Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez
StanleyHopkinshadgonedowntothevillagetolookintosomerumoursofastrangewomanwhohadbeenseenbysomechildrenontheChathamRoadthepreviousmorning.Astomyfriend,allhisusualenergyseemedtohavedesertedhim.Ihadneverknownhimhandleacaseinsuchahalf-heartedfashion.EventhenewsbroughtbackbyHopkinsthathehadfoundthechildren,andthattheyhadundoubtedlyseenawomanexactlycorrespondingwithHolmes’sdescription,andwearingeitherspectaclesoreyeglasses,failedtorouseanysignofkeeninterest.HewasmoreattentivewhenSusan,whowaiteduponusatlunch,volunteeredtheinformationthatshebelievedMr.Smithhadbeenoutforawalkyesterdaymorning,andthathehadonlyreturnedhalfanhourbeforethetragedyoccurred.Icouldnotmyselfseethebearingofthisincident,butIclearlyperceivedthatHolmeswasweavingitintothegeneralschemewhichhehadformedinhisbrain.Suddenlyhesprangfromhischairandglancedathiswatch.“Twoo’clock,gentlemen,”saidhe.“Wemustgoupandhaveitoutwithourfriend,theprofessor.”
Theoldmanhadjustfinishedhislunch,andcertainlyhisemptydishboreevidencetothegoodappetitewithwhichhishousekeeperhadcreditedhim.Hewas,indeed,aweirdfigureasheturnedhiswhitemaneandhisglowingeyestowardsus.Theeternalcigarettesmoulderedinhismouth.Hehadbeendressedandwasseatedinanarmchairbythefire.
“Well,Mr.Holmes,haveyousolvedthismysteryyet?”Heshovedthelargetinofcigaretteswhichstoodonatablebesidehimtowardsmycompanion.
