Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Man with the Twisted Lip
"Andnowastothevillainswhoseemedtobeimmediatelyimplicatedinthematter. Thelascarwasknowntobeamanofthevilestantecedents,butas,byMrs.St.Clair’sstory,hewasknowntohavebeenatthefootofthestairwithinaveryfewsecondsofherhusband’sappearanceatthewindow,hecouldhardlyhavebeenmorethananaccessorytothecrime. Hisdefensewasoneofabsoluteignorance,andheprotestedthathehadnoknowledgeastothedoingsofHughBoone,hislodger,andthathecouldnotaccountinanywayforthepresenceofthemissinggentleman’sclothes.
"Somuchforthelascarmanager. Nowforthesinistercripplewholivesuponthesecondflooroftheopiumden,andwhowascertainlythelasthumanbeingwhoseeyesresteduponNevilleSt.Clair. HisnameisHughBoone,andhishideousfaceisonewhichisfamiliartoeverymanwhogoesmuchtotheCity. Heisaprofessionalbeggar,thoughinordertoavoidthepoliceregulationshepretendstoasmalltradeinwaxvestas. SomelittledistancedownThreadneedleStreet,upontheleft-handside,thereis,asyoumayhaveremarked,asmallangleinthewall. Hereitisthatthiscreaturetakeshisdailyseat,cross-leggedwithhistinystockofmatchesonhislap,andasheisapiteousspectacleasmallrainofcharitydescendsintothegreasyleathercapwhichliesuponthepavementbesidehim. IhavewatchedthefellowmorethanoncebeforeeverIthoughtofmakinghisprofessionalacquaintance,andIhavebeensurprisedattheharvestwhichhehasreapedinashorttime. Hisappearance,yousee,issoremarkablethatnoonecanpasshimwithoutobservinghim. Ashockoforangehair,apalefacedisfiguredbyahorriblescar,which,byitscontraction,hasturneduptheouteredgeofhisupperlip,abulldogchin,andapairofverypenetratingdarkeyes,whichpresentasingularcontrasttothecolourofhishair,allmarkhimoutfromamidthecommoncrowdofmendicantsandso,too,doeshiswit,forheiseverreadywithareplytoanypieceofchaffwhichmaybethrownathimbythepassers-by.
