The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes: The Final Problem and Other Stories = Спогади про Шерлока Холмса: Остання справа та інші історії. ENGLISH LIBRARY series / Arthur Conan Doyle

In the suggested short stories by Arthur Conan Doyle (1859—1930), Sherlock Holmes once again demonstrates his unique power of observation and detective talent. Thanks to his shrewd mind and artifice, he solves a crime with the help of a scrap of paper found in the murderer’s hand (The Reigate Squires), cracks quite a delicate case where diplomatic interests of a country are at stake (The Naval Treaty), investigates mysterious cases related to retribution for the past sins (The Crooked Man, The Resident Patient). Finally, Holmes faces a worthy opponent — the smartest criminal of the XIX century. What will this encounter result in?

У пропонованих оповіданнях Артура Конана Дой­ла (1859—1930) Шерлок Холмс вкотре виявляє унікальну спостережливість і талант детектива. Зав­дяки проникливому розуму, а часом і хитрощам він розкриває вбивство за краєчком записки, знайденим у руках убитого (“Рейгетські сквайри”), розплутує доволі делікатну справу, в якій на карту поставлено дипломатичні інтереси країни (“Морський договір”), розслідує загадкові справи, пов’я­зані з розплатою за гріхи минулого (“Горбань”, “Постійний пацієнт”). Та нарешті Холмс зустрічає гідного супротивника — найрозумнішого злочинця ХІХ століття. Чим же обер­неться ця зустріч?

It was some time before the health of my friend Mr Sherlock Holmes recovered from the strain caused by his immense exertions in the spring of 1887. The whole question of the Netherland-Sumatra Company and of the colossal schemes of Baron Maupertuis are too recent in the minds of the public, and are too intimately concerned with politics and finance, to be fitting subjects for this series of sketches. They led, however, in an indirect fashion to a singular and complex problem which gave my friend an opportunity of demonstrating the value of a fresh weapon among the many with which he waged his life-long battle against crime.

On referring to my notes I see that it was upon the 14th of April that I received a telegram from Lyons which informed me that Holmes was lying ill in the Hotel Dulong. Within twenty-four hours I was in his sickroom, and was relieved to find that there was nothing formidable in his symptoms. Even his iron constitution, however, had broken down under the strain of an investigation which had extended over two months, during which period he had never worked less than fifteen hours a day, and had more than once, as he assured me, kept to his task for five days at a stretch. Even the triumphant issue of his labours could not save him from reaction after so terrible an exertion, and at a time when Europe was ringing with his name and when his room was literally ankle-deep with congratulatory telegrams I found him a prey to the blackest depression. Even the knowledge that he had succeeded where the police of three countries had failed, and that he had outmanoeuvred at every point the most accomplished swindler in Europe, was insufficient to rouse him from his nervous prostration.