Знак чотирьох
VIII. The Baker Street Irregulars
”
WepulledupattheGreatPeterStreetpost-office,andHolmesdespatchedhiswire.“Whomdoyouthinkthatisto?”heasked,asweresumedourjourney.
“IamsureIdon’tknow.”
“YouremembertheBakerStreetdivisionofthedetectivepoliceforcewhomIemployedintheJeffersonHopecase?”
“Well,”saidI,laughing.
“Thisisjustthecasewheretheymightbeinvaluable.Iftheyfail,Ihaveotherresources;butIshalltrythemfirst.Thatwirewastomydirtylittlelieutenant,Wiggins,andIexpectthatheandhisgangwillbewithusbeforewehavefinishedourbreakfast.”
Itwasbetweeneightandnineo’clocknow,andIwasconsciousofastrongreactionafterthesuccessiveexcitementsofthenight.Iwaslimpandweary,befoggedinmindandfatiguedinbody.Ihadnottheprofessionalenthusiasmwhichcarriedmycompanionon,norcouldIlookatthematterasamereabstractintellectualproblem.AsfarasthedeathofBartholomewSholtowent,Ihadheardlittlegoodofhim,andcouldfeelnointenseantipathytohismurderers.Thetreasure,however,wasadifferentmatter.That,orpartofit,belongedrightfullytoMissMorstan.WhiletherewasachanceofrecoveringitIwasreadytodevotemylifetotheoneobject.True,ifIfoundititwouldprobablyputherforeverbeyondmyreach.Yetitwouldbeapettyandselfishlovewhichwouldbeinfluencedbysuchathoughtasthat.IfHolmescouldworktofindthecriminals,Ihadatenfoldstrongerreasontourgemeontofindthetreasure.
AbathatBakerStreetandacompletechangefreshenedmeupwonderfully.
