Воспоминания Шерлока Холмса

           "Keepthat,"saidHolmes,quietlyputtinghisfootuponit;"youwillfinditusefulatthetrial.Butthisiswhatwereallywanted."Heheldupalittlecrumpledpieceofpaper.

           "Theremainderofthesheet!"criedtheinspector.

           "Precisely."

           "Andwherewasit?"

           "WhereIwassureitmustbe.I’llmakethewholemattercleartoyoupresently.Ithink,Colonel,thatyouandWatsonmightreturnnow,andIwillbewithyouagaininanhouratthefurthest.TheinspectorandImusthaveawordwiththeprisoners,butyouwillcertainlyseemebackatluncheontime."

           SherlockHolmeswasasgoodashisword,foraboutoneo’clockherejoinedusinthecolonel’ssmoking-room.Hewasaccompaniedbyalittleelderlygentleman,whowasintroducedtomeastheMr.Actonwhosehousehadbeenthesceneoftheoriginalburglary.

           "IwishedMr.ActontobepresentwhileIdemonstratedthissmallmattertoyou,"saidHolmes,"foritisnaturalthatheshouldtakeakeeninterestinthedetails.Iamafraid,mydearColonel,thatyoumustregretthehourthatyoutookinsuchastormypetrelasIam."

           "Onthecontrary,"answeredthecolonelwarmly,"Iconsideritthegreatestprivilegetohavebeenpermittedtostudyyourmethodsofworking.Iconfessthattheyquitesurpassmyexpectations,andthatIamutterlyunabletoaccountforyourresult.Ihavenotyetseenthevestigeofaclue.