Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Crooked Man
Youseemenowwithmybacklikeacamelandmyribsallawry,buttherewasatimewhenCorporalHenryWoodwasthesmartestmanintheOneHundredandSeventeenthfoot.WewereinIndia,then,incantonments,ataplacewe’llcallBhurtee.Barclay,whodiedtheotherday,wassergeantinthesamecompanyasmyself,andthebelleoftheregiment,ay,andthefinestgirlthateverhadthebreathoflifebetweenherlips,wasNancyDevoy,thedaughterofthecolour-sergeant.Thereweretwomenthatlovedher,andonethatsheloved,andyou’llsmilewhenyoulookatthispoorthinghuddledbeforethefireandhearmesaythatitwasformygoodlooksthatshelovedme.
"Well,thoughIhadherheart,herfatherwassetuponhermarryingBarclay.Iwasaharum-scarum,recklesslad,andhehadhadaneducationandwasalreadymarkedforthesword-belt.Butthegirlheldtruetome,anditseemedthatIwouldhavehadherwhentheMutinybrokeout,andallhellwaslooseinthecountry.
"WewereshutupinBhurtee,theregimentofuswithhalfabatteryofartillery,acompanyofSikhs,andalotofciviliansandwomen-folk.Thereweretenthousandrebelsroundus,andtheywereaskeenasasetofterriersroundarat-cage.Aboutthesecondweekofitourwatergaveout,anditwasaquestionwhetherwecouldcommunicatewithGeneralNeill’scolumn,whichwasmovingup-country.
