Знак чотирьох
IX. A Break in the Chain
IwalkedovertoCamberwellintheeveningtoreportourillsuccesstotheladies,andonmyreturnIfoundHolmesdejectedandsomewhatmorose.Hewouldhardlyreplytomyquestions,andbusiedhimselfalleveninginanabstrusechemicalanalysiswhichinvolvedmuchheatingofretortsanddistillingofvapours,endingatlastinasmellwhichfairlydrovemeoutoftheapartment.UptothesmallhoursofthemorningIcouldheartheclinkingofhistest-tubeswhichtoldmethathewasstillengagedinhismalodorousexperiment.
IntheearlydawnIwokewithastart,andwassurprisedtofindhimstandingbymybedside,cladinarudesailordresswithapea-jacket,andacoarseredscarfroundhisneck.
“Iamoffdowntheriver,Watson,”saidhe.“Ihavebeenturningitoverinmymind,andIcanseeonlyonewayoutofit.Itisworthtrying,atallevents.”
“SurelyIcancomewithyou,then?”saidI.
“No;youcanbemuchmoreusefulifyouwillremainhereasmyrepresentative.Iamloathtogo,foritisquiteonthecardsthatsomemessagemaycomeduringtheday,thoughWigginswasdespondentaboutitlastnight.Iwantyoutoopenallnotesandtelegrams,andtoactonyourownjudgmentifanynewsshouldcome.CanIrelyuponyou?”
“Mostcertainly.”
“Iamafraidthatyouwillnotbeabletowiretome,forIcanhardlytellyetwhereImayfindmyself.IfIaminluck,however,Imaynotbegonesoverylong.IshallhavenewsofsomesortorotherbeforeIgetback.”
Ihadheardnothingofhimbybreakfast-time.
