Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
The Boscombe Valley Mystery
BoththesewitnessesdeposethatMr.McCarthywaswalkingalone. Thegame-keeperaddsthatwithinafewminutesofhisseeingMr.McCarthypasshehadseenhisson,Mr.JamesMcCarthy,goingthesamewaywithagununderhisarm. Tothebestofhisbelief,thefatherwasactuallyinsightatthetime,andthesonwasfollowinghim. Hethoughtnomoreofthematteruntilheheardintheeveningofthetragedythathadoccurred.
"ThetwoMcCarthyswereseenafterthetimewhenWilliamCrowder,thegame-keeper,lostsightofthem. TheBoscombePoolisthicklywoodedround,withjustafringeofgrassandofreedsroundtheedge. Agirloffourteen,PatienceMoran,whoisthedaughterofthelodge-keeperoftheBoscombeValleyestate,wasinoneofthewoodspickingflowers. Shestatesthatwhileshewasthereshesaw,attheborderofthewoodandclosebythelake,Mr.McCarthyandhisson,andthattheyappearedtobehavingaviolentquarrel. SheheardMr.McCarthytheelderusingverystronglanguagetohisson,andshesawthelatterraiseuphishandasiftostrikehisfather. ShewassofrightenedbytheirviolencethatsheranawayandtoldhermotherwhenshereachedhomethatshehadleftthetwoMcCarthysquarrellingnearBoscombePool,andthatshewasafraidthattheyweregoingtofight. ShehadhardlysaidthewordswhenyoungMr.McCarthycamerunninguptothelodgetosaythathehadfoundhisfatherdeadinthewood,andtoaskforthehelpofthelodge-keeper. Hewasmuchexcited,withouteitherhisgunorhishat,andhisrighthandandsleevewereobservedtobestainedwithfreshblood. Onfollowinghimtheyfoundthedeadbodystretchedoutuponthegrassbesidethepool. Theheadhadbeenbeateninbyrepeatedblowsofsomeheavyandbluntweapon. Theinjuriesweresuchasmightverywellhavebeeninflictedbythebutt-endofhisson’sgun,whichwasfoundlyingonthegrasswithinafewpacesofthebody.
