yī tiān zǎo shàng， zhèng dāng wǒ hé wǒ de qī zǐ zài yī qǐ jìn zǎo cān de shí hòu， wǒ men de nǚ pú sòng lái liǎo yī fēng diàn bào。 nà shì xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī dǎ lái de， diàn bào nèi róng shì zhè yàng de：
　　 néng fǒu chōu xiá shù rì？ qǐng huò yīng guó xī bù wéi bó sī kē mǔ bǐ xī gǔ cǎn
　　 àn shì lái diàn。 rú néng jià lín， bù shèng xīn xìng。 gāi dì kōng qì jí jǐng zhì jí jiā。
　　 wàng shí yī shí shí wǔ fēn cóng pà dīng dùn qǐ chéng。
　　 “ qīn 'ài de， nǐ kàn zěn me yàng？ " wǒ de qī zǐ gé zhe cān zhuō kàn zhe wǒ shuō，“ nǐ xiǎng qù má？ ”
　　“ wǒ zhēn bù zhī dào zěn me shuō cái hǎo。 wǒ xiàn zài yào zuò de shì qíng duō dé hěn。”
　　“ ō， ān sī tè lǔ sè huì tì nǐ bǎ gōng zuò zuò liǎo de。 nǐ zuì jìn liǎn sè yòu diǎn cāng bái。 wǒ xiǎng， huàn huàn huán jìng duì nǐ shì yòu hǎo chù de， hé kuàng nǐ yòu zǒng shì duì xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī zhēn chá de 'àn jiàn nà me gǎn xīng qù。”
　　“ xiǎng xiǎng wǒ cóng tā bàn 'àn zhōng dé dào de jiào yì， wǒ yào bù qù， nà jiù tài duì bù qí tā liǎo。 " wǒ huí dá dào，“ dàn shì， rú guǒ wǒ yào qù de huà， jiù dé lì jí shōu shí xíng zhuāng， yīn wéi xiàn zài lí chū fā de shí jiān zhǐ yòu bàn gè xiǎo shí liǎo。”
　　 wǒ zài 'ā fù hàn dù guò de róng mǎ shēng yá， zhì shǎo shǐ wǒ yǎng chéng liǎo xíng dòng mǐn jié、 jīhū kě yǐ suí shí dòng shēn de xí guàn。
　　 wǒ suí shēn xié dài de shēng huó bì xū qǐ bù duō， suǒ yǐ zài bàn xiǎo shí nèi wǒ jiù dài zhe wǒ de lǚ xíng pí bāo shàng liǎo chū zū mǎ chē， chē shēng lín lín dì shǐ xiàng pà dīng dùn chē zhàn。 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī zài zhàn tái shàng duó lái duó qù。 tā chuānzhuó yī jiàn cháng cháng de huī sè lǚ xíng dǒu péng， dài zhe yī dǐng jǐn jǐn gū zhe tóu de biàn mào； tā nà kū shòu xì cháng de shēn qū jiù xiǎn dé gèng jiā tū chū liǎo。
　　“ huá shēng， nǐ néng lái zhēn shì tài hǎo liǎo， " tā shuō dào，“ yòu gè wán quán kào dé zhù de rén hé wǒ zài yī qǐ， qíng kuàng jiù dà bù xiāng tóng liǎo。 dì fāng shàng de xié zhù wǎng wǎng bù shì háo wú jià zhí， jiù shì dài yòu piān jiàn。 nǐ qù zhàn zhe nà jiǎo luò lǐ de liǎng gè zuò wèi， wǒ mǎi piào qù。”
　　 zài chē xiāng lǐ， chú liǎo fú 'ěr mó sī suí shēn dài lái de yī dàjuǎn luàn qī bā zāo de bào zhǐ wài， zhǐ yòu wǒ men liǎng gè chéng kè。 tā zài zhè xiē bào zhǐ lǐ dōng fān xī zhǎo， rán hòu yuè dú， yòu shí jì diǎn bǐ jì， yòu shí chén mò shēn sī， zhí dào wǒ men yǐ jīng guò liǎo léi dīng wéi zhǐ。 jiē zhe， tā hū rán bǎ suǒ yòu bào zhǐ juàn chéng yī dà kǔn， rēng dào xíng lǐ jià shàng。
　　“ nǐ tīng shuō guò yòu guān zhè gè 'àn zǐ de rèn hé qíng kuàng má？ " tā wèn dào。
　　“ yī wú suǒ wén。 wǒ yòu hǎo jǐ tiān méi yòu kàn bào zhǐ liǎo。”
　　“ lún dūn chū bǎn de bào zhǐ de bào dào dōubù hěn xiáng xì。 wǒ yī zhí zài kàn zuì jìn de bào zhǐ， xiǎng zhǎng wò yī xiē jù tǐ qíng kuàng。 jù wǒ tuī cè， zhè jiàn 'àn zǐ hǎo xiàng shì nà zhǒng jí nán zhēn pò de jiǎn dān 'àn jiàn zhī yī。”
　　“ zhè huà tīng qǐ lái yòu diǎn zì xiāng máo dùn。”
　　“ dàn zhè shì yī gè yì wèi shēn cháng de zhēn lǐ。 yì cháng xiàn xiàng jīhū zǒng shì kě yǐ wéi nǐ tí gōng xiàn suǒ。 kě shì， yī gè yuè shì háo wú tè zhēng hé qì píng cháng cháng de zuì xíng jiù yuè shì nán yǐ què shí zhèng míng tā shì mǒu gè rén suǒ fàn de。 rán 'ér， zhè gè 'àn jiàn， tā men yǐ jīng rèn dìng shì yī qǐ 'ér zǐ móu shā fù qīn de yán zhòng 'àn jiàn。”
　　“ zhè me shuō， nà shì gè móu shā 'àn liǎo？”
　　“ wú， tā men shì zhè yàng cāi xiǎng de。 zài wǒ yòu jī huì qīn zì zhēn chá zhè gè 'àn jiàn zhī qián， wǒ jué bù huì xiǎng dāng rán dì kěn dìng shì zhè yàng。 wǒ xiàn zài jiù bǎ wǒ dào mù qián wéi zhǐ suǒ néng liǎo jiě dào de qíng kuàng， jiǎn duǎn dì gěi nǐ shuō yī xià。
　　“ bó sī kē mǔ bǐ xī gǔ wèi yú hè lǐ fú dé jùn， shì jù lí luó sī bù hěn yuǎn ① de yī gè xiāng jiān dì qū。 yuē hàn · tè nà xiān shēng shì nà gè dì qū de yī gè zuì dà de nóng chǎng zhù。 tā zài 'ào dà lì yà fā liǎo cái， ruò gān nián qián fǎn huí gù xiāng。 tā bǎ tā suǒ yōng yòu de nóng chǎng zhī yī， hā sè lì nóng chǎng， zū gěi liǎo yě céng jīng zài 'ào dà lì yà dāi guò de chá 'ěr sī · mài kǎ xī xiān shēng。 tā men liǎng rén shì zài nà gè zhí mín dì hù xiāng rèn shí de。 yīn cǐ， dāng tā men dìng jū de shí hòu， bǐ cǐ jìn kě néng qīn jìn dì jié wéi bǐ lín shì hěn zì rán de。 xiǎn rán tè nà bǐ jiào fù yòu， suǒ yǐ mài kǎ xī chéng liǎo tā de diàn hù。 dàn shì， kàn lái tā men hái shì hé guò qù cháng zài yī píng shí yī yàng， shì wán quán píng děng de guān xì。 mài kǎ xī yòu yī gè 'ér zǐ， shì gè shí bā suì de xiǎo huǒ zǐ， tè nà yòu gè tóng yàng nián líng de dú shēng nǚ。 tā men liǎng gè rén de qī zǐ dōuyǐ bù zài rén shì。 tā men hǎo xiàng yī zhí bì miǎn hé lín jìn de yīng guó rén jiā yòu rèn hé shè jiāo wǎng lái， guò zhe yǐn jū de shēng huó。 mài kǎ xī fù zǐ liǎ dǎo shì xǐ huān yùn dòng de， yīn cǐ jīng cháng chū xiàn zài fù jìn jǔ xíng de sài mǎ chǎng shàng。 mài kǎ xī yòu liǎng gè pú rén， yī gè nán pú hé yī gè shì nǚ。 tè nà yī jiā rén kǒu xiāng dāng duō， dà yuē yòu wǔ liù kǒu rén。 zhè jiù shì wǒ jìn kě néng liǎo jiě dào de zhè liǎng jiā rén de qíng kuàng。 xiàn zài zài shuō xiē jù tǐ shì shí。
　　“ liù yuè sān rì， jí shàng xīng qī yī xià wǔ sān diǎn zhōng zuǒ yòu， mài kǎ xī cóng tā zài hā sè lì de jiā lǐ wài chū， bù xíng dào bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng。 zhè gè chí táng shì cóng bó sī kē mǔ bǐ xī gǔ qīng xiè 'ér xià de xī liú huì jí 'ér chéng de yī gè xiǎo hú。 shàng wǔ， tā céng jīng tóng tā de pú rén dào luó sī qù， bìng duì pú rén shuō guò， tā bì xū zhuā jǐn shí jiān bàn shì， yīn wéi xià wǔ sān diǎn zhōng yòu yī gè zhòng yào yuē huì。 cóng zhè gè yuē huì zhī hòu， tā jiù méi yòu zài huó zhe huí lái。
　　“ hā sè lì nóng chǎng jù lí bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng sì fēn zhī yī yīng lǐ， dāng tā zǒu
　　① yīng gé lán zhōng xī bù de yī gè jùn。 héng héng yì zhě zhù guò zhè dì duàn shí， céng yòu liǎng gè rén mù dǔ。 yī gè shì gè lǎo fù rén， bào zhǐ méi yòu tí dào tā de xìng míng， lìng yī gè shì tè nà xiān shēng gù yòng de liè chǎng kānshǒu rén wēi lián · kè láo dé。 zhè liǎng gè rén zhèng dū xuān shì zuò zhèng shuō， mài kǎ xī xiān shēng dāng shí shì dān dú yī gè rén lù guò de。 nà gè liè chǎng kānshǒu rén hái shuō， zài tā kàn jiàn mài kǎ xī xiān shēng zǒu guò qù jǐ fēn zhōng hòu， mài kǎ xī xiān shēng de 'ér zǐ zhān mǔ sī · mài kǎ xī xiān shēng yè xià jiā zhe yī zhī qiāng yě zài tóng yī tiáo lù shàng zǒu guò qù。 tā què xìn， dāng shí zhè gè fù qīn què shí shì zài wěi suí zài tā hòu miàn de 'ér zǐ de shì chéng zhī nèi。 zài tā wǎn shàng tīng shuō fā shēng liǎo nà cǎn 'àn zhī qián， tā méi yòu zài xiǎng guò zhè jiàn shì。
　　“ zài liè chǎng kānshǒu rén wēi lián · kè láo dé mù dǔ mài kǎ xī fù zǐ zǒu guò zhí zhì kàn bù jiàn liǎo zhī hòu， hái yòu bié rén jiàn dào tā men。 bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng fù jìn dōushì mào mì de shù lín， chí táng sì zhōu zé shì zá cǎo hé lú wěi cóng shēng。 yī gè shí sì suì de nǚ hái zǐ， bó sī kē mǔ bǐ xī gǔ zhuāng yuán kānmén rén de nǚ 'ér pèi xīng sī · mò lán， dāng shí zài nà zhōu wéi de yī gè shù lín lǐ cǎi zhāi xiān huā。 tā shuō， tā zài nà lǐ de shí hòu kàn jiàn mài kǎ xī xiān shēng hé tā de 'ér zǐ zài shù lín biān kào jìn chí táng de dì fāng； dāng shí tā men hǎo xiàng zhèng zài jī liè zhēng chǎo， tā tīng jiàn lǎo mài kǎ xī xiān shēng zài dà mà tā de 'ér zǐ； tā hái kàn jiàn nà 'ér zǐ jǔ qǐ liǎo tā de shǒu， hǎo xiàng yào dǎ tā de fù qīn shìde。 tā bèi tā men bào tiào rú léi de xíng wéi xià dé gǎn kuài páo kāi， huí jiā hòu biàn duì tā mǔ qīn shuō， tā lí kāi shù lín shí mài kǎ xī fù zǐ liǎng rén zhèng zài bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng fù jìn chǎo jià， tā kǒng pà tā men mǎ shàng yào niǔ dǎ qǐ lái。 tā de huà yīn gāng luò， xiǎo mài kǎ xī biàn páo jìn fáng lái shuō， tā fā xiàn tā fù qīn yǐ sǐ zài shù lín lǐ， tā xiàng kānmén rén qiú zhù。 tā dāng shí shí fēn jī dòng， tā de qiāng hé mào zǐ dōuméi yòu dài， zài tā de yòu shǒu hé xiù zǐ shàng dōukě yǐ kàn dào gāng zhān shàng de xuè jì。 tā men suí tā dào liǎo nà lǐ， biàn fā xiàn shī shǒu tǎng zài chí táng bàng biān de cǎo dì shàng。 sǐ zhě tóu bù bèi rén yòng mǒu zhǒng yòu zhòng yòu dùn de wǔ qì měng jī， āo liǎo jìn qù。 cóng shāng hén kàn， hěn kě néng shì tā 'ér zǐ shuǎi qiāng tuō dǎ de， nà zhī qiāng rēng zài cǎo dì shàng， lí shī tǐ bù guò jǐ bù yuǎn。 zài zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng xià， nà gè nián qīng rén dāng jí zāo dào dài bǔ， xīng qī 'èr chuán xùn shí bèi xuān gào wéi fàn yòu ' xù yì móu shā ' zuì， xīng AE lì f1 sān jiāng tí jiāo luó sī dì fāng fǎ guān shěn pàn， luó sī dì fāng fǎ guān xiàn yǐ bǎ zhè gè 'àn jiàn tí jiāo xún huí shěn pàn fǎ tíng qù shěn lǐ。 zhè xiē jiù shì yóu yàn shī guān hé wéi jǐng zuì fǎ tíng duì zhè gè 'àn zǐ chǔlǐ de zhù yào shì shí jīng guò。”
　　 wǒ dāng jí shuō：“ wǒ jiǎn zhí nán yǐ xiǎng xiàng néng yòu bǐ zhè gèng 'è dú de 'àn jiàn liǎo。 rú guǒ kě yǐ yòng xiàn chǎng zuò wéi zhèng jù lái zhèng míng zuì xíng de huà， nà me xiàn zài zhèng shì zhè yàng yī gè 'àn zǐ。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī ruò yòu suǒ sī dì huí dá shuō：“ ná xiàn chǎng zuò zhèng jù shì hěn kào bù zhù de。 tā hǎo xiàng kě yǐ zhí jié liǎo dāng dì zhèng shí mǒu yī zhǒng qíng kuàng， dàn shì， rú guǒ nǐ shāo wéi gǎi biàn yī gè guān diǎn， nà nǐ jiù kě néng huì fā xiàn tā tóng yàng hǎo xiàng kě yǐ míng què wú wù dì zhèng shí jiǒng rán bù tóng de lìng yī zhǒng qíng kuàng。 dàn shì， bì xū chéng rèn， àn qíng duì zhè gè nián qīng rén shí fēn bù lì。 tā kě néng què shí jiù shì shā rén fàn。 zài fù jìn dǎo yòu jǐ gè rén， qí zhōng yòu nóng chǎng zhù de nǚ 'ér tè nà xiǎo jiě， xiāng xìn tā shì qīng bái wú gū de， bìng qiě wěi tuō léi sī chuí dé chéng bàn zhè jiàn 'àn zǐ， wéi xiǎo mài kǎ xī de lì yì biàn hù， héng héng nǐ kě néng hái jì dé léi sī chuí dé jiù shì tóng ' xuè zì de yán jiū ' yī 'àn yòu guān de nà gè rén héng héng dàn shì， léi sī chuí dé gǎn dào zhè gè 'àn zǐ xiāng dāng nán bàn 'ér qiú zhù yú wǒ。 yīn cǐ， zhè jiù shì liǎng gè zhōng nián shēn shì yǐ měi xiǎo shí wǔ shí yīng lǐ de sù dù fēi bēn 'ér lái， ér bù zài chī bǎo zǎo cān yǐ hòu liú zài jiā lǐ xiǎng xiǎng qīng fú de yuán gù。”
　　 wǒ shuō：“ wǒ kàn zhè xiē shì shí tài míng xiǎn liǎo， kǒng pà nǐ cóng chǔlǐ zhè gè 'àn zǐ zhōng dé bù dào duō dà de hǎo chù。”
　　 tā xiào zhe huí dá shuō：“ méi yòu bǐ míng xiǎn de shì shí gèng róng yì shǐ nǐ shàngdàng de liǎo。 kuàng qiě wǒ men yě xǔ pèng qiǎo kě yǐ zhǎo dào qí tā yī xiē zài léi sī chuí dé kàn lái bìng bù míng xiǎn de míng xiǎn shì shí。 wǒ shuō， wǒ men jiāng yòng léi sī chuí dé gēn běn méi yòu néng lì shǐ yòng shèn zhì lǐ jiě bù liǎo de fāng fǎ lái kěn dìng huò tuī fān tā de nà yī tào shuō fǎ。 nǐ duì wǒ hěn liǎo jiě， wǒ zhè yàng shuō nǐ bù huì rèn wéi wǒ zài chuī niú bā。 suí biàn jǔ gè lì zǐ bā， wǒ shí fēn qīng chǔ dì kàn dào nǐ wò shì de chuāng hù shì zài yòu biān， ér wǒ huái yí léi sī chuí dé xiān shēng lián zhè yàng yī gè bù yán zì míng de shì shí shì bù shì zhù yì dào liǎo。”
　　“ nà nǐ zěn me néng zhī dào ……”
　　“ wǒ qīn 'ài de huǒ bàn， wǒ duì nǐ hěn liǎo jiě， wǒ zhī dào nǐ yòu jūn rén suǒ tè yòu de nà zhǒng zhěng jié de xí guàn。 nǐ měi tiān zǎo shàng dū guā hú zǐ， zài xiàn zài zhè gè jì jié lǐ， nǐ jiè zhe yáng guāng guā。 nǐ guā zuǒ jiá shí， yuè wǎng xià jiù yuè guā bù gān jìng， zhè yàng guā dào xià bā dǐ xià shí， nà jiù hěn bù gān jìng liǎo。 hěn qīng chǔ， zuǒ biān de guāng xiàn méi yòu yòu biān de hǎo。 wǒ bù néng xiǎng xiàng nǐ zhè yàng 'ài zhěng jié de rén， zài liǎng biān guāng xiàn yī yàng de qíng kuàng xià， bǎ liǎn guā chéng zhè gè yàng zǐ。 wǒ shuō zhè gè xiǎo shì shì ná tā zuò wéi guān chá wèn tí hé tuī lǐ de lì zhèng。 zhè shì wǒ de zhuān cháng， zhè hěn kě néng duì wǒ men dāng qián zhèng zài jìn xíng de diào chá yòu suǒ zhù yì。 suǒ yǐ， duì zài chuán xùn zhōng tí chū de yī liǎng gè cì yào wèn tí zhí dé jiā yǐ kǎo lǜ。”
　　“ nà shì shénme？”
　　“ kàn lái méi yòu dāng chǎng dài bǔ tā， ér shì huí dào hā sè lì nóng chǎng yǐ hòu cái dài bǔ de。 dāng xún guān tōng zhī tā bèi bǔ liǎo de shí hòu， tā shuō， tā duì cǐ bìng bù pò guài， zhè shì tā zuì yòu yìng dé。 tā de zhè duàn huà zì rán qǐ liǎo xiāo chú yàn shī péi shěn tuán xīn mù zhōng hái cún zài de rèn hé yī diǎn huái yí de zuò yòng。”
　　 wǒ jìn bù zhù hǎn dào，“ nà shì zì jǐ tǎn bái jiāo dài。”
　　“ bù shì， yīn wéi suí hòu yòu rén tí chū yì yì shuō， tā shì qīng bái wú gū de。”
　　“ zài fā shēng liǎo zhè me yī xì liè shì jiàn zhī hòu cái yòu rén tí chū yì yì， zhè qǐ mǎ shì shí fēn shǐ rén yí xīn de。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ zhèng xiāng fǎn， nà shì mù qián wǒ zài hēi 'àn zhōng suǒ néng kàn dào de zuì qīng chǔ de yī xiàn guāng máng。 bù guǎn tā shì duō me tiān zhēn， tā bù kě néng yú chǔn dào lián dāng shí de qíng kuàng duì tā shí fēn bù lì zhè yī diǎn dū máng rán wú zhī。 rú guǒ tā bèi bǔ shí biǎo shì jīng yà huò jiǎ zhuāng qì fèn， wǒ dǎo huì bǎ tā dāng zuò shí fēn kě yí de xíng wéi lái kàn dài， yīn wéi zài nà zhǒng qíng kuàng xià biǎo shì jīng yà hé qì fèn kěn dìng shì bù zì rán de， ér duì yī gè guǐ jì duō duān de rén lái shuō， zhè dǎo xiàng shì gè miào jì。 tā tǎn rán chéng rèn dāng shí de qíng kuàng， zhè shuō míng tā yào bù shì qīng bái wú gū， nà jiù shì hěn néng zì wǒ kè zhì de jiān qiáng de rén。 zhì yú tā shuō zuì yòu yìng dé de huà， rú guǒ nǐ kǎo lǜ yī xià jiù huì jué dé tóng yàng bìng fēi shì bù zì rán de， nà jiù shì： tā jiù zhàn zài tā fù qīn de shī tǐ bàng biān， ér qiě háo wú yí wèn qià qià zài zhè yī tiān tā wàng jì liǎo dāng 'ér zǐ de xiào dào， jìng rán hái hé tā fù qīn chǎo qǐ zuǐ lái， shèn zhì zhèng rú nà gè tí gōng shí fēn zhòng yào de zhèng jù de xiǎo nǚ hái suǒ shuō de， hái jǔ qǐ shǒu hǎo xiàng yào dǎ tā shìde。 wǒ kàn tā nà duàn huà lǐ de zì wǒ qiǎn zé hé nèi jiù de biǎo shì shì yī gè shēn xīn jiàn quán de rén 'ér bù shì fàn liǎo zuì de rén de biǎo xiàn。”
　　 wǒ yáo tóu shuō，“ yòu xǔ duō rén zài yuǎn bǐ zhè gè 'àn zǐ de zhèng jù shǎo dé duō de qíng kuàng xià jiù bèi jiǎo sǐ liǎo。”
　　“ tā men shì zhè yàng bèi jiǎo sǐ de。 dàn shì xǔ duō bèi jiǎo sǐ de rén sǐde yuān wǎng。”
　　“ nà gè nián qīng rén zì jǐ shì zěn me jiāo dài de？”
　　“ tā zì jǐ de jiāo dài duì zhī chí tā de rén men gǔ wǔ zuò yòng bù dà， qí zhōng dǎo yòu yī liǎng diǎn gěi rén yī xiē qǐ shì。 nǐ kě yǐ zài zhè lǐ zhǎo dào， nǐ zì jǐ kàn hǎo liǎo。”
　　 tā cóng nà kǔn bào zhǐ zhōng chōu chū yī fèn hè lǐ fú dé jùn dāng dì de bào zhǐ， bǎ qí zhōng yī yè fān zhé guò lái， zhǐ chū nà bù xìng de nián qīng rén duì suǒ fā shēng de qíng kuàng jiāo dài de nà yī dà duàn。 wǒ 'ān wěn dì zuò zài chē xiāng de yī gè jiǎo luò lǐ zhuān xīn zhì zhì dì yuè dú qǐ lái。 qí nèi róng rú xià：
　　 sǐ zhě de dú shēng zǐ zhān mǔ sī · mài kǎ xī xiān shēng dāng shí chū tíng zuò zhèng rú xià：
　　“ wǒ céng lí jiā sān tiān qù bù lǐ sī tuō 'ěr， ér zài shàng xīng qī yī（ sān rì） shàng wǔ huí jiā。 wǒ dào dá shí， fù qīn bù zài jiā， nǚ yōng rén gào sù wǒ， tā hé mǎ chē fū yuē hàn · kē bù qū chē dào luó sī qù liǎo。 wǒ dào jiā bù jiǔ jiù tīng jiàn tā de mǎ chē shǐ jìn yuàn zǐ de shēng yīn， wǒ cóng chuāng kǒu wàng qù， kàn jiàn tā xià chē hòu hěn kuài cóng yuàn zǐ wǎng wài zǒu， wǒ dāng shí bìng bù zhī dào tā yào dào nǎ lǐ qù。 yú shì wǒ ná zhe qiāng màn bù cháo bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng nà gè fāng xiàng zǒu qù， dǎ suàn dào chí táng de nà yī biān de yǎng tù chǎng qù kàn kàn。 zhèng rú liè chǎng kānshǒu rén wēi lián · kè láo dé zài tā de zhèng cí suǒ shuō de wǒ zài lù shàng jiàn dào liǎo tā。 dàn shì tā yǐ wèiwǒ shì zài gēn zōng wǒ fù qīn， nà shì tā gǎo cuò liǎo。 wǒ gēn běn bù zhī dào tā zài wǒ qián miàn。 dāng wǒ zǒu dào jù lí chí táng yòu yī bǎi mǎ de dì fāng de shí hòu wǒ tīng jiàn ' kù yī！ ' de hǎn shēng， zhè hǎn shēng shì wǒ men fù zǐ zhī jiān cháng yòng de xìn hào。 yú shì wǒ gǎn kuài wǎng qián zǒu， fā xiàn tā zhàn zài chí táng bàng biān。 tā dāng shí jiàn dào wǒ hǎo xiàng hěn jīng yà， bìng qiě cū shēng cū píng dì wèn wǒ dào nà lǐ gànshénme。 wǒ men suí jí jiāo tán liǎo yī huì， gēn zhe jiù kāi shǐ zhēng chǎo， bìng qiě jīhū dòng shǒu dǎ liǎo qǐ lái， yīn wéi wǒ fù qīn pí qì hěn bào。 wǒ kàn jiàn tā huǒ qì yuè lái yuè dà， dà dé nán yǐ kòng zhì， biàn lí kāi liǎo tā， zhuǎn shēn fǎn huí hā sè lì nóng chǎng， dàn shì wǒ zǒu liǎo bù guò yī bǎi wǔ shí mǎ zuǒ yòu， biàn tīng dào wǒ bèi hòuzhuàn lái yī shēng kě pà de hǎn jiào， cù shǐ wǒ gǎn kuài zài páo huí qù。 wǒ fā xiàn wǒ fù qīn yǐ jīng qì xī yǎn yǎn tǎng zài dì shàng， tóu bù shòu liǎo zhòng shāng。 wǒ bǎ qiāng rēng zài yī biān， jiāng tā bào qǐ lái， dàn tā jīhū dāng jí duàn liǎo qì。 wǒ guì zài tā shēn bàng yuē jǐ fēn zhōng， rán hòu dào tè nà xiān shēng de kānmén rén nà lǐ qù qiú yuán， yīn wéi tā de fáng zǐ lí wǒ zuì jìn。 dāng wǒ huí dào nà lǐ shí， wǒ méi yòu kàn jiàn rèn hé rén zài wǒ fù qīn fù jìn， wǒ gēn běn bù zhī dào tā shì zěn me shòu shāng de。 tā bù shì yī gè hěn dé rén xīn de rén， yīn wéi tā dài rén lěng dàn， jǔ zhǐ lìng rén wàng 'ér shēng wèi； dàn shì， jiù wǒ suǒ zhī， tā méi yòu xiàn zài yào gēn tā suàn zhàng de dí rén。 wǒ duì zhè jiàn shì jiù liǎo jiě zhè me xiē。”
　　 yàn shī guān：“ nǐ fù qīn lín zhōng qián duì nǐ shuō guò shénme méi yòu？”
　　 zhèng rén：“ tā hán hú bù qīng dì shuō liǎo jǐ jù huà， dàn wǒ zhǐ tīng dào tā hǎo xiàng tí dào yī gè ' lā tè '。”
　　 yàn shī guān：“ nǐ rèn wéi zhè huà shì shénme yì sī？”
　　 zhèng rén：“ wǒ bù dǒng tā shì shénme yì sī， wǒ rèn wéi tā dāng shí yǐ jīng shén zhì hūn mí。”
　　 yàn shī guān：“ nǐ hé nǐ fù qīn zuì hòu yī cì zhēng chǎo de yuán yīn shì shénme？”
　　 zhèng rén：“ wǒ bù xiǎng huí dá zhè gè wèn tí。”
　　 yàn shī guān：“ kàn lái wǒ bì xū jiān chí yào nǐ huí dá。”
　　 zhèng rén：“ wǒ zhēn de bù kě néng gào sù nǐ。 wǒ kě yǐ xiàng nǐ bǎo zhèng， zhè hé suí hòu fā shēng de cǎn 'àn háo wú guān xì。”
　　 yàn shī guān：“ zhè yào yóu fǎ tíng lái cái jué。 wǒ wú xū xiàng nǐ zhǐ chū nǐ yě gāi míng bái， jù jué huí dá wèn tí， zài jiāng lái kě néng tí chū qǐ sù shí， duì yú nǐ de 'àn qíng jiāng xiāng dāng bù lì de。”
　　 zhèng rén：“ wǒ réng rán yào jiān chí jù jué huí dá。”
　　 yàn shī guān：“ jù wǒ liǎo jiě， ‘ kù yī ' de hǎn shēng shì nǐ men fù zǐ zhī jiān cháng yòng de xìn hào。”
　　 zhèng rén：“ shì de。”
　　 yàn shī guān：“ nà me， tā hái méi yòu jiàn dào nǐ， shèn zhì hái bù zhī dào nǐ yǐ cóng bù lǐ sī tuō 'ěr huí lái jiù hǎn zhè gè xìn hào， nà shì zěn me huí shì ní？”
　　 zhèng rén（ xiǎn dé xiāng dāng huāng luàn）：“ zhè gè， wǒ kě bù zhī dào。”
　　 yī gè péi shěn yuán：“ dāng nǐ tīng dào hǎn shēng， bìng qiě fā xiàn nǐ fù qīn shòu zhòng shāng de shí hòu， nǐ méi yòu kàn jiàn shénme yǐn qǐ nǐ huái yí de dōng xī má？”
　　 zhèng rén：“ méi yòu shénme què qiē de dōng xī。”
　　 yàn shī guān：“ nǐ zhè huà shì shénme yì sī？”
　　 zhèng rén：“ wǒ gǎn jǐn páo dào nà kōng dì de shí hòu， sī xiǎng hěn luàn， hěn jǐn zhāng， wǒ nǎo zǐ lǐ zhǐ shì xiǎng dào wǒ de fù qīn。 bù guò， wǒ yòu zhè me yī gè mó hú de yìn xiàng： zài wǒ wǎng qián páo de shí hòu， zài wǒ zuǒ biān dì shàng yòu yī jiàn dōng xī。 tā hǎo xiàng shì huī sè de， fǎng fó shì dà yī zhī lèi de dōng xī， yě kě néng shì jiàn fāng gé ní de pī fēng。 dāng wǒ cóng wǒ fù qīn shēn biān zhàn qǐ lái shí， wǒ zhuǎn shēn qù zhǎo tā， dàn tā yǐ jīng wú yǐng wú zōng liǎo。”
　　“ nǐ shì shuō， zài nǐ qù qiú yuán zhī qián jiù yǐ jīng bù jiàn liǎo？”
　　“ shì de， yǐ jīng bù jiàn liǎo。”
　　“ nǐ bù néng kěn dìng tā shì shénme dōng xī？”
　　“ bù néng kěn dìng， wǒ zhǐ gǎn dào nà lǐ yòu jiàn dōng xī。”
　　“ tā lí shī tǐ yòu duō yuǎn？”
　　“ dà yuē shí jǐ mǎ yuǎn。”
　　“ lí shù lín biān yuán yòu duō yuǎn？”
　　“ chàbù duō tóng yàng jù lí。”
　　“ nà me， rú guǒ yòu rén bǎ tā ná zǒu， nà shì zài nǐ lí kāi tā zhǐ yòu shí jǐ mǎ yuǎn de shí hòu。”
　　“ shì de， dàn nà shì zài wǒ bèi xiàng zhe tā de shí hòu。”
　　 duì zhèng rén de shěn xùn dào cǐ jié shù。
　　 wǒ yī miàn kàn zhè gè zhuān lán yī miàn shuō，“ wǒ jué dé yàn shī guān zuì hòu shuō de nà jǐ jù huà duì xiǎo mài kǎ xī xiāng dāng yán lì。 tā yòu lǐ yóu lái tí xǐng zhèng rén zhù yì gòngcí zhōng xiāng hù máo dùn de dì fāng， nà jiù shì tā fù qīn hái méi yòu jiàn dào tā shí jiù gěi tā fā chū xìn hào； tā hái yào qiú zhèng rén zhù yì， tā jù jué jiāo dài tā hé tā fù qīn tán huà de xì jié yǐ jí tā zài xù shù sǐ zhě lín zhōng qián shuō de huà shí suǒ jiǎng de nà xiē pò tè de huà。 tā shuō， suǒ yòu zhè yī qiēdōu shì duì zhè gè 'ér zǐ shí fēn bù lì de。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī 'àn zì hǎo xiào。 tā shēn zhe tuǐ bàn tǎng zài ruǎn diàn kào yǐ shàng， shuō：“ nǐ hé yàn shī guān dū lì tú tū chū zuì yòu shuō fú lì de yào diǎn， shǐ zhī duì zhè gè nián qīng rén bù lì。 kě shì nán dào nǐ hái bù míng bái， nǐ shí 'ér shuō zhè gè nián qīng rén xiǎng xiàng lì tài fēng fù， shí 'ér yòu shuō tā tài quē fá xiǎng xiàng lì， zhè shì shénme yì sī ní？ tài quē fá xiǎng xiàng lì， yīn wéi tā wèi néng biān zào tā hé tā fù qīn chǎo jià de yuán yīn lái bó dé péi shěn tuán de tóng qíng； xiǎng xiàng lì tài fēng fù， yīn wéi cóng tā zì jǐ de nèi zài gǎn guān fā chū liǎo kuā dà qí cí de suǒ wèi sǐ zhě lín zhōng qián tí jí de ' lā tè ' de guài jiào shēng， hái yòu nà hū rán jiān bù jiàn liǎo de yī fú。 bù shì zhè yàng de， xiān shēng， wǒ jiāng cóng zhè gè nián qīng rén suǒ shuō de shì shí qíng zhè yàng yī gè guān diǎn chū fā qù chǔlǐ zhè gè 'àn zǐ， wǒ men kàn kàn zhè yī jiǎ shè néng bǎ wǒ men yǐn dào nǎ lǐ。 zhè shì wǒ de bǐ tè lā kè shī jí xiù zhēn běn， nǐ ná① qù kàn bā。 wǒ zài qīn lín zuò 'àn xiàn chǎng zhī qián， bù xiǎng zài shuō yī jù guān yú zhè gè 'àn zǐ de huà liǎo。 wǒ men qù sī wēn dēng chī wǔ fàn。 wǒ kàn wǒ men zài 'èr shí fēn zhōng nèi jiù kě yǐ dào nà lǐ。”
　　 dāng wǒ men jīng guò fēng jǐng xiù lì de sī tè láo dé xī gǔ， yuè guò liǎo hé miàn hěn kuān、 shǎn shǎn fā guāng de sài wén hé zhī hòu， zhōng yú dào dá luó sī zhè gè fēng jǐng yí rén de xiǎo xiāng zhèn。 yī gè xì cháng gè zǐ、 mào sì zhēn tàn、 guǐ mì jiǎo zhà de nán rén zhèng zài zhàn tái shàng děng hòu wǒ men。 jìn guǎn tā zūn zhào zhōu wéi nóng cūn de xí guàn chuān liǎo qiǎn zōng sè de fēng yī hé dǎ liǎo pí guǒ tuǐ， wǒ hái shì yī yǎn jiù rèn chū tā shì sū gé lán chǎng de léi sī chuí dé。 wǒ men hé tā yī dào chéng chē dào hè lǐ fú dé 'ā mǔ sī lǚ guǎn， zài nà lǐ yǐ jīng wèiwǒ men yù yuē liǎo fáng jiān。
　　 dāng wǒ men zuò xià lái hē chá de shí hòu， léi sī chuí dé shuō：“ wǒ yǐ jīng gù liǎo yī liàng mǎ chē。 wǒ zhī dào nǐ de gāng yì de gè xìng， nǐ shì hèn bù dé mǎ shàng jiù dào zuò 'àn de xiàn chǎng qù de。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī huí dá shuō：“ nǐ shí zài tài kè qì liǎo。 qù bù qù quán qǔ jué yú qíng yǔ biǎo duō shǎo dù。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé tīng liǎo zhè huà wéi zhī 'ě rán。 tā shuō：“ wǒ méi yòu tīng dǒng nǐ zhè huà shì shénme yì sī。”
　　① zhuān xiě shí sì xíng shī de yì dà lì zhù míng shī rén。 héng héng yì zhě zhù
　　“ shuǐ yín zhù shàng shì duō shǎo dù？ wǒ kàn shì 'èr shí jiǔ dù。 méi yòu fēng， tiān shàng wú yún。 wǒ zhè lǐ yòu zhěng zhěng yī hé děng zhe yào chōu de xiāng yān， ér zhè lǐ de shā fā yòu bǐ yī bān nóng cūn lǚ guǎn tǎo yàn de chén shè yào hǎo dé duō。 wǒ xiǎng jīn wǎn wǒ dà gài bù yòng mǎ chē liǎo bā。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé fàng shēng dà xiào qǐ lái。 tā shuō：“ nǐ wú yí yǐ jīng gēn jù bào zhǐ shàng de bào dào xià liǎo jié lùn。 zhè gè 'àn zǐ de 'àn qíng shì yī qīng 'èr chǔ de， nǐ yù shì shēn rù liǎo jiě jiù yù shì qīng chǔ。 dāng rán， wǒ men yě què shí shì bù hǎo jù jué zhè yàng yī wèi míng fù qí shí de nǚ shì de yào qiú。 tā tīng shuō guò nǐ de dà míng， tā yào zhēng xún nǐ de yì jiàn， suī rán wǒ yī zài duì tā shuō， fán shì wǒdōu bàn bù dào de shì， nǐ yě shì bàn bù dào de。 ā， wǒ de tiān yā！ tā de mǎ chē yǐ jīng dào liǎo mén qián。”
　　 tā de huà yīn gāng luò， yī wèi wǒ yòu shēng yǐ lái jiàn dào guò de zuì xiù lì de nián qīng fù nǚ jí cù dì zǒu jìn liǎo wǒ men de fáng jiān。 tā lán sè de yǎn jīng jīng yíng míng liàng， shuāng chún zhāng kāi， liǎng jiá wēi lù hóng yùn， tā dāng shí shì nà me jī dòng， nà me yōu xīn chōng chōng， yǐ zhì bǎ tā tiān shēng de yǔn e chí yě pāo dào jiǔ xiāo yún wài liǎo。
　　 tā hǎn liǎo shēng：“ ō， xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， " tóng shí lún liú dǎliang wǒ men liǎng gè rén， zhōng yú píng zhe yī gè nǚ rén de jī mǐn de zhí jué níng shì zhe wǒ de tóng bàn，“ nǐ lái liǎo wǒ hěn gāo xīng， wǒ gǎn dào zhè lǐ lái shì wéi liǎo xiàng nǐ shuō míng， wǒ zhī dào zhān mǔ sī bù shì xiōng shǒu。 wǒ xī wàng nǐ kāi shǐ zhēn chá shí jiù zhī dào zhè diǎn， bù yào ràng nǐ zì jǐ huái yí zhè yī diǎn。 wǒ men cóng xiǎo jiù hù xiāng liǎo jiě， wǒ duì tā de quē diǎn bǐ shuídōu qīng chǔ； tā zhè gè rén xīn ruǎn de hěn， lián gè cāng yíng dōubù kěn shāng hài。 fán shì zhēn zhèng liǎo jiě tā de réndōu rèn wéi zhè zhǒng kòng gào tài huāng miù liǎo。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ wǒ xī wàng wǒ men néng gòu wèitā chéng qīng。 qǐng xiāng xìn wǒ， wǒ yī dìng jìn lì 'ér wéi。”
　　“ nǐ yǐ jīng kàn guò liǎo zhèng cí。 nǐ yǐ jīng yòu liǎo mǒu yī xiē jié lùn liǎo bā？ nǐ méi yòu kàn chū qí zhōng yòu lòu dòng hé máo bìng má？ nán dào nǐ zì jǐ bù rèn wéi tā shì wú gū de má？”
　　“ wǒ xiǎng hěn kě néng shì wú gū de。”
　　 tā bǎ tóu wǎng hòu yī yǎng， yǐ qīng miè de yǎn guāng kàn zhe léi sī chuí dé dà shēng dì shuō： " hǎo lā！ nǐ zhù yì tīng zhe！ tā gěi liǎo wǒ xī wàng。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé sǒng liǎo sǒng jiān。 tā shuō：“ wǒ kàn wǒ de tóng shì jié lùn xià dé tài qīng shuài liǎo bā。”
　　“ dàn shì， tā shì zhèng què de。 ō！ wǒ zhī dào tā shì zhèng què de。 zhān mǔ sī jué méi yòu gān zhè zhǒng shì。 zhì yú tā hé tā fù qīn zhēng chǎo de yuán yīn， wǒ gǎn kěn dìng， tā zhī suǒ yǐ bù yuàn yì duì yàn shī guān jiǎng shì yīn wéi zhè qiān shè dào wǒ。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī wèn dào：“ nà shì zěn yàng qiān shè dào nǐ de ní？”
　　“ shí jiān yǐ bù yǔn xǔ wǒ zài yòu rèn hé yǐn mán liǎo。 zhān mǔ sī hé tā fù qīn wèile wǒ de yuán gù yòu hěn dà fēn qí。 mài kǎ xī xiān shēng qì qiē xī wàng wǒ men jié hūn。 wǒ hé zhān mǔ sī cóng xiǎo jiù xiàng xiōng mèi yī yàng xiāng 'ài。 dāng rán， tā hái nián qīng， quē fá shēng huó jīng yàn， ér qiě…… ér qiě…… wú， tā zì rán hái bù xiǎng xiàn zài mǎ shàng jié hūn。 suǒ yǐ tā men chǎo liǎo qǐ lái。 wǒ kěn dìng zhè shì chǎo jià de yuán yīn zhī yī。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī wèn dào：“ nà nǐ de fù qīn ní？ tā tóng yì zhè mén qīn shì má？”
　　“ bù， tā yě fǎn duì。 zàn chéng de zhǐ yòu mài kǎ xī xiān shēng yī gè rén。”
　　 dāng fú 'ěr mó sī biǎo shì huái yí de yǎn guāng tóu xiàng tā shí， tā xiān yàn de、 nián qīng de liǎn hū rán hóng liǎo yī xià。
　　 tā shuō：“ xiè xiè nǐ tí gōng zhè gè qíng kuàng。 rú guǒ wǒ míng tiān dēng mén bài fǎng， wǒ kě yǐ huì jiàn nǐ fù qīn má？”
　　“ wǒ kǒng pà yī shēng bù huì tóng yì nǐ jiàn tā。”
　　“ yī shēng？”
　　“ shì de， nǐ méi yòu tīng shuō má？ kě lián de fù qīn jiàn kāng bù jiā yǐ jīng duō nián liǎo， ér zhè jiàn shì shǐ tā shēn tǐ wán quán kuǎ liǎo。 tā bù dé bù wò bìng zài chuáng， wēi luó yī shēng shuō， tā de jiàn kāng shòu dào jí dù sǔn huài， tā de shén jīng xì tǒng jí dù shuāi ruò。 mài kǎ xī xiān shēng shēng qián shì wǎng rì zài wéi duō lì yà wéi yī rèn shí wǒ fù qīn de rén。”
　　“ hā！ zài wéi duō lì yà！ zhè hěn zhòng yào。”
　　“ shì de， zài kuàng chǎng。”
　　“ zhè jiù duì lā， zài jīn kuàng chǎng； jù wǒ liǎo jiě， tè nà xiān shēng shì zài nà lǐ fā liǎo cái de。”
　　“ shì de， què shí zhè yàng。”
　　“ xiè xiè nǐ， tè nà xiǎo jiě。 nǐ gěi liǎo wǒ yòu zhòng yào yì yì de bāng zhù。”
　　“ rú guǒ nǐ míng tiān dé dào rèn hé xiāo xī de huà， qǐng jí gào sù wǒ。 nǐ yī dìng huì qù jiān yù kàn zhān mǔ sī de。 ō， rú guǒ nǐ qù liǎo， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， wù bì gào sù tā， wǒ zhī dào tā shì wú gū de。”
　　“ wǒ yī dìng zhào bàn， tè nà xiǎo jiě。”
　　“ wǒ xiàn zài bì xū huí jiā liǎo， yīn wéi wǒ bà bà bìng dé hěn lì hài， ér qiě wǒ lí kāi tā de shí hòu tā zǒng shì hěn bù fàng xīn。 zài jiàn， shàng dì bǎo yòu nǐ men yī qiē shùn lì。” tā lí kāi wǒ men fáng jiān de shí hòu， yě shì tóng jìn lái shí nà yàng de jī dòng 'ér yòu jí cù。 wǒ men suí jí tīng dào tā chéng zuò de mǎ chē zài jiē shàng xíng shǐ shí lín lín de chē lún gǔn dòng shēng。
　　 léi sī chuí dé zài chén mò liǎo jǐ fēn zhōng yǐ hòu yán sù dì shuō：“ fú 'ěr mó sī， wǒ zhēn tì nǐ gǎn dào xiū kuì。 nǐ wèishénme yào jiào rén jiā duì háo wú xī wàng de shì bào xī wàng ní？ wǒ zì jǐ bù shì gè ruǎn xīn cháng de rén， dàn shì， wǒ rèn wéi nǐ zhè yàng zuò tài cán rěn liǎo。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ wǒ rèn wéi wǒ néng xiǎng bàn fǎ wéi zhān mǔ sī · mài kǎ xī zhāo xuě。 nǐ yòu méi yòu dé dào zhǔn xǔ dào jiān yù lǐ qù kàn tā de mìng lìng？”
　　“ yòu， dàn zhǐ yòu nǐ hé wǒ kě yǐ qù。”
　　“ nà me， wǒ yào chóngxīn kǎo lǜ shì fǒu yào chū qù de jué dìng liǎo。 wǒ men jīn tiān wǎn shàng hái yòu shí jiān chéng huǒ chē dào hè lǐ fú dé qù kàn tā má？”
　　“ shí jiān yòu de shì。”
　　“ nà me wǒ men jiù zhè me bàn bā。 huá shēng， wǒ pà nǐ huì jué dé shì qíng jìn xíng dé tài màn liǎo， bù guò， wǒ zhè cì qù zhǐ yào yī liǎng gè xiǎo shí jiù gòu liǎo。”
　　 wǒ hé tā men yī dào bù xíng dào huǒ chē zhàn， rán hòu zài zhè gè xiǎo chéng zhèn de jiē tóu xián guàng liǎo yī huì 'ér， zuì hòu hái shì huí dào liǎo lǚ guǎn。 wǒ tǎng zài lǚ guǎn de shā fā shàng， ná qǐ yī běn huáng fēng miàn de lián jià de tōng sú xiǎo shuō， xī wàng cóng zhōng dé dào yī xiē qù wèi， yǐ zī xiāo qiǎn。 dàn shì nà wēi bù zú dào de xiǎo shuō qíng jié tóng wǒ men zhèng zài zhēn chá de shēn 'ào mò cè de 'àn qíng xiāng bǐ xiǎn dé shí fēn fū qiǎn。 yīn cǐ， wǒ de zhù yì lì bù duàn dì cóng xiǎo shuō xū gòu de qíng jié zhuǎn yí dào dāng qián de xiàn shí shàng lái， zuì hòu wǒ zhōng yú bǎ nà běn xiǎo shuō rēng dé yuǎn yuǎn de， quán shén guàn zhù dì qù kǎo lǜ dāng tiān suǒ fā shēng de shì jiàn。 jiǎ dìng shuō zhè gè bù xìng de qīng nián rén suǒ shuō de shì qíng jīng guò wán quán shǔ shí， nà me， cóng tā lí kāi tā fù qīn dào tīng dào tā fù qīn de jiān shēng jiào hǎn 'ér jí máng gǎn huí dào nà lín jiān kōng dì de chà nà zhī jiān， jiū jìng fā shēng liǎo shénme guài shì， fā shēng liǎo shénme wán quán yì xiǎng bù dào hé yì hū xún cháng de zāinàn ní？ zhè shì mǒu zhǒng hài rén tīng wén de tū rán shì gù。 dàn shì zhè kě néng shì shénme yàng de shì gù ní？ nán dào wǒ bù néng qǐ wǒ yī shēng de zhí jué cóng sǐ zhě de shāng hén shàng kàn chū diǎn wèn tí má？ wǒ lā líng jiào rén bǎ xiàn lǐ chū bǎn de zhōu bào sòng lái。 zhōu bào shàng zài yòu zhú zì zhú jù de shěn xùn jì lù。 zài fǎ yī de yàn shī zhèng míng shū shàng xiě dào： sǐ zhě nǎo hòu de dì sān gè zuǒ dǐng gǔ hé zhěn gǔ de zuǒ bàn bù yīn shòu dào bèn zhòng wǔ qì de yī xià měng jī 'ér pò liè。 wǒ zài zì jǐ tóu bù bǐ huá nà bèi měng jī de wèi zhì， xiǎn 'ér yì jiàn， zhè yī měng jī shì lái zì sǐ zhě bèi hòu de。 zhè yī qíng kuàng zài mǒu zhǒng chéng dù shàng duì bèi gào yòu lì， yīn wéi yòu rén kàn jiàn tā shì hé tā fù qīn miàn duì miàn zhēng chǎo de。 bù guò， zhè yī diǎn dào dǐ shuō míng bù liǎo duō dà wèn tí， yīn wéi sǐ zhě yě kě néng shì zài tā zhuǎn guò shēn qù yǐ hòu bèi dǎ sǐ de。 bù guǎn zěn me yàng， tí xǐng fú 'ěr mó sī zhù yì zhè yī diǎn yě xǔ hái shì zhí dé de。 cǐ wài， nà gè rén sǐ de shí hòu tè bié hǎn liǎo yī shēng " lā tè "。 zhè kě néng yì wèi zhe shénme ní？ zhè bù kě néng shì shén zhì hūn mí shí shuō de yì yǔ。 yī bān lái shuō， bèi tū rán yī jī 'ér bīn lín sǐ wáng de rén shì bù huì shuō yì yǔ de。 bù huì de， zhè sì hū gèng xiàng shì xiǎng shuō míng tā shì zěn me yù hài de。 kě shì， nà tā yòu néng shuō míng shénme ní？ wèile zhǎo dào yán zhī chéng lǐ de jiě shì， wǒ jiǎo jìn liǎo nǎo zhī。 hái yòu xiǎo mài kǎ xī kàn jiàn huī sè yī fú de shì jiàn。 rú guǒ zhè yī qíng kuàng shǔ shí， nà me xiōng shǒu yī dìng shì zài táo páo shí diào xià liǎo shēn shàng chuān de yī fú， yě xǔ shì tā de dà yī， ér qiě tā jū rán dǎn gǎn zài zhèng dāng xiǎo mài kǎ xī guì xià lái de yī shùn jiān， yě jiù shì zài tā bèi hòu bù guò shí jǐ bù de dì fāng bǎ diào xià de yī fú qǔ zǒu。 zhè zhěng gè 'àn qíng shì duō me cuò zōng fù zá， bù kě sī yì 'ā！ duì yú léi sī chuí dé de yī xiē yì jiàn， wǒ bìng bù jué dé pò guài。 dàn shì， yóu yú wǒ duì xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī de dòng chá lì yòu hěn dà xìn xīn， suǒ yǐ， zhǐ yào bù duàn dì yòu xīn de shì shí lái jiā qiáng tā rèn wéi xiǎo mài kǎ xī shì wú gū de zhè yī xìn niàn， nà me wǒ rèn wéi bù shì méi yòu xī wàng de。
　　 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī huí lái dé hěn wǎn。 yīn wéi léi sī chuí dé zài chéng lǐ zhù xià liǎo， tā shì yī gè rén huí lái de。
　　 tā zuò xià lái de shí hòu shuō，“ qíng yǔ biǎo de shuǐ yín zhù réng rán hěn gāo， xī wàng zài wǒ men jiǎn chá xiàn chǎng zhī qián qiān wàn bù yào xià yǔ， zhè shì guān zhòng dà。 lìng yī fāng miàn， wǒ men qù zuò zhè zhǒng xì zhì de gōng zuò bì xū jīng shén shí fēn bǎo mǎn、 shí fēn mǐn ruì cái xíng。 wǒ men bù xī wàng yóu yú cháng tú bá shè 'ér pí láo bù kān de shí hòu qù zuò zhè gè gōng zuò。 wǒ jiàn dào liǎo xiǎo mài kǎ xī。”
　　“ nǐ cóng tā nà lǐ liǎo jiě dào shénme qíng kuàng？”
　　“ méi yòu liǎo jiě dào shénme qíng kuàng。”
　　“ tā bù néng tí gōng diǎn xiàn suǒ má？”
　　“ tā yī diǎn xiàn suǒ yě tí gōng bù liǎo。 wǒ yī dù yòu guò zhè yàng de xiǎng fǎ： tā zhī dào nà shì shuí gān de， ér tā shì zài wèitā huò tā yǎn gài。 dàn shì， wǒ xiàn zài què xìn， tā hé bié rén yī yàng duì zhè jiàn shì mí huò bù jiě。 tā bù shì yī gè hěn jī mǐn de qīng nián， suī rán xiàngmào hěn piào liàng， wǒ dǎo jué dé tā xīn dì hái shì zhōng shí kě kào de。”
　　 wǒ shuō：“ rú guǒ tā zhēn de bù yuàn yì hé xiàng tè nà xiǎo jiě zhè yàng shí fēn yòu mèi lì de nián qīng gū niàn jié hūn de huà， nà wǒ rèn wéi tā zhēn tài méi yòu yǎn lì liǎo。”
　　“ ō， zhè lǐ miàn hái yòu yī zhuāng xiāng dāng tòng kǔ de gù shì li。 zhè gè xiǎo huǒ zǐ 'ài tā 'ài dé fā liǎo fēng shìde。 dàn shì， dà yuē liǎng nián qián， nà shí tā hái bù guò shì gè shàonián， yě jiù shì zài tā zhēn zhèng liǎo jiě tā yǐ qián， tā céng jīng lí jiā wǔ nián， zài yī suǒ jì sù xué xiào dú shū。 zhè gè shǎ guā zài bù lǐ sī tuō 'ěr bèi yī gè jiǔ bā nǚ láng chán zhù， bìng zài hūn yīn dēng jì suǒ hé tā dēng jì jié hūn， nǐ kàn tā yòu duō shǎ？ shuí yě bù zhī dào yòu zhè jiàn shì， ér nǐ kě yǐ xiǎng xiàng tā gān liǎo zhè jiàn shǎ shì zhī hòu shì duō me zháojí， yīn wéi tā méi yòu zuò tā xiǎn rán yīnggāi zuò de shì， ér shì zuò liǎo tā zì jǐ míng zhī shì jué duì bù yīnggāi zuò de shì。 zhè yàng tā shì yào shòu zé bèi de。 dāng tā fù qīn zài zuì hòu yī cì hé tā tán huà zhōng jí lì quàn tā xiàng tè nà xiǎo jiě qiú hūn de shí hòu， tā jiù shì yīn wéi céng gān liǎo nà jiàn shí zú fēng kuáng de chǔn shì 'ér jí dé shuāng bì luàn wǔ de。 ér qiě， tā wú lì gòngyǎng zì jǐ， ér tā de fù qīn wéi rén shí fēn kè bó， rú guǒ tā zhī dào shí qíng， kěn dìng huì chè dǐ pāo qí tā de。 qián sān tiān tā shì zài bù lǐ sī tuō 'ěr hé tā de nà gè dāng jiǔ bā nǚ láng de qī zǐ yī qǐ dù guò de。 dāng shí tā fù qīn duì tā shēn zài hé chù， quán wú suǒ zhī。 qǐng zhù yì zhè yī diǎn。 zhè shì hěn zhòng yào de。 dàn shì， huài shì biàn chéng liǎo hǎo shì。 nà gè jiǔ bā nǚ láng cóng bào shàng kàn dào tā shēn xiàn líng yǔ， àn qíng yán zhòng， kě néng bèi chù jiǎo xíng， yú shì gān cuì jiāng tā pāo qì liǎo。 tā xiě xìn gào sù tā， tā yuán shì yòu fū zhī fù， cǐ rén zài bǎi mù dà mǎ tóu gōng zuò， suǒ yǐ zài tā men zhī jiān bìng méi yòu zhēn zhèng de fū qī guān xì。 wǒ xiǎng zhè yī xiāo xī duì bèi shòu kǔ nán de xiǎo mài kǎ xī shì yī zhǒng gào wèi。”
　　“ dàn shì， rú guǒ tā shì wú gū de， nà yòu shì shuí gān de ní？”
　　“ ò！ shì shuí má？ wǒ yào tí xǐng nǐ tè bié zhù yì liǎng diǎn。 dì yī， bèi móu shā zhě hé mǒu rén yuē dìng zài chí táng jiàn miàn， zhè gè rén bù kě néng shì tā de 'ér zǐ， yīn wéi tā de 'ér zǐ zhèng zài wài miàn， tā bù zhī dào tā shénme shí hòu huí lái。 dì 'èr， zài bèi móu shā zhě zhī dào tā 'ér zǐ yǐ jīng huí lái zhī qián， yòu rén tīng jiàn tā dà shēng hǎn ' kù yī '！ zhè liǎng diǎn shì néng fǒu pò 'àn de guān jiàn。 xiàn zài， rú guǒ nǐ lè yì de huà， ràng wǒ men lái tán tán qiáo zhì · méi ruì qiū sī bā。 nà xiē cì yào de wèn tí wǒ men míng tiān zài shuō bā。 "①
　　 zhèng rú fú 'ěr mó sī yù yán de， nà tiān méi yòu xià yǔ， yī qīng zǎo jiù shì qíng kōng wàn lǐ。 shàng wǔ jiǔ shí， léi sī chuí dé chéng zuò mǎ chē lái yāo wǒ men。 wǒ men suí jí dòng shēn dào hā sè lì nóng chǎng hé bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng qù。
　　 léi sī chuí dé shuō：“ jīn tiān zǎo shàng yòu zhòng dà xīn wén。 jù shuō zhuāng yuán lǐ de tè nà xiān shēng bìng shì yán zhòng， yǐ jīng wēi zài dàn xī。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ wǒ xiǎng tā dà gài shì gè lǎo tóu 'ér bā。”
　　“ liù shí suì zuǒ yòu， tā qiáo jū guó wài shí shēn tǐ jiù yǐ jīng nòng kuǎ liǎo， tā jiàn kāng shuāi tuì yǐ yòu nián yuè liǎo。 xiàn zài zhè jiàn shì shǐ tā shēn shòu bù liáng yǐng xiǎng。 tā shì mài kǎ xī de lǎo péng yǒu liǎo， ér qiě wǒ hái kě yǐ bǔ chōng shuō yī jù huà， tā tóng shí hái shì mài kǎ xī de yī gè dà 'ēn rén ní， yīn wéi wǒ liǎo jiě dào， tā bǎ hā sè lì nóng chǎng zū gěi mài kǎ xī， lián zū jīn dōubù yào。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ zhēn de！ zhè dǎo hěn yòu qù。”
　　“ ō， shì de！ tā qiān fāng bǎi jì dì bāng zhù tā， zhè yī dài de rén wú bù chēng dào tā duì tā de rén cí yǒu 'ài。”
　　“ zhēn de shì zhè yàng？ nà me zhè gè mài kǎ xī kàn lái běn lái shì yī wú suǒ yòu de， tā shòu liǎo tè nà nà me duō de 'ēn huì， jìng rán hái shuō yào tā de 'ér zǐ hé tè nà de nǚ 'ér jié hūn， ér qiě zhè gè nǚ 'ér kě xiǎng 'ér zhī shì quán bù chǎn yè de jì chéng rén， ér qiě cǎi qǔ de tài dù yòu shì rú cǐ de jiāo héng， hǎo xiàng zhè bù guò shì yī xiàng jìhuà， zhǐ yào yī tí chū lái， suǒ yòu qí tā de réndōu bì xū zūn xún shìde。 nǐ men duì zhè yī qièbù gǎn dào yòu diǎn pò guài má？ yóu qí shì， wǒ men zhī dào tè nà běn rén shì fǎn duì zhè mén qīn shì de， nà
　　① yīng guó zhù míng wén xué jiā。 héng héng yì zhě zhù bù shì gèng pò guài liǎo má？ zhè xiē dōushì tè nà de nǚ 'ér qīn kǒu gào sù wǒ men de。 nǐ méi yòu cóng zhè xiē qíng kuàng zhōng tuī duàn chū diǎn shénme lái má？”
　　 léi sī chuí dé yī miàn duì wǒ shǐ liǎo gè yǎn sè yī miàn shuō：“ wǒ men yǐ jīng yòng yǎn yì fǎ lái tuī duàn guò liǎo。 fú 'ěr mó sī， wǒ jué dé， bù qù qīng shuài dì kōng fā yì lùn hé xiǎng rù fēi fēi， zhuān mén qù diào chá hé shí shì shí jiù yǐ jīng gòu nán bàn de liǎo。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī hěn yòu fēng qù dì shuō：“ nǐ shuō dé duì， nǐ què shí jué dé hé shí shì shí hěn nán bàn。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé yòu diǎn jī dòng dì huí dá shuō：“ bù guǎn zěn me yàng， wǒ yǐ jīng zhǎng wò liǎo yī gè nǐ sì hū nán yǐ zhǎng wò de shì shí。”
　　“ nà jiù shì……”
　　“ nà jiù shì mài kǎ xī sǐ yú xiǎo mài kǎ xī zhī shǒu， yǔ cǐ xiāng fǎn de yī qiē shuō fǎ dōushì kōng tán。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī xiào zhe shuō：“ wú， yuè guāng zǒng bǐ mí wù yào míng liàng xiē。 zuǒ biān bù① jiù shì hā sè lì nóng chǎng liǎo má， nǐ men kàn shì bù shì？”
　　“ shì de， nà jiù shì。”
　　 nà shì yī suǒ zhàn dì miàn jī hěn dà、 yàng shì lìng rén gǎn dào shū shì qiè yì de liǎng céng shí bǎn wǎ dǐng lóu fáng， huī sè de qiáng shàng cháng zhe de huáng sè tái xiǎn。 rán 'ér chuāng lián dī chuí， yān cōng yě bù mào yān， xiǎn dé hěn qī liáng de yàng zǐ， fǎng fó zhè cì shì jiàn de kǒng bù qì fēn réng rán chén diàn diàn dì yā zài tā de shàng miàn shìde。 wǒ men zài mén kǒu jiào mén， lǐ miàn de nǚ pú yìng fú 'ěr mó sī de yào qiú， ràng wǒ men kàn liǎo tā zhù rén sǐ de shí hòu chuān de nà shuāng xuē zǐ， yě ràng wǒ men kàn liǎo tā 'ér zǐ de yī shuāng xuē zǐ， suī rán bù shì tā dāng shí chuānzhuó de nà shuāng。 fú 'ěr mó sī zài zhè xiē xuē zǐ shàng de qī bā gè bù tóng bù wèi
　　① yuán wén ｍ ｏｏ ｎ ｓ ｈ ｉｎ ｅ jì kě dāng kōng tán jiǎng， yě kě dāng zuò yuè guāng jiǎng。 zhè lǐ shì shuāng guān yǔ。 héng héng yì zhě zhù zǎi xì liàng liǎo yī liàng zhī hòu， yào qiú nǚ pú bǎ wǒ men lǐng dào yuàn zǐ lǐ qù， wǒ men cóng yuàn lǐ yán zhe yī tiáo wān wān qū qū de xiǎo lù zǒu dào bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng。
　　 měi dāng fú 'ěr mó sī zhè yàng rèqiè dì tàn jiū xì suǒ de shí hòu， tā biàn dé hé yuán lái pàn ruò liǎng rén。 zhǐ shú xī bèi kè jiē nà gè chén mò guǎ yán de sī xiǎng jiā hé luó ji xué jiā de rén， zhè shí jiāng huì shì rèn bù chū tā lái de。 tā de liǎn sè yī huì 'ér zhǎng dé tōng hóng， yī huì 'ér yòu yīn chén dé fā hēi。 tā shuāng méi jǐn cù， xíng chéng liǎo liǎng dào cū cū de hēi xiàn， méi máo xià miàn nà shuāng yǎn jīng shè chū gāng yì de guāng máng。 tā liǎn bù cháo xià， liǎng jiān xiàng qián gōng zhe， zuǐ chún jǐn bì， tā nà xì cháng 'ér jiān rèn de bó zǐ shàng， qīng jīn tū chū， yóu rú biān shéng。 tā zhāng dà bí kǒng， wán wán quán quán xiàng kě wàng bǔ liè wù de yě shòu yī yàng； tā shì nà me quán shén guàn zhù dì jìn xíng zhēn chá， shuí yào xiàng tā tí gè wèn tí huò shuō jù huà， tā quán dāng zuò 'ěr biān fēng， huò zhě chōng qí liàng gěi nǐ yī gè jí cù de bù nài fán de cū bào huí dá。 tā jìng jìng dì xùn sù yán zhe héng guàn cǎo dì de zhè tiáo xiǎo lù qián jìn， rán hòu tōng guò shù lín zǒu dào bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng。 nà lǐ shì kuài zhǎo zé dì， dì miàn cháo shī， ér qiě zhěng gè dì qū dōushì zhè gè yàng zǐ， dì miàn shàng yòu xǔ duō jiǎo yìn， jiǎo yìn hái sàn bù yú xiǎo lù hé lù pàn liǎng cè cháng zhe duǎn cǎo de dì miàn shàng。 fú 'ěr mó sī yòu shí jí jí máng máng dì wǎng qián gǎn， yòu shí tíng xià lái yī dòng yě bù dòng。 yòu yī cì tā shāo wēi rào liǎo yī xià zǒu dào cǎo dì lǐ qù。 léi sī chuí dé hé wǒ zǒu zài hòu biān， zhè gè guān fāng zhēn tàn bào zhe yī zhǒng lěng mò hé miè shì de tài dù， ér wǒ ní， dāng shí xīng zhì bó bó dì zhù shì zhe wǒ de péng yǒu de měi yī gè xíng dòng， yīn wéi wǒ shēn xìn tā de měi gè xíng dòng dōushì yòu yī dìng mù de de。
　　 bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng shì dà yuē wǔ shí mǎ fāng yuán、 zhōu wéi cháng mǎn lú wěi de yī xiǎo piàn shuǐ yù， tā de wèi zhì shì zài hā sè lì nóng chǎng hé fù yù de tè nà xiān shēng sī rén huā yuán zhī jiān de biān jiè shàng。 chí táng bǐ 'àn shì yī piàn shù lín， wǒ men kě yǐ kàn dào sǒng lì yú shù lín shàng miàn de fáng zǐ de hóng sè jiān dǐng， zhè shì yòu qián de dì zhù zhù zhǐ de biāo zhì。 āi zhe hā sè lì nóng chǎng zhè yī biān chí táng de shù lín lǐ， shù mù hěn mào mì； zài shù lín de biān yuán dào chí táng yī cè de nà yī piàn lú wěi zhī jiān， yòu yī piàn zhǐ yòu 'èr shí bù kuān de xiá cháng de shī cǎo dì dài。 léi sī chuí dé bǎ fā xiàn shī shǒu de zhǔn què dì diǎn zhǐ gěi wǒ men kàn， nà lǐ dì miàn shí fēn cháo shī， wǒ kě yǐ qīng chǔ dì kàn jiàn sǐ zhě dǎo xià hòu liú xià de hén jì。 ér duì fú 'ěr mó sī lái shuō， wǒ cóng tā liǎn shàng de rèqiè biǎo qíng hé ruì lì de mù guāng kě yǐ kàn chū， zài zhè bèi zhòng rén jiǎo bù jiàn tà guò de cǎo dì shàng tā jiāng yào zhēn chá chū xǔ xǔ duō duō qí tā de dōng xī lái。 tā páo liǎo yī juàn， jiù xiàng yī zhǐ yǐ xiù chū qì wèi lái de gǒu yī yàng， rán hòu zhuànxiàng wǒ de tóng bàn。
　　 tā wèn dào：“ nǐ páo dào chí táng lǐ qù guò， gànshénme lái zhe？”
　　“ wǒ yòng cǎo pá zài zhōu wéi dǎ lāo liǎo yī xià。 wǒ xiǎng yě xǔ yòu mǒu zhǒng wǔ qì huò qí tā zōng jì。 dàn shì， wǒ de tiān yā……”
　　“ ō， dé lā！ dé lā！ wǒ méi yòu shí jiān tīng nǐ chě zhè gè！ zhè lǐ dào chù dōushì nǐ xiàng lǐ guǎi de zuǒ jiǎo de jiǎo yìn。 yī zhǐ yǎn shǔ dōunéng gēn zōng nǐ de jiǎo yìn， jiǎo yìn jiù zài lú wěi nà biān xiāo shī liǎo。 āi， yào shì wǒ zài tā men xiàng yī qún shuǐ niú nà yàng zài zhè chí táng lǐ luàn dǎ gǔn yǐ qián jiù yǐ jīng dào liǎo zhè lǐ， nà me shì qíng huì shì duō me jiǎn dān 'ā。 kānmén rén lǐng zhe nà bāng rén jiù shì cóng zhè lǐ zǒu guò lái de， shī tǐ zhōu wéi liù dào bā yīng chǐ de dì fāng dū bù mǎn liǎo tā men de jiǎo yìn。 dàn shì， zhè lǐ yòu sān duì yǔ zhè xiē jiǎo yìn bù lián zài yī qǐ de、 tóng yī shuāng jiǎo de jiǎo yìn。 " tā tāo chū gè fàng dà jìng， zài tā de fáng shuǐ yóu bù shàng pā xià lái yǐ biàn kàn dé gèng qīng chǔ xiē， zài quán bù shí jiān lǐ， yǔ qí shuō tā shì tóng wǒ shuō huà， hái bù rú shuō tā shì zài zì yán zì yǔ。 " zhè xiē shì nián qīng de mài kǎ xī de jiǎo yìn。 tā lái huí zǒu liǎo liǎng cì， yòu yī cì tā páode hěn kuài， yīn wéi jiǎo bǎn de yìn jì hěn shēn， ér jiǎo hòu gēn de yìn jì jīhū kàn bù qīng。 zhè zú yǐ zhèng míng tā jiǎng de shì shí huà。 tā kàn jiàn tā fù qīn dǎo zài dì shàng jiù gǎn kuài páo guò lái。 nà me， zhè lǐ shì tā fù qīn lái huí duó bù de jiǎo yìn。 nà me， zhè shì shénme ní？ zhè shì 'ér zǐ zhàn zhe xì tīng shí qiāng tuō dǐng duān zhe dì de hén jì。 nà me， zhè gè ní？ hā， hā！ zhè yòu shì shénme dōng xī de yìn jì ní？ jiǎo jiān de！ jiǎo jiān de！ ér qiě shì fāng tóu de， zhè bù shì yī bān pǔ tōng de xuē zǐ！ zhè shì zǒu guò lái de jiǎo yìn， nà shì zǒu guò qù de， rán hòu yòu shì zài zǒu guò lái de jiǎo yìn…… dāng rán zhè shì wèile huí lái qǔ dà yī de jiǎo yìn。 nà me， zhè yī lù jiǎo yìn shì cóng shénme dì fāng guò lái de ní？ " tā lái huí xún shì， yòu shí jiǎo yìn zhǎo bù dào liǎo， yòu shí jiǎo yìn yòu chū xiàn liǎo， yī zhí gēn dào shù lín de biān yuán； gēn zōng dào yī kē dà shān máo jǔ shù héng héng fù jìn zuì dà de yī kē shù héng héng de shù yìn xià。 fú 'ěr mó sī jì xù wǎng qián gēn zōng， yī zhí gēn dào nà yī biān， rán hòu zài yī cì liǎn cháo xià pā zài dì shàng， bìng qiě fā chū liǎo qīng qīng de dé yì de hǎn shēng。 tā zài nà lǐ yī zhí pā liǎo hǎo jiǔ， fān dòng shù yè hé kū zhī， bǎ zài wǒ kàn lái xiàng shì ní tǔ de dōng xī fàng jìn yī gè xìn fēng lǐ。 tā yòng fàng dà jìng bù dàn jiǎn chá dì miàn， ér qiě hái jiǎn chá tā néng jiǎn chá dào de shù pí。 zài tái xiǎn zhōng jiān yòu yī kuài jù chǐ zhuàng de shí tóu， tā yě zǎi xì jiǎn chá liǎo， hái bǎ tā shōu cáng liǎo qǐ lái。 rán hòu tā shùn zhe yī tiáo xiǎo dào chuān guò shù lín， yī zhí zǒu dào gōng lù nà lǐ， zài nà lǐ rèn hé zōng jì dōuméi yòu liǎo。
　　 tā shuō：“ zhè shì yī gè shí fēn yòu qù de 'àn jiàn。 " zhè shí， tā cái huī fù liǎo cháng tài。 " wǒ xiǎng yòu biān zhè suǒ huī sè de fáng zǐ yī dìng shì mén fáng， wǒ yīngdāng dào nà lǐ qù zhǎo mò lán shuō jù huà， yě xǔ xiě gè biàn tiáo gěi tā。 wán liǎo wǒ men jiù kě yǐ zuò mǎ chē huí qù chī zhōng fàn liǎo。 nǐ men kě yǐ xiān bù xíng dào mǎ chē nà lǐ， wǒ gēn zhe mǎ shàng jiù lái。”
　　 wǒ men dà yuē zǒu liǎo shí fēn zhōng biàn dào mǎ chē nà lǐ， rán hòu wǒ men biàn chéng mǎ chē huí luó sī， fú 'ěr mó sī dài zhe tā zài shù lín lǐ jiǎn lái de nà kuài shí tóu。
　　 tā qǔ chū zhè kuài shí tóu duì léi sī chuí dé shuō，“ léi sī chuí dé， nǐ yě xǔ duì zhè gè gǎn xīng qù。 zhè jiù shì shā rén de xiōng qì。”
　　“ wǒ kàn bù dào yòu shénme biāo zhì。”
　　“ shì méi yòu biāo zhì。”
　　“ nà， nǐ zěn me zhī dào ní？”
　　“ shí tóu dǐ xià de cǎo hái huó zhe。 shuō míng zhè kuài shí tóu fàng zài nà lǐ bù guò jǐ tiān gōng fū。 zhǎo bù dào zhè kuài shí tóu shì cóng nǎ lǐ lái de hén jì。 zhè kuài shí tóu de xíng zhuàng hé sǐ zhě de shāng hén zhèng hǎo xiāng fú。 cǐ wài méi yòu rèn hé qí tā wǔ qì de zōng jì。”
　　“ nà me xiōng shǒu ní？”
　　“ nà shì yī gè gāo gè zǐ nán zǐ， tā shì zuǒ piē zǐ， yòu tuǐ qué， chuān yī shuāng hòu gēn hěn gāo de shòu liè xuē zǐ hé yī jiàn huī sè dà yī， tā chōu yìn dù xuějiā， shǐ yòng xuějiā yān zuǐ， zài tā de kǒu dài lǐ dài yòu yī bǎ xuē 'é máo bǐ de hěn dùn de xiǎo dāo。 hái yòu jǐ zhǒng qí tā de jì xiàng， dàn shì， zhè xiē yě xǔ yǐ zú yǐ bāng zhù wǒ men jìn xíng zhēn chá。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé xiào liǎo。 tā shuō，“ wǒ kàn wǒ réng rán shì gè huái yí pài。 lǐ lùn zǒng shì kě yǐ shuō dé tóu tóu shì dào， dàn shì hé wǒ men dǎ jiāo dào de yīng guó péi shěn tuán shì jiǎng qiú shí jì de。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī lěng jìng dì huí dá shuō，“ wǒ men zì yòu bàn fǎ。 nǐ 'àn nǐ de fāng fǎ bàn， nǐ 'àn wǒ de fāng fǎ bàn hǎo liǎo。 jīn tiān xià wǔ wǒ jiāng shì hěn máng de， hěn kě néng chéng wǎn bān huǒ chē huí lún dūn。”
　　“ ràng nǐ de 'àn zǐ xuán 'ér bù jué má？”
　　“ bù， àn zǐ yǐ jīng jié shù liǎo。”
　　“ kě shì， nà gè yí tuán ní？”
　　“ nà gè yí tuán yǐ jīng jiě jué liǎo。”
　　“ nà me zuì fàn shì shuí？”
　　“ wǒ suǒ miáo shù de nà gè xiān shēng。”
　　“ kě shì， tā shì shuí ní？”
　　“ yào zhǎo chū zhè gè rén lái kěn dìng shì bù nán de。 zhù zài fù jìn zhè yī dài de jū mín bìng bù tài duō。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé sǒng liǎo sǒng jiān shuō：“ wǒ shì gè jiǎng qiú shí jì de rén。 wǒ kě bù néng fù zé zài zhè yī dài mǎn chù luàn páo qù xún zhǎo yī gè guàn yòng zuǒ shǒu de qué tuǐ xiān shēng。 nà yàng wǒ huì chéng wéi sū gé lán chǎng de xiào bǐng de。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī píng jìng dì shuō：“ hǎo bā， wǒ shì gěi liǎo nǐ jī huì de。 nǐ de zhù chù dào liǎo。 zài jiàn， zài wǒ lí kāi yǐ qián， wǒ huì xiě gè biàn tiáo gěi nǐ de。”
　　 wǒ men ràng léi sī chuí dé zài tā de zhù chù xià chē hòu， biàn huí dào liǎo wǒ men zhù de lǚ guǎn， wǒ men dào dá lǚ guǎn shí， wǔ fàn yǐ jīng gěi wǒ men bǎi zài zhuō shàng liǎo。 fú 'ěr mó sī mò bù zuò shēng， xiàn yú chén sī zhī zhōng， liǎn shàng lù chū yī zhǒng tòng kǔ de biǎo qíng， zhè shì chǔjìng kùn huò de rén de nà zhǒng biǎo qíng。
　　 zài cān zhuō yǐ jīng shōu shí wán bì zhī hòu， tā shuō：“ huá shēng， nǐ tīng wǒ shuō， nǐ jiù zuò zài zhè bǎ yǐ zǐ shàng， tīng wǒ láo dāo jǐ jù。 wǒ hái bù néng shí fēn kěn dìng zěn me bàn hǎo， wǒ xiǎng tīng tīng nǐ de bǎo guì yì jiàn。 diǎn gēn xuějiā bā， ràng wǒ chǎn shù wǒ de kàn fǎ。”
　　“ qǐng shuō bā。”
　　“ wú， zài wǒ men kǎo lǜ zhè gè 'àn zǐ de 'àn qíng shí， xiǎo mài kǎ xī suǒ tán de qíng kuàng zhōng， yòu liǎng diǎn dāng shí lì jí yǐn qǐ nǐ wǒ liǎng rén de zhù yì， jìn guǎn wǒ de xiǎng fǎ duì tā yòu lì， ér nǐ de xiǎng fǎ duì tā bù lì。 dì yī diǎn shì： jù tā de xù shù， tā de fù qīn zài jiàn dào tā zhī qián jiù hǎn jiào liǎo " kù yī "。 dì 'èr diǎn shì： sǐ zhě lín sǐ shí shuō liǎo ' lā tè '。 sǐ zhě dāng shí nán nán dì tù lù liǎo jǐ gè cí， dàn shì， jù tā 'ér zǐ shuō， tīng dào zhǐ yòu zhè gè cí。 wǒ men bì xū cóng zhè liǎng diǎn chū fā qù yán jiū 'àn qíng， wǒ men kāi shǐ fēn xī de shí hòu bù fáng jiǎ dìng， zhè gè xiǎo huǒ zǐ suǒ shuō de yī qiēdōu shì jué duì zhēn shí de。”
　　“ nà me zhè gè ' kù yī ' shì shénme yì sī ní？”
　　“ wú， xiǎn rán zhè gè cí bù kě néng shì hǎn gěi tā 'ér zǐ tīng de。 tā dāng shí zhǐ zhī dào tā de 'ér zǐ shì zài bù lǐ sī tuō 'ěr。 tā 'ér zǐ dāng shí tīng dào ' kù yī ' zhè gè cí wán quán shì 'ǒu rán de。 sǐ zhě dāng shí hǎn ' kù yī ' shì wéi liǎo yǐn qí tā yuē jiàn de nà gè rén de zhù yì。 ér ' kù yī ' xiǎn rán shì 'ào dà lì yà rén de yī zhǒng jiào fǎ， bìng qiě zhǐ shì zài 'ào dà lì yà rén zhī jiān yòng de。 yīn cǐ kě yǐ dà dǎn dì shè xiǎng， mài kǎ xī xiǎng yào zài bó sī kē mǔ bǐ chí táng huì wù de nà gè rén shì yī gè céng jīng dào guò 'ào dà lì yà de rén。”
　　“ nà me ' lā tè ' zhè gè cí yòu shì shénme yì sī ní？”
　　 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī cóng tā kǒu dài lǐ tāo chū yī zhāng zhé dié de zhǐ， bǎ tā zài zhuō shàng tān kāi。 tā shuō：“ zhè shì yī zhāng wéi duō lì yà zhí mín dì de dì tú。 wǒ zuó tiān wǎn shàng dǎ diàn bào dào bù lǐ sī tuō 'ěr qù bǎ tā yào lái de。 " tā bǎ shǒu fàng zài dì tú de yī gè dì fāng shàng shuō：“ nǐ niàn yī xià zhè shì shénme？”
　　 wǒ zhào niàn dào：“ ā lā tè。”
　　 tā bǎ shǒu jǔ qǐ lái shuō：“ nǐ zài niàn。”
　　“ bā lè lā tè。”
　　“ zhè jiù duì liǎo。 zhè jiù shì nà gè rén hǎn jiào de nà gè cí， ér tā de 'ér zǐ zhǐ tīng qīng zhè gè cí de zuì hòu liǎng gè yīn jié。 tā dāng shí shì shǐ jìn xiǎng bǎ móu shā tā de xiōng shǒu de míng zì shuō chū lái。 bā lè lā tè de mǒu mǒu rén。”
　　 wǒ zàn tàn dào：“ miào jí liǎo！”
　　“ nà shì hěn míng xiǎn de。 hǎo lā， nǐ kàn， wǒ yǐ jīng bǎ yán jiū de fàn wéi dà dà dì suō xiǎo liǎo。 xiàn zài gū qiě chéng rèn nà 'ér zǐ de huà shì zhèng què de， nà me zhè gè rén yòu yī jiàn huī sè dà yī zhè jiàn shì jiù shì wán quán kě yǐ kěn dìng de dì sān diǎn。 duì yú yī gè yòu yī jiàn huī sè dà yī de lái zì bā lè lā tè de 'ào dà lì yà rén， wǒ men yuán xiān zhǐ yòu yī zhǒng mó hú de gài niàn， xiàn zài jiù míng què liǎo。”
　　“ nà shì dāng rán。”
　　“ tā shì yī gè shú xī zhè gè dì qū de rén， yīn wéi yào dào zhè gè chí táng lái bì xū jīng guò zhè gè nóng chǎng huò jīng guò zhè gè zhuāng yuán， zhè gè dì fāng， mò shēng rén jīhū shì jìn bù lái de。”
　　“ què shí shì zhè yàng。”
　　“ suǒ yǐ wǒ men jīn tiān cháng tú bá shè dào zhè lǐ lái。 wǒ jiǎn chá liǎo chǎng dì， liǎo jiě dào liǎo 'àn qíng de xì jié， wǒ yǐ jīng bǎ zhè gè zuì fàn shì gè shénme yàng de rén gào sù liǎo dī néng de léi sī chuí dé。”
　　“ nǐ shì zěn yàng liǎo jiě dào zhè xiē xì jié de？”
　　“ wǒ de fāng fǎ nǐ shì zhī dào de。 nà jiù shì kào cóng guān chá xì xiǎo de shì qíng dāng zhōng liǎo jiě dào de。”
　　“ wǒ zhī dào nǐ kě yǐ cóng tā zǒu lù bù zǐ de dà xiǎo yuē lüè dì pàn míng tā de gāo dù。 tā de xuē zǐ yě shì kě yǐ cóng tā de jiǎo yìn lái pàn míng。”
　　“ shì de， nà shì yī shuāng hěn tè bié de xuē zǐ。”
　　“ dàn shì tā shì gè qué zǐ shì zěn me kàn chū de ní？”
　　“ tā de yòu jiǎo yìn zǒng shì bù xiàng zuǒ jiǎo yìn nà me qīng chǔ。 kě jiàn yòu jiǎo shǐ de jìn bǐ jiào xiǎo。 wèishénme？ yīn wéi tā yī qué yī guǎi dì zǒu lù， tā shì gè qué zǐ。”
　　“ nà me， tā shì yī gè zuǒ piē zǐ ní？”
　　“ nǐ zì jǐ yǐ zhù yì dào zài shěn xùn zhōng fǎ yī duì sǐ zhě shāng hén de jìzǎi。 nà yī jī shì jǐn 'āi zhe tā bèi hòu dǎ de， ér qiě shì dǎ zài zuǒ zé。 nǐ xiǎng xiǎng kàn， rú guǒ bù shì yī gè zuǒ piē zǐ dǎ de， zěn me huì dǎ zài zuǒ cè ní？ dāng fù zǐ liǎng rén zài tán huà de shí hòu， zhè gè rén yī zhí zhàn zài shù hòu miàn。 tā zài nà lǐ hái chōu yān ní。 wǒ fā xiàn yòu xuějiā huī， wǒ duì yān huī de tè shū yán jiū， suǒ yǐ néng gòu duàn dìng tā chōu de shì yìn dù xuějiā。 wǒ wéi cǐ céng jīng huā guò xiāng dāng dà de jīng lì， wǒ hái xiě guò xiē zhuān tí wén zhāng lùn shù yī bǎi sì shí zhǒng bù tóng de yān dǒu sī、 xuějiā hé xiāng yān de huī， zhè nǐ shì zhī dào de。 fā xiàn liǎo yān huī yǐ hòu， wǒ jiē zhe zài zhōu wéi xún zhǎo， jiù zài tái xiǎn lǐ fā xiàn liǎo tā rēng zài nà lǐ de yān tóu。 nà shì yìn dù xuějiā de yān tóu， zhè zhǒng xuějiā hé zài lù tè dān juàn zhì de xuějiā chàbù duō。”
　　“ nà me， xuějiā yān zuǐ ní？”
　　“ wǒ kàn chū yān tóu méi yòu zài tā zuǐ lǐ diāo guò。 kě jiàn tā shì yòng yān zuǐ de。 xuějiā yān mò duān shì yòng dāo qiē kāi 'ér bù shì yòng zuǐ yǎo kāi de， dàn qièkǒu hěn bù zhěng qí， yīn cǐ wǒ tuī duàn shì yòng yī bǎ hěn dùn de xuē 'é máo bǐ de xiǎo dāo qiē de。”
　　 wǒ shuō：“ fú 'ěr mó sī， nǐ yǐ zài zhè gè rén zhōu wéi bù xià liǎo tiān luó dì wǎng， tā táo tuō bù liǎo lā， nǐ hái zhěng jiù liǎo yī gè qīng bái wú gū de rén de xìng mìng， què shí jiù xiàng nǐ bǎ tào zài tā bó zǐ shàng de jiǎo suǒ zhǎn duàn liǎo yī yàng。 wǒ kàn dào liǎo zhè yī qiēdōu shì cháo zhè fāng xiàng fā zhǎn。 kě shì nà zuì fàn shì……”
　　“ yuē hàn · tè nà xiān shēng lái fǎng。 " lǚ guǎn shì zhě yī miàn dǎ kāi wǒ men qǐ jū shì de fáng mén， bǎ lái kè yǐn jìn lái， yī miàn shuō dào。
　　 jìn lái de zhè gè rén kàn shàng qù hěn mò shēng， xiàngmào bù fán。 tā bù lǚ huǎn màn， yī qué yī guǎi， jiān bù xià chuí， xiǎn dé lǎo tài lóng zhōng， dàn shì tā nà zhòu wén shēn xiàn、 jiān dìng yán jùn de liǎn hé cū zhuàng de sì zhī， shǐ rén gǎn dào tā jù yòu yì cháng de tǐ lì hé gè xìng。 tā de wān qū de hú xū、 yín huī de tóu fā hé hěn yòu tè sè de xià chuí de méi máo jié hé zài yī qǐ fù yú liǎo tā zūn guì hé quán wēi de fēng dù hé yí biǎo， dàn shì tā liǎn sè huī bái， zuǐ chún hé bí duān chéng shēn zǐ lán sè。 wǒ yī yǎn jiù néng kàn chū， tā huàn yòu bù zhì zhī zhèng。
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī bīn bīn yòu lǐ dì shuō：“ qǐng zuò zài shā fā shàng。 nǐ yǐ shōu dào wǒ de biàn tiáo liǎo？”
　　“ shì de， kānmén rén bǎ nǐ de biàn tiáo jiāo gěi wǒ liǎo。 nǐ shuō， nǐ xiǎng zài zhè lǐ hé wǒ jiàn miàn yǐ bì miǎn liú yán fěi yǔ。”
　　“ wǒ xiǎng rú guǒ wǒ dào nǐ de zhuāng yuán lǐ qù， rén men shì huì fēn fēn yì lùn de。”
　　“ nǐ wèishénme xiǎng yào jiàn wǒ ní？ " tā yǐ qǐ juàn、 jué wàng de yǎn guāng dǎliang wǒ de tóng bàn， fǎng fó tā de wèn tí yǐ dé dào huí dá shìde。
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ shì de。 " zhè shì huí dá tā de yǎn sè， ér bù shì huí dá tā de huà。 " shì zhè yàng de。 wǒ liǎo jiě mài kǎ xī de yī qiē。”
　　 zhè gè lǎo rén bǎ tóu dī chuí， liǎng shǒu yǎn miàn。 tā hǎn dào：“ shàng dì bǎo yòu wǒ bā！ dàn shì， wǒ shì bù huì ràng zhè gè nián qīng rén shòu hài de。 wǒ xiàng nǐ bǎo zhèng， rú guǒ xún huí shěn pàn fǎ tíng xuān pàn tā yòu zuì， wǒ huì chū lái shuō huà de。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī yán sù dì shuō：“ wǒ hěn gāo xīng tīng nǐ zhè me shuō。”
　　“ yào bù shì wèile wǒ qīn 'ài de nǚ 'ér zhuóxiǎng， wǒ zǎo jiù shuō chū lái liǎo。 nà huì shǐ tā shí fēn tòng xīn de…… dāng tā tīng dào wǒ bèi bǔ de xiāo xī shí， tā shì huì hěn tòng xīn de。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ yě xǔ bù zhì yú yào dài bǔ bā。”
　　“ nǐ shuō shénme？”
　　“ wǒ bù shì guān fāng zhēn tàn。 wǒ míng bái， shì nǐ nǚ 'ér yào qiú wǒ dào zhè lǐ lái de， wǒ xiàn zài shì tì tā bàn shì。 wú lùn rú hé bì xū shǐ xiǎo mài kǎ xī wú zuì kāi shì。”
　　 lǎo tè nà shuō：“ wǒ shì gè bīn lín sǐ wáng de rén liǎo。 wǒ huàn táng niào bìng yǐ yòu duō nián。 wǒ de yī shēng shuō， wǒ shì fǒu hái néng huó yī gè yuè dōushì gè wèn tí。 kě shì， wǒ nìngkě sǐ zài zì jǐ jiā lǐ yě bù yuàn sǐ zài jiān yù lǐ。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī zhàn qǐ shēn lái zǒu dào zhuō zǐ bàng biān zuò xià， rán hòu ná qǐ bǐ， zài tā miàn qián fàng zhe yīdá zhǐ。 tā shuō：“ zhǐ yào gào sù wǒ shì shí， wǒ bǎ shì shí zhāi lù xià lái， rán hòu nǐ zài shàng miàn qiān zì， zhè wèi huá shēng kě zuò jiàn zhèng rén。 yǐ hòu wǒ kě néng chū shì nǐ de zì bái shū， dàn zhǐ shì zài wèile zhěng jiù xiǎo mài kǎ xī de wàn bù dé yǐ de shí hòu。 wǒ dāyìng nǐ， chú fēi jué duì bì yào， fǒu zé wǒ bù huì yòng tā de。”
　　 nà lǎo rén shuō：“ zhè yàng yě kě yǐ。 wǒ néng bù néng huó dào xún huí shěn pàn fǎ tíng kāi tíng de shí hòu hái shì gè wèn tí， suǒ yǐ zhè duì wǒ méi yòu duō dà guān xì， wǒ zhǐ shì bù xiǎng yǐn qǐ 'ài lì sī de zhèn jīng jiù shì liǎo。 xiàn zài wǒ yī dìng xiàng nǐ zhí shuō， shì qíng jīng guò de shí jiān hěn cháng， wǒ jiǎng chū lái dǎo yòng bù liǎo duō cháng shí jiān。
　　“ nǐ bù liǎo jiě zhè gè sǐ zhě mài kǎ xī。 tā shì gè mó guǐ de huà shēn。 wǒ zhè shì shuō shí huà。 yuàn shàng dì bǎo yòu nǐ kě qiān wàn bù yào ràng tā zhè yàng de rén zhuā zhù nǐ de bǎ bǐng。 zhè 'èr shí nián lái， tā yī zhí zhuā zhù wǒ bù fàng， tā bǎ wǒ zhè yī shēng dū huǐ liǎo。 wǒ shǒu xiān gào sù nǐ wǒ shì zěn yàng luò dào tā shǒu lǐ de。
　　“ nà shì shí jiǔ shì jì liù shí nián dài chū zài kāi kuàng de dì fāng。 nà shí wǒ shì gè nián qīng xiǎo huǒ zǐ， hěn róng yì chōng dòng， yě bù 'ānfèn shǒu jǐ， shénme dū xiǎng gān； wǒ hé huài rén jié chéng liǎo yī huǒ， yǐn jiǔ zuò lè， zài kāi kuàng fāng miàn shī lì， yǐ hòu dāng liǎo lùlín qiáng dào。 wǒ men yī huǒ gòng yòu liù gè rén， guò zhe fàng dàng bù jī de shēng huó， bù shí qiǎng jié chē zhàn hé lán jié shǐ wǎng kuàng chǎng de mǎ chē。 wǒ dāng shí huà míng wéi bā lè lā tè de hēi jié kè， xiàn zài zài nà gè zhí mín dì， rén men hái jì dé wǒ men zhè yī huǒ jiào bā lè lā tè bāng。
　　“ yòu yī tiān， yī gè huáng jīn yùn shū duì cóng bā lè lā tè kāi wǎng mò 'ěr běn， wǒ men mái fú zài lù biān xí jī liǎo tā。 nà gè yùn shū duì yòu liù míng hù sòng de qí bīng， wǒ men yě shì liù gè rén， kě yǐ shuō shì shì jūn lì dí， bù guò wǒ men yī kāi qiāng jiù bǎ sì gè qí bīng dǎ xià mǎ lái。 wǒ men yě yòu sān gè xiǎo huǒ zǐ bèi jī bì cái bǎ nà bǐ qián cái nòng dào shǒu。 wǒ yòng shǒu qiāng zhǐ zhe nà mǎ chē fū de nǎo dài， tā jiù shì xiàn zài de zhè gè mài kǎ xī。 wǒ xiàng shàng dì dǎo gào， rú guǒ wǒ dāng shí kāi qiāng dǎ sǐ liǎo tā， nà jiù xiè tiān xiè dì liǎo， dàn shì， wǒ ráo liǎo tā yī tiáo mìng， suī rán wǒ dāng shí kàn dào tā nà shuāng mī féng zhe de guǐ yǎn jīng yī zhí dīng zhe kàn wǒ， hǎo xiàng yào bǎ wǒ liǎn bù de suǒ yòu tè zhēng dū láo láo jì zhù shìde。 wǒ men 'ān rán dì bǎ nà bǐ huáng jīn nòng dào liǎo shǒu， chéng liǎo dà fù wēng， bìng lái dào liǎo yīng guó 'ér méi yòu shòu dào huái yí。 zài yīng guó， wǒ hé wǒ de lǎo huǒ jì men fēn dào yáng biāo， gè zǒu gè de lù， wǒ xià jué xīn cóng cǐ guò 'ānfèn shǒu jǐ de zhèng dāng shēng huó。 wǒ mǎi liǎo dāng shí zhèng hǎo zài biāo jià chū shòu de zhè fèn chǎn yè， qīn zì yòng wǒ de qián zuò diǎn hǎo shì， zhè yàng lái mí bǔ yī xià wǒ zài dà fā hèngcái shí de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi。 wǒ hái jié liǎo hūn， suī rán wǒ de qī zǐ nián jì qīng qīng de jiù shì shì liǎo， què gěi wǒ liú xià liǎo qīn 'ài de xiǎo 'ài lì sī。 shèn zhì dāng tā hái shì gè yīng 'ér de shí hòu， tā de xiǎo shǒu jiù sì hū bǐ guò qù de rèn hé dōng xī dōuyào gèng jiā yòu xiào dì zhǐ yǐn wǒ zǒu shàng zhèng dào。 zǒng zhī， wǒ huǐ guò zì xīn， jìn wǒ zì jǐ de zuì dà néng lì lái mí bǔ wǒ guò qù de guò shī。 běn lái yī qiēdōu hěn shùn lì， dàn mài kǎ xī de mó zhǎng yī xià bǎ wǒ zhuā zhù liǎo。
　　“ wǒ dāng shí shì dào chéng lǐ qù bàn yī jiàn tóu zī de shì， wǒ zài shè zhèng jiē yù jiàn liǎo tā， tā dāng shí shì yī bù bì tǐ， hái guāng zhe jiǎo。
　　“ tā lā zhe wǒ de gēbo shuō：‘ jié kè， wǒ men yòu jiàn miàn liǎo。 wǒ men jiāng hé nǐ qīn rú yī jiā rén。 wǒ men zhǐ yòu fù zǐ liǎng rén， nǐ bǎ wǒ men shōu liú xià bā。 rú guǒ nǐ bù gān…… yīng guó zhè lǐ kě shì gè jié chū de fèng gōng shǒu fǎ de guó jiā， zhǐ yào hǎn yī shēng suí shí dōukě yǐ jiào dào。 '
　　“ wú， tā men jiù zhè yàng lái dào liǎo xī bù nóng cūn， yǐ hòu wǒ zěn me yě bǎi tuō bù liǎo tā men， cóng cǐ yǐ hòu， tā jiù zài wǒ zuì hǎo de tǔ dì shàng shēng huó， zū jīn quán miǎn。 cóng cǐ wǒ bù dé 'ān shēng， jiā wú níng rì， lǎo shì wàng jì bù liǎo guò qù， bù guǎn wǒ zǒu dào shénme dì fāng， tā nà jiǎo zhà de níng xiào de miàn kǒng zǒng shì gēn suí zhe wǒ。 ài lì sī zhǎngdà yǐ hòu qíng kuàng gèng zāo， yīn wéi tā yě hěn kuài jiù kàn chū， wǒ pà tā zhī dào wǒ de guò qù， shèn zhì bǐ zhī dào wǒ de guò qù gèng pà dé lì hài。 bù guǎn tā xiǎng yào shénme， tādōu fēi yào nòng dào shǒu bù kě， ér bù guǎn shì shénme， wǒdōu háo bù chí yí dì gěi tā， tǔ dì、 jīn qián、 fáng zǐ shénme dū gěi， zhí dào zuì hòu tā xiàng wǒ yào yī jiàn wǒ bù néng gěi rén de dōng xī wéi zhǐ。 tā yào wǒ de 'ài lì sī。
　　“ nǐ kàn， tā de 'ér zǐ yǐ jīng zhǎngdà chéng rén， wǒ de nǚ hái zǐ yě zhǎngdà chéng rén liǎo， yīn wéi dà jiādōu zhī dào wǒ shēn tǐ bù hǎo， ràng tā de xiǎo zǐ chā shǒu yú zhěng gè cái chǎn， duì tā lái shuō shì hěn dé jì de。 dàn shì， zhè jiàn shì wǒ jiān jué bù gān。 wǒ jué bù tóng yì ràng tā nà gāi sǐ de xuè tǒng hé wǒ men jiā de xuè tǒng hùn dào yī kuài qù， bìng bù shì wǒ bù xǐ huān nà gè xiǎo huǒ zǐ， ér shì yīn wéi tā shēn shàng yòu tā lǎo zǐ de xuè， zhè jiù gòu shòu de liǎo。 wǒ jiān jué bù dāyìng。 mài kǎ xī wēi xié wǒ。 wǒ duì tā shuō， jí shǐ bǎ tā zuì dú là de shǒu duàn shǐ chū lái wǒ yě bù zài hū。 wǒ men yuē dìng zài wǒ men liǎng suǒ fáng zǐ zhī jiān nà gè chí táng huì miàn yǐ biàn tán chū gè jiēguǒ lái。
　　“ dāng wǒ zǒu dào nà lǐ de shí hòu， wǒ fā xiàn tā zhèng zài hé tā 'ér zǐ tán huà， wǒ zhǐ hǎo chōu zhī xuějiā yān zài yī kē shù hòu miàn děng dài， děng dào tā dān dú yī gè rén zài nà lǐ shí zài guò qù。 dàn shì， dāng wǒ tīng zhe tā de tán huà de shí hòu， fèn jī de qíng xù jiǎn zhí dá dào liǎo jí diǎn。 tā zhèng zài jí lì cù shǐ tā 'ér zǐ hé wǒ nǚ 'ér jié hūn， gēn běn bù kǎo lǜ tā běn rén kě néng yòu shénme yì jiàn， hǎo xiàng tā shì mǎ lù shàng de jì nǚ shìde。 yī xiǎng dào wǒ hé wǒ suǒ xīn 'ài de yī qiē jìng rán shòu zhè yàng yī gè rén zhù zǎi， wǒ jiǎn zhí qì dé fā fēng。 wǒ néng bù néng chōng pò zhè gè shù fù ní？ wǒ yǐ jīng shì yī gè kuài yào sǐ qù hé jué wàng liǎo de rén。 suī rán wǒ tóu nǎo hái qīng xǐng， sì zhī hái xiāng dāng qiáng zhuàng， dàn wǒ zhī dào zì jǐ zhè yī shēng yǐ jīng wán liǎo。 kě shì， wǒ jì yì zhōng de wǎng shì hé wǒ de nǚ 'ér 'ā！ zhǐ yào wǒ néng shǐ zhè tiáo de shé tóu bǎo chí chén mò， nà me， wǒ jì yì zhōng de wǎng shì hé wǒ de nǚ 'ér liǎng zhě dū dé yǐ bǎo quán。 fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， wǒ shì zhè yàng zuò liǎo， yào wǒ zài lái yī cì wǒdōu zuòde chū lái。 wǒ shì zuì niè shēn zhòng， wèile shú zuì 'ér guò yī bèi zǐ huó shòu zuì de shēng huó shì yīnggāi de。 dàn shì bǎ wǒ de nǚ hái yě juàn jìn shù fù wǒ de luó wǎng zhī zhōng， zhè gè wǒ kě shòu bù liǎo。 wǒ bǎ tā dǎ fān zài dì yóu rú dǎ jī yī tóu shí fēn xiōng 'è de yě shòu yī yàng， xīn zhōng háo wú bù 'ān de gǎn jué。 tā de hū hǎn shēng shǐ tā 'ér zǐ gǎn liǎo huí lái； zhè shí wǒ yǐ páo dào shù lín lǐ duǒ qǐ lái liǎo， wǒ dǎo shì bù dé bù zài páo huí qù qǔ wǒ nà jiàn táo páo shí diū xià de dà yī。 xiān shēng， zhè jiù shì suǒ fā shēng de quán bù zhēn shí qíng kuàng。”
　　 nà lǎo rén zài xiě hǎo liǎo de nà fèn zì bái shū shàng qiān liǎo zì。 fú 'ěr mó sī dāng jí shuō：“ hǎo lā， wǒ wú quán shěn pàn nǐ。 dàn yuàn wǒ men yǒng yuǎn bù huì shòu dào zhè yàng yī zhǒng 'ér wú fǎ kòng zhì zì jǐ。”
　　“ xiān shēng， wǒ yě hěn yuàn rú cǐ。 nǐ dǎ suàn zěn me bàn ní？”
　　“ kǎo lǜ dào nǐ de shēn tǐ qíng kuàng， bù dǎ suàn zuò shí me。 nǐ zì jǐ yě zhī dào， nǐ bù jiǔ jiù yào wéi nǐ gān guò de shì zài bǐ xún huí shěn pàn fǎ tíng gèng gāo yī jí de fǎ yuàn shòu shěn xùn。 wǒ yī dìng néng bǎ nǐ de zì bái shū bǎo cún hǎo。 rú guǒ mài kǎ xī bèi dìng zuì wǒ jiù bù dé bù yòng tā。 rú guǒ mài kǎ xī bù bèi dìng zuì， tā jiù yǒng yuǎn bù huì wéi rèn hé rén suǒ jiàn。 bù guǎn nǐ shì huó zhe hái shì sǐ qù， wǒ bǎo zhèng wéi nǐ bǎo mì。”
　　 nà lǎo rén zhuāng yán dì shuō：“ nà me， zài jiàn liǎo。 dāng nǐ zì jǐ lín zhōng zhī jì， xiǎng dào céng jīng ràng wǒ 'ān rán sǐ qù， nǐ huì gǎn dào gèng jiā 'ān níng de。 " zhè gè shēn qū páng dà de rén yáo yáo huàng huàng dì màn bù cóng fáng jiān lǐ zǒu liǎo chū qù。
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī chén mò liǎo hěn jiǔ， rán hòu shuō：“ shàng dì bǎo yòu wǒ men！ wèishénme mìng yùn lǎo shì duì pín kùn qióng kǔ 'ér yòu gū lì wú yuán de yún yún zhòng shēng nà me 'è zuò jù ní？ wǒ měi dāng tīng dào zhè yī lèi de 'àn jiàn shí， wǒdōu xiǎng qǐ bā kè sī tè de huà， bìng shuō， ' xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī zhī suǒ yǐ néng pò 'àn hái shì kào shàng dì bǎo yòu。 '“
　　 zhān mǔ sī · mài kǎ xī zài xún huí fǎ tíng shàng bèi xuān gào wú zuì shì fàng， yīn wéi fú 'ěr mó sī xiě liǎo ruò gān yòu lì de shēn sù yì jiàn， zhè xiē yì jiàn tí gōngjǐ liǎo biàn hù lǜ shī。 zài hé wǒ men tán huà yǐ hòu， lǎo tè nà hái huó liǎo qī gè yuè， xiàn zài yǐ jīng qù shì liǎo； hěn kě néng huì chū xiàn zhè yàng de qián jǐng： nà gè 'ér zǐ hé nà gè nǚ 'ér zhōng yú gòng tóng guò zhe xìng fú de shēng huó， tā men gēn běn bù zhī dào， zài guò qù de suì yuè lǐ， tā men de shàng kōng céng jīng chū xiàn guò bù xiáng de wū yún。

　　We were seated at breakfast one morning, my wife and I, when the maid brought in a telegram. It was from Sherlock Holmes and ran in this way:
　　 "Have you a couple of days to spare? Have just been wired for from the west of England in connection with Boscombe Valley tragedy. Shall be glad if you will come with me. Air and scenery perfect. Leave Paddington by the 11:15."
　　 "What do you say, dear?" said my wife, looking across at me. "Will you go?"
　　 "I really don't know what to say. I have a fairly long list at present."
　　 "Oh, Anstruther would do your work for you. You have been looking a little pale lately. I think that the change would do you good, and you are always so interested in Mr. Sherlock Holmes' cases."
　　 "I should be ungrateful if I were not, seeing what I gained through one of them," I answered. "But if I am to go, I must pack at once, for I have only half an hour."
　　 My experience of camp life in Afghanistan had at least had the effect of making me a prompt and ready traveller. My wants were few and simple, so that in less than the time stated I was in a cab with my valise, rattling away to Paddington Station. Sherlock Holmes was pacing up and down the platform, his tall, gaunt figure made even gaunter and taller by his long grey travelling-cloak and close-fitting cloth cap.
　　 "It is really very good of you to come, Watson," said he. "It makes a considerable difference to me, having someone with me on whom I can thoroughly rely. Local aid is always either worthless or else biassed. If you will keep the two corner seats I shall get the tickets."
　　 We had the carriage to ourselves save for an immense litter of papers which Holmes had brought with him. Among these he rummaged and read, with intervals of note-taking and of meditation, until we were past Reading. Then he suddenly rolled them all into a gigantic ball and tossed them up onto the rack.
　　 "Have you heard anything of the case?" he asked.
　　 "Not a word. I have not seen a paper for some days."
　　 "The London press has not had very full accounts. I have just been looking through all the recent papers in order to master the particulars. It seems, from what I gather, to be one of those simple cases which are so extremely difficult."
　　 "That sounds a little paradoxical."
　　 "But it is profoundly true. Singularity is almost invariably a clue. The more featureless and commonplace a crime is, the more difficult it is to bring it home. In this case, however, they have established a very serious case against the son of the murdered man."
　　 "It is a murder, then?"
　　 "Well, it is conjectured to be so. I shall take nothing for granted until I have the opportunity of looking personally into it. I will explain the state of things to you, as far as I have been able to understand it, in a very few words.
　　 "Boscombe Valley is a country district not very far from Ross, in Herefordshire. The largest landed proprietor in that part is a Mr. John Turner, who made his money in Australia and returned some years ago to the old country. One of the farms which he held, that of Hatherley, was let to Mr. Charles McCarthy, who was also an ex-Australian. The men had known each other in the colonies, so that it was not unnatural that when they came to settle down they should do so as near each other as possible. Turner was apparently the richer man, so McCarthy became his tenant but still remained, it seems, upon terms of perfect equality, as they were frequently together. McCarthy had one son, a lad of eighteen, and Turner had an only daughter of the same age, but neither of them had wives living. They appear to have avoided the society of the neighbouring English families and to have led retired lives, though both the McCarthys were fond of sport and were frequently seen at the race-meetings of the neighbourhood. McCarthy kept two servants--a man and a girl. Turner had a considerable household, some half-dozen at the least. That is as much as I have been able to gather about the families. Now for the facts.
　　 "On June 3rd, that is, on Monday last, McCarthy left his house at Hatherley about three in the afternoon and walked down to the Boscombe Pool, which is a small lake formed by the spreading out of the stream which runs down the Boscombe Valley. He had been out with his serving-man in the morning at Ross, and he had told the man that he must hurry, as he had an appointment of importance to keep at three. From that appointment he never came back alive.
　　 "From Hatherley Farm-house to the Boscombe Pool is a quarter of a mile, and two people saw him as he passed over this ground. One was an old woman, whose name is not mentioned, and the other was William Crowder, a game-keeper in the employ of Mr. Turner. Both these witnesses depose that Mr. McCarthy was walking alone. The game-keeper adds that within a few minutes of his seeing Mr. McCarthy pass he had seen his son, Mr. James McCarthy, going the same way with a gun under his arm. To the best of his belief, the father was actually in sight at the time, and the son was following him. He thought no more of the matter until he heard in the evening of the tragedy that had occurred.
　　 "The two McCarthys were seen after the time when William Crowder, the game-keeper, lost sight of them. The Boscombe Pool is thickly wooded round, with just a fringe of grass and of reeds round the edge. A girl of fourteen, Patience Moran, who is the daughter of the lodge-keeper of the Boscombe Valley estate, was in one of the woods picking flowers. She states that while she was there she saw, at the border of the wood and close by the lake, Mr. McCarthy and his son, and that they appeared to be having a violent quarrel. She heard Mr. McCarthy the elder using very strong language to his son, and she saw the latter raise up his hand as if to strike his father. She was so frightened by their violence that she ran away and told her mother when she reached home that she had left the two McCarthys quarrelling near Boscombe Pool, and that she was afraid that they were going to fight. She had hardly said the words when young Mr. McCarthy came running up to the lodge to say that he had found his father dead in the wood, and to ask for the help of the lodge-keeper. He was much excited, without either his gun or his hat, and his right hand and sleeve were observed to be stained with fresh blood. On following him they found the dead body stretched out upon the grass beside the pool. The head had been beaten in by repeated blows of some heavy and blunt weapon. The injuries were such as might very well have been inflicted by the butt-end of his son's gun, which was found lying on the grass within a few paces of the body. Under these circumstances the young man was instantly arrested, and a verdict of 'wilful murder' having been returned at the inquest on Tuesday, he was on Wednesday brought before the magistrates at Ross, who have referred the case to the next Assizes. Those are the main facts of the case as they came out before the coroner and the police-court."
　　 "I could hardly imagine a more damning case," I remarked. "If ever circumstantial evidence pointed to a criminal it does so here."
　　 "Circumstantial evidence is a very tricky thing," answered Holmes thoughtfully. "It may seem to point very straight to one thing, but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something entirely different. It must be confessed, however, that the case looks exceedingly grave against the young man, and it is very possible that he is indeed the culprit. There are several people in the neighbourhood, however, and among them Miss Turner, the daughter of the neighbouring landowner, who believe in his innocence, and who have retained Lestrade, whom you may recollect in connection with the Study in Scarlet, to work out the case in his interest. Lestrade, being rather puzzled, has referred the case to me, and hence it is that two middle-aged gentlemen are flying westward at fifty miles an hour instead of quietly digesting their breakfasts at home."
　　 "I am afraid," said I, "that the facts are so obvious that you will find little credit to be gained out of this case."
　　 "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact," he answered, laughing. "Besides, we may chance to hit upon some other obvious facts which may have been by no means obvious to Mr. Lestrade. You know me too well to think that I am boasting when I say that I shall either confirm or destroy his theory by means which he is quite incapable of employing, or even of understanding. To take the first example to hand, I very clearly perceive that in your bedroom the window is upon the right-hand side, and yet I question whether Mr. Lestrade would have noted even so self-evident a thing as that."
　　 "How on earth--"
　　 "My dear fellow, I know you well. I know the military neatness which characterises you. You shave every morning, and in this season you shave by the sunlight; but since your shaving is less and less complete as we get farther back on the left side, until it becomes positively slovenly as we get round the angle of the jaw, it is surely very clear that that side is less illuminated than the other. I could not imagine a man of your habits looking at himself in an equal light and being satisfied with such a result. I only quote this as a trivial example of observation and inference. Therein lies my métier, and it is just possible that it may be of some service in the investigation which lies before us. There are one or two minor points which were brought out in the inquest, and which are worth considering."
　　 "What are they?"
　　 "It appears that his arrest did not take place at once, but after the return to Hatherley Farm. On the inspector of constabulary informing him that he was a prisoner, he remarked that he was not surprised to hear it, and that it was no more than his deserts. This observation of his had the natural effect of removing any traces of doubt which might have remained in the minds of the coroner's jury."
　　 "It was a confession," I ejaculated.
　　 "No, for it was followed by a protestation of innocence."
　　 "Coming on the top of such a damning series of events, it was at least a most suspicious remark."
　　 "On the contrary," said Holmes, "it is the brightest rift which I can at present see in the clouds. However innocent he might be, he could not be such an absolute imbecile as not to see that the circumstances were very black against him. Had he appeared surprised at his own arrest, or feigned indignation at it, I should have looked upon it as highly suspicious, because such surprise or anger would not be natural under the circumstances, and yet might appear to be the best policy to a scheming man. His frank acceptance of the situation marks him as either an innocent man, or else as a man of considerable self-restraint and firmness. As to his remark about his deserts, it was also not unnatural if you consider that he stood beside the dead body of his father, and that there is no doubt that he had that very day so far forgotten his filial duty as to bandy words with him, and even, according to the little girl whose evidence is so important, to raise his hand as if to strike him. The self-reproach and contrition which are displayed in his remark appear to me to be the signs of a healthy mind rather than of a guilty one."
　　 I shook my head. "Many men have been hanged on far slighter evidence," I remarked.
　　 "So they have. And many men have been wrongfully hanged."
　　 "What is the young man's own account of the matter?"
　　 "It is, I am afraid, not very encouraging to his supporters, though there are one or two points in it which are suggestive. You will find it here, and may read it for yourself."
　　 He picked out from his bundle a copy of the local Herefordshire paper, and having turned down the sheet he pointed out the paragraph in which the unfortunate young man had given his own statement of what had occurred. I settled myself down in the corner of the carriage and read it very carefully. It ran in this way:
　　 "Mr. James McCarthy, the only son of the deceased, was then called and gave evidence as follows: 'I had been away from home for three days at Bristol, and had only just returned upon the morning of last Monday, the 3rd. My father was absent from home at the time of my arrival, and I was informed by the maid that he had driven over to Ross with John Cobb, the groom. Shortly after my return I heard the wheels of his trap in the yard, and, looking out of my window, I saw him get out and walk rapidly out of the yard, though I was not aware in which direction he was going. I then took my gun and strolled out in the direction of the Boscombe Pool, with the intention of visiting the rabbit warren which is upon the other side. On my way I saw William Crowder, the game-keeper, as he had stated in his evidence; but he is mistaken in thinking that I was following my father. I had no idea that he was in front of me. When about a hundred yards from the pool I heard a cry of "Cooee!" which was a usual signal between my father and myself. I then hurried forward, and found him standing by the pool. He appeared to be much surprised at seeing me and asked me rather roughly what I was doing there. A conversation ensued which led to high words and almost to blows, for my father was a man of a very violent temper. Seeing that his passion was becoming ungovernable, I left him and returned towards Hatherley Farm. I had not gone more than 150 yards, however, when I heard a hideous outcry behind me, which caused me to run back again. I found my father expiring upon the ground, with his head terribly injured. I dropped my gun and held him in my arms, but he almost instantly expired. I knelt beside him for some minutes, and then made my way to Mr. Turner's lodge-keeper, his house being the nearest, to ask for assistance. I saw no one near my father when I returned, and I have no idea how he came by his injuries. He was not a popular man, being somewhat cold and forbidding in his manners, but he had, as far as I know, no active enemies. I know nothing further of the matter.'
　　 "The Coroner: Did your father make any statement to you before he died?
　　 "Witness: He mumbled a few words, but I could only catch some allusion to a rat.
　　 "The Coroner: What did you understand by that?
　　 "Witness: It conveyed no meaning to me. I thought that he was delirious.
　　 "The Coroner: What was the point upon which you and your father had this final quarrel?
　　 "Witness: I should prefer not to answer.
　　 "The Coroner: I am afraid that I must press it.
　　 "Witness: It is really impossible for me to tell you. I can assure you that it has nothing to do with the sad tragedy which followed.
　　 "The Coroner: That is for the court to decide. I need not point out to you that your refusal to answer will prejudice your case considerably in any future proceedings which may arise.
　　 "Witness: I must still refuse.
　　 "The Coroner: I understand that the cry of 'Cooee' was a common signal between you and your father?
　　 "Witness: It was.
　　 "The Coroner: How was it, then, that he uttered it before he saw you, and before he even knew that you had returned from Bristol?
　　 "Witness (with considerable confusion): I do not know.
　　 "A Juryman: Did you see nothing which aroused your suspicions when you returned on hearing the cry and found your father fatally injured?
　　 "Witness: Nothing definite.
　　 "The Coroner: What do you mean?
　　 "Witness: I was so disturbed and excited as I rushed out into the open, that I could think of nothing except of my father. Yet I have a vague impression that as I ran forward something lay upon the ground to the left of me. It seemed to me to be something grey in colour, a coat of some sort, or a plaid perhaps. When I rose from my father I looked round for it, but it was gone.
　　 "'Do you mean that it disappeared before you went for help?'
　　 "'Yes, it was gone.'
　　 "'You cannot say what it was?'
　　 "'No, I had a feeling something was there.'
　　 "'How far from the body?'
　　 "'A dozen yards or so.'
　　 "'And how far from the edge of the wood?'
　　 "'About the same.'
　　 "'Then if it was removed it was while you were within a dozen yards of it?'
　　 "'Yes, but with my back towards it.'
　　 "This concluded the examination of the witness."
　　 "I see," said I as I glanced down the column, "that the coroner in his concluding remarks was rather severe upon young McCarthy. He calls attention, and with reason, to the discrepancy about his father having signalled to him before seeing him, also to his refusal to give details of his conversation with his father, and his singular account of his father's dying words. They are all, as he remarks, very much against the son."
　　 Holmes laughed softly to himself and stretched himself out upon the cushioned seat. "Both you and the coroner have been at some pains," said he, "to single out the very strongest points in the young man's favour. Don't you see that you alternately give him credit for having too much imagination and too little? Too little, if he could not invent a cause of quarrel which would give him the sympathy of the jury; too much, if he evolved from his own inner consciousness anything so outré as a dying reference to a rat, and the incident of the vanishing cloth. No, sir, I shall approach this case from the point of view that what this young man says is true, and we shall see whither that hypothesis will lead us. And now here is my pocket Petrarch, and not another word shall I say of this case until we are on the scene of action. We lunch at Swindon, and I see that we shall be there in twenty minutes."
　　 It was nearly four o'clock when we at last, after passing through the beautiful Stroud Valley, and over the broad gleaming Severn, found ourselves at the pretty little country-town of Ross. A lean, ferret-like man, furtive and sly-looking, was waiting for us upon the platform. In spite of the light brown dustcoat and leather-leggings which he wore in deference to his rustic surroundings, I had no difficulty in recognising Lestrade, of Scotland Yard. With him we drove to the Hereford Arms where a room had already been engaged for us.
　　 "I have ordered a carriage," said Lestrade as we sat over a cup of tea. "I knew your energetic nature, and that you would not be happy until you had been on the scene of the crime."
　　 "It was very nice and complimentary of you," Holmes answered. "It is entirely a question of barometric pressure."
　　 Lestrade looked startled. "I do not quite follow," he said.
　　 "How is the glass? Twenty-nine, I see. No wind, and not a cloud in the sky. I have a caseful of cigarettes here which need smoking, and the sofa is very much superior to the usual country hotel abomination. I do not think that it is probable that I shall use the carriage to-night."
　　 Lestrade laughed indulgently. "You have, no doubt, already formed your conclusions from the newspapers," he said. "The case is as plain as a pikestaff, and the more one goes into it the plainer it becomes. Still, of course, one can't refuse a lady, and such a very positive one, too. She has heard of you, and would have your opinion, though I repeatedly told her that there was nothing which you could do which I had not already done. Why, bless my soul! here is her carriage at the door."
　　 High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt.
　　 He was very much admired indeed. "He is as beautiful as a weathercock," remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic tastes; "only not quite so useful," he added, fearing lest people should think him unpractical, which he really was not.
　　 "Why can't you be like the Happy Prince?" asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the moon. "The Happy Prince never dreams of crying for anything."
　　 "I am glad there is some one in the world who is quite happy," muttered a disappointed man as he gazed at the wonderful statue.
　　 "He looks just like an angel," said the Charity Children as they came out of the cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and their clean white pinafores.
　　 "How do you know?" said the Mathematical Master, "you have never seen one."
　　 "Ah! but we have, in our dreams," answered the children; and the Mathematical Master frowned and looked very severe, for he did not approve of children dreaming.
　　 One night there flew over the city a little Swallow. His friends had gone away to Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed behind, for he was in love with the most beautiful Reed. He had met her early in the spring as he was flying down the river after a big yellow moth, and had been so attracted by her slender waist that he had stopped to talk to her.
　　 "Shall I love you?" said the Swallow, who liked to come to the point at once, and the Reed made him a low bow. So he flew round and round her, touching the water with his wings, and making silver ripples. This was his courtship, and it lasted all through the summer.
　　 "It is a ridiculous attachment," twittered the other Swallows; "she has no money, and far too many relations"; and indeed the river was quite full of Reeds. Then, when the autumn came they all flew away.
　　 After they had gone he felt lonely, and began to tire of his lady- love. "She has no conversation," he said, "and I am afraid that she is a coquette, for she is always flirting with the wind." And certainly, whenever the wind blew, the Reed made the most graceful curtseys. "I admit that she is domestic," he continued, "but I love travelling, and my wife, consequently, should love travelling also."
　　 "Will you come away with me?" he said finally to her; but the Reed shook her head, she was so attached to her home.
　　 "You have been trifling with me," he cried. "I am off to the Pyramids. Good-bye!" and he flew away.
　　 All day long he flew, and at night-time he arrived at the city. "Where shall I put up?" he said; "I hope the town has made preparations."
　　 Then he saw the statue on the tall column.
　　 "I will put up there," he cried; "it is a fine position, with plenty of fresh air." So he alighted just between the feet of the Happy Prince.
　　 "I have a golden bedroom," he said softly to himself as he looked round, and he prepared to go to sleep; but just as he was putting his head under his wing a large drop of water fell on him. "What a curious thing!" he cried; "there is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are quite clear and bright, and yet it is raining. The climate in the north of Europe is really dreadful. The Reed used to like the rain, but that was merely her selfishness."
　　 Then another drop fell.
　　 "What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off?" he said; "I must look for a good chimney-pot," and he determined to fly away.
　　 But before he had opened his wings, a third drop fell, and he looked up, and saw--Ah! what did he see?
　　 The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled with tears, and tears were running down his golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in the moonlight that the little Swallow was filled with pity.
　　 "Who are you?" he said.
　　 "I am the Happy Prince."
　　 "Why are you weeping then?" asked the Swallow; "you have quite drenched me."
　　 "When I was alive and had a human heart," answered the statue, "I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the Palace of Sans- Souci, where sorrow is not allowed to enter. In the daytime I played with my companions in the garden, and in the evening I led the dance in the Great Hall. Round the garden ran a very lofty wall, but I never cared to ask what lay beyond it, everything about me was so beautiful. My courtiers called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness. So I lived, and so I died. And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that I can see all the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my heart is made of lead yet I cannot chose but weep."
　　 "What! is he not solid gold?" said the Swallow to himself. He was too polite to make any personal remarks out loud.
　　 "Far away," continued the statue in a low musical voice, "far away in a little street there is a poor house. One of the windows is open, and through it I can see a woman seated at a table. Her face is thin and worn, and she has coarse, red hands, all pricked by the needle, for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering passion- flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest of the Queen's maids-of- honour to wear at the next Court-ball. In a bed in the corner of the room her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever, and is asking for oranges. His mother has nothing to give him but river water, so he is crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow, will you not bring her the ruby out of my sword-hilt? My feet are fastened to this pedestal and I cannot move."
　　 "I am waited for in Egypt," said the Swallow. "My friends are flying up and down the Nile, and talking to the large lotus- flowers. Soon they will go to sleep in the tomb of the great King. The King is there himself in his painted coffin. He is wrapped in yellow linen, and embalmed with spices. Round his neck is a chain of pale green jade, and his hands are like withered leaves."
　　 "Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "will you not stay with me for one night, and be my messenger? The boy is so thirsty, and the mother so sad."
　　 "I don't think I like boys," answered the Swallow. "Last summer, when I was staying on the river, there were two rude boys, the miller's sons, who were always throwing stones at me. They never hit me, of course; we swallows fly far too well for that, and besides, I come of a family famous for its agility; but still, it was a mark of disrespect."
　　 But the Happy Prince looked so sad that the little Swallow was sorry. "It is very cold here," he said; "but I will stay with you for one night, and be your messenger."
　　 "Thank you, little Swallow," said the Prince.
　　 So the Swallow picked out the great ruby from the Prince's sword, and flew away with it in his beak over the roofs of the town.
　　 He passed by the cathedral tower, where the white marble angels were sculptured. He passed by the palace and heard the sound of dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the balcony with her lover. "How wonderful the stars are," he said to her, "and how wonderful is the power of love!"
　　 "I hope my dress will be ready in time for the State-ball," she answered; "I have ordered passion-flowers to be embroidered on it; but the seamstresses are so lazy."
　　 He passed over the river, and saw the lanterns hanging to the masts of the ships. He passed over the Ghetto, and saw the old Jews bargaining with each other, and weighing out money in copper scales. At last he came to the poor house and looked in. The boy was tossing feverishly on his bed, and the mother had fallen asleep, she was so tired. In he hopped, and laid the great ruby on the table beside the woman's thimble. Then he flew gently round the bed, fanning the boy's forehead with his wings. "How cool I feel," said the boy, "I must be getting better"; and he sank into a delicious slumber.
　　 Then the Swallow flew back to the Happy Prince, and told him what he had done. "It is curious," he remarked, "but I feel quite warm now, although it is so cold."
　　 "That is because you have done a good action," said the Prince. And the little Swallow began to think, and then he fell asleep. Thinking always made him sleepy.
　　 When day broke he flew down to the river and had a bath. "What a remarkable phenomenon," said the Professor of Ornithology as he was passing over the bridge. "A swallow in winter!" And he wrote a long letter about it to the local newspaper. Every one quoted it, it was full of so many words that they could not understand.
　　 "To-night I go to Egypt," said the Swallow, and he was in high spirits at the prospect. He visited all the public monuments, and sat a long time on top of the church steeple. Wherever he went the Sparrows chirruped, and said to each other, "What a distinguished stranger!" so he enjoyed himself very much.
　　 When the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince. "Have you any commissions for Egypt?" he cried; "I am just starting."
　　 "Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "will you not stay with me one night longer?"
　　 "I am waited for in Egypt," answered the Swallow. "To-morrow my friends will fly up to the Second Cataract. The river-horse couches there among the bulrushes, and on a great granite throne sits the God Memnon. All night long he watches the stars, and when the morning star shines he utters one cry of joy, and then he is silent. At noon the yellow lions come down to the water's edge to drink. They have eyes like green beryls, and their roar is louder than the roar of the cataract.
　　 "Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "far away across the city I see a young man in a garret. He is leaning over a desk covered with papers, and in a tumbler by his side there is a bunch of withered violets. His hair is brown and crisp, and his lips are red as a pomegranate, and he has large and dreamy eyes. He is trying to finish a play for the Director of the Theatre, but he is too cold to write any more. There is no fire in the grate, and hunger has made him faint."
　　 "I will wait with you one night longer," said the Swallow, who really had a good heart. "Shall I take him another ruby?"
　　 "Alas! I have no ruby now," said the Prince; "my eyes are all that I have left. They are made of rare sapphires, which were brought out of India a thousand years ago. Pluck out one of them and take it to him. He will sell it to the jeweller, and buy food and firewood, and finish his play."
　　 "Dear Prince," said the Swallow, "I cannot do that"; and he began to weep.
　　 "Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "do as I command you."
　　 So the Swallow plucked out the Prince's eye, and flew away to the student's garret. It was easy enough to get in, as there was a hole in the roof. Through this he darted, and came into the room. The young man had his head buried in his hands, so he did not hear the flutter of the bird's wings, and when he looked up he found the beautiful sapphire lying on the withered violets.
　　 "I am beginning to be appreciated," he cried; "this is from some great admirer. Now I can finish my play," and he looked quite happy.
　　 The next day the Swallow flew down to the harbour. He sat on the mast of a large vessel and watched the sailors hauling big chests out of the hold with ropes. "Heave a-hoy!" they shouted as each chest came up. "I am going to Egypt"! cried the Swallow, but nobody minded, and when the moon rose he flew back to the Happy Prince.
　　 "I am come to bid you good-bye," he cried.
　　 "Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "will you not stay with me one night longer?"
　　 "It is winter," answered the Swallow, "and the chill snow will soon be here. In Egypt the sun is warm on the green palm-trees, and the crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily about them. My companions are building a nest in the Temple of Baalbec, and the pink and white doves are watching them, and cooing to each other. Dear Prince, I must leave you, but I will never forget you, and next spring I will bring you back two beautiful jewels in place of those you have given away. The ruby shall be redder than a red rose, and the sapphire shall be as blue as the great sea."
　　 "In the square below," said the Happy Prince, "there stands a little match-girl. She has let her matches fall in the gutter, and they are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if she does not bring home some money, and she is crying. She has no shoes or stockings, and her little head is bare. Pluck out my other eye, and give it to her, and her father will not beat her."
　　 "I will stay with you one night longer," said the Swallow, "but I cannot pluck out your eye. You would be quite blind then."
　　 "Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the Prince, "do as I command you."
　　 So he plucked out the Prince's other eye, and darted down with it. He swooped past the match-girl, and slipped the jewel into the palm of her hand. "What a lovely bit of glass," cried the little girl; and she ran home, laughing.
　　 Then the Swallow came back to the Prince. "You are blind now," he said, "so I will stay with you always."
　　 "No, little Swallow," said the poor Prince, "you must go away to Egypt."
　　 "I will stay with you always," said the Swallow, and he slept at the Prince's feet.
　　 All the next day he sat on the Prince's shoulder, and told him stories of what he had seen in strange lands. He told him of the red ibises, who stand in long rows on the banks of the Nile, and catch gold-fish in their beaks; of the Sphinx, who is as old as the world itself, and lives in the desert, and knows everything; of the merchants, who walk slowly by the side of their camels, and carry amber beads in their hands; of the King of the Mountains of the Moon, who is as black as ebony, and worships a large crystal; of the great green snake that sleeps in a palm-tree, and has twenty priests to feed it with honey-cakes; and of the pygmies who sail over a big lake on large flat leaves, and are always at war with the butterflies.
　　 "Dear little Swallow," said the Prince, "you tell me of marvellous things, but more marvellous than anything is the suffering of men and of women. There is no Mystery so great as Misery. Fly over my city, little Swallow, and tell me what you see there."
　　 So the Swallow flew over the great city, and saw the rich making merry in their beautiful houses, while the beggars were sitting at the gates. He flew into dark lanes, and saw the white faces of starving children looking out listlessly at the black streets. Under the archway of a bridge two little boys were lying in one another's arms to try and keep themselves warm. "How hungry we are!" they said. "You must not lie here," shouted the Watchman, and they wandered out into the rain.
　　 Then he flew back and told the Prince what he had seen.
　　 "I am covered with fine gold," said the Prince, "you must take it off, leaf by leaf, and give it to my poor; the living always think that gold can make them happy."
　　 Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow picked off, till the Happy Prince looked quite dull and grey. Leaf after leaf of the fine gold he brought to the poor, and the children's faces grew rosier, and they laughed and played games in the street. "We have bread now!" they cried.
　　 Then the snow came, and after the snow came the frost. The streets looked as if they were made of silver, they were so bright and glistening; long icicles like crystal daggers hung down from the eaves of the houses, everybody went about in furs, and the little boys wore scarlet caps and skated on the ice.
　　 The poor little Swallow grew colder and colder, but he would not leave the Prince, he loved him too well. He picked up crumbs outside the baker's door when the baker was not looking and tried to keep himself warm by flapping his wings.
　　 But at last he knew that he was going to die. He had just strength to fly up to the Prince's shoulder once more. "Good-bye, dear Prince!" he murmured, "will you let me kiss your hand?"
　　 "I am glad that you are going to Egypt at last, little Swallow," said the Prince, "you have stayed too long here; but you must kiss me on the lips, for I love you."
　　 "It is not to Egypt that I am going," said the Swallow. "I am going to the House of Death. Death is the brother of Sleep, is he not?"
　　 And he kissed the Happy Prince on the lips, and fell down dead at his feet.
　　 At that moment a curious crack sounded inside the statue, as if something had broken. The fact is that the leaden heart had snapped right in two. It certainly was a dreadfully hard frost.
　　 Early the next morning the Mayor was walking in the square below in company with the Town Councillors. As they passed the column he looked up at the statue: "Dear me! how shabby the Happy Prince looks!" he said.
　　 "How shabby indeed!" cried the Town Councillors, who always agreed with the Mayor; and they went up to look at it.
　　 "The ruby has fallen out of his sword, his eyes are gone, and he is golden no longer," said the Mayor in fact, "he is litttle beter than a beggar!"
　　 "Little better than a beggar," said the Town Councillors.
　　 "And here is actually a dead bird at his feet!" continued the Mayor. "We must really issue a proclamation that birds are not to be allowed to die here." And the Town Clerk made a note of the suggestion.
　　 So they pulled down the statue of the Happy Prince. "As he is no longer beautiful he is no longer useful," said the Art Professor at the University.
　　 Then they melted the statue in a furnace, and the Mayor held a meeting of the Corporation to decide what was to be done with the metal. "We must have another statue, of course," he said, "and it shall be a statue of myself."
　　 "Of myself," said each of the Town Councillors, and they quarrelled. When I last heard of them they were quarrelling still.
　　 "What a strange thing!" said the overseer of the workmen at the foundry. "This broken lead heart will not melt in the furnace. We must throw it away." So they threw it on a dust-heap where the dead Swallow was also lying.
　　 "Bring me the two most precious things in the city," said God to one of His Angels; and the Angel brought Him the leaden heart and the dead bird.
　　 "You have rightly chosen," said God, "for in my garden of Paradise this little bird shall sing for evermore, and in my city of gold the Happy Prince shall praise me."
　　 "She said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses," cried the young Student; "but in all my garden there is no red rose."
　　 From her nest in the holm-oak tree the Nightingale heard him, and she looked out through the leaves, and wondered.
　　 "No red rose in all my garden!" he cried, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. "Ah, on what little things does happiness depend! I have read all that the wise men have written, and all the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet for want of a red rose is my life made wretched."
　　 "Here at last is a true lover," said the Nightingale. "Night after night have I sung of him, though I knew him not: night after night have I told his story to the stars, and now I see him. His hair is dark as the hyacinth-blossom, and his lips are red as the rose of his desire; but passion has made his face like pale ivory, and sorrow has set her seal upon his brow."
　　 "The Prince gives a ball to-morrow night," murmured the young Student, "and my love will be of the company. If I bring her a red rose she will dance with me till dawn. If I bring her a red rose, I shall hold her in my arms, and she will lean her head upon my shoulder, and her hand will be clasped in mine. But there is no red rose in my garden, so I shall sit lonely, and she will pass me by. She will have no heed of me, and my heart will break."
　　 "Here indeed is the true lover," said the Nightingale. "What I sing of, he suffers--what is joy to me, to him is pain. Surely Love is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than emeralds, and dearer than fine opals. Pearls and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set forth in the marketplace. It may not be purchased of the merchants, nor can it be weighed out in the balance for gold."
　　 "The musicians will sit in their gallery," said the young Student, "and play upon their stringed instruments, and my love will dance to the sound of the harp and the violin. She will dance so lightly that her feet will not touch the floor, and the courtiers in their gay dresses will throng round her. But with me she will not dance, for I have no red rose to give her"; and he flung himself down on the grass, and buried his face in his hands, and wept.
　　 "Why is he weeping?" asked a little Green Lizard, as he ran past him with his tail in the air.
　　 "Why, indeed?" said a Butterfly, who was fluttering about after a sunbeam.
　　 "Why, indeed?" whispered a Daisy to his neighbour, in a soft, low voice.
　　 "He is weeping for a red rose," said the Nightingale.
　　 "For a red rose?" they cried; "how very ridiculous!" and the little Lizard, who was something of a cynic, laughed outright.
　　 But the Nightingale understood the secret of the Student's sorrow, and she sat silent in the oak-tree, and thought about the mystery of Love.
　　 Suddenly she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air. She passed through the grove like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed across the garden.
　　 In the centre of the grass-plot was standing a beautiful Rose-tree, and when she saw it she flew over to it, and lit upon a spray.
　　 "Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song."
　　 But the Tree shook its head.
　　 "My roses are white," it answered; "as white as the foam of the sea, and whiter than the snow upon the mountain. But go to my brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you what you want."
　　 So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing round the old sun-dial.
　　 "Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song."
　　 But the Tree shook its head.
　　 "My roses are yellow," it answered; "as yellow as the hair of the mermaiden who sits upon an amber throne, and yellower than the daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the mower comes with his scythe. But go to my brother who grows beneath the Student's window, and perhaps he will give you what you want."
　　 So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree that was growing beneath the Student's window.
　　 "Give me a red rose," she cried, "and I will sing you my sweetest song."
　　 But the Tree shook its head.
　　 "My roses are red," it answered, "as red as the feet of the dove, and redder than the great fans of coral that wave and wave in the ocean-cavern. But the winter has chilled my veins, and the frost has nipped my buds, and the storm has broken my branches, and I shall have no roses at all this year."
　　 "One red rose is all I want," cried the Nightingale, "only one red rose! Is there no way by which I can get it?"
　　 "There is away," answered the Tree; "but it is so terrible that I dare not tell it to you."
　　 "Tell it to me," said the Nightingale, "I am not afraid."
　　 "If you want a red rose," said the Tree, "you must build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with your own heart's-blood. You must sing to me with your breast against a thorn. All night long you must sing to me, and the thorn must pierce your heart, and your life-blood must flow into my veins, and become mine."
　　 "Death is a great price to pay for a red rose," cried the Nightingale, "and Life is very dear to all. It is pleasant to sit in the green wood, and to watch the Sun in his chariot of gold, and the Moon in her chariot of pearl. Sweet is the scent of the hawthorn, and sweet are the bluebells that hide in the valley, and the heather that blows on the hill. Yet Love is better than Life, and what is the heart of a bird compared to the heart of a man?"
　　 So she spread her brown wings for flight, and soared into the air. She swept over the garden like a shadow, and like a shadow she sailed through the grove.
　　 The young Student was still lying on the grass, where she had left him, and the tears were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes.
　　 "Be happy," cried the Nightingale, "be happy; you shall have your red rose. I will build it out of music by moonlight, and stain it with my own heart's-blood. All that I ask of you in return is that you will be a true lover, for Love is wiser than Philosophy, though she is wise, and mightier than Power, though he is mighty. Flame- coloured are his wings, and coloured like flame is his body. His lips are sweet as honey, and his breath is like frankincense."
　　 The Student looked up from the grass, and listened, but he could not understand what the Nightingale was saying to him, for he only knew the things that are written down in books.
　　 But the Oak-tree understood, and felt sad, for he was very fond of the little Nightingale who had built her nest in his branches.
　　 "Sing me one last song," he whispered; "I shall feel very lonely when you are gone."
　　 So the Nightingale sang to the Oak-tree, and her voice was like water bubbling from a silver jar.
　　 When she had finished her song the Student got up, and pulled a note-book and a lead-pencil out of his pocket.
　　 "She has form," he said to himself, as he walked away through the grove--"that cannot be denied to her; but has she got feeling? I am afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists; she is all style, without any sincerity. She would not sacrifice herself for others. She thinks merely of music, and everybody knows that the arts are selfish. Still, it must be admitted that she has some beautiful notes in her voice. What a pity it is that they do not mean anything, or do any practical good." And he went into his room, and lay down on his little pallet-bed, and began to think of his love; and, after a time, he fell asleep.
　　 And when the Moon shone in the heavens the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree, and set her breast against the thorn. All night long she sang with her breast against the thorn, and the cold crystal Moon leaned down and listened. All night long she sang, and the thorn went deeper and deeper into her breast, and her life-blood ebbed away from her.
　　 She sang first of the birth of love in the heart of a boy and a girl. And on the top-most spray of the Rose-tree there blossomed a marvellous rose, petal following petal, as song followed song. Pale was it, at first, as the mist that hangs over the river--pale as the feet of the morning, and silver as the wings of the dawn. As the shadow of a rose in a mirror of silver, as the shadow of a rose in a water-pool, so was the rose that blossomed on the topmost spray of the Tree.
　　 But the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the thorn. "Press closer, little Nightingale," cried the Tree, "or the Day will come before the rose is finished."
　　 So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and louder and louder grew her song, for she sang of the birth of passion in the soul of a man and a maid.
　　 And a delicate flush of pink came into the leaves of the rose, like the flush in the face of the bridegroom when he kisses the lips of the bride. But the thorn had not yet reached her heart, so the rose's heart remained white, for only a Nightingale's heart's-blood can crimson the heart of a rose.
　　 And the Tree cried to the Nightingale to press closer against the thorn. "Press closer, little Nightingale," cried the Tree, "or the Day will come before the rose is finished."
　　 So the Nightingale pressed closer against the thorn, and the thorn touched her heart, and a fierce pang of pain shot through her. Bitter, bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew her song, for she sang of the Love that is perfected by Death, of the Love that dies not in the tomb.
　　 And the marvellous rose became crimson, like the rose of the eastern sky. Crimson was the girdle of petals, and crimson as a ruby was the heart.
　　 But the Nightingale's voice grew fainter, and her little wings began to beat, and a film came over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew her song, and she felt something choking her in her throat.
　　 Then she gave one last burst of music. The white Moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn, and lingered on in the sky. The red rose heard it, and it trembled all over with ecstasy, and opened its petals to the cold morning air. Echo bore it to her purple cavern in the hills, and woke the sleeping shepherds from their dreams. It floated through the reeds of the river, and they carried its message to the sea.
　　 "Look, look!" cried the Tree, "the rose is finished now"; but the Nightingale made no answer, for she was lying dead in the long grass, with the thorn in her heart.
　　 And at noon the Student opened his window and looked out.
　　 "Why, what a wonderful piece of luck!" he cried; "here is a red rose! I have never seen any rose like it in all my life. It is so beautiful that I am sure it has a long Latin name"; and he leaned down and plucked it.
　　 Then he put on his hat, and ran up to the Professor's house with the rose in his hand.
　　 The daughter of the Professor was sitting in the doorway winding blue silk on a reel, and her little dog was lying at her feet.
　　 "You said that you would dance with me if I brought you a red rose," cried the Student. "Here is the reddest rose in all the world. You will wear it to-night next your heart, and as we dance together it will tell you how I love you."
　　 But the girl frowned.
　　 "I am afraid it will not go with my dress," she answered; "and, besides, the Chamberlain's nephew has sent me some real jewels, and everybody knows that jewels cost far more than flowers."
　　 "Well, upon my word, you are very ungrateful," said the Student angrily; and he threw the rose into the street, where it fell into the gutter, and a cart-wheel went over it.
　　 "Ungrateful!" said the girl. "I tell you what, you are very rude; and, after all, who are you? Only a Student. Why, I don't believe you have even got silver buckles to your shoes as the Chamberlain's nephew has"; and she got up from her chair and went into the house.
　　 "What I a silly thing Love is," said the Student as he walked away. "It is not half as useful as Logic, for it does not prove anything, and it is always telling one of things that are not going to happen, and making one believe things that are not true. In fact, it is quite unpractical, and, as in this age to be practical is everything, I shall go back to Philosophy and study Metaphysics."
　　 So he returned to his room and pulled out a great dusty book, and began to read.