Этюд в багровых тонах
Light in the Darkness.
Hecamedownsoquietlyandopenlythattheboyimaginedhimtobesomecarpenterorjoineratworkinthehotel. Hetooknoparticularnoticeofhim,beyondthinkinginhisownmindthatitwasearlyforhimtobeatwork. Hehasanimpressionthatthemanwastall,hadareddishface,andwasdressedinalong,brownishcoat. Hemusthavestayedintheroomsomelittletimeafterthemurder,forwefoundblood-stainedwaterinthebasin,wherehehadwashedhishands,andmarksonthesheetswherehehaddeliberatelywipedhisknife.”
IglancedatHolmesonhearingthedescriptionofthemurderer,whichtalliedsoexactlywithhisown. Therewas,however,notraceofexultationorsatisfactionuponhisface.
“Didyoufindnothingintheroomwhichcouldfurnishacluetothemurderer?”heasked.
“Nothing. StangersonhadDrebber’spurseinhispocket,butitseemsthatthiswasusual,ashedidallthepaying. Therewaseightyoddpoundsinit,butnothinghadbeentaken. Whateverthemotivesoftheseextraordinarycrimes,robberyiscertainlynotoneofthem. Therewerenopapersormemorandainthemurderedman’spocket,exceptasingletelegram,datedfromClevelandaboutamonthago,andcontainingthewords,‘J.H.isinEurope.’ Therewasnonameappendedtothismessage.”
“Andtherewasnothingelse?”Holmesasked.
“Nothingofanyimportance. Theman’snovel,withwhichhehadreadhimselftosleepwaslyinguponthebed,andhispipewasonachairbesidehim.
