Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez
“Thesearemylastwords,”saidshe;“hereisthepacketwhichwillsaveAlexis.Iconfideittoyourhonourandtoyourloveofjustice.Takeit!YouwilldeliveritattheRussianEmbassy.Now,Ihavedonemyduty,and——”
“Stopher!”criedHolmes.Hehadboundedacrosstheroomandhadwrenchedasmallphialfromherhand.
“Toolate!”shesaid,sinkingbackonthebed.“Toolate!ItookthepoisonbeforeIleftmyhiding-place.Myheadswims!Iamgoing!Ichargeyou,sir,torememberthepacket.”
“Asimplecase,andyet,insomeways,aninstructiveone,”Holmesremarked,aswetravelledbacktotown.“Ithingedfromtheoutsetuponthepince-nez.Butforthefortunatechanceofthedyingmanhavingseizedthese,Iamnotsurethatwecouldeverhavereachedoursolution.Itwascleartome,fromthestrengthoftheglasses,thatthewearermusthavebeenveryblindandhelplesswhendeprivedofthem.Whenyouaskedmetobelievethatshewalkedalonganarrowstripofgrasswithoutoncemakingafalsestep,Iremarked,asyoumayremember,thatitwasanoteworthyperformance.InmymindIsetitdownasanimpossibleperformance,saveintheunlikelycasethatshehadasecondpairofglasses.Iwasforced,therefore,toconsiderseriouslythehypothesisthatshehadremainedwithinthehouse.Onperceivingthesimilarityofthetwocorridors,itbecameclearthatshemightveryeasilyhavemadesuchamistake,and,inthatcase,itwasevidentthatshemusthaveenteredtheprofessor’sroom
