Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Reigate Puzzle
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"Itdoesgiveaclue.WhoeverwrotethatnotewasthemanwhobroughtWilliamKirwanoutofhisbedatthathour.Butwhereistherestofthatsheetofpaper?"
"Iexaminedthegroundcarefullyinthehopeoffindingit."saidtheinspector.
"Itwastornoutofthedeadman’shand.Whywassomeonesoanxioustogetpossessionofit?Becauseitincriminatedhim.Andwhatwouldhedowithit?Thrustitintohispocket,mostlikely,nevernoticingthatacornerofithadbeenleftinthegripofthecorpse.Ifwecouldgettherestofthatsheetitisobviousthatweshouldhavegonealongwaytowardssolvingthemystery."
"Yes,buthowcanwegetatthecriminal’spocketbeforewecatchthecriminal?"
"Well,well,itwasworththinkingover.Thenthereisanotherobviouspoint.ThenotewassenttoWilliam.Themanwhowroteitcouldnothavetakenit;otherwise,ofcourse,hemighthavedeliveredhisownmessagebywordofmouth.Whobroughtthenote,then?Ordiditcomethroughthepost?"
"Ihavemadeinquiries,"saidtheinspector."Williamreceivedaletterbytheafternoonpostyesterday.Theenvelopewasdestroyedbyhim."
"Excellent!"criedHolmes,clappingtheinspectorontheback."You’veseenthepostman.Itisapleasuretoworkwithyou.Well,hereisthelodge,andifyouwillcomeup,Colonel,Iwillshowyouthesceneofthecrime.
