Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Empty House
“Butthetracks!”Icried.“Isaw,withmyowneyes,thattwowentdownthepathandnonereturned.”
“Itcameaboutinthisway.TheinstantthattheProfessorhaddisappeared,itstruckmewhatareallyextraordinarilyluckychanceFatehadplacedinmyway.IknewthatMoriartywasnottheonlymanwhohadswornmydeath.Therewereatleastthreeotherswhosedesireforvengeanceuponmewouldonlybeincreasedbythedeathoftheirleader.Theywereallmostdangerousmen.Oneorotherwouldcertainlygetme.Ontheotherhand,ifalltheworldwasconvincedthatIwasdeadtheywouldtakeliberties,thesemen,theywouldsoonlaythemselvesopen,andsoonerorlaterIcoulddestroythem.ThenitwouldbetimeformetoannouncethatIwasstillinthelandoftheliving.SorapidlydoesthebrainactthatIbelieveIhadthoughtthisalloutbeforeProfessorMoriartyhadreachedthebottomoftheReichenbachFall.
“Istoodupandexaminedtherockywallbehindme.Inyourpicturesqueaccountofthematter,whichIreadwithgreatinterestsomemonthslater,youassertthatthewallwassheer.Thatwasnotliterallytrue.Afewsmallfootholdspresentedthemselves,andtherewassomeindicationofaledge.Thecliffissohighthattoclimbitallwasanobviousimpossibility,anditwasequallyimpossibletomakemywayalongthewetpathwithoutleavingsometracks.Imight,itistrue,havereversedmyboots,asIhavedoneonsimilaroccasions,butthesightofthreesetsoftracksinonedirectionwouldcertainlyhavesuggestedadeception.Onthewhole,then,itwasbestthatIshouldrisktheclimb.
