Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Five Orange Pips
"No.Hisordersweretostayinthehouse."
AgainHolmesravedintheair.
"Whydidyoucometome,"hecried,"and,aboveall,whydidyounotcomeatonce?"
"Ididnotknow. Itwasonlyto-daythatIspoketoMajorPrendergastaboutmytroublesandwasadvisedbyhimtocometoyou."
"Itisreallytwodayssinceyouhadtheletter. Weshouldhaveactedbeforethis. Youhavenofurtherevidence,Isuppose,thanthatwhichyouhaveplacedbeforeus—nosuggestivedetailwhichmighthelpus?"
"Thereisonething,"saidJohnOpenshaw. Herummagedinhiscoatpocket,and,drawingoutapieceofdiscoloured,blue-tintedpaper,helaiditoutuponthetable. "Ihavesomeremembrance,"saidhe,"thatonthedaywhenmyuncleburnedthepapersIobservedthatthesmall,unburnedmarginswhichlayamidtheasheswereofthisparticularcolour. Ifoundthissinglesheetuponthefloorofhisroom,andIaminclinedtothinkthatitmaybeoneofthepaperswhichhas,perhaps,flutteredoutfromamongtheothers,andinthatwayhasescapeddestruction. Beyondthementionofpips,Idonotseethatithelpsusmuch. Ithinkmyselfthatitisapagefromsomeprivatediary. Thewritingisundoubtedlymyuncle’s."
Holmesmovedthelamp,andwebothbentoverthesheetofpaper,whichshowedbyitsraggededgethatithadindeedbeentornfromabook. Itwasheaded,"March,1869,"andbeneathwerethefollowingenigmaticalnotices:
4th.Hudsoncame.Sameoldplatform.
7th.SetthepipsonMcCauley,Paramore,andJohnSwain,ofSt.Augustine.
