Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of Black Peter
FormypartIwalkedtenmiles,gotatrainatTunbridgeWells,andsoreachedLondon,andnoonethewiser.
“Well,whenIcametoexaminetheboxIfoundtherewasnomoneyinit,andnothingbutpapersthatIwouldnotdaretosell.IhadlostmyholdonBlackPeterandwasstrandedinLondonwithoutashilling.Therewasonlymytradeleft.Isawtheseadvertisementsaboutharpooners,andhighwages,soIwenttotheshippingagents,andtheysentmehere.That’sallIknow,andIsayagainthatifIkilledBlackPeter,thelawshouldgivemethanks,forIsavedthemthepriceofahempenrope.”
“AveryclearstatementsaidHolmes,”risingandlightinghispipe.“Ithink,Hopkins,thatyoushouldlosenotimeinconveyingyourprisonertoaplaceofsafety.Thisroomisnotwelladaptedforacell,andMr.PatrickCairnsoccupiestoolargeaproportionofourcarpet.”
“Mr.Holmes,”saidHopkins,“Idonotknowhowtoexpressmygratitude.EvennowIdonotunderstandhowyouattainedthisresult.”
“Simplybyhavingthegoodfortunetogettherightcluefromthebeginning.ItisverypossibleifIhadknownaboutthisnotebookitmighthaveledawaymythoughts,asitdidyours.ButallIheardpointedintheonedirection.Theamazingstrength,theskillintheuseoftheharpoon,therumandwater,thesealskintobacco-pouchwiththecoarsetobacco—allthesepointedtoaseaman,andonewhohadbeenawhaler.Iwasconvincedthattheinitials‘P.C.’uponthepouchwereacoincidence,andnotthoseofPeterCarey,sinceheseldomsmoked,andnopipewasfoundinhiscabin
