Шерлок Холмс при смерти. Ч.3

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

THE ADVENTURE OF THE DYING DETECTIVE

Part 3

‘I know what is the matter with me. It is a coolie disease from Sumatra (эта болезнь родом из Суматры) - a thing that the Dutch know more about than we, though they have made little of it up to date (хотя и они мало ее изучили). One thing only is certain. It is infallibly deadly, and it is horribly contagious.’

He spoke now with a feverish energy, the long hands twitching and jerking as he motioned me away.

‘Contagious by touch, Watson - that's it, by touch. Keep your distance and all is well.’

‘Good heavens (Боже мой), Holmes! Do you suppose that such a consideration weighs with me of an instant? It would not affect me in the case of a stranger. Do you imagine it would prevent me from doing my duty to so old a friend?’

Again I advanced, but he repulsed me with a look of furious anger.

‘If you will stand there I will talk. If you do not you must leave the room.’

I have so deep a respect for the extraordinary qualities of Holmes that I have always deferred to his wishes, even when I least understood them. But now all my professional instincts were aroused. Let him be my master elsewhere, I at least was his in a sick room.

‘Holmes,’ said I, ‘you are not yourself. A sick man is but a child, and so I will treat you. Whether you like it or not, I will examine your symptoms and treat you for them.’

He looked at me with venomous eyes.

‘If I am to have a doctor whether I will or not, let me at least have someone in whom I have confidence,’ said he.

‘Then you have none in me?’

‘In your friendship, certainly. But facts are facts, Watson, and, after all, you are only a general practitioner (врач общей практики) with very limited experience and mediocre qualifications. It is painful to have to say these things, but you leave me no choice.’

I was bitterly hurt.

‘Such a remark is unworthy of you, Holmes. It shows me very clearly the state of your own nerves. But if you have no confidence in me I would not intrude my services. Let me bring Sir Jasper Meek or Penrose Fisher, or any of the best men in London. But someone you MUST have, and that is final. If you think that I am going to stand here and see you die without either helping you myself or bringing anyone else to help you, then you have mistaken your man.’

‘You mean well, Watson,’ said the sick man with something between a sob and a groan. ‘Shall I demonstrate your own ignorance? What do you know, pray, of Tapanuli fever (лихорадка провинции Тапанули)? What do you know of the black Formosa corruption (формозская черная язва)?’

‘I have never heard of either.’

‘There are many problems of disease, many strange pathological possibilities (много странных патологических возможностей), in the East, Watson.’ He paused after each sentence to collect his failing strength. ‘I have learned so much during some recent researches which have a medico-criminal aspect. It was in the course of them that I contracted this complaint. You can do nothing.’

‘Possibly not. But I happen to know that Dr. Ainstree, the greatest living authority (самый авторитетный специалист из ныне здравствующих) upon tropical disease, is now in London. All remonstrance is useless, Holmes, I am going this instant to fetch him.’ I turned resolutely to the door.