For a long time, my friend Watson has been stubbornly instigating me to write a record of handling the case. Perhaps I asked for it because I often took the opportunity to criticize him for not describing it in depth enough and not fully complying with the facts and data.

He always cares too much about worldly tastes. "Try it yourself!" This was his most powerful rebuttal. I really picked up the pen on this day, but I have to say that the expression of the content must abide by

"Attract readers". If nothing else happens, I think readers will like the case recorded below, because it is the weirdest case I have, and it happens to not be included in Watson's

Collection. Speaking of Watson, my old friend and biographer, I would like to explain that the reason for adding a companion to my humble research work was not due to the whims and whims of the moment.

, but because Watson does have his own uniqueness, but because of his modesty and excessive respect for my work, he lags behind his own characteristics. For a collaborator, if he can always foresee your conclusions

With the trend of action, he is insecure. But if any development step always makes him amazed and will always make him confused in the future, then he is indeed a rare and ideal partner.

According to the records in my notebook, in January 1903, just after the Boer War, Mr. James M. Dodd came to see me. He was a tall, energetic, and tanned British man.

At that time, my loyal friend Watson left me because of his marriage. This was the only selfish behavior he showed in our relationship. I was alone at the time.

I have a habit of sitting with my back against the window, and asking visitors to sit opposite me so that the light can bathe them as much as possible. Mr. James M. Dodd seems not to know how to start, and I don’t want to guide him, because

His silence gave me more time to observe him. I thought there would be no harm in letting the client feel my power. So I gave him some of the conclusions of my observation.

"Sir, you must have come back from South Africa!"

"Yes, yes." He replied in surprise.

"Is it the Zouave Cavalry?"

"right."

"Must be the Legion of Middlesex."

"Exactly. Mr. Holmes, you are like a magician."

I smiled at his surprise.

"If a stalwart gentleman should enter my room, tanned beyond the capabilities of an English climate, and with his handkerchief in his cuff instead of his pocket, it would be easy to see whence he came.

; You have a short beard, which shows that you are not a regular soldier; your body is of the equestrian type. Speaking of Middlesex, it is because your business card says that you are a stockbroker in Thlogmorton Street. You

Naturally, it will not belong to other legions."

"You have such good insight."

"We saw the same thing. I just trained myself to pay special attention to what I saw. But of course you didn't come to study observation with me. What happened in Tewkesbury Gardens?

What's the matter?"

"Mr. Holmes! You..."

"Sir, don't be surprised. Your letter is postmarked there. Since you are so eager to meet me, it is obvious that something important has happened."

"Yes, that's true, but the letter was written in the afternoon, and a lot of things happened after that. If Colonel Emsworth hadn't kicked me out..."

"Kick it out!"

"Well, that's almost the case. Colonel Emsworth is a hard-hearted man. He was the most powerful military disciplinary officer at that time, and barbaric swear words were popular in that era. If I didn't take Godfrey's face into consideration, I would never tolerate the old colonel.

of indecent assault.”

I lit my pipe and leaned back in my chair.

"Can you explain what you said?"

My client smiled sarcastically.

"I seem to be used to it. You already understand everything without explaining it." He said, I think it's better to lay out everything exactly. I hope you can tell me clearly what these things mean. I

I had a sleepless night and was thinking about this matter crazily, but the more I thought about it, the more incomprehensible it became.

I joined the army in January 1901, which has been a full two years. At that time, Godfrey Emsworth also joined our squadron. He was Colonel Emsworth’s only child. Ams

Colonel Voss was awarded the Victoria Medal in the Crimean War. His son inherited the blood of a soldier, so he joined the Volunteer Army. It can be said that it is difficult to find a stronger young man than him in the whole army. We

We have become good buddies. It is a friendship that can only be born through sharing weal and woe. He is my good buddy and a good comrade-in-arms - this is not an ordinary friendship in the army. We have lived in a year of hard fighting.

It can be said that he lived and died together. Later, during a battle around the Dai Mende Valley outside the borders of Peletoria, he was hit by a large shotgun bullet. I received a letter from the Cape Town Hospital.

Letters, and a letter from Southampton, which have since been lost. You must know, Mr. Holmes, that there has been no letter for more than six months, and he is my best friend.

After we all came back after the war, I wrote a letter to his father asking where Godfrey was. But there was no reply. After waiting for a while, I wrote another letter to his father,

This time a reply finally came, but the content was short and blunt. The letter said: Godfrey went sailing around the world and will not come back within a year. Just two sentences.

Mr. Holmes, this doesn't make my heart at peace. This is a bit strange. He is a very loyal young man. It is impossible for him to leave his close friend aside so easily. This is not like his behavior at all. It just so happens that I

I heard that he was the heir to a huge inheritance, and his relationship with his father was not very harmonious. The old man was often a bit oppressive, and Godfrey's temper was a bit fierce. I expressed doubts about the reply and decided to

Make it clear. But since I have been away from home for two years and have to sort out my personal affairs, I did not start working on the Godfrey matter until last week. Now, since I want to do this

Son, I left all other things behind and must finish it.

Mr. James M. Dodd seems to be one of those people with whom it is better to be a friend than an enemy. His blue eyes are always staring, and his square jaw is very tight.

"Then what strategy did you use?" I asked him.

The first step I took was to go to his Tewkesbury Manor to find out for myself what was going on. So I wrote a letter to his mother first - because the depressed old man was a bit annoying to me.

I was impatient. I introduced myself in the letter as a good friend of Godfrey. I could tell her a lot of interesting experiences when we lived together, whether I was passing by nearby, whether it would be convenient for me to visit, etc., etc. I received

They received a very enthusiastic reply, saying that they could keep me overnight at their house, so I went there excitedly on Monday.

Tewkesbury Manor is relatively remote. No matter which station I get off at, it is still 8 kilometers away. There are no carriages around the station, so I have to walk, and I also carry a suitcase, so I walk

It was already dusk at Tewkesbury Manor. It was a large, winding house. The house almost imitated various buildings from all eras, from the half-timbered foundations of the Elizabethan period to the verandahs of the Victorian period.

There is no shortage, it just looks messy. The house is full of panels, tapestries and ancient paintings that have been eroded and faded by time. It looks like a gloomy and mysterious old house. There is an old butler named Ralph, who seems to be as old as the house.

, and his ancient wife. Because Ralph's wife was Godfrey's wet nurse. Godfrey once told me about this old woman, whose affection was second only to his mother. Therefore, although she looked strange, I was very fond of her.

She is still full of good impressions, and I also love her infinitely gentle, guinea pig-like mother. Only her father makes me feel uncomfortable.

We almost started having sex as soon as we met. At that time, I was so angry that I wanted to leave immediately and go back to the station, but I thought this would make him happier, so I stayed. I was led directly to his study, and I was confused

Behind the miserable desk, I saw a slender body with a bent back, a complexion as black as smoke, a messy beard, red veins protruding from the nose, and a pair of gray eyes staring at me fiercely under thick eyebrows.

When I met him in person, I suddenly understood why my good friend Godfrey rarely mentioned his father.

'Sir!' he said in a harsh voice, 'I am interested in hearing the real purpose of your visit.'

I said: 'I made it very clear in my letter to your wife.'

'That's right, that's right. You said you and Godfrey knew each other in Africa. Of course, we only heard your side of the story.'

'The letter he wrote to me is in my pocket.'

'Then, please let me take a look!'

He took the two letters I handed over, glanced at them, and threw them to me.

'Okay, so what?'

'Sir, your son and I are best friends. We have many common experiences, which unites us closely. However, he suddenly stopped giving me any news. Am I not surprised? I asked him

This situation is completely natural.'

'Sir, if I remember correctly, I have already sent you a letter and told you about my son. He went sailing and traveled around the world. After he came back from Africa, his health was not good. His mother and I

They all think it is best for him to change the environment and take a complete rest. Please tell all friends who are enthusiastic about this situation.'

'No problem.' I said, 'But please tell me the name of the ship and route, and the date of departure. Maybe I can send him a letter!'

My request seemed to make his father quite embarrassed and very angry. His thick eyebrows were lowered above his eyes, and he tapped his fingers on the table with a bored attitude. He finally raised his head, with an expression very much like a gentleman.

The chess player finally decided how to deal with the person who suddenly made a move that endangered his chess piece.

'Mr. Dodd.' He said: 'Your stubbornness will make many people intolerable, and they will even think that you are making trouble unreasonably.'

'Please don't be angry, it's all because I miss your son so much.'

'Of course, I haven't considered this, but I must ask you to give up these questions. Every family has its own internal affairs, and it is inconvenient to tell outsiders, no matter how well-meaning they are. My wife would like to hear your story.

Some things about Godfrey's past, but I beg you, don't worry about the present and future matters. This kind of inquiry is useless and will only make our situation more embarrassing.'

Mr. Holmes, you see, I hit a big nail and there was no way around it. I could only pretend to accept his opinion, but I secretly swore in my heart that I must find out the whereabouts of my friend. The atmosphere that night was very tense.

Depressed, in a dark old house, the two hosts and I ate in silence. Godfrey's mother eagerly asked me about her son, but his father looked unhappy. The whole incident made

I felt very unhappy, so at the earliest opportunity allowed by politeness, I said goodbye to my host and returned to my guest room. It was a spacious empty room downstairs, no different from any other room in the house. After living for a year in the South African savannah,

No one is particularly particular about living conditions. I opened the curtains and looked towards the garden. It was a clear night, with half a bright moon hanging in the night sky, shining brightly on the earth. Then, I stood by the burning fire.

Sitting down, there was a lamp on the table next to me, and I was going to read a novel to calm my thoughts. But the old butler Ralph interrupted my reading and brought some spare coal.

'Sir, I'm worried that you will add coal at night. It's too cold and it's not very good to keep this room warm.'

He didn't leave immediately, as if he had something on his mind, and lingered in the room for a while. When I turned to look at him, he was standing there, hesitant to speak, staring at me.

'Sir, I'm sorry, I couldn't help but listen to what you said at the dinner table about Master Godfrey. You know very well that my wife was his wet nurse, so I can be said to be his adoptive father, so naturally I am very

Concerned about Master Godfrey, are you praising him for his excellent performance, sir?'

'Godfrey was one of the most heroic warriors in the entire regiment. Once, during a gun battle with the Boers, I was bravely dragged out by him. Otherwise, I might not be sitting here today.'

The old housekeeper rubbed his skinny hands excitedly.

'Yes, sir, it's absolutely true. Master Godfrey is like that. He has never lacked courage since he was a child. He climbed all the trees in the manor, big and small. He never knew fear. He was

What a good boy, yes, he was a very good young man.'

I jumped up suddenly.

'Hi!' I shouted, 'you said he was a great young man before, but what about him now? You sound like he has gone to heaven. What happened? What happened to Godfrey?

?'

I was a little excited at the time and grabbed the old housekeeper's shoulders, but he immediately backed away.

'Sir, I don't understand what you are talking about. Please ask the master. He knows everything. This is not a matter that I, a servant, can take care of.'

When he was about to step out in a panic, I held one of his arms.

'Listen.' I said, 'You have to answer me a question, otherwise I won't let you go, not even for one night. Is Godfrey dead?'

He tried his best to avoid my eyes, but as if he was under hypnosis, he actually murmured a terrible and unexpected answer from his mouth.

"I'd rather he died!" He suppressed the pain in his heart and shouted in a low voice. As he said that, he pulled hard and ran out in a hurry.

Mr. Holmes, it is not difficult for you to imagine that when I sat back on the chair, I could not calm down in any way. The old butler's words revealed a message that my friend seemed to have been disgraced.

The matter was involved, and it might even be some kind of criminal incident, which directly affected the honor of their family. So the strict father simply sent his son away and hid it to prevent the scandal from spreading. Godfrey was a simple daredevil, and he often

Influenced by the people around him, it is obvious that he fell into the hands of evil people and was led to crime. It is just a pity. But even so, I must find my good friend and find a way to help him. I am falling into

While thinking anxiously, I suddenly looked up and found Godfrey standing outside my window.

When my client said this, he paused thoughtfully.

"Please continue talking!" I said: "Your case is indeed somewhat unique."

Mr. Holmes, he stood outside the window with his face pressed against the glass. I have just said that I had looked out the window to watch the night, so the curtains were always ajar. Just where the curtains were opened, I saw the figure of Godfrey. Because

The window was a floor-to-ceiling window, so I even saw his whole body. His face was so pale that I was very surprised. I had never seen Godfrey so pale before, and I thought that ghosts might not look like this. However, when I

When their eyes met for an instant, I believed they were the eyes of a living person. As soon as Godfrey realized that I had seen him, he hurriedly stepped back and disappeared into the night.

There was something surprising about Godfrey's appearance at that time. It was not his bloodless and pale face, but something even more inexplicable, as if he was ashamed to see others.

A sense of guilt, and the fact that this kind of thing appeared in the once straightforward and cheerful Godfrey made me feel particularly terrifying.

However, for a man who has been a soldier for two years, especially someone who has always dealt with the Boers, his courage is not small, and he will definitely take action quickly when he discovers something unexpected. The moment Godfrey dodges,

I immediately jumped to the window. Because the window switch was not very good, it took me a while to open the window. Then I jumped out and ran to the path in the garden, towards the direction I thought he might escape.

Chase in the direction.

The path was long and dark, but I seemed to keep seeing something running in front of me, so I kept chasing it while calling Godfrey's name, but nothing worked. When I reached the end of the path,

, there were many forked roads leading to several huts. I stood there in a daze for a while, and then the sound of a door closing was clearly heard. And this sound did not come from the hut behind me, but from the darkness ahead.

Mr. Holmes, this fully proves that what I just saw was definitely not a phantom. Godfrey did slip away from me and closed the door in time. I have no doubt about this.

I was at my wits' end. I could no longer rest peacefully that night. This question kept lingering in my mind, trying to find a suitable reason to explain what happened. The next day, the old colonel's attitude seemed to have softened a little, and the hostess enthusiastically

After introducing several interesting places around me, I took the opportunity to ask if it would be convenient to stay another night. The host reluctantly agreed, which bought me a day to observe. I was already confident that Godfrey would be there.

It is hidden somewhere around, but the detailed location and reason are not yet clear.

This building is large and circuitous. Even if there is a legion hiding inside, no one will notice it. If he hides in the building, then it will not be easy for me to find him anyway. However, the sound of the door closing that I heard did not come from inside the building.

So I searched for this secret in the garden, because the old people were all busy with their own things, which allowed me to start my own plan.

There are several huts in the garden, but there is a slightly larger building at the end of the garden. It seems to be more than enough room for a gardener or ranger to live in. Is the sound of the door closing coming from here? I pretended to be taking a casual walk and walked there.

Go. At this time, a short but capable man walked out of the door. He was wearing a bowler hat, black clothes, and a beard. He didn't look like a gardener. Unexpectedly, as soon as he left,

When he came out, he locked the door and put the key in his pocket. As soon as he turned around and saw me, a surprised look appeared on his face.

‘Are you a guest here?’ he asked me.

I said, 'Yes, I'm Godfrey's friend.'

'Oh, it's a pity that he went on a trip, otherwise he would have been very happy to see me.' I explained to him again.

'Yes, yes.' He said as if he felt guilty. 'Let's set another suitable time!' He said and left. However, when I turned around to look, I found that

He was secretly hiding behind the osmanthus tree at one end of the garden, spying on me!

I walked all the way over and carefully inspected the small house. However, the windows were all tightly blocked, and it looked like there was no one living inside. If I had been too bold when I snooped, I might have made a mistake.

Maybe I would be kicked out, because I knew that I was being watched, so I quickly returned to the building and waited until dark to continue my investigation. The sky finally turned dark, and the surroundings fell into silence. I quietly went to sleep.

He slipped out of the window and sneaked towards the mysterious residence.

As I have already said, the room was tightly covered. At this time, I found that its shutters were also closed, but one window was lit. My attention was attracted to the illuminated window, and I tried to look inside.

Peeping. I was lucky. Since the curtain was not completely closed, I could see what was going on inside the room. The room was clean, tidy, and bright, and the wall fire was burning brightly. The person sitting opposite me was the person I met in the morning.

The man, he was smoking a pipe and reading a newspaper.

"What newspaper are you reading?" I asked.

I interrupted my client and he seemed a little dissatisfied. "What does it matter?" he asked.

"A close relationship."

"I really haven't noticed."

"So, maybe you can tell whether it's a big newspaper or a small weekly?"

Oh, by the way, after you reminded me like this, I felt that it wasn’t Da Zhang, it might be the Observer magazine. But to be honest, I really couldn’t care about this little thing at the time, because there was another person sitting in the room with my back to the window.

Now, I'm sure that person must be Godfrey. Of course I can't see his face, but the shape of his shoulders is very familiar to me. He rests his head on his hands, as if he is very melancholy, and his whole body is facing the wall.

I was just about to prepare to take some action when suddenly someone forcefully tapped me on the shoulder. The person standing next to me was actually the old colonel.

‘Sir, come here!’ he said in a very low voice. I walked into the building without saying a word and followed him back to my apartment. He took out a train timetable in the hall.

'There's a train to London at half-past eight,' he said. 'The carriage will be outside the gate at eight o'clock.'

His face turned pale with anger, and I, feeling that my situation was extremely embarrassing, stammered a few words of apology for my poor language, trying to justify myself by saying I was worried about my friend.

'There is no need to talk about this issue anymore.' He said in a stiff and decisive tone, 'You have shamelessly harassed the rights of our family. You are a guest here, but you actually acted as a spy. Sir, the only thing I have to say is

The word is, I never want to see you again.'

At this time, I was suddenly angered and said some rude words.

'I have seen my friend Godfrey. I think you must have prevented him from seeing people in order to achieve some purpose of your own. Although I don't know your motive for locking him up, I am sure that he

He has lost his freedom of movement. Colonel, I can tell you clearly that only if I know that Godfrey is healthy and not in danger, otherwise I will not give up my efforts to find out the whole truth. Any of your

Threats have no effect on me.'

At that time, the old colonel's face suddenly became like a ferocious devil. I thought he was really ready to take action. As I said just now, he was a tall, thin and violent old guy. Although I was not weak, I wanted to deal with him.

It was not simple. However, after he glared at me angrily for several minutes, he turned and left. As for me, I took the train on time in the morning and left. What I meant was to find you right away, listen to your suggestions and beg for your help.

That's why I'm writing to date you.

The above is the question that my client put before me. Smart readers may have noticed that it should not be too difficult to solve this case, because there are only a few selected answers that can explain the root of the problem. However,

, although this case is simple, it has many strange and interesting points, so I recorded it. Now, I will use my most commonly used logical analysis method to narrow down the possible answers!

"His servants." I asked my client, "How many are there in total?"

"According to my estimation, the life of the old housekeeper and his wife does not look complicated."

"So, are there no other servants in the garden shed?"

"Probably not. Only the short man with a beard is qualified to be a servant, because his status seems to be much higher."

"That's quite revealing. Have you ever noticed signs of food being sent between the two houses?"

"Oh, now that I mention it, I really remember that I once saw old Ralph carrying a basket and walking towards the bungalow. I didn't connect it with food at the time."

"Did you find out anything from the local area?"

"Yes. I talked to the stationmaster of the railway station and the owner of the hotel in the village. However, I just asked them casually if they knew what was going on with my friend Godfrey. Both of them said yes.

He went sailing around the world. He also said that Godfrey once returned home, but went out soon. I think the statement about his travels has been generally accepted by everyone."

"You didn't mention your suspicion to them, right?" "You didn't disclose it."

"This is a wise move. This matter must be investigated. We will go to Tewkesbury Hall together."

"today?"

At that time, I was busy finishing a case concerning the Abbey School, which my friend Watson had told about. At the same time, the Sultan of Turkey also entrusted me with a case. If it was delayed, it might have serious political consequences. Therefore,

, and it was not until early next week (so my diary records) that I accompanied Mr. James M. Dodd on the journey to Bedfordshire. As we drove through the Easton district, I

A dark-skinned, serious and taciturn gentleman also got in the car. I had made an appointment with him in advance.

"This is an old friend of mine." I said to Dodd. "Inviting him to be present may not have a slight effect, but it may also play a decisive role. There is no need to go into detail on this point now.

You will understand naturally when the time comes.”

I believe that readers who have read Watson's crime-solving records are familiar with my approach. During the process of investigating a case, I never say much or reveal my thoughts. Dodd seemed a little baffled, but

He didn't say anything, and the three of us continued on our way together. I asked Dodd another question on the train, deliberately letting our companion hear it.

"You said that you clearly saw your friend's face outside the window, so you were sure it was him, right?"

"Yes. His nose was pressed against the glass, and the light happened to be reflected on his face."

"Could it be someone who looks like him?" "No way! It's indeed him."

"But you said his appearance has changed?"

"It's just that the color has changed. His complexion is - oh, how should I put it? Like fish belly white, his complexion has turned white."

"Is your whole face pale?"

"I don't think so. The clearest and whitest place I saw was on his forehead, because it was close to the glass."

"Did you call his name?"

"At that time, I was very surprised and scared, and I didn't call him by name. Then I chased him. As I have told you, I didn't catch him."

My investigative work has been roughly completed, and all I need to clarify is a small problem. After a bumpy journey, we finally arrived at the mysterious manor my client told about. The old butler Ralph opened the door for us.

door. Since I had rented the carriage for the whole day, I asked my old friend to sit in the carriage for the time being and wait until we invited him to get off. Ralph, a short, wrinkled old man, wore a

He was wearing a traditional black jacket and gray dot trousers. The only thing special about him was that he was wearing yellow gloves on his hands. As soon as he found out we were coming, he immediately took off his gloves and put them on the hall table. As my friend Watson said

Yes, I have extremely sensitive senses. At that time, there was a faint pungent smell in the room, which seemed to be emanating from the table in the foyer. I turned around and put my hat on the table, but accidentally dropped my hat on the ground again.

, then bent down to pick up my hat, and took the opportunity to put my nose a foot away from the gloves. Indeed, this strange tar-like smell really came from the gloves. The investigation was completed, and I came to the study.

Oh, I am so straightforward when writing records, which is indeed not clever enough! The stories written by Watson are always so fascinating, probably because these links are hidden!

The colonel was not in the room, but after hearing Ralph's announcement, he rushed over in a hurry. From a distance, we heard his hasty, heavy footsteps coming from the corridor. He suddenly opened the door and rushed in.

But I saw that his beard, eyebrows, and eyes all stood up in an instant. He was really a rare and ferocious old stubborn. He held our business card in his hand, tore it violently and threw it to the ground.

Tread with your feet.

"Didn't I tell you, you meddlesome bastard who is full of food and has nothing to do, I won't allow you to step on my doorstep! I will never allow you to come to my house again. If you insist on going your own way and dare to come again, I will

If you will exercise my right to use violence unceremoniously, I will definitely shoot you! I will definitely let you die on the spot! As for you, sir." He turned to me and said: "I also give you the same warning, I understand your

It's a shameful job. You can show off your skills elsewhere, but I won't provide a stage for you here."

"I can't go," my client said firmly, "until my good friend Godfrey tells me personally that his freedom is not controlled by anyone."

At this time, the angry owner rang the bell.

"Ralph," he ordered sternly, "call the local police station immediately, tell them there is a thief, and ask them to send two policemen over immediately."

"Please wait a moment." I said hurriedly, "Mr. Dodd, you should know that the colonel has rights. We do not have the right to enter his private residence, but on the other hand, he should also understand that your actions are completely due to

Concern for his son. I venture to say that if I were allowed to talk to the colonel for five minutes, I could change his view on this matter."

"I'm not easily changed." said the old colonel. "Ralph, go and carry out the order quickly and make a phone call! What are you waiting for?"

"No!" I said and leaned against the door. "If the police come to interfere, it will lead to the outcome you fear." I took out my notebook and scribbled a word, then tore off the page and handed it to the colonel.

Say: "This is why we came."

He stared at the note for a long time, his face completely covered in surprise.

"You...how did you know?" He said suddenly and feebly, and he sat down on the chair so heavy.

"My profession is to restore the truth of things and make everything clear. This is where my business lies."

He sat there in deep thought, stroking his messy beard with his thin hands. Finally, he made a helpless gesture.

"Okay, if you insist on seeing Godfrey, then go ahead. This matter is not my responsibility, you forced me to do it. Ralph, go and inform Godfrey and Mr. Kent that in 5 minutes

We'll be there."

Five minutes later, we crossed the garden path and walked to the mysterious cabin. Standing at the door was a short man with a beard, an extremely surprised look on his face.

"Colonel, this is really too sudden," he said. "This completely disrupts our plan."

"Mr. Kent, I really have no choice. We are forced to do this. Is Godfrey here?"

"Yes, he is inside." He said, turned around and led us to a spacious room with simple furnishings. A man stood there with his back to the fireplace. As soon as he saw that man, my commission

The person immediately jumped forward excitedly and stretched out his hand.

"Hi! Godfrey, my friend, how nice to meet you!"

But the other party hurriedly waved him back.

"Don't touch me, Jimmy! Don't come near me! Yes, you're quite surprised! I'm a different person from that good fellow in the squadron, Private First Class Emsworth, aren't we?"

His face is indeed not normal. But it is not difficult to see that he was once a handsome young man with regular features and his skin was tanned by the African sun. But now, his dark skin is mixed with some weird white spots.

It makes his skin color look weirdly white.

"This is the reason why I refuse to receive guests." He said with a trembling pained voice, "I have nothing to do with you, but I don't need your companion. I understand that your intentions are good, but this will be detrimental to me.

."

"Godfrey, I just want to make sure that you are safe and sound. When you looked into my window that night, I noticed you. Later I became very worried. I felt that something had happened to you, so I insisted on trying to kill you.

Clarify the situation."

"Old Ralph told me that you were here, and I couldn't help but want to go see you. I thought it would be better not to be discovered by you. Then I heard you opening the window, and I had to run back to the cabin immediately.

"

"What on earth is going on and why are you doing this?"

"It is not difficult to explain this matter clearly." He said, lighting a cigarette, "You must not have forgotten that the battle at Buffuspulu happened early that morning, on the west side of the railway outside Peletoria.

Online, did you hear that I was injured?"

"Yes, but I don't know the details."

The terrain there was so bad that three of us lost contact with our headquarters. There were Anderson and Simpson—the man we used to call Bald Simpson, and the other one was me. We were chasing the Boers at the time, but they cunningly lurked,

And secretly surrounded the three of us. Unfortunately, two of them were shot dead on the spot, and my shoulder was hit by a shotgun-like bullet. However, I still tried my best to climb on the horse. After running for several miles, I fainted because

And fell from the horse.

When I woke up from the coma, the sky around me had darkened. I struggled to stand up, feeling very weak and weak. At this time, I was surprised to see a house not far away, a very big house.

, with a South African-style verandah and many windows. The weather was very cold at that time. You know the cold that can freeze people to death when it comes at night. The cold is simply disgusting and unbearable, and it doesn't look like a refreshing experience at all.

Frost, I felt that I was hit by the bone-chilling cold, and would be knocked down soon. My last hope was to walk to the house with all my strength. I used all the strength in my body to stand up, dragging my feet step by step,

Because I was almost unconscious at the time, I only vaguely remember climbing up the steps, walking into a wide open door, arriving at a large room with several beds, and falling down on one of them.

On the bed, I hummed happily. The quilt on the bed was not folded, but spread out, but I really couldn't care about that much. I pulled the quilt around my trembling body and fell asleep.

It's past.

When I woke up, it was already the next morning. What greeted me was not a brand-new healthy world, but a nightmare-like world. The African sun shone into the room through the large windows without curtains, making this

The large white-painted dormitory looked very bright. But when my eyes fell in front of me, I couldn't help but shudder. Right in front of me, stood a person with a huge head like a bulb.

Moreover, he was as short as a dwarf, speaking Dutch eagerly with bubbling words in his mouth, and at the same time waving a pair of deformed and ugly hands in the air. There was a group of people standing behind him, but no one was normal.

The human figures were all crooked, bloated and deformed. They seemed to find the situation happening in front of them very interesting, because these monster-like people all laughed in a harsh voice.

Judging from the situation, none of them knew English, but the situation had to be explained clearly, because the big-headed man became more and more violent and started to scream strangely. He picked me up with his deformed hands and pulled me down. My blood was flowing out from the wound.

But he didn't care at all. This monster was surprisingly strong. If it weren't for an elderly person in charge who was attracted by the noise in the room, I really don't know what he would have done to me. The elderly man used Dutch

After a few words of reproach, the person who grabbed me moved away. Then the older man turned to me and stared at me with wide, surprised eyes.

'Why did you come here?' He asked with surprise and confusion in his tone, 'Please don't move! I understand that you are extremely tired and the wound on your shoulder needs timely treatment. I am a doctor.

Someone will be asked to bandage you right away. But, young man! You may be safer here than on the battlefield. The place you are staying in is a leprosy hospital, and you actually slept on a leper's bed all night.

.'

Jimmy, do I need to say anything else? Because the war was approaching, these patients were all evacuated a day in advance. The next day, because the British troops arrived, the patients were sent back to the hospital by the medical director. He said, although

He believed that he had sufficient immunity, but he did not have the guts to sleep in a leper's bed overnight, as I did. Later, he placed me in a separate ward and provided careful care.

A week later, I was sent to the Pretoria General Hospital. You see, my tragedy began like this. Of course, I imagined that I could get away with it, but when I rushed home, these horrific symptoms appeared in me.

A pitiful face appeared on my face, and I finally failed to escape the bad luck of being infected. My friend, what can I do? I only live in a secluded house without any neighbors, and we have two absolutely trustworthy servants.

Mr. Kent is a surgeon we hired. He is willing to keep this secret for us and is willing to live with me. I think this is the easiest way to deal with it. Otherwise, it is another extremely terrifying road: to live with me.

A group of strangers were together, imprisoned for life, and isolated from the world forever. However, all this must be kept strictly confidential, otherwise, even in this remote place, it is likely to cause an uproar among the people, and sooner or later I will be sent to a leprosy hospital.

Go in. Jimmy, even you can't tell me why my father gave in today. I really don't know.

The old colonel then pointed at me.

"It was this gentleman who forced me to give in." As he said that, he opened the note I handed him, and the word "leprosy" was clearly written on it.

"I think since he already knows so much, the safest way is to let him know everything."

"Indeed," I said, "who can be sure that there is no benefit in doing so? It seems that Dr. Kent is the only one who has treated patients. Please don't be offended. Is your husband a professional doctor who treats this disease? According to my understanding

, this is a tropical or subtropical disease."

"I have the normal knowledge of a qualified doctor." He said with a straight face, a little unhappy.

"Sir, I don't doubt your ability, but I think that in this case, it would be very helpful to listen to the consultation opinions. I think you avoid the consultation because you are worried about causing pressure.

You hand over the patient."

"Indeed," the old colonel interjected.

"I have expected this." I explained. "Today, I also brought a friend who is traveling with me. His caution is completely trustworthy. I have helped him with some small things, so he is not here this time.

Not as an expert, but as a friend offering his valuable advice, Sir James Saunders."

As soon as I finished speaking, Mr. Kent's face showed unconcealable surprise, as if he was a newly promoted junior officer who was about to meet the Prime Minister.

"I'm very proud." He said quietly and piously.

"Then, I have invited Sir James here. He is waiting in the carriage outside the door. Colonel, regarding us, you might as well come to your study and I will explain."

When this kind of wonderful moment comes, oh, it shows the importance of my good friend Watson. Regarding my investigative art, he is always good at using appropriate questions or various questioning words to exaggerate my original investigation skills.

It is just a systematic and common sense reconnaissance technique, and the results are often exaggerated into miracles by him, but it must be comfortable and interesting for you to watch. Now it is my turn to narrate it myself, and no one will support me. I can only clumsily tell the truth.

Just like that day in the colonel's study, I told several audiences in front of me, including Godfrey's mother.

I said: My method is based on this assumption: after you eliminate all the impossible conclusions, no matter how incredible the remaining conclusions are, they are undeniable facts. The remaining ones may also be several

If this is the case, it needs to be continuously confirmed until the last explanation with sufficient basis is left. We will now use this method to study the current case. At the beginning, it was used to explain that the son was

There are three possible explanations before me for the reason why his father was isolated or confined in the manor house: he was escaping because of a crime; or he was insane and did not want to go to the lunatic asylum; or he was suffering from some disease and needed isolation.

.Besides, I can’t think of any other better explanation. The next step is to compare, identify and filter these conclusions.

First of all, the theory of crime cannot be established. Because I know very well that there are no reports of unsolved crimes in this area. If it is really an undetected crime, then, considering the interests of the family, he will definitely be sent farther away.

Or send it abroad, but definitely not hide it at home. Therefore, this idea was eliminated by me.

Secondly, he is insane, which is more likely. The other person in the hut is probably the caretaker. He locked the door after going out, which strengthens this hypothesis and means that he should be forcibly confined.

But from another perspective, this kind of coercion is not very strict, otherwise this young man would not be able to run out and peek at his friends. Mr. Dodd, you remember that I have examined the evidence, for example, I asked you where Mr. Kent was looking.

Reading newspapers, such as "The Lancet" or "British Medical Journal", can help me think more clearly. However, it is legal for mentally ill patients to stay at home as long as they are accompanied by a doctor and reported to the authorities.

So, what is the reason for such desperate efforts to keep it secret? Therefore, the idea of ​​mental disorder cannot be established.

The last third possibility, although it seems strange, is completely consistent with the actual situation. Moreover, leprosy is a very common disease in South Africa. Due to a special opportunity, this young man may have been infected. In this way,

His family was in a very embarrassing situation because they could not bear to hand over their child to a leprosarium to be isolated. However, in order to prevent the news from leaking and avoid interference from the authorities, they had to keep it a secret. If appropriate measures could be taken,

It is not difficult to find a loyal doctor to take care of a patient, and there is no reason to prevent the patient from coming out at night. The general symptom of this disease is the whitening of the skin. Judging from the analysis of some of the strange phenomena above

, this hypothesis was so convincing that I actually acted on it as something that had been confirmed. When I first entered here, I found that the housekeeper who delivered meals to the hut was wearing disinfectant on his hands.

At this time, I have no doubts at all. Sir, I only wrote two words to indicate to you that your secret has been discovered. I chose to write rather than say because I hope to prove to you that I am cautious.

You can absolutely rest assured.

Just as my explanation was about to end, the door of the study room suddenly opened, and the well-respected and famous dermatologist was introduced into the room. His face, as solemn as the severe winter, actually thawed at that time, and his eyes were filled with warmth.

With a touch of humanity, he walked towards the old colonel and shook hands with him warmly.

"Usually, I always bring bad news to people," he said. "But today's news is an exception. He is not suffering from troublesome leprosy."

"What did you say?"

"That's right. He suffers from a typical leprosy-like disease called ichthyosis, which is one of the scaly skin diseases. It usually affects appearance and is quite stubborn. However, it is not incurable, and it is not

Any contagiousness. Yes, Mr. Holmes, it is indeed a coincidence. However, is it completely coincidental? It should not be ruled out that some unknown factors are at work. Perhaps the young man has a fear after coming into contact with patients.

Does it play some physiological role, simulating what it is afraid of? In any case, I am willing to vouch for my professional honor - Oh! The lady fainted! I suggested that Mr. Kent quickly nurse her until the lady comes from

I woke up from a surprise shock this time."

【Legal Commentary】

This story involves the crime of obstructing border health, security and quarantine. This crime refers to the behavior of a natural person or unit that violates the regulations of interfering with border health, security and quarantine and quarantines the spread of infectious diseases or poses a serious risk of spread. Of course, Godfrey Am in this story

Swaths and his family did not commit this crime by mistaking ichthyosis for leprosy.

Another legal issue involved is whether James M. Dodd committed the crime of illegal trespass. This crime refers to the act of illegally and forcefully breaking into another person's house, or refusing to exit when asked to do so, affecting the life and peace of others. In this story

James M. Dodd did not refuse when asked to withdraw, so this crime was not committed.
Chapter completed!