Mary's Nineteenth Century

There is only one day left until Christmas Eve.

The Black Forest has been covered with snow, but the town of Baden-Baden on its side is not too deserted.

Winter hot springs and the most luxurious casino in Europe, these two points alone are enough to attract many dignitaries and celebrities to come here for vacation.However, the town is not too lively, after all, spending Christmas at home is the mainstream tradition.

Mary booked the hostel more than a month in advance, and as long as she is willing to spend money, she is not afraid that she will not be able to enjoy the hot spring bath for one person.

Aside from the extremely bloody criminals who ran away and kicked the door into the bathroom in a panic, as long as you choose the most suitable hot spring bath and ensure that the waiters have undergone strict training and never disturb the guests without their permission, you will almost never be found disguised as a man. .

Although it must be admitted that there are exceptions to everything, no one can boast that there are no 0.01% exceptions.

Mary is still enjoying it very comfortably, and a human being cannot give up the wonderful time for accidents with a theoretically low probability.

On the other hand, if you take a hot spring bath, you may be found to be a woman. This kind of bathing is too exciting to be exposed as a transvestite. How can you not come.

So, on the afternoon of December 12, she lay comfortably in the hot spring bath.

Leaning on the marble bath, feeling the warmth of the spring water blowing over the body, looking up is the Turkish-style translucent dome.

For a while, the bathroom was filled with mist, and snowflakes slowly fell on the translucent skylight.At this moment, it seems to be in a fairyland where ice and fire meet, forgetting the troubles of the world.

What?Does Mary have little troubles too?

In the world, there are always disturbances.For example, in this trip to Baden-Baden, it seems that none of the main goals have been achieved.

This time, I came to find clues about people related to the Scarab Society.

Let me talk about the professor who taught me how to count murderers first.The reason why I have not responded to the letter to him is that the professor passed away due to a high fever at the beginning of this year.

The door of the professor's house in Baden-Baden was closed, and all letters addressed to him were forwarded to the distant United States, because his son had settled in Washington.

The other person to look for is Ben Barden, a former member of the Expedition Society, an explorer who saw the scarab pattern in the abandoned church, and his whereabouts are also a mystery.

Mary arrived in town on the 21st.

I visited many old shops over two days to inquire about Ben's whereabouts.Ben Baden grew up here. It is said that he is not a lonely person, so he should leave some traces of his life.

The good news is that Ben Baden was recalled by drugstores, grocery stores, market stall owners, etc.

Came back to town last year.

Ben Baden, who is about 38 years old, mentioned his work in the 15 years after graduating from university in the chat, but did not say the specific content, only that he often went to sea to do business.Traveling at sea was very hard, and he felt that it was time to rest, so he returned to his hometown of Baden-Baden.

The townspeople believed that Ben Baden had saved enough money to live on for the rest of his life.Instead of looking for a new job, he enjoyed life.Sometimes I go to Leisure Palace Casino to play two games, and sometimes I go hunting in the forest for leisure.

However, Ben Baden is not in the town now, and started a European trip at the beginning of this year.

As a single man, he has no parents, no brothers and sisters, and the freedom of being alone means that the return date is uncertain.

As far as Mary was concerned, she was eleven months too late.

If he could arrive in Baden-Baden at the beginning of this year, he would be able to meet the living old professor and visit Ben Baden who was still in the town.

But no if.

At the beginning of the year, there was no clue about the Scarab Society at all.

Humans are not gods and cannot predict in advance.And since you don't meet people, enjoy yourself.

Mary soaked in the hot springs, had dinner, and changed into a suit of formal clothes.Call a carriage and drive for about 10 minutes to Leisure Palace Casino.

The Leisure Palace, built in the early nineteenth century, was built in the Baroque castle style as a whole.

The walls of the corridor and the ceiling above the head are all kinds of thick and colorful oil paintings, and there are extremely luxurious candle crystal chandeliers. Lighting a candle is lighting up a room with blurred light and shadow.

Between the feasting and feasting, there are gamblers who spend money like water.

Mary only cashed in the minimum amount of chips. She didn't come to make money, she just took a trip as a tourist check-in project.It's like traveling to Las Vegas in later generations, passing by, and just turning around at any suitable casino.

The Leisure Palace is different from the Las Vegas of later generations.Unlike the frenetic noise that abounds in American-style casinos, German casinos are elegant and quiet.

The gamblers spend a lot of money, whether they win or lose, they maintain a gentlemanly calmness.There is no smug cheering, nor is there a haggard look of frustration.

People, can you really not care about the loss or gain of hundreds or even tens of thousands of pounds?

Certainly not.It's just that people who come here are used to wearing social masks to hide all emotions.

The so-called upper class people are sometimes quite pitiful.

In the Palace of Leisure, if someone loses his grace, that is the real loser.To become the laughing stock of the social circle.

Mary didn't sympathize with anyone, and she didn't have enough to eat, so why bother to sympathize with wealthy nobles and rich people.

Another purpose of coming here is to find someone to talk to.Ben Baden used to hang out in the casino from time to time, and he may have made friends with one or two gamblers, and they may have more clues about Ben's whereabouts.

Search room by room, observe floor by floor.

If one was not careful, the chips in the tray piled up into hills.

Forehead!It's a bit much to win.

Mary admitted that it was because of the magic of mathematics that she recruited K, the steward of the Leisure Palace.

"It turns out that it was Mr. Minton who came to visit us. It's really disappointing."

The steward K greeted you with a kind smile on his face, "It seems that you are very lucky tonight, are you interested in going to the Treasure Hall on the top floor? The bets there are not cash, but rare treasures. Maybe there are some you like. "

The steward K asked politely, but in his heart he felt that a sign should be erected at the entrance of the Leisure Palace - mathematicians are not allowed to enter.That is by no means discriminating against mathematicians, but that casinos will be plucked by some mathematicians, for fear that they will be bald one day.

Is it that serious?

Leisure Palace is known as the oldest and most luxurious casino in Europe, dare to be the banker, how can it not afford such a loss?

Steward K didn't think that the casino would lose money before, but the series of internal injuries tonight made him start to reflect on his career.

Before Mr. Minton came, there was another person who gambled all the way to the top floor. The probability of winning nine out of ten bets was really scary.

Mycroft Holmes!

Steward K gritted his teeth and muttered the name silently.

All gamblers entering the Leisure Palace had to reveal their identities, and he also knew that Mycroft had come to redeem that top-quality antique pocket watch with colorful gemstones.

Half an hour ago, Mycroft had reached the Jumbo Casino on the top floor, and he must win the pocket watch back with that posture.

Manager K was secretly worried when he thought of the antique pocket watch, making him worry about the big scenes all day long, which shows that things are not simple.

First a Mycroft and then a Mr Minton tonight.

The manager K suddenly felt bad, did the casino have bad luck?No matter how fat the sheep are, they can't stand being plucked continuously.

Will there be a continuous wave of people who can win money one after another?It shouldn't be, the people who came here in the past were rich writers and writers.Those people lose completely in the blink of an eye, and they are the big customers that the casino welcomes.

For the first time, the steward K clearly realized that the leisure palace's consistent calm and elegant atmosphere would be misunderstood.

broken.

Today, he was troubled by the appearance of two people.I sincerely hope that there are fewer geeks like this in the world, at least don't let those people come to the casino.

Mary looked at K, the steward. Even though the person had a very gentle expression, she always felt that she was very helpless and wanted to pick up the broom to chase away the guests.

This not only made her a little surprised, did she win too much?Can't it?Or is there another streak winner tonight?

Thinking so, Mary refused to go to the top floor.

"Thank you for your recommendation, but I don't have much interest in the Treasure Hall, just take a small gamble and have fun. I heard that there are other entertainment programs in the Leisure Palace, so I plan to go around."

As we all know, the Leisure Palace is a magnificent building comparable to a palace.

It's not just a casino, it's also the social heart of Baden-Baden.Undertake all kinds of banquets, open daily dance halls, and hold concerts from time to time.

When the manager K heard this, he was both relieved and a little disappointed.

It would be nice to be able to send away a guest who has collected the dealer's wool, but his little plan also fell through. He originally wanted Mr. Minton to go to the Treasure Hall to gamble with Mycroft.

Although the newspaper said that M;H solved the serial murder case together, but no one knows whether the former collaborators can become the same competition relationship without a try.

The reason why he would come up with such a bad strategy is because the current situation on the top floor is not optimistic.If Mycroft wins in the end, the casino won't be able to take out that antique pocket watch.

It's too embarrassing to say that the pocket watch was stolen by a croupier seven days ago!

Once the news that Leisure Palace lost important gambling funds spread, it would definitely suffer a very serious blow to its reputation.

Theoretically, if the gambler loses, the rare treasures will belong to the casino, and the whereabouts of the treasures after that has nothing to do with the original owner.

But a theory is just a theory.There are unspoken rules for opening the door to do business. Some customers' gambling money can be won by other customers, but it must not be lost by the casino itself, and there must be some time grace period.

For example, the son of a marquis in London lost a bet this time, and he left behind an antique pocket watch as an heirloom, and the casino had to set aside a pre-redemption period of three months or more.

The steward K wanted to chop up the stolen croupier, but for now he still had to maintain a polite smile.

He said politely, "Indeed, there are many interesting entertainment items here. Mr. Minton, is there anything you are particularly interested in? I can provide some references."

That's what Mary was waiting for, "My love for Ben.

The news from Baden is very interesting, how much do you know? "

What!You bet all the way and won all the way, just to find out about Ben Baden?

Manager K almost choked on blood in his throat, but he still responded without changing his face.

"So you want to find Ben Barden. I don't know much about him. He is completely incomparable with you. It's almost nine out of ten bets. He hasn't been here for almost a year. I heard that he is on a trip. "

Nine out of ten bets?

Mary hadn't heard the news in the town, and it seemed that Ben Baden was hiding his bad luck from his old acquaintance in the town.

"Besides Ben Baden's gambling luck, do you know anything else? His financial situation? Or any special preferences?"

For casino regulars, it's normal to do a little background check.

Steward K has indeed inquired that Ben Baden made his fortune overseas. "He seems to have gone to the United States to pan for gold. He has made a lot of money in the past ten years. He has lost a lot in Leisure Palace, but he has never defaulted on the gambling money, and he still has some wealth."

As for Ben's other hobbies, the steward K thought about it a bit, and there really was a little bit. "Yes. Ben Baden likes fairy tales and folk songs."

"Oh?"

Mary was slightly surprised, "Can you be more specific?"

"As you know, "Grimm's Fairy Tales" is popular in Europe and America, and its birthplace is the Black Forest region."

Steward K mentioned that there is an astrology hall in Leisure Palace.

"Ben Baden would go to chat with astrologers from time to time, and the content of the chats would be fairy tales and nursery rhymes in the Black Forest area. I don't know the specifics. The astrologer opens from time to time. Tomorrow is the only time during the Christmas holiday. You can Go ask the three astrologers inside."

"Okay, thanks for your message."

Mary didn't stay long in the casino, she said to go elsewhere, and of course she really did.Now that he can discover another side of Ben Baden through Steward K, maybe he can find new gains in dance halls, bars and other places.

Expectations are good, but reality often backfires.

For the next hour, I failed to meet my old acquaintance with Ben Baden.The bartender remembered the face, but had no intimate contact with it.

'clang--'

The grandfather clock struck, and it was 21:30 at night.

It is less than ten o'clock at night, and for many nightlife lovers, it is not a new day at all.

Mary didn't want to overdraw her energy and wanted to maintain sufficient physical strength.After listening to Steward K's description of Ben Baden, she had a premonition that this time the little girl would

There's more to town than simply enjoying a vacation.

Walking out, ready to call the horse back to the hotel.

There is a long row of horse-drawn carriages parked at the exit, serving guests at any time.

Mary's eyes were drawn to someone else.look!Who is on the other side of the corridor?

Maybe it was Mycroft who claimed that staying in Berlin was very comfortable, and that he didn't like the fatigue of horses and horses so much that he firmly rejected her invitation to the hot spring.

This person actually appeared in the Leisure Palace in Baden-Baden, and he frowned slightly. He couldn't have lost a bet, could he?

wrong.

Mary thought about the performance of K in charge just now, and it seems that some stories related to Mycroft happened in the Treasure Hall tonight.

On the other end, Mycroft also saw the oncoming person.His footsteps paused for a while, and soon returned to his usual calm and steady.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows of the corridor, heavy snow drifted silently.

The wall lamps were dim, and the entire aisle was empty without a third person.The shaking of the dice could be faintly heard from the casino, and very few guests left the leisure palace before ten o'clock.

At this time, two people bumped into each other at the door.

"Good evening, Mr. Minton."

Mycroft greeted naturally, as if he wasn't the one who had insisted on not leaving Berlin.At this moment, I couldn't help but think of the feeling when I received the secret letter.

Saying Matthew is Cupid is not complimenting Matthew, and it has absolutely no special meaning.

It's just a satire that Matthew is middle-aged, but he is still unreliable when assigning tasks, just like Cupid.

Mycroft: Yes, that's what it means.

"Good evening, Mr. Holmes."

Mary didn't reveal the past lightly, but asked, "I was surprised to meet you here. Do you think Berlin is too boring, so you changed your mind and came here quietly for vacation?"

Translate this sentence, after you rejected the invitation from your peers, you actually sneaked out to play alone?

Mycroft could only smile and explain, "Please don't get me wrong, I'm here to work. Yes, I work overtime on Christmas. And my boss even claimed that he helped me get a paid vacation."

At the moment, Mary tried to hold back her smile, and she saw the helplessness hidden in Mycroft. "It turns out that you are here to work overtime on a business trip. You are really dedicated. Disrespectful, really disrespectful."

How else could Mycroft respond?He simply said, "Mr. Minton, if you want to laugh, you can laugh. Hold on, isn't it uncomfortable?"