Знак четырех
XII. The Strange Story of Jonathan Small
”
Hegaveamostdismalgroan.“Ifearedasmuch,”saidhe.“Ireallycannotcongratulateyou.”
Iwasalittlehurt.“Haveyouanyreasontobedissatisfiedwithmychoice?”Iasked.
“Notatall.IthinksheisoneofthemostcharmingyoungladiesIevermet,andmighthavebeenmostusefulinsuchworkaswehavebeendoing.Shehadadecidedgeniusthatway:witnessthewayinwhichshepreservedthatAgraplanfromalltheotherpapersofherfather.Butloveisanemotionalthing,andwhateverisemotionalisopposedtothattruecoldreasonwhichIplaceaboveallthings.Ishouldnevermarrymyself,lestIbiasmyjudgment.”
“Itrust,”saidI,laughing,“thatmyjudgmentmaysurvivetheordeal.Butyoulookweary.”
“Yes,thereactionisalreadyuponme.Ishallbeaslimpasaragforaweek.”
“Strange,”saidI,“howtermsofwhatinanothermanIshouldcalllazinessalternatewithyourfitsofsplendidenergyandvigour.”
“Yes,”heanswered,“thereareinmethemakingsofaveryfineloaferandalsoofaprettysprysortoffellow.IoftenthinkofthoselinesofoldGoethe,—
SchadedassdieNaturnureinenMenschausDirschuf,
DennzumwürdigenMannwarundzumSchelmenderStoff.
“Bytheway,àproposofthisNorwoodbusiness,youseethattheyhad,asIsurmised,aconfederateinthehouse,whocouldbenoneotherthanLalRao,thebutler:soJonesactuallyhastheundividedhonourofhavingcaughtonefishinhisgreathaul.”
“Thedivisionseemsratherunfair,”Iremarked.“Youhavedonealltheworkinthisbusiness
