Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
“Imustexplainfirst,”saidMcFarlane,“thatIknewnothingofMr.JonasOldacre.Hisnamewasfamiliartome,formanyyearsagomyparentswereacquaintedwithhim,buttheydriftedapart.Iwasverymuchsurprisedtherefore,whenyesterday,aboutthreeo’clockintheafternoon,hewalkedintomyofficeinthecity.ButIwasstillmoreastonishedwhenhetoldmetheobjectofhisvisit.Hehadinhishandseveralsheetsofanotebook,coveredwithscribbledwriting—heretheyare—andhelaidthemonmytable.
“‘Hereismywill,’saidhe.‘Iwantyou,Mr.McFarlane,tocastitintoproperlegalshape.Iwillsitherewhileyoudoso.’
“Isetmyselftocopyit,andyoucanimaginemyastonishmentwhenIfoundthat,withsomereservations,hehadleftallhispropertytome.Hewasastrangelittleferret-likeman,withwhiteeyelashes,andwhenIlookedupathimIfoundhiskeengreyeyesfixeduponmewithanamusedexpression.IcouldhardlybelievemyownasIreadthetermsofthewill;butheexplainedthathewasabachelorwithhardlyanylivingrelation,thathehadknownmyparentsinhisyouth,andthathehadalwaysheardofmeasaverydeservingyoungman,andwasassuredthathismoneywouldbeinworthyhands.Ofcourse,Icouldonlystammeroutmythanks.Thewillwasdulyfinished,signed,andwitnessedbymyclerk.Thisisitonthebluepaper,andtheseslips,asIhaveexplained,aretheroughdraft.Mr.
