"Vonda N. McIntyre - The Adventure of the Field Theorems" - читать интересную книгу автора (McIntyre Vonda N)

even during his occasional periods of slothful depression, Sir Arthur dominated the room with his hearty
presence.
"How did you know about our visitor, Holmes?" I asked, trying to salvage the introductions.
"I heard Sir Arthur's carriage arrive," he said dismissively, "as you would have done had you been
paying attention."
Though somewhat put off by his attitude, I continued. "And Sir Arthur's outing? His identity?"
"My face is hardly unknown," Sir Arthur said. "Why, my likeness was in the Times only last week,
accompanying a review-- "
"I never read the literary section of the Times," Holmes said. "As Watson will attest." He pointed the
stem of his pipe at Sir Arthur's pants cuffs. "You are a fastidious man, Sir Arthur. You dress well, and
carefully. Your shave this morning was leisurely and complete. Your moustache is freshly trimmed. Had
you planned your excursion, you would surely have worn suitable clothing. Therefore, your presence was
required on short notice. You have wiped the mud of the fields from your boots, but you have left a
smear on the polish. You have confronted a puzzle that has distracted you from your customary
appearance, which I can easily see-- anyone could easily see!-- is impeccable. As to the nature of the
puzzle, unripe seed-heads of Triticum aestivum have attached themselves to your trouser cuffs. I am in
no doubt that you investigated the vandalism plaguing fields in Surrey."
"Amazing," Conan Doyle whispered, his ruddy face paling. "Absolutely amazing."
I could see that Holmes was both pleased by Conan Doyle's reaction, and surprised that Sir Arthur
did not laugh again and announce that his methods were simplicity itself.
Holmes finished his recitation. "That you have failed to solve the mystery is self-evident-- else why
come to me?"
Sir Arthur staggered. Leaping forward to support him, I helped him to a chair. I was astonished to
perceive any weakness in a man of his constitution. He was quite in shock. Fortunately, Mrs. Hudson
chose that moment to arrive with the tea. A good hot cup, fortified with brandy from the sideboard,
revived Sir Arthur considerably.
"I do apologize," he said. "I've spent the morning in the presence of strangeness beyond any I've ever
before witnessed. As you divined, Mr. Holmes, the experience has distracted me. To perceive your
supernatural talents so soon thereafter-- !"
He took a deep draught of his tea. I refilled his cup, including rather more brandy. Sir Arthur sipped
his tea, and let warm, pungent steam rise around his face. His color improved.
"'Supernatural?'" Holmes mused. "Well-honed, certainly. Extraordinary, even. But not in the least
supernatural."
Sir Arthur replied. "If John did not tell you who I am, and you did not recognize my face, then you
could only have discovered my name by-- reading my mind!"
"I read your name," Holmes said dryly, "from the head of your walking stick, where it is quite clearly
engraved."
***


Since the end of spring, the newspapers had been full of articles about mysterious damage to growing
crops. Wheat stalks were crushed in great circles intersected by lines and angles, as if a cyclone had
touched down to give mere humans a lesson in celestial geometry. Though the phenomena were often
accompanied by strange lights in the sky, the weather was invariably fair. If the lights were lightning, it
was lightning unaccompanied by thunder! No wind or rain occurred to cause any damage, much less
damage in perfect geometrical form.
Many suggestions had been put forth as to the cause of the unexplained diagrams, from hailstorms to
electromagnetic disturbances, but blame had not yet been fixed. The patterns were the mystery of the
year; the press, in a misinterpretation of modern physics in general and the theory of Maxwell in
particular, had taken to calling the devices "field theorems."