Собака Баскервиллей
Fixing the Nets
"WhateveryoutellmetodoIwilldo."
"Verygood; andIwillaskyoualsotodoitblindly,withoutalwaysaskingthereason."
"Justasyoulike."
"IfyouwilldothisIthinkthechancesarethatourlittleproblemwillsoonbesolved. Ihavenodoubt—"
Hestoppedsuddenlyandstaredfixedlyupovermyheadintotheair. Thelampbeatuponhisface,andsointentwasitandsostillthatitmighthavebeenthatofaclear-cutclassicalstatue,apersonificationofalertnessandexpectation.
"Whatisit? "webothcried.
Icouldseeashelookeddownthathewasrepressingsomeinternalemotion. Hisfeatureswerestillcomposed,buthiseyesshonewithamusedexultation.
"Excusetheadmirationofaconnoisseur,"saidheashewavedhishandtowardsthelineofportraitswhichcoveredtheoppositewall. "Watsonwon’tallowthatIknowanythingofart,butthatismerejealousy,becauseourviewsuponthesubjectdiffer. Now,theseareareallyveryfineseriesofportraits."
"Well,I’mgladtohearyousayso,"saidSirHenry,glancingwithsomesurpriseatmyfriend. "Idon’tpretendtoknowmuchaboutthesethings,andI’dbeabetterjudgeofahorseorasteerthanofapicture. Ididn’tknowthatyoufoundtimeforsuchthings."