Возвращение Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Norwood Builder
Theblood-stainswereveryslight,meresmearsanddiscolourations,butundoubtedlyfresh.Thestickhadbeenremoved,buttherealsothemarkswereslight.Thereisnodoubtaboutthestickbelongingtoourclient.Headmitsit.Footmarksofbothmencouldbemadeoutonthecarpet,butnoneofanythirdperson,whichagainisatrickfortheotherside.Theywerepilinguptheirscoreallthetimeandwewereatastandstill.
“OnlyonelittlegleamofhopedidIget—andyetitamountedtonothing.Iexaminedthecontentsofthesafe,mostofwhichhadbeentakenoutandleftonthetable.Thepapershadbeenmadeupintosealedenvelopes,oneortwoofwhichhadbeenopenedbythepolice.Theywerenot,sofarasIcouldjudge,ofanygreatvalue,nordidthebank-bookshowthatMr.Oldacrewasinsuchveryaffluentcircumstances.Butitseemedtomethatallthepaperswerenotthere.Therewereallusionstosomedeeds—possiblythemorevaluable—whichIcouldnotfind.This,ofcourse,ifwecoulddefinitelyproveit,wouldturnLestrade’sargumentagainsthimself,forwhowouldstealathingifheknewthathewouldshortlyinheritit?
“Finally,havingdrawneveryothercoverandpickedupnoscent,Itriedmyluckwiththehousekeeper.Mrs.Lexingtonishername—alittle,dark,silentperson,withsuspiciousandsidelongeyes.Shecouldtellussomethingifshewould—Iamconvincedofit.Butshewasascloseaswax.Yes,shehadletMr.McFarlaneinathalf-pastnine.Shewishedherhandhadwitheredbeforeshehaddoneso.Shehadgonetobedathalf-pastten.
