Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
"Thecasehasbeenaninterestingone,"remarkedHolmeswhenourvisitorshadleftus,"becauseitservestoshowveryclearlyhowsimpletheexplanationmaybeofanaffairwhichatfirstsightseemstobealmostinexplicable. Nothingcouldbemorenaturalthanthesequenceofeventsasnarratedbythislady,andnothingstrangerthantheresultwhenviewed,forinstancebyMr.Lestrade,ofScotlandYard."
"Youwerenotyourselfatfaultatall,then?"
"Fromthefirst,twofactswereveryobvioustome,theonethattheladyhadbeenquitewillingtoundergotheweddingceremony,theotherthatshehadrepentedofitwithinafewminutesofreturninghome. Obviouslysomethinghadoccurredduringthemorning,then,tocausehertochangehermind. Whatcouldthatsomethingbe? Shecouldnothavespokentoanyonewhenshewasout,forshehadbeeninthecompanyofthebridegroom. Hadsheseensomeone,then? Ifshehad,itmustbesomeonefromAmericabecauseshehadspentsoshortatimeinthiscountrythatshecouldhardlyhaveallowedanyonetoacquiresodeepaninfluenceoverherthatthemeresightofhimwouldinducehertochangeherplanssocompletely. Youseewehavealreadyarrived,byaprocessofexclusion,attheideathatshemighthaveseenanAmerican. ThenwhocouldthisAmericanbe,andwhyshouldhepossesssomuchinfluenceoverher? Itmightbealover;itmightbeahusband. Heryoungwomanhoodhad,Iknew,beenspentinroughscenesandunderstrangeconditions. SofarIhadgotbeforeIeverheardLordSt.Simon’snarrative. Whenhetoldusofamaninapew,ofthechangeinthebride’smanner,ofsotransparentadeviceforobtaininganoteasthedroppingofabouquet,ofherresorttoherconfidentialmaid,andofherverysignificantallusiontoclaim-jumping—whichinminers’parlancemeanstakingpossessionofthatwhichanotherpersonhasapriorclaimto—thewholesituationbecameabsolutelyclear.
