Приключения Шерлока Холмса / The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (сборник). Артур Конан Дойл

have had very little left, even one marriage would take a lot of money from him. He has the strongest motives for preventing his stepdaughters’ marriage. And now, Watson, this is very serious and we must hurry, as the old man knows of our interest in his affairs; so if you are ready, we shall call a cab and drive to Waterloo. And remember to take your revolver with you. It is a good argument with gentlemen who can bend pokers.”

      At Waterloo we took a train for Leatherhead, the station nearest to Stoke Moran, where we got into a cab and drove for four or five miles to our client’s house. It was a perfect day, with a bright sun and a few clouds in the sky. The trees were just throwing out their first green leaves, and the air was full of the pleasant smell. To me there was a strange contrast between the beautiful spring day and the tragic event we had arrived to investigate. My companion sat in the cab, his hat pulled down over his eyes, lost in the deepest thought[18]. Suddenly, however, he pointed to the left.

      “Look there!” said he.

      I saw a park with a very old house in it.

      “Stoke Moran?” said he.

      “Yes, sir, that is the house of Dr. Grimesby Roylott,” answered the driver.

      “There’s the village,” said the driver, pointing to some houses to the left; “but if you want to get to the house, you’ll find a road over the fields. There it is, where the lady is walking.”

      “And the lady, I believe, is Miss Stoner,” said Holmes.

      We got off and the cab drove back to Leatherhead.

      Exercises

      1. Answer the questions:

      1. Did Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson come to any conclusion about the case?

      2. Who suddenly came into the room?

      3. What did Dr. Roylott look like?

      4. How did he learn about Miss Stoner’s visit to Sherlock Holmes?

      5. Why did Dr. Roylott come to Sherlock Holmes?

      6. What did Sherlock Holmes find out about Dr. Roylott’s financial position?

      7. How did Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson reach Stoke Moran?

      Think and say

      1. How did Sherlock Holmes’ and Dr. Roylott’s behaviour characterize them?

      2. Why did Sherlock Holmes think that they had to hurry?

      2. Find the following phrases in the text and reproduce situations from the text with them. Give Russian equivalents.

      1. from the outside

      ant. from the inside

      2. there is no doubt (about smth / that…)

      3. in a low voice

      4. to follow smb

      3. Paraphrase the underlined parts of the sentences so as to use the phrases above.

      1. The actors spoke very quietly and we couldn’t hear anything.

      2. When Steven arrived home he found the house locked by somebody who was in it. Steven rang the bell and knocked on the door but without any result.

      3. Alex was a private detective and very often his job was to watch people and write reports about their actions for his clients.

      4. After the doctor examined the dead man, the cause of his death was quite clear.

      5. We are absolutely sure that the window was broken by somebody who was not in the house.

      6. The cat watched every movement of the mouse.

      7. I am sure the police are after us.

      4. Complete the sentences with the phrases above in the correct form.

      1. Please speak…, the children are asleep.

      2… he is seriously ill. He is very pale. He looks as if he is in pain.

      3. Sue and Sam tried… the unknown woman, but her car was much faster than theirs, and they soon lost her.

      4. Sherlock Holmes came to the conclusion that no one could get into Julia’s room…

      5. He said it in such… that nobody understood him.

      6. A crowd gathered around a house on fire. They heard cries…, but no one went into the fire.

      7. If anyone can do the work…, it’s him. Let him be responsible for it.

      V

      Our client had hurried forward to meet us with joy. “I have been waiting for you,” she cried, shaking hands with us warmly. “Dr. Roylott has gone to town, and it is not likely that he will be back before evening.”

      “We have had the pleasure of making the doctor’s acquaintance[19],” said Holmes, and in a few words he told her what had occurred. Miss Stoner turned white as she listened.

      “Good heavens!”[20] she cried, “he has followed me, then.”

      “So it seems.”

      “What will he say when he returns?”

      “You must lock yourself up from him to-night. If he does anything to you, we shall take you away to your aunt. Now, you must take us at once to the rooms which we have come to examine.”

      The building was gray. Most part of it was a ruin. Holmes examined with great attention the outsides of the windows.

      “Is this the window of the room in which you used to sleep[21], the central one of your sister’s, and the next of Dr. Roylott’s room?”

      “Yes. But I am now sleeping in the middle room.”

      “There are some repairs, as I understand. By the way, I cannot see any very pressing need for repairs in this part of the house.”

      “You are right. I believe that it was an excuse to move me from my room.”

      “Ah! that is interesting. These three rooms open into a corridor. There are windows in it, of course?”

      “Yes, but very small ones. Too small for anyone to get in.”

      “As you both locked your doors at night, no one could get into your rooms from that side. Now, go into your room and shut your window.”

      Miss Stoner did so, and Holmes, after a careful examination, attempted in every way to force the window open, but without any result. “Hum!” said he, “No one could get into the room from here. Well, we shall see if the inside throws any light upon the matter.”

      We went to the corridor from which the three bedrooms opened. We passed at once to the second room, in which Miss Stoner was now sleeping, and in which her sister had met her end. It was a little room, with a low ceiling and a big fireplace, like in many old country-houses. Holmes drew one of the chairs into a corner and sat silent, while his eyes travelled round and round the room.

      “Where does that bell go to?” he asked at last, pointing to a bell-rope which hung down beside the bed.

      “It goes to the housekeeper’s room.”

      “It looks newer than the other things.”

      “Yes, it was only put there two years ago.”

      “Your sister asked for it?”

      “No, she never used it. We always got what we wanted ourselves.”

      “It seemed

18

his hat pulled down over his eyes, lost in the deepest thought – надвинув шляпу на глаза и погрузившись в глубокое раздумье

19

We have had the pleasure of making the doctor’s acquaintance – Мы имели счастье познакомиться с доктором

20

Good heavens! – Боже мой!

21

in which you used to sleep – в которой вы раньше спали