Тридцять дев’ять ступенів

           Idon’tknowifIcanexplainmyself,butIusedtousemybrainsasfarastheywent,andaftertheycametoablankwallIguessed,andIusuallyfoundmyguessesprettyright.

           SoIsetoutallmyconclusionsonabitofAdmiraltypaper.Theyranlikethis:

           FAIRLYCERTAIN.

           (1)Placewherethereareseveralsetsofstairs;onethatmattersdistinguishedbyhavingthirty-ninesteps.

           (2)Fulltideat10.17p.m.Leavingshoreonlypossibleatfulltide.

           (3)Stepsnotdocksteps,andsoplaceprobablynotharbour.

           (4)Noregularnightsteamerat10.17.Meansoftransportmustbetramp(unlikely),yacht,orfishing-boat.

           Theremyreasoningstopped.Imadeanotherlist,whichIheaded“Guessed”,butIwasjustassureoftheoneastheother.

           GUESSED.

           (1)Placenotharbourbutopencoast.

           (2)Boatsmall—trawler,yacht,orlaunch.

           (3)PlacesomewhereonEastCoastbetweenCromerandDover.

           ItstruckmeasoddthatIshouldbesittingatthatdeskwithaCabinetMinister,aField-Marshal,twohighGovernmentofficials,andaFrenchGeneralwatchingme,whilefromthescribbleofadeadmanIwastryingtodragasecretwhichmeantlifeordeathforus.

           SirWalterhadjoinedus,andpresentlyMacGillivrayarrived.HehadsentoutinstructionstowatchtheportsandrailwaystationsforthethreemenwhomIhaddescribedtoSirWalter.Notthatheoranybodyelsethoughtthatthatwoulddomuchgood.

           “Here’sthemostIcanmakeofit,”Isaid.“Wehavegottofindaplacewherethereareseveralstaircasesdowntothebeach,oneofwhichhasthirty-ninesteps.