Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet
Ithoughtatthetimethatthismightbethemaidandhersweetheart,ofwhomyouhadalreadyspokentome,andinquiryshoweditwasso. Ipassedroundthegardenwithoutseeinganythingmorethanrandomtracks,whichItooktobethepolice; butwhenIgotintothestablelaneaverylongandcomplexstorywaswritteninthesnowinfrontofme.
"Therewasadoublelineoftracksofabootedman,andaseconddoublelinewhichIsawwithdelightbelongedtoamanwithnakedfeet. Iwasatonceconvincedfromwhatyouhadtoldmethatthelatterwasyourson. Thefirsthadwalkedbothways,buttheotherhadrunswiftly,andashistreadwasmarkedinplacesoverthedepressionoftheboot,itwasobviousthathehadpassedaftertheother. Ifollowedthemupandfoundtheyledtothehallwindow,whereBootshadwornallthesnowawaywhilewaiting. ThenIwalkedtotheotherend,whichwasahundredyardsormoredownthelane. IsawwhereBootshadfacedround,wherethesnowwascutupasthoughtherehadbeenastruggle,and,finally,whereafewdropsofbloodhadfallen,toshowmethatIwasnotmistaken. Bootshadthenrundownthelane,andanotherlittlesmudgeofbloodshowedthatitwashewhohadbeenhurt. Whenhecametothehighroadattheotherend,Ifoundthatthepavementhadbeencleared,sotherewasanendtothatclue.
"Onenteringthehouse,however,Iexamined,asyouremember,thesillandframeworkofthehallwindowwithmylens,andIcouldatonceseethatsomeonehadpassedout. Icoulddistinguishtheoutlineofaninstepwherethewetfoothadbeenplacedincomingin. Iwasthenbeginningtobeabletoformanopinionastowhathadoccurred. Amanhadwaitedoutsidethewindow;someonehadbroughtthegems; thedeedhadbeenoverseenbyyourson;hehadpursuedthethief;hadstruggledwithhim; theyhadeachtuggedatthecoronet,theirunitedstrengthcausinginjurieswhichneitheralonecouldhaveeffected.
