Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Empty House
“‘Journeysendinlovers’meetings,’astheoldplaysays.Idon’tthinkIhavehadthepleasureofseeingyousinceyoufavouredmewiththoseattentionsasIlayontheledgeabovetheReichenbachFall.”
Thecolonelstillstaredatmyfriendlikeamaninatrance.“Youcunning,cunningfiend!”wasallthathecouldsay.
“Ihavenotintroducedyouyet,”saidHolmes.“This,gentlemen,isColonelSebastianMoran,onceofHerMajesty’sIndianArmy,andthebestheavy-gameshotthatourEasternEmpirehaseverproduced.IbelieveIamcorrectColonel,insayingthatyourbagoftigersstillremainsunrivalled?”
Thefierceoldmansaidnothing,butstillglaredatmycompanion.Withhissavageeyesandbristlingmoustachehewaswonderfullylikeatigerhimself.
“Iwonderthatmyverysimplestratagemcoulddeceivesooldashikari,”saidHolmes.“Itmustbeveryfamiliartoyou.Haveyounottetheredayoungkidunderatree,lainaboveitwithyourrifle,andwaitedforthebaittobringupyourtiger?Thisemptyhouseismytree,andyouaremytiger.Youhavepossiblyhadothergunsinreserveincasethereshouldbeseveraltigers,orintheunlikelysuppositionofyourownaimfailingyou.These,”hepointedaround,“aremyotherguns.Theparallelisexact.”
ColonelMoransprangforwardwithasnarlofrage,buttheconstablesdraggedhimback.Thefuryuponhisfacewasterribletolookat.
“Iconfessthatyouhadonesmallsurpriseforme,”saidHolmes.“Ididnotanticipatethatyouwouldyourselfmakeuseofthisemptyhouseandthisconvenientfrontwindow.
