Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Six Napoleons
Forthefirsttimeoureyesresteduponthispresentmentofthegreatemperor,whichseemedtoraisesuchfranticanddestructivehatredinthemindoftheunknown.Itlayscattered,insplinteredshards,uponthegrass.Holmespickedupseveralofthemandexaminedthemcarefully.Iwasconvinced,fromhisintentfaceandhispurposefulmanner,thatatlasthewasuponaclue.
“Well?”askedLestrade.
Holmesshruggedhisshoulders.
“Wehavealongwaytogoyet,”saidhe.“Andyet—andyet—well,wehavesomesuggestivefactstoactupon.Thepossessionofthistriflingbustwasworthmore,intheeyesofthisstrangecriminal,thanahumanlife.Thatisonepoint.Thenthereisthesingularfactthathedidnotbreakitinthehouse,orimmediatelyoutsidethehouse,iftobreakitwashissoleobject.”
“Hewasrattledandbustledbymeetingthisotherfellow.Hehardlyknewwhathewasdoing.”
“Well,that’slikelyenough.ButIwishtocallyourattentionveryparticularlytothepositionofthishouse,inthegardenofwhichthebustwasdestroyed.”
Lestradelookedabouthim.
“Itwasanemptyhouse,andsoheknewthathewouldnotbedisturbedinthegarden.”
“Yes,butthereisanotheremptyhousefartherupthestreetwhichhemusthavepassedbeforehecametothisone.Whydidhenotbreakitthere,sinceitisevidentthateveryyardthathecarrieditincreasedtheriskofsomeonemeetinghim?”
“Igiveitup,”saidLestrade.
Holmespointedtothestreetlampaboveourheads.
“Hecouldseewhathewasdoinghere,andhecouldnotthere.Thatwashisreason.
