บทที่ 2.3 "Fire!"
That evening Holmes again wore different clothes, and
a large, black hat. But it was not just the clothes that
were different. He changed his face, his hair -
everything. He was a different man.
We walked together to Serpentine Avenue. Outside
the house there were a lot of people who were
smoking, laughing and talking. Holmes and I walked
up and down in front of the house.
'You see,' said Holmes to me, 'I think she doesn't
want her new husband to see the photograph. But
where is it? At her bank? No. Women like to keep
important things themselves. I'm sure it's in her house.'
'But the King's men tried to find it!' I said.
'Yes, but they didn't know where to look!' said
Holmes.
'But how will you know?' I asked.
'I won't look. She'll show me. She'll have to.'
Just then a taxi arrived. One of the men in the street
ran to open the door, then another man pushed him.
Other men were also pushing and shouting, and a fight
began. Irene Norton was in the middle of it, but
Sherlock Holmes ran to help her. Then suddenly he fell
to the ground, with blood running down his face. Irene
Norton hurried to her front door, but she looked back.
(คำใต้รูปหน้า23 Then Holmes fell to the ground, with blood running
down his face.)
'How kind of him to help me! Is the poor man hurt?'
she called.
'He's dead,' cried some voices.
'No, he's only hurt,' cried others.
'Bring him into the sitting-room,' she said.
Some people carried Holmes into the house. I waited
outside the window and watched. I saw how beautiful
Irene Norton was. Then Holmes put up his hand, and I
threw the smoke-stick into the room. Immediately the
people in the street and in the house all began to shout
"Fire!" very loudly. The house was full of smoke. I
walked away, and ten minutes later Holmes came to
meet me.
'Well done, Watson,' he said.
'Have you got the photograph?' I asked.
'I know where it is. She showed me,' he answered.
'But why did she show you?'
'It's easy,' he said, and laughed. 'You saw all those
people in the street? I paid them to help us. It wasn't a
real fight and the blood wasn't real. When people
shout "Fire!", a woman runs to the most important
(คำใต้รูปหน้า24 A young man hurried past us, and said: 'Good night,
Mr Sherlock Holmes.')
thing in her house, her baby, her gold, or ... a
photograph. Mrs Norton ran to find her photograph,
which is in a cupboard in the sitting-room. I saw it. But
I did not take it. Tomorrow we will go to her house
with the King. We'll go very early, before she gets up.
The King himself can take the photograph from the
cupboard. And then we'll go.'
While Holmes was talking, we were walking home
to Baker Street. When we arrived at my friend's house,
a young man hurried past us, and said: 'Good night,
Mr Sherlock Holmes.'
'I've heard that voice before,' said Holmes to me. He
looked down the street. 'But who was it?'
บทที่ 2.4 A Photograph
The next day we went to Irene Norton's house, with
the King. An old servant opened the door. 'Mr
Sherlock Holmes?' she asked, and smiled.
'Yes,' said my friend. He looked very surprised.
'Mrs Irene Norton and her husband left England this
morning. They will never come back to this country.'
'What?' cried Holmes, his face white and angry.
'And what about the photograph?' cried the King.
We all hurried into the sitting-room. Holmes ran to
the cupboard and opened it. Inside was a photograph,
not of Irene Adler and the King, but of the beautiful
Irene alone. There was also a letter for Sherlock
Holmes. We all read it together.
My dear Mr Sherlock Holmes,
You did it very well. I thought that it was a real fire,
and that you were just a kind old man. But after I
opened the cupboard, I began to think. I knew about
the famous Sherlock Holmes. I knew your address,
and I knew that the King asked you to find the
photograph. So I quickly dressed as a young man
and followed you home to Baker Street. I wanted to
find out if you really were Sherlock Holmes. I said
'good night' to you outside your door!
My husband and I have decided to leave England.
Please tell the King that I shall not show the
photograph to anybody. I love my husband and he
loves me. And he is a better man than the King. But
here is a different photograph. And the King can
keep this photograph, if he likes.
Irene Norton
'What a woman!' cried the King. 'Why didn't I marry
her! What a woman!'
'A very, very clever woman,' said Sherlock Holmes
coldly. 'I am sorry, Your Majesty, that this business
has not finished well.'
'No, no,' said the King. 'She writes that she will
never show the photograph to anybody. I need nothing
(คำใต้รูปหน้า27 'I would like just one thing, Your Majesty. This photograph.')
more than her word. There is no danger for me now.
How can I thank you, dear Mr Holmes?'
'I would like just one thing, Your Majesty.'
'Tell me at once what it is,' said the King.
'This photograph.'
The King looked at him in surprise. 'Irene's photograph?'
he cried. 'But of course. It is yours.'
And so there was no terrible scandal in the royal
families of Europe. And Sherlock Holmes still has the
photograph of the woman who was cleverer than he
was.