Приключения Шерлока Холмса
A Scandal in Bohemia
Hecarriedabroad-brimmedhatinhishand,whileheworeacrosstheupperpartofhisface,extendingdownpastthecheekbones, ablackvizardmask,whichhehadapparentlyadjustedthatverymoment,forhishandwasstillraisedtoitasheentered. Fromthelowerpartofthefaceheappearedtobeamanofstrongcharacter,withathick,hanginglip,andalong,straightchinsuggestiveofresolutionpushedtothelengthofobstinacy.
"Youhadmynote?"heaskedwithadeepharshvoiceandastronglymarkedGermanaccent. "ItoldyouthatIwouldcall. "Helookedfromonetotheotherofus,asifuncertainwhichtoaddress.
"Praytakeaseat,"saidHolmes. "Thisismyfriendandcolleague,Dr.Watson,whoisoccasionallygoodenoughtohelpmeinmycases. WhomhaveIthehonourtoaddress?"
"YoumayaddressmeastheCountVonKramm,aBohemiannobleman. Iunderstandthatthisgentleman,yourfriend,isamanofhonouranddiscretion,whomImaytrustwithamatterofthemostextremeimportance. Ifnot,Ishouldmuchprefertocommunicatewithyoualone."
Irosetogo,butHolmescaughtmebythewristandpushedmebackintomychair. "Itisboth,ornone,"saidhe. "Youmaysaybeforethisgentlemananythingwhichyoumaysaytome."
TheCountshruggedhisbroadshoulders. "ThenImustbegin,"saidhe,"bybindingyoubothtoabsolutesecrecyfortwoyears; attheendofthattimethematterwillbeofnoimportance. AtpresentitisnottoomuchtosaythatitisofsuchweightitmayhaveaninfluenceuponEuropeanhistory."
"Ipromise,"saidHolmes.
