Все приключения Шерлока Холмса. Сборник. Уровень 2

“Oh,” I cried, “you have an aortic aneurism[63 - aortic aneurism – аневризма аорты]!”

“That’s what they call it,” he said, placidly. “I went to a doctor last week. I got it in the Salt Lake Mountains. My work is finished. But I don’t want to be a common murderer.”

“Do you consider, doctor, that there is immediate danger?” asked the Inspector.

“Most certainly there is,” I answered.

“In that case, sir,” said the Inspector, “please, give your account.”

“I’ll sit down, with your permission,” said Jefferson Hope.

“This aneurism of mine makes me easily tired. I’m dying and I do not want to lie to you. Every word I say is the absolute truth.”

With these words, Jefferson Hope leaned back in his chair and began. He spoke in a calm and methodical manner.

“It doesn’t much matter to you why I hated these men,” he said; “they were guilty of the death of two human beings-a father and a daughter. Therefore, they forfeited their own lives.

A lot of time passed since their crime. It was impossible for me to secure a conviction against them in any court. I knew of their guilt though, and I was the judge, jury, and executioner.

It happened twenty years ago. I wanted to marry that girl. She was forced into marrying[64 - she was forced into marrying – её силой выдали замуж] that same Drebber, and she died. I took the marriage ring from her dead finger, and I wanted to show it to my enemies. Their crime must be punished.

I was following Drebber and his accomplice over two continents. If I die tomorrow, I will die happily. My work in this world is done, and well done. There is nothing for me to hope for, or to desire.

They were rich and I was poor, so that it was not easy for me to follow them. When I got to London my pocket was empty, and I found some work. I can drive and ride, so I applied at a cabowner’s office, and soon got employment. The hardest job was to remember the streets, this city is very confusing.

I found out where my two gentlemen were living. They were at a boarding-house at Camberwell, on the other side of the river. I had my beard, nobody could recognize me. I was following them until I saw my opportunity. They could not escape me again.

Sometimes I followed them on my cab, and sometimes on foot, they could not get away from me. They were very cunning, though. They never went out alone, and never after nightfall.