Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter
Whoshoulditbebutthepale-faced,beardedman,whoseemedhimselfinsonervousastate?What,then,istheconnectionbetweenGodfreyStauntonandthebeardedman?Andwhatisthethirdsourcefromwhicheachofthemsoughtforhelpagainstpressingdanger?Ourinquiryhasalreadynarroweddowntothat.”
“Wehaveonlytofindtowhomthattelegramisaddressed,”Isuggested.
“Exactly,mydearWatson.Yourreflection,thoughprofound,hadalreadycrossedmymind.ButIdaresayitmayhavecometoyournoticethat,counterfoilofanotherman’smessage,theremaybesomedisinclinationonthepartoftheofficialstoobligeyou.Thereissomuchredtapeinthesematters.However,Ihavenodoubtthatwithalittledelicacyandfinessetheendmaybeattained.Meanwhile,Ishouldlikeinyourpresence,Mr.Overton,togothroughthesepaperswhichhavebeenleftuponthetable.”
Therewereanumberofletters,bills,andnotebooks,whichHolmesturnedoverandexaminedwithquick,nervousfingersanddarting,penetratingeyes.“Nothinghere,”hesaid,atlast.“Bytheway,Isupposeyourfriendwasahealthyyoungfellow—nothingamisswithhim?”
“Soundasabell.”
“Haveyoueverknownhimill?”
“Notaday.Hehasbeenlaidupwithahack,andonceheslippedhisknee-cap,butthatwasnothing.”
“Perhapshewasnotsostrongasyousuppose.Ishouldthinkhemayhavehadsomesecrettrouble.Withyourassent,Iwillputoneortwoofthesepapersinmypocket,incasetheyshouldbearuponourfutureinquiry.
