Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
"Butyouarejoking. Whatcanyougatherfromthisoldbatteredfelt?"
"Hereismylens. Youknowmymethods. Whatcanyougatheryourselfastotheindividualityofthemanwhohaswornthisarticle?"
Itookthetatteredobjectinmyhandsandturneditoverratherruefully. Itwasaveryordinaryblackhatoftheusualroundshape,hardandmuchtheworseforwear. Thelininghadbeenofredsilk,butwasagooddealdiscoloured. Therewasnomaker’sname;but,asHolmeshadremarked,theinitials"H.B."werescrawledupononeside. Itwaspiercedinthebrimforahat-securer,buttheelasticwasmissing. Fortherest,itwascracked,exceedinglydusty,andspottedinseveralplaces,althoughthereseemedtohavebeensomeattempttohidethediscolouredpatchesbysmearingthemwithink.
"Icanseenothing,"saidI,handingitbacktomyfriend.
"Onthecontrary,Watson,youcanseeeverything.Youfail,however,toreasonfromwhatyousee. Youaretootimidindrawingyourinferences."
"Then,praytellmewhatitisthatyoucaninferfromthishat?"
Hepickeditupandgazedatitinthepeculiarintrospectivefashionwhichwascharacteristicofhim. "Itisperhapslesssuggestivethanitmighthavebeen,"heremarked,"andyetthereareafewinferenceswhichareverydistinct,andafewotherswhichrepresentatleastastrongbalanceofprobability. Thatthemanwashighlyintellectualisofcourseobviousuponthefaceofit,andalsothathewasfairlywell-to-dowithinthelastthreeyears,althoughhehasnowfallenuponevildays.
