Собака Баскервіллів
A Retrospection
"Itisaformidabledifficulty,andIfearthatyouasktoomuchwhenyouexpectmetosolveit. Thepastandthepresentarewithinthefieldofmyinquiry,butwhatamanmaydointhefutureisahardquestiontoanswer. Mrs.Stapletonhasheardherhusbanddiscusstheproblemonseveraloccasions. Therewerethreepossiblecourses. HemightclaimthepropertyfromSouthAmerica,establishhisidentitybeforetheBritishauthoritiesthereandsoobtainthefortunewithoutevercomingtoEnglandatall; orhemightadoptanelaboratedisguiseduringtheshorttimethatheneedbeinLondon; or,again,hemightfurnishanaccomplicewiththeproofsandpapers,puttinghiminasheir,andretainingaclaimuponsomeproportionofhisincome. Wecannotdoubtfromwhatweknowofhimthathewouldhavefoundsomewayoutofthedifficulty. Andnow,mydearWatson,wehavehadsomeweeksofseverework,andforoneevening,Ithink,wemayturnourthoughtsintomorepleasantchannels. Ihaveaboxfor‘LesHuguenots.’HaveyouheardtheDeReszkes? MightItroubleyouthentobereadyinhalfanhour,andwecanstopatMarcini’sforalittledinnerontheway?"
