THE PROBLEM OF THOR BRIDGE

It was a cold morning in October. I went down to breakfast and found that Sherlock Holmes' had already finished his meal.

"I am going to have a visitor," my friend said. "It's Neil Gibson, the Gold King. He wants to speak to me about the tragic end of his wife. You have probably read about it in the papers. The man is an American, but he bought a large estate in Hampshire some years ago. Here is a letter I received from him in the morning."

I took the letter and read the following:

"Dear Mr Sherlock Holmes, I can't see the best woman I have ever met go to her death.I must try to save her. I can't explain what has happened. But I know Miss Dunbar is innocent. She has a kind heart, she has never killed a fly. I'll come at eleven tomorrow. I'll give you all the money I have if only you can save her.

Yours truly, J. Neil Gibson"

"Now, Watson," said Sherlock Holmes after I finished reading the letter, "a few words about the story. This man is a great financier and a man of violent temper. He had a wife, a middle-aged woman, who died tragically some weeks ago.

There was also a young and very attractive governess in the house who looked after the two small children. These are the three people who are connected with the tragedy. And the place where the woman met her death is an old English estate. The wife was found in the garden, nearly half a mile from the house, late at night, with a revolver bullet through her brain. No revolver was found near her. No revolver near her, Watson — remember that."

"But why suspect the governess?" I asked.

"A revolver was found on the floor of her wardrobe with one bullet missing." He paused and repeated slowly, "On-thefloor-of-her-wardrobe."

Then he was silent for some time. "Yes, Watson, it was found. What do you say to that? Then the dead woman had a note asking her to come" to that place in the garden near the bridge. The note was signed by the governess.

Do you like that? And, at last, there's the motive.

Gibson is a millionaire. If his wife dies ... she will have everything — love, money, power. Remember, Watson, she is young and beautiful."

"Anything else against her?"

"She could not prove an alibi. She herself said she had been near Thor Bridge, the place where the woman was killed. Some passing villager had seen her there too, at about eleven o'clock. And here is our client, I think."

But it was not the client. The man who entered the room was a Mr Bates. We had never heard of him before. He was a thin, nervous man with frightened eyes.

He told us that he was the manager of Mr Gibson's estate, that Mr Gibson was a villain and a hard man; that he had treated his wife cruelly, and she had been very unhappy; that she had been a Brazilian, a creature of the Tropics, and she had loved him as such women could love.

"We all liked her and were sorry for her," he said, "and we hated him. He didn't love her. And one thing more. He is a liar.

Don't believe his words. That's all I have to say. Now I must go. I don't want to meet him here."

With a frightened look our strange visitor ran to the door and disappeared.

At eleven o'clock we heard heavy steps upon the stairs and the famous millionaire entered the room. As I looked at him I understood the fear and dislike of his manager. He was very tall, his face was hard and cruel, with deep lines upon it. Cold grey eyes looked at us each in turn.

"Let me tell you, Mr Holmes," he began, "that money is nothing to me in this case. This woman is innocent and this woman must be cleared. You must do it. Name the sum."

"I am not interested in money," my friend answered coldly.

"Well, if dollars are nothing to you, think of your reputation. Your name will be in every paper in England and America."

"Thank you, Mr Gibson. We are wasting time. It will probably surprise you to know that I prefer to work anonymously. Sit down, please, and give me the facts."

(After A. Conan Doyle)

1 Sherlock Holmes [J3:lok 'haumz]

2 Neil Gibson [,neil 'gibsan]

3 Hampshire ['haempjia] Гемпшир

4 I can't see the best woman I have ever met go to her death Я не могу допустить, чтобы лучшей из женщин, которых я когда-либо встречал, грозила смерть.

5 Dunbar ['dAnba:]

6 she has never killed a fly она и мухи не обидит

7 Yours truly Преданный Вам (обычная форма вежливости в конце письма)

8 Watson ['wotsan]

9 with a revolver bullet through her brain с простреленной головой

10 A revolver... with one bullet missing. Револьвер..., в котором не хватало одной пули.

11 a note asking her to come записка, в которой ее просили прийти

12 She could not prove an alibi ['aelibai] Она не могла доказать свое алиби (т.е. что ее не было на месте преступления в момент совершения убийства)

13 a Mr Bates некто мистер Бейтс

14 a Brazilian [bra'ziljan] бразилианка

15 the IVopics ['tropiks] тропики

16 with deep lines upon it испещренное глубокими морщинами

17 this woman must be cleared с этой женщины надо снять подозрение

18 I prefer to work anonymously [a'nonimasli] я предпочитаю работать так, чтобы мое имя оставалось неизвестным