Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Abbey Grange
“Nursedherasababy,andcamewithhertoEnglandwhentheyfirstleftAustralia,eighteenmonthsago.TheresaWrightishername,andthekindofmaidyoudon’tpickupnowadays.Thisway,Mr.Holmes,ifyouplease!”
ThekeeninteresthadpassedoutofHolmes’sexpressiveface,andIknewthatwiththemysteryallthecharmofthecasehaddeparted.Therestillremainedanarresttobeeffected,butwhatwerethesecommonplaceroguesthatheshouldsoilhishandswiththem?AnabstruseandlearnedspecialistwhofindsthathehasbeencalledinforacaseofmeasleswouldexperiencesomethingoftheannoyancewhichIreadinmyfriend’seyes.Yetthesceneinthedining-roomoftheAbbeyGrangewassufficientlystrangetoarresthisattentionandtorecallhiswaninginterest.
Itwasaverylargeandhighchamber,withcarvedoakceiling,oakenpanelling,andafinearrayofdeer’sheadsandancientweaponsaroundthewalls.AtthefurtherendfromthedoorwasthehighFrenchwindowofwhichwehadheard.Threesmallerwindowsontheright-handsidefilledtheapartmentwithcoldwintersunshine.Ontheleftwasalarge,deepfireplace,withamassive,overhangingoakmantelpiece.Besidethefireplacewasaheavyoakenchairwitharmsandcross-barsatthebottom.Inandoutthroughtheopenwoodworkwaswovenacrimsoncord,whichwassecuredateachsidetothecrosspiecebelow.Inreleasingthelady,thecordhadbeenslippedoffher,buttheknotswithwhichithadbeensecuredstillremained.
