Собака Баскервиллей
Death on the Moor
IbroughtCartwrightdownwithme—yourememberthelittlechapattheexpressoffice —andhehasseenaftermysimplewants:aloafofbreadandacleancollar. Whatdoesmanwantmore? Hehasgivenmeanextrapairofeyesuponaveryactivepairoffeet,andbothhavebeeninvaluable."
"Thenmyreportshaveallbeenwasted! "—MyvoicetrembledasIrecalledthepainsandthepridewithwhichIhadcomposedthem.
Holmestookabundleofpapersfromhispocket.
"Hereareyourreports,mydearfellow,andverywellthumbed,Iassureyou. Imadeexcellentarrangements,andtheyareonlydelayedonedayupontheirway. Imustcomplimentyouexceedinglyuponthezealandtheintelligencewhichyouhaveshownoveranextraordinarilydifficultcase."
Iwasstillratherrawoverthedeceptionwhichhadbeenpractiseduponme,butthewarmthofHolmes’spraisedrovemyangerfrommymind. IfeltalsoinmyheartthathewasrightinwhathesaidandthatitwasreallybestforourpurposethatIshouldnothaveknownthathewasuponthemoor.
"That’sbetter,"saidhe,seeingtheshadowrisefrommyface. "AndnowtellmetheresultofyourvisittoMrs.LauraLyons —itwasnotdifficultformetoguessthatitwastoseeherthatyouhadgone,forIamalreadyawarethatsheistheonepersoninCoombeTraceywhomightbeofservicetousinthematter. Infact,ifyouhadnotgoneto-dayitisexceedinglyprobablethatIshouldhavegoneto-morrow."
Thesunhadsetandduskwassettlingoverthemoor. Theairhadturnedchillandwewithdrewintothehutforwarmth. There,sittingtogetherinthetwilight,ItoldHolmesofmyconversationwiththelady. SointerestedwashethatIhadtorepeatsomeofittwicebeforehewassatisfied.
