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A Study in Scarlet, Chapter 3, Episode 4

Chapter 3, Episode 4

I have remarked that the paper had fallen away in parts.

In this particular corner of the room a large piece had peeled off, leaving a yellow square of coarse plastering. Across this bare space there was scrawled in blood-red letters a single word - RACHE.

"What do you think of that?" cried the detective, with the air of a showman exhibiting his show. "This was overlooked because it was in the darkest corner of the room, and no one thought of looking there. The murderer has written it with his or her own blood. See this smear where it has trickled down the wall! That disposes of the idea of suicide anyhow. Why was that corner chosen to write it on? I will tell you. See that candle on the mantelpiece. It was lit at the time, and if it was lit this corner would be the brightest instead of the darkest portion of the wall. " "And what does it mean now that you _have_ found it?" asked Gregson in a depreciatory voice.

"Mean? Why, it means that the writer was going to put the female name Rachel, but was disturbed before he or she had time to finish. You mark my words, when this case comes to be cleared up you will find that a woman named Rachel has something to do with it. It's all very well for you to laugh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. You may be very smart and clever, but the old hound is the best, when all is said and done. " "I really beg your pardon!" said my companion, who had ruffled the little man's temper by bursting into an explosion of laughter. "You certainly have the credit of being the first of us to find this out, and, as you say, it bears every mark of having been written by the other participant in last night's mystery. I have not had time to examine this room yet, but with your permission I shall do so now. " As he spoke, he whipped a tape measure and a large round magnifying glass from his pocket. With these two implements he trotted noiselessly about the room, sometimes stopping, occasionally kneeling, and once lying flat upon his face. So engrossed was he with his occupation that he appeared to have forgotten our presence, for he chattered away to himself under his breath the whole time, keeping up a running fire of exclamations, groans, whistles, and little cries suggestive of encouragement and of hope. As I watched him I was irresistibly reminded of a pure-blooded well-trained foxhound as it dashes backwards and forwards through the covert, whining in its eagerness, until it comes across the lost scent. For twenty minutes or more he continued his researches, measuring with the most exact care the distance between marks which were entirely invisible to me, and occasionally applying his tape to the walls in an equally incomprehensible manner. In one place he gathered up very carefully a little pile of grey dust from the floor, and packed it away in an envelope. Finally, he examined with his glass the word upon the wall, going over every letter of it with the most minute exactness. This done, he appeared to be satisfied, for he replaced his tape and his glass in his pocket.

"They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains," he remarked with a smile. "It's a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work. " Gregson and Lestrade had watched the maneuvers of their amateur companion with considerable curiosity and some contempt. They evidently failed to appreciate the fact, which I had begun to realize, that Sherlock Holmes' smallest actions were all directed towards some definite and practical end. "What do you think of it, sir?" they both asked.

"It would be robbing you of the credit of the case if I was to presume to help you," remarked my friend. "You are doing so well now that it would be a pity for anyone to interfere." There was a world of sarcasm in his voice as he spoke. "If you will let me know how your investigations go," he continued, "I shall be happy to give you any help I can. In the meantime I should like to speak to the constable who found the body. Can you give me his name and address? " Lestrade glanced at his note-book. "John Rance," he said. "He is off duty now. You will find him at 46, Audley Court, Kennington Park Gate. " Holmes took a note of the address.

"Come along, Doctor," he said; "we shall go and look him up. I'll tell you one thing which may help you in the case," he continued, turning to the two detectives. "There has been murder done, and the murderer was a man. He was more than six feet high, was in the prime of life, had small feet for his height, wore coarse, square-toed boots and smoked a Trichinopoly cigar. He came here with his victim in a four-wheeled cab, which was drawn by a horse with three old shoes and one new one on his off fore leg. In all probability the murderer had a florid face, and the finger-nails of his right hand were remarkably long. These are only a few indications, but they may assist you. " Lestrade and Gregson glanced at each other with an incredulous smile.

"If this man was murdered, how was it done?" asked the former.

"Poison," said Sherlock Holmes curtly, and strode off. "One other thing, Lestrade," he added, turning round at the door: "`Rache,' is the German for `revenge;' so don't lose your time looking for Miss Rachel. " With which Parthian shot he walked away, leaving the two rivals open-mouthed behind him.


Chapter 3, Episode 4 Capítulo 3, Episodio 4 Capitolo 3, Episodio 4 3 skyrius, 4 epizodas Capítulo 3, Episódio 4 Глава 3, Эпизод 4 第 3 章,第 4 集 第 3 章,第 4 集

I have remarked that the paper had fallen away in parts. Я заметил, что бумага отпала по частям.

In this particular corner of the room a large piece had peeled off, leaving a yellow square of coarse plastering. В этом углу комнаты откололся большой кусок, оставив желтый квадрат грубой штукатурки. Across this bare space there was scrawled in blood-red letters a single word - RACHE.

"What do you think of that?" cried the detective, with the air of a showman exhibiting his show. "This was overlooked because it was in the darkest corner of the room, and no one thought of looking there. The murderer has written it with his or her own blood. See this smear where it has trickled down the wall! Посмотрите на это пятно, которое стекает по стене! That disposes of the idea of suicide anyhow. Это в любом случае избавляет от мысли о самоубийстве. Why was that corner chosen to write it on? I will tell you. See that candle on the mantelpiece. Посмотрите на эту свечу на каминной полке. It was lit at the time, and if it was lit this corner would be the brightest instead of the darkest portion of the wall. " В то время она была освещена, и если бы она была освещена, то этот угол был бы самым ярким, а не самым темным участком стены. " "And what does it mean now that you _have_ found it?" asked Gregson in a depreciatory voice. — спросил Грегсон унизительно.

"Mean? Why, it means that the writer was going to put the female name Rachel, but was disturbed before he or she had time to finish. You mark my words, when this case comes to be cleared up you will find that a woman named Rachel has something to do with it. It’s all very well for you to laugh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. You may be very smart and clever, but the old hound is the best, when all is said and done. " Вы можете быть очень умны и сообразительны, но старая гончая лучше всех, когда все сказано и сделано. " "I really beg your pardon!" said my companion, who had ruffled the little man’s temper by bursting into an explosion of laughter. "You certainly have the credit of being the first of us to find this out, and, as you say, it bears every mark of having been written by the other participant in last night’s mystery. I have not had time to examine this room yet, but with your permission I shall do so now. " As he spoke, he whipped a tape measure and a large round magnifying glass from his pocket. Говоря это, он выхватил из кармана рулетку и большую круглую лупу. With these two implements he trotted noiselessly about the room, sometimes stopping, occasionally kneeling, and once lying flat upon his face. С этими двумя орудиями он бесшумно трусил по комнате, изредка останавливаясь, изредка становясь на колени, а однажды лёг ничком. So engrossed was he with his occupation that he appeared to have forgotten our presence, for he chattered away to himself under his breath the whole time, keeping up a running fire of exclamations, groans, whistles, and little cries suggestive of encouragement and of hope. Он был так поглощен своим занятием, что, казалось, забыл о нашем присутствии, потому что все время бормотал себе под нос, поддерживая непрерывный огонь восклицаний, стонов, свистов и вскриков, намекающих на ободрение и надежду. . As I watched him I was irresistibly reminded of a pure-blooded well-trained foxhound as it dashes backwards and forwards through the covert, whining in its eagerness, until it comes across the lost scent. Глядя на него, я невольно вспомнил чистокровного, хорошо обученного борзого, который мечется взад и вперед по укрытию, скуля от нетерпения, пока не натыкается на потерянный след. For twenty minutes or more he continued his researches, measuring with the most exact care the distance between marks which were entirely invisible to me, and occasionally applying his tape to the walls in an equally incomprehensible manner. В течение двадцати или более минут он продолжал свои исследования, с величайшей тщательностью измеряя расстояние между совершенно невидимыми для меня отметками и время от времени столь же непостижимым образом прикладывая рулетку к стенам. In one place he gathered up very carefully a little pile of grey dust from the floor, and packed it away in an envelope. В одном месте он очень бережно подобрал с пола кучку серой пыли и сложил ее в конверт. Finally, he examined with his glass the word upon the wall, going over every letter of it with the most minute exactness. This done, he appeared to be satisfied, for he replaced his tape and his glass in his pocket. Зробивши це, він, здавалося, був задоволений, бо замінив касету і поклав свою склянку в кишеню.

"They say that genius is an infinite capacity for taking pains," he remarked with a smile. "Кажуть, що геній - це безмежна здатність терпіти біль", - з посмішкою зауважив він. "It’s a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work. " "Це дуже погане визначення, але воно стосується детективної роботи. " Gregson and Lestrade had watched the maneuvers of their amateur companion with considerable curiosity and some contempt. They evidently failed to appreciate the fact, which I had begun to realize, that Sherlock Holmes' smallest actions were all directed towards some definite and practical end. Вони, очевидно, не розуміли того факту, який я почав усвідомлювати, що найменші дії Шерлока Холмса були спрямовані на досягнення певної практичної мети. "What do you think of it, sir?" they both asked.

"It would be robbing you of the credit of the case if I was to presume to help you," remarked my friend. «Если бы я осмелился помочь вам, это лишило бы вас доверия к делу», — заметил мой друг. "Це було б несправедливо по відношенню до тебе, якби я наважився допомогти тобі", - зауважив мій друг. "You are doing so well now that it would be a pity for anyone to interfere." There was a world of sarcasm in his voice as he spoke. "If you will let me know how your investigations go," he continued, "I shall be happy to give you any help I can. In the meantime I should like to speak to the constable who found the body. А пока я хотел бы поговорить с констеблем, который нашел тело. Can you give me his name and address? " Lestrade glanced at his note-book. "John Rance," he said. "He is off duty now. You will find him at 46, Audley Court, Kennington Park Gate. " Holmes took a note of the address.

"Come along, Doctor," he said; "we shall go and look him up. I’ll tell you one thing which may help you in the case," he continued, turning to the two detectives. "There has been murder done, and the murderer was a man. He was more than six feet high, was in the prime of life, had small feet for his height, wore coarse, square-toed boots and smoked a Trichinopoly cigar. В нем было более шести футов роста, он был в самом расцвете сил, у него были маленькие ступни для его роста, он носил грубые ботинки с квадратными носами и курил сигару Trichinopoly. He came here with his victim in a four-wheeled cab, which was drawn by a horse with three old shoes and one new one on his off fore leg. Сюда он приехал со своей жертвой на четырехколесном извозчике, запряженном лошадью с тремя старыми подковами и одной новой на передней ноге. In all probability the murderer had a florid face, and the finger-nails of his right hand were remarkably long. Цілком ймовірно, що вбивця мав квітчасте обличчя, а нігті на пальцях його правої руки були надзвичайно довгими. These are only a few indications, but they may assist you. " Це лише кілька ознак, але вони можуть вам допомогти. " Lestrade and Gregson glanced at each other with an incredulous smile.

"If this man was murdered, how was it done?" asked the former.

"Poison," said Sherlock Holmes curtly, and strode off. — Яд, — коротко сказал Шерлок Холмс и зашагал прочь. "One other thing, Lestrade," he added, turning round at the door: "`Rache,' is the German for `revenge;' so don’t lose your time looking for Miss Rachel. " With which Parthian shot he walked away, leaving the two rivals open-mouthed behind him.