Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Priory School
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“Iwillconcealnothingfromyou.Iagreewithyouthatcompletefrankness,howeverpainfulitmaybetome,isthebestpolicyinthisdesperatesituationtowhichJames’sfollyandjealousyhavereducedus.WhenIwasaveryyoungman,Mr.Holmes,Ilovedwithsuchaloveascomesonlyonceinalifetime.Iofferedtheladymarriage,butsherefuseditonthegroundsthatsuchamatchmightmarmycareer.Hadshelived,Iwouldcertainlyneverhavemarriedanyoneelse.Shedied,andleftthisonechild,whomforhersakeIhavecherishedandcaredfor.Icouldnotacknowledgethepaternitytotheworld,butIgavehimthebestofeducations,andsincehecametomanhoodIhavekepthimnearmyperson.Hesurmisedmysecret,andhaspresumedeversinceupontheclaimwhichhehasuponme,anduponhispowerofprovokingascandalwhichwouldbeabhorrenttome.Hispresencehadsomethingtodowiththeunhappyissueofmymarriage.Aboveall,hehatedmyyounglegitimateheirfromthefirstwithapersistenthatred.Youmaywellaskmewhy,underthesecircumstances,IstillkeptJamesundermyroof.IanswerthatitwasbecauseIcouldseehismother’sfaceinhis,andthatforherdearsaketherewasnoendtomylong-suffering.Allherprettywaystoo—therewasnotoneofthemwhichhecouldnotsuggestandbringbacktomymemory.Icouldnotsendhimaway.ButIfearedsomuchlestheshoulddoArthur—thatis,LordSaltire—amischief,thatIdispatchedhimforsafetytoDr.Huxtable’sschool.
