Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Second Stain
I’lljoinyouatlunchifIamable.”
AllthatdayandthenextandthenextHolmeswasinamoodwhichhisfriendswouldcalltaciturn,andothersmorose.Heranoutandranin,smokedincessantly,playedsnatchesonhisviolin,sankintoreveries,devouredsandwichesatirregularhours,andhardlyansweredthecasualquestionswhichIputtohim.Itwasevidenttomethatthingswerenotgoingwellwithhimorhisquest.Hewouldsaynothingofthecase,anditwasfromthepapersthatIlearnedtheparticularsoftheinquest,andthearrestwiththesubsequentreleaseofJohnMitton,thevaletofthedeceased.Thecoroner’sjurybroughtintheobviousWilfulMurder,butthepartiesremainedasunknownasever.Nomotivewassuggested.Theroomwasfullofarticlesofvalue,butnonehadbeentaken.Thedeadman’spapershadnotbeentamperedwith.Theywerecarefullyexamined,andshowedthathewasakeenstudentofinternationalpolitics,anindefatigablegossip,aremarkablelinguist,andanuntiringletterwriter.Hehadbeenonintimatetermswiththeleadingpoliticiansofseveralcountries.Butnothingsensationalwasdiscoveredamongthedocumentswhichfilledhisdrawers.Astohisrelationswithwomen,theyappearedtohavebeenpromiscuousbutsuperficial.Hehadmanyacquaintancesamongthem,butfewfriends,andnoonewhomheloved.Hishabitswereregular,hisconductinoffensive.Hisdeathwasanabsolutemysteryandlikelytoremainso.
AstothearrestofJohnMitton,thevalet,itwasacouncilofdespairasanalternativetoabsoluteinaction.Butnocasecouldbesustainedagainsthim.
