登陆注册
5256000000012

第12章 Chapter 4(2)

`But this is my special hobby, and the differences are equally obvious. There is as much difference to my eyes between the leaded bourgeois type of a Times article and the slovenly print of an evening half-penny paper as there could be between your negro and your Esquimau. The detection of types is one of the most elementary branches of knowledge to the special expert in crime, though I confess that once when I was very young I confused the Leeds Mercury with the Western Morning News . But a Times leader is entirely distinctive, and these words could have been taken from nothing else. As it was done yesterday the strong probability was that we should find the words in yesterday's issue.'

`So far as I can follow you, then, Mr. Holmes,' said Sir Henry Baskerville, `someone cut out this message with a scissors - '

`Nail-scissors,' said Holmes. `You can see that it was a very short-bladed scissors, since the cutter had to take two snips over ``keep away.''

`That is so. Someone, then, cut out the message with a pair of short-bladed scissors, pasted it with paste - '

`Gum,' said Holmes.

`With gum on to the paper. But I want to know why the word ``moor'' should have been written?'

`Because he could not find it in print. The other words were all simple and might be found in any issue, but ``moor'' would be less common.'

`Why, of course, that would explain it. Have you read anything else in this message, Mr. Holmes?'

`There are one or two indications, and yet the utmost pains have been taken to remove all clues. The address, you observe is printed in rough characters. But the Times is a paper which is seldom found in any hands but those of the highly educated. We may take it, therefore, that the letter was composed by an educated man who wished to pose as an uneducated one, and his effort to conceal his own writing suggests that that writing might be known, or come to be known, by you. Again, you will observe that the words are not gummed on in an accurate line, but that some are much higher than others. ``Life,'' for example is quite out of its proper place. That may point to carelessness or it may point to agitation and hurry upon the part of the cutter. On the whole I incline to the latter view, since the matter was evidently important, and it is unlikely that the composer of such a letter would be careless. If he were in a hurry it opens up the interesting question why he should be in a hurry, since any letter posted up to early morning would reach Sir Henry before he would leave his hotel. Did the composer fear an interruption - and from whom?'

`We are coming now rather into the region of guesswork,' said Dr. Mortimer.

`Say, rather, into the region where we balance probabilities and choose the most likely. It is the scientific use of the imagination, but we have always some material basis on which to start our speculation. Now, you would call it a guess, no doubt, but I am almost certain that this address has been written in a hotel.'

`How in the world can you say that?'

`If you examine it carefully you will see that both the pen and the ink have given the writer trouble. The pen has spluttered twice in a single word and has run dry three times in a short address, showing that there was very little ink in the bottle. Now, a private pen or ink-bottle is seldom allowed to be in such a state, and the combination of the two must be quite rare. But you know the hotel ink and the hotel pen, where it is rare to get anything else. Yes, I have very little hesitation in saying that could we examine the waste-paper baskets of the hotels around Charing Cross until we found the remains of the mutilated Times leader we could lay our hands straight upon the person who sent this singular message. Halloa! Halloa! What's this?'

He was carefully examining the foolscap, upon which the words were pasted, holding it only an inch or two from his eyes.

`Well?'

`Nothing,' said he, throwing it down. `It is a blank half-sheet of paper, without even a water-mark upon it. I think we have drawn as much as we can from this curious letter; and now, Sir Henry, has anything else of interest happened to you since you have been in London?'

`Why, no, Mr. Holmes. I think not.'

`You have not observed anyone follow or watch you?'

`I seem to have walked right into the thick of a dime novel,' said our visitor. `Why in thunder should anyone follow or watch me?'

`We are coming to that. You have nothing else to report to us before we go into this matter?'

`Well, it depends upon what you think worth reporting.'

`I think anything out of the ordinary routine of life well worth reporting.'

Sir Henry smiled.

`I don't know much of British life yet, for I have spent nearly all my time in the States and in Canada. But I hope that to lose one of your boots is not part of the ordinary routine of life over here.'

`You have lost one of your boots?'

`My dear sir,' cried Dr. Mortimer, `it is only mislaid. You will find it when you return to the hotel. What is the use of troubling Mr.

Holmes with trifles of this kind?'

`Well, he asked me for anything outside the ordinary routine.'

`Exactly,' said Holmes, `however foolish the incident may seem.

You have lost one of your boots, you say?'

`Well, mislaid it, anyhow. I put them both outside my door last night, and there was only one in the morning. I could get no sense out of the chap who cleans them. The worst of it is that I only bought the pair last night in the Strand, and I have never had them on.'

`If you have never worn them, why did you put them out to be cleaned?'

`They were tan boots and had never been varnished. That was why I put them out.'

`Then I understand that on your arrival in London yesterday you went out at once and bought a pair of boots?'

`I did a good deal of shopping. Dr. Mortimer here went round with me. You see, if I am to be squire down there I must dress the part, and it may be that I have got a little careless in my ways out West. Among other things I bought these brown boots - gave six dollars for them - and had one stolen before ever I had them on my feet.'

同类推荐
  • 脚气集

    脚气集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 甲戌公牍钞存

    甲戌公牍钞存

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer

    The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 度大庾岭

    度大庾岭

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说普贤曼拏罗经

    佛说普贤曼拏罗经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 世界大空难秘闻:惊天恸地

    世界大空难秘闻:惊天恸地

    在人类的各种活动中,葬礼和墓地最为纯净,最能够使人们在名利场上的争斗中幡然地卸下铠甲,从而使有限的生命变得恬淡而从容,但愿杨早所著的《惊天恸地:世界大空难秘闻》的读者在阅读后心灵上也获得如此洗练……《惊天恸地:世界大空难秘闻》还原世界空难史上15个著名的空难事件,倾情揭秘空难背后的故事,娓娓讲述空难自我避险小贴士。
  • Fuzzy
  • 八骏图(沈从文小说全集)

    八骏图(沈从文小说全集)

    《八骏图》是沈从文都市题材小说中的典范之作,描写了所谓绅士淑女们不乏高雅却琐碎做作的情欲表达,沈从文以尖锐的笔法讽刺了都市人的生存方式,寄托了其对故乡自然、健康的生存状态的认同和赞扬。
  • 伤心之旅

    伤心之旅

    《伤心之旅》收录作品8篇,包括《我心永恒》、《郑家鸡汤馆》、《无墙的烦恼》、《村头那一家》、《鸟柏觅踪》等。小说内容涉及解放前后的民俗民风,奇闻趣事、平民百姓的喜怒哀乐以及个别基层领导的腐败现象等。内容提要《伤心之旅》是一部中篇小说集,是作者在不同年代、在不同刊物上发表过的作品的合集。主要描写了一些解放前后的民俗民风,奇闻趣事、平民百姓的喜怒哀乐以及个别基层领导的腐败现象等。
  • 猎爱0℃王子

    猎爱0℃王子

    身为打工女皇、Suprise公司第一外援的平凡少女乐甜甜咸鱼大翻身啦!原来她竟然是超级有名、超级有钱的晴天财团董事长乐理安流落在外的亲孙女!于是,赤贫少女过上了她从来不敢想象的生活:别墅、漂亮的衣服、精美的首饰,还有一大群前呼后拥的仆人!但是,为什么她会在转学的贵族高中碰到那个差点害她Suprise不保,还赔上她初吻的冷淡王子啊!这个家伙的脸是用南极冰川雕出来的吗?还有刻板的爷爷给她请的那个自诩为名门贵公子的礼仪指导——宿海,明明就是只腹黑讨厌的狐狸啊!哼哼,她可不相信凭借她的魅力融化不了冰山、打不败妖孽的狐狸!接招吧!她可是让你的人生“惊喜”不断的美少女!
  • 我技能全是被动

    我技能全是被动

    为啥别人的系统都狂拽酷霸炫吊炸天?我的系统连个经脉都修复不了,给的技能还全是被动?行吧,被动就被动。你技能触发不是有几率么?我能用概率学把被动变成主动,就问你怕不怕?我是科学家,就问你怕不怕?欢迎加群一起交流:260495819
  • 刀剑乱舞之我的本丸好特别

    刀剑乱舞之我的本丸好特别

    关于种花家的一只兔子经历了穿越、穿越后再次穿越到了刀剑乱舞的世界,也许?可是,为什么她的本丸有点特别呢?在此声明本人是新婶一枚,本文里但凡写到的刀剑都是我有的,我没有的刀剑绝对不会写出来,我还有很多刀剑男士没有捞到,本文涉及暗黑本丸所以里面的人设可能和你们认为的不太一样,也许你们会觉得他们崩掉了,可这就是我想写的刀剑男士,本文集小白圣母狗血于一身,,接受不了的请不要观看,我不会接受你们任何的所谓科普,不要用游戏来审视我的文接受不了的千万不要看。我的小说交流群:14775946
  • 华丽校园骗局80℃:手指的温度

    华丽校园骗局80℃:手指的温度

    【冰山生日贺文】此文为幻想世界的YY文,华丽丽的学校,有些伤痛的基调,女主不白,却太过坚强。当底线被一再碰触,汹涌而来的会是火山爆发?还是冰川时代?
  • 这个皇叔有点冷

    这个皇叔有点冷

    金牌杀手一朝穿越成为废柴公主!爹不疼娘不爱,任人欺辱,甚至被女扮男装丢去邻国当质子!然,废材转身成为邻国风云人物,皇帝圣宠,后妃巴结,朝臣拉拢。风光无限的背后却带着道道伤痕!她暗自发誓,那些欺她、辱她、毁她之人,她都会将其一一挫骨扬灰!练神诀,学毒医,当圣女,涉朝政,收复国土!只是在这过程中她却不小心误惹了一头看似可爱温顺的银狼,谁能告诉她为何这头像狗一般听话乖巧的狼,竟是这般冷酷霸道不要脸!邪王开口,谁敢不从!当他遇到这磨人小妖精时,终于底线破裂,愤怒低吼:“今晚侍寝。”“呸,臭不要脸,小爷不约!”
  • 明园杯 2015上海市民文学大赛佳作选(小达人专刊)

    明园杯 2015上海市民文学大赛佳作选(小达人专刊)

    本文集是一本充满奇思妙想的众筹之作。十年后的上海,我们能想象到的依旧是灯红酒绿,偶有雾霾,环境令人堪虞。那么一百年一千年后的这座城市,你能想象到它的模样吗?本文集包括《空心城》、《别让地域变成“地狱”》、《一百年后的城市——上海》、《3015一日游》等篇目,带读者畅游未来之魔都!