Все приключения Шерлока Холмса. Сборник. Уровень 2

During two weeks I drove behind them every day, and never once saw them separate. Drebber himself was always drunk, but Stangerson was sober. I watched them late and early, but never saw the chance.

At last, one evening I was driving up and down Torquay Terrace, when I saw a cab next to their door. The cabman brought some luggage, and after a time Drebber and Stangerson followed it, and drove off. I feared that they were going away. At Euston Station they got out, and I left a boy to hold my horse, and followed them on to the platform.

They asked for the Liverpool train. There was no a train for some hours.

Stangerson was angry, but Drebber was pleased. I came closer to them in the bustle. I could hear every word that passed between them. Drebber says that he has a little business to do. His companion remonstrates with him. Drebber answers that the matter is a delicate one, and that he must go alone. Drebber reminds Stangerson that he is nothing more than his servant, and that he must not dictate to him.

So the Secretary simply tells him that if he misses the last train he can rejoin him at Halliday’s Private Hotel. Drebber says that he will be back on the platform before eleven, and goes away.

This was my moment! I had my enemies within my power. Together they protected each other, but singly they were at my mercy. My plans were already formed. The offender must realize why retribution comes upon him.

Some days before a gentleman was looking over some houses in the Brixton Road.

He dropped the key of one of them in my carriage. I returned the key; but in the interval I made a duplicate. But how to get Drebber to that house? It was a difficult problem.

Drebber walked down the road and went into one or two liquor shops. He stayed for nearly half-an-hour in the last of them. When he came out he was evidently drunk. There was a hansom just in front of me, and he hailed it. I followed it. The nose of my horse was within a yard of his driver the whole way.

We rattled across the city until, to my astonishment, we found ourselves back in the Terrace in which he boarded. He entered it, and his hansom drove away. Give me a glass of water, please.”

I handed him the glass.

“That’s better,” he said. “Well, I waited for a quarter of an hour, or more, when suddenly there came a noise. Some people were struggling inside the house.