(no subject)
Начал читать "Долину страха" Конан Дойля. Все, "канон" заканчивается, осталась последняя повесть из этого цикла. Пролог к повести примечателен тем, что Холмс в нем произносит одну из самых высокопарных стилистически речей - во всяком случае, на моей памяти (я пропустил пару рассказов в оригинале). Очень примечательный образец британского языка.
“Ah, yes-the so-called Porlock is a link in the chain some little way
from its great attachment. Porlock is not quite a sound link-between
ourselves. He is the only flaw in that chain so far as I have been able to
test it.”
“But no chain is stronger than its weakest link.”
“Exactly, my dear Watson! Hence the extreme importance of Porlock.
Led on by some rudimentary aspirations towards right, and encouraged by
the judicious stimulation of an occasional ten-pound note sent to him by
devious methods, he has once or twice given me advance information
which has been of value-that highest value which anticipates and
prevents rather than avenges crime. I cannot doubt that, if we had the
cipher, we should find that this communication is of the nature that I
indicate.”
“Ah, yes-the so-called Porlock is a link in the chain some little way
from its great attachment. Porlock is not quite a sound link-between
ourselves. He is the only flaw in that chain so far as I have been able to
test it.”
“But no chain is stronger than its weakest link.”
“Exactly, my dear Watson! Hence the extreme importance of Porlock.
Led on by some rudimentary aspirations towards right, and encouraged by
the judicious stimulation of an occasional ten-pound note sent to him by
devious methods, he has once or twice given me advance information
which has been of value-that highest value which anticipates and
prevents rather than avenges crime. I cannot doubt that, if we had the
cipher, we should find that this communication is of the nature that I
indicate.”