Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist
AtFarnhamStationIhadnodifficultyinbeingdirectedtoCharlingtonHeath.Itwasimpossibletomistakethesceneoftheyounglady’sadventure,fortheroadrunsbetweentheopenheathononesideandanoldyewhedgeupontheother,surroundingaparkwhichisstuddedwithmagnificenttrees.Therewasamaingatewayoflichen-studdedstone,eachsidepillarsurmountedbymoulderingheraldicemblems,butbesidesthiscentralcarriagedriveIobservedseveralpointswherethereweregapsinthehedgeandpathsleadingthroughthem.Thehousewasinvisiblefromtheroad,butthesurroundingsallspokeofgloomanddecay.
Theheathwascoveredwithgoldenpatchesoffloweringgorse,gleamingmagnificentlyinthelightofthebrightspringsunshine.BehindoneoftheseclumpsItookupmyposition,soastocommandboththegatewayoftheHallandalongstretchoftheroaduponeitherside.IthadbeendesertedwhenIleftit,butnowIsawacyclistridingdownitfromtheoppositedirectiontothatinwhichIhadcome.Hewascladinadarksuit,andIsawthathehadablackbeard.OnreachingtheendoftheCharlingtongrounds,hesprangfromhismachineandleditthroughagapinthehedge,disappearingfrommyview.
Aquarterofanhourpassed,andthenasecondcyclistappeared.Thistimeitwastheyoungladycomingfromthestation.IsawherlookaboutherasshecametotheCharlingtonhedge.Aninstantlaterthemanemergedfromhishiding-place,spranguponhiscycle,andfollowedher.
