Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Second Stain
HehadvisitedfriendsinHammersmiththatnight.Thealibiwascomplete.ItistruethathestartedhomeatanhourwhichshouldhavebroughthimtoWestminsterbeforethetimewhenthecrimewasdiscovered,buthisownexplanationthathehadwalkedpartofthewayseemedprobableenoughinviewofthefinenessofthenight.Hehadactuallyarrivedattwelveo’clock,andappearedtobeoverwhelmedbytheunexpectedtragedy.Hehadalwaysbeenongoodtermswithhismaster.Severalofthedeadman’spossessions—notablyasmallcaseofrazors—hadbeenfoundinthevalet’sboxes,butheexplainedthattheyhadbeenpresentsfromthedeceased,andthehousekeeperwasabletocorroboratethestory.MittonhadbeeninLucas’semploymentforthreeyears.ItwasnoticeablethatLucasdidnottakeMittonontheContinentwithhim.SometimeshevisitedParisforthreemonthsonend,butMittonwasleftinchargeoftheGodolphinStreethouse.Astothehousekeeper,shehadheardnothingonthenightofthecrime.Ifhermasterhadavisitorhehadhimselfadmittedhim.
Soforthreemorningsthemysteryremained,sofarasIcouldfollowitinthepapers.IfHolmesknewmore,hekepthisowncounsel,but,ashetoldmethatInspectorLestradehadtakenhimintohisconfidenceinthecase,Iknewthathewasinclosetouchwitheverydevelopment.UponthefourthdaythereappearedalongtelegramfromPariswhichseemedtosolvethewholequestion.
AdiscoveryhasjustbeenmadebytheParisianpolice(saidtheDailyTelegraph)whichraisestheveilwhichhungroundthetragicfateofMr.
