Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Empty House
“Isitreallyyou?Canitindeedbethatyouarealive?Isitpossiblethatyousucceededinclimbingoutofthatawfulabyss?”
“Waitamoment,”saidhe.“Areyousurethatyouarereallyfittodiscussthings?Ihavegivenyouaseriousshockbymyunnecessarilydramaticreappearance.”
“Iamallright,butindeed,Holmes,Icanhardlybelievemyeyes.Goodheavens!tothinkthatyou—youofallmen—shouldbestandinginmystudy.”AgainIgrippedhimbythesleeve,andfeltthethin,sinewyarmbeneathit.“Well,you’renotaspiritanyhow,”saidI.“Mydearchap,I’moverjoyedtoseeyou.Sitdown,andtellmehowyoucamealiveoutofthatdreadfulchasm.”
Hesatoppositetome,andlitacigaretteinhisold,nonchalantmanner.Hewasdressedintheseedyfrockcoatofthebookmerchant,buttherestofthatindividuallayinapileofwhitehairandoldbooksuponthetable.Holmeslookedeventhinnerandkeenerthanofold,buttherewasadead-whitetingeinhisaquilinefacewhichtoldmethathisliferecentlyhadnotbeenahealthyone.
“Iamgladtostretchmyself,Watson,”saidhe.“Itisnojokewhenatallmanhastotakeafootoffhisstatureforseveralhoursonend.Now,mydearfellow,inthematteroftheseexplanations,wehave,ifImayaskforyourcooperation,ahardanddangerousnight’sworkinfrontofus.PerhapsitwouldbebetterifIgaveyouanaccountofthewholesituationwhenthatworkisfinished.”
“Iamfullofcuriosity.Ishouldmuchprefertohearnow.”
“You’llcomewithmeto-night?”
“Whenyoulikeandwhereyoulike.
