Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Abbey Grange
“Haveyounothingtotellme?”
“Ihavetoldyoueverything.”
“Thinkoncemore,LadyBrackenstall.Woulditnotbebettertobefrank?”
Foraninstanttherewashesitationinherbeautifulface.Thensomenewstrongthoughtcausedittosetlikeamask.
“IhavetoldyouallIknow.”
Holmestookhishatandshruggedhisshoulders.“Iamsorry,”hesaid,andwithoutanotherwordwelefttheroomandthehouse.Therewasapondinthepark,andtothismyfriendledtheway.Itwasfrozenover,butasingleholewasleftfortheconvenienceofasolitaryswan.Holmesgazedatit,andthenpassedontothelodgegate.TherehescribbledashortnoteforStanleyHopkins,andleftitwiththelodge-keeper.
“Itmaybeahit,oritmaybeamiss,butweareboundtodosomethingforfriendHopkins,justtojustifythissecondvisit,”saidhe.“Iwillnotquitetakehimintomyconfidenceyet.IthinkournextsceneofoperationsmustbetheshippingofficeoftheAdelaide-Southamptonline,whichstandsattheendofPallMall,ifIrememberright.ThereisasecondlineofsteamerswhichconnectSouthAustraliawithEngland,butwewilldrawthelargercoverfirst.”
Holmes’scardsentintothemanagerensuredinstantattention,andhewasnotlonginacquiringalltheinformationheneeded.InJuneof’95,onlyoneoftheirlinehadreachedahomeport.ItwastheRockofGibraltar,theirlargestandbestboat.AreferencetothepassengerlistshowedthatMissFraser,ofAdelaide,withhermaidhadmadethevoyageinher.TheboatwasnowsomewheresouthoftheSuezCanalonherwaytoAustralia.
