Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Second Stain
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“Letuspresume,forargument’ssake,thatthedocumentwastakenbythemaidorbythevalet——”
“Theyarebotholdandtriedservants.”
“Iunderstandyoutosaythatyourroomisonthesecondfloor,thatthereisnoentrancefromwithout,andthatfromwithinnoonecouldgoupunobserved.Itmust,then,besomebodyinthehousewhohastakenit.Towhomwouldthethieftakeit?Tooneofseveralinternationalspiesandsecretagents,whosenamesaretolerablyfamiliartome.Therearethreewhomaybesaidtobetheheadsoftheirprofession.Iwillbeginmyresearchbygoingroundandfindingifeachofthemisathispost.Ifoneismissing—especiallyifhehasdisappearedsincelastnight—wewillhavesomeindicationastowherethedocumenthasgone.”
“Whyshouldhebemissing?”askedtheEuropeanSecretary.“HewouldtakethelettertoanEmbassyinLondon,aslikelyasnot.”
“Ifancynot.Theseagentsworkindependently,andtheirrelationswiththeEmbassiesareoftenstrained.”
ThePrimeMinisternoddedhisacquiescence.
“Ibelieveyouareright,Mr.Holmes.Hewouldtakesovaluableaprizetoheadquarterswithhisownhands.Ithinkthatyourcourseofactionisanexcellentone.Meanwhile,Hope,wecannotneglectallourotherdutiesonaccountofthisonemisfortune.Shouldtherebeanyfreshdevelopmentsduringthedayweshallcommunicatewithyou,andyouwillnodoubtletusknowtheresultsofyourowninquiries.”
Thetwostatesmenbowedandwalkedgravelyfromtheroom.
