Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Crooked Man
Thecolonelpossessedavariedcollectionofweaponsbroughtfromthedifferentcountriesinwhichhehadfought,anditisconjecturedbythepolicethatthisclubwasamonghistrophies.Theservantsdenyhavingseenitbefore,butamongthenumerouscuriositiesinthehouseitispossiblethatitmayhavebeenoverlooked.Nothingelseofimportancewasdiscoveredintheroombythepolice,savetheinexplicablefactthatneitheruponMrs.Barclay’spersonnoruponthatofthevictimnorinanypartoftheroomwasthemissingkeytobefound.ThedoorhadeventuallytobeopenedbyalocksmithfromAldershot.
"Thatwasthestateofthings,Watson,whenupontheTuesdaymorningI,attherequestofMajorMurphy,wentdowntoAldershottosupplementtheeffortsofthepolice.Ithinkthatyouwillacknowledgethattheproblemwasalreadyoneofinterest,butmyobservationssoonmademerealizethatitwasintruthmuchmoreextraordinarythanwouldatfirstsightappear.
"BeforeexaminingtheroomIcross-questionedtheservants,butonlysucceededinelicitingthefactswhichIhavealreadystated.OneotherdetailofinterestwasrememberedbyJaneStewart,thehousemaid.Youwillrememberthatonhearingthesoundofthequarrelshedescendedandreturnedwiththeotherservants.Onthatfirstoccasion,whenshewasalone,shesaysthatthevoicesofhermasterandmistressweresunksolowthatshecouldhardlyhearanything,andjudgedbytheirtonesratherthantheirwordsthattheyhadfallenout.
