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Шерлок Холмс при смерти. Ч.12

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

THE ADVENTURE OF THE DYING DETECTIVE

Part 12

‘I never needed it more,’ said Holmes as he refreshed himself with a glass of claret and some biscuits in the intervals of his toilet. ‘However, as you know, my habits are irregular, and such a feat means less to me than to most men. It was very essential that I should impress Mrs. Hudson with the reality of my condition, since she was to convey it to you, and you in turn to him. You won't be offended, Watson? You will realize that among your many talents dissimulation finds no place, and that if you had shared my secret you would never have been able to impress Smith with the urgent necessity of his presence, which was the vital point of the whole scheme. Knowing his vindictive nature, I was perfectly certain that he would come to look upon his handiwork.’

‘But your appearance, Holmes - your ghastly face?’

‘Three days of absolute fast does not improve one's beauty, Watson. For the rest, there is nothing which a sponge may not cure. With vaseline (вазелин) upon one's forehead, belladonna (белладонна) in one's eyes, rouge over the cheek-bones, and crusts of beeswax round one's lips, a very satisfying effect can be produced. Malingering (симуляция болезни) is a subject upon which I have sometimes thought of writing a monograph (монография). A little occasional talk about half-crowns, oysters, or any other extraneous subject produces a pleasing effect of delirium.’

‘But why would you not let me near you, since there was in truth no infection?’

‘Can you ask, my dear Watson? Do you imagine that I have no respect for your medical talents? Could I fancy that your astute judgment would pass a dying man who, however weak, had no rise of pulse or temperature? At four yards, I could deceive you. If I failed to do so, who would bring my Smith within my grasp? No, Watson, I would not touch that box. You can just see if you look at it sideways where the sharp spring like a viper's tooth emerges as you open it. I dare say it was by some such device that poor Savage, who stood between this monster and a reversion (страховка, выплачиваемая после смерти), was done to death. My correspondence, however, is, as you know, a varied one, and I am somewhat upon my guard against any packages which reach me. It was clear to me, however, that by pretending that he had really succeeded in his design I might surprise a confession. That pretence I have carried out with the thoroughness of the true artist. Thank you, Watson, you must help me on with my coat. When we have finished at the police-station I think that something nutritious at Simpson's would not be out of place.’