Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Naval Treaty
Holmes,thatthethieftookthetreatyinordertoframeitandhangitup."
"Perhapsheiswaitingforabetterprice."
"Ifhewaitsalittlelongerhewillgetnopriceatall.Thetreatywillceasetobesecretinafewmonths."
"Thatismostimportant,"saidHolmes."Ofcourse,itisapossiblesuppositionthatthethiefhashadasuddenillness—"
"Anattackofbrain-fever,forexample?"askedthestatesman,flashingaswiftglanceathim.
"Ididnotsayso,"saidHolmesimperturbably."AndnowLordHoldhurst,wehavealreadytakenuptoomuchofyourvaluabletime,andweshallwishyougood-day."
"Everysuccesstoyourinvestigation,bethecriminalwhoitmay,"answeredthenoblemanashebowedusoutatthedoor.
"He’safinefellow,"saidHolmesaswecameoutintoWhitehall."Buthehasastruggletokeepuphisposition.Heisfarfromrichandhasmanycalls.Younoticed,ofcourse,thathisbootshadbeenresoled.Now,Watson,Iwon’tdetainyoufromyourlegitimateworkanylonger.Ishalldonothingmoreto-dayunlessIhaveananswertomycabadvertisement.ButIshouldbeextremelyobligedtoyouifyouwouldcomedownwithmetoWokingto-morrowbythesametrainwhichwetookyesterday."
***
ImethimaccordinglynextmorningandwetravelleddowntoWokingtogether.Hehadhadnoanswertohisadvertisement,hesaid,andnofreshlighthadbeenthrownuponthecase.
