[Sherlock Holmes] The Legend of the Nightingale

(Nightingale's Diary)

Back on Baker Street, we rearranged our thoughts.

"There is actually a strange thing here." Watson said, "Nightingale didn't have a gun in the first place. If they implement the plan under such circumstances, they will not be able to create the illusion that Nightingale shot and killed Irene. Is it negligence, or they have a way Do you know that Nightingale has a gun in her hand?"

"It's all possible." Holmes tapped his fingertips on the workbench habitually. "Perhaps there are spies around her, and that's why she fled England."

"Could it be the footman? She says she doesn't trust him."

"Leave this one for now. Now we need to find the second letter. She said it was out of their reach. I still believe she has a way to hide things out of their reach."

"Why didn't she just say it directly?" I admit that I said it with a little malice.

"She can't say it. You never know how they will know what you said. The safest thing to do is to think." Holmes slowly sat down in front of the workbench, "Where do you think it will be? "

"Scotland Yard is the most obvious one, I would say," replied Watson promptly. "I'm quite sure of that. But . . . she certainly can't hide things there."

"There's already a letter there, and it's not wrong to say that."

"Buckingham Palace doesn't matter if you say that." I turned the hat in my hand amusedly. "Either it is the Royal Army. But Irene Adler's ability is not up to it."

"Can we stop joking now?"

"Maybe it's at her house." I put down my hat and sat up straight on the sofa, "There are some mysterious mechanisms in her house. Last time Iris notified Irene that someone had broken in through the alarm on the wall."

"That's about the same." Holmes walked slowly back and forth in the living room a few times, his eyes in a trance. "But her house is hard to say that their influence cannot reach it. But there is one thing I can be sure of. She will not let someone who is not Whoever she trusted to arrange her final journey with full authority, to pack the Adler sisters without their presence, and to stay in London alone while the servants were dismissed for America could only be the person she trusted most , a man of strict secrecy. Looks like we need to meet that Robert."

"When?" Watson asked.

"Now."

"Well, in fact, I knew the answer just after asking."

In the taxi, the three of them were silent all the way.Holmes twirled his stick restlessly.Watson closed his eyes and meditated.

I stared out the window blankly, but saw nothing.

When we arrived at Adler's old house, the footman named Robert was alone.He said he stayed on to sell the house because the Adler sisters left in such a hurry that they didn't have time to deal with real estate in England.The footman was the same as before, cold and polite.Holmes talked nonsense with him for a long time, but he never got to the point.If Irene really told Robert something, he would be extra careful not to reveal the secret easily.Just then we heard a knock at the door.The footman went to open the door and was almost bumped by Count von Kramm who rushed in.

"Sorry, but it's urgent."

The handsome earl was very anxious at the moment. After entering the door, he looked around. When he saw us, he was overjoyed immediately. He left the servant behind and came straight to us. "Mr. Holmes, have you found that letter?"

Watson and I rolled our eyes unabashedly.Holmes put his hands in his coat pockets out of habit.

"I don't think our current work has anything to do with your Excellency. Our cooperation has been terminated long ago."

"Mr. Holmes, this is a matter of life and death." The earl was surprised for a while, then observed the stern eyes of Holmes hesitantly, and changed his tone of request: "What is related to this letter has a lot to do with me. After all, That is my letter, and it will be returned to me after you find it, I believe there is no objection to this, right?"

"Mr. Earl, no matter whose letter it is, if it involves a crime, it must be handed over to Scotland Yard after it is found. Is there any objection?"

The count wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "Sir, I can assure you that there was no evidence of a crime in that letter either. Scotland Yard is pressing the first letter now and I don't worry what will happen to them as it proves nothing and they will keep it secret for me. Desperate to find The second letter is worried that it will fall into the hands of people with ulterior motives and create rumors."

Holmes shrugged his shoulders.I know what he wants to say.Rather than saying that the earl was worried about his reputation, it might as well be that the letter was lost in his hands, and the mysterious professor had to force him to find it again.At this moment, the servant who had been silent by the side spoke up:

"Mr. Holmes, since the Earl entrusted you to come, Madam has asked you to give this to you."

Under our astonished gazes, the footman took an envelope from his pocket and handed it over without our asking.Holmes stretched out his hand to catch it, but the other hand hastily snatched it.The count opened the envelope, and took out two sheets of paper, which he almost dropped on the floor in his excitement.The detective calmly withdrew his hand and gave the footman a scrutinizing look.Robert didn't seem to see it.I caught Holmes' hawk-like gaze.He figured something out.

"What... what is this?" the count exclaimed when he saw what was in the envelope.We looked over.In his hand was a piece of photographic paper.Seeing him stunned for a moment, Holmes was so angry that his hands trembled and he couldn't speak, so he went over politely and pulled the picture and the envelope out of the earl's feeble fingers.Watson and I leaned forward.When we saw the front of the photo, we were also taken aback.It was a portrait of Erin herself.In the photo, she is sitting in front of the window with a smile on her face, as if she is not looking at the camera, but looking into the distance, looking forward to something.We'll be admiring her face for a long time, if not too shocking.Holmes frowned and turned the photo over.We see this line on the back, or, adapted lines:

"Since you want a photo, I'll give you a photo."

With a solemn expression, Holmes took out another piece of paper from the envelope, unfolded it and glanced at it.The Count immediately regained his spirits.

"Mr. Holmes, let me see."

Without raising his head, Holmes leaned back on the edge of the desk.

"Sorry, this letter is for me."

Looking at these two people, I suddenly thought, if Irene could see their real appearance, which one would she love?Which one is more likely to truly love her?

Well, I know the answer might actually be, neither.

"What did she say?" Watson asked worriedly as he saw Holmes' eyes becoming more and more in a trance.

"Polite words." The detective said lightly, "saying that I am an excellent opponent. Unfortunately, I wanted to say the same to her. She said that in order to ensure her personal safety, she would keep the second letter for herself. As long as Mr. Earl does not tell her No, that letter will be kept secret forever. Are you satisfied now?"

The count sighed deeply.

"I believe Irene's guarantee, and it seems that the urgent need has been resolved. Mr. Holmes, although some unpleasantness occurred in the middle, I still thank you for your efforts to maintain my reputation. I will pay you as promised. ..."

"As I said," Holmes interrupted him bluntly, "our commission has been terminated long ago, and there is no question of remuneration involved."

"Sir, no matter what you do all this work for, I benefit in the end. I'm willing to pay for it, please don't say more."

Watson and I exchanged glances.remuneration?It's more like a hush money.

"Your Excellency insists, and I can only obey. But there is one thing. Mr. Earl actually has one thing that is more precious than any reward for me."

"what?"

"Eileen's picture."

I do not know what made me feel that I had expected these answers from Holmes.Before he answered this sentence, I believed that this answer might shock many people, including Watson, and I would not be surprised in the slightest.But when the name came out of his mouth like the wind chime and the long sound of the violin, I still felt the darkness in front of me.

Irene.

My mind is empty.

Irene.

From a distant world suddenly appearing, and going to another world that I will never reach--

Irene.

"It's nothing," said the count, although he also looked puzzled. "Mr. Holmes, you can keep the picture. I used to fight for a picture of her like other ignorant young people, but It's useless to me now."

Holmes stuffed the photograph into his coat pocket. "Is there anything else, Monsieur Count?"

"No more. If there is anything I can help in the future, I will try my best to help. Goodbye."

Holmes bade the count a cold farewell.We were silent for a long time in the living room, and the servant Robert stood aside and waited patiently.Watson went to the drawing-room window and looked at it for a while.

"The count is out the door," he said.

Holmes glanced at Robert naturally, and there was a little appreciation in this look.

"Mrs. Norton didn't take the letter with her. I must admit I just figured it out on the way here. The only place the Professor's power can't reach is the bank. The real letter is in her bank safe. She asked you to keep it as Agent. I have seen her check at the hotel, which is Barclays Bank. Now that the earl has been dismissed according to the method she left, can we go to Barclays to get the real letter?"

There was no change in Robert's indifferent decorum.

"Happy, sir. But until the follower is gone."

The author has something to say: The author is back!Although it seems that the plan was disrupted twice in the middle. I didn’t expect that not only there is no internet at home but also the signal is poor. I have tossed and tossed this chapter several times (≧ω≦)

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