Убийство Роджера Экройда
The Whole Truth
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"Ihadgotthusfarinmyownmindwhenwecametothefootprintsonthewindowledge.Heretherewerethreeconclusionsopentome.TheymightreallyhavebeenmadebyRalphPaton.HehadbeenatFernlythatnight,andmighthaveclimbedintothestudyandfoundhisuncledeadthere.Thatwasonehypothesis.Therewasthepossibilitythatthefootmarksmighthavebeenmadebysomebodyelsewhohappenedtohavethesamekindofstudsinhisshoes.Buttheinmatesofthehousehadshoessoledwithcreperubber,andIdeclinedtobelieveinthecoincidenceofsomeonefromoutsidehavingthesamekindofshoesasRalphPatonwore.CharlesKent,asweknowfromthebarmaidoftheDogandWhistle,hadonapairofboots"cleandroppingoffhim."ThoseprintsweremadebysomeonedeliberatelytryingtothrowsuspiciononRalphPaton.Totestthislastconclusion,itwasnecessarytoascertaincertainfacts.OnepairofRalph’sshoeshadbeenobtainedfromtheThreeBoarsbythepolice.NeitherRalphnoranyoneelsecouldhavewornthemthatevening,sincetheyweredownstairsbeingcleaned.Accordingtothepolicetheory,Ralphwaswearinganotherpairofthesamekind,andIfoundoutthatitwastruethathehadtwopairs.NowformytheorytobeprovedcorrectitwasnecessaryforthemurderertohavewornRalph’sshoesthatevening–inwhichcaseRalphmusthavebeenwearingyetathirdpairoffootwearofsomekind.
