it in my hand, and jumped three times before his eyes. With his gun on his shoulder, I hit him with all my strength with my wooden legs, his forebrain shattered. Look at the crack in my wooden leg, the mark I left when I hit him. Because one foot had lost its center of gravity, we both fell at the same time, and I got up, but he was lying there motionless. I got on the boat and after an hour was away from the coast. Tong Ge brought all his possessions with his weapons and his idols to the ship. He also had a spear made of bamboo and several mats woven from Andaman coconut leaves. I made this spear into a ship's mast, and the mat into a sail. We floated at sea for ten days, and on the eleventh day, a merchant ship from Singapore to Jeddah, laden with Malayan pilgrims, rescued us (1). The people on board were very broken, but we soon became acquainted with everyone. They have a very good characteristic: they can keep us quiet and not ask us where we came from.

　　(1) Jeddah is a port on the Red Sea near Mecca, a Holy Land of Islam in Saudi Arabia. - Translator's Note

　　"If I tell you all my experiences with my little friend's voyages, I'm afraid I won't be able to finish talking until dawn tomorrow." We wander here and there in the world, but we never come back to London, but I have not forgotten for a moment to take revenge. At night I kept dreaming of Shulto, and I killed him more than a hundred times in my dreams. Finally, we only returned to England three or four years ago. Upon returning, it was easy to find Shulto's address. I then tried to find out if he had stolen the treasures and whether they were still in his hands, and I made friends with the man who had helped me,—— and I would never name anyone, lest I implicate anyone. I soon found that the treasure was still in his hands, and I tried my best to take revenge, but he was cunning, and there were always two boxers to protect him except for his two sons and an Indian servant.

　　"One day, I heard that he was seriously ill and dying, and I thought that he was really unwilling to be so cheap. I immediately ran to his garden, looked out the window into the back room, and saw him lying on the bed, with his two sons standing on either side. At that time I wanted to risk rushing in to resist the three of them, but by that time his jaw was already hanging down, and I knew he was already breathing, and it was useless to go in. That night, I sneaked into his house and searched to find out the location of his treasure in his documents, but I didn't get any clues. Enraged, I left the same four signatures on his chest so that if I saw my three accomplices in the future, I could tell them that they had left a mark for revenge. Before burying him, it would be too cheap for those who had been robbed and deceived by him not to leave him a trace.

　　"Since then, I have relied on the public exhibition of cannibalism in the market or other similar places to survive. He can eat raw meat and dance raw war dances, so he can always earn a hat full of copper plates after working every day. I also hear about Sakuranuma Villa a lot. For several years, there was no special news except that they were still there looking for treasure. Until finally, the news we had longed for arrived, and the treasure had been found in the roof of Basolomus Shulto's chemistry laboratory. I immediately went to check on the situation and felt that my wooden leg was an obstacle to climbing into the window from the outside. Later, I heard that there was a secret door on the roof, and I inquired about Mr. Shulto's dinner time every day, and then I thought of using Tong Ge to help me succeed. I went to Sakuranuma Villa with a long rope and Tong Ge, and tied the rope to Tong Ge's waist, who was as good as a cat, and soon entered the room from the roof. But the unfortunate Basolomus Shulto was still in the house and was killed. Tong Ge killed him and thought he had done something clever. As I climbed in with the rope, he was pacing around the house proudly like a peacock, until I was furious and beat him with the rope and cursed him as a little vampire. After I took the treasure chest in my hand, I left a note on the table with four signatures on it, indicating that the treasure was finally returned to its original owner. I first used the rope to hang the treasure chest down, and then I slipped down the rope myself. Tong Ge withdrew the rope, closed the window, and climbed down the same road.

　　"I think that's all I have to say. I had heard a boatman say that the Dawn was a clipper, and it occurred to me that it was a convenient tool for us to escape. So I hired old Smith's ship and made it clear that if we could be safely transported to the ship, he would be given a large honorarium. Of course, he may be able to see that there is something strange in this, but he does not know our secret. All of this, sentence by sentence, is true. Gentlemen, I have said this not to please you,—— and you have not given me preferential treatment—I think that having no concealment is my best defense, and to let the world know how Major Schulto has deceived us, and that I am not guilty of the murder of his son. ”

　　Holmes said, "Your story is interesting. This newly solved case did end appropriately. The second half of what you're talking about, except for the fact that the rope was brought by you I don't know, the rest is the same as I speculate. But there was another layer, I thought tong ge had lost all his stingers, how come he finally released another one to us on the boat? ”

　　"Sir, his stingers are all gone, but there is still one left in the blowpipe."

　　Holmes said, "Ah, but isn't it, I didn't expect this layer." ”

　　The prisoner asked attentively, "Is there anything else to ask?" ”

　　My partner replied, "I don't think there's anything left, thank you." ”

　　Etherney Jones said, "Holmes, we should follow you, we all know that you are an expert in crime, but I have my duty, and today I am very accommodating for you and your friends." Now I can only rest assured that the person who told us the story was locked in jail. The carriage is still waiting outside, and there are two sheriffs downstairs, and I am sincerely grateful for the assistance of both of you. Naturally, when the trial comes, I will ask you to testify. Good night to you. ”

　　Joannozan Smo also said, "Good night, two gentlemen. ”

　　A careful Jones said as he came out of the house, "Smou, you go ahead. Regardless of how you treated the gentleman in the Andaman Islands, I had to be very careful not to let you hit me with a wooden leg. ”

　　After the two of them left, Holmes and I sat in silence with a cigarette for a while, and I said, "This is the end of our little drama, and I am afraid that from now on I will have less opportunities to learn your working methods." Miss Mostan and I were engaged. ”

　　He snorted bitterly and said, "I have expected it, and I can't congratulate you." ”

　　I was a little upset and asked, "Are you dissatisfied with the object I have chosen?" ”

　　"Not at all, I thought she was the most admirable person I'd ever seen as angry, and helpful to our kind of work. She must have been a genius in this respect, as evidenced by the mere fact that she had collected the location map of the treasures of Agra and the documents of her father. But love is an emotional thing, contradicting what I think is the most important thing to think calmly. I will never get married so as not to affect my judgment. ”

　　I smiled and said, "I believe that my judgment this time will stand the test." Looks like you're tired. ”

　　"Yes, I already feel it, and I can't recover for a week."

　　"Strangely," I said, "why do people who I think are very lazy show extreme energy from time to time?" ”

　　He replied, "Yes, I was born a very lazy person, but at the same time a good active person, and I often think of Goethe's words- 'God only made you a human form, and it turned out to be decent, rogue temperament.' '

　　"Another case, in this Norwood case, I suspect that there is an inward response in Sakuranuma Villa, and it will not be anyone else, that is, the Indian servant Lal Rao who was caught in Jones's big net. This really has to be a personal honor for Jones. ”

　　I said, "The distribution doesn't seem to be fair." You did the whole work alone, I found the bottle from it, Jones got the merit, please, what is left for you? ”

　　Sherlock Holmes said, "Me? I still have that cocaine bottle. He said as he reached for the bottle.