Приключения Шерлока Холмса

           Ithoughtatthetimethatthismightbethemaidandhersweetheart,ofwhomyouhadalreadyspokentome,andinquiryshoweditwasso. Ipassedroundthegardenwithoutseeinganythingmorethanrandomtracks,whichItooktobethepolice; butwhenIgotintothestablelaneaverylongandcomplexstorywaswritteninthesnowinfrontofme. 

           "Therewasadoublelineoftracksofabootedman,andaseconddoublelinewhichIsawwithdelightbelongedtoamanwithnakedfeet. Iwasatonceconvincedfromwhatyouhadtoldmethatthelatterwasyourson. Thefirsthadwalkedbothways,buttheotherhadrunswiftly,andashistreadwasmarkedinplacesoverthedepressionoftheboot,itwasobviousthathehadpassedaftertheother. Ifollowedthemupandfoundtheyledtothehallwindow,whereBootshadwornallthesnowawaywhilewaiting. ThenIwalkedtotheotherend,whichwasahundredyardsormoredownthelane. IsawwhereBootshadfacedround,wherethesnowwascutupasthoughtherehadbeenastruggle,and,finally,whereafewdropsofbloodhadfallen,toshowmethatIwasnotmistaken. Bootshadthenrundownthelane,andanotherlittlesmudgeofbloodshowedthatitwashewhohadbeenhurt. Whenhecametothehighroadattheotherend,Ifoundthatthepavementhadbeencleared,sotherewasanendtothatclue. 

           "Onenteringthehouse,however,Iexamined,asyouremember,thesillandframeworkofthehallwindowwithmylens,andIcouldatonceseethatsomeonehadpassedout. Icoulddistinguishtheoutlineofaninstepwherethewetfoothadbeenplacedincomingin. Iwasthenbeginningtobeabletoformanopinionastowhathadoccurred. Amanhadwaitedoutsidethewindow;someonehadbroughtthegems; thedeedhadbeenoverseenbyyourson;hehadpursuedthethief;hadstruggledwithhim; theyhadeachtuggedatthecoronet,theirunitedstrengthcausinginjurieswhichneitheralonecouldhaveeffected.