Kitabı oku: «Приключения Шерлока Холмса: Человек с рассеченной губой / The Man with the Twisted Lip», sayfa 3
“I was certainly surprised to find you there,” I said.
“But not more so than I to find you.”
“I came to find a friend.”
“And I to find an enemy.”
“An enemy?”
“Yes; one of my natural enemies, or, shall I say, my natural prey. Briefly, Watson, I am in the middle of a very remarkable inquiry, and I have hoped to find a clew in the mumbling of these dregs, as I have done before. If I were recognized in that den my life would not have been worth an hour’s purchase;10 for I have used it before for my own purposes, and the evil Lascar11 who runs it has sworn to have vengeance12 upon me. There is a trap-door at the back of that building, near the corner of Paul’s Wharf, which could tell some strange tales of what has passed through it upon the moonless nights.”
“What! Do you mean bodies?”
“Yes, bodies, Watson. We would be rich if we had 1000 pounds for every poor man who died in that den. It is the most dangerous murder-trap on the whole riverside, and I’m afraid that Neville St. Clair has entered it to never leave it. But our cart should be here.” He put his two fingers between his teeth and whistled a signal which was answered by a similar whistle from the distance, followed by the cart, that appeared out of the darkness.
“Now, Watson,” said Holmes “You’ll come with me, won’t you?”
“If I can help you.”
“Oh, a trusty friend and a chronicler can always help. My room at The Cedars is a double-bedded one.”
“The Cedars?”
“Yes; that is Mr. St. Clair’s house. I am staying there while I conduct the inquiry.”
“Where is it, then?”
“Near Lee, in Kent. It’s seven miles away from here.”
“But I am all in the dark.13”
“Of course you are. You’ll know all about it presently. Jump up here. All right, John; we shall not need you. Here’s half a crown. Wait for me tomorrow, about eleven. Goodbye, then!”
Exercises
I. Note the use of the phrasal verb toput forward. What other phrasal verbs withputdo you know? Find a synonym for each verb in the second column.
II. Fill the gaps with the words from the table. NB! You’ll need one more phrasal verb withput. Take notice of the correct word order.
Isa Whiney’s wife couldn’t … with her husband’s long absence, so she … her black veil and headed for her old friends’ in order to ask for their advice. Dr. Watson and his wife Mary were not at all … by this late visit, on the contrary, they were eager to help. This commission couldn’t have been …, so Watson had to go to the opium den, to find Isa and to … his request to return home immediately. It is possible, that Isa hadn’t … enough money to pay for the opium and Watson did it for him, but he is too modest to mention that.
III. Suggest your own examples of the use of the phrasal verbs withput.
IV. Read the phrases below. In what order do they appear in the chapter? Fill the following table.
a)“Good heavens! I thought it was Wednesday. It is Wednesday. What do you want to frighten me for?”
b)“As low as you can. I have excellent ears.”
c)“Then I should go in it. But I must owe something. Find what I owe, Watson. I am all off colour. I can do nothing for myself.”
d)“I tell you that it is Friday, man. Your wife has been waiting this two days for you. You should be ashamed of yourself!”
e) “We would be rich if we had 1000 pounds for every poor man who died in that den. It is the most dangerous murder-trap on the whole riverside, and I’m afraid that Neville St. Clair has entered it to never leave it. But our cart should be here.”
f)“It was very sweet of you to come. Now, you must have some wine and water, and sit here comfortably and tell us all about it. Or would you like me to send James off to bed?”
