Воспоминания Шерлока Холмса
The Crooked Man
"Theteawhichhadbeenorderedwasbroughtupattheendoftenminutes;butthemaid,assheapproachedthedoor,wassurprisedtohearthevoicesofhermasterandmistressinfuriousaltercation.Sheknockedwithoutreceivinganyanswer,andeventurnedthehandle,butonlytofindthatthedoorwaslockedupontheinside.Naturallyenoughsherandowntotellthecook,andthetwowomenwiththecoachmancameupintothehallandlistenedtothedisputewhichwasstillraging.Theyallagreedthatonlytwovoicesweretobeheard,thoseofBarclayandofhiswife.Barclay’sremarksweresubduedandabruptsothatnoneofthemwereaudibletothelisteners.Thelady’s,ontheotherhand,weremostbitter,andwhensheraisedhervoicecouldbeplainlyheard.‘Youcoward!"sherepeatedoverandoveragain.‘Whatcanbedonenow?Whatcanbedonenow?Givemebackmylife.Iwillneversomuchasbreathethesameairwithyouagain!Youcoward!Youcoward!"Thosewerescrapsofherconversation,endinginasuddendreadfulcryintheman’svoice,withacrash,andapiercingscreamfromthewoman.Convincedthatsometragedyhadoccurred,thecoachmanrushedtothedoorandstrovetoforceit,whilescreamafterscreamissuedfromwithin.Hewasunable,however,tomakehiswayin,andthemaidsweretoodistractedwithfeartobeofanyassistancetohim.Asuddenthoughtstruckhim,however,andheranthroughthehalldoorandroundtothelawnuponwhichthelongFrenchwindowsopen.