Проклятие мумии, или Камень Семи Звезд
Chapter 6
Someone,beit!"
"Diditeverstrikeyou,sir,thatoneachofthethreeseparateoccasionswhereoutragewaseffected,orattempted,therewasonepersonwhowasthefirsttobepresentandtogivethealarm?"
"Letmesee!MissTrelawny,Ibelieve,gavethealarmonthefirstoccasion.Iwaspresentmyself,iffastasleep,onthesecond;andsowasNurseKennedy.WhenIwoketherewereseveralpeopleintheroom;youwereoneofthem.IunderstandthatonthatoccasionalsoMissTrelawnywasbeforeyou.AtthelastattemptIwasMissTrelawnyfainted.Icarriedheroutandwentback.Inreturning,Iwasfirst;andIthinkyouwereclosebehindme."
SergeantDawthoughtforamomentbeforereplying:
"Shewaspresent,orfirst,intheroomonalltheoccasions;therewasonlydamagedoneinthefirstandsecond!"
TheinferencewasonewhichI,asalawyer,couldnotmistake.Ithoughtthebestthingtodowastomeetithalf-way.Ihavealwaysfoundthatthebestwaytoencounteraninferenceistocauseittobeturnedintoastatement.
"Youmean,"Isaid,"thatasontheonlyoccasionswhenactualharmwasdone,MissTrelawny’sbeingthefirsttodiscoveritisaproofthatshedidit;orwasinsomewayconnectedwiththeattempt,aswellasthediscovery?"
"Ididn’tventuretoputitasclearasthat;butthatiswherethedoubtwhichIhadleads.