Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb
Thestation-masterhadnotfinishedhisspeechbeforewewereallhasteninginthedirectionofthefire. Theroadtoppedalowhill,andtherewasagreatwidespreadwhitewashedbuildinginfrontofus,spoutingfireateverychinkandwindow,whileinthegardeninfrontthreefire-engineswerevainlystrivingtokeeptheflamesunder.
"That’sit!"criedHatherley,inintenseexcitement. "Thereisthegravel-drive,andtherearetherose-busheswhereIlay. ThatsecondwindowistheonethatIjumpedfrom."
"Well,atleast,"saidHolmes,"youhavehadyourrevengeuponthem. Therecanbenoquestionthatitwasyouroil-lampwhich,whenitwascrushedinthepress,setfiretothewoodenwalls,thoughnodoubttheyweretooexcitedinthechaseafteryoutoobserveitatthetime. Nowkeepyoureyesopeninthiscrowdforyourfriendsoflastnight,thoughIverymuchfearthattheyareagoodhundredmilesoffbynow."
AndHolmes’sfearscametoberealized,forfromthatdaytothisnowordhaseverbeenheardeitherofthebeautifulwoman,thesinisterGerman,orthemoroseEnglishman. EarlythatmorningapeasanthadmetacartcontainingseveralpeopleandsomeverybulkyboxesdrivingrapidlyinthedirectionofReading,buttherealltracesofthefugitivesdisappeared,andevenHolmes’singenuityfailedevertodiscovertheleastclueastotheirwhereabouts.
Thefiremenhadbeenmuchperturbedatthestrangearrangementswhichtheyhadfoundwithin,andstillmoresobydiscoveringanewlyseveredhumanthumbuponawindow-sillofthesecondfloor.
