Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Empty House
Fortherest,theman’slifemovedinanarrowandconventionalcircle,forhishabitswerequietandhisnatureunemotional.Yetitwasuponthiseasy-goingyoungaristocratthatdeathcame,inmoststrangeandunexpectedform,betweenthehoursoftenandeleven-twentyonthenightofMarch30,1894.
RonaldAdairwasfondofcards—playingcontinually,butneverforsuchstakesaswouldhurthim.HewasamemberoftheBaldwin,theCavendish,andtheBagatellecardclubs.Itwasshownthat,afterdinneronthedayofhisdeath,hehadplayedarubberofwhistatthelatterclub.Hehadalsoplayedthereintheafternoon.Theevidenceofthosewhohadplayedwithhim—Mr.Murray,SirJohnHardy,andColonelMoran—showedthatthegamewaswhist,andthattherewasafairlyequalfallofthecards.Adairmighthavelostfivepounds,butnotmore.Hisfortunewasaconsiderableone,andsuchalosscouldnotinanywayaffecthim.Hehadplayednearlyeverydayatonecluborother,buthewasacautiousplayer,andusuallyroseawinner.Itcameoutinevidencethat,inpartnershipwithColonelMoran,hehadactuallywonasmuchasfourhundredandtwentypoundsinasitting,someweeksbefore,fromGodfreyMilnerandLordBalmoral.Somuchforhisrecenthistoryasitcameoutattheinquest.
Ontheeveningofthecrime,hereturnedfromtheclubexactlyatten.Hismotherandsisterwereoutspendingtheeveningwitharelation.Theservantdeposedthatsheheardhimenterthefrontroomonthesecondfloor,generallyusedashissitting-room.Shehadlitafirethere,andasitsmokedshehadopenedthewindow.
