Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton
”
“Youcan’thelpme.”
“Howdoyouknowthat?Youcan’ttellwhatmayhappen.Anyway,myresolutionistaken.Otherpeoplebesidesyouhaveself-respect,andevenreputations.”
Holmeshadlookedannoyed,buthisbrowcleared,andheclappedmeontheshoulder.
“Well,well,mydearfellow,beitso.Wehavesharedthissameroomforsomeyears,anditwouldbeamusingifweendedbysharingthesamecell.Youknow,Watson,Idon’tmindconfessingtoyouthatIhavealwayshadanideathatIwouldhavemadeahighlyefficientcriminal.Thisisthechanceofmylifetimeinthatdirection.Seehere!”Hetookaneatlittleleathercaseoutofadrawer,andopeningitheexhibitedanumberofshininginstruments.“Thisisafirst-class,up-to-dateburglingkit,withnickel-platedjemmy,diamond-tippedglass-cutter,adaptablekeys,andeverymodernimprovementwhichthemarchofcivilizationdemands.Here,too,ismydarklantern.Everythingisinorder.Haveyouapairofsilentshoes?”
“Ihaverubber-soledtennisshoes.”
“Excellent!Andamask?”
“Icanmakeacoupleoutofblacksilk.”
“Icanseethatyouhaveastrong,naturalturnforthissortofthing.Verygood,doyoumakethemasks.Weshallhavesomecoldsupperbeforewestart.Itisnownine-thirty.AtelevenweshalldriveasfarasChurchRow.Itisaquarterofanhour’swalkfromtheretoAppledoreTowers.Weshallbeatworkbeforemidnight.Milvertonisaheavysleeper,andretirespunctuallyatten-thirty.Withanyluckweshouldbebackherebytwo,withtheLadyEva’slettersinmypocket.
