Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Dancing Men
Finallyhehandedanotetotheboy,withdirectionstoputitintothehandsofthepersontowhomitwasaddressed,andespeciallytoanswernoquestionsofanysortwhichmightbeputtohim.Isawtheoutsideofthenote,addressedinstraggling,irregularcharacters,veryunlikeHolmes’susualprecisehand.ItwasconsignedtoMr.AbeSlaney,ElrigesFarm,EastRuston,Norfolk.
“Ithink,Inspector,”Holmesremarked,“thatyouwoulddowelltotelegraphforanescort,as,ifmycalculationsprovetobecorrect,youmayhaveaparticularlydangerousprisonertoconveytothecountyjail.Theboywhotakesthisnotecouldnodoubtforwardyourtelegram.Ifthereisanafternoontraintotown,Watson,Ithinkweshoulddowelltotakeit,asIhaveachemicalanalysisofsomeinteresttofinish,andthisinvestigationdrawsrapidlytoaclose.”
Whentheyouthhadbeendispatchedwiththenote,SherlockHolmesgavehisinstructionstotheservants.IfanyvisitorweretocallaskingforMrs.HiltonCubitt,noinformationshouldbegivenastohercondition,buthewastobeshownatonceintothedrawing-room.Heimpressedthesepointsuponthemwiththeutmostearnestness.Finallyheledthewayintothedrawing-room,withtheremarkthatthebusinesswasnowoutofourhands,andthatwemustwhileawaythetimeasbestwemightuntilwecouldseewhatwasinstoreforus.Thedoctorhaddepartedtohispatients,andonlytheinspectorandmyselfremained.
