Приключения Шерлока Холмса

           "Iamforwest,"remarkedtheplain-clothesman. "Thereareseveralquietlittlevillagesupthere." 

           "AndIamfornorth,"saidI,"becausetherearenohillsthere,andourfriendsaysthathedidnotnoticethecarriagegoupany." 

           "Come,"criedtheinspector,laughing;"it’saveryprettydiversityofopinion. Wehaveboxedthecompassamongus. Whodoyougiveyourcastingvoteto?" 

           "Youareallwrong." 

           "Butwecan’tallbe." 

           "Oh,yes,youcan.Thisismypoint." Heplacedhisfingerinthecentreofthecircle. "Thisiswhereweshallfindthem." 

           "Butthetwelve-miledrive?"gaspedHatherley. 

           "Sixoutandsixback.Nothingsimpler. Yousayyourselfthatthehorsewasfreshandglossywhenyougotin. Howcoulditbethatifithadgonetwelvemilesoverheavyroads?" 

           "Indeed,itisalikelyruseenough,"observedBradstreetthoughtfully. "Ofcoursetherecanbenodoubtastothenatureofthisgang." 

           "Noneatall,"saidHolmes. "Theyarecoinersonalargescale,andhaveusedthemachinetoformtheamalgamwhichhastakentheplaceofsilver." 

           "Wehaveknownforsometimethataclevergangwasatwork,"saidtheinspector."Theyhavebeenturningouthalfcrownsbythethousand. WeeventracedthemasfarasReading,butcouldgetnofarther,fortheyhadcoveredtheirtracesinawaythatshowedthattheywereveryoldhands. Butnow,thankstothisluckychance,Ithinkthatwehavegotthemrightenough."