20 лучших повестей на английском / 20 Best Short Novels

When he reached St. Petersburg, they had departed for Paris; and when he followed them there, he learned that they had just set off for Copenhagen. At the Danish capital he was again a few days late, for they had journeyed on to London, where he at last succeeded in running them to earth. As to what occurred there, we cannot do better than quote the old hunter’s own account, as duly recorded in Dr. Watson’s Journal, to which we are already under such obligations.

Chapter VI

A continuation of the reminiscences of John Watson, M.

Our prisoner’s furious resistance did not apparently indicate any ferocity in his disposition towards ourselves, for on finding himself powerless, he smiled in an affable manner, and expressed his hopes that he had not hurt any of us in the scuffle. �I guess you’re going to take me to the police-station,’ he remarked to Sherlock Holmes. �My cab’s at the door. If you’ll loose my legs I’ll walk down to it. I’m not so light to lift as I used to be.

Gregson and Lestrade exchanged glances, as if they thought this proposition rather a bold one; but Holmes at once took the prisoner at his word, and loosened the towel which we had bound round his ankles. He rose and stretched his legs, as though to assure himself that they were free once more. I remember that I thought to myself, as I eyed him, that I had seldom seen a more powerfully built man; and his dark, sunburnt face bore an expression of determination and energy which was as formidable as his personal strength.

�If there’s a vacant place for a chief of the police, I reckon you are the man for it,’ he said, gazing with undisguised admiration at my fellow-lodger. �The way you kept on my trail was a caution.’

�You had better come with me,’ said Holmes to the two detectives.

�I can drive you,’ said Lestrade.

�Good! and Gregson can come inside with me. You too, Doctor. You have taken an interest in the case, and may as well stick to us.

I assented gladly, and we all descended together. Our prisoner made no attempt at escape, but stepped calmly into the cab which had been his, and we followed him. Lestrade mounted the box, whipped up the horse, and brought us in a very short time to our destination. We were ushered into a small chamber, where a police inspector noted down our prisoner’s name and the names of the men with whose murder he had been charged.