Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of Black Peter
Withinanhour,Iwasonthespotandhadtakenoverthecase.
“Well,Ihavefairlysteadynerves,asyouknow,Mr.Holmes,butIgiveyoumyword,thatIgotashakewhenIputmyheadintothatlittlehouse.Itwasdroninglikeaharmoniumwiththefliesandbluebottles,andthefloorandwallswerelikeaslaughter-house.Hehadcalleditacabin,andacabinitwas,sureenough,foryouwouldhavethoughtthatyouwereinaship.Therewasabunkatoneend,asea-chest,mapsandcharts,apictureoftheSeaUnicorn,alineoflogbooksonashelf,allexactlyasonewouldexpecttofinditinacaptain’sroom.Andthere,inthemiddleofit,wasthemanhimself—hisfacetwistedlikealostsoulintorment,andhisgreatbrindledbeardstuckupwardinhisagony.Rightthroughhisbroadbreastasteelharpoonhadbeendriven,andithadsunkdeepintothewoodofthewallbehindhim.Hewaspinnedlikeabeetleonacard.Ofcourse,hewasquitedead,andhadbeensofromtheinstantthathehadutteredthatlastyellofagony.
“Iknowyourmethods,sir,andIappliedthem.BeforeIpermittedanythingtobemoved,Iexaminedmostcarefullythegroundoutside,andalsotheflooroftheroom.Therewerenofootmarks.”
“Meaningthatyousawnone?”
“Iassureyou,sir,thattherewerenone.”
“MygoodHopkins,Ihaveinvestigatedmanycrimes,butIhaveneveryetseenonewhichwascommittedbyaflyingcreature.Aslongasthecriminalremainsupontwolegssolongmusttherebesomeindentation,someabrasion,sometriflingdisplacementwhichcanbedetectedbythescientificsearcher.
