Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Three Students
Heissteadyandmethodical.
“ThetopfloorbelongstoMilesMcLaren.Heisabrilliantfellowwhenhechoosestowork—oneofthebrightestintellectsoftheuniversity;butheiswayward,dissipated,andunprincipled.Hewasnearlyexpelledoveracardscandalinhisfirstyear.Hehasbeenidlingallthisterm,andhemustlookforwardwithdreadtotheexamination.”
“Thenitishewhomyoususpect?”
“Idarenotgosofarasthat.But,ofthethree,heisperhapstheleastunlikely.”
“Exactly.Now,Mr.Soames,letushavealookatyourservant,Bannister.”
Hewasalittle,white-faced,clean-shaven,grizzly-hairedfellowoffifty.Hewasstillsufferingfromthissuddendisturbanceofthequietroutineofhislife.Hisplumpfacewastwitchingwithhisnervousness,andhisfingerscouldnotkeepstill.
“Weareinvestigatingthisunhappybusiness,Bannister,”saidhismaster.
“Yes,sir.”
“Iunderstand,”saidHolmes,“thatyouleftyourkeyinthedoor?”
“Yes,sir.”
“Wasitnotveryextraordinarythatyoushoulddothisontheverydaywhentherewerethesepapersinside?”
“Itwasmostunfortunate,sir.ButIhaveoccasionallydonethesamethingatothertimes.”
“Whendidyouentertheroom?”
“Itwasabouthalf-pastfour.ThatisMr.Soames’teatime.”
“Howlongdidyoustay?”
“WhenIsawthathewasabsent,Iwithdrewatonce.”
“Didyoulookatthesepapersonthetable?”
“No,sir—certainlynot.”
“Howcameyoutoleavethekeyinthedoor?”
“Ihadthetea-trayinmyhand.IthoughtIwouldcomebackforthekey.ThenIforgot.
