Этюд в багровых тонах
Tobias Gregson shows what he can do.
IfoundoutwhereLieutenantCharpentierwas,tooktwoofficerswithme,andarrestedhim. WhenItouchedhimontheshoulderandwarnedhimtocomequietlywithus,heansweredusasboldasbrass, ‘IsupposeyouarearrestingmeforbeingconcernedinthedeathofthatscoundrelDrebber,’hesaid. Wehadsaidnothingtohimaboutit,sothathisalludingtoithadamostsuspiciousaspect.”
“Very,”saidHolmes.
“HestillcarriedtheheavystickwhichthemotherdescribedhimashavingwithhimwhenhefollowedDrebber. Itwasastoutoakcudgel.”
“Whatisyourtheory,then?”
“Well,mytheoryisthathefollowedDrebberasfarastheBrixtonRoad. Whenthere,afreshaltercationarosebetweenthem,inthecourseofwhichDrebberreceivedablowfromthestick,inthepitofthestomach,perhaps,whichkilledhimwithoutleavinganymark. Thenightwassowetthatnoonewasabout,soCharpentierdraggedthebodyofhisvictimintotheemptyhouse. Astothecandle,andtheblood,andthewritingonthewall,andthering,theymayallbesomanytrickstothrowthepoliceontothewrongscent.”
“Welldone!”saidHolmesinanencouragingvoice. “Really,Gregson,youaregettingalong. Weshallmakesomethingofyouyet.”
“IflattermyselfthatIhavemanageditratherneatly,”thedetectiveansweredproudly. “Theyoungmanvolunteeredastatement,inwhichhesaidthatafterfollowingDrebbersometime,thelatterperceivedhim,andtookacabinordertogetawayfromhim.
