Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez
Icouldnotfindanythinginthenatureofadistinctimpression,butthegrasswastroddendown,andsomeonehadundoubtedlypassed.Itcouldonlyhavebeenthemurderer,sinceneitherthegardenernoranyoneelsehadbeentherethatmorning,andtherainhadonlybegunduringthenight.”
“Onemoment,”saidHolmes.“Wheredoesthispathleadto?”
“Totheroad.”
“Howlongisit?”
“Ahundredyardsorso.”
“Atthepointwherethepathpassesthroughthegate,youcouldsurelypickupthetracks?”
“Unfortunately,thepathwastiledatthatpoint.”
“Well,ontheroaditself?”
“No,itwasalltroddenintomire.”
“Tut-tut!Well,then,thesetracksuponthegrass,weretheycomingorgoing?”
“Itwasimpossibletosay.Therewasneveranyoutline.”
“Alargefootorasmall?”
“Youcouldnotdistinguish.”
Holmesgaveanejaculationofimpatience.
“Ithasbeenpouringrainandblowingahurricaneeversince,”saidhe.“Itwillbehardertoreadnowthanthatpalimpsest.Well,well,itcan’tbehelped.Whatdidyoudo,Hopkins,afteryouhadmadecertainthatyouhadmadecertainofnothing?”
“IthinkImadecertainofagooddeal,Mr.Holmes.Iknewthatsomeonehadenteredthehousecautiouslyfromwithout.Inextexaminedthecorridor.Itislinedwithcocoanutmattingandhadtakennoimpressionofanykind.Thisbroughtmeintothestudyitself.Itisascantilyfurnishedroom.Themainarticleisalargewriting-tablewithafixedbureau.Thisbureauconsistsofadoublecolumnofdrawers,withacentralsmallcupboardbetweenthem.
