Знак четырех
II. The Statement of the Case
Heleanedforwardinhischairwithanexpressionofextraordinaryconcentrationuponhisclear-cut,hawklikefeatures.“Stateyourcase,”saidhe,inbrisk,businesstones.
Ifeltthatmypositionwasanembarrassingone.“Youwill,Iamsure,excuseme,”Isaid,risingfrommychair.
Tomysurprise,theyoungladyheldupherglovedhandtodetainme.“Ifyourfriend,”shesaid,“wouldbegoodenoughtostop,hemightbeofinestimableservicetome.”
Irelapsedintomychair.
“Briefly,”shecontinued,“thefactsarethese.MyfatherwasanofficerinanIndianregimentwhosentmehomewhenIwasquiteachild.Mymotherwasdead,andIhadnorelativeinEngland.Iwasplaced,however,inacomfortableboardingestablishmentatEdinburgh,andthereIremaineduntilIwasseventeenyearsofage.Intheyear1878myfather,whowasseniorcaptainofhisregiment,obtainedtwelvemonths’leaveandcamehome.HetelegraphedtomefromLondonthathehadarrivedallsafe,anddirectedmetocomedownatonce,givingtheLanghamHotelashisaddress.Hismessage,asIremember,wasfullofkindnessandlove.OnreachingLondonIdrovetotheLangham,andwasinformedthatCaptainMorstanwasstayingthere,butthathehadgoneoutthenightbeforeandhadnotyetreturned.Iwaitedalldaywithoutnewsofhim.Thatnight,ontheadviceofthemanagerofthehotel,Icommunicatedwiththepolice,andnextmorningweadvertisedinallthepapers.Ourinquiriesledtonoresult;andfromthatdaytothisnowordhaseverbeenheardofmyunfortunatefather.
