Воспоминания Шерлока Холмса
The Final Problem
ItlieswithmetotellforthefirsttimewhatreallytookplacebetweenProfessorMoriartyandMr.SherlockHolmes.
Itmayberememberedthataftermymarriage,andmysubsequentstartinprivatepractice,theveryintimaterelationswhichhadexistedbetweenHolmesandmyselfbecametosomeextentmodified.Hestillcametomefromtimetotimewhenhedesiredacompanioninhisinvestigations,buttheseoccasionsgrewmoreandmoreseldom,untilIfindthatintheyear1890therewereonlythreecasesofwhichIretainanyrecord.Duringthewinterofthatyearandtheearlyspringof1891,IsawinthepapersthathehadbeenengagedbytheFrenchgovernmentuponamatterofsupremeimportance,andIreceivedtwonotesfromHolmes,datedfromNarbonneandfromNimes,fromwhichIgatheredthathisstayinFrancewaslikelytobealongone.Itwaswithsomesurprise,therefore,thatIsawhimwalkintomyconsulting-roomupontheeveningofApril24th.Itstruckmethathewaslookingevenpalerandthinnerthanusual.
"Yes,Ihavebeenusingmyselfuprathertoofreely,"heremarked,inanswertomylookratherthantomywords;"Ihavebeenalittlepressedoflate.Haveyouanyobjectiontomyclosingyourshutters?"
TheonlylightintheroomcamefromthelampuponthetableatwhichIhadbeenreading.Holmesedgedhiswayroundthewall,and,flingingtheshutterstogether,heboltedthemsecurely.
"Youareafraidofsomething?"Iasked.
"Well,Iam.
