Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Empty House
Holmes?”
“Themanthatthewholeforcehasbeenseekinginvain—ColonelSebastianMoran,whoshottheHonourableRonaldAdairwithanexpandingbulletfromanair-gunthroughtheopenwindowofthesecond-floorfrontofNo.427,ParkLane,uponthethirtiethoflastmonth.That’sthecharge,Lestrade.Andnow,Watson,ifyoucanendurethedraughtfromabrokenwindow,Ithinkthathalfanhourinmystudyoveracigarmayaffordyousomeprofitableamusement.”
OuroldchambershadbeenleftunchangedthroughthesupervisionofMycroftHolmesandtheimmediatecareofMrs.Hudson.AsIenteredIsaw,itistrue,anunwontedtidiness,buttheoldlandmarkswereallintheirplace.Therewerethechemicalcornerandtheacid-stained,deal-toppedtable.Thereuponashelfwastherowofformidablescrap-booksandbooksofreferencewhichmanyofourfellow-citizenswouldhavebeensogladtoburn.Thediagrams,theviolin-case,andthepipe-rack—eventhePersianslipperwhichcontainedthetobacco—allmetmyeyesasIglancedroundme.Thereweretwooccupantsoftheroom—one,Mrs.Hudson,whobeameduponusbothasweentered—theother,thestrangedummywhichhadplayedsoimportantapartintheevening’sadventures.Itwasawax-colouredmodelofmyfriend,soadmirablydonethatitwasaperfectfacsimile.Itstoodonasmallpedestaltablewithanolddressing-gownofHolmes’ssodrapedrounditthattheillusionfromthestreetwasabsolutelyperfect.
“Ihopeyouobservedallprecautions,Mrs.Hudson?”saidHolmes.
“Iwenttoitonmyknees,sir,justasyoutoldme.”
“Excellent.
