Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
The Man with the Twisted Lip
AstoMrs.St.Clair’sassertionthatshehadactuallyseenherhusbandatthewindow,hedeclaredthatshemusthavebeeneithermadordreaming. Hewasremoved,loudlyprotesting,tothepolice-station,whiletheinspectorremaineduponthepremisesinthehopethattheebbingtidemightaffordsomefreshclue.
"Anditdid,thoughtheyhardlyfounduponthemud-bankwhattheyhadfearedtofind. ItwasNevilleSt.Clair’scoat,andnotNevilleSt.Clair,whichlayuncoveredasthetidereceded. Andwhatdoyouthinktheyfoundinthepockets?"
"Icannotimagine."
"No,Idon’tthinkyouwouldguess. Everypocketstuffedwithpenniesandhalf-pennies—421penniesand270half-pennies. Itwasnowonderthatithadnotbeensweptawaybythetide. Butahumanbodyisadifferentmatter. Thereisafierceeddybetweenthewharfandthehouse. Itseemedlikelyenoughthattheweightedcoathadremainedwhenthestrippedbodyhadbeensuckedawayintotheriver."
"ButIunderstandthatalltheotherclotheswerefoundintheroom. Wouldthebodybedressedinacoatalone?"
"No,sir,butthefactsmightbemetspeciouslyenough. SupposethatthismanBoonehadthrustNevilleSt.Clairthroughthewindow,thereisnohumaneyewhichcouldhaveseenthedeed. Whatwouldhedothen? Itwouldofcourseinstantlystrikehimthathemustgetridofthetell-talegarments. Hewouldseizethecoat,then,andbeintheactofthrowingitout,whenitwouldoccurtohimthatitwouldswimandnotsink. Hehaslittletime,forhehasheardthescuffledownstairswhenthewifetriedtoforceherwayup,andperhapshehasalreadyheardfromhislascarconfederatethatthepolicearehurryingupthestreet.
