Этюд в багровых тонах
The Lauriston Garden Mystery
“Agoldwatch,No.97163,byBarraud,ofLondon. GoldAlbertchain,veryheavyandsolid. Goldring,withmasonicdevice. Goldpin—bull-dog’shead,withrubiesaseyes. Russianleathercard-case,withcardsofEnochJ.DrebberofCleveland,correspondingwiththeE.J.D.uponthelinen. Nopurse,butloosemoneytotheextentofsevenpoundsthirteen. PocketeditionofBoccaccio’s‘Decameron,’withnameofJosephStangersonuponthefly-leaf. Twoletters—oneaddressedtoE.J.DrebberandonetoJosephStangerson.”
“Atwhataddress?”
“AmericanExchange,Strand—tobelefttillcalledfor. TheyarebothfromtheGuionSteamshipCompany,andrefertothesailingoftheirboatsfromLiverpool. ItisclearthatthisunfortunatemanwasabouttoreturntoNewYork.”
“Haveyoumadeanyinquiriesastothisman,Stangerson?”
“Ididitatonce,sir,”saidGregson. “Ihavehadadvertisementssenttoallthenewspapers,andoneofmymenhasgonetotheAmericanExchange,buthehasnotreturnedyet.”
“HaveyousenttoCleveland?”
“Wetelegraphedthismorning.”
“Howdidyouwordyourinquiries?”
“Wesimplydetailedthecircumstances,andsaidthatweshouldbegladofanyinformationwhichcouldhelpus.”
“Youdidnotaskforparticularsonanypointwhichappearedtoyoutobecrucial?”
“IaskedaboutStangerson.”
“Nothingelse?Istherenocircumstanceonwhichthiswholecaseappearstohinge?Willyounottelegraphagain?”
“IhavesaidallIhavetosay,”saidGregson,inanoffendedvoice.
