Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Six Napoleons
SuspicionfelluponthemaidofthePrincess,whowasanItalian,anditwasprovedthatshehadabrotherinLondon,butwefailedtotraceanyconnectionbetweenthem.Themaid’snamewasLucretiaVenucci,andthereisnodoubtinmymindthatthisPietrowhowasmurderedtwonightsagowasthebrother.Ihavebeenlookingupthedatesintheoldfilesofthepaper,andIfindthatthedisappearanceofthepearlwasexactlytwodaysbeforethearrestofBeppo,forsomecrimeofviolence—aneventwhichtookplaceinthefactoryofGelder&Co.,attheverymomentwhenthesebustswerebeingmade.Nowyouclearlyseethesequenceofevents,thoughyouseethem,ofcourse,intheinverseordertothewayinwhichtheypresentedthemselvestome.Beppohadthepearlinhispossession.HemayhavestolenitfromPietro,hemayhavebeenPietro’sconfederate,hemayhavebeenthego-betweenofPietroandhissister.Itisofnoconsequencetouswhichisthecorrectsolution.
“Themainfactisthathehadthepearl,andatthatmoment,whenitwasonhisperson,hewaspursuedbythepolice.Hemadeforthefactoryinwhichheworked,andheknewthathehadonlyafewminutesinwhichtoconcealthisenormouslyvaluableprize,whichwouldotherwisebefoundonhimwhenhewassearched.SixplastercastsofNapoleonweredryinginthepassage.Oneofthemwasstillsoft.InaninstantBeppo,askilfulworkman,madeasmallholeinthewetplaster,droppedinthepearl,andwithafewtouchescoveredovertheapertureoncemore.Itwasanadmirablehiding-place.Noonecouldpossiblyfindit.
