Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Reigate Puzzle
"
"Inthefirstplace,"saidHolmes,"Ishouldlikeyoutoofferareward—comingfromyourself,fortheofficialsmaytakealittletimebeforetheywouldagreeuponthesum,andthesethingscannotbedonetoopromptly.Ihavejotteddowntheformhere,ifyouwouldnotmindsigningit.Fiftypoundswasquiteenough,Ithought."
"Iwouldwillinglygivefivehundred,"saidtheJ.P.,takingtheslipofpaperandthepencilwhichHolmeshandedtohim."Thisisnotquitecorrect,however,"headded,glancingoverthedocument.
"Iwroteitratherhurriedly."
"Youseeyoubegin,‘Whereas,ataboutaquartertooneonTuesdaymorninganattemptwasmade,"andsoon.Itwasataquartertotwelve,asamatteroffact."
Iwaspainedatthemistake,forIknewhowkeenlyHolmeswouldfeelanyslipofthekind.Itwashisspecialtytobeaccurateastofact,buthisrecentillnesshadshakenhim,andthisonelittleincidentwasenoughtoshowmethathewasstillfarfrombeinghimself.Hewasobviouslyembarrassedforaninstant,whiletheinspectorraisedhiseyebrows,andAlecCunninghamburstintoalaugh.Theoldgentlemancorrectedthemistake,however,andhandedthepaperbacktoHolmes.
"Getitprintedassoonaspossible,"hesaid;"Ithinkyourideaisanexcellentone."
Holmesputtheslipofpapercarefullyawayintohispocketbook.
