"Manly Wade Wellman - Sherlock Holmes's War of the Worlds" - читать интересную книгу автора (Wellman Manly Wade)

Wace dropped into a chair and nervously related his story. He had known Cave the antiques dealer,
and had often studied the crystal with him. To Cave, more than to Wace, the crystal had shown its
secretsтАФWace said that Cave had fairly clear impressions of the extraordinary scenes reflected within its
depths. And Wace had been almost crushed when he found that, upon Cave's death, the crystal had
gone with other objects from the dead man's shop to that of Templeton and there had been sold to
someone whose name Templeton said he had forgotten.
"I put advertisements in several collectors' papers," said Wace. "There has been no response
whatever. But I am convinced that a great scientific truth can be yielded by that crystal, and I appeal to
you to help me trace it."
Wace's manner was becomingly diffident, Holmes re-flected. It would flatter Challenger. The thought
gave him an inspiration.
"Suppose we consult a scientist of distinguished reputation and accomplishment, Mr. Wace," he said.
"Just a moment while I telephone."
He rang the Enmore Park number. Challenger's booming voice answered.
"Holmes here, Challenger. I have just been talking to a new client by the name of Jacoby Wace,
whose diffi-culty had best be presented to yourselfтАФfor reasons which will quickly be apparent," said
Holmes guardedly. "May I fetch him over?"
"Does this have any bearing on the crystal?" asked Challenger, his voice falling to a guarded hush.
"Yes," said Holmes briefly.
"Then bring him here immediately."
When Holmes and Wace arrived, they found the professor bulking behind his table. The crystal was
nowhere in sight.
 "You may be seated, Mr. Wace," granted Challenger. "Now, explain this difficulty of yours."
With stammering uneasiness, Wace again described his acquaintance with Cave, his own rather
blurred observations of the crystal, and his agony of disappoint-ment at its loss. Challenger heard him
out, occasion-ally jotting down a note.
"And to whom besides ourselves have you spoken of this?" he inquired when Wace had made an end.
"I talked about it to Mr. Templeton, the dealer," said Wace, "and I heard that the matter will soon
receive some publicity. Templeton said that Mr. H. G. Wells, the distinguished author, is now preparing a
magazine article on the subject. Both Templeton and another dealer, Mr. Morse Hudson, have given him
information."
"Hudson?" repeated Holmes. "I have some slight acquaintance with Hudson. I'll be interested in
reading the article when it appears."
"I, too," nodded Challenger. "Wells has some rather sketchy scientific background, along with a
bizarre imagination. Now, Mr. Wace, have you made any efforts to trace the crystal besides inquiries to
the collectors' magazines?"
"I wrote letters to the Times and the Daily Chronicle. Both were returned to me, with suggestions
that I was trying to perpetrate a hoax. Indeed, the editor of the Chronicle advised me to drop the
matter, saying that publishing such material might well damage my career at St. Catherine's."
"A typical journalistic judgment," pronounced Chal-lenger. "Yet, to some degree, I agree with the
editor's advice. You will do well, Mr. Wace, to be prudently quiet about the whole affair, leaving it in the
capable hands of my friend Mr. Holmes. Will you give us your promise to that effect?"
"Yes, sir," agreed Wace at once. "Thank you, Pro-fessor Challenger."
He took his departure. Challenger saw him to the front door and returned, to fix Holmes with earnest
blue eyes.
"There you have exactly the response we could ex-pect should we try to interest the press or the
scientific faculty in our researches at this point," he rumbled. "Disbelief and ridicule."
"Yet apparently one popular magazine is taking an interest," said Holmes. "I look forward to reading
Wells's article, if only to see how honest Hudson and Templeton have been with their information. And
re-flect, Wace did not have the crystal to show to skep-tics, an advantage which we possess."