Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Priory School
”
Wefound,however,asweadvancedthatthisportionofthemoorisintersectedwithsoftpatches,and,thoughwefrequentlylostsightofthetrack,wealwayssucceededinpickingituponcemore.
“Doyouobserve,”saidHolmes,“thattheriderisnowundoubtedlyforcingthepace?Therecanbenodoubtofit.Lookatthisimpression,whereyougetbothtiresclear.Theoneisasdeepastheother.Thatcanonlymeanthattherideristhrowinghisweightontothehandle-bar,asamandoeswhenheissprinting.ByJove!hehashadafall.”
Therewasabroad,irregularsmudgecoveringsomeyardsofthetrack.Thentherewereafewfootmarks,andthetirereappearedoncemore.
“Aside-slip,”Isuggested.
Holmesheldupacrumpledbranchoffloweringgorse.TomyhorrorIperceivedthattheyellowblossomswerealldabbledwithcrimson.Onthepath,too,andamongtheheatherweredarkstainsofclottedblood.
“Bad!”saidHolmes.“Bad!Standclear,Watson!Notanunnecessaryfootstep!WhatdoIreadhere?Hefellwounded—hestoodup—heremounted—heproceeded.Butthereisnoothertrack.Cattleonthissidepath.Hewassurelynotgoredbyabull?Impossible!ButIseenotracesofanyoneelse.Wemustpushon,Watson.Surely,withstainsaswellasthetracktoguideus,hecannotescapeusnow.”
Oursearchwasnotaverylongone.Thetracksofthetirebegantocurvefantasticallyuponthewetandshiningpath.Suddenly,asIlookedahead,thegleamofmetalcaughtmyeyefromamidthethickgorse-bushes.
