Воспоминания Шерлока Холмса
The Resident Patient
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"‘Well,"saidI,laughing,‘thereisnoharmdoneexceptthatyoupuzzledmeterribly;soifyou,sir,wouldkindlystepintothewaiting-roomIshallbehappytocontinueourconsultationwhichwasbroughttosoabruptanending.’
"ForhalfanhourorsoIdiscussedtheoldgentleman’ssymptomswithhim,andthen,havingprescribedforhim,Isawhimgooffuponthearmofhisson.
"IhavetoldyouthatMr.Blessingtongenerallychosethishourofthedayforhisexercise.Hecameinshortlyafterwardsandpassedupstairs.AninstantlaterIheardhimrunningdown,andheburstintomyconsulting-roomlikeamanwhoismadwithpanic.
"‘Whohasbeeninmyroom?"hecried.
"‘Noone,"saidI.
"‘It’salie!"heyelled.‘Comeupandlook!’
"Ipassedoverthegrossnessofhislanguage,asheseemedhalfoutofhismindwithfear.WhenIwentupstairswithhimhepointedtoseveralfootprintsuponthelightcarpet.
"‘Doyoumeantosaythosearemine?"hecried.
"Theywerecertainlyverymuchlargerthananywhichhecouldhavemade,andwereevidentlyquitefresh.Itrainedhardthisafternoon,asyouknow,andmypatientsweretheonlypeoplewhocalled.Itmusthavebeenthecase,then,thatthemaninthewaiting-roomhad,forsomeunknownreason,whileIwasbusywiththeother,ascendedtotheroomofmyresidentpatient.