Знак четырех
VI. Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration
Jones,butIwillmakeyouafreepresentofthenameanddescriptionofoneofthetwopeoplewhowereinthisroomlastnight.Hisname,Ihaveeveryreasontobelieve,isJonathanSmall.Heisapoorly-educatedman,small,active,withhisrightlegoff,andwearingawoodenstumpwhichiswornawayupontheinnerside.Hisleftboothasacoarse,square-toedsole,withanironbandroundtheheel.Heisamiddle-agedman,muchsunburned,andhasbeenaconvict.Thesefewindicationsmaybeofsomeassistancetoyou,coupledwiththefactthatthereisagooddealofskinmissingfromthepalmofhishand.Theotherman—”
“Ah!theotherman—?”askedAthelneyJones,inasneeringvoice,butimpressednonetheless,asIcouldeasilysee,bytheprecisionoftheother’smanner.
“Isarathercuriousperson,”saidSherlockHolmes,turninguponhisheel.“Ihopebeforeverylongtobeabletointroduceyoutothepairofthem.—Awordwithyou,Watson.”
Heledmeouttotheheadofthestair.“Thisunexpectedoccurrence,”hesaid,“hascausedusrathertolosesightoftheoriginalpurposeofourjourney.”
“Ihavejustbeenthinkingso,”Ianswered.“ItisnotrightthatMissMorstanshouldremaininthisstrickenhouse.”
“No.Youmustescortherhome.SheliveswithMrs.CecilForrester,inLowerCamberwell:soitisnotveryfar.Iwillwaitforyouhereifyouwilldriveoutagain.Orperhapsyouaretootired?”
“Bynomeans.Idon’tthinkIcouldrestuntilIknowmoreofthisfantasticbusiness
