Прокляття мумії, або Камінь Семи Зірок

           Someone,beit!"

           "Diditeverstrikeyou,sir,thatoneachofthethreeseparateoccasionswhereoutragewaseffected,orattempted,therewasonepersonwhowasthefirsttobepresentandtogivethealarm?"

           "Letmesee!MissTrelawny,Ibelieve,gavethealarmonthefirstoccasion.Iwaspresentmyself,iffastasleep,onthesecond;andsowasNurseKennedy.WhenIwoketherewereseveralpeopleintheroom;youwereoneofthem.IunderstandthatonthatoccasionalsoMissTrelawnywasbeforeyou.AtthelastattemptIwasMissTrelawnyfainted.Icarriedheroutandwentback.Inreturning,Iwasfirst;andIthinkyouwereclosebehindme."

           SergeantDawthoughtforamomentbeforereplying:

           "Shewaspresent,orfirst,intheroomonalltheoccasions;therewasonlydamagedoneinthefirstandsecond!"

           TheinferencewasonewhichI,asalawyer,couldnotmistake.Ithoughtthebestthingtodowastomeetithalf-way.Ihavealwaysfoundthatthebestwaytoencounteraninferenceistocauseittobeturnedintoastatement.

           "Youmean,"Isaid,"thatasontheonlyoccasionswhenactualharmwasdone,MissTrelawny’sbeingthefirsttodiscoveritisaproofthatshedidit;orwasinsomewayconnectedwiththeattempt,aswellasthediscovery?"

           "Ididn’tventuretoputitasclearasthat;butthatiswherethedoubtwhichIhadleads.