wǒ hé xiē luò kè ． fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng suī rán xiāng shí hěn jiǔ， qīnmìwújiàn， dàn shǎo tīng tā shuō qǐ tā de qīn shǔ， yě hěn shǎo tīng tā jiǎng qǐ zì jǐ zǎo nián de shēng huó。 tā zhè yàng chén mò guǎ yán， gèng jiā shǐ wǒ jué dé tā yòu diǎn bù jìn rén qíng， yǐ zhì yòu shí wǒ bǎ tā kàn zuò yī gè gū pì de guài rén， yī gè yòu tóu nǎo wú qíng gǎn de rén， suī rán tā de zhì lì chāo qún， què quē fá rén lèi de gǎn qíng。
　　 tā bù xǐ huān jiē jìn nǚ rén， bù yuàn jié jiāo xīn yǒu， zhè dū biǎo míng liǎo tā bù yì dòng gǎn qíng de xìng gé tè zhēng， bù guò yóu qí wú qíng de shì tā jué kǒu bù tí jiā rén。 yīn cǐ wǒ kāi shǐ rèn wéi tā shì yī gè gū 'ér， méi yòu qīn shǔ zài shì liǎo。 kě shì yòu yī tiān， chū hū wǒ yì liào zhī wài， tā jìng tóng wǒ tán qǐ tā de gē gē lái liǎo。 yī gè xià tiān de bàng wǎn， chá hòu wú shì， wǒ men biàn hǎi kuò tiān kōng、 dōng lā xī chě dì xián liáo qǐ lái， cóng gāo 'ěr fū qiú jù lè bù dào huáng chì jiāo jiǎo biàn huà de yuán yīn， zuì hòu tán dào fǎn zǔ xiàn xiàng hé yí chuán shì yìng xìng， tǎo lùn de yào diǎn shì： yī gè rén de chū zhòng cái néng yòu duō shǎo chū yú yí chuán， yòu yòu duō shǎo chū yú zì shēn zǎo nián suǒ shòu de xùn liàn。
　　 “ ná nǐ běn rén lái shuō， ” wǒ shuō dào，“ cóng nǐ gào sù guò wǒ de qíng kuàng kàn lái， sì hū hěn míng xiǎn， nǐ de guān chá cái néng hé dú dào de tuī lǐ néng lì， dū qǔ jué yú zì shēn de xì tǒng xùn liàn。”“ zài mǒu zhǒng chéng dù shàng shì zhè yàng，” fú 'ěr mó sī sī cǔn zhe shuō dào，“ wǒ zǔ shàng shì xiāng shēn， kàn lái， tā men guò zhe nà gè jiē jí de guàn cháng shēng huó。 bù guò， wǒ zhè zhǒng pǐ xìng shì wǒ xuè tǒng zhōng gù yòu de。 kě néng wǒ zǔ mǔ jiù yòu zhè zhǒng xuè tǒng， yīn wéi tā shì fǎ guó měi shù jiā jí 'ěr nèi de mèi mèi。 xuè yè zhōng de zhè zhǒng yì shù chéngfèn hěn róng yì jù yòu zuì qí tè de yí chuán xíng shì。”“ kě shì nǐ zěn me zhī dào shì yí chuán de ní？”“ yīn wéi wǒ gē gē mài kè luó fū tè zhǎng wò de tuī lǐ yì shù bǐ wǒ zhǎng wò de chéng dù gāo。” zhè duì wǒ lái shuō què shí hái shì yī jiàn xīn wén。 jiǎ rú yīng guó hái yòu lìng wài yī gè rén yě jù yòu zhè yàng de qí yì cái néng， jǐng shǔ hé gōng zhòng zěn me duì tā jìng rán háo wú suǒ wén ní？
　　 wǒ shuō zhè shì yīn wéi wǒ péng yǒu qiān xū， suǒ yǐ tā cái rèn wéi gē gē bǐ tā qiáng。 fú 'ěr mó sī duì wǒ zhè zhǒng shuō fǎ fù zhī yī xiào。
　　“ wǒ qīn 'ài de huá shēng，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ wǒ bù tóng yì yòu xiē rén bǎ qiān xū liè wéi měi dé。 duì luó ji xué jiā lái shuō， yī qiē shì wù yīngdāng shì shénme yàng jiù shì shénme yàng， duì zì jǐ gū jià guò dī hé kuā dà zì jǐ de cái néng yī yàng dōushì wéi bèi zhēn lǐ de。
　　 suǒ yǐ， wǒ shuō mài kè luó fū tè de guān chá lì bǐ wǒ qiáng， nǐ kě yǐ xiāng xìn wǒ de huà shì háo bù kuā zhāng de shí huà。”“ nǐ gē gē bǐ nǐ dà jǐ suì？”“ bǐ wǒ dà qī suì。”“ tā wèishénme méi yòu míng qì ní？”“ ō， bǐ rú shuō， zài dì 'ōu yào ní jù lè bù lǐ。” wǒ cóng wèi tīng shuō guò zhè me gè dì fāng， wǒ liǎn shàng de biǎo qíng yě yī dìng xiǎn chū liǎo zhè yī diǎn， suǒ yǐ xiē luò kè． fú 'ěr mó sī ná chū biǎo kàn liǎo kàn， shuō dào：“ dì 'ōu gēn ní jù lè bù shì lún dūn zuì gǔ guài de jù lè bù， ér mài kè luó fū tè shì gè zuì gǔ guài de rén。
　　 tā jīng cháng cóng xià wǔ sì diǎn sān kè dào qī diǎn sì shí fēn dāi zài nà lǐ。 xiàn zài yǐ jīng liù diǎn， rú guǒ nǐ yòu xīng zhì zài zhè měi miào de yè wǎn chū qù zǒu zǒu， wǒ hěn gāo xīng bǎ zhè liǎng gè ‘ gǔ guài ’ jiè shào gěi nǐ。” wǔ fēn zhōng yǐ hòu， wǒ men jiù lái dào liǎo jiē shàng， xiàng léi gēn sī yuán xíng guǎng chǎng zǒu qù。“ nǐ yī dìng hěn qí guài，” wǒ de péng yǒu shuō dào，“ wèishénme mài kè luó fū tè yòu zhè yàng de cái néng， què bù yòng yú zuò zhēn tàn gōng zuò ní？ qí shí， tā shì bù kě néng dāng zhēn tàn de。”“ dàn wǒ xiǎng nǐ shuō de shì．．．．．．”“ wǒ shuō tā zài guān chá hé tuī lǐ fāng miàn bǐ wǒ gāo míng。 jiǎ rú zhēn tàn zhè mén yì shù zhǐ shì cóng zài fú wù yǐ shàng tuī lǐ jiù xíng， nà me wǒ gē gē yī dìng shì gè jǔ shì wú shuāng de dà zhēn tàn liǎo。 kě shì tā jì wú zuò zhēn tàn gōng zuò de yuàn wàng， yě wú zhè zhǒng jīng lì。 tā lián qù zhèng shí yī xià zì jǐ suǒ zuò de lùn duàn yě xián má fán， nìngkěn bèi rén rèn wéi shì miù wù， yě bù yuàn fèi lì qù zhèng míng zì jǐ de zhèng què。 wǒ jīng cháng xiàng tā qǐng jiào wèn tí， cóng tā nà lǐ dé dào de jiě dá， hòu lái zhèng míng dōushì zhèng què de。 bù guò， zài yī jiàn 'àn zǐ tí jiāo gěi fǎ guān huò péi shěn tuán zhī qián， yào tā tí chū què záo de yòu lì de zhèng jù， nà tā jiù wú néng wéi lì liǎo。”“ nà me， tā bù shì yǐ zhēn tàn wéi zhí yè de liǎo？”“ gēn běn bù shì。 wǒ yòng yǐ wéi shēng de zhēn tàn yè wù， zài tā zhǐ bù guò shì chún cuì yè yú pǐ hǎo 'ér yǐ。 tā fēi cháng shàn cháng shù xué， cháng zài zhèng fǔ gè bù mén chá zhàng。 mài kè luó fū tè zhù zài bèi 'ěr měi 'ěr jiē， guǎi gè wān jiù dào liǎo bái tīng。 tā měi tiān bù xíng shàng bān， zǎo chū wǎn guī， nián nián rú cǐ， méi yòu qí tā huó dòng， yě cóng lái bù dào bié chù qù， wéi yī qù chù shì tā zhù suǒ duì miàn de dì 'ōu gēn ní jù lè bù。”“ wǒ xiǎng bù qǐ yòu jiào zhè míng zì de jù lè bù liǎo。”“ hěn kě néng nǐ bù zhī dào。 lún dūn yòu xǔ duō rén， yòu de shēng xìng xiū qiè， yòu de fèn shì jí sú， tā men bù yuàn yǔ rén wéi wǔ， kě shì tā men bìng bù fǎn duì dào shū shì de dì fāng zuò zuò， kàn kàn zuì xīn de qī kān。 wèile zhè gè mùdì， dì 'ōu gēn ní jù lè bù biàn dàn shēng liǎo， xiàn zài tā jiē nà liǎo chéng lǐ zuì gū pì hé zuì bù 'ài jiāo jì de rén。 huì yuán men bù zhǔn hù xiāng dā huà。 chú liǎo zài huì kè shì， jué duì bù zhǔn xǔ jiāo tán， rú guǒ fàn guī sān cì， yǐn qǐ jù lè bù wěi yuán huì de zhù yì， tán huà zhě jiù huì bǔ kāi chú。 wǒ gē gē shì jù lè bù fā qǐ rén zhī yī， wǒ běn rén jué dé zhè gè jù lè bù qì fēn shì hěn yí rén de。” wǒ men biān zǒu biān tán， cóng zhān mǔ sī jiē jìn tóu zhuǎn guò qù， bù jué lái dào bèi 'ěr měi 'ěr jiē。 xiē luò kè． fú 'ěr mó sī zài lí kǎ 'ěr dùn dà tīng bù yuǎn de yī gè mén kǒu tíng liǎo xià lái， dīng zhǔ wǒ bù yào kāi kǒu， bǎ wǒ lǐng jìn dà tīng。 wǒ tōng guò mén shàng de bō lí kàn dào yī jiān kuān dà 'ér háo huá de fáng jiān， lǐ miàn hěn duō rén zuò zhe kàn bào， měi rén gè shǒu yī yú。 fú 'ěr mó sī lǐng wǒ zǒu jìn yī jiān xiǎo wū， cóng zhè lǐ kě yǐ wàng jiàn bèi 'ěr měi 'ěr jiē， rán hòu lí kāi liǎo wǒ yī huì 'ér， hěn kuài lǐng huí yī gè rén lái。 wǒ zhī dào zhè jiù shì tā gē gē。 mài kè luó fū tè． fú 'ěr mó sī bǐ tā dì dì gāo dà cū zhuàng dé duō。 tā de shēn tǐ jí wéi féi pàng， tā de miàn bù suī rán kuān dà， dàn mǒu xiē dì fāng què jù yòu tā dì dì tè yòu de nà zhǒng lún kuò fēn míng de yàng zǐ。 tā shuǐ líng líng de shuāng yǎn chéng dàn huī sè， jiǒng jiǒng yòu shén， sì hū jīng cháng níng shén shēn sī， zhè zhǒng shén qíng， wǒ zhǐ zài xiē luò kè jīng shén guàn zhù shí kàn dào guò。“ wǒ hěn gāo xīng jiàn dào nǐ， xiān shēng，” tā shuō dào， shēn chū yī zhǐ hǎi bào zhǎng yī yàng yòu kuān yòu féi de shǒu lái，“ yóu yú nǐ wéi xiē luò kè zuò chuán， tā cái dé yǐ míng yáng sì hǎi。 shùn biàn shuō yī xià， xiē luò kè， wǒ hái yǐ wéi shàng xīng qī huì kàn dào nǐ lái zhǎo wǒ shāng liàng nà jiàn zhuāng yuán zhù zhù zhái 'àn ní。 wǒ xiǎng nǐ kě néng yòu diǎn lì bù cóng xīn bā。”“ bù， wǒ yǐ jīng bǎ tā jiě jué liǎo，” wǒ péng yǒu xiào róng kě jū dì shuō dào。“ dāng rán， zhè shì yà dāng sī gān de liǎo。”“ bù cuò， shì yà dāng sī gān de。”“ cóng yī kāi shǐ wǒ jiù què xìn zhè diǎn。” liǎng gè rén yī zài jù lè bù tū dù chuāng bàng zuò xià lái。“ yī gè rén yào xiǎng yán jiū rén lèi， zhè shì zuì hǎo de dì fāng，” mài kè luó fū tè shuō dào，“ kàn， jiù ná zhè liǎng gè xiàng wǒ men zǒu guò lái de rén lái shuō bā！ zhè shì duō hǎo de diǎn xíng yā！”“ nǐ shì shuō nà dàn zǐ jì fēn yuán hé tā shēn bàng nà gè rén má？”“ bù cuò， nǐ zěn yàng kàn nà gè rén ní？” zhè shí nà liǎng gè rén zài chuāng duì miàn tíng xià liǎo。 wǒ kě yǐ kàn chū， qí zhōng yī gè rén de bèi xīn shàng yòu fěn bǐ hén jì， nà jiù shì dàn zǐ xì de biāo zhì liǎo。 lìng yī gè shòu xiǎo yǒu hēi， mào zǐ dài zài hòu nǎo mén shàng， yè xià jiā zhe hǎo jǐ gè xiǎo bāo。
　　“ wǒ kàn tā shì yī gè lǎo bīng，” xiē luò kè shuō dào。“ bìng qiě shì xīn jìn tuì wǔ de，” tā gē gē shuō dào。“ wǒ kàn， tā shì zài yìn dù fú yì de。”“ shì yī gè jūn shì。”“ wǒ cāi， shì huáng jiā pào hòu duì de。” xiē luò kè shuō dào。“ shì yī gè guān fū。”“ bù guò yòu yī gè hái zǐ。”“ yòu bù zhǐ yī gè hái zǐ， wǒ qīn 'ài de dì dì， yòu bù zhǐ yī gè hái zǐ ní。”“ dé lā，” wǒ xiào zhe shuō dào，“ duì wǒ lái shuō， zhè yòu diǎn 'ér tài xuán hū liǎo。”“ kě yǐ kěn dìng，” xiē luò kè dá dào，“ tā yòu nà me yī zhǒng wēi wǔ de shén qíng， fēng chuī rì shài de pí fū， yī wàng 'ér zhī tā shì yī gè jūn rén， ér qiě bù shì yī gè pǔ tōng díshì bīng； tā zuì jìn gāng cóng yìn dù fǎn huí bù jiǔ。”“ tā gāng tuì yì bù jiǔ hái biǎo xiàn zài tā réng jiù chuānzhuó nà shuāng tā men suǒ wèi de pào bīng xuē zǐ，” mài kè luó fū tè shuō dào。“ tā zǒu lù de zī tài bù xiàng qí bīng， dàn shì tā wāi dài zhe mào zǐ， zhè yī diǎn kě yǐ cóng tā yī cè yǎn méi shàng biān pí fū jiào qiǎn kàn chū lái。 tā de tǐ zhòng yòu bù fú hé zuò yī gè gōng bīng de yào qiú。 suǒ yǐ shuō tā shì pào bīng。”“ hái yòu， tā nà zhǒng shí fēn bēi shāng de yàng zǐ， xiǎn rán shuō míng tā shī qù liǎo mǒu gè zuì qīn 'ài de rén。 cóng tā zì jǐ chū lái mǎi dōng xī zhè jiàn shì lái kàn， xiàng shì tā sàng shī liǎo qī zǐ。 nǐ kàn， tā zài gěi hái zǐ men mǎi dōng xī。 nà shì yī gè bō làng gǔ， shuō míng yòu yī gè hái zǐ hěn xiǎo。 tā qī zǐ kě néng zài chǎn hòu qù shì。 tā yè xià jiā zhe yī běn xiǎo rén shū， shuō míng tā hái diàn jì lìng yī gè hái zǐ。” zhè shí wǒ cái míng bái wèishénme xiē luò kè． fú 'ěr mó sī shuō tā gē gē bǐ tā běn rén de guān chá lì hái yào mǐn ruì。 xiē luò kè chǒu liǎo wǒ yī yǎn， wēi wēi yī xiào。 mài kè luó fū tè cóng yī gè dài mào xiá zǐ lǐ qǔ chū bí yān， yòng yī kuài dà hóng sī jīn bǎ luò zài shēn shàng de yān mò fú qù。“ shùn biàn shuō shuō， xiē luò kè，” mài kè luó fū tè shuō dào，“ wǒ yòu jiàn hěn hé nǐ xīn yì de shì qíng， yī gè hěn bù xún cháng de wèn tí， wǒ zhèng zài zhuóshǒu fēn xī pàn duàn。 dàn yào wǒ bǎ tā jìn xíng dào dǐ mǎn jiě jué， wǒ què shí méi yòu nà fèn jīng lì。 kě shì tā què shì wǒ jìn xíng tuī lǐ de liáng jī。 rú guǒ nǐ yuàn yì tīng tīng qíng kuàng．．．．．．”“ wǒ qīn 'ài de mài kè luó fū tè， wǒ fēi cháng yuàn yì。” tā de gē gē cóng bǐ jì běn shàng sī xià yī yè zhǐ， cōng máng xiě xià jǐ gè zì， àn liǎo 'àn líng， bǎ zhè zhāng zhǐ jiāo gěi liǎo shì zhě。“ wǒ yǐ jīng jiào rén qù qǐng méi lā sī xiān shēng dào zhè lǐ lái liǎo。” mài kè luó fū tè shuō dào，“ tā jiù zhù zài wǒ lóu shàng， wǒ hé tā yòu diǎn shú， tā zài yù dào yí nán shí， biàn lái zhǎo wǒ。 jù wǒ suǒ zhī， méi lā sī xiān shēng shì xī là xuè tǒng， jīng tōng shù guó yǔ yán。 tā de shēng huó lái yuán， yī bàn shì kào zài fǎ yuàn chōng dāng yì yuán， yī bàn shì kào gěi nà xiē zhù zài nuò sēn bó lán jiē lǚ guǎn de kuò chuò de dōng fāng rén zuò xiàng dǎo。 wǒ kàn hái shì ràng tā zì jǐ bǎ tā de qí guài dídí zāo yù gào sù nǐ men bā。” guò liǎo jǐ fēn zhōng， lái liǎo yī gè dí pàng cū zhuàng de rén， tā nà gǎn lǎn sè de liǎn páng hé qī hēi de tóu fā shuō míng tā shì nán fāng rén， kě shì tā jiǎng qǐ huà lái， què xiàng shì yī gè shòu guò jiào yù de yīng guó rén。 tā rè qíng dì tóng xiē luò kè． fú 'ěr mó sī wò shǒu。 tīng shuō zhè wèi zhuān jiā yuàn yì tīng tā de qí yù， tā nà yī shuāng hēi sè de yǎn jīng shǎn shuò chū xǐ yuè de guāng máng。“ wǒ suǒ shuō de shì， kǒng pà bù huì xiāng xìn，” tā bēi qī dì shuō dào，“ zhèng yīn wèitā men yǐ qián méi yòu tīng guò zhè yàng de shì。 kě shì wǒ zhī dào， chú fēi wǒ nòng qīng nà gè liǎn shàng tiē xiàng pí gāo de kě lián de jiēguǒ rú hé， wǒ de xīn lǐ shì jué bù huì qīng sōng de。”“ wǒ xǐ 'ěr gōng tīng，” xiē luò kè． fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào。“ xiàn zài shì xīng qī sān wǎn shàng，” méi lā sī xiān shēng shuō dào，“ ā， nà me， zhè jiàn shì shì zài xīng qī yī yè wǎn， nǐ zhī dào， yě jiù shì fā shēng zài liǎng tiān yǐ qián liǎo。 wǒ shì yī gè yì yuán， yě xǔ wǒ de lín jū yǐ ní xiàng nǐ men shuō guò liǎo： wǒ néng fān yì suǒ yòu yǔ yán －－ huò zhě shuō jīhū shì suǒ yòu yǔ yán－－ kě shì yīn wéi wǒ chū shēng zài xī là， bìng qiě qǔ de shì xī là míng zì， suǒ yǐ wǒ zhù yào shì fān yì xī là yǔ。 duō nián lái， wǒ zài lún dūn xī là yì yuán zhōng shǒu qū yī zhǐ， wǒ de míng zì zǎo wéi gè jiā lǚ guǎn suǒ gòng zhī。“ wài guó rén yù dào liǎo kùn nán， huò shì lǚ yóu zhě dào dá hěn wǎn， wǎng wǎng zài bù xún cháng de shí hòu lái qǐng wǒ gěi tā men dāng fān yì， zhè bìng bù shì hěn shǎo jiàn de。 yīn cǐ， xīng qī yī yè wǎn， yī wèi yī zhe shí máo de nián qīng rén lā dì mò xiān shēng lái dào wǒ jiā zhōng， yào wǒ péi tā chéng zuò hòu zài mén kǒu de yī liàng mǎ chē wài chū shí， wǒ háo bù qí guài。 tā shuō， yòu yī wèi xī là péng yǒu yīn shì dào tā jiā qù bài fǎng， tā zì jǐ chú liǎo běn guó yǔ yán wài， bù huì jiǎng rèn hé wài guó huà， yīn cǐ xū yào qǐng wèi yì yuán。 tā gào sù wǒ tā jiā lí zhè lǐ hái yòu yī duàn lù， zhù zài kěn xīn dùn， tā sì hū fēi cháng zháojí， wǒ men yī lái dào jiē shàng， tā jiù yī bǎ jiāng wǒ tuī jìn mǎ chē nèi。“ wǒ zuò jìn chē zhōng， lì kè chǎn shēng liǎo huái yí， yīn wéi wǒ fā xiàn wǒ zuò de chē jiù sǔn liǎo， dàn què hěn jiǎng jiū， bù xiàng lún dūn nà zhǒng hán suān de pǔ tōng sì lún mǎ chē。 lā dì mò xiān shēng zuò zài wǒ duì miàn， wǒ gāng xiǎng mào shī dì shuō： dào kěn xīn dùn cóng zhè 'ér zǒu shì rào yuǎn liǎo， kě shì què bèi wǒ tóng chē rén yī zhǒng qí guài de jǔ dòng dǎ duàn liǎo。“ tā cóng huái lǐ qǔ chū yī yàng zǐ xià rén、 guàn liǎo qiān de dà tóu duǎn bàng， qián hòu huī wǔ liǎo jǐ cì， sì hū shì zài shì shì tā de fèn liàng hé wēi lì， rán hòu yī yán bù fā dì bǎ tā fàng zài shēn bàng zuò wèi shàng， jiē zhe tā bǎ liǎng biān de chuāng bō lí guān hǎo。
　　 shǐ wǒ yì cháng chī jīng de shì， wǒ fā xiàn， chuāng shàng dū méng zhe zhǐ， sì hū cún xīn bù ràng wǒ kàn dào wài miàn。“‘ hěn bào qiàn， dǎng zhù nǐ de shì xiàn liǎo， méi lā sī xiān shēng，’ tā shuō dào，‘ wǒ shì bù dǎ suàn ràng nǐ kàn dào wǒ men yào qù de dì fāng。 rú guǒ nǐ néng zài zhǎo dào yuán lù huí lái， nà duì wǒ kě néng shì bù fāng biàn de。’“ nǐ men kě xiǎng 'ér zhī， tā zhè huà shǐ wǒ dà chī yī jīng。 wǒ zhè gè tóng chē rén shì gè bǎng dà yāo yuán、 lì qì guò rén de qīng nián， jí shǐ tā méi yòu wǔ qì， wǒ yě jué bù shì tā de duì shǒu。“‘ zhè shí zài shì yī zhǒng yuè guǐ de xíng wéi， lā dì mò xiān shēng，’ wǒ jié jiēbā bā dì shuō dào，‘ yào zhī dào， nǐ zhè yàng zuò shì wán quán fēi fǎ de。’“‘ háo wú yí wèn， zhè yòu diǎn shī lǐ，’ tā shuō dào，‘ bù guò wǒ men huì gěi nǐ bǔ cháng de。 dàn shì， wǒ bì xū jǐng gào nǐ， méi lā sī xiān shēng， jīn wǎn bù lùn rú hé， zhǐ yào nǐ wàng tú gào jǐng huò zuò chū shénme duì wǒ bù lì de shì， nà duì nǐ shì wēi xiǎn de。 wǒ tí qǐng nǐ zhù yì， xiàn zài méi yòu yī gè zhī dào nǐ zài hé chù， tóng shí， bù lùn zài zhè liàng sì lún mǎ chē lǐ huò shì zài wǒ jiā zhōng， nǐ dū páo bù chū wǒ de shǒu xīn。’“ tā xīn píng qì hé dì shuō zhe， kě shì huà yīn cì 'ěr， jí jìn dònghè zhī néng shì。 wǒ mò bù zuò shēng dì zuò zài nà lǐ， xīn zhōng qí guài， jiū jìng wéi huì shénme tā yào yòng zhè zhǒng guài bàn fǎ lái bǎng jià wǒ。 kě shì bù guǎn zěn yàng， wǒ shí fēn qīng chǔ， dǐ kàng shì méi yòng de， zhǐ hǎo tīng tiān yóu mìng liǎo。“ mǎ chē xíng shǐ liǎo dà yuē liǎng xiǎo shí， wǒ sī háo bù zhī yào qù hé chù。 yòu shí mǎ chē fā chū gē dēng gē dēng de shēng yīn， shuō míng shì zǒu zài shí lù shàng， yòu shí zǒude píng wěn wú shēng， shuō míng shì zǒu zài bǎi yóu lù shàng。 chú liǎo zhè xiē shēng yīn biàn huà zhī wài， méi yòu bié de shénme néng shǐ wǒ cāi chū wǒ men xiàn zài hé dì。 chē chuāng bèi zhǐ zhē dé bù tòu liàng guāng， qián miàn de bō lí yě lā shàng lán sè de chuāng lián。 wǒ men lí kāi bèi 'ěr měi 'ěr jiē shí shì qī diǎn yī kè， ér dāng wǒ men zhōng yú tíng xià chē shí， wǒ de biǎo yǐ jīng shì chā shí fēn jiǔ diǎn。 tóng chē rén bǎ chuāng bō lí dǎ kāi， wǒ kàn dào liǎo yī gè dī 'ǎi de gǒng xíng dà mén， shàng miàn diǎn zhe yī zhǎn dēng。 wǒ lián máng máng cóng mǎ chē shàng xià lái， mén dǎ kāi liǎo， wǒ jìn rù yuàn nèi， mó hú jì dé jìn lái shí kàn dào yī piàn cǎo píng， liǎng bàng cháng mǎn shù mù。 wǒ bù gǎn què dìng， zhè dào dǐ shì sī rén tíng yuàn ní， hái shì zhēn zhèng de xiāng xià。“ dà tīng lǐ miàn diǎn zhe yī zhǎn cǎi sè méi yóu， nìngdéhěn xiǎo， wǒ zhǐ kàn dào fáng zǐ hěn dà， lǐ miàn guà zhe xǔ duō tú huà， bié de shénme yě kàn bù jiàn。 zài 'àn dàn de dēng guāng xià， wǒ kě yǐ kàn chū nà gè kāi mén de rén shēn cái 'ǎi xiǎo。 xíng róng wěi suǒ， shì gè zhōng nián rén， shuāng jiān xiàng qián gōulóu qù。
　　 tā xiàng wǒ men zhuǎn guò shēn lái， liàng guāng yī shǎn， wǒ zhè cái kàn chū tā dài zhe yǎn jìng。“‘ shì méi lā sī xiān shēng má， hā luó dé？’ tā shuō dào。“‘ duì’“‘ zhè shì bàn dé piào liàng， bàn dé piào liàng！ méi lā sī xiān shēng， wǒ men méi yòu 'è yì， kě shì méi yòu nǐ， wǒ men bàn bù chéng shì。 rú guǒ nǐ duì wǒ men chéng shí， nǐ shì bù huì hòu huǐ de， rú guǒ nǐ yào shuǎ huā zhāo， nà jiù yuàn shàng dì bǎo yòu nǐ！’ tā shuō huà shí jīng shén bù 'ān、 shēng yīn chàn dǒu， jiā zá zhe gé gé de gān xiào， kě bù zhī dào wèishénme， tā gěi wǒ de yìn xiàng bǐ nà gè nián qīng rén gèng kě pà。“‘ nǐ yào wǒ zuò shénme？’ wǒ wèn dào。“‘ zhǐ shì xiàng nà wèi bài fǎng wǒ men de xī là shēn shì wèn jǐ gè wèn tí， bìng shǐ wǒ men dé dào dá fù。 bù guò wǒ men jiào nǐ shuō shénme nǐ jiù shuō shénme， bù dé duō zuǐ， fǒu zé ......’ tā yòu fā chū gé gé de gān xiào，‘ fǒu zé， nǐ hái bù rú yā gēn 'ér jiù méi chū shēng ní。’“ tā shuō zhe dǎ kāi mén， lǐng wǒ zǒu jìn yī jiān wū zǐ， shì zhōng chén shè hěn huá lì， bù guò shì nèi guāng xiàn réng rán lái zì yī zhǎn nìngdéhěn xiǎo de dēng。 zhè gè fáng jiān hěn dà， wǒ jìn wū shí， shuāng jiǎo tà zài dì tǎn shàng， ruǎn mián mián de， shuō míng tā hěn gāo jí。 wǒ yòu kàn dào yī xiē sī róng miàn ruǎn yǐ， yī gè gāo dà de dà lǐ shí bái bì lú tái， yī bàng sì hū yòu yī fù rì běn kǎi jiá， dēng de zhèng xià fāng yòu yī bǎ yǐ zǐ， nà gè nián jì dà de rén dǎ gè shǒu shì， jiào wǒ zuò xià。 nián qīng rén zǒu chū qù， yòu tū rán cóng lìng yī dào mén fǎn huí lái， lǐng jìn yī gè chuānzhuó féi dà de shuì yī de rén， màn màn dì xiàng wǒ men zǒu guò lái。 dāng dì zǒu dào hūn 'àn de dēng guāng zhī xià， wǒ cái bǎ tā kàn dé bǐ jiào qīng chǔ， tā nà fù yàng zǐ dùn shí xià dé wǒ máo gǔ sǒng rán。 tā miàn sè là huáng． qiáo cuì yì cháng， liǎng zhǐ míng liàng 'ér tū chū de dà yǎn jīng， shuō míng tā suī rán tǐ lì bù jiā， jīng lì què hái chōng pèi。 chú liǎo tā nà léi ruò de shēn tǐ zhī wài， shǐ wǒ gèng jiā zhèn jīng de shì tā liǎn shàng héng qī shù bā dì tiē mǎn liǎo qí xíng guài zhuàng de xiàng pí gāo， yī dà kuài shā bù yòng xiàng pí gāo nián zài zuǐ shàng。“‘ shí bǎn ná lái liǎo má， hā luó dé？’ zài nà gè guài rén tuí rán dǎo zài yǐ zǐ zhōng shí， nián jì dà de rén hǎn dào：‘ bǎ tā de shǒu sōng kāi liǎo má？ hǎo， nà me． gěi tā yī zhī bǐ。 méi lā sī xiān shēng， qǐng nǐ xiàng tā fā wèn， ràng tā bǎ huí dá xiě xià lái。 shǒu xiān wèn tā， tā shì fǒu zhǔn bèi zài wén jiàn shàng qiān zì？’“ nà gè rén shuāng yǎn mào chū nù huǒ。”‘ bù！’ tā zài shí bǎn shàng yòng xī là wén xiě dào。“‘ méi yòu shāng liàng de yú dì má？’ wǒ 'àn zhào nà 'è gùn de fēn fù wèn dào。“‘ chú fēi wǒ qīn yǎn kàn jiàn tā zài wǒ rèn shí de xī là mù shī zuò zhèng xià jié hūn， bié wú shāng liàng yú dì。’“ nà gè nián cháng dì jiā huǒ 'è dú dì níng xiào zhe shuō dào：‘ nà me， nǐ zhī dào nǐ huì dé dào shénme jiēguǒ má？’“‘ wǒ shénme dōubù zài hū。’“ shàng shù wèn dá zhǐ bù guò shì wǒ men zhè chǎng lián shuō dài xiě de qí guài tán huà de yī xiē piàn duàn， wǒ bù dé bù zài sān zài sì dì wèn tā shì fǒu tuǒ xié ràng bù， zài wén jiàn shàng qiān zì； ér yī cì yòu yī cì dé dào tóng yàng fèn nù de huí dá。 wǒ hěn kuài jiù chǎn shēng liǎo yī zhǒng qí miào de xiǎng fǎ。 wǒ zài měi cì fā wèn shí jiā shàng zì jǐ yào wèn de huà， yī kāi shǐ wèn yī xiē wú guān jǐn yào de huà， shì yī shì zài zuò de nà liǎng gè shì bù shì néng tīng dǒng。 hòu lái， wǒ fā xiàn tā men háo wú fǎn yìng， biàn gèng dà dǎn dì tàn wèn qǐ lái。 wǒ men de tán huà dà zhì shì zhè yàng de：“‘ nǐ zhè yàng gù zhí shì méi yòu hǎo chù de。 nǐ shì shuí？’“‘ wǒ bù zài hū。 wǒ zài lún dūn rén shēng dì shū。’“‘ nǐ de mìng yùn quán kào nǐ zì jǐ jué dìng。 nǐ zài zhè lǐ duō jiǔ liǎo？’“‘ ài zěn yàng jiù zěn yàng bā。
　　 sān gè xīng qī’“‘ zhè chǎn yè yǒng yuǎn bù huì guī nǐ suǒ yòu liǎo。 tā men zěn yàng zhé mó nǐ’“‘ tā jué bù huì luò dào 'è gùn shǒu lǐ。 tā men bù gěi wǒ fàn chī’“‘ jiā guǒ nǐ qiān zì， nǐ jiù néng huò dé zì yóu。 zhè shì yī suǒ shénme zhái dǐ？’“‘ wǒ jué bù qiān zì。 wǒ bù zhī dào。’“‘ nǐ yī diǎn yě bùwèi tā zhuóxiǎng me？ nǐ jiào shénme míng zì？’“‘ wǒ tīng tā qīn zì zhè yàng shuō cái xiāng xìn。 kè lāi dì tè。’“‘ jiā guǒ nǐ qiān zì， nǐ jiù kě yǐ jiàn dào tā。 nǐ cóng hé chù lái？’“‘ nà wǒ zhǐ hǎo bù jiàn tā。 yǎ diǎn。’“ zài yòu wǔ fēn zhōng， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， wǒ jiù néng dāng zhe tā men de miàn bǎ quán bù shì qíng tàn tīng qīng chǔ。 zài wèn yī gè wèn tí jiù yòu kě néng bǎ zhè jiàn shì chá qīng， bù liào cǐ shí fáng mén tū rán dǎ kāi， zǒu jìn yī gè nǚ rén。 wǒ kàn bù qīng tā de róng mào， zhǐ jué tā shēn cái qí cháng， tǐ tài yǎo yǎo， wū hēi de tóu fā， chuānzhuó féi dà de bái sè shuì yī。“‘ hā luó dé，’ nǚ zǐ cāo zhe bù biāo zhǔn de yīng yǔ shuō dào，‘ wǒ zài yě bù néng duō dāi liǎo。 zhè lǐ tài jì mò liǎo， zhǐ yòu．．． ā， wǒ de tiān nǎ， zhè bù shì bǎo luó me！’“ zuì hòu de liǎng jù huà shì yòng xī là yǔ shuō de， huà yóu mò liǎo， nà rén bǎ zuǐ shàng fēng de xiàng pí gāo yòng lì sī xià， jiān shēng jiào hǎn zhe：‘ suǒ fěi！ suǒ fěi！’ pū dào nǚ rén huái lǐ。 rán 'ér， tā men zhǐ yōng bào liǎo piàn kè， nián qīng rén biàn zhuā zhù nà nǚ rén， bǎ tā tuī chū mén qù。 nián jì dà de rén háo bù fèi lì dì zhuā zhù nà xiāo shòu de shòu hài zhě， bǎ tā cóng lìng yī dào mén tuō chū qù。 yī shí jiān shì nèi zhǐ shèng xià wǒ yī rén， wǒ měng dì zhàn qǐ lái， mó mó hú hú dì xiǎng： wǒ kě yǐ shè fǎ fā xiàn yī xiē xiàn suǒ， kàn kàn wǒ jiū jìng zài shénme dì fāng。 bù guò， xìng 'ér wǒ hái méi yòu zhè yàng zuò， yīn wéi wǒ yī tái tóu jiù kàn dào nà nián jì dà de rén zhàn zài mén kǒu， hǔ shì dān dān dì dīng zhe wǒ。“‘ xíng liǎo， méi lā sī xiān shēng，’ tā shuō dào，‘ nǐ kàn wǒ men méi yòu ná nǐ dāng wài rén， cái qǐng nǐ cānyù liǎo sī shì。 wǒ men yòu wèi jiǎng xī là yǔ de péng yǒu， shì tā kāi tóu bāng zhù wǒ men jìn xíng tán pàn de； dàn tā yǐ yīn jí shì huí dōng fāng qù liǎo， fǒu zé wǒ men shì bù huì má fán nǐ de。
　　 wǒ men hěn xū yào zhǎo gè rén dài tì tā， tīng shuō nǐ de fān yì shuǐ píng hěn gāo， wǒ men gǎn dào hěn xìng yùn。’“ wǒ diǎn liǎo diǎn tóu。“‘ zhè lǐ yòu wǔ yīng bàng，’ tā xiàng wǒ zǒu guò lái， shuō dào，‘ wǒ xī wàng zhè zú gòu zuò wéi xiè yí liǎo。 bù guò qǐng jì zhù，’ tā qīng qīng dì bǎi liǎo pāi wǒ de xiōng táng， xiào shēng gé gé dì shuō dào，‘ jiǎ ruò nǐ bǎ zhè shì duì bié rén jiǎng chū qù－－ dāng xīn． zhǐ yào duì yī gè huó rén jiǎng liǎo－－ nà jiù ràng shàng dì lián mǐn nǐ de wáng líng bā！’“ wǒ wú fǎ xiàng nǐ men xíng róng zhè gè miàn róng wěi suǒ de rén shì hé děng dì shǐ wǒ yàn 'è hé jīng hài bù yǐ。 xiàn zài dēng guāng zhào zài tā shēn shàng， wǒ duì tā kàn dé gèng qīng chǔ liǎo。 tā miàn sè qiáo cuì 'ér kū gǎo， yī xiǎo cuō hú xū yòu xì yòu xī， shuō huà shí bǎ liǎn shēn xiàng qián miàn， zuǐ chún hé yǎn liǎn chàn dòng bù zhǐ， huó xiàng gè wǔ dǎo bìng huàn zhě。 wǒ bù jìn xiǎng dào tā jiē 'èr lián sān de guài dàn xiào shēng yě shì yī zhǒng shén jīng bìng de zhèng zhuàng。 rán 'ér， tā miàn mù kě bù zhī chù hái zài yú nà shuāng yǎn jīng， tiě qīng fā huī， shǎn shuò zhe lěng kù、 è dú、 xiōng cán de guāng。“‘ rú guǒ nǐ bǎ zhè shì xuān yáng chū qù， wǒ men huì zhī dào de，’ tā shuō dào，“‘ wǒ men yòu bàn fǎ dé dào xiāo xī。 xiàn zài yòu liàng mǎ chē zài wài miàn děng nǐ， wǒ de huǒ bàn sòng nǐ shàng lù。’“ wǒ jí máng chuān guò qián tīng zuò shàng mǎ chē， yòu kàn liǎo yī yǎn shù mù hé huā yuán， lā dì mò xiān shēng jǐn gēn zhe wǒ， yī yán bù fā dì zuò zài wǒ duì miàn。 wǒ men yòu shì mò bù zuò shēng dì xíng shǐ liǎo yī duàn màn cháng de lù chéng， chē chuāng yǐ rán dǎng zhe， zuì hòu， zhí dào bàn yè， chē cái tíng zhù。”“‘ qǐng nǐ zài zhè lǐ xià fēng， méi lā sī xiān shēng，’ wǒ de tóng chē rén shuō dào，‘ hěn bào qiàn， zhè lǐ lí nǐ jiā hěn yuǎn， kě shì méi yòu bié de bàn fǎ 'ā。 nǐ rú guǒ qǐ tú gēn zōng wǒ men de mǎ chē， nà zhǐ néng duì nǐ zì jǐ yòu hài。’“ tā biān shuō biān dǎ kāi chē mén， wǒ gāng gāng tiào xià chē， chē fū biàn yáng biān cè mǎ jí shǐ 'ér qù。 wǒ jīng xī dì huán gù sì zhōu。
　　 yuán lái wǒ zhì shēn huāng yě， sì xià shì hēi hū hū de guàn mù cóng。 yuǎn chù yī pái fáng wū， chuāng hù shǎn zhe dēng guāng； lìng yī biān shì tiě lù de hóng sè xìn hào dēng。
　　“ zài wǒ lái dào cǐ dì de nà liàng mǎ chē yǐ jīng wú yǐng wú zōng liǎo。 wǒ zhàn zài nà lǐ xiàng sì xià dāi dāi dì wàng zhe． xiǎng nòng qīng jiū jìng shēn zài hé dì， zhè shí wǒ kàn dào yòu rén mō hēi xiàng wǒ zǒu lái。 děng tā zǒu dào wǒ miàn qián， wǒ cái kàn chū tā shì tiě lù bān yùn gōng。
　　“‘ nǐ néng gào sù wǒ zhè lǐ shì shénme dì fāng má？’ wǒ wèn dào。
　　“‘ zhè shì wàng cí wò sī huāng dì。’ tā shuō dào。
　　“‘ zhè lǐ yòu huǒ chē jìn chéng má？’“‘ rú guǒ nǐ bù xíng yī yīng lǐ zuǒ yòu dào kè lā péng shū niǔ zhàn，’ tā shuō dào，‘ zhèng hǎo kě yǐ gǎn shàng qù wéi duō lì yà chē zhàn de wèi bān chē。’“ wǒ zhè duàn jīng xiǎn jīng lì jiù dào cǐ wéi zhǐ。 fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， chú liǎo gāng cái duì nǐ jiǎng de shì qíng zhī wài， wǒ jì bù zhī suǒ dào hé dì， yě bù zhī hé wǒ tán huà de shì hé rén， qí tā qíng kuàng yě yī gài bù zhī。 bù guò wǒ zhī dào nà lǐ zhèng jìn xíng zhe 'āng zàng de gòu dāng。 rú guǒ kě néng， wǒ jiù yào bāng zhù nà gè bù xìng de rén。 dì 'èr tiān zǎo zuì， wǒ bǎ quán bù qíng kuàng gào sù liǎo mài kè luó fū tè， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， suí hòu jiù xiàng bào liǎo 'àn。” tīng wán liǎo zhè yī duàn lí qí qū zhé de gù shì， wǒ men yī yán bù fā dì jìng zuò liǎo yī huì 'ér。 hòu lái xiē luò kè wàng wàng tā gē gē。
　　“ cǎi qǔ shénme cuò shī liǎo má？” xiē luò kè wèn dào。
　　 mài kè luó fū tè ná qǐ zhuō shàng de yī zhāng《 měi rì xīn wén》， shàng zài：
　　 jīn yòu xī là shēn tǔ bǎo luó． wén lāi dì tè zhě， zì yǎ diǎn lái cǐ， bù tōng yīng yǔ； lìng yòu yī xī là nǚ zǐ míng jiào suǒ fěi zhě； liǎng rén jūn gào shī zōng， ruò yòu rén gào zhī qí xià luò， dāng yú zhòng chóu。 Ｘ èr sì qī sān hào。
　　“ jīn tiān gè jiā bào zhǐ dū dēngzǎi liǎo zhè tiáo guǎng gào。 dàn háo wú huí yīn。” mài kè luó fū tè shuō dào。”“ xī là shǐ guǎn zhī dào liǎo má？”“ wǒ wèn guò liǎo， tā men yī diǎn bù zhī dào。”“ nà me， xiàng yǎ diǎn zǒng bù fā gè diàn bào bā。” mài kè luó fū tè zhuǎn shēn xiàng wǒ shuō dào：“ xiē luò kè zài wǒ men jiā jīng lì zuì chōng pèi， hǎo， nǐ yào qiān fāng bǎi jì dì bǎ zhè 'àn zǐ chá qīng。 jiā guǒ yòu shénme hǎo xiāo xī， qǐng gào sù wǒ。”“ yī dìng，” wǒ de péng yǒu zhàn qǐ shēn lái， dá dào，“ wǒ yī dìng ràng nǐ zhī dào， yě yào tōng zhī méi lā sī xiān shēng。 méi lā sī xiān shēng， rú guǒ wǒ yào shì nǐ de huà， zài cǐ qī jiān， wǒ yī dìng yào tè bié jiè bèi， yīn wéi tā men kàn guò zhè xiē guǎng gào， yī dìng zhī dào shì nǐ chū mài liǎo tā men。” wǒ men yī qǐ bù xíng huí jiā， fú 'ěr mó sī zài yī jiā diàn bào jú fā liǎo jǐ fēng diàn bào。
　　“ nǐ kàn， huá shēng，” fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ wǒ men jīn wǎn kě suàn bù xū cǐ xíng。 wǒ jīng bàn guò de xǔ duō zhòng dà 'àn zǐ jiù shì zhè yàng tōng guò mài kè luó fū tè zhuǎn dào wǒ shǒu zhōng lái de。 wǒ men gāng gāng tīng dào de wèn tí， suī rán zhǐ néng yòu yī zhǒng jiě dá， dàn réng jù yòu yī xiē tè sè。”“ nǐ yòu jiě jué tā de xī wàng má？”“ ā， wǒ men jì sì zhī dào liǎo zhè me duō qíng kuàng， ruò zài bù néng chá míng qí yú de wèn tí， nà dǎo què shí shì jiàn guài shì ní。
　　 nǐ zì jǐ yī dìng yě yòu yī xiē néng jiě dá wǒ men gāng cái tīng dào de qíng kuàng de shè xiǎng。”“ duì， bù guò shì mó mó hú hú de。”“ nà me， nǐ shì zěn me xiǎng de ní？”“ zài wǒ kàn lái， hěn míng xiǎn， nà gè jiào hā luó dé， lā dì mò de yīng guó qīng nián guǎi piàn liǎo nà wèi xī là gū niàn。”“ cóng shénme dì fāng guǎi piàn lái de？”“ huò xǔ shì cóng yǎ diǎn。” xiē luò kè， fú 'ěr mó sī yáo yáo tóu， shuō dào：“ nà gè qīng nián lián yī jù xī là huà yě bù huì jiǎng。 nà gè nǚ zǐ què néng jiǎng hěn hǎo de yīng yǔ。 tuī duàn qǐ lái－－ tā yǐ jīng zài yīng guó dāi liǎo yī duàn shí jiān， ér nà qīng nián què méi yòu dào guò xī là。”“ hǎo， nà me， wǒ men jiǎ dìng tā shì lái fǎng wèn yīng guó， shì nà gè hā luó dé quàn tā hé zì jǐ yī qǐ táo zǒu。”“ zhè dǎo shì hěn yòu kě néng de。”“ hòu lái tā gē gē－－ yīn wéi， wǒ xiǎng tā men yī dìng shì qīn shǔ－－ cóng xī là qián lái gān shè。 tā mào mào shī shī dì luò dào nà qīng nián hé tā de lǎo tóng huǒ shǒu zhōng。 zhè 'èr rén zhuō zhù tā， duì tā shǐ yòng wǔ lì， qiǎngpò tā zài yī xiē wén jiàn shàng qiān zì， yǐ biàn bǎ nà gū niàn de cái chǎn zhuǎn ràng gěi zhè 'èr rén。 tā gē gē kě néng shì zhè bǐ cái chǎn de shòu tuō guǎn lǐ rén． tā jù jué qiān yǔ zhuǎn ràng。 wèile hé tā jìn xíng tán pàn， nà qīng nián hé tā de lǎo tóng huǒ zhǐ hǎo qù zhǎo yī gè yì yuán， cóng 'ér xuǎn zhōng liǎo méi lā sī xiān shēng， yǐ qián huò xǔ hái yòng guò lìng yī gè yì yuán。 tā men bìng méi yòu gào sù nà gū niàn tā gē gē dào lái de shì， gū niàn shì chún cuì chū yú 'ǒu rán cái dé zhī gē gē dào lái liǎo。”“ duì jí liǎo， huá shēng，” fú 'ěr mó sī dà shēng shuō dào，“ wǒ què shí rèn wéi nǐ suǒ shuō de jù shì shí bù yuǎn liǎo。 nǐ kàn， wǒ men yǐ jīng wěn cāo shèng quàn， zhǐ dān xīn tā men tū rán shǐ yòng bào lì。 zhǐ yào tā men ràng wǒ men lái dé jí dòng shǒu， wǒ men kěn dìng néng bǎ tā men zhuō ná guī 'àn。”“ kě shì wǒ men zěn yàng cái néng chá míng nà zhù zhái de dì diǎn ní？”“ ā， rú guǒ wǒ men tuī cè dé zhèng què， ér nà gè gū niàn de xiàn zài huò guò qù de míng zì jiào suǒ fěi， kè lāi dì tè， nà wǒ men jiù bù nán zhǎo dào tā。 zhè shì wǒ men de zhù yào xī wàng， yīn wéi tā gē gē dāng rán shì yī gè wán quán mò shēng de rén。 hěn míng xiǎn， hā luó dé yǔ nà gū niàn dā shàng guān xì yǐ jīng hǎo cháng shí jiān－－ zhì shǎo jǐ xīng qī liǎo， yīn cǐ tā gē gē zài xī là tīng dào xiāo xī bìng gǎn dào liǎo zhè lǐ。 zài zhè duàn shí jiān lǐ， jiā guǒ tā men zhù zài nà dì fāng méi dòng guò， nà jiù kě néng yòu rén duì mài kè luó fū tè de guǎng gào jǐyǔ huí dá。” wǒ men yī lù shuō zhe， bù jué huí dào bèi kè jiē yù suǒ。 fú 'ěr mó sī shǒu xiān shàng lǒu， tā dǎ kāi fáng mén， bù jué chī liǎo yī jīng。
　　 wǒ cóng tā jiān shàng wàng guò qù， yě jué dé hěn qí guài， yuán lái tā gē gē mài kè luó fū tè zhèng zuò zài fú shǒu yǐ zhōng xī yān ní。“ jìn lái， xiē luò kè。 qǐng jìn， xiān shēng，” mài kè luó fū tè kàn dào wǒ men jīng yì de miàn róng， hé 'ǎi kě qīn dì xiào zhe shuō dào，“ nǐ méi yòu xiǎng dào wǒ yòu zhè yàng de jīng lì， shì bù shì？ xiē luò kè。 kě shì bù zhī wèishénme zhè jiàn 'àn zǐ xī yǐn liǎo wǒ。”“ nǐ shì zěn me lái de？”“ wǒ zuò shuāng lún mǎ chē gǎn guò liǎo nǐ men。”“ yòu shénme xīn jìn zhǎn má？”“ wǒ de guǎng gào yòu huí yīn liǎo。”“ ā！”“ shì de， nǐ men gāng lí kāi jǐ fēn zhōng huí yīn jiù lái liǎo。”“ jiēguǒ zěn me yàng？” mài kè luó fū tè， fú 'ěr mó sī qǔ chū yī zhāng zhǐ lái。“ zài zhè lǐ，” tā shuō dào，“ xìn shì yī gè zhōng nián rén yòng kuān jiān gāng bǐ， xiě zài dàn huáng sè yìn shuà zhǐ shàng de， xiě xìn rén shēn tǐ xū ruò。
　　‘ xiān shēng： dú xī jīn rì guì chù guǎng gào， guān fù rú xià。 duì cǐ nǚ qíng kuàng， yú zhī zhī shèn xiáng， ruò wǎng jià lái shè， dāng xiáng gào bǐ nǚ zhī cǎn shǐ。 bǐ xiàn yù yú bèi nà mǔ zhī mò tè 'ěr cí。
　　 nǐ zhōng shí de Ｊ． dá wén bō tè’
　　“ tā shì cóng xià bù lǐ kè sī dùn fā de xìn，” mài kè luó fū tè， fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ xiē luò kè， wǒ men xiàn zài hé bù chéng chē dào tā nà lǐ qù bǎ xiáng qíng liǎo jiě yī fān？”“ wǒ qīn 'ài de mài kè luó fū tè， jiù nà gē gē de xìng mìng bǐ liǎo jiě tā mèi mèi de qíng kuàng yào zhòng yào dé duō。 wǒ xiǎng wǒ men yīngdāng dào sū gé lán chǎng huì tóng jǐng cháng gé lāi sēn zhí jiē dào bèi duì nà mǔ qù。 wǒ men zhī dào， nà rén de xìng mìng zhèng wēi zài dàn xī， zhēn shì yī fā qiān jūn 'ā！”“ zuì hǎo shùn lù bǎ méi lā sī xiān shēng yě qǐng qù，” wǒ tí yì dào，“ wǒ men kě néng xū yào yī gè fān yì。”“ cǐ yán shèn miào，” xiē luò kè， fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào，“ fēn fù xià rén kuài qù zhǎo liàng sì lún mǎ chē， wǒ men lì kè qián wǎng。” tā shuō huà shí， dǎ kāi zhuō zǐ de chōu tì， wǒ kàn dào tā bǎ shǒu qiāng sài dào yī dài suī。“ bù cuò，” tā jiàn wǒ zhèng zài kàn tā， biàn shuō dào，“ wǒ yīngdāng shuō， cóng wǒ men tīng dào de qíng kuàng kàn， wǒ men zhèng zài hé yī gè fēi cháng wēi xiǎn de fěi bāng dǎ jiāo dào。” wǒ men dào bèi 'ěr měi 'ěr jiē méi lā sī xiān shēng jiā zhōng shí， tiān yǐ wán quán hēi liǎo。 yī wèi shēn shì gāng lái guò tā jiā bìng bǎ tā qǐng zǒu liǎo。
　　“ nǐ néng gào sù wǒ men tā dào nǎ lǐ qù liǎo má？” mài kè luó fū tè， fú 'ěr mó sī wèn dào。
　　“ wǒ bù zhī dào， xiān shēng，” gěi wǒ men kāi mén de fù nǚ dá dào，“ wǒ zhǐ zhī dào tā hé nà wèi shēn shì zuò yī liàng mǎ chē zǒu liǎo。”“ nà wèi shēn shì tōng bào guò xìng míng má？”“ méi yòu， xiān shēng。”“ tā shì bù shì yī gè nián qīng、 yīng jùn de hēi dà gè？”“ ā， bù shì de， xiān shēng。 tā gè zǐ bù dà， dài zhe yǎn jìng， miàn róng xiāoshòu， bù guò xìng qíng shuǎng lǎng， yīn wéi tā shuō huó shí yī zhí zài xiào。”“ kuài suí wǒ lái！” xiē luò kè， fú 'ěr mó sī tū rán hǎn dào，“ shì yǐ wēi jí liǎo，” wǒ men xiàng sū gé lán chǎng gǎn qù shí， tā shuō dào，“ nà jǐ gè rén yòu bǎ méi lā sī gǎo zǒu liǎo。 tā men qián tiān yè wǎn jiù fā xiàn méi lā sī méi yòu yǒng qì， nà 'è gùn yī chū xiàn zài tā miàn qián， jiù bǎ tā xià huài liǎo。 nà jǐ gè rén wú yí shì yào tā zuò fān yì， bù guò， fān yì wán liǎo， tā kě néng huì yīn zǒu lòu liǎo xiāo xī 'ér bèi shā hài。” wǒ men xī wàng chéng huǒ chē kě yǐ jìn kuài dì gǎn dào bèi kè nà mǔ， bǐ mǎ chē dào dé zǎo diǎn。 rán 'ér， wǒ men dào sū gé lán chǎng hòu， yòu yòng liǎo yī gè duō xiǎo shí， cái zhǎo dào jǐng cháng gé lāi sēn， bàn wán yǔn xǔ jìn rù sī zhái de fǎ lǜ shǒu xù。 wǒ men jiǔ diǎn sān kè lái dào lún dūn qiáo， shí diǎn bàn zhōng wǒ men sì gè rén dào liǎo bèi kè nà mǔ huǒ chē zhàn， yòu qū chē xíng shǐ bàn yīng lǐ， cái lái dào mò tè 'ěr cí－－ zhè shì yī suǒ yīn chén chén de dà zhái yuàn， bèi kào gōng lù。 wǒ men bǎ mǎ chē dǎ fā zǒu， yán chē dào yī qǐ xiàng qián zǒu qù。
　　“ chuāng hù dōushì hēi de” jǐng cháng shuō dào，“ zhè suǒ zhái yuàn sì hū wú rén jū zhù。”“ wǒ men de niǎo 'ér yǐ jīng fēi chū， niǎo cháo yǐ jīng kōng kōng rú yě，” xiē luò kè， fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào。
　　“ nǐ wèishénme zhè yàng shuō ní？”“ yī liàng sì lún mǎ chē mǎn zài zhe xíng lǐ gāng kāi zǒu hái bù dào yī xiǎo shí。” jǐng cháng xiào liǎo xiào， shuō dào：“ wǒ zài mén dēng zhào yào xià kàn dào liǎo chē zhé， kě zhè xíng lǐ shì cóng nǎ 'ér shuō qǐ ní？”“ nǐ kàn dào de kě néng shì tóng yī chē zǐ xiàng lìng yī fāng xiàng qù de chē zhé。 kě shì zhè xiàng wài shǐ qù de chē zhé què fēi cháng shēn－－ yīn cǐ wǒ men kěn dìng dì shuō， chē shàng suǒ zài xiāng dāng chén zhòng。”“ nǐ bǐ wǒ kàn dé zǎi xì，” jǐng cháng sǒng liǎo sǒng shuāng jiān， shuō dào，“ wǒ men hěn nán pò mén 'ér rù， bù guò wǒ men kě yǐ shì yī shì， jiā guǒ wǒ men jiào mén méi yòu rén dāyìng de huà。” jǐng cháng yòng lì chuí dǎ mén huán， yòu pīn mìng 'àn líng， kě shì háo wú xiào guǒ。 xiē luò kè． fú 'ěr mó sī zǒu kāi liǎo， guò liǎo jǐ fēn zhōng yòu fǎn huí lái。
　　“ wǒ yǐ jīng dǎ kāi liǎo yī shàn chuāng hù，” xiē luò kè， fú 'ěr mó sī shuō dào。
　　“ xìng hǎo nǐ shì zàn chéng pò mén 'ér rù， ér bù shì fǎn duì zhè yàng zuò， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng，” jǐng cháng kàn jiàn wǒ de péng yǒu zhè me jī líng dì bǎ chuāng shuān lā kāi， shuō dào，“ hǎo， wǒ xiǎng zài zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng xià， wǒ men kě yǐ bù yāo 'ér rù liǎo。” wǒ men cóng chuāng hù yú guàn 'ér rù， lái dào yī jiān dà wū zǐ， zhè xiǎn rán jiù shì méi lā sī xiān shēng shàng cì lái guò de dì fāng。 jǐng cháng bǎ tí dēng diǎn shàng， wǒ men jiè zhù dēng guāng kàn dào liǎo méi lā sī duì wǒ men shuō guò de liǎng gè mén、 chuāng lián、 dēng hé yī fù rì běn gè jiá。 zhuō shàng yòu liǎng gè bō lí bēi， yī gè kòngbái lán dì jiǔ píng hé yī xiē cán yáo shèng fàn。
　　“ shénme shēng yīn？” xiē luò kè， fú 'ěr mó sī tū rán wèn dào。
　　 wǒ mendōu jìng jìng dì zhàn zài nà lǐ zǎi xì qīng tīng。 cóng wǒ men tóu dǐng shàng shénme dì fāng chuán lái yī zhèn dī wēi de shēng。 xiē luò kè， fú 'ěr mó sī jí máng chōng xiàng mén kǒu， páo jìn qián tīng。 zhè qī liáng de shēng yīn shì cóng lǒu shàng chuán lái de。 tā páo shàng lóu qù， jǐng cháng hé wǒ jǐn gēn zài hòu， tā gē gē mài duì luó fū tè suī rán kuài tóu hěn dà， yě jìn kuài gǎn shàng。 chū lái， yòu shí dī rú yì yǔ， yòu shí gāo shēng 'āiháo。 mén shì suǒ zhe de， kě shì yàoshì liú zài wài miàn。 xiē luò duì， fú 'ěr mó zhǎn hěn kuài dǎ kāi mén chōng liǎo jìn qù， bù guò mǎ shàng yòu yòng shǒu 'àn zhe hóu lóng， tuì liǎo chū lái。
　　“ lǐ miàn zhèng shāo tàn，” xiē luò kè． fú 'ěr mó sī hǎn dào，“ shāo děng yī děng， dú qì jiù huì sàn de。” wǒ men xiàng lǐ miàn zhāng wàng， zhǐ jiàn fáng jiān zhèng zhōng yī gè xiǎo tóng dǐng mào chū 'àn lán sè de huǒ lào， tā zài dì bǎn shàng tóu shè chū yī juàn qīng huī sè de guāng máng， wǒ men zài 'àn yǐng zhōng kàn dào liǎng gè mó hú bù qīng de rén quán suō zài qiáng biān， mén yī dǎ kāi， mào chū yī gǔ kě pà de dú qì， shǐ dé wǒ men tòu bù guò qì lái， ké sòu bù zhǐ。 xiē luò kè， fú 'ěr mó sī bēn dào lóu dǐng hū xī yī kǒu xīn xiān kōng qì， rán hòu， chōng jìn shì nèi， dǎ kāi chuāng hù， bǎ tóng dǐng rēng dào huā yuán lǐ。
　　“ zài děng yī xià， wǒ men jiù kě yǐ jìn qù liǎo，” xiē luò kè， fú 'ěr mó sī yòu fēi kuài dì páo chū lái， qì chuǎn xū xū dì shuō dào，“ là zhú zài nǎ lǐ？ wǒ kàn zài zhè yàng de kōng qì lǐ wèi bì néng huá dé zhe huǒ chái。 mài kè luó fū tè， xiàn zài nǐ zhàn zài mén kǒu ná zhe dēng， wǒ men qù bǎ tā men jiù chū lái！” wǒ men chōng dào nà liǎng gè zhòngdú de rén shēn bàng， bǎ tā men tuō dào dēng guāng míng liàng de qián tīng。 tā mendōu yǐ shī qù zhī jué， zuǐ chún fā qīng， miàn bù zhǒng zhàng． chōng xuè， shuāng mù tū chū。 tā men de róng mào díquè biàn dé hěn lì hài， ruò bù shì nà hēi hú zǐ hé féi pàng de shēn xíng， wǒ men jiù hěn nán rèn chū qí zhōng yī gè shì nà wèi xī là yì yuán， jiù shì jǐ gè xiǎo shí qián cái zài dì 'ōu gēn ní jù lè bù hé wǒ men fēn shǒu de nà yī wèi。 tā lián shǒu dài jiǎo bèi rén bǎng dé jié jiēshí shí， yī zhǐ yǎn jīng shàng yòu shòu rén dú dǎ de shāng hén。
　　 lìng yī gè rén， hé tā yī yàng shǒu zú bèi bǎng， shēn cái gāo dà， yǐ jīng kū gǎo dé bù xiàng yàng zǐ， liǎn shàng qí xíng guài zhuàng dì tiē zhe yī xiē xiàng pí gāo。 wǒ men bǎ tā fàng xià shí， tā yǐ jīng tíng zhǐ liǎo， wǒ yī yǎn kàn chū， duì tā lái shuō， wǒ men jiù dé tài chí liǎo。 rán 'ér， méi lā sī xiān shēng hái huó zhe， wǒ men shǐ yòng liǎo 'ā mó ní yà hé bái lán dì， bù dào yī xiǎo shí， wǒ hěn mǎn yì dì jiàn tā zhēng kāi liǎo yǎn jīng， zhī dào wǒ yǐ bǎ tā cóng sǐ wáng de shēn yuān zhōng jiù huí lái liǎo。
　　 méi lā sī zhǐ néng xiàng wǒ men jiǎn dān jiǎng liǎo yī xià guò chéng， zhè zhèng shí wǒ men de tuī duàn shì zhèng què de。 nà gè qù zhǎo tā de rén， jìn wū yǐ hòu，“ cóng yī xiù zhōng chōu chū yī zhī hù shēn bàng， bìng yòng lì jí chǔsǐ jìn xíng wēi xié， méi lā sī zhǐ hǎo zài cì bèi rén bǎng jià chū qù。 què shí， nà gè jiān xiào de bào tú zài zhè wèi tōng xiǎo jǐ guó yǔ yán de kě lián rén shēn shàng chǎn shēng de wēi lì jīhū shì nán yǐ kàng jù de， yīn wéi nà wèi yì yuán xià dé miàn rú tǔ sè、 shuāng shǒu chàn dǒu， yī jù huó yě shuō bù chū lái。 tā hěn kuài bèi bǎng jià dào bèi kè nà mǔ， zài dì 'èr cì huì tán zhōng chōng dāng yì yuán， zhè cì huì tán shèn zhì bǐ dì yī cì gèng fù yòu xì jù xìng， nà liǎng gè yīng guó rén wēi xié nà gè bèi qiú de rén， rú guǒ tā bù zhào tā men de mìng lìng qù bàn， tā men jiù lì jí shā sǐ tā。 hòu lái jiàn tā shǐ zhōng wēi wǔ bù qū， tā men zhǐ hǎo bǎ tā tuī huí qù qiú jìn qǐ lái。 rán hòu， tā men duì méi lā sī dà jiā zénàn， chì zé tā zài bào shàng dēng guǎng gào chū mài liǎo tā men， tā men yòng bàng zǐ bǎ tā dǎ hūn guò qù， méi lā sī yī zhí bùxǐng rén shì， zhí dào fā xiàn wǒ men fǔ shēn jiù tā wéi zhǐ。
　　 zhè jiù shì nà jiàn xī là yì yuán qí 'àn， zhì jīn yǐ rán yòu xiē wèi jiě zhī mí。 wǒ men zhǐ néng cóng dá fù wǒ men guǎng gào de nà wèi shēn shì chù chá míng， nà wèi nián qīng nǚ zǐ chū shēn xī là fù jiā， dào yīng guó lái fǎng yǒu。 zài yīng guó hé yī gè jiào hā luó dé， jì dì mò de nián qīng rén xiāng yù， zhè gè rén zhǎng wò liǎo tā， zhōng yú shuō fú tā yī tóng táo zǒu。 tā de péng yǒu jīng xī cǐ shì， biàn jí máng tōng zhī tā zhù zài yǎ diǎn de gē gē， yǐ biàn xǐ qīng gān xì。 tā gē gē lái dào yīng guó， mào shī dì luò dào lā dì mò hé tā nà gè jiào wēi 'ěr xùn， kěn pǔ de tóng huǒ shǒu zhōng。 kěn pǔ shì yī gè shēng míng láng jí de jiā huǒ。 nà liǎng gè rén fā xiàn tā yǔ yán bù tōng， jǔ mù wú qīn， biàn bǎ tā qiú jìn qǐ lái， yòng dú dǎ hé jī 'è pò shǐ tā qiān zì， yǐ duó dé tā hé tā mèi mèi de cái chǎn。 tā men bǎ tā guān zài zhái nèi， gū niàn bìng bù zhī qíng， wèile shǐ gū niàn jí shǐ jiàn dào gē gē yī shí yě rèn bù chū lái， biàn zài tā liǎn shàng tiē liǎo xǔ duō xiàng pí gāo。 rán 'ér， yóu yú nǚ xìng de mǐn gǎn， zhèng dāng yì yuán lái fǎng de shí hòu， tā dì yī cì jiàn dào gē gē， biàn yī yǎn kàn pò liǎo wěi zhuāng。 bù guò， zhè kě lián de gū niàn zì jǐ yě shì bèi qiú jìn de rén， yīn wéi zài zhè suǒ zhái yuàn lǐ， chú liǎo nà mǎ chē fū fū fù zhī wài bié wú tā rén。 ér mǎ chē fū fū fù dōushì zhè liǎng gè yīn móu jiā de zhǎo yá。 liǎng gè 'è gùn jiàn mì mì yǐ bèi jiē chuān， qiú tú yòu wēi wǔ bù qū， biàn xié dài gū niàn táo lí liǎo nà suǒ zhái yuàn。 yuán lái zhè suǒ jiā jù qí quán de zhái yuàn shì tā men huā qián zū lìn de。 tā men shǒu xiān yào bào fù nà gè gōng rán fǎn kàng tā men de rén hé nà gè chū mài tā men de rén。
　　 jǐ gè yuè hòu， wǒ men shōu dào cóng bù dá pèi sī bào shàng jiǎn xià lái de yī duàn qí wén， shàng zài liǎng gè yīng guó rén xié yī fù nǚ tóng xíng， hū zāo xiōng huò， liǎng gè nán rén jiē bèi cì sǐ。 xiōng yá lì jǐng shǔ rèn wéi tā men yīn zhēng fēng chī cù， hù xiāng cán shā shēn wáng。 rán 'ér， kàn lái， xiē luò kè． fú 'ěr mó sī què bù yǐ wéi rán， tā yī zhí dào jīn tiān hái rèn wéi， rú guǒ néng zhǎo dào nà wèi xī là gū niàn， nà jiù huì nòng qīng chǔ tā shì zěn yàng wéi zì jǐ hé gē gē bào chóu xuě hèn de。

　　During my long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Sherlock Holmes I had never heard him refer to his relations, and hardly ever to his own early life. This reticence upon his part had increased the somewhat inhuman effect which he produced upon me, until sometimes I found myself regarding him as an isolated phenomenon, a brain without a heart, as deficient in human sympathy as he was pre-eminent in intelligence. His aversion to women and his disinclination to form new friendships were both typical of his unemotional character, but not more so than his complete suppression of every reference to his own people. I had come to believe that he was an orphan with no relatives living, but one day, to my very great surprise, he began to talk to me about his brother.
　　
　　It was after tea on a summer evening, and the conversation, which had roamed in a desultory, spasmodic fashion from golf clubs to the causes of the change in the obliquity of the ecliptic, came round at last to the question of atavism and hereditary aptitudes. The point under discussion was, how far any singular gift in an individual was due to his ancestry and how far to his own early training.
　　
　　"In your own case," said I, "from all that you have told me, it seems obvious that your faculty of observation and your peculiar facility for deduction are due to your own systematic training."
　　
　　"To some extent," he answered, thoughtfully. "My ancestors were country squires, who appear to have led much the same life as is natural to their class. But, none the less, my turn that way is in my veins, and may have come with my grandmother, who was the sister of Vernet, the French artist. Art in the blood is liable to take the strangest forms."
　　
　　"But how do you know that it is hereditary?"
　　
　　"Because my brother Mycroft possesses it in a larger degree than I do."
　　
　　This was news to me indeed. If there were another man with such singular powers in England, how was it that neither police nor public had heard of him? I put the question, with a hint that it was my companion's modesty which made him acknowledge his brother as his superior. Holmes laughed at my suggestion.
　　
　　"My dear Watson," said he, "I cannot agree with those who rank modesty among the virtues. To the logician all things should be seen exactly as they are, and to underestimate one's self is as much a departure from truth as to exaggerate one's own powers. When I say, therefore, that Mycroft has better powers of observation than I, you may take it that I am speaking the exact and literal truth."
　　
　　"Is he your junior?"
　　
　　"Seven years my senior."
　　
　　"How comes it that he is unknown?"
　　
　　"Oh, he is very well known in his own circle."
　　
　　"Where, then?"
　　
　　"Well, in the Diogenes Club, for example."
　　
　　I had never heard of the institution, and my face must have proclaimed as much, for Sherlock Holmes pulled out his watch.
　　
　　"The Diogenes Club is the queerest club in London, and Mycroft one of the queerest men. He's always there from quarter to five to twenty to eight. It's six now, so if you care for a stroll this beautiful evening I shall be very happy to introduce you to two curiosities."
　　
　　Five minutes later we were in the street, walking towards Regent's Circus.
　　
　　"You wonder," said my companion, "why it is that Mycroft does not use his powers for detective work. He is incapable of it."
　　
　　"But I thought you said--"
　　
　　"I said that he was my superior in observation and deduction. If the art of the detective began and ended in reasoning from an arm-chair, my brother would be the greatest criminal agent that ever lived. But he has no ambition and no energy. He will not even go out of his way to verify his own solutions, and would rather be considered wrong than take the trouble to prove himself right. Again and again I have taken a problem to him, and have received an explanation which has afterwards proved to be the correct one. And yet he was absolutely incapable of working out the practical points which must be gone into before a case could be laid before a judge or jury."
　　
　　"It is not his profession, then?"
　　
　　"By no means. What is to me a means of livelihood is to him the merest hobby of a dilettante. He has an extraordinary faculty for figures, and audits the books in some of the government departments. Mycroft lodges in Pall Mall, and he walks round the corner into Whitehall every morning and back every evening. From year's end to year's end he takes no other exercise, and is seen nowhere else, except only in the Diogenes Club, which is just opposite his rooms."
　　
　　"I cannot recall the name."
　　
　　"Very likely not. There are many men in London, you know, who, some from shyness, some from misanthropy, have no wish for the company of their fellows. Yet they are not averse to comfortable chairs and the latest periodicals. It is for the convenience of these that the Diogenes Club was started, and it now contains the most unsociable and unclubable men in town. No member is permitted to take the least notice of any other one. Save in the Stranger's Room, no talking is, under any circumstances, allowed, and three offences, if brought to the notice of the committee, render the talker liable to expulsion. My brother was one of the founders, and I have myself found it a very soothing atmosphere."
　　
　　We had reached Pall Mall as we talked, and were walking down it from the St. James's end. Sherlock Holmes stopped at a door some little distance from the Carlton, and, cautioning me not to speak, he led the way into the hall. Through the glass paneling I caught a glimpse of a large and luxurious room, in which a considerable number of men were sitting about and reading papers, each in his own little nook. Holmes showed me into a small chamber which looked out into Pall Mall, and then, leaving me for a minute, he came back with a companion whom I knew could only be his brother.
　　
　　Mycroft Holmes was a much larger and stouter man than Sherlock. His body was absolutely corpulent, but his face, though massive, had preserved something of the sharpness of expression which was so remarkable in that of his brother. His eyes, which were of a peculiarly light, watery gray, seemed to always retain that far-away, introspective look which I had only observed in Sherlock's when he was exerting his full powers.
　　
　　"I am glad to meet you, sir," said he, putting out a broad, fat hand like the flipper of a seal. "I hear of Sherlock everywhere since you became his chronicler. By the way, Sherlock, I expected to see you round last week, to consult me over that Manor House case. I thought you might be a little out of your depth."
　　
　　"No, I solved it," said my friend, smiling.
　　
　　"It was Adams, of course."
　　
　　"Yes, it was Adams."
　　
　　"I was sure of it from the first." The two sat down together in the bow-window of the club. "To any one who wishes to study mankind this is the spot," said Mycroft. "Look at the magnificent types! Look at these two men who are coming towards us, for example."
　　
　　"The billiard-marker and the other?"
　　
　　"Precisely. What do you make of the other?"
　　
　　The two men had stopped opposite the window. Some chalk marks over the waistcoat pocket were the only signs of billiards which I could see in one of them. The other was a very small, dark fellow, with his hat pushed back and several packages under his arm.
　　
　　"An old soldier, I perceive," said Sherlock.
　　
　　"And very recently discharged," remarked the brother.
　　
　　"Served in India, I see."
　　
　　"And a non-commissioned officer."
　　
　　"Royal Artillery, I fancy," said Sherlock.
　　
　　"And a widower."
　　
　　"But with a child."
　　
　　"Children, my dear boy, children."
　　
　　"Come," said I, laughing, "this is a little too much."
　　
　　"Surely," answered Holmes, "it is not hard to say that a man with that bearing, expression of authority, and sunbaked skin, is a soldier, is more than a private, and is not long from India."
　　
　　"That he has not left the service long is shown by his still wearing his ammunition boots, as they are called," observed Mycroft.
　　
　　"He had not the cavalry stride, yet he wore his hat on one side, as is shown by the lighter skin of that side of his brow. His weight is against his being a sapper. He is in the artillery."
　　
　　"Then, of course, his complete mourning shows that he has lost some one very dear. The fact that he is doing his own shopping looks as though it were his wife. He has been buying things for children, you perceive. There is a rattle, which shows that one of them is very young. The wife probably died in childbed. The fact that he has a picture-book under his arm shows that there is another child to be thought of."
　　
　　I began to understand what my friend meant when he said that his brother possessed even keener faculties that he did himself. He glanced across at me and smiled. Mycroft took snuff from a tortoise-shell box, and brushed away the wandering grains from his coat front with a large, red silk handkerchief.
　　
　　"By the way, Sherlock," said he, "I have had something quite after your own heart--a most singular problem--submitted to my judgment. I really had not the energy to follow it up save in a very incomplete fashion, but it gave me a basis for some pleasing speculation. If you would care to hear the facts--"
　　
　　"My dear Mycroft, I should be delighted."
　　
　　The brother scribbled a note upon a leaf of his pocket-book, and, ringing the bell, he handed it to the waiter.
　　
　　"I have asked Mr. Melas to step across," said he. "He lodges on the floor above me, and I have some slight acquaintance with him, which led him to come to me in his perplexity. Mr. Melas is a Greek by extraction, as I understand, and he is a remarkable linguist. He earns his living partly as interpreter in the law courts and partly by acting as guide to any wealthy Orientals who may visit the Northumberland Avenue hotels. I think I will leave him to tell his very remarkable experience in his own fashion."
　　
　　A few minutes later we were joined by a short, stout man whose olive face and coal-black hair proclaimed his Southern origin, though his speech was that of an educated Englishman. He shook hands eagerly with Sherlock Holmes, and his dark eyes sparkled with pleasure when he understood that the specialist was anxious to hear his story.
　　
　　"I do not believe that the police credit me--on my word, I do not," said he in a wailing voice. "Just because they have never heard of it before, they think that such a thing cannot be. But I know that I shall never be easy in my mind until I know what has become of my poor man with the sticking-plaster upon his face."
　　
　　"I am all attention," said Sherlock Holmes.
　　
　　"This is Wednesday evening," said Mr. Melas. "Well then, it was Monday night--only two days ago, you understand--that all this happened. I am an interpreter, as perhaps my neighbor there has told you. I interpret all languages--or nearly all--but as I am a Greek by birth and with a Grecian name, it is with that particular tongue that I am principally associated. For many years I have been the chief Greek interpreter in London, and my name is very well known in the hotels.
　　
　　"It happens not unfrequently that I am sent for at strange hours by foreigners who get into difficulties, or by travelers who arrive late and wish my services. I was not surprised, therefore, on Monday night when a Mr. Latimer, a very fashionably dressed young man, came up to my rooms and asked me to accompany him in a cab which was waiting at the door. A Greek friend had come to see him upon business, he said, and as he could speak nothing but his own tongue, the services of an interpreter were indispensable. He gave me to understand that his house was some little distance off, in Kensington, and he seemed to be in a great hurry, bustling me rapidly into the cab when we had descended to the street.
　　
　　"I say into the cab, but I soon became doubtful as to whether it was not a carriage in which I found myself. It was certainly more roomy than the ordinary four-wheeled disgrace to London, and the fittings, though frayed, were of rich quality. Mr. Latimer seated himself opposite to me and we started off through Charing Cross and up the Shaftesbury Avenue. We had come out upon Oxford Street and I had ventured some remark as to this being a roundabout way to Kensington, when my words were arrested by the extraordinary conduct of my companion.
　　
　　"He began by drawing a most formidable-looking bludgeon loaded with lead from his pocket, and switching it backward and forward several times, as if to test its weight and strength. Then he placed it without a word upon the seat beside him. Having done this, he drew up the windows on each side, and I found to my astonishment that they were covered with paper so as to prevent my seeing through them.
　　
　　"'I am sorry to cut off your view, Mr. Melas,' said he. 'The fact is that I have no intention that you should see what the place is to which we are driving. It might possibly be inconvenient to me if you could find your way there again.'
　　
　　"As you can imagine, I was utterly taken aback by such an address. My companion was a powerful, broad-shouldered young fellow, and, apart from the weapon, I should not have had the slightest chance in a struggle with him.
　　
　　"'This is very extraordinary conduct, Mr. Latimer,' I stammered. 'You must be aware that what you are doing is quite illegal.'
　　
　　"'It is somewhat of a liberty, no doubt,' said he, 'but we'll make it up to you. I must warn you, however, Mr. Melas, that if at any time to-night you attempt to raise an alarm or do anything which is against my interests, you will find it a very serious thing. I beg you to remember that no one knows where you are, and that, whether you are in this carriage or in my house, you are equally in my power.'
　　
　　"His words were quiet, but he had a rasping way of saying them which was very menacing. I sat in silence wondering what on earth could be his reason for kidnapping me in this extraordinary fashion. Whatever it might be, it was perfectly clear that there was no possible use in my resisting, and that I could only wait to see what might befall.
　　
　　"For nearly two hours we drove without my having the least clue as to where we were going. Sometimes the rattle of the stones told of a paved causeway, and at others our smooth, silent course suggested asphalt; but, save by this variation in sound, there was nothing at all which could in the remotest way help me to form a guess as to where we were. The paper over each window was impenetrable to light, and a blue curtain was drawn across the glass work in front. It was a quarter-past seven when we left Pall Mall, and my watch showed me that it was ten minutes to nine when we at last came to a standstill. My companion let down the window, and I caught a glimpse of a low, arched doorway with a lamp burning above it. As I was hurried from the carriage it swung open, and I found myself inside the house, with a vague impression of a lawn and trees on each side of me as I entered. Whether these were private grounds, however, or bona-fide country was more than I could possibly venture to say.
　　
　　"There was a colored gas-lamp inside which was turned so low that I could see little save that the hall was of some size and hung with pictures. In the dim light I could make out that the person who had opened the door was a small, mean-looking, middle-aged man with rounded shoulders. As he turned towards us the glint of the light showed me that he was wearing glasses.
　　
　　"'Is this Mr. Melas, Harold?' said he.
　　
　　"'Yes.'
　　
　　"'Well done, well done! No ill-will, Mr. Melas, I hope, but we could not get on without you. If you deal fair with us you'll not regret it, but if you try any tricks, God help you!' He spoke in a nervous, jerky fashion, and with little giggling laughs in between, but somehow he impressed me with fear more than the other.
　　
　　"'What do you want with me?' I asked.
　　
　　"'Only to ask a few questions of a Greek gentleman who is visiting us, and to let us have the answers. But say no more than you are told to say, or--' here came the nervous giggle again--'you had better never have been born.'
　　
　　"As he spoke he opened a door and showed the way into a room which appeared to be very richly furnished, but again the only light was afforded by a single lamp half-turned down. The chamber was certainly large, and the way in which my feet sank into the carpet as I stepped across it told me of its richness. I caught glimpses of velvet chairs, a high white marble mantel-piece, and what seemed to be a suit of Japanese armor at one side of it. There was a chair just under the lamp, and the elderly man motioned that I should sit in it. The younger had left us, but he suddenly returned through another door, leading with him a gentleman clad in some sort of loose dressing-gown who moved slowly towards us. As he came into the circle of dim light which enables me to see him more clearly I was thrilled with horror at his appearance. He was deadly pale and terribly emaciated, with the protruding, brilliant eyes of a man whose spirit was greater than his strength. But what shocked me more than any signs of physical weakness was that his face was grotesquely criss-crossed with sticking-plaster, and that one large pad of it was fastened over his mouth.
　　
　　"'Have you the slate, Harold?' cried the older man, as this strange being fell rather than sat down into a chair. 'Are his hands loose? Now, then, give him the pencil. You are to ask the questions, Mr. Melas, and he will write the answers. Ask him first of all whether he is prepared to sign the papers?'
　　
　　"The man's eyes flashed fire.
　　
　　"'Never!' he wrote in Greek upon the slate.
　　
　　"'On no condition?' I asked, at the bidding of our tyrant.
　　
　　"'Only if I see her married in my presence by a Greek priest whom I know.'
　　
　　"The man giggled in his venomous way.
　　
　　"'You know what awaits you, then?'
　　
　　"'I care nothing for myself.'
　　
　　"These are samples of the questions and answers which made up our strange half-spoken, half-written conversation. Again and again I had to ask him whether he would give in and sign the documents. Again and again I had the same indignant reply. But soon a happy thought came to me. I took to adding on little sentences of my own to each question, innocent ones at first, to test whether either of our companions knew anything of the matter, and then, as I found that they showed no signs I played a more dangerous game. Our conversation ran something like this:
　　
　　"'You can do no good by this obstinacy. Who are you?'
　　
　　"'I care not. I am a stranger in London.'
　　
　　"'Your fate will be upon your own head. How long have you been here?'
　　
　　"'Let it be so. Three weeks.'
　　
　　"'The property can never be yours. What ails you?'
　　
　　"'It shall not go to villains. They are starving me.'
　　
　　"'You shall go free if you sign. What house is this?'
　　
　　"'I will never sign. I do not know.'
　　
　　"'You are not doing her any service. What is your name?'
　　
　　"'Let me hear her say so. Kratides.'
　　
　　"'You shall see her if you sign. Where are you from?'
　　
　　"'Then I shall never see her. Athens.'
　　
　　"Another five minutes, Mr. Holmes, and I should have wormed out the whole story under their very noses. My very next question might have cleared the matter up, but at that instant the door opened and a woman stepped into the room. I could not see her clearly enough to know more than that she was tall and graceful, with black hair, and clad in some sort of loose white gown.
　　
　　"'Harold,' said she, speaking English with a broken accent. 'I could not stay away longer. It is so lonely up there with only--Oh, my God, it is Paul!'
　　
　　"These last words were in Greek, and at the same instant the man with a convulsive effort tore the plaster from his lips, and screaming out 'Sophy! Sophy!' rushed into the woman's arms. Their embrace was but for an instant, however, for the younger man seized the woman and pushed her out of the room, while the elder easily overpowered his emaciated victim, and dragged him away through the other door. For a moment I was left alone in the room, and I sprang to my feet with some vague idea that I might in some way get a clue to what this house was in which I found myself. Fortunately, however, I took no steps, for looking up I saw that the older man was standing in the door-way with his eyes fixed upon me.
　　
　　"'That will do, Mr. Melas,' said he. 'You perceive that we have taken you into our confidence over some very private business. We should not have troubled you, only that our friend who speaks Greek and who began these negotiations has been forced to return to the East. It was quite necessary for us to find some one to take his place, and we were fortunate in hearing of your powers.'
　　
　　"I bowed.
　　
　　"'There are five sovereigns here,' said he, walking up to me, 'which will, I hope, be a sufficient fee. But remember,' he added, tapping me lightly on the chest and giggling, 'if you speak to a human soul about this--one human soul, mind--well, may God have mercy upon your soul!"
　　
　　"I cannot tell you the loathing and horror with which this insignificant-looking man inspired me. I could see him better now as the lamp-light shone upon him. His features were peaky and sallow, and his little pointed beard was thready and ill-nourished. He pushed his face forward as he spoke and his lips and eyelids were continually twitching like a man with St. Vitus's dance. I could not help thinking that his strange, catchy little laugh was also a symptom of some nervous malady. The terror of his face lay in his eyes, however, steel gray, and glistening coldly with a malignant, inexorable cruelty in their depths.
　　
　　"'We shall know if you speak of this,' said he. 'We have our own means of information. Now you will find the carriage waiting, and my friend will see you on your way.'
　　
　　"I was hurried through the hall and into the vehicle, again obtaining that momentary glimpse of trees and a garden. Mr. Latimer followed closely at my heels, and took his place opposite to me without a word. In silence we again drove for an interminable distance with the windows raised, until at last, just after midnight, the carriage pulled up.
　　
　　"'You will get down here, Mr. Melas,' said my companion. 'I am sorry to leave you so far from your house, but there is no alternative. Any attempt upon your part to follow the carriage can only end in injury to yourself.'
　　
　　"He opened the door as he spoke, and I had hardly time to spring out when the coachman lashed the horse and the carriage rattled away. I looked around me in astonishment. I was on some sort of a heathy common mottled over with dark clumps of furze-bushes. Far away stretched a line of houses, with a light here and there in the upper windows. On the other side I saw the red signal-lamps of a railway.
　　
　　"The carriage which had brought me was already out of sight. I stood gazing round and wondering where on earth I might be, when I saw some one coming towards me in the darkness. As he came up to me I made out that he was a railway porter.
　　
　　"'Can you tell me what place this is?' I asked.
　　
　　"'Wandsworth Common,' said he.
　　
　　"'Can I get a train into town?'
　　
　　"'If you walk on a mile or so to Clapham Junction,' said he, 'you'll just be in time for the last to Victoria.'
　　
　　"So that was the end of my adventure, Mr. Holmes. I do not know where I was, nor whom I spoke with, nor anything save what I have told you. But I know that there is foul play going on, and I want to help that unhappy man if I can. I told the whole story to Mr. Mycroft Holmes next morning, and subsequently to the police."
　　
　　We all sat in silence for some little time after listening to this extraordinary narrative. Then Sherlock looked across at his brother.
　　
　　"Any steps?" he asked.
　　
　　Mycroft picked up the Daily News, which was lying on the side-table.
　　
　　"'Anybody supplying any information to the whereabouts of a Greek gentleman named Paul Kratides, from Athens, who is unable to speak English, will be rewarded. A similar reward paid to any one giving information about a Greek lady whose first name is Sophy. X 2473.' That was in all the dailies. No answer."
　　
　　"How about the Greek Legation?"
　　
　　"I have inquired. They know nothing."
　　
　　"A wire to the head of the Athens police, then?"
　　
　　"Sherlock has all the energy of the family," said Mycroft, turning to me. "Well, you take the case up by all means, and let me know if you do any good."
　　
　　"Certainly," answered my friend, rising from his chair. "I'll let you know, and Mr. Melas also. In the meantime, Mr. Melas, I should certainly be on my guard, if I were you, for of course they must know through these advertisements that you have betrayed them."
　　
　　As we walked home together, Holmes stopped at a telegraph office and sent off several wires.
　　
　　"You see, Watson," he remarked, "our evening has been by no means wasted. Some of my most interesting cases have come to me in this way through Mycroft. The problem which we have just listened to, although it can admit of but one explanation, has still some distinguishing features."
　　
　　"You have hopes of solving it?"
　　
　　"Well, knowing as much as we do, it will be singular indeed if we fail to discover the rest. You must yourself have formed some theory which will explain the facts to which we have listened."
　　
　　"In a vague way, yes."
　　
　　"What was your idea, then?"
　　
　　"It seemed to me to be obvious that this Greek girl had been carried off by the young Englishman named Harold Latimer."
　　
　　"Carried off from where?"
　　
　　"Athens, perhaps."
　　
　　Sherlock Holmes shook his head. "This young man could not talk a word of Greek. The lady could talk English fairly well. Inference--that she had been in England some little time, but he had not been in Greece."
　　
　　"Well, then, we will presume that she had come on a visit to England, and that this Harold had persuaded her to fly with him."
　　
　　"That is more probable."
　　
　　"Then the brother--for that, I fancy, must be the relationship--comes over from Greece to interfere. He imprudently puts himself into the power of the young man and his older associate. They seize him and use violence towards him in order to make him sign some papers to make over the girl's fortune--of which he may be trustee--to them. This he refuses to do. In order to negotiate with him they have to get an interpreter, and they pitch upon this Mr. Melas, having used some other one before. The girl is not told of the arrival of her brother, and finds it out by the merest accident."
　　
　　"Excellent, Watson!" cried Holmes. "I really fancy that you are not far from the truth. You see that we hold all the cards, and we have only to fear some sudden act of violence on their part. If they give us time we must have them."
　　
　　"But how can we find where this house lies?"
　　
　　"Well, if our conjecture is correct and the girl's name is or was Sophy Kratides, we should have no difficulty in tracing her. That must be our main hope, for the brother is, of course, a complete stranger. It is clear that some time has elapsed since this Harold established these relations with the girl--some weeks, at any rate--since the brother in Greece has had time to hear of it and come across. If they have been living in the same place during this time, it is probable that we shall have some answer to Mycroft's advertisement."
　　
　　We had reached our house in Baker Street while we had been talking. Holmes ascended the stair first, and as he opened the door of our room he gave a start of surprise. Looking over his shoulder, I was equally astonished. His brother Mycroft was sitting smoking in the arm-chair.
　　
　　"Come in, Sherlock! Come in, sir," said he blandly, smiling at our surprised faces. "You don't expect such energy from me, do you, Sherlock? But somehow this case attracts me."
　　
　　"How did you get here?"
　　
　　"I passed you in a hansom."
　　
　　"There has been some new development?"
　　
　　"I had an answer to my advertisement."
　　
　　"Ah!"
　　
　　"Yes, it came within a few minutes of your leaving."
　　
　　"And to what effect?"
　　
　　Mycroft Holmes took out a sheet of paper.
　　
　　"Here it is," said he, "written with a J pen on royal cream paper by a middle-aged man with a weak constitution. 'Sir,' he says, 'in answer to your advertisement of to-day's date, I beg to inform you that I know the young lady in question very well. If you should care to call upon me I could give you some particulars as to her painful history. She is living at present at The Myrtles, Beckenham. Yours faithfully, J. Davenport.'
　　
　　"He writes from Lower Brixton," said Mycroft Holmes. "Do you not think that we might drive to him now, Sherlock, and learn these particulars?"
　　
　　"My dear Mycroft, the brother's life is more valuable than the sister's story. I think we should call at Scotland Yard for Inspector Gregson, and go straight out to Beckenham. We know that a man is being done to death, and every hour may be vital."
　　
　　"Better pick up Mr. Melas on our way," I suggested. "We may need an interpreter."
　　
　　"Excellent," said Sherlock Holmes. "Send the boy for a four-wheeler, and we shall be off at once." He opened the table-drawer as he spoke, and I noticed that he slipped his revolver into his pocket. "Yes," said he, in answer to my glance; "I should say from what we have heard, that we are dealing with a particularly dangerous gang."
　　
　　It was almost dark before we found ourselves in Pall Mall, at the rooms of Mr. Melas. A gentleman had just called for him, and he was gone.
　　
　　"Can you tell me where?" asked Mycroft Holmes.
　　
　　"I don't know, sir," answered the woman who had opened the door; "I only know that he drove away with the gentleman in a carriage."
　　
　　"Did the gentleman give a name?"
　　
　　"No, sir."
　　
　　"He wasn't a tall, handsome, dark young man?"
　　
　　"Oh, no, sir. He was a little gentleman, with glasses, thin in the face, but very pleasant in his ways, for he was laughing all the time that he was talking."
　　
　　"Come along!" cried Sherlock Holmes, abruptly. "This grows serious," he observed, as we drove to Scotland Yard. "These men have got hold of Melas again. He is a man of no physical courage, as they are well aware from their experience the other night. This villain was able to terrorize him the instant that he got into his presence. No doubt they want his professional services, but, having used him, they may be inclined to punish him for what they will regard as his treachery."
　　
　　Our hope was that, by taking train, we might get to Beckenham as soon or sooner than the carriage. On reaching Scotland Yard, however, it was more than an hour before we could get Inspector Gregson and comply with the legal formalities which would enable us to enter the house. It was a quarter to ten before we reached London Bridge, and half past before the four of us alighted on the Beckenham platform. A drive of half a mile brought us to The Myrtles--a large, dark house standing back from the road in its own grounds. Here we dismissed our cab, and made our way up the drive together.
　　
　　"The windows are all dark," remarked the inspector. "The house seems deserted."
　　
　　"Our birds are flown and the nest empty," said Holmes.
　　
　　"Why do you say so?"
　　
　　"A carriage heavily loaded with luggage has passed out during the last hour."
　　
　　The inspector laughed. "I saw the wheel-tracks in the light of the gate-lamp, but where does the luggage come in?"
　　
　　"You may have observed the same wheel-tracks going the other way. But the outward-bound ones were very much deeper--so much so that we can say for a certainty that there was a very considerable weight on the carriage."
　　
　　"You get a trifle beyond me there," said the inspector, shrugging his shoulder. "It will not be an easy door to force, but we will try if we cannot make some one hear us."
　　
　　He hammered loudly at the knocker and pulled at the bell, but without any success. Holmes had slipped away, but he came back in a few minutes.
　　
　　"I have a window open," said he.
　　
　　"It is a mercy that you are on the side of the force, and not against it, Mr. Holmes," remarked the inspector, as he noted the clever way in which my friend had forced back the catch. "Well, I think that under the circumstances we may enter without an invitation."
　　
　　One after the other we made our way into a large apartment, which was evidently that in which Mr. Melas had found himself. The inspector had lit his lantern, and by its light we could see the two doors, the curtain, the lamp, and the suit of Japanese mail as he had described them. On the table lay two glasses, and empty brandy-bottle, and the remains of a meal.
　　
　　"What is that?" asked Holmes, suddenly.
　　
　　We all stood still and listened. A low moaning sound was coming from somewhere over our heads. Holmes rushed to the door and out into the hall. The dismal noise came from upstairs. He dashed up, the inspector and I at his heels, while his brother Mycroft followed as quickly as his great bulk would permit.
　　
　　Three doors faced up upon the second floor, and it was from the central of these that the sinister sounds were issuing, sinking sometimes into a dull mumble and rising again into a shrill whine. It was locked, but the key had been left on the outside. Holmes flung open the door and rushed in, but he was out again in an instant, with his hand to his throat."
　　
　　"It's charcoal," he cried. "Give it time. It will clear."
　　
　　Peering in, we could see that the only light in the room came from a dull blue flame which flickered from a small brass tripod in the centre. It threw a livid, unnatural circle upon the floor, while in the shadows beyond we saw the vague loom of two figures which crouched against the wall. From the open door there reeked a horrible poisonous exhalation which set us gasping and coughing. Holmes rushed to the top of the stairs to draw in the fresh air, and then, dashing into the room, he threw up the window and hurled the brazen tripod out into the garden.
　　
　　"We can enter in a minute," he gasped, darting out again. "Where is a candle? I doubt if we could strike a match in that atmosphere. Hold the light at the door and we shall get them out, Mycroft, now!"
　　
　　With a rush we got to the poisoned men and dragged them out into the well-lit hall. Both of them were blue-lipped and insensible, with swollen, congested faces and protruding eyes. Indeed, so distorted were their features that, save for his black beard and stout figure, we might have failed to recognize in one of them the Greek interpreter who had parted from us only a few hours before at the Diogenes Club. His hands and feet were securely strapped together, and he bore over one eye the marks of a violent blow. The other, who was secured in a similar fashion, was a tall man in the last stage of emaciation, with several strips of sticking-plaster arranged in a grotesque pattern over his face. He had ceased to moan as we laid him down, and a glance showed me that for him at least our aid had come too late. Mr. Melas, however, still lived, and in less than an hour, with the aid of ammonia and brandy I had the satisfaction of seeing him open his eyes, and of knowing that my hand had drawn him back from that dark valley in which all paths meet.
　　
　　It was a simple story which he had to tell, and one which did but confirm our own deductions. His visitor, on entering his rooms, had drawn a life-preserver from his sleeve, and had so impressed him with the fear of instant and inevitable death that he had kidnapped him for the second time. Indeed, it was almost mesmeric, the effect which this giggling ruffian had produced upon the unfortunate linguist, for he could not speak of him save with trembling hands and a blanched cheek. He had been taken swiftly to Beckenham, and had acted as interpreter in a second interview, even more dramatic than the first, in which the two Englishmen had menaced their prisoner with instant death if he did not comply with their demands. Finally, finding him proof against every threat, they had hurled him back into his prison, and after reproaching Melas with his treachery, which appeared from the newspaper advertisement, they had stunned him with a blow from a stick, and he remembered nothing more until he found us bending over him.
　　
　　And this was the singular case of the Grecian Interpreter, the explanation of which is still involved in some mystery. We were able to find out, by communicating with the gentleman who had answered the advertisement, that the unfortunate young lady came of a wealthy Grecian family, and that she had been on a visit to some friends in England. While there she had met a young man named Harold Latimer, who had acquired an ascendancy over he and had eventually persuaded her to fly with him. Her friends, shocked at the event, had contented themselves with informing her brother at Athens, and had then washed their hands of the matter. The brother, on his arrival in England, had imprudently placed himself in the power of Latimer and of his associate, whose name was Wilson Kemp--a man of the foulest antecedents. These two, finding that through his ignorance of the language he was helpless in their hands, had kept him a prisoner, and had endeavored by cruelty and starvation to make him sign away his own and his sister's property. They had kept him in the house without the girl's knowledge, and the plaster over the face had been for the purpose of making recognition difficult in case she should ever catch a glimpse of him. Her feminine perception, however, had instantly seen through the disguise when, on the occasion of the interpreter's visit, she had seen him for the first time. The poor girl, however, was herself a prisoner, for there was no one about the house except the man who acted as coachman, and his wife, both of whom were tools of the conspirators. Finding that their secret was out, and that their prisoner was not to be coerced, the two villains with the girl had fled away at a few hours' notice from the furnished house which they had hired, having first, as they thought, taken vengeance both upon the man who had defied and the one who had betrayed them.
　　
　　Months afterwards a curious newspaper cutting reached us from Buda-Pesth. It told how two Englishmen who had been traveling with a woman had met with a tragic end. They had each been stabbed, it seems, and the Hungarian police were of opinion that they had quarreled and had inflicted mortal injuries upon each other. Holmes, however, is, I fancy, of a different way of thinking, and holds to this day that, if one could find the Grecian girl, one might learn how the wrongs of herself and her brother came to be avenged.