Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Yellow Face
"Andwiththatheupsandheouts,andallIcouldsaywouldn’tholdhimback."
"Well,well,youdidyourbest,"saidHolmesaswewalkedintoourroom."It’sveryannoying,though,Watson.Iwasbadlyinneedofacase,andthislooks,fromtheman’simpatience,asifitwereofimportance.Hullo!that’snotyourpipeonthetable.Hemusthavelefthisbehindhim.Aniceoldbrierwithagoodlongstemofwhatthetobacconistscallamber.IwonderhowmanyrealambermouthpiecesthereareinLondon?Somepeoplethinkthataflyinitisasign.Well,hemusthavebeendisturbedinhismindtoleaveapipebehindhimwhichheevidentlyvalueshighly."
"Howdoyouknowthathevaluesithighly?"Iasked.
"Well,Ishouldputtheoriginalcostofthepipeatsevenandsixpence.Nowithas,yousee,beentwicemended,onceinthewoodenstemandonceintheamber.Eachofthesemends,done,asyouobserve,withsilverbands,musthavecostmorethanthepipedidoriginally.Themanmustvaluethepipehighlywhenhepreferstopatchitupratherthanbuyanewonewiththesamemoney."
"Anythingelse?"Iasked,forHolmeswasturningthepipeaboutinhishandandstaringatitinhispeculiarpensiveway.
Hehelditupandtappedonitwithhislong,thinforefinger,asaprofessormightwhowaslecturingonabone.
"Pipesareoccasionallyofextraordinaryinterest,"saidhe."Nothinghasmoreindividuality,saveperhapswatchesandbootlaces.
