Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist
YoucanthinkthatIlookedoutwhenIcametoCharlingtonHeath,andthere,sureenough,wastheman,exactlyashehadbeenthetwoweeksbefore.HealwayskeptsofarfrommethatIcouldnotclearlyseehisface,butitwascertainlysomeonewhomIdidnotknow.Hewasdressedinadarksuitwithaclothcap.TheonlythingabouthisfacethatIcouldclearlyseewashisdarkbeard.To-dayIwasnotalarmed,butIwasfilledwithcuriosity,andIdeterminedtofindoutwhohewasandwhathewanted.Isloweddownmymachine,buthesloweddownhis.ThenIstoppedaltogether,buthestoppedalso.ThenIlaidatrapforhim.Thereisasharpturningoftheroad,andIpedalledveryquicklyroundthis,andthenIstoppedandwaited.Iexpectedhimtoshootroundandpassmebeforehecouldstop.Butheneverappeared.ThenIwentbackandlookedroundthecorner.Icouldseeamileofroad,buthewasnotonit.Tomakeitthemoreextraordinary,therewasnosideroadatthispointdownwhichhecouldhavegone.”
Holmeschuckledandrubbedhishands.“Thiscasecertainlypresentssomefeaturesofitsown,”saidhe.“Howmuchtimeelapsedbetweenyourturningthecornerandyourdiscoverythattheroadwasclear?”
“Twoorthreeminutes.”
“Thenhecouldnothaveretreateddowntheroad,andyousaythattherearenosideroads?”
“None.”
“Thenhecertainlytookafootpathononesideortheother.”
“Itcouldnothavebeenonthesideoftheheath,orIshouldhaveseenhim.
