Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter
“IdonotfeelthatthereisanyreasonwhyIshouldrenderanexplanationtoyou,Mr.Holmes.”
Holmesreplacedthebillinhisnotebook.“Ifyoupreferapublicexplanation,itmustcomesoonerorlater,”saidhe.“IhavealreadytoldyouthatIcanhushupthatwhichotherswillbeboundtopublish,andyouwouldreallybewisertotakemeintoyourcompleteconfidence.”
“Iknownothingaboutit.”
“DidyouhearfromMr.StauntoninLondon?”
“Certainlynot.”
“Dearme,dearme—thepostofficeagain!”Holmessighed,wearily.“AmosturgenttelegramwasdispatchedtoyoufromLondonbyGodfreyStauntonatsix-fifteenyesterdayevening—atelegramwhichisundoubtedlyassociatedwithhisdisappearance—andyetyouhavenothadit.Itismostculpable.Ishallcertainlygodowntotheofficehereandregisteracomplaint.”
Dr.LeslieArmstrongsprangupfrombehindhisdesk,andhisdarkfacewascrimsonwithfury.
“I’lltroubleyoutowalkoutofmyhouse,sir,”saidhe.“Youcantellyouremployer,LordMount-James,thatIdonotwishtohaveanythingtodoeitherwithhimorwithhisagents.No,sir—notanotherword!”Herangthebellfuriously.“John,showthesegentlemenout!”Apompousbutlerusheredusseverelytothedoor,andwefoundourselvesinthestreet.Holmesburstoutlaughing.
“Dr.LeslieArmstrongiscertainlyamanofenergyandcharacter,”saidhe.“Ihavenotseenamanwho,ifheturnshistalentsthatway,wasmorecalculatedtofillthegapleftbytheillustriousMoriarty.
