[Comprehensive Classics] Detective Mary

As early as when she got the second note, Mary already had the answer in her heart.

Isn't it natural that Sherlock Holmes needs his brother's help in this matter?Just as Mary was about to say something, Mr. Mycroft Holmes continued politely: "I think Sherlock will be here in a moment. Why don't we go into the room and talk about it?"

As he spoke, he turned sideways and pushed open the door on the side of the corridor.

Mary followed another Mr. Holmes into the door. This should be the office of a staff member of the public library. The staffer was not there. Mr. Mycroft Holmes sat down directly: "I'm running all the way, do you need a cup of tea?"

"Thank you, Fu—"

Seeing the other party's friendly expression, Mary had no choice but to change her words: "Mycroft...Mr."

The eldest son of the Holmes family gave Mary a smile and picked up the teapot: "Forgive me for being absent from your sister Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's wedding. I had some things to do in London at the time and I really couldn't get away. Congratulations to your sister And William, please send them my best wishes."

Anyway, Mr. Holmes has gone.

Mary feels that although there is a setting in this world that "Holmes and Darcy are family friends".But Darcy's wedding can invite any one of the two Mr. Holmes, it is quite a matter of face-although from the words of Sherlock Holmes, he seems to have to attend on behalf of his parents.

Anyway, Mr. Darcy didn't care, and Mary naturally didn't care either: "I will convey it to Lizzie and William."

Mycroft: "Thanks to you too, Miss Mary."

Mary knew what he was thanking herself for.She thought for a moment, and then said: "A year ago, when you were pursuing Professor Moriarty's clues, you were the one who helped Mr. Holmes—"

"Mr. Holmes?"

"..."

Looking at the sly eyes of the other party, Mary had to change her words in embarrassment: "Help Sherlock go to France, will you?"

"it's me."

Mycroft handed the teacup to Mary, and explained earnestly: "Professor Moriarty illegally monopolized the cotton raw material market overseas. Riati's ambition is not just to control the market, and he wants more than just the cotton spinning industry."

"Economy leads to war," Mary continued.

Mycroft nodded in agreement: "That's right, Miss Mary, because I have a job, I can't leave London. So it's a perfect choice to leave this matter to the person I trust the most."

it is as expected.

As early as the beginning when Mr. Holmes mentioned that the government had targeted James Moriarty, Mary probably had a guess.Mr. Mycroft's answer only confirmed what Mary had in mind.

"Then," she asked again, "does the existence of the Illuminati, like Professor Moriarty, involve economic and political issues?"

"It sounds like you're interested in politics, Miss Mary."

"Well, it doesn't count."

To be precise, Mary is no different from Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and she also pays attention to things beyond social appearances because of the case.If Mr. Mycroft hadn't participated in the economic case first, Mary wouldn't have thought about the deeper aspects.

"It doesn't matter," Mr. Mycroft saw that Mary hesitated, and easily relieved her pressure, "If you want me to say, let the ladies go into politics, you are all born politicians, stay at home But it’s a real waste of talent. For example, now, Miss Mary, you are very perceptive, and the existence of the Illuminati does involve economic and political issues.”

"So," she went on, "you are a government worker, Mr. Mycroft, in economics?"

"he is."

Only then did Sherlock Holmes enter the room.

The detective sat down directly, took the teacup handed by his brother, and drank it before continuing: "Mycroft is very good at mathematics, and is responsible for assisting various departments of our government in auditing. If I hadn't met the Irish workers, I would never notice that there is a problem in the cotton spinning factory, but before me, my brother looked through the account book and saw the clue."

Mary: "Professor Moriarty is also very good at math."

Mycroft: "He is indeed a worthy opponent, Miss Mary. At the same time, Professor Moriarty is also a criminal who can handle a real 'big case'. The serial killer Edmund you created It’s nothing more than harming a small town, but Professor Moriarty is looking at the whole world.”

"He wants to run the war," Mary said.

As Mr. Holmes said before, the world in the nineteenth century was in a period of great economic development, and for Professor Moriarty, the huge world market was nothing more than an economic model.No matter how antisocial Edmund was, he needed his hands to kill.

But Professor Moriarty doesn't.

Just thinking of this made Mary feel chills all over her body.

—Professor James Moriarty still in Paris.Capturing Colonel Moran would only remove his minions in England.But Britain is only part of the world market, and now we are at the crossroads of two centuries, and less than 30 years later, it is not Germany that caused the world war.

Whether the professor wants to postpone or advance the war, he is still alive and has not been arrested, and the economic case is not over.

but……

Now their biggest enemy is not Professor Moriarty.

"If you had a way of finding evidence of bribery by MP Harry Holman, Mr. Mycroft," said Mary, "then wouldn't it be possible to find all the members of the Illuminati that way? Blackwood at his house Almost the entire palace was built under the mansion, such a large project requires a lot of personnel and materials."

Regardless of the use of personnel or building materials, a lot of money is always needed.Mary didn't believe it yet, members of the Illuminati were either rich or powerful, and Blackwood quietly built a prison altar underground, leaving no trace on the government's accounts.

Hearing what Mary said, Mycroft nodded very satisfied: "It seems that you are also very interested in mathematics, Miss Mary."

Mary: "...Actually, I'm not sensitive to this knowledge."

What a joke, if you want to say that the concepts at the philosophical level are okay, how many Marys have studied Marx's theory.In terms of accounting, she might not be as good as Catherine and Lydia.Mary is good at everything, but her life skills are in a mess, and she is already at her highest level if she can figure out her daily income and expenses.

"Leave this matter to me," Mycroft did not continue joking with Mary, "Harry Holman is no longer an obstacle for you, just go and investigate."

That's what Mary really wanted to hear.

Although Mr. Mycroft was polite and pleasant in his speech, Mary always felt pressured to speak to him.After getting the promise, Mary relaxed a little, and she looked at the detective: "Then what should I do next, Holmes—"

Mycroft: "Huh?"

Mary: "..." You definitely did it on purpose!

She took a deep breath, faced the still calm detective Sherlock Holmes, and said again: "... Sherlock."

Sherlock Holmes raised an eyebrow.

"Since Senator Holman has also been sent to Scotland Yard," he said, "I will follow the police detectives on the scene back to the police station. At this juncture, I will definitely be able to ask the three members of the Illuminati."

Mycroft shook his head: "You are always so impatient, Charlie. Councilor Holman has been handcuffed, can he still run away? After a day of running around, you should send Miss Mary back to Serpentine Avenue before going Not too late."

detective:"……"

Mary: "..."

Mycroft: "Not yet?"

Mary: "No, I'll flag a carriage by myself and—"

"In that case," Sherlock Holmes stood up, looking at his brother as a matter of course, "let me borrow your carriage, Mycroft, and I don't think you mind being late home."

"That's natural."

What else can Mary say?

After leaving the library, Sherlock Holmes walked straight with his long legs to a carriage parked across the street.The coachman was not surprised to see Holmes, but took off his hat to indicate that they had known each other for a long time.

Holmes opened the car door for Mary: "I hope my brother didn't frighten you, Miss Mary."

Mary shook her head hastily.

In spite of Mr. Mycroft's faint pressure, Mary knew that he meant no harm, but that all his teasing was on point.In this respect, he also has a good sense of humour.

"I can go back myself," repeated Mary. "The case is more important, Mr. Holmes."

"So, Miss Mary."

Holmes looked down at the girl in front of him, and curled the corners of his lips indistinctly: "After I walk out of the library, I am no longer 'Sherlock'."

Mary: "..."

What are you doing!

Mary choked on the detective's words, and her cheeks flushed instantly.

"Since you can call Mycroft by my first name, I think there will be no problem in calling me by my first name," said Holmes thoughtfully, "especially since you are also addressing Irish workers and Milton workers by their names, Mary. It's not fair to still call me by my last name, miss."

"No, it's different."

Mary was about to blush to the point of exploding. This must be two brothers bullying her together!

A Victorian lady calling a single gentleman by his first name is far too subtle.If Mary was a commoner girl who grew up in London, and Holmes was just a blacksmith next door, it would be okay to call her name, but they are not commoners and blacksmiths.

"If so."

Fortunately, Mary is Mary, even under such circumstances, she still reacted quickly: "I know your brother, sir, can I call you Mr. Sherlock? To prevent confusion when Holmes' surname is mentioned in the future You two."

"if you are willing to."

"Mister Sherlock..." Mary looked away guiltily, "I can really go back by myself."

Holmes snorted, "As Mycroft said, members of the Illuminati cannot escape. I can go tomorrow, just in time to pick Watson back to Baker Street."

That's not the style of a detective.

But on second thought, yes.After all, it was Scotland Yard who arrested MP Harry Holman—or rather, sent him to the police station to give a statement.But it's another matter that Scotland Yard has received a lot of bribery evidence to arrest him.

It seems that Inspector Lestrade still has a lot of work to do before dealing with Holmes.For the Illuminati, he has been busy non-stop for more than two months. When Mr. Holmes came to visit suddenly, the inspector naturally didn't mind working overtime or something, but he was not hard-working and needed rest.

After thinking about this, Mary felt more confident: "Then I'll give you a ride, sir."

After returning to Serpentine Avenue, Sherlock Holmes did not stay long, but politely said a few words to Irene, the hostess of the villa, and then left with Dr. Watson.

Mary relayed what happened today to Irene and Miss Morstan.While the two ladies marveled that there was another Sherlock Holmes in the world, they couldn't help but feel grateful for the timely help of the brother of Sherlock Holmes.

Now that Mr. Mycroft is sure to find out the list of members of the Illuminati, they are one step closer to settling accounts with Blackwood.

With such good news, Ms. Irene Adler's villa has swept away the previous solemnity and heaviness, and it has a rare relaxed atmosphere.Taking advantage of this opportunity, Irene ordered Mary to take out her own gun, and disassembled the pistol she hid into its various parts familiarly.

Irene and Mary have been instructing firearms for three days, but so far, Irene has no plans to let Mary practice shooting in person, but starts with the various parts of the firearm, and hands her the splicing and assembly.

While demonstrating, she exclaimed in amazement: "I didn't expect that there would be a Mr. Holmes."

Even Miss Morstan, who was sitting on the side, couldn't help widening her eyes: "God is really crazy!"

Erin burst out laughing.

This sentence is crazy. I don't know if it is lamenting that the Holmes family's extraordinary genes have been passed on to the two offspring, or complaining that Sherlock Holmes has a weird personality, and he has an elder brother.

The most unimaginable thing is Miss Morstan, who has known Sherlock Holmes the longest.In the eyes of Irish girls, the great detective Sherlock Holmes is a warm-hearted but rather eccentric man. He is always alone and a complete "bachelor". It is already a miracle to maintain friendship.

Now Mary told her herself that this Mr. Holmes not only didn't jump out of a rock, but also had an older brother, which Morstan couldn't imagine.

"What is the eldest son of the Holmes family like?" Morstan asked curiously.

"Mr. Mycroft is very polite." Mary took the firearm parts in Irene's hands, and followed her instructions step by step to put the gun back together, "It's just..."

"that is?"

"I'd rather he be less polite, like Sherlock," concluded Mary.

Talking to a smart and humorous person is a pleasure, but Mary always feels that she has been understood and the other party doesn't say anything, so she is somewhat stressed.But Sherlock Holmes is different. A detective is always one and two is two. Even if he doesn't say something, he will make you realize what he thinks.

But Mary's words have another meaning in the ears of others.

Especially when he left in the morning, he was still "Mr. Holmes", and when he came back, he was "Sherlock".And Mary was busy with the gun in her hand when she spoke, and didn't even realize that she had changed her address.

Irene and Miss Morstan looked at each other, and the corners of their mouths curled up in unison.

"Mary," said Miss Morstan, surprised, "so you have met the detective's family."

"Yes." Mary replied without looking up.

"You know what it means to meet your family?" she asked again.

Before Mary could answer, Irene followed up and said, "Even the eldest son of the Holmes family is 'Mr. Mycroft'. It seems that the detective's brother is very satisfied with you."

"What—hit, hit the needle!"

The French girl's bold and straightforward words made Mary's hands tremble, and she threw the firing pin to the ground.

Her face became flushed, and she squatted down in a hurry to find the firing pin.

It's too much, even friends are ganging up on her to bully her!

But is Mary so easy to bully? She picked up the parts and looked at Miss Morstan with a blushing face: "Compared to me, you are more worthy of discussion, Morstan. Doctor Watson can't move away when he sees you." Eyes, you are indifferent!"

The Irish girl raised her eyebrows: "I can't afford it."

Well, Mary figured this out early on.

Her namesake, Miss Mary Morstan, was her first friend in London.In Mary's eyes, this red-haired Irish girl has a beautiful appearance and a bold personality. She has the simplicity and sincerity of the lower-class working people, and also has a vision and insight different from that of the workers.In the nineteenth century, both Irishness and illegitimate daughterhood were socially ostracized.

It is her background that limits her. If not, with Miss Morstan's beauty and intelligence, she would be able to radiate even brighter brilliance whenever she was given a stage.

Because of this, even though Miss Morstan's behavior was neither humble nor overbearing, Mary felt that... in terms of marriage, she still cared about this matter very much.

Because of her low birth, she is poor; because of her poverty, she cannot afford a dowry that can match Dr. Watson.Therefore, under Dr. Watson's fierce pursuit after falling in love at first sight, Miss Morstan didn't seem to have been tempted at all.

When young girls are smart and calm, they are far better than men, and they will appear cold and ruthless.Mary felt that Miss Morstan was not indifferent, and Dr. Watson was handsome, considerate and generous. Under his enthusiastic pursuit and careful care, which girl could remain indifferent?It's just that in Morstan's eyes, they have no possibility, so they cut off their thoughts early, so as not to end up sad and desperate.

Miss Morstan's withdrawal was not timidity, but concern.

The more you care, the more afraid you will be.

"It seems to me," advised Mary, "that you are greatly underestimating Watson if you reject him on the basis of external conditions."

"is it?"

However, Mary, who has been a matchmaker countless times, is destined to be kicked by Miss Morstan.Who is an Irish girl?Living in the streets and living in the slums, she is not as decent as the country squires, so naturally she has not learned their shyness.

Miss Morstan said blankly: "It's not as good as you, Mary, who even called him by name. Do you also call him Sherlock in front of the detective?"

Mary: "..."

This matchmaker can't be done!

Mary rubbed her blushing cheeks, which were still heating up, and was speechless when Miss Morstan teased her.

Seeing this, Irene hurriedly eased the atmosphere: "Okay, okay, let her go with the flow. But you, Mary, what do you think the detective thinks?"

She didn't say the whole thing, but Mary understood what she meant.

If you were to be another gentleman, you would have proposed at this point—although Blackwood’s previous proposal was malicious and surprised Mary, but that was the normal operation when men and women got along in the nineteenth century.I have met several times, got to know each other's family members, and the atmosphere is suitable for getting along, and the conversation is very congenial.If Mary hadn't possessed the memory and knowledge of the 21st century, no matter how clever and astute she was, she would inevitably be shaken.

As for the detectives...

Mary's face was already too red, so she didn't care that Irene and Miss Morstan saw what was on her mind.

Fo... Sherlock didn't say it, and neither did Mary, but a Brahms violin sonata is enough to say it all, isn't it?

In the eyes of outsiders, it is indeed a very strange thing that Mr. Holmes still has not proposed at this point.Even Ms. Irene Adler, who grew up in France, couldn't help asking this question.

But Mary could understand the detective's thinking more or less.

At least not now, not when Blackwood is still missing and the Illuminati are still trying to salvage the defeat.Detective Inspector Lestrade didn't even remove the police officers protecting the ladies on Serpentine Street when he received pressure from the parliament. It's really inappropriate to talk about feelings at this time.

And Mary didn't think she was ready yet.

She had a dowry of £[-], and neither her appearance nor her character were considered outstanding in the Victorian era.Mr. Sherlock Holmes is naturally not in Mrs. Bennet's "quality son-in-law" standard, but I'm afraid in her eyes, considering Mary's weird and unlovable character, marrying a decent gentleman is already a very happy thing If she wanted to know what happened in London, she would have to personally go to Baker Street to force the marriage.

But dowry was enough for Victorian Mary Bennet, not enough for 21st century Mary.

Even if she is married, no matter who her future husband is, Mary also hopes that she can enter the church fairly with the other party on the premise of having financial confidence, status confidence, and sufficient time.

She believed that Mr. Holmes must also understand what she was thinking, and that was why he didn't speak.

"Don't blame him," so Mary smiled and said earnestly, "This is also a good thing for me. Among other things, I still hope that in the future, there will be more 'Mary Bennet' in the newspapers." How it works, not whose wife."

So before that, she had to work hard to create, to be somewhat famous.

Mary, who was thinking this way, received a new issue of "Seaside Magazine" the next day.

He was busy with the Illuminati case before, and the editor-in-chief of Hall was afraid of disturbing him, so he didn't mention it much when he printed the sample issue.So this time Mary, like everyone else, saw the ending of "The King of Carnival" printed for the first time.

But what surprised Mary in this issue was not her own serialization, but the story of a newcomer.

She turned to the next page at the end of The King of Carnival, and there was a list of new authors and new stories.

—A Study in Scarlet, by John H. Watson.

The author has something to say: Maggie: Is it appropriate to take a bite of Sherlock Holmes at any time?Not suitable!

In fact, "A Study in Scarlet" was not published in "Seaside Magazine". If I remember correctly, the Sherlock Holmes series became famous from the short serialization.Of course, it was very early when I checked these materials, if there are any omissions or mistakes, please point them out, girls.But "A Study in Scarlet" is still written in Watson's tone. Watson's serials are all published in "Seaside Magazine", so the setting here is spicy.

Therefore, as I said before, the businesses of Mary and Watson do not overlap. One is the author of suspense novels and the other is the author of biographical novels.