Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Resident Patient
ThisBlessingtonorSutton,whowastheworstofthegang,turnedinformer.OnhisevidenceCartwrightwashangedandtheotherthreegotfifteenyearsapiece.Whentheygotouttheotherday,whichwassomeyearsbeforetheirfullterm,theysetthemselves,asyouperceive,tohuntdownthetraitorandtoavengethedeathoftheircomradeuponhim.Twicetheytriedtogetathimandfailed;athirdtimeyousee,itcameoff.IsthereanythingfurtherwhichIcanexplain,Dr.Trevelyan?"
"Ithinkyouhavemadeitallremarkablyclear,"saidthedoctor."Nodoubtthedayonwhichhewassoperturbedwasthedaywhenhehadseenoftheirreleaseinthenewspapers."
"Quiteso.Histalkaboutaburglarywasthemerestblind."
"Butwhycouldhenottellyouthis?"
"Well,mydearsir,knowingthevindictivecharacterofhisoldassociates,hewastryingtohidehisownidentityfromeverybodyaslongashecould.Hissecretwasashamefuloneandhecouldnotbringhimselftodivulgeit.However,wretchashewas,hewasstilllivingundertheshieldofBritishlaw,andIhavenodoubt,Inspector,thatyouwillseethat,thoughthatshieldmayfailtoguard,theswordofjusticeisstilltheretoavenge."
SuchwerethesingularcircumstancesinconnectionwiththeResidentPatientandtheBrookStreetDoctor