Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter
“Dearme,howverystupidofme,tobesure!Good-morning,miss,andmanythanksforhavingrelievedmymind.”Hechuckledandrubbedhishandswhenwefoundourselvesinthestreetoncemore.
“Well?”Iasked.
“Weprogress,mydearWatson,weprogress.Ihadsevendifferentschemesforgettingaglimpseofthattelegram,butIcouldhardlyhopetosucceedtheveryfirsttime.”
“Andwhathaveyougained?”
“Astarting-pointforourinvestigation.”Hehailedacab.“King’sCrossStation,”saidhe.
“Wehaveajourney,then?”
“Yes,IthinkwemustrundowntoCambridgetogether.Alltheindicationsseemtometopointinthatdirection.”
“Tellme,”Iasked,aswerattledupGray’sInnRoad,“haveyouanysuspicionyetastothecauseofthedisappearance?Idon’tthinkthatamongallourcasesIhaveknownonewherethemotivesaremoreobscure.Surelyyoudon’treallyimaginethathemaybekidnappedinordertogiveinformationagainsthiswealthyuncle?”
“Iconfess,mydearWatson,thatthatdoesnotappealtomeasaveryprobableexplanation.Itstruckme,however,asbeingtheonewhichwasmostlikelytointerestthatexceedinglyunpleasantoldperson.”
“Itcertainlydidthat;butwhatareyouralternatives?”
“Icouldmentionseveral.Youmustadmitthatitiscuriousandsuggestivethatthisincidentshouldoccurontheeveofthisimportantmatch,andshouldinvolvetheonlymanwhosepresenceseemsessentialtothesuccessoftheside.Itmay,ofcourse,beacoincidence,butitisinteresting.
