Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Yellow Face
Suddenlythismorningitoccurredtomethatyouwerethemantoadviseme,soIhavehurriedtoyounow,andIplacemyselfunreservedlyinyourhands.IfthereisanypointwhichIhavenotmadeclear,prayquestionmeaboutit.But,aboveall,tellmequicklywhatIamtodo,forthismiseryismorethanIcanbear."
HolmesandIhadlistenedwiththeutmostinteresttothisextraordinarystatement,whichhadbeendeliveredinthejerky,brokenfashionofamanwhoisundertheinfluenceofextremeemotion.Mycompanionsatsilentnowforsometime,withhischinuponhishand,lostinthought.
"Tellme,"saidheatlast,"couldyouswearthatthiswasaman’sfacewhichyousawatthewindow?"
"EachtimethatIsawitIwassomedistanceawayfromitsothatitisimpossibleformetosay."
"Youappear,however,tohavebeendisagreeablyimpressedbyit."
"Itseemedtobeofanunusualcolourandtohaveastrangerigidityaboutthefeatures.WhenIapproacheditvanishedwithajerk."
"Howlongisitsinceyourwifeaskedyouforahundredpounds?"
"Nearlytwomonths."
"Haveyoueverseenaphotographofherfirsthusband?"
"No,therewasagreatfireatAtlantaveryshortlyafterhisdeath,andallherpapersweredestroyed."
"Andyetshehadacertificateofdeath.Yousaythatyousawit."
"Yes,shegotaduplicateafterthefire.
