Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Three Students
Notonlythis,butonthetableIfoundasmallballofblackdoughorclay,withspecksofsomethingwhichlookslikesawdustinit.Iamconvincedthatthesemarkswereleftbythemanwhorifledthepapers.Therewerenofootmarksandnootherevidenceastohisidentity.Iwasatmywits’end,whensuddenlythehappythoughtoccurredtomethatyouwereinthetown,andIcamestraightroundtoputthematterintoyourhands.Dohelpme,Mr.Holmes.Youseemydilemma.EitherImustfindthemanorelsetheexaminationmustbepostponeduntilfreshpapersareprepared,andsincethiscannotbedonewithoutexplanation,therewillensueahideousscandal,whichwillthrowacloudnotonlyonthecollege,butontheuniversity.Aboveallthings,Idesiretosettlethematterquietlyanddiscreetly.”
“IshallbehappytolookintoitandtogiveyousuchadviceasIcan,”saidHolmes,risingandputtingonhisovercoat.“Thecaseisnotentirelydevoidofinterest.Hadanyonevisitedyouinyourroomafterthepaperscametoyou?”
“Yes,youngDaulatRas,anIndianstudent,wholivesonthesamestair,cameintoaskmesomeparticularsabouttheexamination.”
“Forwhichhewasentered?”
“Yes.”
“Andthepaperswereonyourtable?”
“Tothebestofmybelief,theywererolledup.”
“Butmightberecognizedasproofs?”
“Possibly.”
“Nooneelseinyourroom?”
“No.”
“Didanyoneknowthattheseproofswouldbethere?”
“Noonesavetheprinter.”
“DidthismanBannisterknow?”
“No,certainlynot.Nooneknew.
