Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
"Yes,butonlyforyouandme."
"ThenIshallreconsidermyresolutionaboutgoingout. WehavestilltimetotakeatraintoHerefordandseehimto-night?"
"Ample."
"Thenletusdoso. Watson,Ifearthatyouwillfinditveryslow,butIshallonlybeawayacoupleofhours."
Iwalkeddowntothestationwiththem,andthenwanderedthroughthestreetsofthelittletown,finallyreturningtothehotel,whereIlayuponthesofaandtriedtointerestmyselfinayellow-backednovel. Thepunyplotofthestorywassothin,however,whencomparedtothedeepmysterythroughwhichweweregroping,andIfoundmyattentionwandersocontinuallyfromtheactiontothefact,thatIatlastflungitacrosstheroomandgavemyselfupentirelytoaconsiderationoftheeventsoftheday. Supposingthatthisunhappyyoungman’sstorywereabsolutelytrue,thenwhathellishthing,whatabsolutelyunforeseenandextraordinarycalamitycouldhaveoccurredbetweenthetimewhenhepartedfromhisfather,andthemomentwhendrawnbackbyhisscreams,herushedintotheglade? Itwassomethingterribleanddeadly. Whatcoulditbe? Mightnotthenatureoftheinjuriesrevealsomethingtomymedicalinstincts? Irangthebellandcalledfortheweeklycountypaper,whichcontainedaverbatimaccountoftheinquest. Inthesurgeon’sdepositionitwasstatedthattheposteriorthirdoftheleftparietalboneandthelefthalfoftheoccipitalbonehailbeenshatteredbyaheavyblowfromabluntweapon. Imarkedthespotuponmyownhead. Clearlysuchablowmusthavebeenstruckfrombehind. Thatwastosomeextentinfavouroftheaccused,aswhenseenquarrellinghewasfacetofacewithhisfather.
