[Sherlock Holmes] The Legend of the Nightingale

In order to explain clearly what happened to Nightingale and Hattie Dolan when Holmes and Watson received Moriarty's letter, we return the time to the night when Nightingale left 221B, Let's start again.

(Nightingale's Diary)

It will take some work to explain where I am now.I don't know what language to use to express exactly how I feel at the moment.

I failed to leave London as Holmes had arranged.80.00% of this is my own fault, I will explain later.Our taxi was hit by another carriage on the way, and the coachman got out and argued endlessly with the other party, so we had to get out.It was at that time that the professor's minions, who were ambushing in the dark, appeared and approached us.In a moment of desperation I thought of John Openshaw—by fate, it was a Friday, and his house was not far from where it happened.In order not to be caught by Moriarty's men, or killed on the spot, I took Hatty Dolan and knocked on the physics student's door.At first he was very troubled, for he had himself alone in his lodgings in London, save a servant.Two ladies spent the night at the house, one of whom was the lord's fiancée, whose reputation was a hindrance.But we repeatedly emphasized that it was a matter of life and death, and he could only make concessions.

We stayed at the Openshaw's for one night, and left early the next morning.Hattie spent the whole night in a state of mind and thought, without saying a word, nor did I try to encourage her.

"Aren't you going to leave after breakfast?" Openshaw, who was still puzzled, asked cautiously when he saw how busy we were going around.

"no thank you."

"Why didn't you let me call the police last night?"

"It was too dangerous to go out in those days. They saw us coming in."

"Isn't it dangerous for you to go out now?"

"Sorry, I promise I'll explain it to you when I have time." I took the overcoat Hatty threw me, "No time now. We have to go back to Baker Street. Can I keep my suitcase with you, we Keep it simple."

"Yes. But be careful." Openshaw paled. "If something happens to you..."

"Don't worry." I put the hat on my head, "We will definitely not be in church when we meet again."

There were already many people on the street during the day, so I dared to go out with Hatty.She was still silent, her face under the sun was more terrifying than last night, like a seriously ill person.

"Hati, they won't do it in broad daylight. At present, they won't kill us directly by assassination. But time is running out, and I have to tell you something now."

"What." She said softly.

"We're not in a good position, but now might be the only chance to catch them."

"Ah."

"Now we return to Baker Street. Holmes will find his way."

"Won't they stop us?"

"I hope not."

"Ok."

"Is the .[-] too small to use?"

"well enough."

We all stopped.

"It's you." I said, "I knew it, it must be you."

I feel dizzy in the sun, and I still hold her arm, like a pair of sisters.Reflexively, I reached into my coat pocket and encountered the fabric, not the metal gun grip that was always inside.Something hit me on my left rib.Her bitter voice rang in my ears:

"Believe me, Angela, this decision was not easy for me to make."

The two ladies walking arm in arm on the street stopped suddenly, one of them lost his eyes and his expression was stiff, and the other didn't respond to her words.But on the streets of London, no one would notice.My senses are still there, but my brain isn't responding.

Hattie Dolan was holding my gun, the muzzle pressed against my left rib, though she looked as if it was the other way around.That was the first gun Irene gave me in my life, and the first time it was aimed at me.Why—the most ridiculous question in the world—why, filled my mind.Why her, why she did it.But these thoughts just whizzed by, and didn't occupy them for too long, and I didn't ask them out.There's nothing more hilarious than a blank minded person asking "why" to someone who clearly knows what they're doing.

"Come on, I have something to tell you too." Hattie put her gun hand under her shawl, and she grabbed me with the other hand, "I have to. You stop Openshaw Letting him call the police is really a kind of tacit understanding."

"If he goes to the police, you risk killing him before he goes out. You'll have the gun away by then."

"Should I say you are smart or stupid? You already know it's me, but you never guarded against me stealing the gun."

"Stop talking about that, okay. Where are we going?"

"Go to the restaurant where 'you' killed someone."

I suddenly and strongly suspected that it was not her voice.A hoarse voice, a tone Hattie had never used before, it couldn't be Hattie Dolan's voice.

"That restaurant has been closed for a long time."

"I have the key to the back door."

"Ha, yes. Of course you have."

I took the first step stiffly.

"I hope you have a more natural expression, pretending to be the same as going out for a walk every day, so as not to be seen as a problem."

"So what if you see it. Will you shoot on the street?" I really stretched out a not-so-rigid smile, and my feet relaxed a little, "We are tied together now, if you shoot me, I'm going to hold you tight. You can't run away."

"Now you don't understand my situation." Hattie's tone was sharp, but she wasn't mocking me.She looks like she's about to cry when she laughs at herself.

"If forced to do nothing, I would really shoot."

There are still three streets to go to the restaurant. I dare not bet on whether she will shoot in the street. During this time, she must come up with countermeasures.Why does she look very remorseful now?Where there is time, there is hope.There is hope in thinking.

The conversation just now woke up my dead mind.It gradually regained the ability to think.

"You bought that maid, Lisa? You asked Hilda to invite me to a banquet?"

"Correct."

"You put sleeping pills in the wine and disposed of it with your own hands." I suppressed my chaotic breathing, "You are also the woman wearing black veil in the restaurant. They didn't find it because you went to Baker Street immediately after committing the crime. Handkerchief You did it yourself, and you can’t find another one in London. To tell you the truth, our stitches are a bit similar, but we are not skilled. You hired a habitual criminal to pretend to be a waiter in a restaurant, and put the lily of the valley preparation In the wine, you are responsible for gathering us around the table..."

"What's the use of saying this now. You don't think I should be proud?" Hatty whispered, looking around from the corner of her eye. But none of the students found any clues."

"No. Because it's not your responsibility, it's mine."

"what?"

She showed a surprised expression.This is the only way to keep her from being too sure, and let doubts turn into fear.

"Hatty, if they threaten you, we can help you."

"No, you don't understand."

That's how the first street went.

"Well, I don't understand. But it would be extremely unwise to do so."

"I knew you would say that."

"I'm making this suggestion very sincerely now. You're going to get caught."

"Holmes?" She smiled wryly, "Even if you ask him for help now, he will probably only regard you as a criminal suspect."

I was silent for a second or two.

"What else did you do?"

"Send him a letter, which should be here by now," she said, "saying that you are the person he is looking for, and attaching a vague page torn from your diary, which is your confession."

my diary?

Every word written in the past month is still recorded in memory, accurate to every page.I went through it almost line by line in my head, forgetting to even condemn her for her meanness.

"Meaning, am I finished?" My expression must have been as ugly as hers. "Did I mention something ambiguous?"

"I..." She hesitated for a moment before she made up her mind and said, "I regret that this is not the first time I have thought of your diary. The piece of paper that Holmes found at the post office is the same as your notebook. I found it on purpose. Yes, because there was no suitable writing by you at that time. In addition to some preparations we made before, such as finding a black-haired girl who looks a bit like you to send a telegram, he should now have sufficient evidence to prove that You... sorry."

The second street was left behind, and I could already see the sign for Smith Music.God knows if I'll ever touch Mrs. Hudson's piano again.

Piano, the word pierced through my mind like lightning, and the long-lost feeling made me suddenly excited. All the brain cells seemed to be ignited, and suddenly entered a state of excitement.

How do I let him know where I am.How to make him believe it.It's not that I don't trust Holmes, but I can't bet everything on his ability to discover the truth.I have to do something.He needs information, he needs evidence.I need to pass on information.

"Hatty, can we go into the piano shop for a while?" I kept my voice from shaking.

"What?"

"Mrs. Hudson always forgets to call in the tuner. We happen to be on the way, I think--"

"If you still want to live a little bit, please don't use any tricks until I finish talking."

"Trick? Aren't you the one with the gun?"

She fell silent, blushing a little.It's an impasse.She dared to die together, but not for such an unworthy reason as "Angela insisted on finding a tuner".

"I'm sure I'm going. Shoot in the store if you like."

"If you dare to call for help in the store, I can't guarantee it." She bit her lip, as if I was holding her hostage.

"It's all under your supervision." I said, "If I write, I'll let you watch it too. That's all right."

"You'd better not get out of the way."

The third street has passed.When I passed the door of the piano store, I ignored her warning to poke my ribs with a gun, and dragged her through the door together.When I walked in front of the store manager, I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead.Bet right, Hatty's own undecided temperament is not so easy to change.

"The piano needs tuning," I said.The store manager took out a paper and a pen.

"Please tell me the address."

"221B Baker Street."

"When?"

"Urgent, go now."

"Please sign here, ma'am."

I took his pen and wrote down my real name.

"It's a little hard to use."

I flicked the pen vigorously, spattering some ink on Hattie on the left without suspense.She screamed reflexively and lowered her head to wipe her fur collar, and I took the opportunity to finish writing my surname.It's a pity that she didn't panic enough to drop the gun, otherwise the game would have ended here.In just two seconds, she immediately raised her head vigilantly.I press down on the corner of the order with four fingers and push it in front of her.

"Is there no problem?"

She went over it in detail. "No."

"Ask Mr. Holmes, and he will tell the tuner what the problem is." I handed the order to the boss, "He is the only one at home who can tell that the sound is wrong, and we all sound similar."

"What did you say?" Hatty questioned my description.

"I can't hear you right, don't you think it's a little funny? Just do as I tell you, sir."

"Okay, ma'am."

"Let's go." Hatty calmly stabbed me again with the gun.

The two of us turned awkwardly around to face the door again, because she had to keep the gun on the ground, which was ridiculous.I twirled a bit of ink on my finger.

In order to prevent her from being suspicious, I blocked the last name part.

The author has something to say: I can finally speak up and let out a sigh of relief.I remember that some readers had already guessed it. At that time, I was still thinking that the readers were so sensitive that the author was helpless. . .In fact, the role of Hattie has existed for this day from the very beginning. I also feel that this kind of plot is a bit despicable now, but there are too many foreshadowings, so I can only go to the end.

Emma is still No.1 said smoothly.The card hand is finally feeling a bit like a duck to water.