Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Missing Three-Quarter
Overtonwhoeverhemightbe,sincehehadcomewithhisenigmaticmessagetobreakthatdangerouscalmwhichbroughtmoreperiltomyfriendthanallthestormsofhistempestuouslife.
Aswehadexpected,thetelegramwassoonfollowedbyitssender,andthecardofMr.CyrilOverton,TrinityCollege,Cambridge,announcedthearrivalofanenormousyoungman,sixteenstoneofsolidboneandmuscle,whospannedthedoorwaywithhisbroadshoulders,andlookedfromoneofustotheotherwithacomelyfacewhichwashaggardwithanxiety.
“Mr.SherlockHolmes?”
Mycompanionbowed.
“I’vebeendowntoScotlandYard,Mr.Holmes.IsawInspectorStanleyHopkins.Headvisedmetocometoyou.Hesaidthecase,sofarashecouldsee,wasmoreinyourlinethaninthatoftheregularpolice.”
“Praysitdownandtellmewhatisthematter.”
“It’sawful,Mr.Holmes—simplyawfulIwondermyhairisn’tgrey.GodfreyStaunton—you’veheardofhim,ofcourse?He’ssimplythehingethatthewholeteamturnson.I’drathersparetwofromthepack,andhaveGodfreyformythree-quarterline.Whetherit’spassing,ortackling,ordribbling,there’snoonetotouchhim,andthen,he’sgotthehead,andcanholdusalltogether.WhatamItodo?That’swhatIaskyou,Mr.Holmes.There’sMoorhouse,firstreserve,butheistrainedasahalf,andhealwaysedgesrightinontothescruminsteadofkeepingoutonthetouchline.He’safineplace-kick,it’strue,butthenhehasnojudgment,andhecan’tsprintfornuts.Why,MortonorJohnson,theOxfordfliers,couldromproundhim.
