Знак чотирьох
IX. A Break in the Chain
OnopeningtheStandard,however,Ifoundthattherewasafreshallusiontothebusiness.“WithreferencetotheUpperNorwoodtragedy,”itremarked,“wehavereasontobelievethatthematterpromisestobeevenmorecomplexandmysteriousthanwasoriginallysupposed.FreshevidencehasshownthatitisquiteimpossiblethatMr.ThaddeusSholtocouldhavebeeninanywayconcernedinthematter.Heandthehousekeeper,Mrs.Bernstone,werebothreleasedyesterdayevening.Itisbelieved,however,thatthepolicehaveaclueastotherealculprits,andthatitisbeingprosecutedbyMr.AthelneyJones,ofScotlandYard,withallhiswell-knownenergyandsagacity.Furtherarrestsmaybeexpectedatanymoment.”
“Thatissatisfactorysofarasitgoes,”thoughtI.“FriendSholtoissafe,atanyrate.Iwonderwhatthefreshcluemaybe;thoughitseemstobeastereotypedformwheneverthepolicehavemadeablunder.”
Itossedthepaperdownuponthetable,butatthatmomentmyeyecaughtanadvertisementintheagonycolumn.Itraninthisway:
“Lost.—WhereasMordecaiSmith,boatman,andhisson,Jim,leftSmith’sWharfatoraboutthreeo’clocklastTuesdaymorninginthesteamlaunchAurora,blackwithtworedstripes,funnelblackwithawhiteband,thesumoffivepoundswillbepaidtoanyonewhocangiveinformationtoMrs.Smith,atSmith’sWharf,orat221bBakerStreet,astothewhereaboutsofthesaidMordecaiSmithandthelaunchAurora.”
ThiswasclearlyHolmes’sdoing.TheBakerStreetaddresswasenoughtoprovethat.
