Знак четырех
IV. The Story of the Bald-Headed Man
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Thelittlemanstoppedtorelighthishookahandpuffedthoughtfullyforafewmoments.Wehadallsatabsorbed,listeningtohisextraordinarynarrative.Attheshortaccountofherfather’sdeathMissMorstanhadturneddeadlywhite,andforamomentIfearedthatshewasabouttofaint.Sheralliedhowever,ondrinkingaglassofwaterwhichIquietlypouredoutforherfromaVenetiancarafeupontheside-table.SherlockHolmesleanedbackinhischairwithanabstractedexpressionandthelidsdrawnlowoverhisglitteringeyes.AsIglancedathimIcouldnotbutthinkhowonthatverydayhehadcomplainedbitterlyofthecommonplacenessoflife.Hereatleastwasaproblemwhichwouldtaxhissagacitytotheutmost.Mr.ThaddeusSholtolookedfromonetotheotherofuswithanobviousprideattheeffectwhichhisstoryhadproduced,andthencontinuedbetweenthepuffsofhisovergrownpipe.
“MybrotherandI,”saidhe,“were,asyoumayimagine,muchexcitedastothetreasurewhichmyfatherhadspokenof.Forweeksandformonthsweduganddelvedineverypartofthegarden,withoutdiscoveringitswhereabouts.Itwasmaddeningtothinkthatthehiding-placewasonhisverylipsatthemomentthathedied.Wecouldjudgethesplendourofthemissingrichesbythechapletwhichhehadtakenout.OverthischapletmybrotherBartholomewandIhadsomelittlediscussion.Thepearlswereevidentlyofgreatvalue,andhewasaversetopartwiththem,for,betweenfriends,mybrotherwashimselfalittleinclinedtomyfather’sfault.
