Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Three Students
“Quitealittleparlourgame—sortofthree-cardtrick,isitnot?Thereareyourthreemen.Itmustbeoneofthem.Youtakeyourchoice.Whichisyours?”
“Thefoul-mouthedfellowatthetop.Heistheonewiththeworstrecord.AndyetthatIndianwasaslyfellowalso.Whyshouldhebepacinghisroomallthetime?”
“Thereisnothinginthat.Manymendoitwhentheyaretryingtolearnanythingbyheart.”
“Helookedatusinaqueerway.”
“Sowouldyou,ifaflockofstrangerscameinonyouwhenyouwerepreparingforanexaminationnextday,andeverymomentwasofvalue.No,Iseenothinginthat.Pencils,too,andknives—allwassatisfactory.Butthatfellowdoespuzzleme.”
“Who?”
“Why,Bannister,theservant.What’shisgameinthematter?”
“Heimpressedmeasbeingaperfectlyhonestman.”
“Sohedidme.That’sthepuzzlingpart.Whyshouldaperfectlyhonestman—well,well,here’salargestationer’s.Weshallbeginourresearcheshere.”
Therewereonlyfourstationersofanyconsequencesinthetown,andateachHolmesproducedhispencilchips,andbidhighforaduplicate.Allwereagreedthatonecouldbeordered,butthatitwasnotausualsizeofpencilandthatitwasseldomkeptinstock.Myfrienddidnotappeartobedepressedbyhisfailure,butshruggedhisshouldersinhalf-humorousresignation.
“Nogood,mydearWatson.This,thebestandonlyfinalclue,hasruntonothing.But,indeed,Ihavelittledoubtthatwecanbuildupasufficientcasewithoutit.
