Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
Still,itdidnotgoforverymuch,fortheoldermanmighthaveturnedhisbackbeforetheblowfell. Still,itmightbeworthwhiletocallHolmes’sattentiontoit. Thentherewasthepeculiardyingreferencetoarat. Whatcouldthatmean? Itcouldnotbedelirium. Amandyingfromasuddenblowdoesnotcommonlybecomedelirious. No,itwasmorelikelytobeanattempttoexplainhowhemethisfate. Butwhatcoulditindicate? Icudgelledmybrainstofindsomepossibleexplanation. AndthentheincidentofthegrayclothseenbyyoungMcCarthy. Ifthatweretruethemurderermusthavedroppedsomepartofhisdress,presumablyhisovercoat,inhisflight,andmusthavehadthehardihoodtoreturnandtocarryitawayattheinstantwhenthesonwaskneelingwithhisbackturnednotadozenpacesoff. Whatatissueofmysteriesandimprobabilitiesthewholethingwas! IdidnotwonderatLestrade’sopinion,andyetIhadsomuchfaithinSherlockHolmes’sinsightthatIcouldnotlosehopeaslongaseveryfreshfactseemedtostrengthenhisconvictionofyoungMcCarthy’sinnocence.
ItwaslatebeforeSherlockHolmesreturned. Hecamebackalone,forLestradewasstayinginlodgingsinthetown.
"Theglassstillkeepsveryhigh,"heremarkedashesatdown. "Itisofimportancethatitshouldnotrainbeforeweareabletogoovertheground. Ontheotherhand,amanshouldbeathisverybestandkeenestforsuchniceworkasthat,andIdidnotwishtodoitwhenfaggedbyalongjourney. IhaveseenyoungMcCarthy."
"Andwhatdidyoulearnfromhim?"
"Nothing."
"Couldhethrownolight?"
