Повернення Шерлока Холмса

           ”

           HolmesandIputonourdress-clothes,sothatwemightappeartobetwotheatre-goershomewardbound.InOxfordStreetwepickedupahansomanddrovetoanaddressinHampstead.Herewepaidoffourcab,andwithourgreatcoatsbuttonedup,foritwasbitterlycold,andthewindseemedtoblowthroughus,wewalkedalongtheedgeoftheheath.

           “It’sabusinessthatneedsdelicatetreatment,”saidHolmes.“Thesedocumentsarecontainedinasafeinthefellow’sstudy,andthestudyistheante-roomofhisbed-chamber.Ontheotherhand,likeallthesestout,littlemenwhodothemselveswell,heisaplethoricsleeper.Agatha—that’smyfiancée—saysitisajokeintheservants’hallthatit’simpossibletowakethemaster.Hehasasecretarywhoisdevotedtohisinterests,andneverbudgesfromthestudyallday.That’swhywearegoingatnight.Thenhehasabeastofadogwhichroamsthegarden.ImetAgathalatethelasttwoevenings,andshelocksthebruteupsoastogivemeaclearrun.Thisisthehouse,thisbigoneinitsowngrounds.Throughthegate—nowtotherightamongthelaurels.Wemightputonourmaskshere,Ithink.Yousee,thereisnotaglimmeroflightinanyofthewindows,andeverythingisworkingsplendidly.”

           Withourblacksilkface-coverings,whichturnedusintotwoofthemosttruculentfiguresinLondon,westoleuptothesilent,gloomyhouse.Asortoftiledverandaextendedalongonesideofit,linedbyseveralwindowsandtwodoors.

           “That’shisbedroom,”Holmeswhispered.“Thisdooropensstraightintothestudy.