Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Golden Pince-Nez
Sheadvancedalongthiscorridor,leavingnotracesuponthecocoanutmatting.Thenshefoundherselfinthisstudy.Howlongwasshethere?Wehavenomeansofjudging.”
“Notmorethanafewminutes,sir.IforgottotellyouthatMrs.Marker,thehousekeeper,hadbeenintheretidyingnotverylongbefore—aboutaquarterofanhour,shesays.”
“Well,thatgivesusalimit.Ourladyentersthisroom,andwhatdoesshedo?Shegoesovertothewriting-table.Whatfor?Notforanythinginthedrawers.Iftherehadbeenanythingworthhertaking,itwouldsurelyhavebeenlockedup.No,itwasforsomethinginthatwoodenbureau.Halloa!whatisthatscratchuponthefaceofit?Justholdamatch,Watson.Whydidyounottellmeofthis,Hopkins?”
Themarkwhichhewasexaminingbeganuponthebrass-workontheright-handsideofthekeyhole,andextendedforaboutfourinches,whereithadscratchedthevarnishfromthesurface.
“Inoticedit,Mr.Holmes,butyou’llalwaysfindscratchesroundakeyhole.”
“Thisisrecent,quiterecent.Seehowthebrassshineswhereitiscut.Anoldscratchwouldbethesamecolourasthesurface.Lookatitthroughmylens.There’sthevarnish,too,likeearthoneachsideofafurrow.IsMrs.Markerthere?”
Asad-faced,elderlywomancameintotheroom.
“Didyoudustthisbureauyesterdaymorning?”
“Yes,sir.”
“Didyounoticethisscratch?”
“No,sir,Ididnot.”
“Iamsureyoudidnot,foradusterwouldhavesweptawaytheseshredsofvarnish.Whohasthekeyofthisbureau?”
“TheProfessorkeepsitonhiswatch-chain.
