Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Naval Treaty
WhatdoyouthinkofMissHarrison?"
"Agirlofstrongcharacter."
"Yes,butsheisagoodsort,orIammistaken.Sheandherbrotheraretheonlychildrenofaniron-mastersomewhereupNorthumberlandway.Hegotengagedtoherwhentravellinglastwinter,andshecamedowntobeintroducedtohispeople,withherbrotherasescort.Thencamethesmash,andshestayedontonurseherlover,whilebrotherJoseph,findinghimselfprettysnug,stayedon,too.I’vebeenmakingafewindependentinquiries,yousee.Butto-daymustbeadayofinquiries."
"Mypractice—"Ibegan.
"Oh,ifyoufindyourowncasesmoreinterestingthanmine—"saidHolmeswithsomeasperity.
"Iwasgoingtosaythatmypracticecouldgetalongverywellforadayortwo,sinceitistheslackesttimeintheyear."
"Excellent,"saidhe,recoveringhisgood-humour."Thenwe’lllookintothismattertogether.IthinkthatweshouldbeginbyseeingForbes.Hecanprobablytellusallthedetailswewantuntilweknowfromwhatsidethecaseistobeapproached."
"Yousaidyouhadaclue?"
"Well,wehaveseveral,butwecanonlytesttheirvaluebyfurtherinquiry.Themostdifficultcrimetotrackistheonewhichispurposeless.Nowthisisnotpurposeless.Whoisitwhoprofitsbyit?ThereistheFrenchambassador,thereistheRussian,thereiswhoevermightsellittoeitherofthese,andthereisLordHoldhurst.
