Day 11
I followed my friend up the ladder and into the room under the roof. Holmes held up the lamp, and we looked around us. We were in a small, empty room. The roof was high enough for us to stand, but it was a tiny space.
'See here, Watson,' said Holmes, 'there's a door, which opens onto the roof. This is how our man came into the house!'
He put down the lamp and once again I saw a look of surprise on his face. I soon understood why. On the floor were some little footprints.
'Holmes!' I cried. 'Is it possible that our murderer is a child?' 'No,' he replied, 'not a child.'
'Then how do you explain those tiny footprints?' I asked.
'Everything will become clear, Watson. Let's go down.'
We climbed back down into Bartholomew Sholto's room, where Holmes began to search the floor.
'At last we have some good luck,' he said, standing up. 'Look, Watson, at these footprints. Our little visitor has trodden in this tar here. Can you smell it?'
I agreed that there was a strong smell.
'Then we have him!' cried Holmes. 'I know a dog that will be able to follow this smell and take us to him.'
At that moment the police arrived, with Thaddeus Sholto. 'Inspector Lestrade,' said Holmes. 'Good evening.'
Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard gave us a long look while Thaddeus Sholto looked very uncomfortable.
'Good evening, Mr Holmes, Dr Watson,' said Lestrade at last. 'Perhaps you can tell me what's happened here?'
'Well,' Holmes began, but the Inspector stopped him.
'Or can I tell you what's happened this time, Mr Holmes,' he went on. 'We have a dead body in a locked room. Some valuable treasure, I understand, has disappeared. Mr Thaddeus Sholto was with his brother last night and is now very excited.'
He turned to Sholto.
'Did you kill your brother?'
Thaddeus Sholto's face went white. He opened his mouth, but no words, came out.
'Inspector Lestrade,' said Holmes, 'you should know that we found this poisoned thorn in the dead man's skin and this strange paper with the words, 'The Sign of Four'.'
'That changes nothing!' Lestrade replied. 'Do you have anything to say, Mr Sholto?'
The poor man tried to speak, but again no words came.
'Thaddeus Sholto, I am arresting you for the murder of your brother, Bartholomew Sholto. Sergeant Judd, take him away.'
Judd took Sholto by the arm and they left the room.
'I think we have our killer, Mr Holmes,' Lestrade went on.
'You're wrong, Inspector,' Holmes replied, 'but I can give you the name of one of the two men who were in this room last night. It's Jonathan Small. He isn't a very clever man. Although he's tall and has a wooden leg, he moves quickly. He's about fifty years old, an Englishman, but with skin burnt dark by the sun. He's spent time in prison.'
'And the other man?' asked Lestrade, who was clearly surprised by all the information that my friend had given him.
'He's a very strange person,' said Holmes. 'I hope to introduce you to them both very soon, Inspector. Good night.'
I followed Holmes from the room. At the bottom of the stairs he turned to me.
人鱼之梦
听上瘾了
某只大熊猫
无色无味无为
Very good indeed! Definitely a big help!
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