Знак чотирьох
I. The Science of Deduction
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“Theonlyunofficialdetective?”Isaid,raisingmyeyebrows.
“Theonlyunofficialconsultingdetective,”heanswered.“Iamthelastandhighestcourtofappealindetection.WhenGregsonorLestradeorAthelneyJonesareoutoftheirdepths—which,bytheway,istheirnormalstate—thematterislaidbeforeme.Iexaminethedata,asanexpert,andpronounceaspecialist’sopinion.Iclaimnocreditinsuchcases.Mynamefiguresinnonewspaper.Theworkitself,thepleasureoffindingafieldformypeculiarpowers,ismyhighestreward.ButyouhaveyourselfhadsomeexperienceofmymethodsofworkintheJeffersonHopecase.”
“Yes,indeed,”saidI,cordially.“Iwasneversostruckbyanythinginmylife.Ievenembodieditinasmallbrochurewiththesomewhatfantastictitleof‘AStudyinScarlet.’”
Heshookhisheadsadly.“Iglancedoverit,”saidhe.“Honestly,Icannotcongratulateyouuponit.Detectionis,oroughttobe,anexactscience,andshouldbetreatedinthesamecoldandunemotionalmanner.Youhaveattemptedtotingeitwithromanticism,whichproducesmuchthesameeffectasifyouworkedalove-storyoranelopementintothefifthpropositionofEuclid.”
“Buttheromancewasthere,”Iremonstrated.“Icouldnottamperwiththefacts.”
“Somefactsshouldbesuppressed,oratleastajustsenseofproportionshouldbeobservedintreatingthem.TheonlypointinthecasewhichdeservedmentionwasthecuriousanalyticalreasoningfromeffectstocausesbywhichIsucceededinunravelingit.
