Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Six Napoleons
Theafternoonwasfaradvancedbeforewewereabletosnatchahastyluncheonatarestaurant.Anews-billattheentranceannounced“KensingtonOutrage.MurderbyaMadman,”andthecontentsofthepapershowedthatMr.HoraceHarkerhadgothisaccountintoprintafterall.Twocolumnswereoccupiedwithahighlysensationalandfloweryrenderingofthewholeincident.Holmesproppeditagainstthecruet-standandreaditwhileheate.Onceortwicehechuckled.
“Thisisallright,Watson,”saidhe.“Listentothis:
“Itissatisfactorytoknowthattherecanbenodifferenceofopinionuponthiscase,sinceMr.Lestrade,oneofthemostexperiencedmembersoftheofficialforce,andMr.SherlockHolmes,thewell-knownconsultingexpert,haveeachcometotheconclusionthatthegrotesqueseriesofincidents,whichhaveendedinsotragicafashion,arisefromlunacyratherthanfromdeliberatecrime.Noexplanationsavementalaberrationcancoverthefacts.
“ThePress,Watson,isamostvaluableinstitution,ifyouonlyknowhowtouseit.Andnow,ifyouhavequitefinished,wewillharkbacktoKensingtonandseewhatthemanagerofHardingBrothershastosayonthematter.”
Thefounderofthatgreatemporiumprovedtobeabrisk,crisplittleperson,verydapperandquick,withaclearheadandareadytongue.
“Yes,sir,Ihavealreadyreadtheaccountintheeveningpapers.Mr.HoraceHarkerisacustomerofours.Wesuppliedhimwiththebustsomemonthsago.WeorderedthreebustsofthatsortfromGelder&Co.,ofStepney.Theyareallsoldnow.
