Этюд в багровых тонах
The Lauriston Garden Mystery
Asmallgardensprinkledoverwithascatterederuptionofsicklyplantsseparatedeachofthesehousesfromthestreet,andwastraversedbyanarrowpathway,yellowishincolour,andconsistingapparentlyofamixtureofclayandofgravel. Thewholeplacewasverysloppyfromtherainwhichhadfallenthroughthenight. Thegardenwasboundedbyathree-footbrickwallwithafringeofwoodrailsuponthetop,andagainstthiswallwasleaningastalwartpoliceconstable,surroundedbyasmallknotofloafers,whocranedtheirnecksandstrainedtheireyesinthevainhopeofcatchingsomeglimpseoftheproceedingswithin.
IhadimaginedthatSherlockHolmeswouldatoncehavehurriedintothehouseandplungedintoastudyofthemystery. Nothingappearedtobefurtherfromhisintention. Withanairofnonchalancewhich,underthecircumstances,seemedtometoborderuponaffectation,heloungedupanddownthepavement,andgazedvacantlyattheground,thesky,theoppositehousesandthelineofrailings. Havingfinishedhisscrutiny,heproceededslowlydownthepath,orratherdownthefringeofgrasswhichflankedthepath,keepinghiseyesrivetedupontheground. Twicehestopped,andonceIsawhimsmile,andheardhimutteranexclamationofsatisfaction. Thereweremanymarksoffootstepsuponthewetclayeysoil,butsincethepolicehadbeencomingandgoingoverit,Iwasunabletoseehowmycompanioncouldhopetolearnanythingfromit. StillIhadhadsuchextraordinaryevidenceofthequicknessofhisperceptivefaculties,thatIhadnodoubtthathecouldseeagreatdealwhichwashiddenfromme.
