Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Empty House
AsIdidsoIstruckagainstanelderly,deformedman,whohadbeenbehindme,andIknockeddownseveralbookswhichhewascarrying.IrememberthatasIpickedthemup,Iobservedthetitleofoneofthem,TheOriginofTreeWorship,anditstruckmethatthefellowmustbesomepoorbibliophile,who,eitherasatradeorasahobby,wasacollectorofobscurevolumes.Iendeavouredtoapologizefortheaccident,butitwasevidentthatthesebookswhichIhadsounfortunatelymaltreatedwereverypreciousobjectsintheeyesoftheirowner.Withasnarlofcontemptheturneduponhisheel,andIsawhiscurvedbackandwhiteside-whiskersdisappearamongthethrong.
MyobservationsofNo.427,ParkLanedidlittletoclearuptheprobleminwhichIwasinterested.Thehousewasseparatedfromthestreetbyalowwallandrailing,thewholenotmorethanfivefeethigh.Itwasperfectlyeasy,therefore,foranyonetogetintothegarden,butthewindowwasentirelyinaccessible,sincetherewasnowaterpipeoranythingwhichcouldhelpthemostactivemantoclimbit.Morepuzzledthanever,IretracedmystepstoKensington.Ihadnotbeeninmystudyfiveminuteswhenthemaidenteredtosaythatapersondesiredtoseeme.Tomyastonishmentitwasnoneotherthanmystrangeoldbookcollector,hissharp,wizenedfacepeeringoutfromaframeofwhitehair,andhispreciousvolumes,adozenofthematleast,wedgedunderhisrightarm.
“You’resurprisedtoseeme,sir,”saidhe,inastrange,croakingvoice.
IacknowledgedthatIwas.
