Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Three Students
Luke’s,andreally,butforthehappychanceofyourbeingintown,Ishouldhavebeenatalosswhattodo.”
“Iamverybusyjustnow,andIdesirenodistractions,”myfriendanswered.“Ishouldmuchpreferthatyoucalledintheaidofthepolice.”
“No,no,mydearsir;suchacourseisutterlyimpossible.Whenoncethelawisevokeditcannotbestayedagain,andthisisjustoneofthosecaseswhere,forthecreditofthecollege,itismostessentialtoavoidscandal.Yourdiscretionisaswell-knownasyourpowers,andyouaretheonemanintheworldwhocanhelpme.Ibegyou,Mr.Holmes,todowhatyoucan.”
Myfriend’stemperhadnotimprovedsincehehadbeendeprivedofthecongenialsurroundingsofBakerStreet.Withouthisscrapbooks,hischemicals,andhishomelyuntidiness,hewasanuncomfortableman.Heshruggedhisshouldersinungraciousacquiescence,whileourvisitorinhurriedwordsandwithmuchexcitablegesticulationpouredforthhisstory.
“Imustexplaintoyou,Mr.Holmes,thatto-morrowisthefirstdayoftheexaminationfortheFortescueScholarship.Iamoneoftheexaminers.MysubjectisGreek,andthefirstofthepapersconsistsofalargepassageofGreektranslationwhichthecandidatehasnotseen.Thispassageisprintedontheexaminationpaper,anditwouldnaturallybeanimmenseadvantageifthecandidatecouldprepareitinadvance.Forthisreason,greatcareistakentokeepthepapersecret.
“To-day,aboutthreeo’clock,theproofsofthispaperarrivedfromtheprinters.TheexerciseconsistsofhalfachapterofThucydides.
