Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
Holmesroseandsatdownatthetablewithhispeninhishandandabundleofpaperbeforehim. "lusttellusthetruth,"hesaid."Ishalljotdownthefacts. Youwillsignit,andWatsonherecanwitnessit. ThenIcouldproduceyourconfessionatthelastextremitytosaveyoungMcCarthy. IpromiseyouthatIshallnotuseitunlessitisabsolutelyneeded."
"It’saswell,"saidtheoldman; "it’saquestionwhetherIshalllivetotheAssizes,soitmatterslittletome,butIshouldwishtospareAlicetheshock. AndnowIwillmakethethingcleartoyou;ithasbeenalongtimeintheacting,butwillnottakemelongtotell.
"Youdidn’tknowthisdeadman,McCarthy. Hewasadevilincarnate.Itellyouthat. Godkeepyououtoftheclutchesofsuchamanashe. Hisgriphasbeenuponmethesetwentyyears,andhehasblastedmylife. I’lltellyoufirsthowIcametobeinhispower.
"Itwasintheearly’60’satthediggings. Iwasayoungchapthen,hot-bloodedandreckless,readytoturnmyhandatanything; Igotamongbadcompanions,tooktodrink,hadnoluckwithmyclaim,tooktothebush,andinawordbecamewhatyouwouldcalloverhereahighwayrobber. Thereweresixofus,andwehadawild,freelifeofit,stickingupastationfromtimetotime,orstoppingthewagonsontheroadtothediggings. BlackJackofBallaratwasthenameIwentunder,andourpartyisstillrememberedinthecolonyastheBallaratGang.
"OnedayagoldconvoycamedownfromBallarattoMelbourne,andwelayinwaitforitandattackedit. Thereweresixtroopersandsixofus,soitwasaclosething,butweemptiedfouroftheirsaddlesatthefirstvolley. Threeofourboyswerekilled,however,beforewegottheswag. Iputmypistoltotheheadofthewagon-driver,whowasthisverymanMcCarthy.
