Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter
”
Eveninhischastenedframeofmind,thenoblemisercouldgiveusnoinformationwhichcouldhelpus,forheknewlittleoftheprivatelifeofhisnephew.Ouronlycluelayinthetruncatedtelegram,andwithacopyofthisinhishandHolmessetforthtofindasecondlinkforhischain.WehadshakenoffLordMount-James,andOvertonhadgonetoconsultwiththeothermembersofhisteamoverthemisfortunewhichhadbefallenthem.
Therewasatelegraph-officeatashortdistancefromthehotel.Wehaltedoutsideit.
“It’sworthtrying,Watson,”saidHolmes.“Ofcourse,withawarrantwecoulddemandtoseethecounterfoils,butwehavenotreachedthatstageyet.Idon’tsupposetheyrememberfacesinsobusyaplace.Letusventureit.”
“Iamsorrytotroubleyou,”saidhe,inhisblandestmanner,totheyoungwomanbehindthegrating;“thereissomesmallmistakeaboutatelegramIsentyesterday.Ihavehadnoanswer,andIverymuchfearthatImusthaveomittedtoputmynameattheend.Couldyoutellmeifthiswasso?”
Theyoungwomanturnedoverasheafofcounterfoils.
“Whato’clockwasit?”sheasked.
“Alittleaftersix.”
“Whomwasitto?”
Holmesputhisfingertohislipsandglancedatme.“Thelastwordsinitwere‘ForGod’ssake,’”hewhispered,confidentially;“Iamveryanxiousatgettingnoanswer.”
Theyoungwomanseparatedoneoftheforms.
“Thisisit.Thereisnoname,”saidshe,smoothingitoutuponthecounter.
“Thenthat,ofcourse,accountsformygettingnoanswer,”saidHolmes.
