Этюд в багровых тонах
Light in the Darkness.
Holmeshadtakenouthiswatch,andasminutefollowedminutewithoutresult,anexpressionoftheutmostchagrinanddisappointmentappeareduponhisfeatures. Hegnawedhislip,drummedhisfingersuponthetable,andshowedeveryothersymptomofacuteimpatience. Sogreatwashisemotion,thatIfeltsincerelysorryforhim,whilethetwodetectivessmiledderisively,bynomeansdispleasedatthischeckwhichhehadmet.
“Itcan’tbeacoincidence,”hecried,atlastspringingfromhischairandpacingwildlyupanddowntheroom;“itisimpossiblethatitshouldbeamerecoincidence. TheverypillswhichIsuspectedinthecaseofDrebberareactuallyfoundafterthedeathofStangerson. Andyettheyareinert. Whatcanitmean? Surelymywholechainofreasoningcannothavebeenfalse. Itisimpossible! Andyetthiswretcheddogisnonetheworse. Ah,Ihaveit!Ihaveit!” Withaperfectshriekofdelightherushedtothebox,cuttheotherpillintwo,dissolvedit,addedmilk,andpresentedittotheterrier. Theunfortunatecreature’stongueseemedhardlytohavebeenmoistenedinitbeforeitgaveaconvulsiveshiverineverylimb,andlayasrigidandlifelessasifithadbeenstruckbylightning.
SherlockHolmesdrewalongbreath,andwipedtheperspirationfromhisforehead. “Ishouldhavemorefaith,”hesaid; “Ioughttoknowbythistimethatwhenafactappearstobeopposedtoalongtrainofdeductions,itinvariablyprovestobecapableofbearingsomeotherinterpretation.
