Слова для понимания:
- he had his attentions — имел отношения с
- save — кроме
- slip away — ускользнуть
- single-handed — без посторонней помощи
- scourge — прут
- peculiarities — особенности
- unequal in its intensity — неравномерны по интенсивности
- a red-hot net of wire — раскаленная проволочная сетка
- cat-o’-nine-tails — плеть- кошка
- to swallow
- to share thoughts
- furious bursts of temper
- incident of a dog
- to prepare for departure
- preparation
- look troubled
- appearance
- It is impossible
- injury
- to examine the scars
- to examine carefully
- to extend
- shoulder
- back
- nothing special
- absurd idea
- to make sure of
- surprised eyes
- to do mischief
Arthur Conan Doyle. The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane. Part 5 (adapted for intermediate level)
I had hardly swallowed my early cup of tea and was starting for the beach when Inspector Bardle came up to me. He looked troubled.
“I know your immense experience, sir,” said he. “The question is, shall I make an arrest, or shall I not?”
“Do you mean Mr. Ian Murdoch?”
“Yes, sir. There is really no one else when you can think. If he did not do it, then who did?”
“What have you against him?”
He shared my thoughts about Murdoch’s character and the mystery which seemed to hang round the man. His furious bursts of temper were shown in the incident of the dog. And there was some reason to think that he had his attentions to Miss Bellamy. But he told me nothing new save that Murdoch seemed to be making every preparation for departure.
“Shall I let him slip away?”
“Let us think,” I said, “On the morning of the crime he can prove an alibi. He had been with his scholars till the last moment, and within a few minutes of McPherson’s appearance he came upon us from behind. It is absolutely impossible that he could single-handed have done such a thing upon a man quite as strong as himself. Finally, there is this question of the instrument with which these injuries were done.”
“What could it be but a scourge of some sort?”
“Have you examined the scars?” I asked.
“I have seen them. So has the doctor.”
“But I have examined them very carefully with a lens. They have peculiarities.”
“What are they, Mr. Holmes?”
I stepped to my writing-desk and took an enlarged photograph. “This is my method in such cases,” I explained.
“Now let us have a look at this scar which extends round the right shoulder. Do you see nothing special?”
“I can’t say I do.”
“Surely it is clear that it is unequal in its intensity. There is blood here and there. What can that mean?”
“I have no idea. Have you?”
“Perhaps I have. I may be able to say more soon. Anything which will help us guess what made that scars will bring us towards the criminal.”
“It is, of course, an absurd idea,” said the policeman, “but if a red-hot net of wire had been laid across the back, then these bloody points would represent where the scars crossed each other.”
“They may be caused by cat-o’-nine-tails. As for Ian Murdoch, haven’t you thought that his last words could be “Ian” and not “Mane”?
“Yes, I have thought about that. But I am sure that it was ‘Mane.’ It is not enough for an arrest. ”
“Have you an alternative, Mr. Holmes?”
“Perhaps I have. But I won’t discuss it until I make sure of something.”
“And when will that be?”
“In an hour — possibly less.”
The inspector rubbed his chin and looked at me with surprised eyes.
“I wish I could see what was in your mind, Mr. Holmes. Perhaps it’s those fishing-boats.”
“No, no, they were too far out.”
“Well, then, is it Bellamy and that big son of his? Could they have done him a mischief?”
“No, no, I won’t tell you until I am ready,” said I with a smile. “Now, Inspector, we each have our own work to do. Let’s meet here at midday —”