Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Empty House
“Moriartyhimselfisenoughtomakeanyletterillustrious,andhereisMorganthepoisoner,andMerridewofabominablememory,andMathews,whoknockedoutmyleftcanineinthewaiting-roomatCharingCross,and,finally,hereisourfriendofto-night.”
Hehandedoverthebook,andIread:
Moran,Sebastian,Colonel.Unemployed.Formerly1stBangalorePioneers.BornLondon,1840.SonofSirAugustusMoran,C.B.,onceBritishMinistertoPersia.EducatedEtonandOxford.ServedinJowakiCampaign,AfghanCampaign,Charasiab(despatches),Sherpur,andCabul.AuthorofHeavyGameoftheWesternHimalayas(1881);ThreeMonthsintheJungle(1884).Address:ConduitStreet.Clubs:TheAnglo-Indian,theTankerville,theBagatelleCardClub.
Onthemarginwaswritten,inHolmes’sprecisehand:
ThesecondmostdangerousmaninLondon.
“Thisisastonishing,”saidI,asIhandedbackthevolume.“Theman’scareeristhatofanhonourablesoldier.”
“Itistrue,”Holmesanswered.“Uptoacertainpointhedidwell.Hewasalwaysamanofironnerve,andthestoryisstilltoldinIndiahowhecrawleddownadrainafterawoundedman-eatingtiger.Therearesometrees,Watson,whichgrowtoacertainheight,andthensuddenlydevelopsomeunsightlyeccentricity.Youwillseeitofteninhumans.Ihaveatheorythattheindividualrepresentsinhisdevelopmentthewholeprocessionofhisancestors,andthatsuchasuddenturntogoodorevilstandsforsomestronginfluencewhichcameintothelineofhispedigree.Thepersonbecomes,asitwere,theepitomeofthehistoryofhisownfamily.
