Собака Баскервіллів
Fixing the Nets
LethimthinkthatSelden’sdeathwasasStapletonwouldhaveusbelieve. Hewillhaveabetternervefortheordealwhichhewillhavetoundergoto-morrow,whenheisengaged,ifIrememberyourreportaright,todinewiththesepeople."
"AndsoamI."
"Thenyoumustexcuseyourselfandhemustgoalone. Thatwillbeeasilyarranged. Andnow,ifwearetoolatefordinner,Ithinkthatwearebothreadyforoursuppers."
SirHenrywasmorepleasedthansurprisedtoseeSherlockHolmes,forhehadforsomedaysbeenexpectingthatrecenteventswouldbringhimdownfromLondon. Hedidraisehiseyebrows,however,whenhefoundthatmyfriendhadneitheranyluggagenoranyexplanationsforitsabsence. Betweenuswesoonsuppliedhiswants,andthenoverabelatedsupperweexplainedtothebaronetasmuchofourexperienceasitseemeddesirablethatheshouldknow. ButfirstIhadtheunpleasantdutyofbreakingthenewstoBarrymoreandhiswife. Tohimitmayhavebeenanunmitigatedrelief,butsheweptbitterlyinherapron. Toalltheworldhewasthemanofviolence,halfanimalandhalfdemon; buttoherhealwaysremainedthelittlewilfulboyofherowngirlhood,thechildwhohadclungtoherhand. Evilindeedisthemanwhohasnotonewomantomournhim.
"I’vebeenmopinginthehousealldaysinceWatsonwentoffinthemorning,"saidthebaronet. "IguessIshouldhavesomecredit,forIhavekeptmypromise. IfIhadn’tswornnottogoaboutaloneImighthavehadamorelivelyevening,forIhadamessagefromStapletonaskingmeoverthere."
