Собака Баскервиллей
Three Broken Threads
"Well,Idon’tprofesstounderstandityet. Thiscaseofyoursisverycomplex,SirHenry. Whentakeninconjunctionwithyouruncle’sdeathIamnotsurethatofallthefivehundredcasesofcapitalimportancewhichIhavehandledthereisonewhichcutssodeep. Butweholdseveralthreadsinourhands,andtheoddsarethatoneorotherofthemguidesustothetruth. Wemaywastetimeinfollowingthewrongone,butsoonerorlaterwemustcomeupontheright."
Wehadapleasantluncheoninwhichlittlewassaidofthebusinesswhichhadbroughtustogether. Itwasintheprivatesitting-roomtowhichweafterwardsrepairedthatHolmesaskedBaskervillewhatwerehisintentions.
"TogotoBaskervilleHall."
"Andwhen?"
"Attheendoftheweek."
"Onthewhole,"saidHolmes,"Ithinkthatyourdecisionisawiseone. IhaveampleevidencethatyouarebeingdoggedinLondon, andamidthemillionsofthisgreatcityitisdifficulttodiscoverwhothesepeopleareorwhattheirobjectcanbe. Iftheirintentionsareeviltheymightdoyouamischief,andweshouldbepowerlesstopreventit. Youdidnotknow,Dr.Mortimer,thatyouwerefollowedthismorningfrommyhouse?"
Dr.Mortimerstartedviolently.
"Followed! Bywhom?"
"That,unfortunately,iswhatIcannottellyou. HaveyouamongyourneighboursoracquaintancesonDartmooranymanwithablack,fullbeard?"
