Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
Hehadreturnedwiththeprize,buthadleftafragmentinthegraspofhisopponent. SofarIwasclear. Thequestionnowwas,whowasthemanandwhowasitbroughthimthecoronet?
"Itisanoldmaximofminethatwhenyouhaveexcludedtheimpossible,whateverremains,howeverimprobable,mustbethetruth. Now,Iknewthatitwasnotyouwhohadbroughtitdown,sothereonlyremainedyournieceandthemaids. Butifitwerethemaids,whyshouldyoursonallowhimselftobeaccusedintheirplace? Therecouldbenopossiblereason. Ashelovedhiscousin,however,therewasanexcellentexplanationwhyheshouldretainhersecret—themoresoasthesecretwasadisgracefulone. WhenIrememberedthatyouhadseenheratthatwindow,andhowshehadfaintedonseeingthecoronetagain,myconjecturebecameacertainty.
"Andwhocoulditbewhowasherconfederate? Aloverevidently,forwhoelsecouldoutweightheloveandgratitudewhichshemustfeeltoyou? Iknewthatyouwentoutlittle,andthatyourcircleoffriendswasaverylimitedone. ButamongthemwasSirGeorgeBurnwell. Ihadheardofhimbeforeasbeingamanofevilreputationamongwomen. Itmusthavebeenhewhoworethosebootsandretainedthemissinggems. EventhoughheknewthatArthurhaddiscoveredhim,hemightstillflatterhimselfthathewassafe,fortheladcouldnotsayawordwithoutcompromisinghisownfamily.
"Well,yourowngoodsensewillsuggestwhatmeasuresItooknext. IwentintheshapeofaloafertoSirGeorge’shouse,managedtopickupanacquaintancewithhisvalet,learnedthathismasterhadcuthisheadthenightbefore,and,finally,attheexpenseofsixshillings,madeallsurebybuyingapairofhiscast-offshoes. WiththeseIjourneyeddowntoStreathamandsawthattheyexactlyfittedthetracks."
