Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
Cornelius,whois,Iimagine,himselfunderanothername.Ihavenottracedthesechecksyet,butIhavenodoubtthattheywerebankedunderthatnameatsomeprovincialtownwhereOldacrefromtimetotimeledadoubleexistence.Heintendedtochangehisnamealtogether,drawthismoney,andvanish,startinglifeagainelsewhere.”
“Well,that’slikelyenough.”
“Itwouldstrikehimthatindisappearinghemightthrowallpursuitoffhistrack,andatthesametimehaveanampleandcrushingrevengeuponhisoldsweetheart,ifhecouldgivetheimpressionthathehadbeenmurderedbyheronlychild.Itwasamasterpieceofvillainy,andhecarrieditoutlikeamaster.Theideaofthewill,whichwouldgiveanobviousmotiveforthecrime,thesecretvisitunknowntohisownparents,theretentionofthestick,theblood,andtheanimalremainsandbuttonsinthewood-pile,allwereadmirable.Itwasanetfromwhichitseemedtome,afewhoursago,thattherewasnopossibleescape.Buthehadnotthatsupremegiftoftheartist,theknowledgeofwhentostop.Hewishedtoimprovethatwhichwasalreadyperfect—todrawtheropetighteryetroundtheneckofhisunfortunatevictim—andsoheruinedall.Letusdescend,Lestrade.TherearejustoneortwoquestionsthatIwouldaskhim.”
Themalignantcreaturewasseatedinhisownparlour,withapolicemanuponeachsideofhim.
“Itwasajoke,mygoodsir—apracticaljoke,nothingmore,”hewhinedincessantly
