Знак четырех
II. The Statement of the Case
“Isshe?”hesaid,languidly.“Ididnotobserve.”
“Youreallyareanautomaton,—acalculating-machine!”Icried.“Thereissomethingpositivelyinhumaninyouattimes.”
Hesmiledgently.“Itisofthefirstimportance,”hesaid,“nottoallowyourjudgmenttobebiasedbypersonalqualities.Aclientistomeamereunit,—afactorinaproblem.Theemotionalqualitiesareantagonistictoclearreasoning.IassureyouthatthemostwinningwomanIeverknewwashangedforpoisoningthreelittlechildrenfortheirinsurance-money,andthemostrepellantmanofmyacquaintanceisaphilanthropistwhohasspentnearlyaquarterofamillionupontheLondonpoor.”
“Inthiscase,however—”
“Inevermakeexceptions.Anexceptiondisprovestherule.Haveyoueverhadoccasiontostudycharacterinhandwriting?Whatdoyoumakeofthisfellow’sscribble?”
“Itislegibleandregular,”Ianswered.“Amanofbusinesshabitsandsomeforceofcharacter.”
Holmesshookhishead.“Lookathislongletters,”hesaid.“Theyhardlyriseabovethecommonherd.Thatdmightbeana,andthatlane.Menofcharacteralwaysdifferentiatetheirlongletters,howeverillegiblytheymaywrite.Thereisvacillationinhisk’sandself-esteeminhiscapitals.Iamgoingoutnow.Ihavesomefewreferencestomake.Letmerecommendthisbook,—oneofthemostremarkableeverpenned.ItisWinwoodReade’s‘MartyrdomofMan.’Ishallbebackinanhour.”
Isatinthewindowwiththevolumeinmyhand,butmythoughtswerefarfromthedaringspeculationsofthewriter
