Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
The Man with the Twisted Lip
"Ididn’tknowwhattodo,soIcamestraighttoyou." Thatwasalwaystheway. Folkwhowereingriefcametomywifelikebirdstoalight-house.
"Itwasverysweetofyoutocome. Now,youmusthavesomewineandwater,andsitherecomfortablyandtellusallaboutit. OrshouldyouratherthatIsentJamesofftobed?"
"Oh,no,no! Iwantthedoctor’sadviceandhelp,too. It’saboutIsa. Hehasnotbeenhomefortwodays. Iamsofrightenedabouthim!"
Itwasnotthefirsttimethatshehadspokentousofherhusband’strouble,tomeasadoctor,tomywifeasanoldfriendandschoolcompanion. Wesoothedandcomfortedherbysuchwordsaswecouldfind. Didsheknowwhereherhusbandwas? Wasitpossiblethatwecouldbringhimbacktoher?
Itseemsthatitwas. Shehadthesurestinformationthatoflatehehad,whenthefitwasonhim,madeuseofanopiumdeninthefarthesteastoftheCity. Hithertohisorgieshadalwaysbeenconfinedtooneday,andhehadcomeback,twitchingandshattered,intheevening. Butnowthespellhadbeenuponhimeight-and-fortyhours,andhelaythere,doubtlessamongthedregsofthedocks,breathinginthepoisonorsleepingofftheeffects. Therehewastobefound,shewassureofit,attheBarofGold,inUpperSwandamLane. Butwhatwasshetodo? Howcouldshe,ayoungandtimidwoman,makeherwayintosuchaplaceandpluckherhusbandoutfromamongtheruffianswhosurroundedhim?
Therewasthecase,andofcoursetherewasbutonewayoutofit. MightInotescorthertothisplace? Andthen,asasecondthought,whyshouldshecomeatall? IwasIsaWhitney’smedicaladviser,andassuchIhadinfluenceoverhim.
