Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Man with the Twisted Lip
Thereisnotaninstanttobelost. Herushestosomesecrethoard,wherehehasaccumulatedthefruitsofhisbeggary,andhestuffsallthecoinsuponwhichhecanlayhishandsintothepocketstomakesureofthecoat’ssinking. Hethrowsitout,andwouldhavedonethesamewiththeothergarmentshadnotheheardtherushofstepsbelow,andonlyjusthadtimetoclosethewindowwhenthepoliceappeared."
"Itcertainlysoundsfeasible."
"Well,wewilltakeitasaworkinghypothesisforwantofabetter. Boone,asIhavetoldyou,wasarrestedandtakentothestation,butitcouldnotbeshownthattherehadeverbeforebeenanythingagainsthim. Hehadforyearsbeenknownasaprofessionalbeggar,buthislifeappearedtohavebeenaveryquietandinnocentone. Therethematterstandsatpresent,andthequestionswhichhavetobesolved—whatNevilleSt.Clairwasdoingintheopiumden,whathappenedtohimwhenthere,whereishenow,andwhatHughBoonehadtodowithhisdisappearance—areallasfarfromasolutionasever. IconfessthatIcannotrecallanycasewithinmyexperiencewhichlookedatthefirstglancesosimpleandyetwhichpresentedsuchdifficulties."
WhileSherlockHolmeshadbeendetailingthissingularseriesofevents,wehadbeenwhirlingthroughtheoutskirtsofthegreattownuntilthelaststragglinghouseshadbeenleftbehind,andwerattledalongwithacountryhedgeuponeithersideofus. Justashefinished,however,wedrovethroughtwoscatteredvillages,whereafewlightsstillglimmeredinthewindows.
"WeareontheoutskirtsofLee,"saidmycompanion. "WehavetouchedonthreeEnglishcountiesinourshortdrive,startinginMiddlesex,passingoveranangleofSurrey,andendinginKent.
