Приключения Шерлока Холмса

           "BoscombeValleyisacountrydistrictnotveryfarfromRoss,inHerefordshire. ThelargestlandedproprietorinthatpartisaMr.JohnTurner,whomadehismoneyinAustraliaandreturnedsomeyearsagototheoldcountry. Oneofthefarmswhichheheld,thatofHatherley,waslettoMr.CharlesMcCarthy,whowasalsoanex-Australian. Themenhadknowneachotherinthecolonies,sothatitwasnotunnaturalthatwhentheycametosettledowntheyshoulddosoasneareachotheraspossible. Turnerwasapparentlythericherman,soMcCarthybecamehistenantbutstillremained,itseems,upontermsofperfectequality,astheywerefrequentlytogether. McCarthyhadoneson,aladofeighteen,andTurnerhadanonlydaughterofthesameage,butneitherofthemhadwivesliving. TheyappeartohaveavoidedthesocietyoftheneighbouringEnglishfamiliesandtohaveledretiredlives,thoughboththeMcCarthyswerefondofsportandwerefrequentlyseenattherace-meetingsoftheneighbourhood. McCarthykepttwoservants—amanandagirl. Turnerhadaconsiderablehousehold,somehalf-dozenattheleast. ThatisasmuchasIhavebeenabletogatheraboutthefamilies. Nowforthefacts. 

           "OnJune3rd,thatis,onMondaylast,McCarthylefthishouseatHatherleyaboutthreeintheafternoonandwalkeddowntotheBoscombePool,whichisasmalllakeformedbythespreadingoutofthestreamwhichrunsdowntheBoscombeValley. Hehadbeenoutwithhisserving-maninthemorningatRoss,andhehadtoldthemanthathemusthurry,ashehadanappointmentofimportancetokeepatthree. Fromthatappointmenthenevercamebackalive. 

           "FromHatherleyFarmhousetotheBoscombePoolisaquarterofamile,andtwopeoplesawhimashepassedoverthisground. Onewasanoldwoman,whosenameisnotmentioned,andtheotherwasWilliamCrowder,agame-keeperintheemployofMr.Turner.