Спогади Шерлока Холмса
Silver Blaze
TheSimpsonincidenthadshownmethatadogwaskeptinthestables,andyet,thoughsomeonehadbeeninandhadfetchedoutahorse,hehadnotbarkedenoughtoarousethetwoladsintheloft.Obviouslythemidnightvisitorwassomeonewhomthedogknewwell.
"Iwasalreadyconvinced,oralmostconvinced,thatJohnStrakerwentdowntothestablesinthedeadofthenightandtookoutSilverBlaze.Forwhatpurpose?Foradishonestone,obviously,orwhyshouldhedrughisownstable-boy?AndyetIwasatalosstoknowwhy.Therehavebeencasesbeforenowwheretrainershavemadesureofgreatsumsofmoneybylayingagainsttheirownhorsesthroughagentsandthenpreventingthemfromwinningbyfraud.Sometimesitisapullingjockey.Sometimesitissomesurerandsubtlermeans.Whatwasithere?Ihopedthatthecontentsofhispocketsmighthelpmetoformaconclusion.
"Andtheydidso.Youcannothaveforgottenthesingularknifewhichwasfoundinthedeadman’shand,aknifewhichcertainlynosanemanwouldchooseforaweapon.Itwas,asDr.Watsontoldus,aformofknifewhichisusedforthemostdelicateoperationsknowninsurgery.Anditwastobeusedforadelicateoperationthatnight.Youmustknow,withyourwideexperienceofturfmatters,ColonelRoss,thatitispossibletomakeaslightnickuponthetendonsofahorse’sham,andtodoitsubcutaneously,soastoleaveabsolutelynotrace.
