wǒ cū lüè dì kàn liǎo kàn yī lián chuàn nèi róng bù lián guàn de huí yì lù， xiǎng yòng tā men lái chǎn míng wǒ péng yǒu xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng zhì lì shàng de yī xiē tè diǎn， dàn què jué dé hěn nán tiǎo chū wǒ suǒ xū yào de lì zǐ。 yīn wéi zài zhēn pò zhè xiē 'àn zǐ de guò chéng zhōng， fú 'ěr mó sī suī rán yùn yòng liǎo tā nà fēn xī tuī lǐ de qiǎo miào shǒu fǎ， zhèng shí liǎo tā nà dú tè de diào chá yán jiū fāng fǎ de zhòng yào， dàn 'àn jiàn běn shēn， què wǎng wǎng wēi bù zú dào， píng fán wú qí， wǒ jué dé shí zài bù zhí dé xiàng dú zhě jiè shào。 lìng yī fāng miàn， yě jīng cháng fā shēng zhè yàng yī zhǒng qíng kuàng， tā cānyù diào chá liǎo yī xiē 'àn qíng lí qí、 fù yòu xì jù xìng de 'àn zǐ， dàn tā zài zhēn pò guò chéng zhōng suǒ qǐ de zuò yòng， què yòu bù néng mǎn zú wǒ zhè gěi tā xiě zhuànjì de rén de yuàn wàng。 wǒ céng jīng jì shù guò yī jiàn xiǎo xiǎo de 'àn zǐ， tí mù shì《 xuè zì de yán jiū》， hòu lái yòu yòu lìng yī gè yòu guān “ gé luò lǐ yà sī kē tè ” hào sān wéi fān chuán shī shì 'àn， dōushì néng zuò wéi shǐ lì shǐ xué jiā yǒng yuǎn gǎn dào jīng qí de yán jiāo yǔ xuán wō ［ yán jiāo yǔ xuán wō： yì dà lì mò xī ná hǎi xiá shàng de yán jiāo， tā de duì miàn yòu dà xuán wō。 cǐ chù zuò zhě yòng lái xíng róng jīng xiǎn。 héng héng yì zhě zhù ］ de lì zǐ。 xiàn zài wǒ yào jìzǎi de zhè jiàn 'àn zǐ， zài zhēn pò 'àn jiàn zhōng wǒ de péng yǒu suī rán méi yòu qǐ dào shí fēn zhòng yào de zuò yòng， dàn zhěng gè 'àn qíng què hěn xī qí gǔ guài， wǒ jué dé shí zài bù néng gòu yí lòu bù jì。
　　 nà shì qī yuè lǐ yī gè mèn rè de yīn yǔ tiān， wǒ men de chuāng lián fàng xià liǎo yī bàn， fú 'ěr mó sī quán wò zài shā fā shàng， bǎ zǎo chén jiē dào de yī fēng xìn dú liǎo yòu dú。 yóu yú wǒ zài yìn dù fú guò bīng yì， shǐ wǒ yǎng chéng liǎo pà lěng bù pà rè de xí guàn， yīn 'ér hán shǔ biǎo suī yǐ dào liǎo huá shì jiǔ shí dù， wǒ yě háo bù jué dé nán shòu。 bù guò zhè tiān de bào zhǐ shí zài fá wèi。 yì huì yǐ jīng xiū huì， rén mendōu lí kāi liǎo chéng shì。 wǒ kě wàng dào xīn sēn lín zhōng de kōng dì huò nán hǎi de pū mǎn luǎn shí de hǎi tān yī yóu。 dàn yīn wǒ de cún kuǎn jié jù， wǒ tuī chí liǎo jiàqī。 ér duì wǒ de huǒ bàn lái shuō， wú lùn shì xiāng xià huò shì hǎi bīn， dū sī háo bù néng yǐn qǐ tā de xīng qù。 tā zhǐ xǐ huān hùn jì yú wǔ bǎi wàn rén kǒu de zhōng xīn， duì tā men zhōng jiān guān yú xuán 'ér wèi jué de 'àn jiàn de měi yī gè xiǎo xiǎo de chuán wén huò cāi yí tè bié guān xīn。 tā duì yú xīn shǎng dà zì rán， què sī háo bù gǎn xīng qù。 ér tā wéi yī de gǎi biàn， shì qù kàn wàng tā zài xiāng jiān de gē gē。
　　 wǒ fā xiàn fú 'ěr mó sī zhèng quán shén guàn zhù， gù bù dé shuō huà， wǒ biàn bǎ nà kū zào wú wèi de bào zhǐ rēng dào yī bàng， bèi kào zhe yǐ zǐ， xiàn rù liǎo chén sī。 hū rán wǒ de huǒ bàn de shuō huà shēng dǎ duàn liǎo wǒ de sī xù。
　　“ nǐ xiǎng dé bù cuò， huá shēng，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ yòng zhè zhǒng fāng fǎ jiě jué zhēng duān， kàn lái tài huāng miù liǎo。”
　　“ tài huāng miù liǎo！” wǒ dà shēng shuō dào， měng rán xiǎng dào， tā zěn me néng jué chá chū wǒ nèi xīn shēn chù de sī xiǎng ní？ wǒ zuò zhí liǎo shēn zǐ， máng rán bù jiě dì jīng shì zhe tā。
　　“ zhè shì zěn me huí shì？ fú 'ěr mó sī，” wǒ hǎn dào，“ zhè shí zài tài chū hū wǒ yì liào liǎo。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī kàn dào wǒ zhè zhǒng máng rán bù jiě de shén qíng， fàng shēng dà xiào qǐ lái。
　　“ nǐ jì dé bù jiǔ yǐ qián，” tā shuō dào，“ wǒ céng gěi nǐ dú guò yī duàn 'ài lún · pō xiě de gù shì， tā zài nà duàn gù shì lǐ jiǎng dào yī gè yán mì de tuī lǐ zhě jìng néng chá jué tā de tóng bàn wèi jiǎng chū lái de sī xiǎng， nǐ dāng shí rèn wéi zhè jiàn shì chún shǔ zuò zhě qiǎo miào de xū gòu。 dāng wǒ tí chū， wǒ wǎng wǎng yě xí guàn zhè yàng zuò shí， nǐ què biǎo shì huái yí。”
　　“ wǒ méi yòu shuō 'ā！”
　　“ yě xǔ nǐ méi yòu shuō chū kǒu， wǒ qīn 'ài de huá shēng。 dàn cóng nǐ de méi yǔ jiān kě yǐ kàn chū lái。 yīn cǐ， dāng wǒ kàn jiàn nǐ bǎ bào zhǐ rēng xià， xiàn rù chén sī， biàn hěn gāo xīng yòu jī huì yán jiū nǐ de sī xiǎng， zuì hòu bǎ nǐ de sī xù dǎ duàn， yǐ biàn zhèng míng wǒ zhèng cāi zhōng liǎo nǐ de xiǎng fǎ。”
　　 kě shì wǒ duì tā de jiě shì yǐ rán bù mǎn zú。
　　“ zài nǐ gěi wǒ dú de gù shì zhōng，” wǒ shuō dào，“ nà gè tuī lǐ zhě shì gēn jù guān chá nà gè rén de dòng zuò 'ér dé chū jié lùn de。 rú guǒ wǒ jì dé bù cuò de huà， nà gè rén bèi yī duī shí tóu bàn liǎo yī xià， tái tóu kàn liǎo kàn xīng xīng， hái yòu yī xiē bié de dòng zuò。 kě shì wǒ 'ān rán bù dòng dì zuò zài yǐ zǐ shàng， néng gěi nǐ tí gōng shénme xiàn suǒ ní？”
　　“ nǐ duì nǐ zì jǐ pàn duàn cuò liǎo。 rén de wǔ guān shì biǎo dá gǎn qíng de gōng jù， ér nǐ de wǔ guān gèng shì zhōng shí zhí xíng zhè yī zhí zé de pú yì。”
　　“ nǐ de yì sī shì shuō， nǐ cóng wǒ de miàn róng shàng kàn chū liǎo wǒ yī xì liè de sī xiǎng？”
　　“ cóng nǐ de miàn róng， tè bié shì nǐ de yǎn jīng。 huò xǔ nǐ zì jǐ yǐ jīng jì bù dé nǐ shì zěn yàng xiàn rù chén sī de liǎo？”
　　“ duì， wǒ jì bù dé liǎo。”
　　“ nà me， wǒ lái gào sù nǐ。 nǐ rēng xià bào zhǐ， zhè gè dòng zuò jiù yǐn qǐ liǎo wǒ duì nǐ de zhù yì。 zhī hòu， nǐ máng rán dì zài nà lǐ zuò liǎo yòu bàn fēn zhōng de yàng zǐ。 hòu lái nǐ de yǎn jīng níng shì zhe nǐ nà zhāng xīn pèi shàng jìng kuàng de gē dēng jiāng jūn xiào xiàng， wǒ cóng nǐ miàn bù biǎo qíng de gǎi biàn， kàn chū nǐ yǐ jīng kāi shǐ xiǎng shì liǎo。 kě shì nǐ xiǎng dé bìng bù hěn yuǎn。 jiē zhe nǐ de yǎn guāng yòu zhuǎn dào nǐ shū jià shàng nà zhāng méi zhuāng jìng kuàng de hēng lì · wò dé · bǐ chè de huà xiàng shàng。 rán hòu， nǐ yòu zhāoshàng kàn zhe qiáng， dāng rán nǐ de yì tú shì hěn míng xiǎn de。 nǐ shì zài xiǎng， rú guǒ zhè zhāng huà xiàng yě pèi shàng jìng kuàng， nà jiù zhèng hǎo kě yǐ guà zài zhè qiáng shàng de kōng chù， hé nà zhāng gē dēng xiàng bìng pái guà zài yī qǐ liǎo。”
　　“ nǐ zhēn shì jǐn jǐn dì zhuī suí zhe wǒ de sī xiǎng！” wǒ jīng jiào dào。
　　“ wǒ zhì jīn hái méi zěn me nòng cuò guò ní。 jiē zhe nǐ de sī xiǎng yòu huí dào bǐ chè de shēn shàng， nǐ quán shén guàn zhù dì níng shì zhe tā de xiào xiàng， sì hū zhèng shì cóng tā de miàn mào shàng yán jiū tā de xìng gé。 hòu lái nǐ bù zài zhòu méi tóu liǎo， kě shì jì xù níng shì zhe， nǐ de liǎn shàng xiàn chū chén sī de yàng zǐ， kě jiàn nǐ zài huí xiǎng zhe bǐ chè jīng lì de shì jiàn。 wǒ què xìn nǐ zhè shí bù néng bù lián xiǎng dào tā zài nèi zhàn qī jiān dài biǎo běi fāng suǒ dān dāng de shǐ mìng， yīn wéi wǒ jì dé nǐ céng jīng duì tā de zāo yù biǎo shì fēi cháng fèn kǎi。 nǐ duì zhè jiàn shì gǎn shòu fēi cháng qiáng liè， yīn cǐ， wǒ zhī dào nǐ xiǎng dào bǐ chè shí yě bù néng bù xiǎng dào zhè xiē。 guò liǎo yī huì， wǒ kàn dào nǐ de shì xiàn cóng huà xiàng shàng yí kāi liǎo， wǒ jué dé nǐ de sī xiǎng yòu zhuǎn dào nèi zhàn shàng qù liǎo。 dāng wǒ fā xiàn nǐ shuāng chún jǐn bì， shuāng mù jiǒng jiǒng fā guāng， liǎng shǒu jǐn wò， wǒ què xìn nǐ zhèng zài xiǎng shuāng fāng zài zhè chǎng nǐ sǐ wǒ huó de jī zhàn zhōng suǒ biǎo xiàn de yīng yǒng qì gài。 kě shì， nǐ de liǎn sè yòu jiàn jiàn yīn chén qǐ lái， nǐ yáo liǎo yáo tóu。 nǐ shì zài xiǎng zhàn zhēng de bēi cǎn、 kě pà yǐ jí tú rán sǐ shāng liǎo xǔ duō rén。 nǐ de yī zhǐ shǒu màn màn dì yí dào nǐ zì jǐ de jiù shāng bā shàng， shuāng chún shàng fàn chū yī sī wēi xiào， wǒ biàn kàn chū， nǐ dāng shí zài xiǎng， zhè yàng jiě jué guó jì wèn tí de fāng fǎ shí zài huāng miù kě xiào。 zài zhè diǎn shàng， wǒ tóng yì nǐ de kàn fǎ， zhè shì fēi cháng huāng miù de， wǒ hěn gāo xīng zhī dào， wǒ zhè yī qiē tuī lùn dōushì zhèng què de。”
　　“ wán quán zhèng què！” wǒ shuō dào，“ xiàn zài nǐ yǐ jīng jiě shì qīng chǔ liǎo， wǒ chéng rèn wǒ xiàng yǐ qián yī yàng gǎn dào jīng yà。”
　　“ zhè shì fēi cháng fū qiǎn de， wǒ qīn 'ài de huá shēng， wǒ xiàng nǐ bǎo zhèng。 yào bù shì nà tiān nǐ biǎo shì mǒu xiē huái yí de huà， wǒ jué bù huì dǎ duàn nǐ de sī lù de。 bù guò jīn wǎn wēi fēng qīng fú， wǒ men yī qǐ dào lún dūn jiē shàng sàn sàn bù， nǐ kàn zěn yàng？”
　　 wǒ duì wǒ men zhè jiān xiǎo xiǎo de qǐ jū shì yǐ jīng gǎn dào yàn juàn， biàn xīn rán tóng yì liǎo。 wǒ men yī qǐ zài jiàn duì jiē hé hé bīn liú liǎo sān gè xiǎo shí， guān shǎng zhe rén shēng de wǎn rú cháo xī、 qiān biàn wàn huà de qíng jǐng。 fú 'ěr mó sī dú tè de yì lùn， duì xì jié mǐn ruì de guān chá lì hé qiǎo miào de tuī lǐ néng lì， shǐ wǒ jí gǎn xīng qù， tīng dé rù liǎo mí。 wǒ men fǎn huí bèi kè jiē shí， yǐ jīng shí diǎn zhōng liǎo。 yī liàng sì lún qiáo shì mǎ chē zhèng děng hòu zài wǒ men yù suǒ de mén qián。
　　“ hā！ wǒ kàn， zhè shì yī wèi yī shēng de mǎ chē， shì yī wèi pǔ tōng yī shēng，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ gāng kāi yè bù jiǔ， bù guò tā de shēng yì hái bù cuò。 wǒ xiǎng， tā shì lái zhǎo wǒ men shāng liàng shì qíng de。 wǒ men huí lái dé zhēn qiǎo！”
　　 wǒ shēn zhī fú 'ěr mó sī de diào chá fāng fǎ， shàn yú lǐng huì tā de tuī lǐ。 chē nèi dēng xià guà zhe yī zhǐ liǔ tiáo lán zǐ， lǐ miàn zhuāng zhe gè zhǒng gè yàng de yī liáo qì xiè， wǒ zhī dào fú 'ěr mó sī zhèng shì gēn jù zhè xiē yī liáo qì xiè de zhǒng lèi hé zhuàng kuàng， xùn sù zuò chū liǎo pàn duàn。 cóng lóu shàng wǒ men chuāng hù de dēng guāng kě yǐ kàn chū， zhè wèi yè wǎn de lái fǎng zhě què shí shì lái zhǎo wǒ men de。 wǒ xīn lǐ yòu xiē qí guài： shénme shì jìng shǐ yī wèi tóng xíng zài zhè yàng de shí kè lái zhǎo wǒ men ní？ wǒ jǐn suí fú 'ěr mó sī zǒu jìn wǒ men de yù suǒ。
　　 yī gè miàn sè cāng bái、 jiān shòu liǎn、 cháng zhe tǔ huáng sè luò sāi hú zǐ de rén， kàn dào wǒ men jìn lái， cóng bì lú bàng yī bǎ yǐ zǐ shàng zhàn qǐ lái。 tā de nián jì zhì duō sān shí sān、 sì suì， dàn tā miàn róng qiáo cuì， qì sè bù hǎo， shuō míng shēng huó hào jìn liǎo tā de jīng lì， duó qù liǎo tā de qīng chūn。 tā de jǔ zhǐ xiū qiè miǎn tiǎn， xiàng yī wèi shí fēn mǐn gǎn de shēn shì， ér tā zhàn qǐ lái shí， fú zài bì lú tái shàng de nà zhǐ xì shòu bái xī de shǒu， bù xiàng shì yī gè wài kē yī shēng de， què xiàng shì yī gè yì shù jiā de。 tā de yī zhe pǔ sù 'àn dàn héng héng yī jiàn hēi lǐ fú dà yī， shēn sè kù zǐ hé yī tiáo yán sè bù shèn xiān yàn de lǐng dài。
　　“ wǎn 'ān， yī shēng，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuǎng lǎng dì shuō dào，“ wǒ zhī dào nǐ jǐn jǐn děng liǎo wǒ men jǐ fēn zhōng， wǒ hěn gāo xīng。”
　　“ nà me， nǐ hé wǒ de chē fū tán guò liǎo？”
　　“ méi yòu， wǒ shì cóng bàng biān nà zhāng zhuō zǐ shàng fàng zhe de là zhú kàn chū lái de。 qǐng zuò， qǐng gào sù wǒ， nǐ yòu shénme shì yào zhǎo wǒ。”
　　“ wǒ shì pò xī · tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng，” wǒ men de lái fǎng zhě shuō dào，“ zhù zài bù lǔ kè jiē sì sān hào。”
　　“ nǐ bù shì《 yuán yīn bù míng de shén jīng sǔn shāng》 nà piān lùn wén de zuò zhě má？” wǒ wèn dào。
　　 tā tīng shuō wǒ zhī dào tā de zhù zuò， gāo xīng dé cāng bái de shuāng jiá fàn chū hóng yùn。
　　“ wǒ hěn shǎo tīng rén tán dào zhè bù zhù zuò， chū bǎn shāng xiàng wǒ shuō， zhè běn shū xiāo lù bù guǎng， wǒ hái yǐ wéi méi yòu rén zhī dào tā ní，” lái fǎng zhě shuō dào，“ wǒ xiǎng， nǐ yě shì yī wèi yī shēng bā？”
　　“ wǒ shì yī gè tuì yì de wài kē jūn yī。”
　　“ wǒ duì shén jīng bìng xué hěn gǎn xīng qù。 wǒ hěn xī wàng néng gòu duì tā jìn xíng zhuān mén yán jiū， bù guò， yī gè rén dāng rán bì xū cóng shì tā shǒu xiān néng gòu zhuóshǒu de gōng zuò。 kě shì， zhè shì tí wài huà liǎo。 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， wǒ zhī dào， nǐ de shí jiān shì duō me bǎo guì。 zài bù lǔ kè jiē wǒ de yù suǒ lǐ， zuì jìn fā shēng liǎo yī lián chuàn fēi cháng qí guài de shì qíng。 jīn wǎn， zhè xiē shì qíng yǐ jīng dào liǎo fēi cháng yán zhòng de guān tóu， wǒ gǎn dào shí zài bù néng zài dān wù liǎo， bì xū mǎ shàng lái qǐng nǐ chū chū zhù yì， bāng gè máng。”
　　 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī zuò xià lái， diǎn qǐ liǎo yān dǒu。
　　“ nǐ yào wǒ chū zhù yì、 bāng máng， wǒ fēi cháng huān yíng。” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ qǐng bǎ nà xiē shǐ nǐ gǎn dào bù 'ān de shì qíng， xiáng xì dì jiǎng gěi wǒ tīng tīng。”
　　“ qí zhōng yòu yī liǎng diǎn shì bù zhí dé shuō de，” tè lǐ wéi lián shuō dào，“ wǒ tí dào zhè xiē， shí zài jué dé cán kuì。 bù guò zhè jiàn shì lìng rén fēi cháng mò míng qí miào， ér jìn lái biàn dé gèng jiā fù zá， wǒ zhǐ hǎo bǎ yī qiēdōu bǎi zài nǐ miàn qián， qǐng nǐ qǔ qí jīng huá， qù qí zāo pò。
　　“ shǒu xiān， wǒ bù dé bù tán tán wǒ dà xué shēng huó zhōng de mǒu xiē shì qíng。 wǒ céng shì yī gè lún dūn dà xué de xué shēng， wǒ xiāng xìn， rú guǒ wǒ gào sù nǐ men， wǒ de jiào shòu rèn wéi wǒ shì yī gè hěn yòu qián tú de xué shēng， nǐ men bù huì rèn wéi wǒ shì guò yú zì chuī zì léi bā。 bì yè yǐ hòu， wǒ zài huáng jiā dà xué fù shǔ yī yuàn dān rèn liǎo yī gè bù shèn zhòng yào de zhí wù， jì xù zhì lì yú yán jiū gōng zuò。 wǒ hěn xìng yùn， wǒ duì qiáng zhí xìng hūn jué bìng lǐ de yán jiū yǐn qǐ liǎo rén men jí dà de xīng qù， wǒ xiě liǎo yī piān nǐ de péng yǒu gāng cái tí dào de guān yú shén jīng sǔn shāng de zhuān tí lùn wén， zhōng yú huò dé liǎo bù lǔ sī · píng kè dùn jiǎng jīn hé jiǎng zhāng。 wǒ háo bù kuā zhāng dì shuō， nà shí rén mendōu rèn wéi wǒ qián chéng yuǎn dà。
　　“ kě shì wǒ zuì dà de zhàng 'ài jiù shì quē fá zī jīn。 nǐ bù nán zhī dào， yī gè zhuān jiā yào xiǎng chū míng de huà， jiù bì xū zài kǎ wén dí shí guǎng chǎng qū shí 'èr tiáo dà jiē zhōng de yī tiáo jiē shàng kāi yè。 zhè jiù xū yào jù 'é fáng zū hé shè bèi fèi。 chú liǎo zhè bǐ chuàng bàn fèi yòng， tā hái bì xū zhǔn bèi néng wéi chí zì jǐ jǐ nián shēng huó de qián kuǎn， hái dé zū yī liàng xiàng yàng de mǎ chē hé mǎ。 yào dá dào zhè xiē yào qiú， shí zài shì wǒ lì suǒ bù jí de。
　　 wǒ zhǐ néng qī wàng jié yī suō shí， yòng shí nián de shí jiān jī xù， cái néng guà pái xíng yī。 rán 'ér， tū rán yī jiàn yì liào bù dào de shì qíng gěi wǒ kāipì liǎo yī gè quán xīn de jìng jiè。
　　“ zhè jiù shì yī wèi míng jiào bù lāi xīng dùn de shēn shì de lái fǎng。 bù lāi xīng dùn hé wǒ sù bù xiāng shí， yī tiān zǎo chén tā tū rán zǒu jìn wǒ fáng lǐ， kāi mén jiàn shān dì tán dào tā de lái yì。
　　“ ‘ nǐ jiù shì nà wèi qǔ dé zhuó yuè chéng jiù， zuì jìn huò jiǎng de pò xī · tè lǐ wéi lián xiān shēng má？ ’ tā shuō dào。
　　“ wǒ diǎn liǎo diǎn tóu。
　　“‘ qǐng tǎn shuài dì huí dá wǒ de wèn tí，’ tā jì xù shuō dào，‘ nǐ huì kàn dào zhè yàng zuò duì nǐ shì yòu hǎo chù de。 nǐ fēi cháng yòu cái huá， huì chéng wéi yī gè yòu zào jiù de rén。 nǐ míng bái má？’“ tīng dào zhè yàng tū rú qí lái de wèn tí， wǒ bù yóu dé xiào liǎo qǐ lái。
　　“‘ wǒ xiāng xìn wǒ huì jìn lì 'ér wéi de，’ wǒ shuō dào。
　　“‘ nǐ yòu bù liáng shì hǎo má？ bù xù jiǔ má？’“‘ méi yòu， xiān shēng！’ wǒ dà shēng shuō dào。
　　“‘ tài hǎo liǎo！ zhè tài hǎo liǎo！ bù guò wǒ bì xū wèn wèn， nǐ jì rán yòu zhè xiē běn shì， wèishénme bù kāi yè xíng yī ní？’“ wǒ sǒng liǎo sǒng jiān。
　　“‘ shì 'ā， shì 'ā！’ tā gǎn máng shuō，‘ zhè shì háo bù zú guài de。 suī rán nǐ nǎo zǐ lǐ zhuāng de dōng xī hěn duō， kě shì kǒu dài lǐ què yī wú suǒ yòu， duì bù duì？ yào shì wǒ bāng nǐ zài bù lǔ kè jiē kāi yè， nǐ de yì jiàn rú hé？’
　　“ wǒ jīng yì dì liǎng yǎn dīng zhe tā。
　　“‘ ā， zhè shì wèile wǒ zì jǐ de lì yì， bìng bù shì wèile nǐ，’ tā dà shēng shuō dào，‘ wǒ duì nǐ shí fēn tǎn shuài， rú guǒ zhè duì nǐ hé shì de huà， nà duì wǒ jiù gèng jiā hé shì liǎo。 wǒ yòu jǐ qiān bàng zhǔn bèi tóu zī， nǐ zhī dào， wǒ rèn wéi wǒ kě yǐ tóu zī gěi nǐ。”
　　“‘ nà wèishénme ní？’ wǒ máng wèn dào。
　　“‘ ā， zhè zhèng xiàng bié de tóu jī shì yè yī yàng， bù guò bǐ jiào gèng bǎo xiǎn yī xiē。’
　　“‘ nà me， wǒ gāi zuò xiē shénme shì ní？’
　　“‘ wǒ zì rán yào gào sù nǐ de。 wǒ yào tì nǐ zū fáng zǐ， zhì jiā jù， gù nǚ pú， guǎn lǐ yī qiē。 nǐ yào zuò de zhǐ shì zuò zài zhěn shì lǐ kàn bìng。 wǒ gěi nǐ líng yòng qián hé yī qiē xū yòng de dōng xī。 rán hòu nǐ bǎ nǐ zuàn de qián jiāo gěi wǒ sì fēn zhī sān， shèng xià de sì fēn zhī yī， nǐ zì jǐ liú zhe。’
　　“ zhè jiù shì nà gè jiào bù lāi xīng dùn de rén xiàng wǒ tí chū de qí guài de jiàn yì， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， wǒ bù zài xù shù wǒ men zěn yàng xié shāng、 chéng jiāo de shì， yǐ miǎn shǐ nǐ yàn fán。 jiēguǒ shì， wǒ zài bào xǐ jié［ bào xǐ jié： měi nián sān yuè 'èr shí wǔ rì wéi bào xǐ jié， bào xǐ tiān shǐ jiā bǎi liè jiāng yé sū jiàng shēng gào zhī shèng mǔ mǎ lì yà de jié rì。 héng héng yì zhě zhù］ bān jìn liǎo zhè gè yù suǒ， bìng 'àn tā suǒ tí chū de tiáo jiàn kāi shǐ yíng yè。 tā zì jǐ yě bān lái tóng wǒ zhù zài yī qǐ， zuò yī gè zhù yuàn de bìng rén。 tā de xīn zàng shuāi ruò， xiǎn rán， tā xū yào jīng cháng zhì liáo。 tā zì jǐ zhù yòng liǎo 'èr lóu liǎng jiān zuì hǎo de fáng zǐ， yī jiān yòng zuò qǐ jū shì， yī jiān yòng zuò wò shì， tā pí qì gǔ guài， shēn jū jiǎn chū， bì mén xiè kè。 tā de shēng huó hěn bù guī lǜ， dàn jiù mǒu yī fāng miàn 'ér yán， què yòu jí qí yòu guī lǜ。 zài měi tiān wǎn shàng de tóng yī shí kè， tādōu dào wǒ de zhěn shì lái jiǎn chá zhàng mù。 wǒ zuàn de zhěn fèi， měi yī jī ní tā gěi wǒ liú wǔ xiān lìng sān biàn shì［ yī jī ní wéi 'èr shí yī xiān lìng， yī xiān lìng wéi shí 'èr biàn shì， sì fēn zhī yī jī ní zhèng hǎo shì wǔ xiān lìng sān biàn shì。 héng héng yì zhě zhù］， qí yú de tā quán bù ná zǒu， fàng dào tā zì jǐ wū nèi de bǎo xiǎn xiāng lǐ。
　　“ wǒ kě yǐ fēi cháng zì xìn dì shuō， duì zhè xiàng tóu jī shēng yì， tā yǒng yuǎn yě yòng bù zhe hòu huǐ。 yī kāi shǐ， shēng yì jiù hěn chéng gōng。 wǒ chū sè dì chǔlǐ liǎo jǐ gè bìng lì hé wǒ zài fù shǔ yī yuàn de shēng wàng， shǐ wǒ hěn kuài jiù chū liǎo míng， jìn jǐ nián lái， wǒ shǐ tā biàn chéng liǎo yī gè fù wēng。
　　“ fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， wǒ guò qù de jīng lì yǐ jí hé bù lāi xīng dùn xiān shēng de guān xì， jiù shì zhè xiē。 wǒ yào gào sù nǐ de， xiàn zài zhǐ shèng xià yī gè wèn tí， jiù shì fā shēng liǎo shénme shì shǐ wǒ jīn wǎn lái cǐ qiú jiào。
　　“ jǐ xīng qī zhī qián， bù lāi xīng dùn xiān shēng xià lóu lái zhǎo wǒ。 wǒ sì hū jué dé， tā de xīn qíng yì cháng jī dòng。 tā tí dào zài lún dūn xī qū fā shēng liǎo yī xiē dào qiè 'àn， wǒ jì dé， tā dāng shí xiǎn rán háo wú bì yào nà me jī dòng， tā shēng míng shuō， wǒ men yīngdāng bǎ mén chuāng jiā gù shuān láo， yī tiān yě bù néng dān wù。 zài zhè yī xīng qī lǐ， tā zuò lì bù 'ān， bù duàn xiàng chuāng wài zhāng wàng， jiù lián tā wǔ cān qián xí yǐ wéi cháng de duǎn zàn de sàn bù， yě tíng zhǐ liǎo。 tā de yī jǔ yī dòng gěi wǒ yī gè yìn xiàng， tā duì shénme shì huò shì shénme rén pà dé yào sǐ， kě shì dāng wǒ xiàng tā wèn dào zhè jiàn shì shí， tā biàn dé fēi cháng wú lǐ， yú shì wǒ jiù bù zài tán zhè jiàn shì liǎo。 shí jiān yī tiān yī tiān dì guò qù， tā de kǒng jù sì hū zhú jiàn xiāo shī liǎo， tā yòu huī fù liǎo cháng tài。 kě shì xīn jìn fā shēng de yī jiàn shì qíng， yòu shǐ tā chǔyú mù qián zhè zhǒng kě lián 'ér yòu kě bǐ de xū ruò zhuàng tài。
　　“ shì qíng shì zhè yàng de： liǎng tiān yǐ qián， wǒ shōu dào yī fēng xìn， wǒ xiàn zài jiù bǎ tā dú gěi nǐ tīng， xìn shàng jì méi yòu dì zhǐ， yě méi yòu rì qī。
　　“ yī wèi qiáo jū zài yīng guó de 'é luó sī guì zú（ xìn shàng zhè yàng xiě zhe）， jí yuàn dào pò xī · tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng chù jiù yī。 jǐ nián lái tā shēn shòu qiáng zhí xìng hūn jué bìng de zhé mó， ér tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng zài yī zhì zhè zhǒng bìng zhèng fāng miàn shì rén suǒ gòng zhī de quán wēi。 tā zhǔn bèi míng wǎn liù diǎn yī kè zuǒ yòu qián wǎng jiù zhěn， rú guǒ tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng fāng biàn， qǐng zài jiā děng hòu。’
　　“ zhè fēng xìn shǐ wǒ shēn gǎn xīng qù。 yīn wéi duì qiáng zhí zhèng jìn xíng yán jiū de zhù yào kùn nán zài yú zhè zhǒng jí bìng shì hǎn jiàn de。 nǐ kě yǐ xiāng xìn， dāng xiǎo tīngchāi zài zhǐ dìng de shí jiān lǐng jìn bìng rén shí， wǒ zhèng děng hòu zài wǒ de zhěn shì lǐ。
　　“ tā shì yī wèi shēn cái shòu xiǎo de lǎo rén， yì cháng jū jǐn， ér qiě hěn píng fán héng héng bù xiàng shì yī gè rén men xiǎng xiàng zhōng de 'é luó sī guì zú。 tā tóng bàn de xiàngmào gěi wǒ de yìn xiàng què hěn shēn。 zhè shì yī gè gāo dà de nián qīng rén， miàn sè yǒu hēi， piào liàng dé jīng rén， què dài zhe yī fù xiōngxiàng， yòu yī fù hè lā kè lè sī［ hè lā kè lè sī： xī là shén huà zhōng zhù shén zhòu sī zhī zǐ， lì dà wú qióng。 héng héng yì zhě zhù］ de zhī tǐ hé xiōng táng。 tā men jìn lái shí， tā yòng shǒu chān zhe lǎo rén de yī zhǐ gēbo， bǎ lǎo rén fú dào yǐ zǐ gēn qián， biǎo xiàn dé nà yàng tǐ tiē rù wēi， cóng tā de wài biǎo nǐ shì hěn nán liào dào tā huì zhè yàng zuò de。
　　“‘ yī shēng， qǐng yuán liàng wǒ mào mèi qián lái，’ tā yòng yīng yǔ duì wǒ shuō dào， shuō shí yòu xiē kǒu chǐ bù qīng，‘ zhè shì wǒ fù qīn， tā de jiàn kāng， duì wǒ lái shuō， shì jí wéi zhòng yào de shì。’
　　“ wǒ jiàn tā zhè yàng xiào shùn， shēn shòu gǎn dòng。‘ huò xǔ， zài zhěn zhì shí， nǐ yuàn yì liú zài zhěn shì lǐ bā？’ wǒ shuō。
　　“‘ jué duì bù xíng，’ tā jīng jiào qǐ lái，‘ wǒ shòu bù liǎo zhè zhǒng tòng kǔ。 rú guǒ wǒ kàn dào wǒ fù qīn jí bìng fā zuò shí nà zhǒng kě pà de yàng zǐ， wǒ xiāng xìn wǒ shì rěn shòu bù liǎo de。 wǒ zì jǐ de shén jīng guān néng yě shí fēn mǐn gǎn。 nǐ rú yǔn xǔ， zài nǐ gěi wǒ fù qīn zhěn zhì shí， wǒ kě yǐ zài hòu zhěn shì lǐ děng hòu。’
　　“ wǒ dāng rán tóng yì zhè yàng zuò， nián qīng rén biàn lí kāi liǎo。 wǒ hé bìng rén biàn kāi shǐ yán jiū tā de bìng qíng， wǒ bǎ tā xiáng jìn wú yí dì jì liǎo xià lái。 tā de zhì lì hěn yī bān， huí dá wèn tí cháng cháng hán hú qí cí， wǒ rèn wéi zhè shì yóu yú tā bù dà dǒng wǒ men de yǔ yán。 rán 'ér， zhèng dāng wǒ zuò zhe xiě bìng lì de shí hòu， tā duì wǒ de xún wèn， tū rán tíng zhǐ liǎo huí dá， dāng wǒ zhuǎn shēn xiàng tā shí， wǒ fēi cháng jīng chà dì wàng dào tā bǐ zhí dì zuò zài yǐ zǐ shàng， miàn bù háo wú biǎo qíng， jī ròu qiáng zhí， yǎn jīng zhí dīng zhe wǒ。 tā de jí bìng yòu fā zuò liǎo。
　　“ zhèng rú wǒ gāng cái suǒ shuō de， wǒ zuì chū de gǎn jué shì jì lián mǐn yòu hài pà。 hòu lái， wǒ de zhí yè xīng qù zhàn liǎo shàng fēng。 wǒ jì xià liǎo bìng rén de mài bó hé tǐ wēn， shì liǎo shì tā jī ròu de qiáng zhí chéng dù， jiǎn chá liǎo tā de fǎn yìng néng lì， nǎ yī fāng miàn dōuméi yòu fā xiàn yǔ wǒ yǐ qián suǒ zhěn duàn de zhè zhǒng bìng lì yòu bù yī zhì de xiàn xiàng。 zài guò qù zhè yàng de bìng lì zhōng， wǒ shǐ yòng wán jī yà xiāo suān xī rù jì， céng jīng qǔ dé liǎo liáng hǎo de liáo xiào。 xiàn zài sì hū zhèng shì shì yàn tā liáo xiào de jí hǎo jī huì。 zhè gè yào píng zài lóu xià wǒ de shí yàn shì lǐ， yú shì， wǒ diū xià zuò zài yǐ zǐ shàng de bìng rén， páo xià lóu qù qǔ yào。 zhǎo yào dān wù liǎo yī xiē shí jiān， dà yuē wǔ fēn zhōng bā， rán hòu wǒ jiù huí lái liǎo。 kě shì shì nèi què kōng kōng rú yě， bìng rén yǐ bù zhī qù xiàng， kě xiǎng 'ér zhī， wǒ shì duō me jīng yà liǎo。
　　“ dāng rán， wǒ shǒu xiān jiù páo dào hòu zhěn shì， tā 'ér zǐ yě bù zài liǎo。 qián mén yǐ jīng guān shàng， kě shì méi yòu shàng suǒ。 wǒ nà gè jiē dài bìng rén de xiǎo tīngchāi shì yī gè xīn lái de pú yì， bìng bù jī líng。 píng shí tā zǒng shì děng zài lóu xià， děng wǒ zài zhěn shì 'àn líng shí， tā cái páo lái bǎ bìng rén lǐng chū qù。 tā yě méi tīng dào shénme， zhè jiàn shì jiù chéng wéi yī gè bù jiě zhī mí liǎo。 bù duō jiǔ， bù lāi xīng dùn xiān shēng sàn bù huí lái liǎo， kě shì wǒ yī diǎn yě méi yòu xiàng tā shuō qǐ zhè jiàn shì， yīn wéi， lǎo shí shuō， jìn lái wǒ jìn liàng shǎo hé tā jiāo tán。
　　“ ā， wǒ xiǎng wǒ zài yě bù huì jiàn dào zhè gè 'é luó sī rén hé tā 'ér zǐ de yǐng zǐ liǎo， suǒ yǐ， zài jīn tiān yè wǎn， yě shì zài nà gè shí hòu， tā men liǎng gè rén xiàng zuó tiān nà yàng， yòu lái dào wǒ de zhěn shì shí， nǐ men kě yǐ xiǎng xiàng， wǒ shì duō me jīng yà liǎo。
　　“‘ zuó tiān wǒ tū rán lí kāi， wǒ jué dé shí zài shì tài bào qiàn liǎo， yī shēng，’ wǒ de bìng rén shuō dào。
　　“‘ wǒ chéng rèn， wǒ duì zhè jiàn shì gǎn dào fēi cháng qí guài，’ wǒ shuō dào。
　　“‘ ā， qíng kuàng shì zhè yàng de，’ tā shuō，‘ wǒ měi cì qīng xǐng guò lái， duì fàn bìng shí fā shēng de yī qiē shì qíng， jì yì zǒng shì fēi cháng mó hú de。 wǒ sì hū jué dé， wǒ xǐng lái shí shì zài yī jiān mò shēng de fáng zǐ lǐ， dāng nǐ bù zài shí， wǒ biàn hūn tóu hūn nǎo dì qǐ shēn chū qù， zǒu dào jiē shàng liǎo。’
　　“‘ wǒ ní，’ tā 'ér zǐ shuō dào，‘ kàn dào wǒ fù qīn cóng hòu zhěn shì mén kǒu zǒu guò， zì rán xiǎng dào yǐ jīng zhěn zhì wán liǎo。 zhí dào wǒ men dào liǎo jiā， wǒ cái zhī dào shì qíng de。’
　　“‘ hǎo liǎo，’ wǒ xiào liǎo xiào， shuō dào，‘ chú liǎo nǐ men shǐ wǒ gǎn dào huáng huò bù jiě zhī chù， bié de dǎo yě méi shénme。 suǒ yǐ， xiān shēng， rú guǒ nǐ yuàn yì dào hòu zhěn shì qù de huà， wǒ hěn gāo xīng zài jì xù jìn xíng zuó tiān tū rán zhōng duàn de zhěn zhì。’
　　“ wǒ hé nà wèi lǎo shēn shì tǎo lùn liǎo tā de bìng qíng， yuē yòu bàn xiǎo shí de yàng zǐ， hòu lái， wǒ gěi tā kāi liǎo chǔfāng， zhī hòu， biàn kàn jiàn tā zài tā 'ér zǐ chān fú xià zǒu chū qù liǎo。
　　“ wǒ yǐ jīng xiàng nǐ men shuō guò， bù lāi xīng dùn xiān shēng yī bān shì zài zhè gè shí jiànchū qù sàn bù de。 gōng fū bù dà， tā sàn bù huí lái liǎo， zǒu shàng lóu qù。 guò liǎo yī huì， wǒ tīng dào tā cóng lóu shàng páo xià lái， xiàng yī gè xià dé fā fēng de rén yī yàng， chōng jìn wǒ de zhěn shì。
　　“‘ shuí dào wǒ de wū zǐ lǐ qù liǎo？’ tā jiào hǎn zhe。
　　“‘ shuí yě méi qù guò。’ wǒ shuō dào。
　　“‘ sǎ huǎng！’ tā nù hǒu dào，‘ nǐ shàng lái kàn kàn！’
　　“ wǒ méi yòu zhù yì tā shuō huà de cū lǔ， yīn wéi tā hài pà dé jīhū yào fā fēng liǎo。 wǒ hé tā yī qǐ shàng lóu shí， tā bǎ qiǎn sè dì tǎn shàng de jǐ gè jiǎo yìn zhǐ gěi wǒ kàn。
　　“‘ nǐ shuō zhè shì wǒ de jiǎo yìn má？’ tā jiào hǎn dào。
　　“ zhè xiē jiǎo yìn kěn dìng bǐ tā de yào dà dé duō， ér qiě xiǎn rán shì bù jiǔ qián liú xià de。 nǐ men zhī dào， jīn tiān zhōng wǔ céng jīng xià guò dà yǔ， ér wǒ de bìng rén zhǐ yòu gāng cái lái guò de zhè fù zǐ liǎ。 nà me， yī dìng shì zài hòu zhěn shì děng zhe de nà gè rén， chū yú mǒu zhǒng mùdì， chèn wǒ zài máng yú gěi nà gè lǎo rén zhěn duàn shí， shàng lóu jìn liǎo wǒ nà wèi zhù yuàn bìng rén de fáng jiān。 méi yòu dòng shénme dōng xī， yě méi yòu ná zǒu shénme， bù guò zhè xiē zú jì zhèng míng， háo wú yí wèn， shì yòu rén jìn qù guò de。
　　“ jìn guǎn zhè shì rǎo luàn rén xīn de shì， kě shì bù lāi xīng dùn xiān shēng xiǎn dé chū rén yì liào zhī wài dì yì cháng jī dòng bù 'ān。 tā jìng rán zuò zài yī bǎ fú shǒu yǐ shàng bù duàn jiào hǎn， wǒ jiǎn zhí nán yǐ ràng tā shuō dé gèng qīng chǔ yī xiē。 shì tā tí chū yào wǒ lái zhǎo nǐ， wǒ dāng rán lì jí kàn chū， zhè yàng zuò shì shìdàng de。 yīn wéi jìn guǎn tā duì zhè jiàn shì de zhòng yào xìng sì hū gū jì guò gāo， dàn kě yǐ kěn dìng zhè lǐ miàn shì yòu míng táng de。 nǐ zhǐ yào chéng wǒ de mǎ chē yǔ wǒ yī tóng huí qù， nǐ zhì shǎo néng shǐ tā píng jìng xià lái， suī rán wǒ hěn nán zhǐ wàng nǐ néng bǎ suǒ fā shēng de zhè jiàn qí shì jiě shì qīng chǔ。”
　　 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī jù jīng huì shén dì qīng tīng zhe zhè duàn rǒng cháng de xù shù， wǒ kàn chū， zhè jiàn shì yǐn qǐ liǎo tā qiáng liè de xīng qù。 tā de miàn róng xiàng wǎng cháng yī yàng háo wú biǎo qíng， kě shì tā de shuāng yǎn mī féng dé yù jiā lì hài， cóng tā yān dǒu zhōng niǎo niǎo shàng shēng de yān wù yě yuè lái yuè nóng， shǐ dé zhè wèi yī shēng de gù shì zhōng de měi yī gè lí qí de qíng jié gèng jiā tū chū liǎo。 wǒ men lái fǎng zhě de huà gāng yī jié shù， fú 'ěr mó sī 'èr huà bù shuō jiù zhàn qǐ lái， bǎ wǒ de mào zǐ dì gěi wǒ， cóng zhuō shàng zhuā qǐ tā zì jǐ de mào zǐ， gēn suí tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng xiàng mén kǒu zǒu qù。 bù dào yī kè zhōng， wǒ men biàn lái dào bù lǔ kè jiē zhè wèi yī shēng yù suǒ de mén qián liǎo。 yī gè 'ǎi gè zǐ xiǎo tīngchāi lǐng zhe wǒ men jìn qù， wǒ men lì jí zǒu shàng kuān kuò de、 pū zhe shàng děng dì tǎn de lóu tī。
　　 kě shì tū rán fā shēng liǎo yī jiàn guài shì， shǐ wǒ men tíng liǎo xià lái。 lóu dǐng de dēng guāng mò dì xī miè liǎo， hēi 'àn zhōng chuán lái yī gè jiān xì de、 chàn dǒu de hū hǎn shēng：“ wǒ yòu shǒu qiāng， wǒ jǐng gào nǐ men， jiǎ rú zài wǎng shàng zǒu wǒ jiù kāi qiāng。”
　　“ zhè shí zài lìng rén bù néng róng rěn， bù lāi xīng dùn xiān shēng，” tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng gāo shēng hǎn dào。
　　“ ā， yuán lái shì nǐ， yī shēng，” zhè rén kuān wèi dì sōng liǎo yī kǒu qì，“ kě shì qí tā jǐ wèi xiān shēng bù shì mào chōng de má？”
　　 wǒ men zhī dào tā yǐ zài 'àn zhōng duì wǒ men jìn xíng liǎo yī fān zǎi xì de guān chá liǎo。
　　“ bù cuò， bù cuò， yī diǎn yě bù cuò，” nà shēng yīn zhōng yú shuō dào，“ nǐ men kě yǐ shàng lái， wǒ hěn bào qiàn， gāng cái duì nǐ men tài wú lǐ liǎo。”
　　 tā yī biān shuō zhe yī biān bǎ lóu tī shàng de qì dēng yòu diǎn zhe liǎo， wǒ men kàn dào miàn qián zhàn zhe yī gè miàn mào qí tè de rén。 cóng tā de wài biǎo hé shuō huà de shēng yīn kàn lái， tā què shí shén jīng guò dù jǐn zhāng。 tā hěn pàng， kě shì xiǎn rán guò qù yòu yī duàn shí jiān， tā bǐ xiàn zài hái yào pàng dé duō， suǒ yǐ tā de liǎn rú tóng liè quǎn de shuāng jiá yī bān， dā lā zhe liǎng zhǐ sōng chí de ròu dài。 tā liǎn sè cāng bái， nà xī shū de tǔ huáng sè de tóu fā sì hū yóu yú gǎn qíng jī dòng 'ér shù lì qǐ lái。 tā shǒu zhōng ná zhe yī zhī shǒu qiāng， wǒ men xiàng shàng zǒu shí， tā bǎ shǒu qiāng sài jìn liǎo yī dài。
　　“ wǎn 'ān， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng，” tā shuō dào，“ wǒ fēi cháng gǎn jī nǐ dào zhè lǐ lái。 méi yòu rén bǐ wǒ gèng xū yào nǐ de zhǐ jiào liǎo。 wǒ xiǎng tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng yǐ jīng bǎ yòu rén fēi fǎ chuǎng rù wǒ fáng zhōng de shì gào sù nǐ liǎo。”
　　“ bù cuò，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ nà liǎng gè shì shénme rén？ bù lāi xīng dùn xiān shēng， tā men wèishénme yào yòu yì zhuō nòng nǐ？”
　　“ āi， āi，” nà wèi zhù yuàn bìng rén shén qíng bù 'ān dì shuō dào，“ dāng rán， zhè hěn nán shuō。 nǐ yě hěn nán zhǐ wàng wǒ néng huí dá zhè yàng de wèn tí， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng。”
　　“ nǐ shì shuō nǐ bù zhī dào má？”
　　“ qǐng dào zhè lǐ lái， qǐng bā。 qǐng shǎng liǎn jìn lái yī xià。”
　　 tā bǎ wǒ men lǐng jìn tā wò shì lǐ。 fáng jiān hěn kuānchuo， bù zhì dé hěn shū shì。
　　“ nǐ men kàn kàn zhè gè，” tā zhǐ zhe tā chuáng tóu nà zhǐ dà hēi xiāng zǐ shuō dào，“ wǒ bìng bù shì yī gè hěn fù yòu de rén， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng kě néng yǐ jīng gào sù nǐ liǎo。 wǒ yī shēng zhōng chú liǎo zhè cì tóu zī wài， zài yě méi tóu guò zī。 kě shì wǒ bù xìn rèn yínháng jiā， wǒ cóng bù xìn rèn yínháng jiā， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng。 nǐ bié gēn bié rén shuō， wǒ suǒ yòu de nà diǎn qián dōuzài zhè zhǐ xiāng zǐ lǐ。 suǒ yǐ nǐ kě yǐ míng bái， nà xiē bù sù zhī kè chuǎng rù wǒ de fáng zǐ， duì wǒ de yǐng xiǎng shì duō me dà liǎo！”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī yí huò dì wàng zhe bù lāi xīng dùn， yáo liǎo yáo tóu。
　　“ jiǎ rú nǐ xiǎng qī piàn wǒ， wǒ shì bù kě néng gěi nǐ chū shénme zhù yì de。” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào。
　　“ kě shì wǒ yǐ jīng bǎ yī qiēdōu gào sù nǐ liǎo。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī yàn 'è dì huī liǎo huī shǒu， zhuǎn guò shēn lái shuō dào：“ wǎn 'ān， tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng。”
　　“ nǐ bù gěi wǒ yī xiē zhǐ jiào má？” bù lāi xīng dùn chàn shēng dà jiào dào。
　　“ wǒ duì nǐ de zhǐ jiào jiù shì qǐng jiǎng zhēn huà， xiān shēng。”
　　 yī fēn zhōng yǐ hòu， wǒ men yǐ jīng lái dào jiē shàng， xiàng jiā zhōng zǒu qù。 wǒ men chuān guò liǎo niú jīn jiē， zǒu dào hā lì jiē shí， wǒ cái tīng dào wǒ de péng yǒu fā huà。
　　“ bǎ nǐ dài chū lái wéi zhè yàng yī gè chǔn rén bái páo yī tàng， zhēn shì bào qiàn， huá shēng，” fú 'ěr mó sī zhōng yú shuō dào，“ kě shì guī gēn jié dǐ， zhè yě shì yī gè hěn yòu qù de 'àn zǐ。”
　　“ wǒ kě kàn bù chū shénme lái，” wǒ tǎn shuài dì chéng rèn dào。
　　“ ā， xiǎn rán， yòu liǎng gè rén， huò xǔ hái yào duō yī xiē， bù guò zhì shǎo shì liǎng gè rén， wèile mǒu zhǒng yuán yīn， jué xīn yào zhǎo dào bù lāi xīng dùn zhè gè jiā huǒ。 wǒ xīn zhōng háo bù huái yí， nà gè nián qīng rén liǎng cì dū chuǎng rù liǎo bù lāi xīng dùn de fáng jiān， ér tā de tóng huǒ zé yòng liǎo yī zhǒng qiǎo miào de shǒu duàn， shǐ yī shēng bù néng jìn xíng gān shè。”
　　“ kě shì nà qiáng zhí xìng hūn jué shì zěn me huí shì ní？”
　　“ nà shì piàn rén de， huá shēng， zài zhè fāng miàn， wǒ bù xiǎng xiàng wǒ men de zhuān jiā jiǎng dé tài duō。 yào zhuāng zhè zhǒng bìng shì hěn róng yì de。 wǒ zì jǐ yě zhè yàng zuò guò。”
　　“ nà me hòu lái yòu zěn yàng ní？”
　　“ wán quán shì pèng qiǎo， bù lāi xīng dùn liǎng cì dōubù zài wū。 tā men suǒ yǐ xuǎn zé zhè yàng bù píng cháng de shí kè lái kàn bìng， xiǎn rán shì què xìn hòu zhěn shì lǐ méi yòu bié de bìng rén。 rán 'ér， zhè gè shí jiān qià hǎo shì bù lāi xīng dùn sàn bù de shí jiān， zhè sì hū shuō míng tā men duì bù lāi xīng dùn de rì cháng shēng huó xí guàn bù shí fēn liǎo jiě。 dāng rán， rú guǒ tā men zhǐ shì wèile tōu dào， tā men zhì shǎo huì shè fǎ sōu suǒ cái wù。 cǐ wài， wǒ kě yǐ cóng tā de yǎn shén lǐ kàn chū lái， tā yǐ jīng bèi xià dé hún bù fù tǐ liǎo。 bù néng xiǎng xiàng zhè gè jiā huǒ jié xià liǎo zhè yàng liǎng gè chóu dí， tā huì bù zhī dào。 yīn cǐ， wǒ què xìn， tā zhī dào zhè liǎng gè rén shì shénme rén， ér yóu yú tā běn shēn de yuán gù， tā yǐn mán bù shuō， hěn kě néng míng tiān tā jiù huì tù lù zhēn qíng liǎo。”
　　“ nán dào méi yòu lìng wài de yī zhǒng qíng kuàng má？” wǒ shuō dào，“ háo wú yí wèn， zhè jǐ hū shì bù dà kě néng de， bù guò hái shì kě yǐ xiǎng xiàng de。 huì bù huì shì tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng zì jǐ jū xīn bù liáng， chuǎng jìn liǎo bù lāi xīng dùn shì nèi， ér biān zào chū zhè gè huàn qiáng zhí zhèng de 'é luó sī rén hé tā de 'ér zǐ de quán bù gù shì ní？”
　　 wǒ zài qì dēng guāng xià kàn dào wǒ zhè xiǎng fǎ yǐn qǐ liǎo fú 'ěr mó sī de shěn xiào。
　　“ wǒ qīn 'ài de péng yǒu，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ zuì chū wǒ yě zhè yàng xiǎng guò。 bù guò wǒ hěn kuài jiù zhèng shí liǎo yī shēng suǒ jiǎng de gù shì。 nà gè nián qīng rén zài lóu tī dì tǎn shàng liú xià liǎo jiǎo yìn， zhè yàng wǒ jiù méi yòu bì yào zài qù kàn tā liú zài shì nèi de nà xiē jiǎo yìn liǎo。 wǒ zhǐ yào gào sù nǐ， tā de xié shì fāng tóu de， bù xiàng bù lāi xīng dùn de xié nà yàng shì jiān tóu de， yòu bǐ yī shēng de xié cháng yī yīng cùn sān， nǐ jiù kě yǐ zhī dào， háo wú yí wèn， shì yòu zhè me gè nián qīng rén liǎo。 bù guò huà jiù shuō dào zhè lǐ， wǒ men xiàn zài kě yǐ 'ān shuì liǎo。 rú guǒ míng tiān zǎo chén wǒ men cóng bù lǔ kè jiē tīng bù dào xīn qíng kuàng， nà dǎo huì shǐ wǒ jīng qí ní。”
　　 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī de yù yán hěn kuài jiù shí xiàn liǎo， bìng qiě pō jù xì jù xìng de xíng shì。 dì 'èr tiān zǎo chén qī diǎn bàn， zài chén guāng xī wēi zhōng， wǒ kàn dào fú 'ěr mó sī chuānzhuó chén yī zhàn zài wǒ de chuáng bàng。
　　“ wài miàn yòu yī liàng mǎ chē děng zhe wǒ men， huá shēng，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào。
　　“ nà me， shì zěn me huí shì？”
　　“ shì bù lǔ kè jiē de shì。”
　　“ yòu shénme xīn xiāo xī má？”
　　“ shì yī gè bēi jù， bù guò hái bù yī dìng，” fú 'ěr mó sī yī biān shuō zhe yī biān lā qǐ chuāng lián，“ qǐng kàn zhè gè， zhè shì cóng bǐ jì běn shàng sī xià lái de yī zhāng zhǐ tiáo， shàng miàn yòng qiān bǐ cǎo cǎo xiě zhe：‘ qǐng kàn zài shàng dì de miàn shàng， lì jí qián lái。 pò xī · tè lǐ wéi lián。’ wǒ men de péng yǒu， zhè wèi yī shēng xiě zhè zhāng biàn tiáo shí， chǔjìng shì jí wéi kùn nán liǎo。 suí wǒ lái， wǒ qīn 'ài de péng yǒu， yīn wéi qíng kuàng hěn jǐn jí。”
　　 guò yī kè zhōng zuǒ yòu， wǒ men yòu lái dào zhè wèi yī shēng de yù suǒ。 tā miàn dài jīng kǒng zhī sè páo lái yíng jiē wǒ men。
　　“ ā， jìng chū liǎo zhè yàng de shì qíng！” tā shuāng shǒu wǔ zhù tài yáng xué， dà shēng hǎn dào。
　　“ chū liǎo shénme shì？”
　　“ bù lāi xīng dùn yǐ jīng zì shā liǎo！”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī dǎ liǎo yī shēng hū shào。
　　“ shì de， zuó wǎn tā shàng diào liǎo。”
　　 wǒ men zǒu jìn qù， yī shēng bǎ wǒ men yǐn jìn liǎo nà jiān xiǎn rán shì hòu zhěn shì de fáng jiān。
　　“ wǒ zhēn bù zhī dào yīnggāi zuò xiē shénme，” tā dà shēng shuō dào，“ zhèng zài lóu shàng ní。 jiǎn zhí bǎ wǒ xià huài liǎo。”
　　“ nǐ shì shénme shí hòu fā xiàn de？”
　　“ tā měi tiān yī dà zǎo dōuyào jiào nǚ pú gěi tā sòng qù yī bēi chá。 dà yuē qī diǎn zhōng， nǚ pú zǒu jìn qù shí， zhè gè bù xìng de rén yǐ jīng diào zài fáng wū zhōng yāng liǎo。 tā bǎ yī gēn shéng zǐ bǎng zài píng cháng guà nà zhǎn bèn zhòng de méi qì dēng de gōu zǐ shàng， rán hòu tā jiù cóng zuó tiān gěi wǒ men kàn de nà gè xiāng zǐ dǐng shàng tiào xià qù diào sǐ liǎo。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī zhàn zhe chén sī liǎo piàn kè。
　　“ rú guǒ nǐ yǔn xǔ de huà，” fú 'ěr mó sī zhōng yú shuō dào，“ wǒ xiǎng shàng lóu qù bǎ zhè jiàn shì diào chá yī xià。”
　　 wǒ men liǎng gè rén biàn wǎng lóu shàng zǒu qù， yī shēng gēn zài hòu miàn。
　　 wǒ men yī jìn wò shì mén， yíng miàn kàn dào yī gè kě pà de jǐng xiàng。 wǒ céng jīng shuō guò nà gè bù lāi xīng dùn jī ròu sōng chí de yàng zǐ。 dāng tā yáo yáo huàng huàng dì xuán guà zài gōu shàng shí， zhè zhǒng yàng zǐ yù fā míng xiǎn、 nán kàn， tā kàn shàng qù jiǎn zhí bù xiàng yī gè rén liǎo。 tā de bó zǐ lā cháng liǎo， xiàng yī zhǐ bá liǎo máo de jī bó zǐ， xiāng xíng zhī xià， tā shēn tǐ de qí yú bù fēn sì hū gèng jiā féi dà hé bù zì rán。 tā zhǐ chuānzhuó yī jiàn cháng shuì yī。 shuì yī xià， zhí tǐng tǐng dì shēn zhe nà shuāng nán kàn de jiǎo hé nà zhǒng zhàng de jiǎo bó zǐ。
　　 shī tǐ bàng biān， zhàn zhe yī wèi jīng gān de zhēn tàn， zhèng zài bǐ jì běn shàng zuò jì lù。
　　“ ā， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng，” wǒ de péng yǒu yī jìn lái， jǐng cháng biàn qīnqiè dì shuō dào，“ jiàn dào nǐ wǒ hěn gāo xīng。”
　　“ zǎo 'ān， lán nuò 'ěr，” fú 'ěr mó sī dá dào，“ wǒ xiāng xìn， nǐ bù huì rèn wéi wǒ shì chuǎng jìn wū zǐ de zuì fàn bā？ nǐ tīng shuō guò zhè gè 'àn zǐ fā shēng qián de yī xiē qíng kuàng liǎo má？”
　　“ duì， wǒ yǐ jīng tīng dào yī xiē liǎo。”
　　“ nǐ de yì jiàn zěn yàng？”
　　“ jiù wǒ kàn lái， zhè gè rén yǐ bèi xià dé hún bù fù tǐ liǎo。 nǐ kàn， zài zhè zhāng chuáng shàng tā shuì liǎo hǎo yī zhèn zǐ， yòu hěn shēn de yā hén。 nǐ zhī dào， zì shā cháng cháng fā shēng zài zǎo chén wǔ diǎn zhōng zuǒ yòu。 zhè dà yuē yě jiù shì tā shàng diào de shí jiān liǎo。 kàn lái， tā shì jīng guò zài sān kǎo lǜ cái zhè yàng zuò de。”
　　“ gēn jù jī ròu jiāng yìng de qíng kuàng pàn duàn， wǒ kàn tā yǐ jīng sǐ liǎo dà yuē sān gè xiǎo shí，” wǒ shuō dào。
　　“ nǐ zhù yì dào wū zǐ lǐ yòu shénme yì cháng xiàn xiàng má？” fú 'ěr mó sī wèn dào。
　　“ zài xǐ shǒu chí shàng fā xiàn yī bǎ luó sī qǐ zǐ hé yī xiē luó sī dīng。 hái fā xiàn tā yè lǐ sì hū chōu guò bù shǎo yān。 zhè shì wǒ cóng bì lú shàng jiǎn lái de sì gè xuějiā yān tóu。”
　　“ hā！” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ nǐ zhǎo dào tā de xuějiā yān zuǐ liǎo má？”
　　“ méi yòu， wǒ méi yòu kàn dào。”
　　“ nà me， tā de yān hé ní？”
　　“ yòu， yān hé zài tā de wài yī kǒu dài lǐ。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī bǎ yān hé dǎ kāi， wén liǎo wén lǐ miàn de yī zhī xuějiā yān。
　　“ ā， zhè shì yī zhī hā wǎ nà yān， ér bì lú tái shàng de zhè xiē shì hé lán cóng tā de dōng yìn dù zhí mín dì jìn kǒu de tè shū pǐn zhǒng。 nǐ zhī dào， zhè xiē xuějiā tōng cháng dū bāo zhe dào cǎo， bìng qiě bǐ bié de pái zǐ dedōu xì。” tā ná qǐ nà sì gè yān tóu yòng tā kǒu dài lǐ de fàng dà jìng jìn xíng jiǎn chá。
　　“ liǎng zhī yān shì yòng yān zuǐ xī de， liǎng zhī bù shì，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ liǎng gè yān tóu shì yòng yī bǎ bù hěn kuài de xiǎo dāoxiāo xià lái de， lìng liǎng gè yān tóu shì yòng jiān ruì de yá chǐ yǎo xià lái de。 zhè bù shì zì shā， lán nuò 'ěr xiān shēng， zhè shì yī qǐ jīng xīn cèhuà de cán kù de móu shā 'àn。”
　　“ bù kě néng！” jǐng cháng dà shēng hǎn dào。
　　“ wèishénme？”
　　“ wèishénme yī gè rén yào yòng diào sǐ nà yàng yī zhǒng bèn bàn fǎ lái jìn xíng móu shā ní？”
　　“ zhè jiù shì wǒ men yào diào chá de liǎo。”
　　“ tā men zěn me jìn lái de ní？”
　　“ cóng qián mén jìn lái de。”
　　“ zǎo chén mén shì shàng suǒ de。”
　　“ nà me mén shì zài tā men zǒu hòu suǒ shàng de。”
　　“ nǐ zěn me zhī dào de？”
　　“ wǒ kàn dào liǎo tā men liú xià de hén jì。 qǐng shāo děng yī děng， wǒ jiù néng gěi nǐ men jìn yī bù shuō míng tā de qíng kuàng。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī zǒu dào mén kǒu， zhuǎn liǎo zhuànmén suǒ， yòu tiáo bù wěn dì bǎ mén suǒ jiǎn chá liǎo yī fān。 rán hòu tā bǎ chā zài mén bèi miàn de yàoshì qǔ liǎo chū lái， yě duì tā zuò liǎo jiǎn chá。 jiē zhe tā yòu duì chuáng pū、 dì tǎn、 yǐ zǐ、 bì lú tái、 sǐ zhě de shī tǐ hé shéng suǒ yǐ cì jìn xíng liǎo jiǎn chá。 zuì hòu tā zhōng yú biǎo shì mǎn yì， zài wǒ hé jǐng cháng de bāng zhù xià， gē duàn liǎo shéng zǐ， bǎ nà kě lián de rén 'ān fàng zài dì shàng， yòng chuáng dān gài shàng。
　　“ zhè tiáo shéng zǐ shì zěn me huí shì？” tā wèn dào。
　　“ shì cóng zhè shàng miàn gē xià lái de，” tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng cóng chuáng dǐ xià tuō chū yī dàjuǎn shéng zǐ， shuō dào，“ tā fēi cháng hài pà huǒ zāi， shēn biān zǒng shì bǎo cún zhe zhè dōng xī， yǐ biàn zài lóu tī rán shāo shí， tā kě yǐ cóng chuāng hù táo chū qù。”
　　“ zhè dōng xī dǎo gěi xiōng shǒu men shěng qù liǎo hěn duō má fán，” fú 'ěr mó sī ruò yòu suǒ sī dì shuō dào，“ bù cuò， àn qíng shì fēi cháng qīng chǔ de， rú guǒ dào xià wǔ wǒ hái bù néng bǎ fā 'àn de yuán yīn gào sù nǐ， wǒ jiù gǎn dào qí guài liǎo。 wǒ yào bǎ bì lú tái shàng bù lāi xīng dùn zhè zhāng zhào piàn ná qù， zhè jiāng yòu zhù yú wǒ de diào chá gōng zuò。”
　　“ kě shì nǐ shénme yě méi gào sù wǒ men！” yī shēng jiào dào。
　　“ ā， shì qíng fā shēng de qián hòu jīng guò qíng kuàng shì míng bái wú yí de，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ zhè lǐ miàn yòu sān gè rén： nà gè nián qīng rén， lǎo rén hé dì sān zhě， duì dì sān zhě de shēn fèn， wǒ hái méi yòu xiàn suǒ。 qián liǎng gè rén， bù yòng wǒ shuō， jiù shì nà jiǎ zhuāng 'é luó sī guì zú yǐ jí tā 'ér zǐ de rén， suǒ yǐ wǒ men néng gòu shí fēn xiáng jìn dì xù shù tā men de qíng kuàng。 tā men shì bèi zhè suǒ fáng zǐ lǐ de yī gè tóng huǒ fàng jìn lái de。 rú guǒ wǒ kě yǐ xiàng nǐ jìn yī jù zhōng yán de huà， jǐng cháng， nà jiù yīngdāng dài bǔ nà gè xiǎo tīngchāi。 jù wǒ liǎo jiě， tā shì zuì jìn cái dào nǐ de zhěn suǒ dāng chā de， yī shēng。”
　　“ zhè gè xiǎo jiā huǒ yǐ jīng zhǎo bù dào liǎo，” tè lǐ wéi lián shuō dào，“ nǚ pú hé chú shī gāng cái hái zhǎo guò tā。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī sǒng liǎo sǒng jiān。
　　“ tā zài zhè chū xì lǐ bàn yǎn de juésè bìng fēi bù zhòng yào，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ zhè sān gè rén shì diǎn zhe zú jiān shàng lóu de， nà gè lǎo rén zǒu zài qián miàn， nián qīng rén zǒu zài zhōng jiān， nà gè lái lì bù míng de rén zǒu zài hòu miàn ……”
　　“ wǒ qīn 'ài de fú 'ěr mó sī！” wǒ tū rán hǎn dào。
　　“ ā， zhì yú jiǎo yìn shàng luò jiǎo yìn， nà shì háo wú yí wèn de liǎo。 wǒ kě yǐ biàn rèn chū tā men zuó tiān wǎn shàng de jiǎo yìn。 hòu lái， tā men shàng liǎo lóu， lái dào bù lāi xīng dùn de mén qián， tā men fā xiàn fáng mén suǒ shàng liǎo。 rán 'ér， tā yòng yī gēn tiě sī qù zhuàndòng lǐ miàn de yàoshì。 nǐ men shèn zhì bù yòng fàng dà jìng， yě kě yǐ cóng zhè bǎ yàoshì sǔn cáo shàng de huá hén kàn chū， tā men shì cóng shénme dì fāng shǐ de jìn liǎo。
　　“ tā men jìn rù shì nèi， dì yī bù yī dìng shì bǎ bù lāi xīng dùn xiān shēng de zuǐ gěi sài zhù。 tā kě néng yǐ jīng shuì zhe liǎo， huò zhě bèi xià tān liǎo， hǎn bù chū shēng lái。 zhè lǐ de qiáng hěn hòu， kě yǐ xiǎng xiàng， jí shǐ tā yòu kě néng hǎn yī liǎng shēng， tā de hū jiù shēng yě shì méi rén néng tīng dào de。
　　“ xiǎn rán， tā men bǎ tā 'ān zhì tuǒdàng yǐ hòu， jiù shāng liàng liǎo yī fān， zhè zhǒng shāng liàng kě néng jù yòu qǐ sù de xìng zhì。 tā yī dìng jìn xíng liǎo xiāng dāng yī duàn shí jiān。 yīn wéi zhèng shì zài zhè duàn shí jiān， tā men xī liǎo zhè jǐ zhī xuějiā yān。 lǎo rén zuò zài nà zhāng liǔ tiáo yǐ zǐ shàng， tā chōu yān shí yòng de shì xuějiā yān zuǐ。 nián qīng rén zuò zài yuǎn chù， tā bǎ yān huī kē zài liǎo yī guì de duì miàn。 dì sān gè rén zài shì nèi duó lái duó qù。 wǒ xiǎng， zhè shí bù lāi xīng dùn zhèng bǐ zhí dì zuò zài chuáng shàng， bù guò duì zhè yī diǎn wǒ hái bù néng jué duì kěn dìng。
　　“ hǎo， zuì hòu， tā men jiù qù zhuā bù lāi xīng dùn， bǎ tā diào qǐ lái。 zhè shì tā men zǎo jiù 'ān pái hǎo liǎo de， yīn wéi wǒ xiāng xìn tā men suí shēn dài lái liǎo mǒu zhǒng huá lún yòng zuò jiǎo xíng jià。 wǒ xiǎng， nà bǎ luó sī qǐ zǐ hé nà xiē luó sī dīng jiù shì wèile 'ān zhuāng jiǎo jià huá lún yòng de。 rán 'ér， tā men kàn dào liǎo diào gōu， zì rán shěng liǎo tā men xǔ duō má fán。 tā men gān wán yǐ hòu， jiù táo páo liǎo。 tā men de tóng huǒ gēn zhe jiù bǎ mén suǒ shàng liǎo。”
　　 wǒ men quán dū yǐ jí dà de xīng qù qīng tīng fú 'ěr mó sī jiǎng shù zuó wǎn 'àn jiàn de gài kuàng， zhè dū shì tā píng jiè xì wēi de jì xiàng tuī dǎo chū lái de， shèn zhì dāng tā gěi wǒ men yī yī diǎn míng dāng shí de qíng kuàng shí， wǒ men hái jīhū gēn bù shàng tā de sī lù。 zhī hòu， jǐng cháng jí máng páo qù chá zhǎo xiǎo tīngchāi， wǒ hé fú 'ěr mó sī zé fǎn huí bèi kè jiē yòng zǎo cān。
　　“ wǒ zài sān diǎn zhōng huí lái，” fú 'ěr mó sī zài wǒ men chī guò fàn yǐ hòu shuō dào，“ jǐng cháng hé yī shēng yào zài nà shí dào zhè lǐ lái jiàn wǒ， wǒ xī wàng lì yòng xiàn zài zhè duàn shí jiān bǎ zhè gè 'àn zǐ lǐ yī xiē hái bù qīng chǔ de xiǎo wèn tí chá qīng chǔ。”
　　 wǒ men de kè rén zài yuē dìng de shí jiān lái dào liǎo， kě shì wǒ de péng yǒu zài sān diǎn sān kè cái lù miàn。 rán 'ér， tā yī jìn mén， wǒ cóng tā de biǎo qíng shàng jiù néng kàn chū， yī qiē jìn xíng dé fēi cháng shùn lì。
　　“ yòu shénme xiāo xī má？ jǐng cháng。”
　　“ wǒ men yǐ jīng bǎ nà gè pú rén zhuō zhù liǎo， xiān shēng。”
　　“ tài hǎo liǎo， wǒ yě zhǎo dào nà jǐ gè rén liǎo。”
　　“ nǐ zhǎo dào tā men liǎo！” wǒ men sān gè rén yī tóng hǎn dào。
　　“ duì， zhì shǎo wǒ yǐ jīng gǎo qīng liǎo tā men de dǐ xì。 guǒ bù chū wǒ suǒ liào， nà gè suǒ wèi de bù lāi xīng dùn hé tā de chóu rén， zài zǒng shǔ shì chū liǎo míng de。 nà sān gè rén de míng zì shì bǐ dé 'ěr、 hǎi wò dé hé mò fǎ tè。”
　　“ shì qiǎng jié wò xīn dùn yínháng de nà yī huǒ，” jǐng cháng dà shēng shuō dào。
　　“ zhèng shì tā men，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào。
　　“ nà me， bù lāi xīng dùn yī dìng shì sà dùn liǎo。”
　　“ yī diǎn bù cuò，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào。
　　“ ài， zhè jiù yī qīng 'èr chǔ liǎo。” jǐng cháng shuō dào。
　　 kě shì wǒ hé tè lǐ wéi lián què miàn miàn xiāng qù， gǎn dào mí huò bù jiě liǎo。
　　“ nǐ men yī dìng jì dé nà zhuāng wò xīn dùn yín xíng dà qiǎng jié 'àn bā。” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ àn zhōng yī gòng yòu wǔ gè rén héng héng zhè sì gè rén， hái yòu nà gè jiào zuò kǎ tè lài tè de dì wǔ gè rén héng héng yínháng kānguǎn yuán tuō bīn bèi hài， qiè zéi men qiǎng liǎo qī qiān bàng táo zǒu liǎo。 zhè 'àn zǐ fā shēng zài yī bā qī wǔ nián。 tā men wǔ gè rén quán bù bèi bǔ， dàn shì zhèng jù bù zú， dìng bù liǎo 'àn。 zhè yī huǒ qiǎng jié fàn zhōng zuì huài de nà gè bù lāi xīng dùn yě jiù shì jiào sà dùn de， jiù gào fā liǎo tā men。 yóu yú tā zuò zhèng， kǎ tè lài tè bèi pàn chù jiǎo xíng， qí tā sān gè rén měi rén bèi pàn liǎo shí wǔ nián tú xíng。 qián jǐ tiān tā men bèi tí qián shù nián shì fàng， nǐ men kě yǐ xiǎng dào， tā men xià jué xīn yī dìng yào bǎ chū mài tā men de rén zhǎo dào， wèitā men sǐ qù de tóng huǒ bào chóu。 tā men liǎng cì shè fǎ zhǎo dào tā， dū wèi néng dé shǒu， nǐ men kàn， dì sān cì chéng gōng liǎo。 tè lǐ wéi lián yī shēng， hái yòu shénme xū yào shuō míng de méi yòu？”
　　“ wǒ xiǎng nǐ yǐ jīng bǎ yī qiēdōu shuō dé fēi cháng qīng chǔ liǎo，” yī shēng shuō dào，“ háo wú yí wèn， nà yī tiān tā zhī suǒ yǐ nà me huáng huáng bù 'ān， jiù shì yīn wéi tā zài bào shàng kàn dào liǎo nà jǐ gè rén bèi shì fàng de xiāo xī。”
　　“ wán quán bù cuò， tā shuō shénme dào qiè 'àn， chún cuì shì fàng yān mù dàn。”
　　“ kě shì tā wèishénme bù bǎ zhè jiàn shì gào sù nǐ ní？”
　　“ ā， wǒ qīn 'ài de xiān shēng， tā zhī dào tā de nà xiē lǎo huǒ jì bào fù xīn hěn qiáng， biàn jìn liàng xiàng suǒ yòu rén yǐn mán zì jǐ de shēn fèn。 tā de mì mì shì kě chǐ de， tā bù kě néng zì jǐ xiè lòu chū lái。 dàn shì， tā suī rán bēi bǐ， què yǐ rán chǔyú yīng guó fǎ lǜ de bǎo hù zhī xià， jǐng cháng， wǒ háo bù huái yí， nǐ kě yǐ kàn dào， jìn guǎn nà gè dùn méi yòu qǐ dào bǎo hù zuò yòng， nà bǎ zhèng yì de jiàn hái shì huì tì tā fù chóu de。”
　　 zhè jiù shì guān yú nà gè zhù yuàn bìng rén hé bù lǔ kè jiē yī shēng de qíng kuàng。 cóng nà tiān yè wǎn qǐ， zài méi yòu kàn dào nà sān gè xiōng shǒu de yǐng zǐ。 sū gé lán chǎng tuī cè， tā men chéng zuò nà sōu bù xìng de“ nuò lā kè liè yǐ nà” hào lún chuán táo páo liǎo。 nà sōu chuán hé quán tǐ chuán yuán shù nián yǐ qián zài pú táo yá hǎi 'àn jù bō 'ěr tú yǐ běi shù shí lǐ de dì fāng yùnàn。 duì nà gè xiǎo tīng chā de qǐ sù， yīn zhèng jù bù zú， bù néng chéng lì， ér zhè jiàn bèi chēng wéi bù lǔ kè jiē yí 'àn de 'àn jiàn， gè bào zhì jīn dōuméi yòu xiáng xì bào dào guò。

　　Glancing over the somewhat incoherent series of Memoirs with which I have endeavored to illustrate a few of the mental peculiarities of my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I have been struck by the difficulty which I have experienced in picking out examples which shall in every way answer my purpose. For in those cases in which Holmes has performed some tour de force of analytical reasoning, and has demonstrated the value of his peculiar methods of investigation, the facts themselves have often been so slight or so commonplace that I could not feel justified in laying them before the public. On the other hand, it has frequently happened that he has been concerned in some research where the facts have been of the most remarkable and dramatic character, but where the share which he has himself taken in determining their causes has been less pronounced than I, as his biographer, could wish. The small matter which I have chronicled under the heading of "A Study in Scarlet," and that other later one connected with the loss of the Gloria Scott, may serve as examples of this Scylla and Charybdis which are forever threatening the historian. It may be that in the business of which I am now about to write the part which my friend played is not sufficiently accentuated; and yet the whole train of circumstances is so remarkable that I cannot bring myself to omit it entirely from this series.
　　
　　It had been a close, rainy day in October. Our blinds were half-drawn, and Holmes lay curled upon the sofa, reading and re-reading a letter which he had received by the morning post. For myself, my term of service in India had trained me to stand heat better than cold, and a thermometer of 90 was no hardship. But the paper was uninteresting. Parliament had risen. Everybody was out of town, and I yearned for the glades of the New Forest or the shingle of Southsea. A depleted bank account had caused me to postpone my holiday, and as to my companion, neither the country nor the sea presented the slightest attraction to him. He loved to lie in the very centre of five millions of people, with his filaments stretching out and running through them, responsive to every little rumor or suspicion of unsolved crime. Appreciation of Nature found no place among his many gifts, and his only change was when he turned his mind from the evil-doer of the town to track down his brother of the country.
　　
　　Finding that Holmes was too absorbed for conversation, I had tossed aside the barren paper, and leaning back in my chair, I fell into a brown study. Suddenly my companion's voice broke in upon my thoughts.
　　
　　"You are right, Watson," said he. "It does seem a very preposterous way of settling a dispute."
　　
　　"Most preposterous!" I exclaimed, and then, suddenly realizing how he had echoed the inmost thought of my soul, I sat up in my chair and stared at him in blank amazement.
　　
　　"What is this, Holmes?" I cried. "This is beyond anything which I could have imagined."
　　
　　He laughed heartily at my perplexity.
　　
　　"You remember," said he, "that some little time ago, when I read you the passage in one of Poe's sketches, in which a close reasoner follows the unspoken thought of his companion, you were inclined to treat the matter as a mere tour de force of the author. On my remarking that I was constantly in the habit of doing the same thing you expressed incredulity."
　　
　　"Oh, no!"
　　
　　"Perhaps not with your tongue, my dear Watson, but certainly with your eyebrows. So when I saw you throw down your paper and enter upon a train of thought, I was very happy to have the opportunity of reading it off, and eventually of breaking into it, as a proof that I had been in rapport with you."
　　
　　But I was still far from satisfied. "In the example which you read to me," said I, "the reasoner drew his conclusions from the actions of the man whom he observed. If I remember right, he stumbled over a heap of stones, looked up at the stars, and so on. But I have been seated quietly in my chair, and what clues can I have given you?"
　　
　　"You do yourself an injustice. The features are given to man as the means by which he shall express his emotions, and yours are faithful servants."
　　
　　"Do you mean to say that you read my train of thoughts from my features?"
　　
　　"Your features, and especially your eyes. Perhaps you cannot yourself recall how your reverie commenced?"
　　
　　"No, I cannot."
　　
　　"Then I will tell you. After throwing down your paper, which was the action which drew my attention to you, you sat for half a minute with a vacant expression. Then your eyes fixed themselves upon your newly-framed picture of General Gordon, and I saw by the alteration in your face that a train of thought had been started. But it did not lead very far. Your eyes turned across to the unframed portrait of Henry Ward Beecher which stands upon the top of your books. You then glanced up at the wall, and of course your meaning was obvious. You were thinking that if the portrait were framed it would just cover that bare space and correspond with Gordon's picture over there."
　　
　　"You have followed me wonderfully!" I exclaimed.
　　
　　"So far I could hardly have gone astray. But now your thoughts went back to Beecher, and you looked hard across as if you were studying the character in his features. Then your eyes ceased to pucker, but you continued to look across, and your face was thoughtful. You were recalling the incidents of Beecher's career. I was well aware that you could not do this without thinking of the mission which he undertook on behalf of the North at the time of the Civil War, for I remember you expressing your passionate indignation at the way in which he was received by the more turbulent of our people. You felt so strongly about it that I knew you could not think of Beecher without thinking of that also. When a moment later I saw your eyes wander away from the picture, I suspected that your mind had now turned to the Civil War, and when I observed that your lips set, your eyes sparkled, and your hands clinched, I was positive that you were indeed thinking of the gallantry which was shown by both sides in that desperate struggle. But then, again, your face grew sadder; you shook your head. You were dwelling upon the sadness and horror and useless waste of life. Your hand stole towards your own old wound, and a smile quivered on your lips, which showed me that the ridiculous side of this method of settling international questions had forced itself upon your mind. At this point I agreed with you that it was preposterous, and was glad to find that all my deductions had been correct."
　　
　　"Absolutely!" said I. "And now that you have explained it, I confess that I am as amazed as before."
　　
　　"It was very superficial, my dear Watson, I assure you. I should not have intruded it upon your attention had you not shown some incredulity the other day. But the evening has brought a breeze with it. What do you say to a ramble through London?"
　　
　　I was weary of our little sitting-room and gladly acquiesced. For three hours we strolled about together, watching the ever-changing kaleidoscope of life as it ebbs and flows through Fleet Street and the Strand. His characteristic talk, with its keen observance of detail and subtle power of inference held me amused and enthralled. It was ten o'clock before we reached Baker Street again. A brougham was waiting at our door.
　　
　　"Hum! A doctor's--general practitioner, I perceive," said Holmes. "Not been long in practice, but has had a good deal to do. Come to consult us, I fancy! Lucky we came back!"
　　
　　I was sufficiently conversant with Holmes's methods to be able to follow his reasoning, and to see that the nature and state of the various medical instruments in the wicker basket which hung in the lamplight inside the brougham had given him the data for his swift deduction. The light in our window above showed that this late visit was indeed intended for us. With some curiosity as to what could have sent a brother medico to us at such an hour, I followed Holmes into our sanctum.
　　
　　A pale, taper-faced man with sandy whiskers rose up from a chair by the fire as we entered. His age may not have been more than three or four and thirty, but his haggard expression and unhealthy hue told of a life which has sapped his strength and robbed him of his youth. His manner was nervous and shy, like that of a sensitive gentleman, and the thin white hand which he laid on the mantelpiece as he rose was that of an artist rather than of a surgeon. His dress was quiet and sombre--a black frock-coat, dark trousers, and a touch of color about his necktie.
　　
　　"Good-evening, doctor," said Holmes, cheerily. "I am glad to see that you have only been waiting a very few minutes."
　　
　　"You spoke to my coachman, then?"
　　
　　"No, it was the candle on the side-table that told me. Pray resume your seat and let me know how I can serve you."
　　
　　"My name is Doctor Percy Trevelyan," said our visitor, "and I live at 403 Brook Street."
　　
　　"Are you not the author of a monograph upon obscure nervous lesions?" I asked.
　　
　　His pale cheeks flushed with pleasure at hearing that his work was known to me.
　　
　　"I so seldom hear of the work that I thought it was quite dead," said he. "My publishers gave me a most discouraging account of its sale. You are yourself, I presume, a medical man?"
　　
　　"A retired army surgeon."
　　
　　"My own hobby has always been nervous disease. I should wish to make it an absolute specialty, but, of course, a man must take what he can get at first. This, however, is beside the question, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and I quite appreciate how valuable your time is. The fact is that a very singular train of events has occurred recently at my house in Brook Street, and to-night they came to such a head that I felt it was quite impossible for me to wait another hour before asking for your advice and assistance."
　　
　　Sherlock Holmes sat down and lit his pipe. "You are very welcome to both," said he. "Pray let me have a detailed account of what the circumstances are which have disturbed you."
　　
　　"One or two of them are so trivial," said Dr. Trevelyan, "that really I am almost ashamed to mention them. But the matter is so inexplicable, and the recent turn which it has taken is so elaborate, that I shall lay it all before you, and you shall judge what is essential and what is not.
　　
　　"I am compelled, to begin with, to say something of my own college career. I am a London University man, you know, and I am sure that your will not think that I am unduly singing my own praises if I say that my student career was considered by my professors to be a very promising one. After I had graduated I continued to devote myself to research, occupying a minor position in King's College Hospital, and I was fortunate enough to excite considerable interest by my research into the pathology of catalepsy, and finally to win the Bruce Pinkerton prize and medal by the monograph on nervous lesions to which your friend has just alluded. I should not go too far if I were to say that there was a general impression at that time that a distinguished career lay before me.
　　
　　"But the one great stumbling-block lay in my want of capital. As you will readily understand, a specialist who aims high is compelled to start in one of a dozen streets in the Cavendish Square quarter, all of which entail enormous rents and furnishing expenses. Besides this preliminary outlay, he must be prepared to keep himself for some years, and to hire a presentable carriage and horse. To do this was quite beyond my power, and I could only hope that by economy I might in ten years' time save enough to enable me to put up my plate. Suddenly, however, an unexpected incident opened up quite a new prospect to me.
　　
　　"This was a visit from a gentleman of the name of Blessington, who was a complete stranger to me. He came up to my room one morning, and plunged into business in an instant.
　　
　　"'You are the same Percy Trevelyan who has had so distinguished a career and won a great prize lately?' said he.
　　
　　"I bowed.
　　
　　"'Answer me frankly,' he continued, 'for you will find it to your interest to do so. You have all the cleverness which makes a successful man. Have you the tact?'
　　
　　"I could not help smiling at the abruptness of the question.
　　
　　"'I trust that I have my share,' I said.
　　
　　"'Any bad habits? Not drawn towards drink, eh?'
　　
　　"'Really, sir!' I cried.
　　
　　"'Quite right! That's all right! But I was bound to ask. With all these qualities, why are you not in practice?'
　　
　　"I shrugged my shoulders.
　　
　　"'Come, come!' said he, in his bustling way. 'It's the old story. More in your brains than in your pocket, eh? What would you say if I were to start you in Brook Street?'
　　
　　"I stared at him in astonishment.
　　
　　"'Oh, it's for my sake, not for yours,' he cried. 'I'll be perfectly frank with you, and if it suits you it will suit me very well. I have a few thousands to invest, d'ye see, and I think I'll sink them in you.'
　　
　　"'But why?' I gasped.
　　
　　"'Well, it's just like any other speculation, and safer than most.'
　　
　　"'What am I to do, then?'
　　
　　"'I'll tell you. I'll take the house, furnish it, pay the maids, and run the whole place. All you have to do is just to wear out your chair in the consulting-room. I'll let you have pocket-money and everything. Then you hand over to me three quarters of what you earn, and you keep the other quarter for yourself.'
　　
　　"This was the strange proposal, Mr. Holmes, with which the man Blessington approached me. I won't weary you with the account of how we bargained and negotiated. It ended in my moving into the house next Lady-day, and starting in practice on very much the same conditions as he had suggested. He came himself to live with me in the character of a resident patient. His heart was weak, it appears, and he needed constant medical supervision. He turned the two best rooms of the first floor into a sitting-room and bedroom for himself. He was a man of singular habits, shunning company and very seldom going out. His life was irregular, but in one respect he was regularity itself. Every evening, at the same hour, he walked into the consulting-room, examined the books, put down five and three-pence for every guinea that I had earned, and carried the rest off to the strong-box in his own room.
　　
　　"I may say with confidence that he never had occasion to regret his speculation. From the first it was a success. A few good cases and the reputation which I had won in the hospital brought me rapidly to the front, and during the last few years I have made him a rich man.
　　
　　"So much, Mr. Holmes, for my past history and my relations with Mr. Blessington. It only remains for me now to tell you what has occurred to bring me here to-night.
　　
　　"Some weeks ago Mr. Blessington came down to me in, as it seemed to me, a state of considerable agitation. He spoke of some burglary which, he said, had been committed in the West End, and he appeared, I remember, to be quite unnecessarily excited about it, declaring that a day should not pass before we should add stronger bolts to our windows and doors. For a week he continued to be in a peculiar state of restlessness, peering continually out of the windows, and ceasing to take the short walk which had usually been the prelude to his dinner. From his manner it struck me that he was in mortal dread of something or somebody, but when I questioned him upon the point he became so offensive that I was compelled to drop the subject. Gradually, as time passed, his fears appeared to die away, and he had renewed his former habits, when a fresh event reduced him to the pitiable state of prostration in which he now lies.
　　
　　"What happened was this. Two days ago I received the letter which I now read to you. Neither address nor date is attached to it.
　　
　　"'A Russian nobleman who is now resident in England,' it runs, 'would be glad to avail himself of the professional assistance of Dr. Percy Trevelyan. He has been for some years a victim to cataleptic attacks, on which, as is well known, Dr. Trevelyan is an authority. He proposes to call at about quarter past six to-morrow evening, if Dr. Trevelyan will make it convenient to be at home.'
　　
　　"This letter interested me deeply, because the chief difficulty in the study of catalepsy is the rareness of the disease. You may believe, then, that I was in my consulting-room when, at the appointed hour, the page showed in the patient.
　　
　　"He was an elderly man, thin, demure, and commonplace--by no means the conception one forms of a Russian nobleman. I was much more struck by the appearance of his companion. This was a tall young man, surprisingly handsome, with a dark, fierce face, and the limbs and chest of a Hercules. He had his hand under the other's arm as they entered, and helped him to a chair with a tenderness which one would hardly have expected from his appearance.
　　
　　"'You will excuse my coming in, doctor,' said he to me, speaking English with a slight lisp. 'This is my father, and his health is a matter of the most overwhelming importance to me.'
　　
　　"I was touched by this filial anxiety. 'You would, perhaps, care to remain during the consultation?' said I.
　　
　　"'Not for the world,' he cried with a gesture of horror. 'It is more painful to me than I can express. If I were to see my father in one of these dreadful seizures I am convinced that I should never survive it. My own nervous system is an exceptionally sensitive one. With your permission, I will remain in the waiting-room while you go into my father's case.'
　　
　　"To this, of course, I assented, and the young man withdrew. The patient and I then plunged into a discussion of his case, of which I took exhaustive notes. He was not remarkable for intelligence, and his answers were frequently obscure, which I attributed to his limited acquaintance with our language. Suddenly, however, as I sat writing, he ceased to give any answer at all to my inquiries, and on my turning towards him I was shocked to see that he was sitting bolt upright in his chair, staring at me with a perfectly blank and rigid face. He was again in the grip of his mysterious malady.
　　
　　"My first feeling, as I have just said, was one of pity and horror. My second, I fear, was rather one of professional satisfaction. I made notes of my patient's pulse and temperature, tested the rigidity of his muscles, and examined his reflexes. There was nothing markedly abnormal in any of these conditions, which harmonized with my former experiences. I had obtained good results in such cases by the inhalation of nitrite of amyl, and the present seemed an admirable opportunity of testing its virtues. The bottle was downstairs in my laboratory, so leaving my patient seated in his chair, I ran down to get it. There was some little delay in finding it--five minutes, let us say--and then I returned. Imagine my amazement to find the room empty and the patient gone.
　　
　　"Of course, my first act was to run into the waiting-room. The son had gone also. The hall door had been closed, but not shut. My page who admits patients is a new boy and by no means quick. He waits downstairs, and runs up to show patients out when I ring the consulting-room bell. He had heard nothing, and the affair remained a complete mystery. Mr. Blessington came in from his walk shortly afterwards, but I did not say anything to him upon the subject, for, to tell the truth, I have got in the way of late of holding as little communication with him as possible.
　　
　　"Well, I never thought that I should see anything more of the Russian and his son, so you can imagine my amazement when, at the very same hour this evening, they both came marching into my consulting-room, just as they had done before.
　　
　　"'I feel that I owe you a great many apologies for my abrupt departure yesterday, doctor,' said my patient.
　　
　　"'I confess that I was very much surprised at it,' said I.
　　
　　"'Well, the fact is,' he remarked, 'that when I recover from these attacks my mind is always very clouded as to all that has gone before. I woke up in a strange room, as it seemed to me, and made my way out into the street in a sort of dazed way when you were absent.'
　　
　　"'And I,' said the son, 'seeing my father pass the door of the waiting-room, naturally thought that the consultation had come to an end. It was not until we had reached home that I began to realize the true state of affairs.'
　　
　　"'Well,' said I, laughing, 'there is no harm done except that you puzzled me terribly; so if you, sir, would kindly step into the waiting-room I shall be happy to continue our consultation which was brought to so abrupt an ending.'
　　
　　"'For half an hour or so I discussed that old gentleman's symptoms with him, and then, having prescribed for him, I saw him go off upon the arm of his son.
　　
　　"I have told you that Mr. Blessington generally chose this hour of the day for his exercise. He came in shortly afterwards and passed upstairs. An instant later I heard him running down, and he burst into my consulting-room like a man who is mad with panic.
　　
　　"'Who has been in my room?' he cried.
　　
　　"'No one,' said I.
　　
　　"'It's a lie! He yelled. 'Come up and look!'
　　
　　"I passed over the grossness of his language, as he seemed half out of his mind with fear. When I went upstairs with him he pointed to several footprints upon the light carpet.
　　
　　"'D'you mean to say those are mine?' he cried.
　　
　　"They were certainly very much larger than any which he could have made, and were evidently quite fresh. It rained hard this afternoon, as you know, and my patients were the only people who called. It must have been the case, then, that the man in the waiting-room had, for some unknown reason, while I was busy with the other, ascended to the room of my resident patient. Nothing had been touched or taken, but there were the footprints to prove that the intrusion was an undoubted fact.
　　
　　"Mr. Blessington seemed more excited over the matter than I should have thought possible, though of course it was enough to disturb anybody's peace of mind. He actually sat crying in an arm-chair, and I could hardly get him to speak coherently. It was his suggestion that I should come round to you, and of course I at once saw the propriety of it, for certainly the incident is a very singular one, though he appears to completely overrate its importance. If you would only come back with me in my brougham, you would at least be able to soothe him, though I can hardly hope that you will be able to explain this remarkable occurrence."
　　
　　Sherlock Holmes had listened to this long narrative with an intentness which showed me that his interest was keenly aroused. His face was as impassive as ever, but his lids had drooped more heavily over his eyes, and his smoke had curled up more thickly from his pipe to emphasize each curious episode in the doctor's tale. As our visitor concluded, Holmes sprang up without a word, handed me my hat, picked his own from the table, and followed Dr. Trevelyan to the door. Within a quarter of an hour we had been dropped at the door of the physician's residence in Brook Street, one of those sombre, flat-faced houses which one associates with a West-End practice. A small page admitted us, and we began at once to ascend the broad, well-carpeted stair.
　　
　　But a singular interruption brought us to a standstill. The light at the top was suddenly whisked out, and from the darkness came a reedy, quivering voice.
　　
　　"I have a pistol," it cried. "I give you my word that I'll fire if you come any nearer."
　　
　　"This really grows outrageous, Mr. Blessington," cried Dr. Trevelyan.
　　
　　"Oh, then it is you, doctor," said the voice, with a great heave of relief. "But those other gentlemen, are they what they pretend to be?"
　　
　　We were conscious of a long scrutiny out of the darkness.
　　
　　"Yes, yes, it's all right," said the voice at last. "You can come up, and I am sorry if my precautions have annoyed you."
　　
　　He relit the stair gas as he spoke, and we saw before us a singular-looking man, whose appearance, as well as his voice, testified to his jangled nerves. He was very fat, but had apparently at some time been much fatter, so that the skin hung about his face in loose pouches, like the cheeks of a blood-hound. He was of a sickly color, and his thin, sandy hair seemed to bristle up with the intensity of his emotion. In his hand he held a pistol, but he thrust it into his pocket as we advanced.
　　
　　"Good-evening, Mr. Holmes," said he. "I am sure I am very much obliged to you for coming round. No one ever needed your advice more than I do. I suppose that Dr. Trevelyan has told you of this most unwarrantable intrusion into my rooms."
　　
　　"Quite so," said Holmes. "Who are these two men Mr. Blessington, and why do they wish to molest you?"
　　
　　"Well, well," said the resident patient, in a nervous fashion, "of course it is hard to say that. You can hardly expect me to answer that, Mr. Holmes."
　　
　　"Do you mean that you don't know?"
　　
　　"Come in here, if you please. Just have the kindness to step in here."
　　
　　He led the way into his bedroom, which was large and comfortably furnished.
　　
　　"You see that," said he, pointing to a big black box at the end of his bed. "I have never been a very rich man, Mr. Holmes--never made but one investment in my life, as Dr. Trevelyan would tell you. But I don't believe in bankers. I would never trust a banker, Mr. Holmes. Between ourselves, what little I have is in that box, so you can understand what it means to me when unknown people force themselves into my rooms."
　　
　　Holmes looked at Blessington in his questioning way and shook his head.
　　
　　"I cannot possibly advise you if you try to deceive me," said he.
　　
　　"But I have told you everything."
　　
　　Holmes turned on his heel with a gesture of disgust. "Good-night, Dr. Trevelyan," said he.
　　
　　"And no advice for me?" cried Blessington, in a breaking voice.
　　
　　"My advice to your, sir, is to speak the truth."
　　
　　A minute later we were in the street and walking for home. We had crossed Oxford Street and were half way down Harley Street before I could get a word from my companion.
　　
　　"Sorry to bring you out on such a fool's errand, Watson," he said at last. "It is an interesting case, too, at the bottom of it."
　　
　　"I can make little of it," I confessed.
　　
　　"Well, it is quite evident that there are two men--more, perhaps, but at least two--who are determined for some reason to get at this fellow Blessington. I have no doubt in my mind that both on the first and on the second occasion that young man penetrated to Blessington's room, while his confederate, by an ingenious device, kept the doctor from interfering."
　　
　　"And the catalepsy?"
　　
　　"A fraudulent imitation, Watson, though I should hardly dare to hint as much to our specialist. It is a very easy complaint to imitate. I have done it myself."
　　
　　"And then?"
　　
　　"By the purest chance Blessington was out on each occasion. Their reason for choosing so unusual an hour for a consultation was obviously to insure that there should be no other patient in the waiting-room. It just happened, however, that this hour coincided with Blessington's constitutional, which seems to show that they were not very well acquainted with his daily routine. Of course, if they had been merely after plunder they would at least have made some attempt to search for it. Besides, I can read in a man's eye when it is his own skin that he is frightened for. It is inconceivable that this fellow could have made two such vindictive enemies as these appear to be without knowing of it. I hold it, therefore, to be certain that he does know who these men are, and that for reasons of his own he suppresses it. It is just possible that to-morrow may find him in a more communicative mood."
　　
　　"Is there not one alternative," I suggested, "grotesquely improbably, no doubt, but still just conceivable? Might the whole story of the cataleptic Russian and his son be a concoction of Dr. Trevelyan's, who has, for his own purposes, been in Blessington's rooms?"
　　
　　I saw in the gaslight that Holmes wore an amused smile at this brilliant departure of mine.
　　
　　"My dear fellow," said he, "it was one of the first solutions which occurred to me, but I was soon able to corroborate the doctor's tale. This young man has left prints upon the stair-carpet which made it quite superfluous for me to ask to see those which he had made in the room. When I tell you that his shoes were square-toed instead of being pointed like Blessington's, and were quite an inch and a third longer than the doctor's, you will acknowledge that there can be no doubt as to his individuality. But we may sleep on it now, for I shall be surprised if we do not hear something further from Brook Street in the morning."
　　
　　Sherlock Holmes's prophecy was soon fulfilled, and in a dramatic fashion. At half-past seven next morning, in the first glimmer of daylight, I found him standing by my bedside in his dressing-gown.
　　
　　"There's a brougham waiting for us, Watson," said he.
　　
　　"What's the matter, then?"
　　
　　"The Brook Street business."
　　
　　"Any fresh news?"
　　
　　"Tragic, but ambiguous," said he, pulling up the blind. "Look at this--a sheet from a note-book, with 'For God's sake come at once--P. T.,' scrawled upon it in pencil. Our friend, the doctor, was hard put to it when he wrote this. Come along, my dear fellow, for it's an urgent call."
　　
　　In a quarter of an hour or so we were back at the physician's house. He came running out to meet us with a face of horror.
　　
　　"Oh, such a business!" he cried, with his hands to his temples.
　　
　　"What then?"
　　
　　"Blessington has committed suicide!"
　　
　　Holmes whistled.
　　
　　"Yes, he hanged himself during the night."
　　
　　We had entered, and the doctor had preceded us into what was evidently his waiting-room.
　　
　　"I really hardly know what I am doing," he cried. "The police are already upstairs. It has shaken me most dreadfully."
　　
　　"When did you find it out?"
　　
　　"He has a cup of tea taken in to him early every morning. When the maid entered, about seven, there the unfortunate fellow was hanging in the middle of the room. He had tied his cord to the hook on which the heavy lamp used to hang, and he had jumped off from the top of the very box that he showed us yesterday."
　　
　　Holmes stood for a moment in deep thought.
　　
　　"With your permission," said he at last, "I should like to go upstairs and look into the matter."
　　
　　We both ascended, followed by the doctor.
　　
　　It was a dreadful sight which met us as we entered the bedroom door. I have spoken of the impression of flabbiness which this man Blessington conveyed. As he dangled from the hook it was exaggerated and intensified until he was scarce human in his appearance. The neck was drawn out like a plucked chicken's, making the rest of him seem the more obese and unnatural by the contrast. He was clad only in his long night-dress, and his swollen ankles and ungainly feet protruded starkly from beneath it. Beside him stood a smart-looking police-inspector, who was taking notes in a pocket-book.
　　
　　"Ah, Mr. Holmes," said he, heartily, as my friend entered, "I am delighted to see you."
　　
　　"Good-morning, Lanner," answered Holmes; "you won't think me an intruder, I am sure. Have you heard of the events which led up to this affair?"
　　
　　"Yes, I heard something of them."
　　
　　"Have you formed any opinion?"
　　
　　"As far as I can see, the man has been driven out of his senses by fright. The bed has been well slept in, you see. There's his impression deep enough. It's about five in the morning, you know, that suicides are most common. That would be about his time for hanging himself. It seems to have been a very deliberate affair."
　　
　　"I should say that he has been dead about three hours, judging by the rigidity of the muscles," said I.
　　
　　"Noticed anything peculiar about the room?" asked Holmes.
　　
　　"Found a screw-driver and some screws on the wash-hand stand. Seems to have smoked heavily during the night, too. Here are four cigar-ends that I picked out of the fireplace."
　　
　　"Hum!" said Holmes, "have you got his cigar-holder?"
　　
　　"No, I have seen none."
　　
　　"His cigar-case, then?"
　　
　　"Yes, it was in his coat-pocket."
　　
　　Holmes opened it and smelled the single cigar which it contained.
　　
　　"Oh, this is an Havana, and these others are cigars of the peculiar sort which are imported by the Dutch from their East Indian colonies. They are usually wrapped in straw, you know, and are thinner for their length than any other brand." He picked up the four ends and examined them with his pocket-lens.
　　
　　"Two of these have been smoked from a holder and two without," said he. "Two have been cut by a not very sharp knife, and two have had the ends bitten off by a set of excellent teeth. This is no suicide, Mr. Lanner. It is a very deeply planned and cold-blooded murder."
　　
　　"Impossible!" cried the inspector.
　　
　　"And why?"
　　
　　"Why should any one murder a man in so clumsy a fashion as by hanging him?"
　　
　　"That is what we have to find out."
　　
　　"How could they get in?"
　　
　　"Through the front door."
　　
　　"It was barred in the morning."
　　
　　"Then it was barred after them."
　　
　　"How do you know?"
　　
　　"I saw their traces. Excuse me a moment, and I may be able to give you some further information about it."
　　
　　He went over to the door, and turning the lock he examined it in his methodical way. Then he took out the key, which was on the inside, and inspected that also. The bed, the carpet, the chairs the mantelpiece, the dead body, and the rope were each in turn examined, until at last he professed himself satisfied, and with my aid and that of the inspector cut down the wretched object and laid it reverently under a sheet.
　　
　　"How about this rope?" he asked.
　　
　　"It is cut off this," said Dr. Trevelyan, drawing a large coil from under the bed. "He was morbidly nervous of fire, and always kept this beside him, so that he might escape by the window in case the stairs were burning."
　　
　　"That must have saved them trouble," said Holmes, thoughtfully. "Yes, the actual facts are very plain, and I shall be surprised if by the afternoon I cannot give you the reasons for them as well. I will take this photograph of Blessington, which I see upon the mantelpiece, as it may help me in my inquiries."
　　
　　"But you have told us nothing!" cried the doctor.
　　
　　"Oh, there can be no doubt as to the sequence of events," said Holmes. "There were three of them in it: the young man, the old man, and a third, to whose identity I have no clue. The first two, I need hardly remark, are the same who masqueraded as the Russian count and his son, so we can give a very full description of them. They were admitted by a confederate inside the house. If I might offer you a word of advice, Inspector, it would be to arrest the page, who, as I understand, has only recently come into your service, Doctor."
　　
　　"The young imp cannot be found," said Dr. Trevelyan; "the maid and the cook have just been searching for him."
　　
　　Holmes shrugged his shoulders.
　　
　　"He has played a not unimportant part in this drama," said he. "The three men having ascended the stairs, which they did on tiptoe, the elder man first, the younger man second, and the unknown man in the rear--"
　　
　　"My dear Holmes!" I ejaculated.
　　
　　"Oh, there could be no question as to the superimposing of the footmarks. I had the advantage of learning which was which last night. They ascended, then, to Mr. Blessington's room, the door of which they found to be locked. With the help of a wire, however, they forced round the key. Even without the lens you will perceive, by the scratches on this ward, where the pressure was applied.
　　
　　"On entering the room their first proceeding must have been to gag Mr. Blessington. He may have been asleep, or he may have been so paralyzed with terror as to have been unable to cry out. These walls are thick, and it is conceivable that his shriek, if he had time to utter one, was unheard.
　　
　　"Having secured him, it is evident to me that a consultation of some sort was held. Probably it was something in the nature of a judicial proceeding. It must have lasted for some time, for it was then that these cigars were smoked. The older man sat in that wicker chair; it was he who used the cigar-holder. The younger man sat over yonder; he knocked his ash off against the chest of drawers. The third fellow paced up and down. Blessington, I think, sat upright in the bed, but of that I cannot be absolutely certain.
　　
　　"Well, it ended by their taking Blessington and hanging him. The matter was so prearranged that it is my belief that they brought with them some sort of block or pulley which might serve as a gallows. That screw-driver and those screws were, as I conceive, for fixing it up. Seeing the hook, however they naturally saved themselves the trouble. Having finished their work they made off, and the door was barred behind them by their confederate."
　　
　　We had all listened with the deepest interest to this sketch of the night's doings, which Holmes had deduced from signs so subtle and minute that, even when he had pointed them out to us, we could scarcely follow him in his reasoning. The inspector hurried away on the instant to make inquiries about the page, while Holmes and I returned to Baker Street for breakfast.
　　
　　"I'll be back by three," said he, when we had finished our meal. "Both the inspector and the doctor will meet me here at that hour, and I hope by that time to have cleared up any little obscurity which the case may still present."
　　
　　Our visitors arrived at the appointed time, but it was a quarter to four before my friend put in an appearance. From his expression as he entered, however, I could see that all had gone well with him.
　　
　　"Any news, Inspector?"
　　
　　"We have got the boy, sir."
　　
　　"Excellent, and I have got the men."
　　
　　"You have got them!" we cried, all three.
　　
　　"Well, at least I have got their identity. This so-called Blessington is, as I expected, well known at headquarters, and so are his assailants. Their names are Biddle, Hayward, and Moffat."
　　
　　"The Worthingdon bank gang," cried the inspector.
　　
　　"Precisely," said Holmes.
　　
　　"Then Blessington must have been Sutton."
　　
　　"Exactly," said Holmes.
　　
　　"Why, that makes it as clear as crystal," said the inspector.
　　
　　But Trevelyan and I looked at each other in bewilderment.
　　
　　"You must surely remember the great Worthingdon bank business," said Holmes. "Five men were in it--these four and a fifth called Cartwright. Tobin, the care-taker, was murdered, and the thieves got away with seven thousand pounds. This was in 1875. They were all five arrested, but the evidence against them was by no means conclusive. This Blessington or Sutton, who was the worst of the gang, turned informer. On his evidence Cartwright was hanged and the other three got fifteen years apiece. When they got out the other day, which was some years before their full term, they set themselves, as you perceive, to hunt down the traitor and to avenge the death of their comrade upon him. Twice they tried to get at him and failed; a third time, you see, it came off. Is there anything further which I can explain, Dr. Trevelyan?"
　　
　　"I think you have made it all remarkable clear," said the doctor. "No doubt the day on which he was perturbed was the day when he had seen of their release in the newspapers."
　　
　　"Quite so. His talk about a burglary was the merest blind."
　　
　　"But why could he not tell you this?"
　　
　　"Well, my dear sir, knowing the vindictive character of his old associates, he was trying to hide his own identity from everybody as long as he could. His secret was a shameful one, and he could not bring himself to divulge it. However, wretch as he was, he was still living under the shield of British law, and I have no doubt, Inspector, that you will see that, though that shield may fail to guard, the sword of justice is still there to avenge."
　　
　　Such were the singular circumstances in connection with the Resident Patient and the Brook Street Doctor. From that night nothing has been seen of the three murderers by the police, and it is surmised at Scotland Yard that they were among the passengers of the ill-fated steamer Norah Creina, which was lost some years ago with all hands upon the Portuguese coast, some leagues to the north of Oporto. The proceedings against the page broke down for want of evidence, and the Brook Street Mystery, as it was called, has never until now been fully dealt with in any public print.