[Sherlock Holmes] The Legend of the Nightingale

(Nightingale's Diary)

It did not occur to me that Holmes's "go out and walk" was not just a casual remark.

Watson was in a good mood. After finishing cleaning in front of the full-length mirror, he went out to attend the appointment.It wasn't until he came back that Mrs. Hudson had just finished her exciting cross-examination and went back to her room to sleep.Watson went upstairs whistling, ignoring any of us.Holmes and I looked at each other in the drawing room in silence.I originally wanted to have a good talk with him about what happened today, but seeing his nonchalant look, I didn't say anything a few times.I just absent-mindedly wrote notes for a long time.

"Clean up and let's go." He said suddenly.

"where to?"

"Not going anywhere. Just out for a walk."

"But it's almost midnight now." I glanced at the clock in the living room.

"You need to rest after intensive mental work, not to be excited continuously. You can't sleep now anyway. It's still very comfortable to see the night view of London." Holmes walked to the door and took off his coat from the coat hook. "Unless you want to Reminiscing about this case at home alone, no one will bother you."

"No one paid any attention to me. I'd better go out for a walk with you." I imitated Holmes' usual way and waved my hands exaggeratedly.Based on my current state of excitement, I need to go outside to enjoy the cool breeze and consume my excess energy.

Holmes adjusted his collar and cuffs, put on his top hat, and straightened the brim of his hat. The whole set of movements was skillful and graceful, as if he was going to be on the stage of a play instead of going for a walk.I messed up my hair, took off my windbreaker and put it over my woolen skirt, and put on my boots.

"Let's go!"

Holmes looked at me and sighed.

"You are truly unprecedented. Now go out."

He raised his hand and turned down my upturned collar, and wiped the wrinkles on it.

"I'm... used to it." I said a little embarrassed. "let's go."

it's getting dark.Walking down the steps of 221B, the street lights of the whole street are already on, reflecting the houses on both sides.Because I am in a good mood, I even feel that the scene I have been accustomed to is dreamy and beautiful.At eleven o'clock in the evening, there were not many people in the street, and I could distinctly hear the footsteps of Holmes and I on the gravel road and the tapping of his stick on the ground.Every time someone passes by, I wonder what we will look like in their eyes: a tall, thin, tall and elegant gentleman detective dressed in black, accompanied by a man just up to his shoulders , a thin girl in a dark green windbreaker and gray skirt, with glasses hanging around her neck.If you see these two on the street, go over and say hello to them, and you'll see Mr. Detective turning his head calmly, his bright gray eyes looking straight into your heart.The girl looked up too, and now you could see their slightly similar thin faces and hooked noses.

No, I'm not a hook nose.I broke up this phantom.

"Can I make a request?" I asked.

"What?" Holmes looked straight ahead, and I could barely see his graceful profile through the dim streetlight.

"I don't like the sound of the cane."

"You mean this?" He raised his cane and looked at me. "Does it matter?"

"Put it down, let's fight. Why use a cane?"

"Everyone is like this, and no one knows why. But since you mentioned it, then..." He threw his stick at me, and I reached out to catch it reflexively.

"Then you can hold it for a while."

I weighed the wooden cane in my hand, looked around the deserted street, and involuntarily showed a mocking smile.Well, it's the first time I've seen a lady walking down the street with a gentleman's cane in London.

"No, not exactly, you're not a lady."

I looked up in astonishment, and under the soft light, the corners of Holmes' mouth rose, revealing that "as expected" smile.

"I said if I could stop talking about everything," I said despondently, "it's nerve-wracking to go out for a walk with you."

"Sorry. Actually, I guessed this time. I didn't expect you to really define yourself as a lady."

I kind of want to give up talking to him.

"Holmes, you are most normal when you are talking about business." I changed the subject. "Honestly, what do you think of this case? I don't believe you will praise me for a good job."

Holmes stopped under a street lamp, and I stopped too.

"Speaking of this now?" Again, his standard accent and rich tone of voice seemed to me to be speaking a theatrical line. "I wanted to keep you excited for a while, at least until tomorrow morning."

"Well, no need. If I get too excited tonight, I'll laugh at myself later on."

"That would be very good." Holmes leaned against the light pole, took off the pair of black gloves, and put them in the pocket of his coat.Gloves are not really needed in today's weather, and sometimes I suspect he's just doing it for looks. "Actually, after getting clues from the scene, it should take less than a minute to solve this case."

"I knew it would be like this." I stood opposite Holmes, jumping up and down uncomfortably between the pavement and the road. "If it was you, it would be fine."

"It has nothing to do with this. It's a matter of thinking. You thought that only I could solve this case?"

Holmes waited for my reaction with a faint look in his eyes.Explaining the case to a novice is probably as much an achievement as solving it yourself, but there is no ego or show-off here.

"Okay. I found the murderer's blood at the scene, which is the key, yes."

"That's enough." Holmes stretched out his index finger and made a "quiet" gesture, intercepting my words, "A knife wound on the hand is an instantly recognizable feature, and anyone would think of covering it up. These two are the only suspects, do you still need to ask?"

"But they didn't say that she had..."

"They say." Holmes sneered. "Even what you see may not be true, let alone what they see."

"Actually, I quoted you at the scene."

"Oh?" Holmes exaggeratedly supported the brim of his hat and made a gesture of salute. "It is really my honor, Miss Nightingale."

"……Stop pretending."

"There is one last sentence. Have you ever thought that this was a poor preparation? If Hilda hadn't gone to seek an explanation for her sister that night, this low-level method of eliminating suspicion would have been impossible to cover .”

"Hilda's visit has muddied the waters," I said.

"But in fact, the case itself is still very simple. What I want to say is that you still need to use your mind consciously. Fortunately, you didn't make another mistake in the end." Having said this, Holmes let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, that's all. Do you have any questions?"

"No. You are more governess than I am."

"Then we can go for a serious walk."

Holmes held out a hand to me, and it took me a moment to realize that it was his walking stick.I handed over the cane, and the detective took it and swung it in his hand twice, like a boy who loves to play.

"But first we have to get rid of Mr. Patrolman. It's a shame he's been worrying about us for a long time."

"Patrol?" I was taken aback, looked around, but saw no one.

"Behind you. Don't worry about him, he'll come over to say hello right away. He'll introduce himself and say he's on the night shift in this neighborhood... Anyway, you'll know when he comes later."

Holmes' voice trailed off, for the black-uniformed constable with his baton was already approaching from behind me.I don't blame the policeman for his so-called meddling.It was past eleven o'clock at night, and there were more ghosts than people on the streets of London. Under the street lights, a gentleman in black and a young girl had a face-to-face conversation for so long, and they had to attract the attention of the patrol.

"Excuse me, sir. I am the patrolman of this block. Please show your papers to you and your companion." The patrolman saluted and said to Holmes solemnly.The detective lowered his head slightly while listening, the shadow of his hat brim blocked his face, this posture began to make the patrolman a little nervous.

"Officer Lance, it's been a long time since I've seen you, you don't even recognize me."

Hearing this cold voice, the patrolman was stunned.Holmes lifted his chin slightly, and his face was clearly illuminated by the light, especially his characteristic gray eyes and high nose bridge.The patrolman let out an exclamation.

"Mr. Holmes! I am so sorry that I did not recognize him!"

"It's nothing." Holmes smiled slyly and kindly as he always did when he surprised others. "It makes me feel relieved that the police are so responsible."

"However, Mr. Holmes, now is not the time for a walk. You must know that there have been a lot of troubles these two days."

"I see."

"Excuse me, this is..." Lance patrolman looked at me and said with a strange expression.

"My student, Angela Nightingale. Came to London last autumn. If you read the newspapers, the name should sound familiar."

"Yes, sir." Lance looked at me in surprise for a while, "Wait, is that opera singer Hilda Hopkins..."

"Okay, as long as you know. Now everyone mentions it when they see us. Lance, if you don't disturb your work, we'll go first."

"Yes, Mr. Holmes, please be careful." Lance saluted again in a regular manner, and then walked away.

"It's quiet now." Holmes regained his composure from his enthusiastic tone just now. "It seems to be almost twelve o'clock. Is it past your bedtime?"

"Thank you for just thinking about it now. But I don't want to sleep today." I'm telling the truth.With my current spirit, I can play a ball game without any problem.

"Go on for a while, then," said Holmes. "But please make sure you don't fall asleep on the way, or I'll have to drag you back like a sack."

"Honestly, you wouldn't really treat a lady... lady that way, would you?"

The detective didn't answer, and walked forward as if he hadn't heard.I was still standing there looking at his back under the night, and forgot to take a step.At this time, a long bell echoed in the quiet sky of London.It's midnight.While Big Ben was chiming, Holmes was swinging his cane without looking back.

"For ladies, of course not. I might consider waiting for daylight on a roadside bench. If you're not afraid of freezing."

I hurried to catch up.At midnight in London, the street lights are warm and the bells are melodious.At this time, I suddenly and truly felt the existence of that secret.It is like a bottle of champagne, with beautiful colors and bubbles rising, and it will burst out when you shake it lightly.

The author has something to say: Let's start the rivalry!Alas, but it will take a long, long time to wait until the ultimate move is released...