Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb
"Heshotoneofhissuspiciouslooksatme. ‘Perhapswehadbetterproceedtobusiness,then,’saidhe. ‘Mr.FergusonandIwilltakeyouuptoseethemachine.’
"‘Ihadbetterputmyhaton,Isuppose.’
"‘Oh,no,itisinthehouse.’
"‘What,youdigfuller’s-earthinthehouse?’
"‘No,no.Thisisonlywherewecompressit. Butnevermindthat. Allwewishyoutodoistoexaminethemachineandtoletusknowwhatiswrongwithit.’
"Wewentupstairstogether,thecolonelfirstwiththelamp,thefatmanagerandIbehindhim. Itwasalabyrinthofanoldhouse,withcorridors,passages,narrowwindingstaircases,andlittlelowdoors,thethresholdsofwhichwerehollowedoutbythegenerationswhohadcrossedthem. Therewerenocarpetsandnosignsofanyfurnitureabovethegroundfloor,whiletheplasterwaspeelingoffthewalls,andthedampwasbreakingthroughingreen,unhealthyblotches. Itriedtoputonasunconcernedanairaspossible,butIhadnotforgottenthewarningsofthelady,eventhoughIdisregardedthem,andIkeptakeeneyeuponmytwocompanions. Fergusonappearedtobeamoroseandsilentman,butIcouldseefromthelittlethathesaidthathewasatleastafellow-countryman.
"ColonelLysanderStarkstoppedatlastbeforealowdoor,whichheunlocked. Withinwasasmall,squareroom,inwhichthethreeofuscouldhardlygetatonetime. Fergusonremainedoutside,andthecolonelusheredmein.
