[Sherlock Holmes] The Legend of the Nightingale

(Nightingale's Diary)

Watson and I dragged Holmes into the room and made him lie down.His eyes were closed and his face was gloomy.I called him several times, but there was no response.Watson reached out and tried his forehead.

"How?" I asked?

"High fever," the doctor whispered. "I don't understand how he came back by himself—or why he had to. He can stay there for a few days before coming back."

"He always does."

"I'm going to check again. You go get some water."

Watson brought the medicine box, first took out a thermometer, thought for a while, and then put it back.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"How do I measure it?" He said helplessly, "Patients in a coma can easily crush mercury balls."

"At least listen with a stethoscope. Or percusse or something."

"Are you really so professional or are you pretending to be so professional?" said Watson, taking out the stethoscope. "There is no need for logical reasoning now. Put the water here, and keep quiet."

I stepped back helplessly.Watson soaked the towel and placed it on the patient's forehead.Just as he was rummaging through the medicines in the box, the doorbell rang again.

"Mrs. Hudson is back, I suppose," said Watson without looking up. "That's all right. I think she's better at taking care of patients than I am."

I'm going to answer the door. Mrs. Hudson has just come back from shopping with packages.As soon as I saw her, I was the first to speak, because if I had let her start complaining about how hard life was, I could have waited until the next morning to report Holmes.

"Holmes is back," I said quickly, taking what she was holding.

"Oh, dear! He hasn't been seen for more than two months?" exclaimed Mrs. Hudson.It's hard for me to tell whether she's happy or unhappy.

"And I fainted as soon as I entered the door. I'm still lying in the room now."

"God! Let me take a look!" Mrs. Hudson didn't forget to hang up her hat and coat first, and changed her shoes before entering the living room.She couldn't bear to have people soiling the floor... except Holmes, because she couldn't help it.

"Doctor Watson, oh my God!" muttered Mrs. Hudson all the way into Holmes' room.

"Don't worry too much. Excessive mental work and, obviously, irregular life." Watson was already packing up his tools. "It needs a complete rest, both physically and mentally. I hope he will not be involved in any cases in the near future."

"And about the five orange pits," I said, "I was going to tell him."

"What's there to say?" Watson looked at me strangely. "It's just a trivial matter."

"It's a small thing, but I'm a little disturbed. The orange pit was sent to one John Openshaw, and then another John Openshaw died suddenly. It's probably not a coincidence."

"Perhaps it makes sense." Watson thought for a moment. "But we must wait until Holmes recovers. Before that, perhaps we can investigate ourselves, if you think it necessary. After all, everyone will find it ridiculous to study such a thing. "

Holmes did not wake up until the next day.According to Watson, this is considered fast.I heard that Newton was insane for about a year after working twenty hours a day on his Mathematical Principles of Natural Sciences, and it turned out to be true.Holmes was also in a state of breakdown after working fifteen hours a day.

We had a great discussion about Holmes' leave.Watson thought he should spend some time in the country away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.Holmes resolutely objected, because he could not live for a minute without London.Mrs. Hudson was busy in the kitchen preparing food.She would be thankful if only Holmes were not at home to wreak havoc on her freshly cleaned room.

"My old friend Haight told me some time ago that he bought a house in Reigate, Surrey." Watson said, "He invited me to live for a while, and I have been putting it off without making plans. It just so happens that I can take you with me now."

"I don't know your friend."

"Do you think the fame of Sherlock Holmes in Baker Street is limited to London?"

Holmes fell silent.After a short rest, his complexion improved a bit, but his fever was still low.He was sitting in front of the coffee table with a blanket on his body, and what was in the cup was not tea, but medicine.

"How long am I going to stay in the country?"

"At least one month." Watson said decisively, "It can't be less. I will go with you, and the clinic can be closed temporarily. If you don't want your detective career to end early due to health reasons, you'd better listen to us."

Holmes was silent for a moment, then nodded.At this time, I suddenly remembered a question.

"Can I go?"

"You can go if you want," Watson said. "According to your physical condition, it is necessary to rest for a while. I am afraid that Mrs. Adams will not allow you to take leave."

"Uh……"

I hesitated.Had Hattie been around, a month's vacation wouldn't have been devastating to my work, because she could do it for me, but not now.

"Actually, I quite agree with you. Dealing with that child is quite torturous." Watson made a decision. "That's fine. I will ask Mrs. Adams for leave as your doctor. There will be no problem at all."

"Watson, you are limitless."

That's it.The three of us left Mrs. Hudson alone at 221B Baker Street. The clinic was closed, the detective was out of business, and the governess was on sick leave. One morning, we took our luggage into a cab and rushed to the train station, and fled.I was looking forward--naively--for a month of peace in the countryside.

Reigate's house really surprised me, because it was obviously a century-old house.The gate and fence have been renovated by the new owners and look newer, but still retain the old design.The old stone house is still the same as before.

"I didn't expect Brother Haight to buy an old house here." Watson looked up at the simple carvings on the roof, "It looks quite decent."

Holmes was noncommittal.He has been sullen since he got on the train.So far he's still the only one who doesn't approve of the trip.

Colonel Haight greeted us warmly.The first week at Reigate was largely spent catching up with two old comrades in arms.After talking about the battlefield, we talked about the amazing 221B Baker Street.

"I have seen Mr. Holmes' name in the papers. He has just solved a great case."

Yes, I thought, otherwise he wouldn't be here now.

"Has he taken on a case recently?"

"Not yet, as I said before."

Hayter looked a little downcast.

"To tell you the truth, Watson, I thought it might be possible..."

Before he could say the rest, Watson pulled me over and put me in front of him.

"Old friend, if you really encounter any trouble, within the scope of Miss Nightingale's ability, you can ask her to help you solve it. If she can't help, there is nothing we can do. Holmes is here on vacation and can't work now .”

"To be honest, it's not my own problem. I haven't moved here for a few days. It's a problem in the village." The colonel directly ignored the suggestion related to me, "It's a bit serious and absurd."

"An accident happened right after we came here? Can we talk about it later? At least let Holmes go to another room and we can talk... eh? Where's Holmes?"

"I don't know where I went." I looked at Watson's confused face, and I was a little bit dumbfounded, "One of the best boxers in London and the best swordsmen in Europe...wouldn't be like a weak patient Wrapped in a blanket and not moving in the house."

"Let me ask a question first," Colonel Haight saved the subject, "do you believe in witchcraft?"

"I don't believe it." Watson smiled mockingly.

"Historically, witchcraft is actually..."

"I'm just asking, do you believe in magic, witches?" The colonel stopped me.

"……Do not believe."

"But I do know that there are still some superstitious practices in some rural areas," Watson added.

"That's right. That's the case here." Colonel Haight frowned. "In a small town twenty miles from here, there's a witchcraft shop. Maybe you've heard of it? "

"Not yet, or I'd definitely check it out. Just for fun," I said. "Sometimes our college students use playing cards, or crystals for fortune-telling."

"It's not the same." The colonel shook his head. "The owner of the shop is an old woman, Mrs. Cunningham. There have been several disappearances in recent years, and she has been suspected."

"I'm afraid we don't have time today..." Before Watson could finish, I stopped him.

"Colonel, start at the beginning. Be more specific."

We all sat down in the drawing-room, and Colonel Haight explained the matter in detail.Mrs. Cunningham the Witch's shop sells all kinds of witchcraft items, such as crystals, strange herbs and charms, and many people believe and claim that her witchcraft works.But in the three years since she opened, three children and two young girls have disappeared in a row.The body of another young boy was recently found in a nearby river, and no one else has been heard from.Suspiciously, all of these individuals visited Cunningham's witchcraft shop before disappearing.

"That doesn't mean anything," I said. "Anyone can go to the store. Maybe they go often. It's just a coincidence."

"One or two people can be said to be a coincidence, but five people are like this, I'm afraid it's not that simple." The colonel said seriously, "The most recent time was the missing Jack Osborn two months ago. His body was found I went to see the scene. He was strangled to death."

"Has there been any reaction from the local population?" Watson asked.

"Suspicious. Mrs. Cunningham was taken in by the police once or twice for an interview, but there is no evidence of her involvement."

"Is her shop closed?" I said with a wry smile, "Even if there is no evidence, the villagers may spontaneously destroy her shop."

"No. It is said that she has some magic spells that are very powerful. Many local people have benefited from her and still believe in her witchcraft. They can't go to the point of smashing the store. And the villagers are very afraid of her."

I looked at Watson and felt like laughing.

"Do you want to go see it?"

"of course."

"But..." The doctor hesitated.

"I'm not a patient. It's okay to walk for a while. I don't believe in witchcraft."

"Then you have to find someone to accompany you. This place seems to be not very safe." Watson replied after pondering for a moment.At this time, a clear voice came from upstairs:

"Nightingale, I'll go with you."

Watson looked up the stairs, and said despondently:

"Holmes, you are indeed eavesdropping!"

The detective smiled and winked at me, leaning on the banister.

"Watson, Nightingale has discovered me since the colonel started telling the story, otherwise why did she insist on the colonel telling it in detail?"

Watson looked at me exactly as he looked at a traitor.I smiled apologetically.Holmes had approached, refreshed and not at all sick, except for his pale complexion.

"Didn't you just decide to take care of it?" Watson said in surprise.

"Of course not. You need to understand the local situation first."

The colonel stood up. "Mr. Holmes, if you are willing to help..."

Holmes waved his hand.

"No, time is precious. Nightingale, let's go."

The author has something to say: Because several extremely long papers came at the same time, I have been agitated for the past two days, and I want to smash the screen in front of the computer...