creosote. There, on the floor. Carry my boots down with you, Watson. I am going to do a little climbing. These footsteps belong to a child. Apart from their size, though. Is there nothing else? They appear to be much as other footmarks. Not at all. Look here! What is the chief difference? Your toes are all cramped together. The other print has each toe distinctly divided. That is the point. Bear that in mind. Now, would you kindly step over to that flap-window and smell the edge of the woodwork? What is this smell? - Tarry smell. - That's right. If you can trace him, I should think that Toby will have no difficulty. Now run downstairs, loose the dog, and look out for Blondin. I will go to the roof. - That you, Watson? - Yes. This is the place. What is that black thing down there? - A water-barrel. - Top on it? Yes. Watson, I'm going down. Careful! No sign of a ladder? No. It's a most breakneck place. Don't fall down. I was trying to follow him. It was not easy. I found this. Do you know what it is, Watson? Hellish things. What do we know? Two officers who are in command of a convict-guard learn an important secret. A map is drawn for them by an Englishman named Jonathan Small. Aided by this chart, the officers get the treasure and brings it to England, leaving, we will suppose, some condition. But this is my theory. Toby, Toby! Why did not Jonathan Small get the treasure himself? He did not get the treasure because he was a convict. But this is mere speculation. It is more than that. It is the only hypothesis which covers the facts. Major Sholto remains at peace for some years, Then he receives a letter from India. What was in that letter? A letter to say that the men whom he had wronged had been set free. Or had escaped. That is much more likely, for he would have known what their term of imprisonment was. What does he do then? He guards himself against a wooden-legged man, because he is scared to death of him. Mark you, for he mistakes a white tradesman for him and fires a pistol at him. Now, only Hindoos or Mohammedans names on the chart. And only one white man's name. We may say with confidence that the wooden-legged man is Jonathan Small. Does the reasoning strike you as being faulty? No, it is clear and concise. Well, now, let us put ourselves in the place of Jonathan Small. He comes to England with the double idea of regaining what he would consider to be his rights. Small could not find the treasure, for no one ever knew save the major and one faithful servant who had died. Suddenly Small learns that the major is on his deathbed He makes his way to the dying man's window, and is only deterred from entering by the presence of his two sons. In a frenzy lest the secret of the treasure die with him, he enters the room that night, searches his private papers and finally leaves a memento of his visit. Do you follow all this? Very clearly. What the deuce is the matter with the dog? They surely would not take a cab or go off in a balloon. Perhaps they stood here for some time. It's all right. He's off again. Now what could Jonathan Small do? He could only continue to keep a secret watch upon the efforts. Then comes the discovery of the garret, and he is instantly informed of it. Some confederate in the household. Jonathan, with his wooden leg, is utterly unable to reach the lofty room of Bartholomew Sholto. He takes with him, however, a rather curious associate, who gets over this difficulty but dips his naked foot into creosote, whence come Toby, and a six-mile limp for a half-pay officer. But it was the associate and not Jonathan who committed the crime. Toby has lost his character for infallibility. He found a barrel with creosote. If you consider how much creosote is carted about London in one day. Toby will improve. We must get on the main scent again, I suppose. We must ------------------------------ Читайте также: - текст ...И правосудие для всех на английском - текст Начало на английском - текст Дракула Брэма Стокера на английском - текст Железный человек на английском - текст Слава на английском |