Воспоминания Шерлока Холмса
The Crooked Man
Asthemajorexpressedit,thesmilehasoftenbeenstruckfromhismouth,asifbysomeinvisiblehand,whenhehasbeenjoininginthegaietiesandchaffofthemess-table.Fordaysonend,whenthemoodwasonhim,hehasbeensunkinthedeepestgloom.Thisandacertaintingeofsuperstitionweretheonlyunusualtraitsinhischaracterwhichhisbrotherofficershadobserved.Thelatterpeculiaritytooktheformofadisliketobeingleftalone,especiallyafterdark.Thispuerilefeatureinanaturewhichwasconspicuouslymanlyhadoftengivenrisetocommentandconjecture.
"ThefirstbattalionoftheRoyalMunsters(whichistheoldOneHundredandSeventeenth)hasbeenstationedatAldershotforsomeyears.Themarriedofficersliveoutofbarracks,andthecolonelhasduringallthistimeoccupiedavillacalled‘Lachine,"abouthalfamilefromthenorthcamp.Thehousestandsinitsowngrounds,butthewestsideofitisnotmorethanthirtyyardsfromthehighroad.Acoachmanandtwomaidsformthestaffofservants.ThesewiththeirmasterandmistresswerethesoleoccupantsofLachine,fortheBarclayshadnochildren,norwasitusualforthemtohaveresidentvisitors.
"NowfortheeventsatLachinebetweennineandtenontheeveningoflastMonday.
"Mrs.Barclaywas,itappears,amemberoftheRomanCatholicChurchandhadinterestedherselfverymuchintheestablishmentoftheGuildofSt.
