Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
"Itis,Iamafraid,notveryencouragingtohissupporters,thoughthereareoneortwopointsinitwhicharesuggestive. Youwillfindithere,andmayreaditforyourself."
HepickedoutfromhisbundleacopyofthelocalHerefordshirepaper,andhavingturneddownthesheethepointedouttheparagraphinwhichtheunfortunateyoungmanhadgivenhisownstatementofwhathadoccurred. Isettledmyselfdowninthecornerofthecarriageandreaditverycarefully. Itraninthisway:
Mr.JamesMcCarthy,theonlysonofthedeceased,wasthencalledandgaveevidenceasfollows: "IhadbeenawayfromhomeforthreedaysatBristol,andhadonlyjustreturneduponthemorningoflastMonday,the3d. Myfatherwasabsentfromhomeatthetimeofmyarrival,andIwasinformedbythemaidthathehaddrivenovertoRosswithJohnCobb,thegroom. ShortlyaftermyreturnIheardthewheelsofhistrapintheyard,and,lookingoutofmywindow,Isawhimgetoutandwalkrapidlyoutoftheyard,thoughIwasnotawareinwhichdirectionhewasgoing. IthentookmygunandstrolledoutinthedirectionoftheBoscombePool,withtheintentionofvisitingtherabbit-warrenwhichisupontheotherside. OnmywayIsawWilliamCrowder,thegame-keeper,ashehadstatedinhisevidence;butheismistakeninthinkingthatIwasfollowingmyfather. Ihadnoideathathewasinfrontofme. WhenaboutahundredyardsfromthepoolIheardacryof‘Cooee!’whichwasausualsignalbetweenmyfatherandmyself. Ithenhurriedforward,andfoundhimstandingbythepool. HeappearedtobemuchsurprisedatseeingmeandaskedmeratherroughlywhatIwasdoingthere. Aconversationensuedwhichledtohighwordsandalmosttoblows,formyfatherwasamanofaveryviolenttemper.
