Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Red-headed League
Itwasdifficulttorealizeaswelookedatthelineoffineshopsandstatelybusinesspremisesthattheyreallyabuttedontheothersideuponthefadedandstagnantsquarewhichwehadjustquitted.
"Letmesee,"saidHolmes,standingatthecornerandglancingalongtheline, "Ishouldlikejusttoremembertheorderofthehouseshere. ItisahobbyofminetohaveanexactknowledgeofLondon. ThereisMortimer’s,thetobacconist,thelittlenewspapershop,theCoburgbranchoftheCityandSuburbanBank,theVegetarianRestaurant,andMcFarlane’scarriage-buildingdepot. Thatcarriesusrightontotheotherblock. Andnow,Doctor,we’vedoneourwork,soit’stimewehadsomeplay. Asandwichandacupofcoffee,andthenofftoviolin-land,whereallissweetnessanddelicacyandharmony,andtherearenored-headedclientstovexuswiththeirconundrums."
Myfriendwasanenthusiasticmusician,beinghimselfnotonlyaverycapableperformerbutacomposerofnoordinarymerit. Alltheafternoonhesatinthestallswrappedinthemostperfecthappiness,gentlywavinghislong,thinfingersintimetothemusic,whilehisgentlysmilingfaceandhislanguid,dreamyeyeswereasunlikethoseofHolmes,thesleuth-hound,Holmestherelentless,keen-witted,ready-handedcriminalagent,asitwaspossibletoconceive. Inhissingularcharacterthedualnaturealternatelyasserteditself,andhisextremeexactnessandastutenessrepresented,asIhaveoftenthought,thereactionagainstthepoeticandcontemplativemoodwhichoccasionallypredominatedinhim. Theswingofhisnaturetookhimfromextremelanguortodevouringenergy; and,asIknewwell,hewasneversotrulyformidableaswhen,fordaysonend,hehadbeenlounginginhisarmchairamidhisimprovisationsandhisblack-lettereditions.
