Повернення Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Dancing Men
Now,itwasnotreallydifficult,byaninspectionofthegroovebetweenyourleftforefingerandthumb,tofeelsurethatyoudidnotproposetoinvestyoursmallcapitalinthegoldfields.”
“Iseenoconnection.”
“Verylikelynot;butIcanquicklyshowyouacloseconnection.Herearethemissinglinksoftheverysimplechain:1.Youhadchalkbetweenyourleftfingerandthumbwhenyoureturnedfromtheclublastnight.2.Youputchalktherewhenyouplaybilliards,tosteadythecue.3.YouneverplaybilliardsexceptwithThurston.4.Youtoldme,fourweeksago,thatThurstonhadanoptiononsomeSouthAfricanpropertywhichwouldexpireinamonth,andwhichhedesiredyoutosharewithhim.5.Yourcheckbookislockedinmydrawer,andyouhavenotaskedforthekey.6.Youdonotproposetoinvestyourmoneyinthismanner.”
“Howabsurdlysimple!”Icried.
“Quiteso!”saidhe,alittlenettled.“Everyproblembecomesverychildishwhenonceitisexplainedtoyou.Hereisanunexplainedone.Seewhatyoucanmakeofthat,friendWatson.”Hetossedasheetofpaperuponthetable,andturnedoncemoretohischemicalanalysis.
Ilookedwithamazementattheabsurdhieroglyphicsuponthepaper.
“Why,Holmes,itisachild’sdrawing,”Icried.
“Oh,that’syouridea!”
“Whatelseshoulditbe?”
“ThatiswhatMr.HiltonCubitt,ofRidingThorpeManor,Norfolk,isveryanxioustoknow.Thislittleconundrumcamebythefirstpost,andhewastofollowbythenexttrain.There’saringatthebell,Watson.Ishouldnotbeverymuchsurprisedifthiswerehe.
