[Sherlock Holmes] The Legend of the Nightingale

(Manuscript by Dr. Watson)

I knocked resignedly on the door of Holmes' room.

"The door is not locked."

There was a hint of mockery in his cold voice.I sighed secretly.He already recognized it was me, he could even hear my indecision, my indecision, and it was very unusual for me to knock on his door politely and apprehensively.Iris stood at the end of the corridor and nodded to me.great.Such was the consequence of being the only normal man in Baker Street.

I pushed open the door sullenly, and the first thing I saw was Holmes squatting on a chair like an owl, facing the door.I gently closed the door behind me.

"Didn't bother you thinking, old chap," I said dryly.

Holmes folded his arms, rested his chin on his folded hands, and looked up at me from beneath his long bangs, looking helpless.

"Sorry, you know I can't tell if you're thinking, and besides, you might be thinking under any circumstances, so I think if it's not the right time, I'd better go first."

Holmes shielded his eyes feebly with his hands.

"If you just want to annoy me, then you should go first."

I laughed.Holmes also smiled weakly, and lazily raised his hand to the sofa, meaning to let me sit down.I finally decided to lean against the back of the sofa.

"You say." He said a little hoarsely.

"I... and Mrs. Hudson both think you need a break."

I hastily and very lowly moved out the landlady as a backing.Holmes tilted his head slightly, showing a clear but comforting smile, as if he was understanding my distress.

"Briefly, Watson, what did they say?"

I froze for a moment, and didn't speak right away, because I found that I had never noticed that he was so thin during this period, with prominent cheekbones, and gray eyes that seemed bigger, with deep-set eye sockets, and the ominous blackness almost spread to the ground like a serious illness. on the cheek.Poor Sherlock Holmes who doesn't even bother to take care of his hair!I thought so.It's like if one day you see a cat that doesn't even have the spirit to groom, then it must be sick.While Holmes was scrutinizing me, who was silent, I had already seen something moving in his eyes, perhaps without his being conscious of it, which made me swallow more of my words in a circle.

"Okay, let's get straight to the point." I stared into his eyes and said, "What happened, why did Nightingale leave London suddenly that day without even saying hello in advance."

Holmes looked up at the ceiling as if I were asking a stupid question.

"Isn't her job in Manchester?"

"Yes, but it's not a day or two away."

"When McMurdo came, he told her there were a case or two he couldn't solve alone."

"That's not the case at all, is it?" I'm a little annoyed by his deliberate evasion and indifference. "She's been dreaming of this outcome for ten years, and now she's giving up on it in order to close the case quickly. ? If the matter is really urgent, isn’t there a police station in Manchester that can take care of it?”

Holmes took a deep breath as if to say something, but at last he closed his eyes with some pain and made a thoughtful expression.

"I don't understand what you mean."

Now I'm completely on fire.I jumped off the sofa back and grabbed him by the collar.Holmes nearly fell off his chair. For some reason he had been much weaker than normal these past two days, or perhaps it was because he didn't care about me, and I dragged him up without much trouble.

"While I admire you for taking it off yourself without telling us," I said, "if you dare to pick it up again, I'll tie you up and lock you up here, and don't expect it to come back. Give you a sedative."

"What makes you think I'll touch it again," he whispered.

"You are in the same state now as when you were off the medicine." I said sharply.

He snorted. "As a doctor, where is your judgment?"

Even in this miserable state, my old friend still insists on not letting go of any chance that might make me feel ashamed.But this time he fell short.

"You have to make sure you don't slip to the floor if I let go now."

Holmes finally tore off the collar angrily, straightened it with his slender fingers, raised his chin slightly, and fastened the button that I had torn open.

"It's as simple as it gets," he said, looking straight ahead and not at me, the same way he pretended to be nonchalant when he had a clue. "You're just as troublesome as housewives. It's in the best interest of both of us." Watson, nothing would have happened to us without her, just like all the time she was away from Baker Street. I would not have survived without work or getting in the way of it. Same thing with her now .There is no room for the two of us again in London. I hope this is the last time I have to explain this matter to you, Watson."

"She told you that?"

"There was some other nonsense in her original words," he said lightly. "I'm sorry that she caused so much trouble in the past because of her insistence. It's nothing. I forgive her."

"Holmes, you think you are very clever," I said through gritted teeth, "but you are a complete fool."

There was such a day that it was my turn to say this to him.Holmes looked back at me in shock.

"You heard me right, just like you're a coward," I said. "You didn't even think about the slightest chance that she would stay, and you didn't try to keep her. You can convince yourself it's in your best interest." Choice, we outsiders don't care anyway, and she probably doesn't care so much now, but only you know, those are excuses, and you are a coward."

Holmes showed more and more impatience, turned around and dragged the chair to the desk and sat down, with his fingers facing each other and his eyes slightly closed.I was too familiar with all the subtleties of his expression to be of any use to me.He frowned slightly, showing a puzzled look just like when his smooth thinking encountered obstacles, and then became irritable. His slender fingers subconsciously exerted force, ten fingers were clasped, trembling, and clenched into fists.

"Listen, old man, I'm going to do something that's never been done before. I know you're looking for the most logical solution, and there's nothing wrong with that. You've split this part out, don't let it Disturb the other part."

"Watson, I need quiet now."

"No, even if I don't speak, you can't be quiet.

"I understand what you want to express. You probably all think so. But as long as you give me a job, everything else is fine. I don't have time and brainpower to waste memory, and I don't need to bother her."

I became more and more annoyed.

"Do you think, Holmes, that she is any different from you?"

"What do you want to ask about?"

"I underestimate you, Holmes. Everyone knows it, but you don't believe it," I cried. "And what if she still loves you?"

The blunt word I blurted caused the detective a little discomfort.He put his hands on the table and sneered as if he heard something ridiculous.

"She promised herself that the previous things are over. But if she just prevaricates like this, she is so naive as never before."

He couldn't finish the last sentence fluently, and fell silent in time to hide his abnormal breath.A wry smile emerged from the corner of Holmes' mouth.At this time, I realized that what I said may really be in vain.he knows.He already knew.He simply doesn't know it all.Holmes' calm demeanor fooled us all.He made up his mind to seal these up, and no one will ever know, so that life can go on "normally" as before.Nightingale never had a place.He still believes that this is just a crisis that can be diluted by time.

"Emotions can interfere with reason, we all know that. But maybe after she's gone, you'll never be at peace again." I said, "You may not understand, but I do. The first time I saw Merry You know, if I miss her, I will always regret it. Maybe you just thought it was ridiculous when you saw Nightingale for the first time. She is a strong woman. She doesn't need anyone to survive in this malicious world, Even with the cruelest beast, as with the humblest reptile. This is a malicious world, you say, Holmes. But even so, when a woman like that gives her heart to a human being, it is absolutely Not lies and falsehood."

I suspected that I was wrong, because there was a kind of sadness in Holmes' eyes, which was calm on the surface and turbulent in the depths, almost like tears.But anyone who knows Holmes will know that Holmes has no tears.

Blank, completely blank.

"In that case, Watson, you need to understand one thing," he whispered peacefully. "It is not my decision, it is hers. It is her decision to remain in Manchester, just as I have decided to be stationed in London. There is no Things can get her out of that decision. She won't be a second Mrs Hudson on Baker Street."

"But you know what that means?" I said in amazement. "She decides not to marry? Never? Even if it were possible... But God, wouldn't she be... Oh no, my God. Holmes , you won't see her like this, will you?"

"Although I appreciate men who are determined to be single, I really can't say how it is for a woman to make this decision suddenly."

"Shut up, you. I'm not qualified to say that now." I said angrily, "You can figure it out. If you can't do it yourself, I don't want to care about it anymore. I'm stuck between you guys. I'm starting to feel like I'm talking nonsense."

But Holmes, looking out at Baker Street, said nothing.The sight of him suddenly made me sad.Who said no!Baker Street was his end, his life's journey, but it was only a stop on her journey.One step she took from Baker Street was farther than many roads.

The author has something to say: It’s okay, I will drag it back in the next chapter_(:з」∠)_ and then we will start a new investigation quickly...