Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
The Man with the Twisted Lip
Thisisthemanwhomwenowlearntohavebeenthelodgerattheopiumden,andtohavebeenthelastmantoseethegentlemanofwhomweareinquest."
"Butacripple!"saidI. "Whatcouldhehavedonesingle-handedagainstamanintheprimeoflife?"
"Heisacrippleinthesensethathewalkswithalimp;butinotherrespectsheappearstobeapowerfulandwell-nurturedman. Surelyyourmedicalexperiencewouldtellyou,Watson,thatweaknessinonelimbisoftencompensatedforbyexceptionalstrengthintheothers."
"Praycontinueyournarrative."
"Mrs.St.Clairhadfaintedatthesightoftheblooduponthewindow,andshewasescortedhomeinacabbythepolice,asherpresencecouldbeofnohelptothemintheirinvestigations. InspectorBarton,whohadchargeofthecase,madeaverycarefulexaminationofthepremises,butwithoutfindinganythingwhichthrewanylightuponthematter. OnemistakehadbeenmadeinnotarrestingBooneinstantly,ashewasallowedsomefewminutesduringwhichhemighthavecommunicatedwithhisfriendthelascar,butthisfaultwassoonremedied,andhewasseizedandsearched,withoutanythingbeingfoundwhichcouldincriminatehim. Therewere,itistrue,someblood-stainsuponhisrightshirt-sleeve,buthepointedtohisring-finger,whichhadbeencutnearthenail,andexplainedthatthebleedingcamefromthere,addingthathehadbeentothewindownotlongbefore,andthatthestainswhichhadbeenobservedtherecamedoubtlessfromthesamesource. HedeniedstrenuouslyhavingeverseenMr.NevilleSt.Clairandsworethatthepresenceoftheclothesinhisroomwasasmuchamysterytohimastothepolice.
