[Comprehensive Classics] Detective Mary

Mary knew that Mr. Darcy would have liked to follow up on the morning's topic, but she would not give him the opportunity.

In the afternoon, after greeting the host and guests of Mary Netherfield Manor, he dragged Elizabeth back to Jane's bedroom.

—Hold on and go, huh!Tell you that I am not worthy of my male god, even if it is true, you can't say it, okay!

Besides, the sky and the earth are big, and the relatives who are sick are the biggest.

Jane's typhoid fever was not cured, and her fever persisted, which made Mary very worried. In the Victorian period, modern medicine had just started, and antibiotics would not be used in medicine until the 20s.The level of pharmacists and doctors in the countryside naturally made Mary feel unreliable.

She ordered the maid to bring the wine, and kept wiping Jane's forehead and arms to dissipate heat.

"I have a servant to take care of me," Jane advised, "Lizzie, you'd better take Mary to the living room, otherwise it would be too rude."

"We're here to take care of you," said Elizabeth, "Mr. Bingley won't mind, and besides..."

In order to reassure Jane, Elizabeth rolled her beautiful eyes and landed on Mary, jokingly said: "Don't ask Mary to go down, you don't know how uneasy she is sitting in the living room."

Mary rolled her eyes in a very unladylike way.

Isn't it because Miss Bingley never ends?

Mary didn't understand. She wanted to please Mr. Darcy, so she would chat with Mr. Darcy, but Miss Bingley didn't agree.Since she chatted with Bingley and Darcy a few words about the factory in the morning, Miss Bingley has an attitude of "I want to learn from talented women", and she has to drag Mary to talk.

However, Mary neither likes embroidery nor beautiful hats, and she really has nothing in common with a standard bachelorette like Miss Bingley.

Now she was sitting in Jane's bedroom, and she could take care of her and avoid Miss Bingley, so that Mary would not go away.

"In that case, stay with me." Jane was gentle, and when she heard Elizabeth's teasing, she dragged her sick body and laughed a few times. "But you have to go down to dinner and have dinner with Mr. Bingley and the others."

"Ok."

Mary reluctantly agreed, stretched out her hand to touch Jane's forehead, and couldn't help frowning.

"Still the fever hasn't gone away," she said.

"Mr. Bingley has ordered his servants to fetch the doctor," Elizabeth said, "and he should be there by dinner time."

It can only be like this.

Even if Mary didn't trust the doctors of this era, it was better than nothing, so she didn't stop Mr. Bingley who was anxious to get angry.

But Netherfield was really lively today. Before dinner, the doctor from Meryton came to see Jane and prescribed medicine. After dinner, when the night was dark and everyone was about to go to rest, Mr. Sherlock Holmes returned.

Suddenly, as if leaving, he walked directly into the living room of the manor, startling all the men and women present.

Mr. Holmes was full of dust all the way, especially the bottom of his trousers was still a little muddy due to the wet ground.But he didn't care, and the gentlemen present didn't accuse him of being rude or "disrespectful".

"Mr. Holmes," said Mr. Bingley startled, "have you seen little Jeffrey?"

"Yes."

The detective took off his gentleman hat and let the servant take over his cane. He nodded to Mr. Bingley: "I have got the clues I need."

Mary stood up.

Neither Miss Bingley nor the Hursts were interested in the matter of the instigator—in their opinion, the matter was over when little Jeffrey was arrested and brought to justice, and there was no need to do futile work, so they talked to Mr. Holmes about the matter. Just a polite word, each went back to the room to rest.

In addition to Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth also chose to stay.

This surprised Mary a little, since Elizabeth still felt that Sherlock Holmes was rampant and disrespectful to ladies this morning.

But even so, he was the detective hired by Mr. Bingley, and Elizabeth was also very curious about the truth, so she asked politely: "What did you talk to little Jeffrey, sir?"

Holmes didn't mind Elizabeth's rash questioning at all, and he had already forgotten about the episode of the morning.

"I asked about the appearance of the instigator."

"How?" Mary suddenly regained her spirits.

"A rather handsome man of about thirty," answered Holmes. "I asked little Geoffrey whether he had the air of an officer and the tone of command, and he answered in the affirmative."

"soldier?"

Elizabeth was a little surprised: "There is a militia group near Meryton, but there are so many people, I'm afraid it's hard to find."

"The soldier who changed the red uniform has black hair, is nearly six feet tall, and with his northern accent, I don't think it is difficult to identify."

Mary shuddered at the words.

She subconsciously looked at Elizabeth, whose expression immediately became extremely serious.

Darcy turned his head sideways: "Do the two ladies know someone who fits the characteristics?"

Elizabeth's tone was heavy: "If you want to say that it fits the characteristics, Captain Carter of the militia does fit the characteristics, but he left Meryton this morning and went to London."

Darcy: "Leaving at this time seems even more suspicious."

Bentley: "I'll write a letter to the Sheriff right now."

Holmes disagreed.

The detective still had a cold expression on his face, and even gave a slight snort when he heard Mr. Bingley's plan.

"It's best not to," he said firmly, "This clue is very important, don't startle the snake."

"To startle the snake?" Mr. Bingley was a little puzzled.

But this time, Holmes didn't answer the question in time, instead he inexplicably warned: "Your partner is very shrewd, sir, if you don't want to lose money and go bankrupt, don't sign the contract to change the supplier—" If necessary, please also inform your other partners, and do not casually contact cotton raw materials in other countries."

Mr Bingley: ? ?

This sudden warning made Bentley a little confused.

Not only him, but even Darcy lowered his head slightly, showing a thoughtful expression.

But Mary figured it out.

Long before he left, Mary had asked Sherlock Holmes whether the matter he really wanted to investigate was related to the suppliers of raw cotton.The detective gave an affirmative answer.

And the morning conversation with the two gentlemen about the factory reminded Mary of one fact.

That is, in the advanced capital of a factory owner, in addition to labor, there are labor materials and labor objects-such as the factory's land, machinery, and cotton raw materials.

Land and machinery cannot be easily changed after being bought, and they belong to fixed capital; while labor and raw materials need to be hired and purchased, they are circulating capital.

Of course, the workers and cotton in the working capital are the ones that are prone to risks in the operation of the factory.So in Mary's view, the criminal motive is either on the workers or on the cotton.

Perhaps Mr. Bingley’s partner is afraid that Mr. Bingley will change the raw material supplier, thereby raising the wages of the workers, causing them to follow suit, and then trying to steal the contract—but this possibility is too low. Factory owners often have an agreement, and it is not up to Mr. Bingley or Mr. Thornton whether to raise wages.

Then there is only one possibility.

After thinking about this, Mary suddenly said: "Someone is trying to manipulate the cotton raw material market, isn't it?"

Holmes curled the corners of his mouth indistinctly.

There was a look of approval in his piercing eyes, but it quickly disappeared: "You are indeed a very perceptive lady, Miss Bennet."

really.

Being praised by Sherlock Holmes for the second time, Mary still couldn't help jumping up in her heart.

"The workers in London told me," the detective looked back with satisfaction, and explained to others, "In recent years, most of the cotton factories that have changed foreign suppliers have suffered losses. After careful investigation, they are nothing more than suppliers. Bankrupt, unable to provide the predetermined amount of cotton raw materials."

"Is the supplier in the Caribbean too?" Mr. Bingley said solemnly.

"Most of them are like suppliers in the Caribbean," Holmes said. "They popped up suddenly and offered a price much lower than the market. After selling for a year or two, there was no news. There is reason to suspect that it was manipulated. So, Mr. Bingley, which gentleman recommended you a new supplier?"

"Another partner of Mr. Thornton's," said Mr. Bingley, "is now in London."

Holmes raised his eyebrows, the meaning was obvious: the real clue was either Captain Carter or the partner who encouraged Mr. Bingley to change his supplier.

only……

In this way, Sherlock Holmes lost his reason for staying at Netherfield Manor.

Although he knew that even if Holmes were to parachute in front of Mary, he would leave soon.

Neither Netherfield nor Meryton are but the countryside in the south of England.The environment here is beautiful, the residents are simple, and they have an idyllic life that is different from London.

"so."

Mary was disappointed, but not surprised at all.

Sherlock Holmes did not belong here, and Mary was pleasantly surprised to see him now.It's not like she's really dazzled by idols. Mary's not a fool. If she tries to force her to stay, she'll annoy the detectives.

Therefore, she just pressed the disappointment in her heart: "When are you going to leave, sir?"

Holmes' pale eyes darted round Mary.

The four eyes met, and the detective's sharp gaze gave Mary the illusion of being seen through.

But assuming he really saw through Mary's reluctance, he didn't say much—fortunately, he didn't. When Holmes looked away, Mary secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

She didn't want to cause trouble for the detective, and she didn't want Holmes to taunt the young girl on the spot.

"If the weather is fine," replied the detective, "I shall leave tomorrow."

"I hope we shall meet in London if we have the chance," said Mary generously. "I shall visit you in Baker Street, sir."

"Baker Street?"

Holmes's face was rarely blank.

He frowned: "Why Baker Street?"

Mary: "..."

Oh yes!

The detective came alone, and he evidently did not know John Watson yet.It also means that at this moment, Sherlock Holmes has not moved to 221b Baker Street!

Oops, how to explain this?

"Baker Street is a good place," Darcy said suddenly when Mary got stuck. "You've always thought about moving, Sherlock. I think you can find a house nearby."

Holmes cast another deep look at Mary.

"I'll consider it," he said. "Thank you for your recommendation, Miss Bennet."

Mary: "........."

Scary!It was not until Holmes turned and left the living room that Mary secretly heaved a sigh of relief. She was really afraid that the detective would ask directly why the existence of Baker Street was brought up alone—and so on.

Halfway through her thinking, Mary suddenly realized that since Sherlock Holmes had no intention of moving, didn't she cause the detective to find a roommate and thus get acquainted with Dr. Watson? !

Just when Mary was flustered by this possibility, Elizabeth saw the detective leave, so she got up and was going to rest.

She glanced at Mary, who was holding up her skirt to follow, but Mr. Darcy stopped Mary.

"You said that my apology offended Miss Elizabeth again." The handsome Mr. Darcy said with a dignified face and a puzzled expression, "I don't understand."