Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Crooked Man
Itwasouronlychance,forwecouldnothopetofightourwayoutwithallthewomenandchildren,soIvolunteeredtogooutandtowarnGeneralNeillofourdanger.Myofferwasaccepted,andItalkeditoverwithSergeantBarclay,whowassupposedtoknowthegroundbetterthananyotherman,andwhodrewuparoutebywhichImightgetthroughtherebellines.Atteno’clockthesamenightIstartedoffuponmyjourney.Therewereathousandlivestosave,butitwasofonlyonethatIwasthinkingwhenIdroppedoverthewallthatnight.
"Mywayrandownadried-upwatercourse,whichwehopedwouldscreenmefromtheenemy’ssentries;butasIcreptroundthecornerofitIwalkedrightintosixofthem,whowerecrouchingdowninthedarkwaitingforme.InaninstantIwasstunnedwithablowandboundhandandfoot.Buttherealblowwastomyheartandnottomyhead,forasIcametoandlistenedtoasmuchasIcouldunderstandoftheirtalk,Iheardenoughtotellmethatmycomrade,theverymanwhohadarrangedthewayIwastotake,hadbetrayedmebymeansofanativeservantintothehandsoftheenemy.
"Well,there’snoneedformetodwellonthatpartofit.YouknownowwhatJamesBarclaywascapableof.BhurteewasrelievedbyNeillnextday,buttherebelstookmeawaywiththemintheirretreat,anditwasmanyalongyearbeforeeverIsawawhitefaceagain.Iwastorturedandtriedtogetaway,andwascapturedandtorturedagain.YoucanseeforyourselvesthestateinwhichIwasleft.
