[Sherlock Holmes] The Legend of the Nightingale

(Nightingale's notes)

I can't guess that Sherlock Holmes knows him, and I am a little tired of this clichéd self-comfort.I didn't really take no action, but did a little information gathering on the sidelines.This is more difficult than imagined, because it is not my case, but Holmes' own.Both the parties and the actors have a little suspicion of my existence, which is not offensive, which means that they cannot entrust their trust to me like they entrusted to Sherlock Holmes.When I tried to engage in a little informational conversation, their awkward and hesitant looks reminded me that they had not granted me this authority, and that Holmes had asked each of them the same question.If it is Dr. Watson, this problem does not exist, because he and Holmes are not colleagues.It is a strange thing to have two detectives working on a case at the same time, Sherlock Holmes and the London Nightingale from Manchester (I now kind of loathe that troublesome title).I've learned some stalking skills at McMurdo in Manchester, but I've always been reluctant to do it.Not because I used it as badly as he did with deductive reasoning, but because it was a poor method.I am paranoid that all methods that do not go through the mind are not clever enough and not glorious.Although many people think that the profession of private detective itself is not glorious.

"You have a unique advantage in this line of business," I remember McMurdo saying on one occasion.

"What?" I asked.

"First of all, no one would think of a woman as a detective. Secondly, even if you are suspected, it is easy to show tenderness and vulnerability to dispel suspicion."

"Doubt?"

"Excuse me, I was talking about following," said McMurdo.

On the fifth day I discovered a little thing.Catherine Reginald did not return with her husband Balin after rehearsals.Mr. Reginald left the theater in his own carriage, while she hailed a taxi by the side of the road.This behavior did not attract the attention of colleagues.I recalled, this is also the first time since we came to see the rehearsal.It is not too strange to act separately once in a while, but I do not think Holmes will find my attention to trivial matters superfluous.The next thing is probably that Catherine stopped a taxi, and I stopped another one and said "follow that car" to the coachman. that car".

"Aren't you going back to Baker Street, Nightingale?" Holmes' voice interrupted my train of thought.

"No, sir, I'm afraid I have a sudden appointment tonight."

"Who invited you?"

"Don't worry, man, a lady." I gave Holmes a little push. "There is no one in the world so stupid as to propose to me except that poor child."

"This joke is not very funny."

"No time, sir. See you later."

I hopped into the first cab that stopped, and told the coachman to "follow the one ahead."The coachmen of London are almost ready to pull up the signs of "professional tracking".In the end, I didn't forget to look back at Mr. Detective, but he was no longer at the theater entrance.

After the fifth rehearsal, we felt a gloomy atmosphere in the whole crew, as if a great disaster was about to come.There are still two days until the official premiere, but they are immersed in such horror, or sadness.If I hadn't noticed the abnormal typhoon of the actors, five almost identical rehearsals would have been enough to make me fall asleep.The beautiful actresses and the handsome or ghastly actors came up to the curtain call one by one like in the real premiere, and Jonathan and Mina hugged each other.Holmes and I still stood up and applauded.Mina, who was like the legendary beauty in the ancient Greek epic, smiled sadly, and Jonathan put one hand on her shoulder, as if to share weal and woe.Professor Van Helsing took off his glasses, neither smiled nor clapped.Reginald undid his oddly shaped collar, probably because it was stuffy.

"Director Schlesinger, I congratulate you in advance," said Holmes. "The premiere will be a great success."

"Thank you very much, Mr. Holmes." Director Schlesinger smiled. "For me, this is enough, although it is not sure whether the threat is effective. That is to say, I don't know what the anonymous letter said. Really, or just some people's silly prank."

"Mr. Schlesinger, it's not over yet," I said.

"I believe you, Miss Nightingale, but this... I haven't had time to tell you." The director took out a folded paper from his pocket, and stretched out his hand to the audience.Holmes walked down the stage to take it, unfolded it and looked at it.I also went downstage.Holmes looked like he was carefully reading prose works, his brows were slightly frowned, and he didn't speak for a long time.

"Another new one? I didn't find it."

"I was put in the background before I came to the theater today. I was the first to arrive every time, and I didn't see anyone else."

"What did you write?" I asked.

"Just three words: 'Cancel, or die.'"

I looked up at the actors, all of them looked serious.

"I don't know if he's actually going to act on it," Schlesinger smiled again. "I said, there is no precedent for making silly jokes. I also said that canceling the premiere is impossible. "

"I understand," I said. "Indeed, you don't need to cancel the premiere now."

Holmes glanced at me, or rather, without emotion.He expressed no surprise at my words.

"Is there any progress in the investigation?" Schlesinger's expression stretched a little.

"I think our progress has diverged unexpectedly," I said. "His investigation is not the same as mine. We will probably report to you separately. Mr. Holmes, I think you should also come to the conclusion." It worked out."

"It's really not customary for you to say this first." Holmes smiled slightly. "Ladies first."

"Okay then." I said, lowering my head slightly for a final thought, "First of all, I'm sorry, Mr. Director, this premiere will probably lose a character."

All the actors understood what this sentence meant and looked at each other.

"I wish this question was answered by Lady Catherine Reginald for me, because I don't know too many details from a scientific point of view, although this is a too simple case. Maybe because we have been watching too closely this week. , the threatening letter could not be delivered, Mrs. Reginald left the theater in a taxi alone last night, and did not go home. In fact, she went around and returned to the theater. She did not expect to change a taxi halfway. Back The request to go to the same place is too strange, and it is impossible to give the coachman a credible reason, so he immediately remembered you, and I easily confirmed the witness. I found a reason to take him to Scotland They can contact him at any time to testify."

Everyone looked at Lucy, or Catherine.The stage makeup was too heavy, and her face could not be seen clearly.She didn't speak for a long time.

"Going back to the theater will not be easy to get in. Although everyone here knows you, it would be suspicious if people know that you have gone back alone. You turned in and out through the window with agility, leaving no trace. I can't go in, I can only hide behind the curtain and watch. You took the paper out of your handbag before you went backstage."

Catherine froze for a while, then suddenly covered her face with her hands, turned around and ran backstage.Balin Reginald angrily tore off his cloak and threw it on the stage floor.

"Don't you think it's too much, sir and miss? Why do you believe in one-sided words when you accuse my wife in public without any basis?"

"Not without reason," I said. "Mrs. Reginald wrote her last letter in the carriage out of prudence, and when she returned from the theater she threw the pen away, destroying the evidence. Now that The pen, together with a few fingerprints that should still be left on it, is in Scotland Yard. When we send this letter to it for checking, it will basically explain the problem. Mrs. Reginald is concentrating on eliminating traces this time. I didn’t even have time to process the handwriting.”

"I am not satisfied with the explanation," said Reginald darkly, "but there is nothing to fear. I will see you in court, gentlemen."

He turned around and wanted to get off the stage, but he tripped over the cloak he had thrown at his feet, and he was very embarrassed.He kicked the cloak away angrily.The actors and the director looked at each other, dumbfounded.Holmes sighed softly.

"Mr. Reginald, we do have to meet in court. You can't get in touch with your employer now. He's not at home."

Reginald stopped and turned and looked fiercely at Holmes.The detective calmly raised his chin slightly, with a slight smile,

"I happen to remember that the window that Mrs. Reginald came in and out of was left open because you complained during rehearsals that the costumes were too hot, insisted on opening a window, and you would be furious no matter who moved it."

""Now, come on," stammered Reginald, "even I, too, count as my wife's accomplice."

"I originally thought that the frivolous young man who took such an insidious step back then must have experienced some major catastrophic event. As expected. The person who promised you to hide everything and at the same time asked you to do something for him has his own way database, so it’s not that there was no record at all in the case of stabbing people with a knife two years ago. Your supernatural gentleman disposed of a large part of the evidence, but in order to blackmail you, he couldn’t keep it for himself. You also It is impossible to think that this is one of Professor Moriarty's remnants, otherwise there are few criminals in London who are so skilled and daring. The whole thing was done, including getting you to threaten Schlesinger. I think he had his reasons, maybe he was doing favors for someone in the industry. At this point I think it's time for Scotland Yard to get involved directly, so your A friend is now at Scotland Yard with other evidence. You were only messengers until Mrs. Reginald wrote it herself, and someone else wrote it, so the handwriting examination has found nothing. We will find that person. Nightingale, But when did you get into the habit of sending everything to Scotland Yard?"

"Suffice it to say that Holmes needs it," I replied.At this point the commotion on stage almost overwhelmed our conversation.All the actors shouted anxiously.They can't believe that they have been working with such a person for more than half a year.

"Is it really you, Count?"

"You put all the letters in during the rehearsal?"

"This is impossible."

Poor director Schlesinger looked at Holmes and me.

"The people from Scotland Yard are at the door of the theatre," said Holmes, as if he did not see the confused question and surprise in the director's eyes. "Get out of the way, everyone. Mr. Reginald will be asked these questions."

The author has something to say: No matter how unbelievable it is, I’m really writing every day... I’m writing at a rate of [-] words every day_(:з」∠)_ The case itself doesn’t draw too many words , the highlight is behind, hiahiahia...