sū gé lán chǎng de léi sī chuí dé xiān shēng wǎn shàng dào wǒ men zhè 'ér lái zuò zuò， yǐ jīng shì xí yǐ wéi cháng de shì liǎo。 fú 'ěr mó sī huān yíng tā de dào lái， yīn wéi zhè néng shǐ fú 'ěr mó sī liǎo jiě dào zǒng bù zài zuò xiē shénme。 fú 'ěr mó sī zǒng shì yòng xīn dì qīng tīng zhè wèi xiān shēng jiǎng shù bàn 'àn de xì jié， tóng shí tā gēn jù zì jǐ yuān bó de zhī shí hé fēng fù de jīng yàn， yě bù shí dì xiàng duì fāng tí chū yī xiē jiàn yì hé yì jiàn。
　　 yī tiān wǎn shàng léi sī chuí dé tán guò tiān qì hé bào zhǐ hòu， biàn chén mò bù yǔ， bù tíng dì chōu zhe xuějiā。 fú 'ěr mó sī jíqiè dì wàng zhe tā， wèn dào： “ shǒu tóu yòu shénme bù xún cháng de 'àn zǐ má？ ”
　　“ ā， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， méi yòu héng héng méi yòu shénme hěn tè bié de shì。”
　　“ nà me duì wǒ shuō shuō。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé xiào liǎo。
　　“ hǎo bā， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， méi yòu bì yào fǒu rèn wǒ xīn lǐ què shí yòu shì。 kě shì tā shì nà yàng huāng dàn， suǒ yǐ wǒ bù tài xiǎng má fán nǐ。 cóng lìng yī fāng miàn shuō lái， shì qíng suī xiǎo， dàn shì qí guài dé hěn。 wǒ dāng rán zhī dào nǐ duì yú yī qièbù xún cháng de shìdōu yòu xīng qù。 bù guò wǒ rèn wéi zhè jiàn shì hé huá shēng dà fū de guān xì bǐ hé wǒ men de guān xì gèng dà。”
　　 wǒ shuō：“ jí bìng？”
　　“ qǐ mǎ kě yǐ shuō shì fēng bìng， ér qiě shì qí guài de fēng bìng。 nǐ néng xiǎng dào yòu zhè yàng de shì má？ shēng huó zài jīn tiān de rén què fēi cháng chóu hèn ná pò lún， kàn dào tā de xiàng jiù yào dǎ suì。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī yǎng shēn kào zài yǐ zǐ shàng。
　　 tā shuō：“ zhè bù shì wǒ de shì。”
　　“ shì de， wǒ yǐ jīng shuō guò zhè bù shì wǒ men de shì。 dàn shì， dāng zhè gè rén pò mén 'ér rù qù dǎ suì bié rén de ná pò lún xiàng de shí hòu， nà jiù bù shì yào bǎ tā sòng dào dà fū nà 'ér， ér shì yào sòng dào zhè 'ér lái liǎo。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī yòu zuò zhí liǎo shēn zǐ。
　　“ qiǎng jié？ zhè dǎo hěn yòu yì sī。 qǐng nǐ jiǎng jiǎng xiáng xì qíng kuàng。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé ná chū tā de gōng zuò rì zhì， dǎ kāi kàn kàn， yǐ miǎn jiǎng shí yòu shénme yí lòu。
　　 tā shuō：“ sì tiān yǐ qián yòu rén lái bào liǎo dì yī gè 'àn zǐ。 shì qíng fā shēng zài mào sī · hè dé xùn de shāng diàn， tā zài kāng níng dùn jiē yòu gè fēn diàn chū shòu tú piàn hé sù xiàng。 diàn yuán gāng gāng lí kāi guì tái yī huì 'ér， tā jiù tīng dào shénme dōng xī hù xiāng zhuàng jī de shēng yīn， biàn lì kè páo dào diàn pū de qián miàn， fā xiàn yī zuò hé qí tā yì shù pǐn yī qǐ bǎi zài guì tái shàng de ná pò lún xiàng yǐ jīng bèi dǎ dé fěn suì。 tā chōng dào jiē shàng， suī rán yòu jǐ gè guò lù rén shuō tā men kàn dào yòu yī gè rén páo chū shāng diàn， dàn shì tā méi yòu zhǎo dào zhè gè rén， ér qiě yě méi rèn chū zhè gè liú máng。 zhè xiàng shì jiàn shí cháng fā shēng de háo wú yì yì de liú máng xíng wéi。 shì qíng rú shí dì bào gào liǎo xún jǐng。 shí gāo xiàng zuì duō zhí jǐ gè xiān lìng， ér quán bù shì qíng yòu hěn xiǎo， bù zhí dé zhuān mén diào chá。
　　“ dàn shì， dì 'èr gè 'àn zǐ gèng yán zhòng gèng tè shū。 jiù fā shēng zài zuó tiān wǎn shàng。
　　“ zài kāng níng dùn jiē lí mào sī · hè dé xùn de shāng diàn 'èr sān bǎi mǎ yuǎn de dì fāng， zhù zhe yī wèi zhù míng de bā 'ěr ní kē dà fū， tài wù shì hé nán 'àn yī dài yòu hěn duō rén cháng qù zhǎo tā kàn bìng。 tā de zhù zhái hé zhù yào zhěn liáo suǒ shì zài kāng níng dùn jiē， dàn shì zài liǎng yīng lǐ wài de xià bù liè kè sī dùn jiē hái yòu yī gè fēn zhěn suǒ huòyào fáng。 zhè wèi bā 'ěr ní kē dà fū yóu zhōng dì chóng bài ná pò lún， tā de jiā lǐ mǎn shì yòu guān zhè wèi fǎ guó huáng dì de shū jí、 huì huà yǐ jí yí wù。 bù jiǔ yǐ qián tā cóng hè dé xùn de shāng diàn mǎi liǎo liǎng zuò ná pò lún bàn shēn xiàng de fù zhì pǐn， zhè gè tóu xiàng hěn yòu míng， shì fǎ guó zhù míng de diāo kè jiā dí wàn de zuò pǐn。 yī zuò tā fàng zài kāng níng dùn jiē zhù zhái de dà tīng lǐ， yī zuò fàng zài xià bù liè kè sī dùn jiē zhěn suǒ de bì lú jià shàng。 hǎo， jīn tiān zǎo chén bā 'ěr ní kē dà fū yī xià lóu， tā dà chī yī jīng， fā xiàn yè lǐ céng yòu rén chuǎng rù tā de zhù zhái， bù guò chú qù dà tīng lǐ de shí gāo tóu xiàng wài， bìng méi yòu ná zǒu shénme bié de dōng xī。 nà zuò shí gāo tóu xiàng bèi ná dào wài miàn huā yuán de qiáng xià， yǐ jīng zhuàng chéng liǎo suì piàn。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī róu cuō zhe tā de shǒu。
　　 tā shuō：“ zhè què shí hěn xīn qí。”
　　“ wǒ xiǎng zhè huì shǐ nǐ gǎn xīng qù de。 dàn shì， wǒ hái méi yòu shuō wán。 bā 'ěr ní kē dà fū shí 'èr diǎn lái dào tā de zhěn suǒ， tā yī dào mǎ shàng fā xiàn chuāng hù yǐ bèi dǎ kāi liǎo， wū nèi mǎn dì shì lìng yī gè ná pò lún bàn shēn xiàng de suì piàn， nǐ kě yǐ xiǎng jiàn tā shì duō me chī jīng。 bàn shēn xiàng de dǐ zuò yě dǎ chéng xì xiǎo de suì kuài。 liǎng chù quán méi yòu rèn hé jì xiàng kě yǐ shǐ wǒ men chá dào zhì zào zhè gè 'è zuò jù de zuì fàn， huò zhě shuō shì fēng zǐ。 fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， shì qíng jīng guò jiù shì zhè yàng。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ shì qíng shì hěn qí guài， dāng rán yě hěn huāng dàn。 qǐng wèn zài bā 'ěr ní kē dà fū de jiā lǐ hé zhěn suǒ lǐ dǎ suì de liǎng gè bàn shēn xiàng hé zài hè dé xùn shāng diàn dǎ suì de nà gè， shì bù shì quán shì tóng yī mó xíng de fù zhì pǐn？”
　　“ quán shì yòng yī gè mó xíng zuò de。”
　　“ zhè gè shì shí fǒu dìng liǎo zhè yàng de shuō fǎ， jí rèn wéi zhè gè rén dǎ suì bàn shēn xiàng shì yīn wéi tòng hèn ná pò lún de yuán gù。 wǒ men zhī dào， zhěng gè lún dūn shì nèi yòu jǐ wàn gè zhè wèi huáng dì de sù xiàng， nà xiē fǎn duì 'ǒu xiàng chóng bài de rén， wú lùn shì shuí， dōubù kě néng zhǐ cóng zhè sān gè fù zhì pǐn rù shǒu biǎo shì fǎn duì。 yīn cǐ zhè zhǒng kàn fǎ shì bù hé shì de。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé shuō：“ wǒ céng jīng xiàng nǐ zhè yàng xiǎng guò。 kě shì， mào sī · hè dé xùn shì lún dūn nà yī gè qū wéi yī de sù xiàng gōng yìng zhě， zhè sān zuò xiàng zài tā de shāng diàn lǐ fàng liǎo hěn cháng shí jiān。 suǒ yǐ， jìn guǎn xiàng nǐ suǒ shuō de zài lún dūn yòu jǐ wàn gè sù xiàng， bù guò hěn yòu kě néng zhè sān gè shì nà yī qū jǐn yòu de。 suǒ yǐ， zhè gè dì qū de fēng zǐ jiù cóng zhè sān gè zhuóshǒu。 huá shēng dà fū， nǐ zěn yàng xiǎng de ní？”
　　 wǒ huí dá：“ piān zhí kuáng de biǎo xiàn shì gè zhǒng gè yàng méi yòu xiàn dù de。 yòu zhè yàng de qíng kuàng， yě jiù shì bèi dāng dài fǎ guó xīn lǐ xué jiā men chēng zuò wéi ' piān zhí de yì niàn ' de， yì sī shì zhǐ zài yī jiàn xì wēi de shì shàng gù zhí， ér zài qí tā gè gè fāng miàn què wán quán qīng xǐng。 yī gè rén ná pò lún de shì jì dú dé tài duō liǎo， yìn xiàng tài shēn liǎo， huò shì tā de jiā tíng yí chuán gěi tā dāng shí zhàn zhēng suǒ zào chéng de mǒu zhǒng xīn lǐ quē xiàn， biàn wán quán kě yǐ xíng chéng yī zhǒng ' piān zhí de yì niàn '， zài zhè yī yì niàn de yǐng xiǎng xià， tā néng gòu yīn huàn xiǎng 'ér kuáng nù。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī yáo yáo tóu shuō：“ wǒ qīn 'ài de huá shēng， bù néng zhè yàng jiě shì。 yīn wéi bù guǎn ' piān zhí de yì niàn ' chǎn shēng zěn yàng de yǐng xiǎng yě bù huì shǐ nǐ suǒ gǎn xīng qù de piān zhí kuáng huàn zhě qù zhǎo chū zhè xiē tóu xiàng fēn bù zài shénme dì fāng。”
　　“ nà me， nǐ zěn yàng jiě shì ní？”
　　“ wǒ bù xiǎng jiě shì。 wǒ zhǐ shì guān chá dào zhè wèi shēn shì cǎi qǔ zhè xiē guài pǐ xíng dòng shí shì zūn xún yī dìng fāng fǎ de。 lì rú， zài bā 'ěr ní kē dà fū de dà tīng lǐ， yī diǎn shēng yīn kě yǐ jīng xǐng quán jiā， bàn shēn xiàng shì xiān ná dào wài miàn zài dǎ suì de， ér zài zhěn liáo suǒ， méi yòu jīng dòng bié rén de wēi xiǎn， bàn shēn xiàng zài yuán dì jiù dǎ suì liǎo。 zhè xiàng shì wú guān jǐn yào de xì jié， dàn shì jīng yàn gào sù wǒ bù gāi bǎ rèn hé shì qíng qīng yì kàn chéng shì suǒ suì wú guān de。 huá shēng， nǐ hái jì dé 'ā bā niè tè jiā de nà jiàn fán rén de shì qíng shì zěn yàng yǐn qǐ wǒ zhù yì de má？ bù guò shì yóu yú kàn chū zài rè tiān fàng dào huáng yóu lǐ de qín cài huì chén duō shēn bà liǎo。 léi sī chuí dé， suǒ yǐ wǒ bù néng duì yú nǐ de sān gè pò suì de bàn shēn xiàng yī xiào zhì zhī， yào shì nǐ ràng wǒ zhī dào zhè yī lián chuàn qí yì shì jiàn de xīn fā zhǎn， wǒ huì shēn shēn gǎn xiè nǐ de。”
　　 wǒ de péng yǒu xiǎng yào liǎo jiě de shì qíng fā zhǎn dé bǐ tā xiǎng xiàng dé gèng kuài， gèng bēi cǎn。 dì 'èr tiān qīng chén wǒ zhèng zài wò shì chuān yī fú， gāng tīng dào qiāo mén shēng， fú 'ěr mó sī biàn guò lái liǎo， shǒu lǐ ná zhe yī fēng diàn bào。 tā dà shēng dú gěi wǒ tīng：
　　" lì kè dào kěn xīn dùn bǐ tè jiē １ ３１ hào lái。
　　 léi sī chuí dé "
　　 wǒ wèn：“ zěn me yī huí shì？”
　　“ bù zhī dào héng héng shénme shìdōu kě néng fā shēng。 bù guò wǒ cāi xiǎng shì bàn shēn xiàng gù shì de jì xù。 yào shì zhè yàng de huà， wǒ men zhè wèi dǎ sù xiàng de péng yǒu yǐ jīng zài lún dūn de qí tā qū kāi shǐ huó dòng liǎo。 zhuō zǐ shàng yòu kā fēi， huá shēng， wǒ yǐ jīng jiào lái liǎo yī liàng mǎ chē， kuài xiē！”
　　 guò liǎo bàn xiǎo shí wǒ men dào dá bǐ tè jiē， zhè shì yī tiáo sǐ qì chén chén de xiǎo xiàng， wèi yú lún dūn yī gè zuì fán huá dì qū de fù jìn。１３１ hào shì yī pái zhěng qí piào liàng de fáng wū zhōng de yī zuò， zhè xiē fáng wū yě hěn shí yòng。 wǒ men de mǎ chē gāng dào， biàn kàn jiàn fáng zǐ qián de shān lán wài jǐ mǎn liǎo hàoqí de rén men。 fú 'ěr mó sī kǒu lǐ fā chū shī shī shēng cái chuān guò rén qún。 " tiān 'ā！ shǎo shuō zhè yě shì móu shā。 zhè xià zǐ lún dūn de bào tóng kě yào bèi tuán tuán wéi zhù liǎo。 qiáo， sǐ zhě quán suō zhe jiān bǎng， shēn cháng liǎo bó zǐ， bù shì bào lì xíng wéi yòu shì shénme ní？ huá shēng， zhè shì zěn me yī huí shì？ shàng miàn de tái jiē chōng xǐ guò， ér qí tā de tái jiē shì gān de？ ò， jiǎo yìn dǎo shì bù shǎo！ nuò， léi sī chuí dé jiù zài qián miàn chuāng kǒu nà 'ér。 wǒ men mǎ shàng biàn huì zhī dào yī qiē。”
　　 zhè wèi jǐng guān shén sè zhuāng yán dì yíng jiē liǎo wǒ men， bìng dài wǒ men zǒu jìn yī jiān qǐ jū shì。 zhǐ jiàn yī wèi yī zhe lā tà de zhǎngzhě， shēn chuān fǎ lán róng chén yī， zhèng zài chàn wēi wēi dì lái huí duó bù。 léi sī chuí dé gěi wǒ men jiè shào shuō， tā jiù shì zhè zuò fáng zǐ de zhù rén， zhōng yāng bào kān xīn dí jiā de hè lā sī · hā kè xiān shēng。
　　 léi sī chuí dé shuō：“ yòu shì ná pò lún bàn shēn xiàng de shì。 fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， zuó tiān wǎn shàng nǐ hǎo xiàng duì tā hěn gǎn xīng qù， suǒ yǐ wǒ xiǎng nǐ lái zhè 'ér huì gāo xīng de。 xiàn zài shì qíng fā zhǎn dé yán zhòng duō liǎo。”
　　“ dào shénme chéng dù ní？”
　　“ móu shā。 hā kè xiān shēng， qǐng nǐ bǎ fā shēng de shì zhǔn què dì gào sù zhè 'èr wèi xiān shēng。”
　　 hā kè xiān shēng shuō：“ zhè jiàn shì hěn bù xún cháng。 wǒ de yī shēng quán shì zài shōu jí bié rén de xīn wén， ér xiàn zài què zài wǒ de shēn shàng fā shēng yī jiàn zhēn zhèng de xīn wén， yú shì wǒ hú tú liǎo， xīn qíng bù 'ān， yī gè zì dū xiě bù chū lái liǎo。 rú guǒ wǒ shì yǐ jì zhě shēn fèn lái dào zhè lǐ de huà， nà me wǒ jiù dé zì jǐ huì jiàn zì jǐ， hái yào zài wǎn bào shàng xiě chū liǎng lán bào dào。 shì shí shàng， yóu yú gōng zuò de guān xì， wǒ yě què shí duì xǔ duō bù tóng de réndōu zuò guò zhòng yào de bào dào， kě shì jīn tiān wǒ zì jǐ shí zài wú néng wéi lì liǎo。 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， wǒ tīng dào guò nǐ de míng zì， yào shì nǐ néng jiě shì zhè jiàn guài shì， wǒ jiǎng gěi nǐ tīng jiù bù shì tú láo liǎo。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī zuò xià lái jìng jìng dì tīng zhe。
　　“ shì qíng de qǐ yīn， hǎo xiàng shì wèile nà zuò ná pò lún bàn shēn xiàng。 nà shì wǒ sì gè yuè yǐ qián cóng gāo dì jiē yì zhàn bàng biān de dì 'èr jiā shāng diàn， yě jiù shì hā dìng xiōng dì shāng diàn mǎi lái de， jià qián hěn piányí， mǎi lái hòu jiù yī zhí bǎ tā fàng zài zhè jiān wū zǐ lǐ。 wǒ yī bān shì zài yè lǐ xiě gǎo cháng cháng yào xiě dào qīng chén， jīn tiān yě shì zhè yàng。 dà yuē sān diǎn zuǒ yòu wǒ zhèng zài lóu shàng wǒ de shū fáng lǐ， hū rán tīng dào lóu xià chuán lái shénme shēng yīn。 wǒ jiù zhù yì dì tīng zhe， kě shì， shēng yīn yòu méi yòu liǎo。 yú shì wǒ xiǎng shēng yīn yī dìng shì cóng wài miàn chuán lái de。 rán hòu， yòu guò liǎo wǔ fēn zhōng， tū rán chuán lái yī shēng fēi cháng qī cǎn de hǒu jiào， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， shēng yīn kě pà jí liǎo， zhǐ yào wǒ huó zhe， tā jiù huì yǒng yuǎn yíng rào zài wǒ 'ěr biān。 wǒ dāng shí xià dāi liǎo， zhí lèng lèng dì zuò liǎo yī liǎng fēn zhōng， hòu lái jiù ná pǔ tōng tiáo zǒu xià lóu qù。 wǒ zǒu jìn zhè jiān wū zǐ， yī yǎn jiù kàn dào chuāng hù dà kāi zhe， bì lú jià shàng de bàn shēn xiàng bù jiàn liǎo。 wǒ zhēn nòng bù dǒng qiáng dào wèishénme yào ná zhè yàng de dōng xī， bù guò shì gè shí gāo sù xiàng bà liǎo， bìng bù zhí duō shǎo qián。
　　“ nín yī dìng kàn dào liǎo， bù guǎn shì shuí， cóng zhè shàn kāi zhe de chuāng hù nà lǐ mài yī dà bù， biàn kě yǐ kuà dào mén qián de tái jiē shàng。 zhè gè qiáng dào xiǎn rán shì zhè yàng zuò de， suǒ yǐ wǒ jiù dǎ kāi mén， mō hēi zǒu chū qù， bù liào chā yī diǎn bèi yī gè sǐ rén bàn dǎo， shī tǐ jiù héng zài nà 'ér。 wǒ gǎn máng huí lái ná dēng， zhè cái kàn dào nà gè kě lián de rén tǎng zài dì shàng， bó zǐ shàng yòu gè dà dòng， zhōu wéi shì yī dà tān xuè。 tā liǎn cháo tiān tǎng zhe， xī gài wān qū， zuǐ dà zhāng zhe， yàng zǐ shí zài xià rén。 hē， wǒ yī dìng hái huì mèng jiàn tā de。 hòu lái， wǒ gǎn máng chuī liǎo yī xià jǐng shào， jiē zhe jiù shénme dōubù zhī dào liǎo。 wǒ xiǎng wǒ yī dìng shì yūndǎo liǎo， děng wǒ xǐng guò lái de shí hòu， yǐ jīng shì zài dà tīng lǐ， zhè wèi zhàn zài wǒ shēn biān kàn zhe wǒ。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī wèn， " bèi hài zhě shì shuí ní？”
　　 léi sī chuí dé shuō：“ méi yòu shénme dōng xī kě yǐ biǎo míng tā de shēnfèn。 nǐ yào kàn shī tǐ kě yǐ dào bìn yí guǎn qù， kě shì zhí dào mù qián wǒ men méi yòu cóng shī tǐ shàng chá chū rèn hé xiàn suǒ。 tā shēn gāo tǐ zhuàng， liǎn sè shài dé fā hēi， nián líng chāo bù guò sān shí suì， chuān dé hěn bù xiàng yàng zǐ， bù guò yòu bù xiàng shì gōng rén。 yòu yī bǎ niú jiǎo bǐng de zhé dāo rēng zài tā shēn bàng de yī tān xuè lǐ。 wǒ bù zhī dào zhè bǎ dāo jiū jìng shì shā rén fàn de xiōng qì， hái shì sǐ zhě de yí wù。 sǐ zhě de yī fú shàng méi yòu míng zì， tā de kǒu dài lǐ zhǐ yòu yī gè píng guǒ， yī gēn shéng zǐ， yī zhāng zhí yī xiān lìng de lún dūn dì tú， hái yòu yī zhāng zhào piàn。 zhè shì zhào piàn。”
　　 zhào piàn xiǎn rán shì yòng xiǎo zhàoxiàng jī kuài sù pāi shè de。 zhào piàn shàng de rén shén qíng jī zhì， méi máo hěn nóng， kǒu bí dōuhěn tū chū， ér qiě tū chū dé hěn tè bié， xiàng shì fèi fèi de miàn kǒng。
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī zǎi xì dì kàn guò zhào piàn yǐ hòu wèn：“ nà zuò bàn shēn xiàng zěn me yàng liǎo？”
　　“ jiù zài nǐ lái zhī qián wǒ men dé dào yī gè xiāo xī。 sù xiàng zài kān mǔ dùn jiē yī suǒ kòngfáng zǐ de huā yuán lǐ zhǎo dào liǎo， yǐ jīng bèi dǎ dé fěn suì。 wǒ yào qù kàn kàn， nǐ qù má？”
　　“ shì de， wǒ yào qù kàn yī xià。 " fú 'ěr mó sī jiǎn chá liǎo dì tǎn hé chuāng hù， tā shuō：“ zhè gè rén bù shì tuǐ hěn cháng， biàn shì dòng zuò hěn líng huó。 chuāng xià dì shì hěn dī， tiào shàng chuāng tái bìng qiě kāi kāi chuāng hù yào hěn líng qiǎo cái xíng。 kě shì tiào chū qù shì xiāng dāng róng yì de。 hā kè xiān shēng， nín yào bù yào hé wǒ men yī tóng qù kàn nà bàn shēn xiàng de cán jì ní？”
　　 zhè wèi xīn wén jiè rén shì qíng xù dī chén dì zuò dào xiě zì tái bàng。
　　 tā shuō：“ suī rán wǒ xiāng xìn jīn tiān de dì yī pī wǎn bào yǐ jīng fā xíng liǎo， shàng miàn huì yòu zhè shì de xiáng qíng， dàn shì wǒ hái shì yào jìn lì bǎ zhè jiàn shì xiě yī xià。 wǒ de mìng yùn jiù shì zhè yàng！ nǐ hái jì dé dùn kǎ sī tè de kàn tái tān dǎo de shì má？ wǒ shì ① nà gè kàn tái shàng wéi yī de jì zhě， wǒ de bào zhǐ yě shì méi yòu dēngzǎi cǐ shì de wéi yī yī jiā bào zhǐ， yīn wéi wǒ shòu de zhèn dòng tài dà， bù néng xiě liǎo。 xiàn zài dòng bǐ xiě fā shēng zài wǒ jiā mén qián de zhè jiàn xiōng shā 'àn shì wǎn liǎo yī xiē。”
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　　① yīng guó yuē kè jùn de yī gè xiǎo chéng shì。 héng héng yì zhě zhù
　　 wǒ men lí kāi zhè jiān wū zǐ de shí hòu， tīng dào tā de bǐ zài gǎo zhǐ shàng shuà shuà dì xiě zhe。
　　 dǎ suì bàn shēn xiàng de dì fāng lí zhè suǒ fáng zǐ jǐn jǐn 'èr sān bǎi mǎ yuǎn。 bàn shēn xiàng yǐ jīng bèi dǎ dé fěn suì， xì xiǎo de suì piàn sǎnluò zài cǎo dì shàng。 kě xiǎng 'ér zhī zá xiàng rén xīn zhōng de chóu hèn shì duō me qiáng liè hé nán yǐ kòng zhì。 wǒ men hái shì dì yī cì kàn dào zhè wèi wěi dà huáng dì luò dào zhè zhòngdì bù。 fú 'ěr mó sī jiǎn qǐ jǐ kuài suì piàn zǎi xì jiǎn chá。 cóng tā zhuān xīn zhì zhì de miàn róng hé zì xìn de shén tài lái kàn， wǒ què xìn tā zhǎo dào liǎo xiàn suǒ。
　　 léi sī chuí dé wèn：“ zěn me yàng？”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī sǒng liǎo sǒng jiān。
　　 tā shuō：“ wǒ men yào zuò de shì suī rán hái hěn duō， bù guò wǒ men yǐ jīng zhǎng wò liǎo yī xiē shì shí， kě yǐ zuò wéi xíng dòng de yǐ jù。 duì yú zhè gè fàn rén shuō lái， bàn shēn xiàng bǐ rén de shēng mìng zhí qián dé duō。 zhè shì yī diǎn。 hái yòu， yào shì shuō cǐ rén nòng dào bàn shēn xiàng zhǐ shì wèile dǎ suì， ér tā yòu bù zài wū nèi huò shì wū zǐ fù jìn dǎ suì， zhè yě shì yī jiàn qí guài de shì。”
　　“ yě xǔ dāng shí tā yù dào zhè gè rén biàn huāng luàn qǐ lái。 tā jiǎn zhí bù zhī dào gāi zěn yàng duì fù， biàn ná chū liǎo dāo zǐ。”
　　“ hěn kě néng shì zhè yàng de。 bù guò wǒ yào qǐng nǐ tè bié zhù yì zhè dòng fáng zǐ de wèi zhì， sù xiàng shì zài zhè dòng fáng zǐ de huā yuán lǐ bèi dǎ suì de。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé xiàng sì zhōu kàn liǎo kàn。
　　“ zhè shì yī zuò kòngfáng zǐ， suǒ yǐ tā zhī dào zài huā yuán lǐ méi yòu rén dǎ jiǎo tā。”
　　“ kě shì zài zhè tiáo jiē rù kǒu bù yuǎn de dì fāng hái yòu yī dòng kòngfáng zǐ， tā bì dìng xiān lù guò nà yī dòng cái néng dào zhè yī dòng。 jì rán tā ná zhe bàn shēn xiàng zǒu lù， měi duō zǒu yī mǎ， bèi rén pèng shàng de wēi xiǎn yě jiù yù dà xiē， wèishénme tā bù zài nà yī dòng kòngfáng zǐ nà 'ér dǎ suì ní？”
　　 léi sī chuí dé shuō：“ wǒ dá bù chū lái。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī zhǐ zhe wǒ men tóu shàng de lù dēng。
　　“ zài zhè 'ér tā néng kàn dé jiàn， zài nà 'ér què bù néng， jiù shì zhè gè lǐ yóu。”
　　 zhè wèi zhēn tàn shuō：“ āi yā， què shí shì zhè yàng。 wǒ xiǎng qǐ lái liǎo， bā 'ěr ní kē dà fū mǎi de bàn shēn xiàng shì zài lí dēng guāng bù yuǎn de dì fāng dǎ suì de。 fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， duì zhè zhǒng qíng kuàng nǐ zěn yàng bàn ní？”
　　“ jì zhù tā， bǎ tā xiě zài bèi 'àn lù lǐ。 yǐ hòu wǒ men yě xǔ huì pèng shàng yǔ cǐ shì yòu guān de qíng kuàng。 léi sī chuí dé， nǐ kǎo lǜ xià yī bù zěn yàng zuò ní？”
　　“ yǐ wǒ kàn lái， nòng qīng nèi mù de zuì hǎo bàn fǎ shì chá míng zhè gè sǐ rén de shēnfèn。 zhè shì bù nán de。 zhè yàng， wǒ men biàn huì yòu gè hěn hǎo de kāi duān， cóng 'ér kě yǐ jìn yī bù nòng qīng zuó tiān wǎn shàng sǐ zhě zài bǐ tè jiē zuò shí me， yǐ jí shuí zài hā kè xiān shēng mén qián de tái jiē shàng yù jiàn tā bìng qiě shā liǎo tā。 nǐ kàn shì zhè yàng má？”
　　“ bù cuò， shì zhè yàng； bù guò zhè hé wǒ chǔlǐ zhè gè 'àn jiàn de fāng fǎ bìng bù wán quán yī yàng。”
　　“ nà me， nǐ yào zěn yàng zuò ní？”
　　“ ō， nǐ yī diǎn yě bù yào shòu wǒ de yǐng xiǎng。 wǒ jiàn yì nǐ zuò nǐ de， wǒ zuò wǒ de。 yǐ hòu wǒ men kě yǐ jiāo huàn yì jiàn， zhè yàng jiāng huì hù xiāng qǔ cháng bǔ duǎn。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé shuō：“ hǎo bā。”
　　“ yào shì nǐ huí bǐ tè jiē， jiàn dào hā kè xiān shēng， qǐng tì wǒ gào sù tā， wǒ rèn wéi kě yǐ kěn dìng， zuó wǎn lái tā jiā de shì yī gè yòu shā rén kuáng de rén， ér qiě yòu chóu shì ná pò lún de fēng bìng。 zhè duì yú tā de bào dào shì yòu yòng de。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé níng shì zhe tā。
　　“ zhè bìng bù shì nǐ de zhēn shí yì jiàn bā？”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī xiào liǎo。
　　“ bù shì má？ yě xǔ wǒ bù zhè yàng kàn。 dàn shì， wǒ gǎn shuō zhè huì shǐ hā kè xiān shēng yǐ jí zhōng yāng bào kān xīn dí jiā de dìng hù men gǎn xīng qù。 huá shēng， wǒ men jīn tiān hái yòu hěn duō、 hěn fù zá de gōng zuò yào zuò。 léi sī chuí dé， wǒ xī wàng nǐ néng zài jīn wǎn liù diǎn zhōng dào bèi kè jiē lái hé wǒ men jiàn miàn。 wǒ xiǎng xiān yòng yī xià zhè zhāng sǐ rén kǒu dài lǐ de zhào piàn， dào wǎn shàng zài gěi nǐ。 yào shì wǒ de pàn duàn méi yòu cuò wù de huà， huò xǔ yào qǐng nǐ zài bàn yè chū qù yī tàng xié zhù wǒ men。 wǎn shàng jiàn， zhù nǐ shùn lì！”
　　 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī hé wǒ yī qǐ bù xíng dào gāo dì jiē， zǒu jìn mài bàn shēn xiàng de hā dìng xiōng dì shāng diàn。 yī gè nián qīng de diàn yuán gào sù wǒ men hā dìng xiān shēng xià wǔ cái lái， tā zì jǐ shì gè xīn shǒu， bù liǎo jiě qíng kuàng。 fú 'ěr mó sī liú lù chū shī wàng hé fán nǎo de biǎo qíng。
　　 tā shuō：“ hǎo bā， jì rán rú cǐ， wǒ men zhǐ hǎo gǎi biàn jìhuà liǎo。 kàn lái hā dìng xiān shēng shàng wǔ bù huì lái liǎo， wǒ men zhǐ hǎo xià wǔ zài lái zhǎo tā。 huá shēng， nǐ yī dìng yǐ jīng cāi dào， wǒ wèishénme yào zhuī jiū zhè xiē bàn shēn xiàng de lái yuán， wéi de jiù shì yào kàn kàn yòu méi yòu shénme tè bié de shì qíng， yǐ biàn zhèng què jiě shì zhè xiē xiàng bèi zá de yuán yīn。 xiàn zài， wǒ men xiān dào kāng níng dùn jiē hè dé xùn xiān shēng de shāng diàn， kàn tā néng bù néng gěi wǒ men yī diǎn qǐ fā。”
　　 wǒ men chéng shàng mǎ chē， yī xiǎo shí hòu， lái dào liǎo zhè jiā shāng diàn。 hè dé xùn shēn cái bù gāo， liǎn sè hóng rùn， shēn tǐ qiáng zhuàng， dàn shì tài dù xiǎn dé jí zào。
　　 tā shuō：“ shì de， xiān shēng， sù xiàng jiù shì zài wǒ zhè gè guì tái shàng dǎ suì de。 hēng！ tài bù xiàng huà liǎo！ jì rán qiáng dào kě yǐ suí xīn suǒ yù， nà wǒ men nà shuì hái yòu shénme yòng ní？ bù cuò， xiān shēng， shì wǒ mài gěi bā 'ěr ní kē dà fū liǎng zuò xiàng。 zhè zhǒng shì qíng kěn dìng shì wú zhèng fǔ zhù yì zhě gān de héng héng wǒ jiù shì zhè yàng kàn。 zhǐ yòu wú zhèng fǔ zhù yì zhě cái huì dào chù qù dǎ suì sù xiàng。 wǒ cóng nǎ 'ér nòng dào zhè xiē sù xiàng？ wǒ kàn bù chū zhè hé nà jiàn shì yòu shénme guān xì。 bù guò， nǐ shí zài xiǎng yào zhī dào， wǒ jiù gào sù nǐ， shì cóng sī jié bān ní qū jiào táng jiē gài 'ěr dé 'ěr gōng sī nòng lái de。 zhè gè gōng sī jìn 'èr shí nián lái zài shí gāo diāo sù hángyè zhōng yī zhí shì yòu míng de。 wǒ mǎi liǎo duō shǎo？ sān gè， dì yī cì shì liǎng gè， dì 'èr cì shì yī gè， gòng sān gè。 mài gěi bā 'ěr ní kē dà fū liǎng gè， hái yòu yī gè zài guāng tiān huà rì zhī xià jiù zài guì tái shàng bèi dǎ suì liǎo。 zhì yú zhào piàn shàng zhè gè rén má？ bù， wǒ bù rèn shí。 ò， bù， yě kě yǐ shuō wǒ rèn shí。 zhè bù jiù shì bèi bō má？ tā shì gè yì dà lì rén， gān líng huó de， tā zài zhè lǐ gān guò huó 'ér。 tā huì diǎn diāo kè， huì dù jīn， huì zuò kuàng zǐ， zǒng zhī huì zuò xiē líng huó。 zhè jiā huǒ shì shàng xīng qī zǒu de， cóng nà yǐ hòu méi yòu rén tí dào guò tā。 wǒ bù zhī dào tā cóng nǎ 'ér lái de， yě bù zhī dào tā shàng nǎ 'ér qù liǎo。 tā zài zhè 'ér de shí hòu， gānde bù cuò。 dǎ suì bàn shēn xiàng de shí hòu， tā yǐ jīng zǒu liǎo liǎng tiān。”
　　 cóng shāng diàn chū lái zhī hòu， fú 'ěr mó sī duì wǒ shuō：“ wǒ men cóng mào sī · hè dé xùn zhè 'ér zhǐ néng liǎo jiě zhè me duō liǎo。 nòng qīng liǎo zài kāng níng dùn jiē hé kěn xīn dùn de liǎng gè 'àn jiàn lǐ quán yòu bèi bō， jiù píng zhè yī diǎn， wǒ men zǒu liǎo shí yīng lǐ shì zhí dé de。 huá shēng， wǒ men qù sī jié bān ní qū de gài 'ěr dé 'ěr gōng sī， zhè xiē bàn shēn xiàng shì zài nà 'ér zhì zuò de。 wǒ gū jì wǒ men huì cóng nà 'ér dé dào yī xiē qíng kuàng。”
　　 yú shì， wǒ men xùn sù jiē lián chuān guò lún dūn de yī xiē fán huá dì qū： tōng guò liǎo lǚ guǎn jí zhōng de jiē dào， xì yuàn pí lín de jiē dào， shāng diàn lín lì de jiē dào， hái tōng guò liǎo lún dūn hǎi yùn gōng sī jí zhōng de dì fāng， zuì hòu dào liǎo yī gè yòu shí lái wàn rén kǒu de tài wù shì hé yán 'àn de shì zhèn。 shì zhèn de fēn zū fáng wū lǐ zhù mǎn liǎo 'ōu zhōu lái de liú làng zhě， bìng qiě mí màn zhe tā men de qì wèi hé qíng diào。 zài yī tiáo yuán shì lún dūn fù shāng jū zhù de kuān kuò jiē dào shàng， wǒ men zhǎo dào liǎo wǒ men yào zhǎo de diāo sù gōng sī de gōng chǎng， chǎng lǐ yòu gè xiāng dāng dà de yuàn zǐ， yuàn lǐ duī mǎn liǎo shí bēi děng dōng xī。 lǐ miàn yòu yī jiān hěn dà de fáng wū， wū nèi yòu wǔ shí gè gōng rén zhèng zài gànhuó。 jīng lǐ shì wèi shēn cái gāo dà pí fū bái xī de dé guó rén， tā hěn yòu lǐ mào dì jiē dài liǎo wǒ men， duì yú fú 'ěr mó sī tí de wèn tí yī yī zuò chū qīng chǔ de huí dá。 jīng chá zhàng dé zhī， yòng dí wàn de dà lǐ shí ná pò lún tóu xiàng fù zhì liǎo jǐ bǎi zuò shí gāo xiàng， dà yuē yī nián qián mài gěi mào sī · hè dé xùn de sān zuò hé lìng wài de sān zuò shì yī pī huò， lìng wài sān zuò mài gěi liǎo kěn xīn dùn de hā dìng xiōng dì gōng sī。 zhè liù zuò xiàng hé qí tā de rèn hé yī zuò bù kě néng yòu shénme bù tóng。 tā bù néng jiě shì yòu rén xiǎng yào huǐ huài zhè xiē sù xiàng de yuán yīn héng héng shí jì shàng， tā jī xiào suǒ wèi " piān zhí kuáng " de jiě shì。 sù xiàng de pī fā jià shì liù xiān lìng， dàn líng shòu shāng kě yǐ mài dào shí 'èr gè xiān lìng yǐ shàng。 fù zhì pǐn shì cóng dà lǐ shí tóu xiàng de qián hòu fēn bié zuò chū mó piàn， zài bǎ liǎng gè bàn miàn mó piàn lián zài yī qǐ， biàn gòu chéng yī gè wán zhěng de tóu xiàng。 zhè zhǒng gōng zuò cháng yóu yì dà lì rén dān dāng， tā men jiù zài zhè jiān wū nèi gōng zuò， rán hòu bǎ bàn shēn xiàng ná dào guò dào de zhuō zǐ shàng chuī gān， yī yī cún fàng qì lái。 tā néng gào sù wǒ men de， zhǐ yòu zhè me duō liǎo。
　　 kě shì， nà zhāng zhào piàn què duì zhè wèi jīng lǐ chǎn shēng liǎo qí guài de yǐng xiǎng。 tā de liǎn qì dé fā hóng， tā de tiáo dùn zú shì lán sè yǎn jīng shàng de shuāng méi jǐn zhòu。
　　 tā dà shēng shuō：“ ā， zhè gè 'è gùn！ shì de， wǒ duì tā liǎo jiě dé hěn qīng chǔ。 wǒ men zhè gè gōng sī yī xiàng míng shēng hěn hǎo， zhǐ yòu yī cì dào zhè 'ér lái liǎo， nà jiù shì yīn wéi zhè gè jiā huǒ。 nà shì yī nián duō yǐ qián de shì。 tā zài jiē shàng yòng dāo zǐ tǒng liǎo lìng yī gè yì dà lì rén， tā gāng dào chē jiān， jǐn gēn zhe jiù lái liǎo， jiù shì zài zhè 'ér bǎ tā zhuā zǒu de。 tā de míng zì jiào bèi bō héng héng wǒ cóng lái bù zhī dào tā de xìng。 gù liǎo zhè yàng yī gè pǐn xíng bù duān zhèng de rén， wǒ shì zì zhǎo dǎo méi。 dàn shì， tā hěn huì gànhuó 'ér， shì yī bǎ hǎo shǒu。”
　　“ gěi tā dìng gè shénme zuì？”
　　“ bèi tǒng de rén méi yòu sǐ， bǎ tā guān liǎo yī nián jiù fàng chū lái liǎo。 wǒ kěn dìng tā xiàn zài bù zài jiān yù lǐ， tā méi yòu gǎn zài zhè 'ér lòumiàn。 zhè 'ér yòu tā de yī gè biǎo dì， wǒ xiǎng tā huì gào sù nǐ tā zài nǎ 'ér。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī dà shēng shuō：“ bù， bù， shénme yě bù yào duì tā de biǎo dì shuō héng héng wǒ qǐng qiú nǐ yī gè zì dōubù yào shuō。 shì qíng shì hěn yán zhòng de， wǒ yuè lái yuè jué dé yán zhòng。 nǐ chá kàn nǐ mài chū zhè xiē sù xiàng de zhàng mù shí， wǒ cóng bàng kàn dào mài chū rì qī shì qù nián liù yuè sān rì。 qǐng nǐ gào sù wǒ shénme shí hòu bèi bō bèi dài bǔ de。”
　　 zhè wèi jīng lǐ huí dá：“ wǒ kàn yī xià gōng zī zhàng jiù kě yǐ gào sù nǐ dà gài de rì qī。 " tā fān guò jǐ yè hòu jì xù shuō：“ shì de， zuì hòu yī cì fā gěi tā gōng qián shì zài wǔ yuè 'èr shí hào。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ xiè xiè nǐ。 wǒ xiǎng wǒ bù bì zài dān wù nín de shí jiān hé gěi nín tiān má fán liǎo。 " tā zuì hòu zài cì zhǔ fù jīng lǐ bù yào bǎ wǒ men de diào chá shuō chū qù， wǒ men biàn qǐ shēn wǎng huí zǒu liǎo。
　　 yī zhí máng dào xià wǔ sì wǔ diǎn zhōng， wǒ men cái lái dé jí zài yī jiā fàn guǎn cōng máng dì chī liǎo wǔ fàn。 zài fàn guǎn mén kǒu， bào tóng hū jiào zhe：“ kěn xīn dùn xiōng shā 'àn， fēng zǐ shā rén。 " zhè tiáo xīn wén shuō míng， hā kè xiān shēng de bào dào zhōng yú bèi kān dēng liǎo。 bào dào zhàn liǎo liǎng lán， wén zhāng shǐ rén zhèn jīng bìng qiě cí jù piào liàng。 fú 'ěr mó sī bǎ bào zhǐ lì zài tiáowèi pǐn jià shàng yī biān chī yī biān kàn。 yòu yī liǎng cì tā gé gé dì xiào liǎo。
　　 tā shuō：“ huá shēng， shì yào zhè yàng xiě。 nǐ tīng zhè yī duàn：
　　' wǒ men gāo xīng dì gào sù dú zhě， zài zhè gè 'àn jiàn shàng méi yòu fēn qí yì jiàn， yīn wéi jīng yàn fēng fù de guān fāng zhēn tàn léi sī chuí dé xiān shēng hé zhù míng de zī xún zhēn tàn jiā fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng jūn dé chū tóng yī jié lùn， yǐ shā rén gào zhōng de zhè yī xì liè de huāng dàn shì jiàn， quán shì chū yú jīng shén shī cháng 'ér bù shì xù yì móu shā， zhǐ yòu yòng xīn lǐ shī cháng de yuán yīn， cái néng jiě shì quán bù shì jiàn。 '
　　“ zhǐ yào nǐ dǒng dé zěn yàng shǐ yòng bào zhǐ， huá shēng， bào zhǐ biàn shì fēi cháng bǎo guì de gōng jù。 nǐ yào shì chī wán liǎo， wǒ men jiù huí dào kěn xīn dùn， tīng tīng hā dìng xiōng dì gōng sī de jīng lǐ huì shuō xiē shénme。”
　　 chū hū yì liào， zhè gè dà shāng diàn de chuàng jiàn rén què shì yī gè xiāoshòu de xiǎo gè zǐ， dàn shì jīng míng qiáng gān， tóu nǎo qīng xǐng， hěn huì jiǎng huà。
　　“ shì de， xiān shēng， wǒ yǐ jīng kàn guò wǎn bào shàng de bào dào。 hā kè xiān shēng shì wǒ men de gù kè。 jǐ gè yuè qián wǒ men mài gěi liǎo tā nà zuò sù xiàng。 wǒ men cóng sī jié bān ní qū de gài 'ěr dé 'ěr gōng sī dìng liǎo sān zuò nà zhǒng sù xiàng。 xiàn zài quán mài chū qù liǎo。 mài gěi shuí liǎo？ chá yī chá wǒ men de mài huò zhàng， biàn kě yǐ lì kè gào sù nǐ。 ō， zhè jǐ bǐ zhàng zài zhè 'ér。 nǐ kàn， yī gè mài gěi hā kè xiān shēng， yī gè mài gěi qí cí wēi kè qū lā bù nuò mǔ jiē de zhuó cí yǎ · bù lǎng xiān shēng， dì sān gè mài gěi ruì dīng qū xià cóng lín jiē de shān dé fú tè xiān shēng。 nǐ gěi wǒ kàn de zhào piàn shàng de zhè gè rén， wǒ cóng lái méi yòu jiàn guò。 zhè yàng de rén shì bù róng yì wàng jì de， yīn wéi tā cháng dé tài chǒu liǎo。 nǐ wèn wǒ men de diàn yuán zhōng yòu méi yòu yì dà lì rén má？ yòu de， zài gōng rén hé qīng jié gōng zhōng yòu jǐ gè。 tā men yào xiǎng tōu kàn shòu huò zhàng shì hěn róng yì de。 wǒ xiǎng méi yòu shénme bì yào bǎ zhàng běn tè bié bǎo hù qǐ lái。 ā， shì de， nà shì yī jiàn guài shì。 yào shì nín xiǎng liǎo jiě shénme qíng kuàng， qǐng nín gào sù wǒ。”
　　 hā dìng xiān shēng zuò zhèng de shí hòu， fú 'ěr mó sī jì xià liǎo yī xiē qíng kuàng。 wǒ kàn chū tā duì yú shì qíng de fā zhǎn shì hěn mǎn yì de。 kě shì， tā méi shuō shénme， zhǐ shì jí yú gǎn huí qù， bù rán jiù huì dān wù hé léi sī chuí dé jiàn miàn。 guǒ rán wǒ men dào bèi kè jiē de shí hòu， tā yǐ jīng dào liǎo， tā zhèng zài wū nèi hěn bù nài fán dì duó lái duó qù。 tā nà yán sù de yàng zǐ shuō míng tā zhè yī tiān gōng zuò dé hěn yòu chéng jì。
　　 tā wèn：“ zěn me yàng？ fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， yòu chéng jì má？”
　　 wǒ de péng yǒu jiě shì dào：“ wǒ men jīn tiān hěn máng， ér qiě méi yòu bái guò。 líng shòu shāng hé pī fā zhì zào shāng wǒ men quán jiàn dào liǎo。 wǒ nòng qīng liǎo měi gè sù xiàng de lái yuán。”
　　 léi sī chuí dé hǎn dào：“ bàn shēn xiàng！ hǎo， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， nǐ yòu nǐ de fāng fǎ， wǒ bù yīnggāi fǎn duì， dàn shì wǒ rèn wéi wǒ zhè yī tiān bǐ nǐ gānde hǎo。 wǒ chá qīng liǎo sǐ zhě de shēnfèn。”
　　“ shì má？”
　　“ bìng qiě chá chū liǎo fàn zuì de yuán yīn。”
　　“ hǎo jí liǎo。”
　　“ wǒ men yòu gè zhēn tàn， míng jiào sà fú lún · xī 'ěr， tā zhuān mén fù zé yì dà lì qū。 sǐ zhě de bó zǐ shàng guà zhe tiān zhù xiàng， jiā shàng tā pí fū de yán sè， shǐ wǒ rèn wéi tā shì cóng 'ōu zhōu nán bù lái de。 zhēn tàn xī 'ěr yī kàn jiàn shī tǐ， biàn rèn chū liǎo tā。 tā de míng zì shì bǐ 'āi zhuō · wàn nǔ qí， cóng nà bù lè sī lái de。 tā shì lún dūn yòu míng de qiáng dào。 tā hé hēi shǒu dǎng yòu lián xì。 nǐ zhī dào hēi shǒu dǎng shì gè mì mì zǔ zhì， xiǎng yào tōng guò 'àn shā shí xiàn tā men de xìn tiáo。 xiàn zài kàn lái， shì qíng zhú jiàn qīng chǔ liǎo。 lìng wài nà gè rén kě néng yě shì gè yì dà lì rén， bìng qiě yě shì hēi shǒu dǎng。 tā dà gài shì wéi fàn liǎo hēi shǒu dǎng mǒu yī fāng miàn de jì lǜ。 bǐ 'āi zhuō shì zài gēn zōng tā。 bǐ 'āi zhuō kǒu dài zhōng de zhào piàn kě néng jiù shì lìng wài nà gè rén de， dài zhào piàn shì wéi liǎo nòng zhǔn。 tā wěi suí zhe zhè gè rén， kàn jiàn tā jìn liǎo yī dòng fáng zǐ， jiù zài wài miàn děng zhe， hòu lái zài niǔ dǎ zhōng tā shòu liǎo zhì mìng shāng。 xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， zhè gè jiě shì zěn yàng？”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī zàn shǎng dì pāi zhuóshǒu。
　　 tā hǎn dào：“ hǎo jí liǎo， léi sī chuí dé， hǎo jí liǎo！ kě shì， wǒ méi yòu wán quán míng bái nǐ duì yú dǎ suì bàn shēn xiàng de jiě shì。”
　　“ bàn shēn xiàng！ nǐ zǒng shì wàng bù liǎo bàn shēn xiàng。 nà suàn bù liǎo shénme； xiǎo tōu xiǎo mō， zuì duō guān liù gè yuè jiān yù。 wǒ men rèn wéi diào chá de shì xiōng shā， lǎo shí shuō， suǒ yòu de xiàn suǒ wǒ quándōu nòng dào shǒu liǎo。”
　　“ xià yī bù ní？”
　　“ nà hěn jiǎn dān。 wǒ hé xī 'ěr dào yì dà lì qū， àn zhào zhào piàn zhǎo rén， yǐ xiōng shā zuì dài bǔ tā。 nǐ hé wǒ men yī kuài 'ér qù má？”
　　“ wǒ bù xiǎng qù。 wǒ xiǎng wǒ men kě yǐ gèng róng yì dì dá dào mùdì。 wǒ bù néng shuō zhǔn， zhè quán kàn héng héng quán kàn yī gè wǒ men gēn běn bù néng kòng zhì de yīn sù。 dàn shì xī wàng hěn dà héng héng kě yǐ shuō yòu sān fēn zhī 'èr de bǎ wò héng héng yào shì nǐ jīn tiān wǎn shàng hé wǒ men yī tóng qù， wǒ néng bāng zhù nǐ dài bǔ tā。”
　　“ zài yì dà lì qū？”
　　“ bù， wǒ xiǎng hěn kě néng huì zài qí cí wēi kè qū zhǎo dào tā。 léi sī chuí dé， nǐ rú guǒ jīn tiān wǎn shàng hé wǒ yī tóng qù qí cí wēi kè qū， nà me míng tiān wǎn shàng wǒ yī dìng péi nǐ qù yì dà lì qū， dān wù yī gè wǎn shàng bù huì 'ài shì de。 wǒ kàn wǒ men xiàn zài xiān dé shuì jǐ gè xiǎo shí cái hǎo， yīn wéi yào wǎn shàng shí yī diǎn yǐ hòu chū qù， dà gài tiān liàng cái néng huí lái。 léi sī chuí dé， nǐ hé wǒ men yī qǐ chī fàn， rán hòu zài shā fā shàng xiū xī。 huá shēng， nǐ zuì hǎo néng dǎ diàn huà jiào yī gè jǐn jí tōng xìn yuán， wǒ yòu yī fēng hěn yào jǐn de xìn bì xū lì kè sòng chū qù。”
　　 shuō wán， fú 'ěr mó sī jiù zǒu shàng gé lóu， qù fān yuè jiù bào zhǐ de hé dìng běn。 guò liǎo hěn cháng shí jiān， tā cái zǒu xià lóu lái， yǎn jīng lǐ liú lù chū shèng lì de mù guāng， bù guò tā duì wǒ men liǎng gè rén shénme yě méi shuō。 zhè gè fù zá de 'àn jiàn jǐ jīng zhōu zhé， wǒ yī bù yī bù dì zhù shì zhe fú 'ěr mó sī zhēn jī zhōng suǒ cǎi qǔ de fāng fǎ。 suī rán wǒ hái bù néng kàn qīng wǒ men yào dá dào de mùdì， kě shì wǒ shí fēn qīng chǔ fú 'ěr mó sī zài děng dài zhè gè huāng dàn de zuì fàn qù gǎo lìng wài liǎng zuò bàn shēn xiàng。 wǒ jì dé qí zhōng yòu yī gè shì zài qí cí wēi kè qū。 háo wú yí wèn， wǒ men cǐ xíng de mùdì jiù shì yào dāng chǎng zhuā dào tā。 suǒ yǐ， wǒ hěn zàn shǎng wǒ de péng yǒu de jī zhì， tā zài wǎn bào shàng sài jìn liǎo yī gè cuò wù de xiàn suǒ， shǐ dé zhè gè rén yǐ wéi tā kě yǐ jì xù zuò 'àn 'ér bù shòu chéng fá。 yīn cǐ， fú 'ěr mó sī ràng wǒ dài shàng shǒu qiāng de shí hòu， wǒ bìng bù gǎn dào chī jīng。 tā zì jǐ ná liǎo zhuāng hǎo zǐ dàn de liè qiāng， zhè shì tā zuì xǐ 'ài de wǔ qì。
　　 shí yī diǎn zhōng， wǒ men chéng shàng mǎ chē lái dào liǎo hàn mò sī mì sī qiáo， xià chē hòu， wǒ men gào sù mǎ chē fū zài nà 'ér děng hòu， rán hòu jì xù xiàng qián zǒu， bù jiǔ jiù lái dào yī tiáo píng jìng de dà lù shàng， lù bàng yòu yī pái qí zhěng de fáng zǐ， měi yī suǒ fáng qián quán yòu zì jǐ de huā yuán。 jiè zhe lù dēng de wēi guāng， wǒ men zhǎo dào liǎo xiě yòu " lā bù nuò mǔ bié shù " de mén pái。 zhù rén xiǎn rán yǐ jīng xiū xī liǎo， yīn wéi zài huā yuán de xiǎo dào shàng， chú liǎo cóng mén méi chuāng lǐ tòu chū de yī juàn mó hú de guāng liàng zhī wài， zhōu wéi quán shì yī qī hēi 'àn。 gé kāi dà lù hé huā yuán de mù shān lán， zài yuán nèi tóu xià yī piàn shēn shēn de hēi yǐng， wǒ men zhèng hǎo duǒ zài nà lǐ。
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī dī shēng shuō：“ kǒng pà wǒ men yào děng hěn jiǔ。 xiè xiè lǎo tiān yé， jīn wǎn méi xià yǔ。 wǒ men bù néng zài zhè 'ér chōu yān， zhè yàng xiāo mó shí jiān kě bù 'ān quán。 bù guò nǐ men fàng xīn， shì qíng yǐ yòu sān fēn zhī 'èr de bǎ wò， suǒ yǐ wǒ men chī diǎn kǔ hái shì huá dé lái de。”
　　 chū hū yì liào de shì， wǒ men shǒu hòu de shí jiān bìng bù cháng， tū rán tīng dào yòu liǎo dòng jìng。 shì xiān méi yòu yī diǎn shēng yīn yù shì yòu rén dào lái， dà mén jiù yī xià zǐ bèi tuī kāi liǎo， yī gè líng huó de hēi sè rén yǐng xiàng hóu zǐ yī yàng xùn sù 'ér yòu mǐn jié dì chōng dào huā yuán de xiǎo lù shàng。 wǒ men kàn jiàn zhè gè rén yǐng jí sù chuān guò mén méi chuāng yìng zài dì shàng de dēng guāng， biàn xiāo shī zài fáng zǐ de hēi yǐng zhōng。 zhè shí sì zhōu wán quán jì jìng wú shēng， wǒ men píng zhù liǎo hū xī。 yī huì 'ér gōng fū， hū rán tīng dào qīng wēi de gā zī yī shēng， chuāng hù yǐ jīng dǎ kāi liǎo。 shēng yīn xiāo shì liǎo， jiē zhe yòu shì cháng shí jiān de jìng jì。 gū jì zhè gè rén zhèng zài shè fǎ qián rù shì nèi。 yī huì 'ér， wǒ men yòu kàn dào yī zhǐ shēn sè dēng lóng de guāng zài shì nèi shǎn liǎo yī xià。 tā suǒ zhǎo de dōng xī xiǎn rán bù zài nà 'ér， yīn wéi wǒ men gé zhe lìng yī chuāng lián yòu kàn dào yī xià shǎn guāng， rán hòu gé zhe dì sān gè chuāng lián yòu yòu yī cì shǎn guāng。
　　 léi sī chuí dé dī shēng shuō：“ wǒ men dào nà gè kāi zhe de chuāng hù nà 'ér qù。 tā yī pá chū lái， wǒ men jiù néng lì jí zhuā zhù tā。”
　　 dàn shì wǒ men hái méi yòu lái dé jí dòng， zhè gè rén biàn yòu chū xiàn liǎo。 dāng tā zǒu dào xiǎo lù shàng nà kuài shǎn shuò zhe wēi guāng de dì fāng de shí hòu， wǒ men kàn dào tā yè xià jiā zhe yī jiàn bái sè de dōng xī。 tā guǐ guǐ suì suì dì sì xià zhāng wàng zhe。 jì jìng wú shēng de jiē dào gěi tā zhuàng liǎo jǐ fēn dǎn。 tā zhuǎn guò shēn qù， bèi xiàng wǒ men， fàng xià zhè jiàn dōng xī， gēn zhe shì hěn xiǎng de " pā dā " yī shēng， jiē zhe yòu shì " gé gé " de lián xù xiǎng shēng。 tā gān dé hěn zhuān xīn， suǒ yǐ dāng wǒ men qiāoqiāo dì chuān guò yī kuài cǎo dì shí， tā bìng méi yòu tīng jiàn wǒ men de jiǎo bù shēng。 yú shì fú 'ěr mó sī měng hǔ bān dì pū xiàng tā de bèi hòu， léi sī chuí dé hé wǒ lì jí zhuā zhù tā de shǒu wàn bìng qiě gěi tā dài shàng liǎo shǒu kào。 dāng wǒ men bǎ tā niǔ zhuǎn guò lái shí， wǒ kàn dào yī fù liǎng jiá shēn xiàn qí chǒu wú bǐ de miàn kǒng， tā de yǎn jīng nù shì zhe wǒ men， tā de miàn kǒng zài chōu chù， wǒ zhè cái kàn qīng wǒ men zhuā dào de què shí shì zhào piàn shàng de nà gè rén。
　　 kě shì， fú 'ěr mó sī què bù qù zhù yì wǒ men zhuā dào de rén， tā dūn zài tái jiē shàng zǎi xì dì jiǎn chá zhè gè rén cóng wū lǐ ná chū lái de dōng xī。 zhè shì yī zuò ná pò lún de bàn shēn xiàng， hé wǒ men nà tiān zǎo chén kàn dào de yī yàng， bìng qiě yě shì tóng yàng bèi dǎ chéng xiǎo suì piàn。 fú 'ěr mó sī bǎ suì piàn ná dào liàng guāng xià rèn zhēn dì jiǎn chá， méi yòu kàn chū zhè xiē shí gāo suì piàn yòu shénme tè shū de dì fāng。 tā gāng gāng jiǎn chá wán， wū lǐ de dēng yī liàng， mén kāi liǎo， fáng wū de zhù rén， yī wèi hé 'ǎi、 féi pàng de rén， chuānzhuó chèn shān hé cháng kù chū xiàn zài wǒ men miàn qián。
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ wǒ xiǎng nín shì zhuó cí yǎ · bù lǎng xiān shēng bā？”
　　“ shì de， xiān shēng， nín zhǔn shì fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng bā？ wǒ shōu dào tōng xùn yuán sòng lái de jí xìn， biàn wán quán 'àn zhào nǐ suǒ shuō de zuò liǎo。 wǒ men bǎ měi shàn mén quán cóng lǐ miàn suǒ shàng， děng dài shì qíng de fā zhǎn。 wǒ hěn gāo xīng nǐ men zhuā dào liǎo zhè gè liú máng， xiān shēng men， qǐng nǐ men dào wū lǐ lái xiū xī yī xià。”
　　 rán 'ér léi sī chuí dé jí yú bǎ fàn rén sòng dào 'ān quán de dì fāng， suǒ yǐ méi yòu jǐ fēn zhōng biàn jiào lái mǎ chē， wǒ men sì gè rén dòng shēn qù lún dūn liǎo。 fàn rén yī jù huà yě bù shuō， tā de yǎn jīng cóng luàn péng péng de tóu fā yīn yǐng lǐ 'è hěn hěn dì kàn zhe wǒ men， yòu yī cì wǒ de shǒu lí tā jiào jìn， tā biàn xiàng 'è láng yī yàng dì měng zhuā guò lái。 wǒ men zài jú duì tā jìn xíng liǎo sōu chá， tā shēn shàng chú qù jǐ gè xiān lìng hé yī bǎ dāo shēn hěn cháng de dāo zǐ zhī wài， shénme yě méi yòu， dāobà shàng yòu xǔ duō xīn de xuè jì。
　　 fēn shǒu de shí hòu， léi sī chuí dé shuō：“ shì qíng jiù shì zhè yàng liǎo。 xī 'ěr hěn liǎo jiě zhè xiē liú máng， tā huì gěi tā dìng zuì de。 nǐ kàn， wǒ yòng hēi shǒu dǎng lái jiě shì bìng méi yòu cuò， bù guò， fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， wǒ fēi cháng gǎn xiè nǐ zhè yàng qiǎo miào dì zhuā zhù liǎo tā， kě wǒ hái méi wán quán dǒng dé zhè shì zěn me yī huí shì。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ shí jiān tài wǎn， bù néng jiě shì liǎo。 lìng wài， hái yòu yī liǎng jiàn xiǎo shì méi yòu nòng qīng chǔ， zhè gè 'àn jiàn shì yīnggāi gǎo chè dǐ de。 yào shì nǐ míng tiān wǎn shàng liù diǎn zhōng dào wǒ jiā lái， wǒ huì gěi nǐ shuō míng zhí dào xiàn zài nǐ hái méi yòu wán quán liǎo jiě de zhè gè 'àn jiàn de yì yì。 zǒng de shuō lái， zhè gè 'àn jiàn què shí yòu dú tè de dì fāng。 huá shēng， yào shì wǒ tóng yì nǐ jì xù jì lù wǒ bàn de yī xiē 'àn zǐ， wǒ gǎn shuō zhè zhuāng 'àn zǐ yī dìng huì shǐ nǐ de jìzǎi zēng sè bù shǎo。”
　　 dào dì 'èr tiān wǎn shàng dà jiā jiàn miàn de shí hòu， léi sī chuí dé gěi wǒ men jiǎng liǎo zhè gè fàn rén de xiáng xì qíng kuàng。 wǒ men yǐ jīng zhī dào fàn rén míng zì jiào bèi bō， dàn xìng shì bù xiáng， tā zài yì dà lì rén jù jí de dì fāng shì gè chū míng de huài dàn。 tā hěn huì zhì zào sù xiàng， yī dù lǎo lǎo shí shí dì guò rì zǐ， kě shì hòu lái tā zǒu shàng liǎo wāi dào， liǎng cì bèi bǔ， yī cì shì yīn wéi tōu liǎo yī diǎn dōng xī， lìng yī cì shì yīn wéi cì shāng liǎo tā de yī gè tóng xiāng。 tā yīng yǔ jiǎng dé hěn hǎo。 tā huǐ huài zhè xiē sù xiàng de yuán yīn hái bù qīng chǔ， tā jù jué huí dá zhè fāng miàn de wèn tí。 kě shì fā xiàn zhè xiē sù xiàng kě néng shì tā qīn shǒu zuò de， yīn wéi tā zài gài 'ěr dé 'ěr gōng sī de shí hòu shì zuò zhè zhǒng gōng zuò de。 duì yú zhè xiē wǒ men yǐ jīng zhī dào de qíng kuàng， fú 'ěr mó sī zhǐ shì yòu lǐ mào dì tīng zhe， dàn shì wǒ míng què dì gǎn dào héng héng yīn wéi wǒ hěn liǎo jiě tā héng héng tā de sī xiǎng shì zài bié chù。 wǒ jué chá dào， zài tā guàn yòu de miàn bù biǎo qíng xià， jiāo zhì zhe bù 'ān hé qī dài。 zuì hòu， tā cóng yǐ zǐ shàng zhàn qǐ lái liǎo， tā de yǎn jīng shǎn shǎn fā guāng。 zhè shí mén líng xiǎng liǎo。 yī huì 'ér wǒ men tīng dào lóu tī shàng yòu jiǎo bù shēng， pú rén lǐng jìn lái yī wèi miàn sè hóng rùn、 cháng zhe huī bái sè lián bìn hú de lǎo nián rén。 tā shǒu lǐ ná zhe yī gè lǚ xíng dài， jìn mén hòu bǎ tā fàng dào zhuō zǐ shàng。
　　“ xiē luò kè · fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng zài zhè 'ér má？”
　　 wǒ de péng yǒu diǎn liǎo diǎn tóu， bìng qiě wēi xiào yī xià shuō：“ wǒ xiǎng nín shì ruì dīng qū de shān dé fú tè xiān shēng？”
　　“ shì de， wǒ dà gài shì chí dào liǎo yī huì 'ér， huǒ chē tài bù fāng biàn liǎo。 nín gěi wǒ xiě xìn tán dào wǒ mǎi de bàn shēn xiàng。”
　　“ shì de。”
　　“ nín de xìn zài zhè 'ér。 nín shuō： ' wǒ xiǎng yào yī zuò fǎng dí wàn sù de ná pò lún xiàng， duì yú nín de nà zuò wǒ yuàn yì fù shí bàng。 ' shì zhè yàng má？”
　　“ bù cuò， shì zhè yàng。”
　　“ wǒ duì nín de lái xìn gǎn dào yì wài， yīn wéi wǒ xiǎng xiàng bù chū nín zěn me huì zhī dào wǒ yòu zhè gè xiàng。”
　　“ dāng rán nín huì gǎn dào yì wài， kě shì lǐ yóu què hěn jiǎn dān。 hā dìng gōng sī de hā dìng xiān shēng shuō， tā men bǎ zuì hòu de yī zuò mài gěi liǎo nín， bìng qiě bǎ nín de dì zhǐ gào sù liǎo wǒ。”
　　“ ō， shì zhè me yī huí shì！ tā gào sù nín wǒ huā liǎo duō shǎo qián má？”
　　“ méi yòu， tā méi shuō。”
　　“ wǒ suī rán bìng bù fù yòu， dàn shì wǒ shì chéng shí de。 wǒ zhǐ yòng liǎo shí wǔ gè xiān lìng， wǒ xiǎng zài wǒ ná zǒu nín shí bàng zhǐ bì zhī qián， nín yīnggāi zhī dào zhè yī diǎn。”
　　“ shān dé fú tè xiān shēng， nín de gù lǜ shuō míng nín de chéng shí。 jì rán wǒ yǐ jīng dìng liǎo zhè gè jià qián， wǒ yào jiān chí zhè yàng zuò。”
　　“ fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， nín hěn kāng kǎi。 wǒ 'àn zhào nín de yào qiú， dài lái liǎo zhè zuò xiàng。 zhè jiù shì！ " tā jiě kāi dài zǐ。 yú shì， wǒ men zǒng suàn kàn dào liǎo yī zuò wán zhěng de ná pò lún xiàng； yǐ qián jǐ cì， wǒ men jiàn dào dedōu shì suì piàn。
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī cóng yī dài zhōng qǔ chū yī zhāng zhǐ tiáo hé yī zhāng shí bàng de zhǐ bì fàng dào zhuō zǐ shàng。
　　“ shān dé fú tè xiān shēng， qǐng nín dāng zhe zhè jǐ wèi zhèng rén zài zhè zhāng tiáo zǐ shàng qiān míng。 zhè zhǐ shì biǎo míng， nín duì yú zhè zuò sù xiàng de zhàn yòu quán hé yòu guān de yī qiē quán lì， quán bù zhuǎn ràng gěi wǒ。 wǒ shì yī gè xún guī dǎo jǔ de rén， yī gè rén yǒng yuǎn wú fǎ yù jiàn jiāng lái huì chū shénme shì。 xiè xiè nín， shān dé fú tè xiān shēng， zhè shì nín de qián， zhù nín wǎn 'ān。”
　　 kè rén zǒu liǎo yǐ hòu， fú 'ěr mó sī de xíng dòng yǐn qǐ wǒ men de zhù yì。 tā cóng chōu tì lǐ ná chū yī kuài bái bù， pū zài zhuō zǐ shàng， yòu bǎ xīn mǎi lái de bàn shēn xiàng fàng zài bái bù zhōng jiān。 rán hòu tā duān qǐ liè qiāng， měng dì wǎng ná pò lún xiàng de tóu dǐng shàng fàng liǎo yī qiāng， yú shì xiàng lì kè biàn chéng liǎo suì piàn。 fú 'ěr mó sī wān xià yāo lái， jíqiè dì chá kàn zhe zhè xiē fēn sàn de suì piàn。 bù yī huì 'ér， tā biàn dé yì dì hǎn liǎo qǐ lái， wǒ kàn dào， tā shǒu lǐ gāo jǔ zhe yī kuài suì piàn， suì piàn shàng qiàn zhe yī kē shēn sè de dōng xī， jiù xiàng bù dīng shàng de pú táo gān yī yàng。
　　 tā rǎng dào：“ xiān shēng men， ràng wǒ bǎ zhù míng de bāo gé sī hēi zhēn zhū jiè shào gěi nǐ men bā！”
　　 léi sī chuí dé hé wǒ yī xià zǐ lèng zhù liǎo。 jí dù de jīng tàn shǐ wǒ men tū rán gǔ qǐ zhǎng lái， hǎo xiàng kàn xì kàn dào liǎo zuì jīng cǎi de guān jiàn bù fēn。 fú 'ěr mó sī cāng bái de miàn kǒng fàn chū hóng yùn， tā xiàng wǒ men jū liǎo yī gōng， jiù xiàng zhù míng de jù zuò jiā zài dá xiè guān zhòng de shèng qíng。 zhǐ shì zài zhè yàng de shí kè， tā cái zàn shí zhōng duàn lǐ xìng de sī kǎo， ér liú lù chū xǐ huān shòu dào zàn yáng de rén zhī cháng qíng。 péng yǒu de jīng qí hé zàn yáng jìng rán shēn shēn dì dǎ dòng liǎo zhè yàng yī gè miè shì shì sú de róng yù、 xìng gé dú tè、 chén mò guǎ yán de rén。
　　 tā shuō：“ xiān shēng men， zhè shì shì jiè shàng xiàn yòu de zuì zhù míng de zhū bǎo， wǒ shì hěn xìng yùn de， néng gòu yǐ zhào yī xì liè de guī nà fǎ， cóng zhè kē zhēn zhū yí shī de dì fāng héng héng kē lóng nà wáng zǐ zài dá kē 'ěr lǚ guǎn de wò shì kāi shǐ， zhuī chá dào sī jié bān ní dì qū de gài 'ěr dé 'ěr gōng sī suǒ zào de liù gè ná pò lún xiàng zhī yī。 léi sī chuí dé， nǐ hái jì dé bā， zhè kē wú jià de zhēn bǎo yí shī zhī hòu zào chéng liǎo duō me dà de zhèn dòng， dāng shí lún dūn de tú láo wú gōng。 zài zhè jiàn 'àn zǐ shàng， tā men xún wèn guò wǒ de yì jiàn， dàn shì wǒ tí bù chū rèn hé bàn fǎ。 huái yí guò wáng fēi de nǚ pú， tā shì gè yì dà lì rén， dāng jú chá míng tā yòu yī gè xiōng dì zài lún dūn， dàn shì wǒ men méi yòu nòng qīng tā men zhī jiān yòu wú lián xì， nǚ pú de míng zì jiào lú kè ruì shí yǎ · wàn nǔ qí。 wǒ xiǎng liǎng tiān yǐ qián bèi shā hài de bǐ 'āi zhuō biàn shì tā de xiōng dì。 wǒ chá kàn guò bào shàng de rì qī， zhēn zhū shì zài bèi bō bèi bǔ qián liǎng tiān yí shī de。 dài bǔ bèi bō shì yīn wéi tā dǎ shāng liǎo rén， zài gài 'ěr dé 'ěr gōng sī zhuā de， nà shí tā zhèng zuò zhè xiē sù xiàng。 nǐ men xiàn zài kě yǐ wán quán míng bái shì qíng fā shēng de shùn xù liǎo， dāng rán， wǒ sī kǎo de shí hòu， sī lù yǔ zhè xiē shì jiàn de shùn xù zhèng hǎo xiāng fǎn。 bèi bō què shí ná dào liǎo zhēn zhū。 tā kě néng shì cóng bǐ 'āi zhuō nà 'ér tōu lái de， tā yě kě néng jiù shì bǐ 'āi zhuō de tóng móu， hái yòu kě néng shì bǐ 'āi zhuō hé tā mèi mèi de zhōng jiān rén。 bù guò zhè xiē duì yú wǒ men wú guān jǐn yào。
　　“ zhòng yào de shì shí shì tā zhàn yòu liǎo zhè kē zhēn zhū， zhèng dāng tā shēn shàng dài zhe zhè kē zhēn zhū de shí hòu， lái zhuī bǔ tā。 tā páo dào tā gōng zuò de gōng chǎng， tā zhī dào tā zhǐ yòu jǐ fēn zhōng de shí jiān liǎo， dàn shì bì xū bǎ zhè kē wú jià zhī bǎozàng hǎo， fǒu zé biàn huì zài sōu shēn de shí hòu， bèi sōu chū。 dāng shí liù zuò ná pò lún de shí gāo xiàng zhèng fàng zài guò dào chuī gān， yī zuò hái shì ruǎn de。 bèi bō shì yī gè shú liàn gōng rén， suǒ yǐ lì kè zài shī shí gāo shàng wā liǎo yī gè xiǎo dòng， bǎ zhēn zhū fàng dào lǐ miàn， rán hòu yòu mǒ liǎo jǐ xià， bǎ xiǎo dòng mǒ píng。 shí gāo xiàng shì gè lǐ xiǎng de wàiqiào， méi yòu rén huì xiǎng dào zài nà lǐ néng zhǎo dào zhè kē zhēn zhū。 bèi bō bèi guān liǎo yī nián， tóng shí tā de liù zuò shí gāo xiàng bèi mài dào lún dūn gè chù。 tā bù zhī dào nǎ zuò xiàng lǐ yòu nà kē zhēn zhū。 yáo bǎi shí gāo xiàng shì bù qǐ zuò yòng de， yīn wéi zhēn zhū huì nián zài shī shí gāo shàng， yīn cǐ， zhǐ yòu bǎ shí gāo xiàng dǎ suì， cái néng zhǎo dào tā。 bèi bō bìng méi yòu shī wàng， tā hěn jī líng yòu yòu yì lì， biàn jì xù xún zhǎo。 tōng guò yī gè zài gài 'ěr dé 'ěr gōng sī gōng zuò de táng xiōng dì， tā nòng qīng liǎo mǎi zhè xiē xiàng de shì nǎ jǐ jiā líng shòu gōng sī。 yú shì tā shè fǎ zài mào sī · hè dé xùn gōng sī dé dào gù yòng， zhè yàng tā chá míng liǎo sān zuò sù xiàng de qù chù。 zhēn zhū bù zài zhè sān zuò lǐ。 rán hòu zài qí tā yì dà lì gù gōng de bāng zhù xià， tā yòu nòng qīng lìng wài sān zuò sù xiàng de qù chù。 yī zuò shì zài hā kè xiān shēng jiā。 zài nà 'ér tā bèi tā de tóng móu suǒ gēn zōng， zhè gè rén rèn wéi tā yìng duì diū shī zhēn zhū fù zé， zài hòu lái de bó dǒu zhōng tā cì sǐ liǎo tā de tóng móu。”
　　 wǒ wèn：“ yào shì tā shì tā de tóng móu， wèishénme hái dài zhe tā de zhào piàn？”
　　“ nà shì wèile zhuī xún tā yòng de， yào shì tā xiǎng xiàng dì sān zhě xún wèn bèi bō de shí hòu kě yǐ ná chū lái。 zhè gè dào lǐ shì hěn míng xiǎn de。 wǒ xiǎng bèi bō zài shā rén yǐ hòu， xíng dòng huì jiā kuài， ér bù huì yán chí。 tā pà fā xiàn tā de mì mì， suǒ yǐ tā yào zài zhuī bǔ tā zhī qián jiā sù xíng dòng。 dāng rán， wǒ bù néng kěn dìng dì shuō， tā zài hā kè mǎi de bàn shēn xiàng zhōng méi yòu zhǎo dào nà kē zhēn zhū。 wǒ shèn zhì bù néng duàn dìng shí gāo xiàng lǐ cáng de shì zhēn zhū， dàn shì wǒ hěn qīng chǔ tā shì zài zhǎo shénme dōng xī， yīn wéi tā bǎ bàn shēn xiàng ná chū qù， zǒu guò jǐ dòng fáng wū， zài yòu dēng de huā yuán lǐ cái bǎ tā dǎ suì。 jì rán hā kè mǎi de bàn shēn xiàng shì sān gè lǐ miàn de yī gè， nà me yě jiù zhèng míng liǎo wǒ gào sù nǐ men de， zhēn zhū zài lǐ miàn de kě néng xìng shì sān fēn zhī yī。 hái yòu liǎng gè bàn shēn xiàng， hěn xiǎn rán tā yào xiān zhǎo zài lún dūn de nà yī gè。 wǒ jǐng gào fáng zǐ de zhù rén， yǐ bì miǎn fā shēng dì 'èr cì cǎn 'àn， rán hòu wǒ men biàn xíng dòng liǎo， bìng qiě qǔ dé liǎo zuì hǎo de chéng jì。 dāng rán， zhǐ shì zài zhè gè shí hòu， wǒ cái míng què dì zhī dào wǒ men yào zhǎo de shì bāo gé sī de zhēn zhū。 bèi hài zhě de xìng míng shǐ wǒ bǎ liǎng gè shì jiàn lián xì qǐ lái。 nà me zhǐ shèng xià yī gè bàn shēn xiàng héng héng zài ruì dīng qū de nà zuò liǎo héng héng 'ér qiě zhēn zhū bì dìng zài nà gè xiàng lǐ miàn， suǒ yǐ， wǒ dāng zhe nǐ men de miàn cóng wù zhù nà 'ér mǎi lái héng héng zhēn zhū jiù zài zhè 'ér。”
　　 wǒ men mò mò dì zuò liǎo yī huì 'ér。
　　 léi sī chuí dé shuō：“ fú 'ěr mó sī xiān shēng， wǒ kàn nǐ chǔlǐ guò xǔ duō 'àn jiàn， dàn shì dōubù xiàng chǔlǐ zhè gè 'àn jiàn nà yàng qiǎo miào。 wǒ men sū gé lán chǎng de rén bù shì jí dù nǐ， bù shì de， xiān shēng， ér shì yǐn yǐ wéi róng。 rú guǒ míng tiān nǐ néng qù de huà， bù guǎn shì lǎo de zhēn tàn hái shì nián qīng de， dū huì hěn gāo xīng dì xiàng nǐ wò shǒu zhù hè。”
　　 fú 'ěr mó sī shuō：“ xiè xiè nǐ！ xiè xiè nǐ！ " zhè shí tā zhuǎn guò liǎn qù。 wǒ cóng lái méi yòu jiàn dào guò tā yóu yú rén lèi de wēn nuǎn gǎn qíng 'ér xiàng xiàn zài zhè yàng dì jī dòng。 guò liǎo yī huì 'ér， tā yòu lěng jìng dì tóu rù liǎo xīn de sī kǎo。 tā shuō：“ huá shēng， bǎ zhēn zhū fàng dào bǎo xiǎn guì lǐ。 bǎ kāng kè héng xīn gé 'ěr dùn wěi zào 'àn jiàn de wén jiàn ná chū lái。 zài jiàn， léi sī chuí dé。 rú guǒ nǐ yù dào shénme xīn de wèn tí， wǒ jiāng huì jìn wǒ de kě néng zhù nǐ yī bì zhī lì。”

　　IT was no very unusual thing for Mr. Lestrade, of Scotland Yard, to look in upon us of an evening, and his visits were welcome to Sherlock Holmes, for they enabled him to keep in touch with all that was going on at the police head-quarters. In return for the news which Lestrade would bring, Holmes was always ready to listen with attention to the details of any case upon which the detective was engaged, and was able occasionally, without any active interference, to give some hint or suggestion drawn from his own vast knowledge and experience.
　　
　　On this particular evening Lestrade had spoken of the weather and the newspapers. Then he had fallen silent, puffing thoughtfully at his cigar. Holmes looked keenly at him.
　　
　　"Anything remarkable on hand?" he asked.
　　
　　"Oh, no, Mr. Holmes, nothing very particular."
　　
　　"Then tell me about it."
　　
　　Lestrade laughed.
　　
　　"Well, Mr. Holmes, there is no use denying that there IS something on my mind. And yet it is such an absurd business that I hesitated to bother you about it. On the other hand, although it is trivial, it is undoubtedly queer, and I know that you have a taste for all that is out of the common. But in my opinion it comes more in Dr. Watson's line than ours."
　　
　　"Disease?" said I.
　　
　　"Madness, anyhow. And a queer madness too! You wouldn't think there was anyone living at this time of day who had such a hatred of Napoleon the First that he would break any image of him that he could see."
　　
　　Holmes sank back in his chair.
　　
　　"That's no business of mine," said he.
　　
　　"Exactly. That's what I said. But then, when the man commits burglary in order to break images which are not his own, that brings it away from the doctor and on to the policeman."
　　
　　Holmes sat up again.
　　
　　"Burglary! This is more interesting. Let me hear the details."
　　
　　Lestrade took out his official note-book and refreshed his memory from its pages.
　　
　　"The first case reported was four days ago," said he. "It was at the shop of Morse Hudson, who has a place for the sale of pictures and statues in the Kennington Road. The assistant had left the front shop for an instant when he heard a crash, and hurrying in he found a plaster bust of Napoleon, which stood with several other works of art upon the counter, lying shivered into fragments. He rushed out into the road, but, although several passers-by declared that they had noticed a man run out of the shop, he could neither see anyone nor could he find any means of identifying the rascal. It seemed to be one of those senseless acts of Hooliganism which occur from time to time, and it was reported to the constable on the beat as such. The plaster cast was not worth more than a few shillings, and the whole affair appeared to be too childish for any particular investigation.
　　
　　"The second case, however, was more serious and also more singular. It occurred only last night.
　　
　　"In Kennington Road, and within a few hundred yards of Morse Hudson's shop, there lives a well-known medical practitioner, named Dr. Barnicot, who has one of the largest practices upon the south side of the Thames. His residence and principal consulting-room is at Kennington Road, but he has a branch surgery and dispensary at Lower Brixton Road, two miles away. This Dr. Barnicot is an enthusiastic admirer of Napoleon, and his house is full of books, pictures, and relics of the French Emperor. Some little time ago he purchased from Morse Hudson two duplicate plaster casts of the famous head of Napoleon by the French sculptor, Devine. One of these he placed in his hall in the house at Kennington Road, and the other on the mantelpiece of the surgery at Lower Brixton. Well, when Dr. Barnicot came down this morning he was astonished to find that his house had been burgled during the night, but that nothing had been taken save the plaster head from the hall. It had been carried out and had been dashed savagely against the garden wall, under which its splintered fragments were discovered."
　　
　　Holmes rubbed his hands.
　　
　　"This is certainly very novel," said he.
　　
　　"I thought it would please you. But I have not got to the end yet. Dr. Barnicot was due at his surgery at twelve o'clock, and you can imagine his amazement when, on arriving there, he found that the window had been opened in the night, and that the broken pieces of his second bust were strewn all over the room. It had been smashed to atoms where it stood. In neither case were there any signs which could give us a clue as to the criminal or lunatic who had done the mischief. Now, Mr. Holmes, you have got the facts."
　　
　　"They are singular, not to say grotesque," said Holmes. "May I ask whether the two busts smashed in Dr. Barnicot's rooms were the exact duplicates of the one which was destroyed in Morse Hudson's shop?"
　　
　　"They were taken from the same mould."
　　
　　"Such a fact must tell against the theory that the man who breaks them is influenced by any general hatred of Napoleon. Considering how many hundreds of statues of the great Emperor must exist in London, it is too much to suppose such a coincidence as that a promiscuous iconoclast should chance to begin upon three specimens of the same bust."
　　
　　"Well, I thought as you do," said Lestrade. "On the other hand, this Morse Hudson is the purveyor of busts in that part of London, and these three were the only ones which had been in his shop for years. So, although, as you say, there are many hundreds of statues in London, it is very probable that these three were the only ones in that district. Therefore, a local fanatic would begin with them. What do you think, Dr. Watson?"
　　
　　"There are no limits to the possibilities of monomania," I answered. "There is the condition which the modern French psychologists have called the `idee fixe,' which may be trifling in character, and accompanied by complete sanity in every other way. A man who had read deeply about Napoleon, or who had possibly received some hereditary family injury through the great war, might conceivably form such an `idee fixe' and under its influence be capable of any fantastic outrage."
　　
　　"That won't do, my dear Watson," said Holmes, shaking his head; "for no amount of `idee fixe' would enable your interesting monomaniac to find out where these busts were situated."
　　
　　"Well, how do YOU explain it?"
　　
　　"I don't attempt to do so. I would only observe that there is a certain method in the gentleman's eccentric proceedings. For example, in Dr. Barnicot's hall, where a sound might arouse the family, the bust was taken outside before being broken, whereas in the surgery, where there was less danger of an alarm, it was smashed where it stood. The affair seems absurdly trifling, and yet I dare call nothing trivial when I reflect that some of my most classic cases have had the least promising commencement. You will remember, Watson, how the dreadful business of the Abernetty family was first brought to my notice by the depth which the parsley had sunk into the butter upon a hot day. I can't afford, therefore, to smile at your three broken busts, Lestrade, and I shall be very much obliged to you if you will let me hear of any fresh developments of so singular a chain of events."
　　
　　The development for which my friend had asked came in a quicker and an infinitely more tragic form than he could have imagined. I was still dressing in my bedroom next morning when there was a tap at the door and Holmes entered, a telegram in his hand. He read it aloud:--
　　
　　"Come instantly, 131, Pitt Street, Kensington. -- Lestrade."
　　
　　"What is it, then?" I asked.
　　
　　"Don't know -- may be anything. But I suspect it is the sequel of the story of the statues. In that case our friend, the image-breaker, has begun operations in another quarter of London. There's coffee on the table, Watson, and I have a cab at the door."
　　
　　In half an hour we had reached Pitt Street, a quiet little backwater just beside one of the briskest currents of London life. No. 131 was one of a row, all flat-chested, respectable, and most unromantic dwellings. As we drove up we found the railings in front of the house lined by a curious crowd. Holmes whistled.
　　
　　"By George! it's attempted murder at the least. Nothing less will hold the London message-boy. There's a deed of violence indicated in that fellow's round shoulders and outstretched neck. What's this, Watson? The top steps swilled down and the other ones dry. Footsteps enough, anyhow! Well, well, there's Lestrade at the front window, and we shall soon know all about it."
　　
　　The official received us with a very grave face and showed us into a sitting-room, where an exceedingly unkempt and agitated elderly man, clad in a flannel dressing-gown, was pacing up and down. He was introduced to us as the owner of the house -- Mr. Horace Harker, of the Central Press Syndicate.
　　
　　"It's the Napoleon bust business again," said Lestrade. "You seemed interested last night, Mr. Holmes, so I thought perhaps you would be glad to be present now that the affair has taken a very much graver turn."
　　
　　"What has it turned to, then?"
　　
　　"To murder. Mr. Harker, will you tell these gentlemen exactly what has occurred?"
　　
　　The man in the dressing-gown turned upon us with a most melancholy face.
　　
　　"It's an extraordinary thing," said he, "that all my life I have been collecting other people's news, and now that a real piece of news has come my own way I am so confused and bothered that I can't put two words together. If I had come in here as a journalist I should have interviewed myself and had two columns in every evening paper. As it is I am giving away valuable copy by telling my story over and over to a string of different people, and I can make no use of it myself. However, I've heard your name, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and if you'll only explain this queer business I shall be paid for my trouble in telling you the story."
　　
　　Holmes sat down and listened.
　　
　　"It all seems to centre round that bust of Napoleon which I bought for this very room about four months ago. I picked it up cheap from Harding Brothers, two doors from the High Street Station. A great deal of my journalistic work is done at night, and I often write until the early morning. So it was to-day. I was sitting in my den, which is at the back of the top of the house, about three o'clock, when I was convinced that I heard some sounds downstairs. I listened, but they were not repeated, and I concluded that they came from outside. Then suddenly, about five minutes later, there came a most horrible yell -- the most dreadful sound, Mr. Holmes, that ever I heard. It will ring in my ears as long as I live. I sat frozen with horror for a minute or two. Then I seized the poker and went downstairs. When I entered this room I found the window wide open, and I at once observed that the bust was gone from the mantelpiece. Why any burglar should take such a thing passes my understanding, for it was only a plaster cast and of no real value whatever.
　　
　　"You can see for yourself that anyone going out through that open window could reach the front doorstep by taking a long stride. This was clearly what the burglar had done, so I went round and opened the door. Stepping out into the dark I nearly fell over a dead man who was lying there. I ran back for a light, and there was the poor fellow, a great gash in his throat and the whole place swimming in blood. He lay on his back, his knees drawn up, and his mouth horribly open. I shall see him in my dreams. I had just time to blow on my police-whistle, and then I must have fainted, for I knew nothing more until I found the policeman standing over me in the hall."
　　
　　"Well, who was the murdered man?" asked Holmes.
　　
　　"There's nothing to show who he was," said Lestrade. "You shall see the body at the mortuary, but we have made nothing of it up to now. He is a tall man, sunburned, very powerful, not more than thirty. He is poorly dressed, and yet does not appear to be a labourer. A horn-handled clasp knife was lying in a pool of blood beside him. Whether it was the weapon which did the deed, or whether it belonged to the dead man, I do not know. There was no name on his clothing, and nothing in his pockets save an apple, some string, a shilling map of London, and a photograph. Here it is."
　　
　　It was evidently taken by a snap-shot from a small camera. It represented an alert, sharp-featured simian man with thick eyebrows, and a very peculiar projection of the lower part of the face like the muzzle of a baboon.
　　
　　"And what became of the bust?" asked Holmes, after a careful study of this picture.
　　
　　"We had news of it just before you came. It has been found in the front garden of an empty house in Campden House Road. It was broken into fragments. I am going round now to see it. Will you come?"
　　
　　"Certainly. I must just take one look round." He examined the carpet and the window. "The fellow had either very long legs or was a most active man," said he. "With an area beneath, it was no mean feat to reach that window-ledge and open that window. Getting back was comparatively simple. Are you coming with us to see the remains of your bust, Mr. Harker?"
　　
　　The disconsolate journalist had seated himself at a writing-table.
　　
　　"I must try and make something of it," said he, "though I have no doubt that the first editions of the evening papers are out already with full details. It's like my luck! You remember when the stand fell at Doncaster? Well, I was the only journalist in the stand, and my journal the only one that had no account of it, for I was too shaken to write it. And now I'll be too late with a murder done on my own doorstep."
　　
　　As we left the room we heard his pen travelling shrilly over the foolscap.
　　
　　The spot where the fragments of the bust had been found was only a few hundred yards away. For the first time our eyes rested upon this presentment of the great Emperor, which seemed to raise such frantic and destructive hatred in the mind of the unknown. It lay scattered in splintered shards upon the grass. Holmes picked up several of them and examined them carefully. I was convinced from his intent face and his purposeful manner that at last he was upon a clue.
　　
　　"Well?" asked Lestrade.
　　
　　Holmes shrugged his shoulders.
　　
　　"We have a long way to go yet," said he. "And yet -- and yet -- well, we have some suggestive facts to act upon. The possession of this trifling bust was worth more in the eyes of this strange criminal than a human life. That is one point. Then there is the singular fact that he did not break it in the house, or immediately outside the house, if to break it was his sole object."
　　
　　"He was rattled and bustled by meeting this other fellow. He hardly knew what he was doing."
　　
　　"Well, that's likely enough. But I wish to call your attention very particularly to the position of this house in the garden of which the bust was destroyed."
　　
　　Lestrade looked about him.
　　
　　"It was an empty house, and so he knew that he would not be disturbed in the garden."
　　
　　"Yes, but there is another empty house farther up the street which he must have passed before he came to this one. Why did he not break it there, since it is evident that every yard that he carried it increased the risk of someone meeting him?"
　　
　　"I give it up," said Lestrade.
　　
　　Holmes pointed to the street lamp above our heads.
　　
　　"He could see what he was doing here and he could not there. That was his reason."
　　
　　"By Jove! that's true," said the detective. "Now that I come to think of it, Dr. Barnicot's bust was broken not far from his red lamp. Well, Mr. Holmes, what are we to do with that fact?"
　　
　　"To remember it -- to docket it. We may come on something later which will bear upon it. What steps do you propose to take now, Lestrade?"
　　
　　"The most practical way of getting at it, in my opinion, is to identify the dead man. There should be no difficulty about that. When we have found who he is and who his associates are, we should have a good start in learning what he was doing in Pitt Street last night, and who it was who met him and killed him on the doorstep of Mr. Horace Harker. Don't you think so?"
　　
　　"No doubt; and yet it is not quite the way in which I should approach the case."
　　
　　"What would you do, then?"
　　
　　"Oh, you must not let me influence you in any way! I suggest that you go on your line and I on mine. We can compare notes afterwards, and each will supplement the other."
　　
　　"Very good," said Lestrade.
　　
　　"If you are going back to Pitt Street you might see Mr. Horace Harker. Tell him from me that I have quite made up my mind, and that it is certain that a dangerous homicidal lunatic with Napoleonic delusions was in his house last night. It will be useful for his article."
　　
　　Lestrade stared.
　　
　　"You don't seriously believe that?"
　　
　　Holmes smiled.
　　
　　"Don't I? Well, perhaps I don't. But I am sure that it will interest Mr. Horace Harker and the subscribers of the Central Press Syndicate. Now, Watson, I think that we shall find that we have a long and rather complex day's work before us. I should be glad, Lestrade, if you could make it convenient to meet us at Baker Street at six o'clock this evening. Until then I should like to keep this photograph found in the dead man's pocket. It is possible that I may have to ask your company and assistance upon a small expedition which will have be undertaken to-night, if my chain of reasoning should prove to be correct. Until then, good-bye and good luck!"
　　
　　Sherlock Holmes and I walked together to the High Street, where he stopped at the shop of Harding Brothers, whence the bust had been purchased. A young assistant informed us that Mr. Harding would be absent until after noon, and that he was himself a newcomer who could give us no information. Holmes's face showed his disappointment and annoyance.
　　
　　"Well, well, we can't expect to have it all our own way, Watson," he said, at last. "We must come back in the afternoon if Mr. Harding will not be here until then. I am, as you have no doubt surmised, endeavouring to trace these busts to their source, in order to find if there is not something peculiar which may account for their remarkable fate. Let us make for Mr. Morse Hudson, of the Kennington Road, and see if he can throw any light upon the problem."
　　
　　A drive of an hour brought us to the picture-dealer's establishment. He was a small, stout man with a red face and a peppery manner.
　　
　　"Yes, sir. On my very counter, sir," said he. "What we pay rates and taxes for I don't know, when any ruffian can come in and break one's goods. Yes, sir, it was I who sold Dr. Barnicot his two statues. Disgraceful, sir! A Nihilist plot, that's what I make it. No one but an Anarchist would go about breaking statues. Red republicans, that's what I call 'em. Who did I get the statues from? I don't see what that has to do with it. Well, if you really want to know, I got them from Gelder and Co., in Church Street, Stepney. They are a well-known house in the trade, and have been this twenty years. How many had I? Three -- two and one are three -- two of Dr. Barnicot's and one smashed in broad daylight on my own counter. Do I know that photograph? No, I don't. Yes, I do, though. Why, it's Beppo. He was a kind of Italian piece-work man, who made himself useful in the shop. He could carve a bit and gild and frame, and do odd jobs. The fellow left me last week, and I've heard nothing of him since. No, I don't know where he came from nor where he went to. I have nothing against him while he was here. He was gone two days before the bust was smashed."
　　
　　"Well, that's all we could reasonably expect to get from Morse Hudson," said Holmes, as we emerged from the shop. "We have this Beppo as a common factor, both in Kennington and in Kensington, so that is worth a ten-mile drive. Now, Watson, let us make for Gelder and Co., of Stepney, the source and origin of busts. I shall be surprised if we don't get some help down there."
　　
　　In rapid succession we passed through the fringe of fashionable London, hotel London, theatrical London, literary London, commercial London, and, finally, maritime London, till we came to a riverside city of a hundred thousand souls, where the tenement houses swelter and reek with the outcasts of Europe. Here, in a broad thoroughfare, once the abode of wealthy City merchants, we found the sculpture works for which we searched. Outside was a considerable yard full of monumental masonry. Inside was a large room in which fifty workers were carving or moulding. The manager, a big blond German, received us civilly, and gave a clear answer to all Holmes's questions. A reference to his books showed that hundreds of casts had been taken from a marble copy of Devine's head of Napoleon, but that the three which had been sent to Morse Hudson a year or so before had been half of a batch of six, the other three being sent to Harding Brothers, of Kensington. There was no reason why those six should be different to any of the other casts. He could suggest no possible cause why anyone should wish to destroy them -- in fact, he laughed at the idea. Their wholesale price was six shillings, but the retailer would get twelve or more. The cast was taken in two moulds from each side of the face, and then these two profiles of plaster of Paris were joined together to make the complete bust. The work was usually done by Italians in the room we were in. When finished the busts were put on a table in the passage to dry, and afterwards stored. That was all he could tell us.
　　
　　But the production of the photograph had a remarkable effect upon the manager. His face flushed with anger, and his brows knotted over his blue Teutonic eyes.
　　
　　"Ah, the rascal!" he cried. "Yes, indeed, I know him very well. This has always been a respectable establishment, and the only time that we have ever had the police in it was over this very fellow. It was more than a year ago now. He knifed another Italian in the street, and then he came to the works with the police on his heels, and he was taken here. Beppo was his name -- his second name I never knew. Serve me right for engaging a man with such a face. But he was a good workman, one of the best."
　　
　　"What did he get?"
　　
　　"The man lived and he got off with a year. I have no doubt he is out now; but he has not dared to show his nose here. We have a cousin of his here, and I dare say he could tell you where he is."
　　
　　"No, no," cried Holmes, "not a word to the cousin -- not a word, I beg you. The matter is very important, and the farther I go with it the more important it seems to grow. When you referred in your ledger to the sale of those casts I observed that the date was June 3rd of last year. Could you give me the date when Beppo was arrested?"
　　
　　"I could tell you roughly by the pay-list," the manager answered. "Yes," he continued, after some turning over of pages, "he was paid last on May 20th."
　　
　　"Thank you," said Holmes. "I don't think that I need intrude upon your time and patience any more." With a last word of caution that he should say nothing as to our researches we turned our faces westward once more.
　　
　　The afternoon was far advanced before we were able to snatch a hasty luncheon at a restaurant. A news-bill at the entrance announced "Kensington Outrage. Murder by a Madman," and the contents of the paper showed that Mr. Horace Harker had got his account into print after all. Two columns were occupied with a highly sensational and flowery rendering of the whole incident. Holmes propped it against the cruet-stand and read it while he ate. Once or twice he chuckled.
　　
　　"This is all right, Watson," said he. "Listen to this: `It is satisfactory to know that there can be no difference of opinion upon this case, since Mr. Lestrade, one of the most experienced members of the official force, and Mr. Sherlock Holmes, the well-known consulting expert, have each come to the conclusion that the grotesque series of incidents, which have ended in so tragic a fashion, arise from lunacy rather than from deliberate crime. No explanation save mental aberration can cover the facts.' The Press, Watson, is a most valuable institution if you only know how to use it. And now, if you have quite finished, we will hark back to Kensington and see what the manager of Harding Brothers has to say to the matter."
　　
　　The founder of that great emporium proved to be a brisk, crisp little person, very dapper and quick, with a clear head and a ready tongue.
　　
　　"Yes, sir, I have already read the account in the evening papers. Mr. Horace Harker is a customer of ours. We supplied him with the bust some months ago. We ordered three busts of that sort from Gelder and Co., of Stepney. They are all sold now. To whom? Oh, I dare say by consulting our sales book we could very easily tell you. Yes, we have the entries here. One to Mr. Harker, you see, and one to Mr. Josiah Brown, of Laburnum Lodge, Laburnum Vale, Chiswick, and one to Mr. Sandeford, of Lower Grove Road, Reading. No, I have never seen this face which you show me in the photograph. You would hardly forget it, would you, sir, for I've seldom seen an uglier. Have we any Italians on the staff? Yes, sir, we have several among our workpeople and cleaners. I dare say they might get a peep at that sales book if they wanted to. There is no particular reason for keeping a watch upon that book. Well, well, it's a very strange business, and I hope that you'll let me know if anything comes of your inquiries."
　　
　　Holmes had taken several notes during Mr. Harding's evidence, and I could see that he was thoroughly satisfied by the turn which affairs were taking. He made no remark, however, save that, unless we hurried, we should be late for our appointment with Lestrade. Sure enough, when we reached Baker Street the detective was already there, and we found him pacing up and down in a fever of impatience. His look of importance showed that his day's work had not been in vain.
　　
　　"Well?" he asked. "What luck, Mr. Holmes?"
　　
　　"We have had a very busy day, and not entirely a wasted one," my friend explained. "We have seen both the retailers and also the wholesale manufacturers. I can trace each of the busts now from the beginning."
　　
　　"The busts!" cried Lestrade. "Well, well, you have your own methods, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and it is not for me to say a word against them, but I think I have done a better day's work than you. I have identified the dead man."
　　
　　"You don't say so?"
　　
　　"And found a cause for the crime."
　　
　　"Splendid!"
　　
　　"We have an inspector who makes a specialty of Saffron Hill and the Italian quarter. Well, this dead man had some Catholic emblem round his neck, and that, along with his colour, made me think he was from the South. Inspector Hill knew him the moment he caught sight of him. His name is Pietro Venucci, from Naples, and he is one of the greatest cut-throats in London. He is connected with the Mafia, which, as you know, is a secret political society, enforcing its decrees by murder. Now you see how the affair begins to clear up. The other fellow is probably an Italian also, and a member of the Mafia. He has broken the rules in some fashion. Pietro is set upon his track. Probably the photograph we found in his pocket is the man himself, so that he may not knife the wrong person. He dogs the fellow, he sees him enter a house, he waits outside for him, and in the scuffle he receives his own death-wound. How is that, Mr. Sherlock Holmes?"
　　
　　Holmes clapped his hands approvingly.
　　
　　"Excellent, Lestrade, excellent!" he cried. "But I didn't quite follow your explanation of the destruction of the busts."
　　
　　"The busts! You never can get those busts out of your head. After all, that is nothing; petty larceny, six months at the most. It is the murder that we are really investigating, and I tell you that I am gathering all the threads into my hands."
　　
　　"And the next stage?"
　　
　　"Is a very simple one. I shall go down with Hill to the Italian quarter, find the man whose photograph we have got, and arrest him on the charge of murder. Will you come with us?"
　　
　　"I think not. I fancy we can attain our end in a simpler way. I can't say for certain, because it all depends -- well, it all depends upon a factor which is completely outside our control. But I have great hopes -- in fact, the betting is exactly two to one -- that if you will come with us to-night I shall be able to help you to lay him by the heels."
　　
　　"In the Italian quarter?"
　　
　　"No; I fancy Chiswick is an address which is more likely to find him. If you will come with me to Chiswick to-night, Lestrade, I'll promise to go to the Italian quarter with you to-morrow, and no harm will be done by the delay. And now I think that a few hours' sleep would do us all good, for I do not propose to leave before eleven o'clock, and it is unlikely that we shall be back before morning. You'll dine with us, Lestrade, and then you are welcome to the sofa until it is time for us to start. In the meantime, Watson, I should be glad if you would ring for an express messenger, for I have a letter to send, and it is important that it should go at once."
　　
　　Holmes spent the evening in rummaging among the files of the old daily papers with which one of our lumber-rooms was packed. When at last he descended it was with triumph in his eyes, but he said nothing to either of us as to the result of his researches. For my own part, I had followed step by step the methods by which he had traced the various windings of this complex case, and, though I could not yet perceive the goal which we would reach, I understood clearly that Holmes expected this grotesque criminal to make an attempt upon the two remaining busts, one of which, I remembered, was at Chiswick. No doubt the object of our journey was to catch him in the very act, and I could not but admire the cunning with which my friend had inserted a wrong clue in the evening paper, so as to give the fellow the idea that he could continue his scheme with impunity. I was not surprised when Holmes suggested that I should take my revolver with me. He had himself picked up the loaded hunting-crop which was his favourite weapon.
　　
　　A four-wheeler was at the door at eleven, and in it we drove to a spot at the other side of Hammersmith Bridge. Here the cabman was directed to wait. A short walk brought us to a secluded road fringed with pleasant houses, each standing in its own grounds. In the light of a street lamp we read "Laburnum Villa" upon the gate-post of one of them. The occupants had evidently retired to rest, for all was dark save for a fanlight over the hall door, which shed a single blurred circle on to the garden path. The wooden fence which separated the grounds from the road threw a dense black shadow upon the inner side, and here it was that we crouched.
　　
　　"I fear that you'll have a long wait," Holmes whispered. "We may thank our stars that it is not raining. I don't think we can even venture to smoke to pass the time. However, it's a two to one chance that we get something to pay us for our trouble."
　　
　　It proved, however, that our vigil was not to be so long as Holmes had led us to fear, and it ended in a very sudden and singular fashion. In an instant, without the least sound to warn us of his coming, the garden gate swung open, and a lithe, dark figure, as swift and active as an ape, rushed up the garden path. We saw it whisk past the light thrown from over the door and disappear against the black shadow of the house. There was a long pause, during which we held our breath, and then a very gentle creaking sound came to our ears. The window was being opened. The noise ceased, and again there was a long silence. The fellow was making his way into the house. We saw the sudden flash of a dark lantern inside the room. What he sought was evidently not there, for again we saw the flash through another blind, and then through another.
　　
　　"Let us get to the open window. We will nab him as he climbs out," Lestrade whispered.
　　
　　But before we could move the man had emerged again. As he came out into the glimmering patch of light we saw that he carried something white under his arm. He looked stealthily all round him. The silence of the deserted street reassured him. Turning his back upon us he laid down his burden, and the next instant there was the sound of a sharp tap, followed by a clatter and rattle. The man was so intent upon what he was doing that he never heard our steps as we stole across the grass plot. With the bound of a tiger Holmes was on his back, and an instant later Lestrade and I had him by either wrist and the handcuffs had been fastened. As we turned him over I saw a hideous, sallow face, with writhing, furious features, glaring up at us, and I knew that it was indeed the man of the photograph whom we had secured.
　　
　　But it was not our prisoner to whom Holmes was giving his attention. Squatted on the doorstep, he was engaged in most carefully examining that which the man had brought from the house. It was a bust of Napoleon like the one which we had seen that morning, and it had been broken into similar fragments. Carefully Holmes held each separate shard to the light, but in no way did it differ from any other shattered piece of plaster. He had just completed his examination when the hall lights flew up, the door opened, and the owner of the house, a jovial, rotund figure in shirt and trousers, presented himself.
　　
　　"Mr. Josiah Brown, I suppose?" said Holmes.
　　
　　"Yes, sir; and you, no doubt, are Mr. Sherlock Holmes? I had the note which you sent by the express messenger, and I did exactly what you told me. We locked every door on the inside and awaited developments. Well, I'm very glad to see that you have got the rascal. I hope, gentlemen, that you will come in and have some refreshment."
　　
　　However, Lestrade was anxious to get his man into safe quarters, so within a few minutes our cab had been summoned and we were all four upon our way to London. Not a word would our captive say; but he glared at us from the shadow of his matted hair, and once, when my hand seemed within his reach, he snapped at it like a hungry wolf. We stayed long enough at the police-station to learn that a search of his clothing revealed nothing save a few shillings and a long sheath knife, the handle of which bore copious traces of recent blood.
　　
　　"That's all right," said Lestrade, as we parted. "Hill knows all these gentry, and he will give a name to him. You'll find that my theory of the Mafia will work out all right. But I'm sure I am exceedingly obliged to you, Mr. Holmes, for the workmanlike way in which you laid hands upon him. I don't quite understand it all yet."
　　
　　"I fear it is rather too late an hour for explanations," said Holmes. "Besides, there are one or two details which are not finished off, and it is one of those cases which are worth working out to the very end. If you will come round once more to my rooms at six o'clock to-morrow I think I shall be able to show you that even now you have not grasped the entire meaning of this business, which presents some features which make it absolutely original in the history of crime. If ever I permit you to chronicle any more of my little problems, Watson, I foresee that you will enliven your pages by an account of the singular adventure of the Napoleonic busts."
　　
　　When we met again next evening Lestrade was furnished with much information concerning our prisoner. His name, it appeared, was Beppo, second name unknown. He was a well-known ne'er-do-well among the Italian colony. He had once been a skilful sculptor and had earned an honest living, but he had taken to evil courses and had twice already been in gaol -- once for a petty theft and once, as we had already heard, for stabbing a fellow-countryman. He could talk English perfectly well. His reasons for destroying the busts were still unknown, and he refused to answer any questions upon the subject; but the police had discovered that these same busts might very well have been made by his own hands, since he was engaged in this class of work at the establishment of Gelder and Co. To all this information, much of which we already knew, Holmes listened with polite attention; but I, who knew him so well, could clearly see that his thoughts were elsewhere, and I detected a mixture of mingled uneasiness and expectation beneath that mask which he was wont to assume. At last he started in his chair and his eyes brightened. There had been a ring at the bell. A minute later we heard steps upon the stairs, and an elderly, red-faced man with grizzled side-whiskers was ushered in. In his right hand he carried an old-fashioned carpet-bag, which he placed upon the table.
　　
　　"Is Mr. Sherlock Holmes here?"
　　
　　My friend bowed and smiled. "Mr. Sandeford, of Reading, I suppose?" said he.
　　
　　"Yes, sir, I fear that I am a little late; but the trains were awkward. You wrote to me about a bust that is in my possession."
　　
　　"Exactly."
　　
　　"I have your letter here. You said, `I desire to possess a copy of Devine's Napoleon, and am prepared to pay you ten pounds for the one which is in your possession.' Is that right?"
　　
　　"Certainly."
　　
　　"I was very much surprised at your letter, for I could not imagine how you knew that I owned such a thing."
　　
　　"Of course you must have been surprised, but the explanation is very simple. Mr. Harding, of Harding Brothers, said that they had sold you their last copy, and he gave me your address."
　　
　　"Oh, that was it, was it? Did he tell you what I paid for it?"
　　
　　"No, he did not."
　　
　　"Well, I am an honest man, though not a very rich one. I only gave fifteen shillings for the bust, and I think you ought to know that before I take ten pounds from you."
　　
　　"I am sure the scruple does you honour, Mr. Sandeford. But I have named that price, so I intend to stick to it."
　　
　　"Well, it is very handsome of you, Mr. Holmes. I brought the bust up with me, as you asked me to do. Here it is!" He opened his bag, and at last we saw placed upon our table a complete specimen of that bust which we had already seen more than once in fragments.
　　
　　Holmes took a paper from his pocket and laid a ten-pound note upon the table.
　　
　　"You will kindly sign that paper, Mr. Sandeford, in the presence of these witnesses. It is simply to say that you transfer every possible right that you ever had in the bust to me. I am a methodical man, you see, and you never know what turn events might take afterwards. Thank you, Mr. Sandeford; here is your money, and I wish you a very good evening."
　　
　　When our visitor had disappeared Sherlock Holmes's movements were such as to rivet our attention. He began by taking a clean white cloth from a drawer and laying it over the table. Then he placed his newly-acquired bust in the centre of the cloth. Finally, he picked up his hunting-crop and struck Napoleon a sharp blow on the top of the head. The figure broke into fragments, and Holmes bent eagerly over the shattered remains. Next instant, with a loud shout of triumph, he held up one splinter, in which a round, dark object was fixed like a plum in a pudding.
　　
　　"Gentlemen," he cried, "let me introduce you to the famous black pearl of the Borgias."
　　
　　Lestrade and I sat silent for a moment, and then, with a spontaneous impulse, we both broke out clapping as at the well-wrought crisis of a play. A flush of colour sprang to Holmes's pale cheeks, and he bowed to us like the master dramatist who receives the homage of his audience. It was at such moments that for an instant he ceased to be a reasoning machine, and betrayed his human love for admiration and applause. The same singularly proud and reserved nature which turned away with disdain from popular notoriety was capable of being moved to its depths by spontaneous wonder and praise from a friend.
　　
　　"Yes, gentlemen," said he, "it is the most famous pearl now existing in the world, and it has been my good fortune, by a connected chain of inductive reasoning, to trace it from the Prince of Colonna's bedroom at the Dacre Hotel, where it was lost, to the interior of this, the last of the six busts of Napoleon which were manufactured by Gelder and Co., of Stepney. You will remember, Lestrade, the sensation caused by the disappearance of this valuable jewel, and the vain efforts of the London police to recover it. I was myself consulted upon the case; but I was unable to throw any light upon it. Suspicion fell upon the maid of the Princess, who was an Italian, and it was proved that she had a brother in London, but we failed to trace any connection between them. The maid's name was Lucretia Venucci, and there is no doubt in my mind that this Pietro who was murdered two nights ago was the brother. I have been looking up the dates in the old files of the paper, and I find that the disappearance of the pearl was exactly two days before the arrest of Beppo for some crime of violence, an event which took place in the factory of Gelder and Co., at the very moment when these busts were being made. Now you clearly see the sequence of events, though you see them, of course, in the inverse order to the way in which they presented themselves to me. Beppo had the pearl in his possession. He may have stolen it from Pietro, he may have been Pietro's confederate, he may have been the go-between of Pietro and his sister. It is of no consequence to us which is the correct solution.
　　
　　"The main fact is that he HAD the pearl, and at that moment, when it was on his person, he was pursued by the police. He made for the factory in which he worked, and he knew that he had only a few minutes in which to conceal this enormously valuable prize, which would otherwise be found on him when he was searched. Six plaster casts of Napoleon were drying in the passage. One of them was still soft. In an instant Beppo, a skilful workman, made a small hole in the wet plaster, dropped in the pearl, and with a few touches covered over the aperture once more. It was an admirable hiding-place. No one could possibly find it. But Beppo was condemned to a year's imprisonment, and in the meanwhile his six busts were scattered over London. He could not tell which contained his treasure. Only by breaking them could he see. Even shaking would tell him nothing, for as the plaster was wet it was probable that the pearl would adhere to it -- as, in fact, it has done. Beppo did not despair, and he conducted his search with considerable ingenuity and perseverance. Through a cousin who works with Gelder he found out the retail firms who had bought the busts. He managed to find employment with Morse Hudson, and in that way tracked down three of them. The pearl was not there. Then, with the help of some Italian EMPLOYE, he succeeded in finding out where the other three busts had gone. The first was at Harker's. There he was dogged by his confederate, who held Beppo responsible for the loss of the pearl, and he stabbed him in the scuffle which followed."
　　
　　"If he was his confederate why should he carry his photograph?" I asked.
　　
　　"As a means of tracing him if he wished to inquire about him from any third person. That was the obvious reason. Well, after the murder I calculated that Beppo would probably hurry rather than delay his movements. He would fear that the police would read his secret, and so he hastened on before they should get ahead of him. Of course, I could not say that he had not found the pearl in Harker's bust. I had not even concluded for certain that it was the pearl; but it was evident to me that he was looking for something, since he carried the bust past the other houses in order to break it in the garden which had a lamp overlooking it. Since Harker's bust was one in three the chances were exactly as I told you, two to one against the pearl being inside it. There remained two busts, and it was obvious that he would go for the London one first. I warned the inmates of the house, so as to avoid a second tragedy, and we went down with the happiest results. By that time, of course, I knew for certain that it was the Borgia pearl that we were after. The name of the murdered man linked the one event with the other. There only remained a single bust -- the Reading one -- and the pearl must be there. I bought it in your presence from the owner -- and there it lies."
　　
　　We sat in silence for a moment.
　　
　　"Well," said Lestrade, "I've seen you handle a good many cases, Mr. Holmes, but I don't know that I ever knew a more workmanlike one than that. We're not jealous of you at Scotland Yard. No, sir, we are very proud of you, and if you come down to-morrow there's not a man, from the oldest inspector to the youngest constable, who wouldn't be glad to shake you by the hand."
　　
　　"Thank you!" said Holmes. "Thank you!" and as he turned away it seemed to me that he was more nearly moved by the softer human emotions than I had ever seen him. A moment later he was the cold and practical thinker once more. "Put the pearl in the safe, Watson," said he, "and get out the papers of the Conk-Singleton forgery case. Good-bye, Lestrade. If any little problem comes your way I shall be happy, if I can, to give you a hint or two as to its solution."