Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Second Stain
Wasit,indeed,acoincidencethatLucasshouldmeethisdeathonthenightwhentheletterdisappeared?Didthelettereverreachhim?Ifso,whyisitnotamonghispapers?Didthismadwifeofhiscarryitoffwithher?Ifso,isitinherhouseinParis?HowcouldIsearchforitwithouttheFrenchpolicehavingtheirsuspicionsaroused?Itisacase,mydearWatson,wherethelawisasdangeroustousasthecriminalsare.Everyman’shandisagainstus,andyettheinterestsatstakearecolossal.ShouldIbringittoasuccessfulconclusion,itwillcertainlyrepresentthecrowninggloryofmycareer.Ah,hereismylatestfromthefront!”Heglancedhurriedlyatthenotewhichhadbeenhandedin.“Halloa!Lestradeseemstohaveobservedsomethingofinterest.Putonyourhat,Watson,andwewillstrolldowntogethertoWestminster.”
Itwasmyfirstvisittothesceneofthecrime—ahigh,dingy,narrow-chestedhouse,prim,formal,andsolid,likethecenturywhichgaveitbirth.Lestrade’sbulldogfeaturesgazedoutatusfromthefrontwindow,andhegreeteduswarmlywhenabigconstablehadopenedthedoorandletusin.Theroomintowhichwewereshownwasthatinwhichthecrimehadbeencommitted,butnotraceofitnowremainedsaveanugly,irregularstainuponthecarpet.Thiscarpetwasasmallsquaredruggetinthecentreoftheroom,surroundedbyabroadexpanseofbeautiful,old-fashionedwood-flooringinsquareblocks,highlypolished.Overthefireplacewasamagnificenttrophyofweapons,oneofwhichhadbeenusedonthattragicnight.
