PART I Chapter III TEIL I Kapitel III PARTE I Capítulo III PARTIE I Chapitre III 第一部 第三章 PARTE I Capítulo III ЧАСТЬ I Глава III BÖLÜM I Bölüm III ЧАСТИНА І Розділ ІІІ 第一部分 第三章 第一部分 第三章

CHAPTER III. THE LAURISTON GARDEN MYSTERY 6 I CONFESS that I was considerably startled by this fresh proof of the practical nature of my companion's theories. My respect for his powers of analysis increased wondrously. Mein Respekt vor seiner Analysefähigkeit stieg auf wundersame Weise. There still remained some lurking suspicion in my mind, however, that the whole thing was a pre-arranged episode, intended to dazzle me, though what earthly object he could have in taking me in was past my comprehension. V mé mysli však stále zůstávalo nějaké podezření, že celá věc byla předem domluvená epizoda, která mě měla oslnit, i když to, jaký pozemský předmět mohl mít, když mě přijal, bylo mimo mé chápání. Es blieb jedoch immer noch der lauernde Verdacht in meinem Kopf, dass die ganze Sache eine vorab arrangierte Episode war, die mich blenden sollte, obwohl ich nicht begreifen konnte, was für ein irdisches Ziel er haben könnte, mich aufzunehmen. Однако в моем сознании все еще оставалось скрытое подозрение, что все это было заранее подготовленным эпизодом, предназначенным для того, чтобы ослепить меня, хотя какая земная цель, которую он мог иметь, чтобы принять меня, была вне моего понимания. When I looked at him he had finished reading the note, and his eyes had assumed the vacant, lack-lustre expression which showed mental abstraction. Als ich ihn ansah, hatte er die Notiz fertig gelesen, und seine Augen hatten den leeren, glanzlosen Ausdruck angenommen, der geistige Zerstreutheit verriet. Когда я взглянул на него, он уже закончил читать записку, и его глаза приобрели то пустое, неяркое выражение, которое свидетельствует об умственном абстрагировании.

“How in the world did you deduce that?” I asked. „Wie um alles in der Welt hast du das hergeleitet?“ Ich fragte. «Как, черт возьми, вы пришли к такому выводу?» Я спросил.

“Deduce what?” said he, petulantly.

“Why, that he was a retired sergeant of Marines.” „Warum, dass er ein pensionierter Sergeant der Marines war.“ «Да ведь он сержант морской пехоты в отставке».

“I have no time for trifles,” he answered, brusquely; then with a smile, “Excuse my rudeness. "Ich habe keine Zeit für Kleinigkeiten," antwortete er schroff; dann mit einem Lächeln: „Entschuldigen Sie meine Unhöflichkeit. You broke the thread of my thoughts; but perhaps it is as well. Du hast den Faden meiner Gedanken zerrissen; aber vielleicht ist es auch so. Ты оборвал нить моих мыслей; но, возможно, так оно и есть. So you actually were not able to see that that man was a sergeant of Marines?” Sie konnten also tatsächlich nicht erkennen, dass dieser Mann ein Sergeant der Marines war?«

“No, indeed.” "In der Tat nicht." «Нет, конечно».

“It was easier to know it than to explain why I knew it. „Es war einfacher, es zu wissen, als zu erklären, warum ich es wusste. If you were asked to prove that two and two made four, you might find some difficulty, and yet you are quite sure of the fact. Wenn man Sie bitten würde zu beweisen, dass zwei und zwei vier ergibt, könnten Sie auf einige Schwierigkeiten stoßen, und doch sind Sie sich dessen ziemlich sicher. Если вас попросят доказать, что два и два составляют четыре, вы можете столкнуться с некоторыми трудностями, но тем не менее вы совершенно уверены в этом факте. Even across the street I could see a great blue anchor tattooed on the back of the fellow's hand. Sogar auf der anderen Straßenseite konnte ich einen großen blauen Anker sehen, der auf dem Handrücken des Burschen tätowiert war. Даже через улицу я увидел большой синий якорь, вытатуированный на тыльной стороне ладони этого парня. That smacked of the sea. Das hat nach Meer geschmeckt. От него пахло морем. He had a military carriage, however, and regulation side whiskers. Er hatte jedoch eine militärische Kutsche und einen vorschriftsmäßigen seitlichen Schnurrbart. Однако у него была военная повозка и нормальные бакенбарды. There we have the marine. Da haben wir die Marine. He was a man with some amount of self-importance and a certain air of command. Er war ein Mann mit einem gewissen Maß an Selbstgefälligkeit und einer gewissen Befehlsgewalt. Это был человек, обладающий определенной долей самодовольства и властности. You must have observed the way in which he held his head and swung his cane. Sie müssen beobachtet haben, wie er seinen Kopf hielt und seinen Stock schwang. Вы, наверное, заметили, как он держал голову и размахивал тростью. A steady, respectable, middle-aged man, too, on the face of him—all facts which led me to believe that he had been a sergeant.” Dem Anschein nach ein standhafter, respektabler Mann mittleren Alters – alles Tatsachen, die mich glauben ließen, dass er ein Sergeant gewesen war.« На вид - крепкий, респектабельный мужчина средних лет - все это дало мне основание предположить, что он был сержантом".

“Wonderful!” I ejaculated. "Wunderbar!" Ich habe ejakuliert.

“Commonplace,” said Holmes, though I thought from his expression that he was pleased at my evident surprise and admiration. „Gewöhnlich“, sagte Holmes, obwohl ich seinem Gesichtsausdruck entnehmen konnte, dass er sich über meine offensichtliche Überraschung und Bewunderung freute. - Обычное дело, - сказал Холмс, хотя по выражению его лица я подумал, что он доволен моим очевидным удивлением и восхищением. “I said just now that there were no criminals. „Ich habe gerade gesagt, dass es keine Kriminellen gibt. «Я только что сказал, что преступников нет. It appears that I am wrong—look at this!” He threw me over the note which the commissionaire had brought. Es scheint, dass ich falsch liege – sieh dir das an!“ Er warf mir den Zettel zu, den der Kommissar mitgebracht hatte. Похоже, я ошибаюсь - посмотрите!" Он бросил мне записку, которую принес комиссионер. 7 “Why,” I cried, as I cast my eye over it, “this is terrible!” 7 „Warum“, rief ich, als ich meinen Blick darauf richtete, „das ist schrecklich!“ 7 «Да ведь, - воскликнул я, глядя на это, - это ужасно!» “It does seem to be a little out of the common,” he remarked, calmly. „Es scheint ein wenig ungewöhnlich zu sein“, bemerkte er ruhig. "Кажется, это немного нестандартно, - спокойно заметил он. “Would you mind reading it to me aloud?” „Würden Sie es mir bitte laut vorlesen?“

This is the letter which I read to him—— Das ist der Brief, den ich ihm vorgelesen habe –

“MY DEAR MR. SHERLOCK HOLMES,—

“There has been a bad business during the night at 3, Lauriston Gardens, off the Brixton Road. Our man on the beat saw a light there about two in the morning, and as the house was an empty one, suspected that something was amiss. Наш человек на битве увидел там свет около двух часов ночи и, поскольку дом был пуст, заподозрил неладное. He found the door open, and in the front room, which is bare of furniture, discovered the body of a gentleman, well dressed, and having cards in his pocket bearing the name of ‘Enoch J. Drebber, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.' Er fand die Tür offen und entdeckte im möbellosen Vorderzimmer die Leiche eines gut gekleideten Herrn mit Karten in der Tasche, auf denen der Name „Enoch J. Drebber, Cleveland, Ohio, USA“ stand. There had been no robbery, nor is there any evidence as to how the man met his death. Es gab weder einen Raub, noch gibt es Hinweise darauf, wie der Mann zu Tode kam. Ограбления не было, и нет никаких доказательств того, как этот человек встретил свою смерть. There are marks of blood in the room, but there is no wound upon his person. Es gibt Blutspuren im Raum, aber es gibt keine Wunde an seiner Person. We are at a loss as to how he came into the empty house; indeed, the whole affair is a puzzler. Wir wissen nicht, wie er in das leere Haus gekommen ist; in der Tat ist die ganze Angelegenheit ein Rätsel. If you can come round to the house any time before twelve, you will find me there. Wenn Sie jederzeit vor zwölf zum Haus kommen können, finden Sie mich dort. I have left everything in statu quo until I hear from you. Ich habe alles beim Status quo belassen, bis ich von Ihnen höre. Я оставил все в статуе, пока не получу известие от вас. If you are unable to come I shall give you fuller details, and would esteem it a great kindness if you would favour me with your opinion. Wenn Sie nicht kommen können, werde ich Ihnen nähere Einzelheiten mitteilen und würde es für eine große Güte halten, wenn Sie mir mit Ihrer Meinung den Gefallen tun würden. Yours faithfully, Hochachtungsvoll,

“TOBIAS GREGSON.”

“Gregson is the smartest of the Scotland Yarders,” my friend remarked; “he and Lestrade are the pick of a bad lot. „Gregson ist der klügste der Scotland Yarders“, bemerkte mein Freund; „Er und Lestrade sind die beste Wahl. "Gregson est le plus intelligent des Scotland Yarders", remarque mon ami ; "Lestrade et lui sont les meilleurs éléments d'un mauvais lot. «Грегсон - самый умный из Скотланд Ярдерс», - заметил мой друг; «Он и Лестрейд - плохая выборка. They are both quick and energetic, but conventional—shockingly so. Sie sind sowohl schnell als auch energisch, aber konventionell – erschreckenderweise. Ils sont à la fois rapides et énergiques, mais conventionnels et choquants. Они оба быстры и энергичны, но обычны - шокирующе. They have their knives into one another, too. Sie haben ihre Messer auch ineinander. Ils se lancent aussi des coups de couteau les uns dans les autres. Они тоже вонзили друг в друга свои ножи. They are as jealous as a pair of professional beauties. Sie sind so eifersüchtig wie ein Paar professioneller Schönheiten. Elles sont aussi jalouses qu'une paire de beautés professionnelles. There will be some fun over this case if they are both put upon the scent.” Es wird ein bisschen Spaß über diesen Fall geben, wenn sie beide auf die Spur kommen.“ Il y aura de quoi s'amuser dans cette affaire s'ils sont tous les deux mis à l'index". Будет немного весело, если они оба почувствуют запах ».

I was amazed at the calm way in which he rippled on. Ich war erstaunt über die ruhige Art, in der er weiterspielte. Я был поражен его спокойствием. “Surely there is not a moment to be lost,” I cried, “shall I go and order you a cab?” „Sicher ist kein Augenblick zu verlieren“, rief ich, „soll ich gehen und Ihnen ein Taxi bestellen?“

“I'm not sure about whether I shall go. „Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich gehen soll. I am the most incurably lazy devil that ever stood in shoe leather—that is, when the fit is on me, for I can be spry enough at times.” Ich bin der unheilbar faulste Teufel, der jemals in Schuhleder gestanden hat – das heißt, wenn es auf mich ankommt, denn ich kann manchmal rüstig genug sein.“ Soy el demonio más incurablemente perezoso que jamás haya pisado un zapato de cuero, es decir, cuando me queda bien, porque a veces puedo ser bastante ágil." Je suis le diable le plus incurablement paresseux qui ait jamais porté des chaussures en cuir - c'est-à-dire quand elles sont à ma taille, car il m'arrive d'être assez vif". Я самый неизлечимо ленивый дьявол, который когда-либо стоял в обувной коже, то есть когда мне подходит, потому что временами я могу быть достаточно проворным ».

“Why, it is just such a chance as you have been longing for.” "Nun, es ist genau die Chance, nach der Sie sich gesehnt haben."

“My dear fellow, what does it matter to me. „Mein lieber Freund, was liegt mir daran. Supposing I unravel the whole matter, you may be sure that Gregson, Lestrade, and Co. Angenommen, ich entwirre die ganze Angelegenheit, dann können Sie sicher sein, dass Gregson, Lestrade und Co. Предположим, я раскрою все это дело, и вы можете быть уверены, что Грегсон, Лестрейд и компания. will pocket all the credit. wird den ganzen Kredit einstecken. That comes of being an unofficial personage.” Das kommt davon, eine inoffizielle Persönlichkeit zu sein.“ Получается, что ты неофициальный персонаж ».

“But he begs you to help him.” „Aber er bittet dich, ihm zu helfen.“

“Yes. He knows that I am his superior, and acknowledges it to me; but he would cut his tongue out before he would own it to any third person. Er weiß, dass ich sein Vorgesetzter bin, und erkennt es mir an; aber er würde ihm die Zunge herausschneiden, bevor er sie einem Dritten anvertrauen würde. Sabe que soy su superior y me lo reconoce; pero se cortaría la lengua antes de confesárselo a un tercero. Он знает, что я его начальник, и признает это мне; но он бы отрезал себе язык, прежде чем он признался бы третьему лицу. However, we may as well go and have a look. Wir können uns aber auch mal umsehen. I shall work it out on my own hook. Ich werde es auf meine eigene Weise ausarbeiten. Я разберусь на своем собственном крючке. I may have a laugh at them if I have nothing else. Ich kann über sie lachen, wenn ich nichts anderes habe. Я могу посмеяться над ними, если у меня не будет ничего другого. Come on!” Komm schon!"

He hustled on his overcoat, and bustled about in a way that showed that an energetic fit had superseded the apathetic one. Er huschte über seinen Mantel und huschte in einer Weise herum, die zeigte, dass ein energischer Anfall den apathischen abgelöst hatte. Он торопливо натягивал пальто и суетился, показывая, что энергичный припадок вытеснил апатичный.

“Get your hat,” he said. „Nimm deinen Hut“, sagte er.

“You wish me to come?” „Du willst, dass ich komme?“

“Yes, if you have nothing better to do.” A minute later we were both in a hansom, driving furiously for the Brixton Road. „Ja, wenn du nichts Besseres zu tun hast.“ Eine Minute später saßen wir beide in einem Hansom und fuhren wie wild auf die Brixton Road zu.

It was a foggy, cloudy morning, and a dun-coloured veil hung over the house-tops, looking like the reflection of the mud-coloured streets beneath. Es war ein nebliger, bewölkter Morgen, und ein graubrauner Schleier hing über den Dächern der Häuser und sah aus wie das Spiegelbild der schlammfarbenen Straßen darunter. My companion was in the best of spirits, and prattled away about Cremona fiddles, and the difference between a Stradivarius and an Amati. Mein Begleiter war bester Laune und schwatzte über Cremona-Geigen und den Unterschied zwischen einer Stradivarius und einer Amati. Мой товарищ был в отличном расположении духа и болтал о скрипках Кремоны и о разнице между Страдивари и Амати. As for myself, I was silent, for the dull weather and the melancholy business upon which we were engaged, depressed my spirits. Was mich betrifft, so schwieg ich, denn das trübe Wetter und die traurigen Geschäfte, mit denen wir beschäftigt waren, bedrückten meine Stimmung.

“You don't seem to give much thought to the matter in hand,” I said at last, interrupting Holmes' musical disquisition. „Sie scheinen sich nicht viel Gedanken über die vorliegende Angelegenheit zu machen“, sagte ich schließlich und unterbrach Holmes' musikalische Auseinandersetzung.

“No data yet,” he answered. „Noch keine Daten“, antwortete er. «Данных пока нет», - ответил он. “It is a capital mistake to theorize before you have all the evidence. „Es ist ein großer Fehler, Theorien aufzustellen, bevor man alle Beweise hat. It biases the judgment.” Es beeinflusst das Urteil.“ Это искажает суждение ".

“You will have your data soon,” I remarked, pointing with my finger; “this is the Brixton Road, and that is the house, if I am not very much mistaken.” „Sie werden Ihre Daten bald haben“, bemerkte ich und deutete mit meinem Finger; "Dies ist die Brixton Road, und das ist das Haus, wenn ich mich nicht sehr irre."

“So it is. "So ist es. Stop, driver, stop!” We were still a hundred yards or so from it, but he insisted upon our alighting, and we finished our journey upon foot. Halt, Fahrer, halt!“ Wir waren noch ungefähr hundert Meter davon entfernt, aber er bestand darauf, dass wir ausstiegen, und wir beendeten unsere Reise zu Fuß.

Number 3, Lauriston Gardens wore an ill-omened and minatory look. Nummer 3, Lauriston Gardens, trug einen unheilvollen und geistlichen Blick. It was one of four which stood back some little way from the street, two being occupied and two empty. Es war eines von vieren, die etwas abseits von der Straße standen, zwei bewohnt und zwei leer. Это был один из четырех домов, стоявших в стороне от улицы, два из которых были заняты, а два - пустыми. İkisi dolu, ikisi boş olmak üzere caddeden biraz geride duran dört evden biriydi. The latter looked out with three tiers of vacant melancholy windows, which were blank and dreary, save that here and there a “To Let” card had developed like a cataract upon the bleared panes. Letztere sahen mit drei Reihen leerer melancholischer Fenster hinaus, die leer und trostlos waren, abgesehen davon, dass sich hier und da eine „Zu vermieten“-Karte wie ein Katarakt auf den verblassten Scheiben entwickelt hatte. Последний смотрел на три яруса пустых меланхоличных окон, которые были пустыми и унылыми, за исключением того, что кое-где карточка «Сдать» образовывалась катарактой на затуманенных стеклах. İkincisi, üç katlı boş ve melankolik pencerelerden dışarı bakıyordu; bu pencereler boş ve kasvetliydi, sadece şurada burada bir "Kiraya Verilir" kartı beyaz camların üzerinde bir katarakt gibi gelişmişti. A small garden sprinkled over with a scattered eruption of sickly plants separated each of these houses from the street, and was traversed by a narrow pathway, yellowish in colour, and consisting apparently of a mixture of clay and of gravel. Ein kleiner Garten, der mit einem verstreuten Ausbruch kränklicher Pflanzen übersät war, trennte jedes dieser Häuser von der Straße und wurde von einem schmalen, gelblichen Pfad durchquert, der anscheinend aus einer Mischung von Lehm und Kies bestand. Небольшой сад, засыпанный редкими извержениями болезненных растений, отделял каждый из этих домов от улицы, и через него проходила узкая дорожка желтоватого цвета, состоящая, по-видимому, из смеси глины и гравия. The whole place was very sloppy from the rain which had fallen through the night. Der ganze Ort war sehr schlampig von dem Regen, der die Nacht über gefallen war. The garden was bounded by a three-foot brick wall with a fringe of wood rails upon the top, and against this wall was leaning a stalwart police constable, surrounded by a small knot of loafers, who craned their necks and strained their eyes in the vain hope of catching some glimpse of the proceedings within. Der Garten war von einer drei Fuß hohen Backsteinmauer begrenzt, auf deren Spitze sich ein Rand aus Holzgeländern befand, und an dieser Mauer lehnte ein stämmiger Polizeibeamter, umgeben von einer kleinen Gruppe von Müßiggängern, die ihre Hälse reckten und ihre Augen angestrengt in die Luft starrten vergebliche Hoffnung, einen Einblick in die Vorgänge darin zu erhaschen. Bahçe, tepesinde tahta korkuluklar bulunan üç metrelik tuğla bir duvarla sınırlıydı ve bu duvara yaslanmış yiğit bir polis memuru, etrafını sarmış, içeride olup bitenleri bir an olsun görebilmek umuduyla boyunlarını büken ve gözlerini diken küçük bir aylak grubuyla çevriliydi.

I had imagined that Sherlock Holmes would at once have hurried into the house and plunged into a study of the mystery. Ich hatte mir vorgestellt, dass Sherlock Holmes sofort ins Haus geeilt wäre und sich in das Studium des Mysteriums gestürzt hätte. Nothing appeared to be further from his intention. Nichts schien weiter von seiner Absicht entfernt zu sein. With an air of nonchalance which, under the circumstances, seemed to me to border upon affectation, he lounged up and down the pavement, and gazed vacantly at the ground, the sky, the opposite houses and the line of railings. Mit einer Lässigkeit, die mir unter diesen Umständen an Affektiertheit zu grenzen schien, lümmelte er auf dem Bürgersteig auf und ab und blickte mit leerem Blick auf den Boden, den Himmel, die gegenüberliegenden Häuser und die Reihe der Geländer. Bu koşullar altında bana yapmacıklığın sınırında gibi gelen bir kayıtsızlık havasıyla kaldırımda bir aşağı bir yukarı uzandı ve boş gözlerle yere, gökyüzüne, karşıdaki evlere ve parmaklıklara baktı. Having finished his scrutiny, he proceeded slowly down the path, or rather down the fringe of grass which flanked the path, keeping his eyes riveted upon the ground. Nachdem er seine Untersuchung beendet hatte, ging er langsam den Pfad hinunter, oder vielmehr den Grassaum entlang, der den Pfad flankierte, und hielt seine Augen fest auf den Boden gerichtet. Twice he stopped, and once I saw him smile, and heard him utter an exclamation of satisfaction. Zweimal blieb er stehen, und einmal sah ich ihn lächeln und hörte ihn einen zufriedenen Ausruf ausstoßen. İki kez durdu, bir keresinde gülümsediğini gördüm ve bir memnuniyet nidası attığını duydum. There were many marks of footsteps upon the wet clayey soil, but since the police had been coming and going over it, I was unable to see how my companion could hope to learn anything from it. Es gab viele Spuren von Schritten auf dem nassen Lehmboden, aber da die Polizei dort hin und her gegangen war, konnte ich nicht sehen, wie mein Begleiter darauf hoffen konnte, irgendetwas daraus zu lernen. Islak killi toprakta birçok ayak izi vardı, ama polis gelip geçtiği için, arkadaşımın bundan bir şey öğrenmeyi nasıl umabileceğini göremiyordum. Still I had had such extraordinary evidence of the quickness of his perceptive faculties, that I had no doubt that he could see a great deal which was hidden from me.

At the door of the house we were met by a tall, white-faced, flaxen-haired man, with a notebook in his hand, who rushed forward and wrung my companion's hand with effusion. Evin kapısında bizi uzun boylu, beyaz yüzlü, keten saçlı, elinde bir not defteri olan bir adam karşıladı ve hemen öne atılarak arkadaşımın elini coşkuyla sıktı. “It is indeed kind of you to come,” he said, “I have had everything left untouched.”

“Except that!” my friend answered, pointing at the pathway. “If a herd of buffaloes had passed along there could not be a greater mess. "Eğer bir bufalo sürüsü geçseydi, daha büyük bir karmaşa olamazdı. No doubt, however, you had drawn your own conclusions, Gregson, before you permitted this.”

“I have had so much to do inside the house,” the detective said evasively. Dedektif kaçamak bir ifadeyle, "Evin içinde yapacak çok işim vardı," dedi. “My colleague, Mr. Lestrade, is here. I had relied upon him to look after this.”

Holmes glanced at me and raised his eyebrows sardonically. “With two such men as yourself and Lestrade upon the ground, there will not be much for a third party to find out,” he said. «С двумя такими людьми, как вы и Лестрейд, на земле, третьему лицу нечего будет узнать», - сказал он. "Siz ve Lestrade gibi iki adam sahadayken, üçüncü bir tarafın öğreneceği pek bir şey olmayacaktır," dedi.

Gregson rubbed his hands in a self-satisfied way. “I think we have done all that can be done,” he answered; “it's a queer case though, and I knew your taste for such things.”

“You did not come here in a cab?” asked Sherlock Holmes.

“No, sir.”

“Nor Lestrade?”

“No, sir.”

“Then let us go and look at the room.” With which inconsequent remark he strode on into the house, followed by Gregson, whose features expressed his astonishment.

A short passage, bare planked and dusty, led to the kitchen and offices. Çıplak tahtalı ve tozlu kısa bir geçit mutfağa ve çalışma odalarına açılıyordu. Two doors opened out of it to the left and to the right. Sağa ve sola doğru iki kapı açılıyordu. One of these had obviously been closed for many weeks. The other belonged to the dining-room, which was the apartment in which the mysterious affair had occurred. Holmes walked in, and I followed him with that subdued feeling at my heart which the presence of death inspires. Holmes içeri girdi ve ben de ölümün varlığının kalbimde uyandırdığı o bastırılmış duyguyla onu takip ettim.

It was a large square room, looking all the larger from the absence of all furniture. A vulgar flaring paper adorned the walls, but it was blotched in places with mildew, and here and there great strips had become detached and hung down, exposing the yellow plaster beneath. Duvarları kaba bir kâğıt süslüyordu ama yer yer küfle lekelenmişti ve şurada burada büyük şeritler kopup aşağı sarkmış, alttaki sarı sıvayı ortaya çıkarmıştı. Opposite the door was a showy fireplace, surmounted by a mantelpiece of imitation white marble. Kapının karşısında, beyaz mermer taklidi bir şömine rafıyla süslenmiş gösterişli bir şömine vardı. On one corner of this was stuck the stump of a red wax candle. Bunun bir köşesine kırmızı bir mum kütüğü saplanmıştı. The solitary window was so dirty that the light was hazy and uncertain, giving a dull grey tinge to everything, which was intensified by the thick layer of dust which coated the whole apartment.

All these details I observed afterwards. At present my attention was centred upon the single grim motionless figure which lay stretched upon the boards, with vacant sightless eyes staring up at the discoloured ceiling. It was that of a man about forty-three or forty-four years of age, middle-sized, broad shouldered, with crisp curling black hair, and a short stubbly beard. He was dressed in a heavy broadcloth frock coat and waistcoat, with light-coloured trousers, and immaculate collar and cuffs. Ağır bir çuha ceket ve yelek giymiş, açık renkli bir pantolon giymiş, yaka ve kol ağızlarını tertemiz yapmıştı. A top hat, well brushed and trim, was placed upon the floor beside him. His hands were clenched and his arms thrown abroad, while his lower limbs were interlocked as though his death struggle had been a grievous one. Его руки были сжаты, и его руки были брошены наружу, а его нижние конечности были переплетены, как будто его смертельная борьба была тяжелой. Elleri kenetlenmiş ve kolları iki yana açılmıştı; alt uzuvları ise sanki ölüm mücadelesi çok çetin geçmiş gibi birbirine kenetlenmişti. On his rigid face there stood an expression of horror, and as it seemed to me, of hatred, such as I have never seen upon human features. Sert yüzünde, insan yüz hatlarında daha önce hiç görmediğim bir dehşet ve bana öyle geldi ki nefret ifadesi vardı. This malignant and terrible contortion, combined with the low forehead, blunt nose, and prognathous jaw gave the dead man a singularly simious and ape-like appearance, which was increased by his writhing, unnatural posture. I have seen death in many forms, but never has it appeared to me in a more fearsome aspect than in that dark grimy apartment, which looked out upon one of the main arteries of suburban London.

Lestrade, lean and ferret-like as ever, was standing by the doorway, and greeted my companion and myself.

“This case will make a stir, sir,” he remarked. “It beats anything I have seen, and I am no chicken.”

“There is no clue?” said Gregson. "Нет подсказки?" - сказал Грегсон.

“None at all,” chimed in Lestrade.

Sherlock Holmes approached the body, and, kneeling down, examined it intently. “You are sure that there is no wound?” he asked, pointing to numerous gouts and splashes of blood which lay all round.

“Positive!” cried both detectives.

“Then, of course, this blood belongs to a second individual—8 presumably the murderer, if murder has been committed. It reminds me of the circumstances attendant on the death of Van Jansen, in Utrecht, in the year ‘34. Это напоминает мне обстоятельства смерти Ван Янсена в Утрехте в 34-м году. Do you remember the case, Gregson?”

“No, sir.”

“Read it up—you really should. There is nothing new under the sun. It has all been done before.”

As he spoke, his nimble fingers were flying here, there, and everywhere, feeling, pressing, unbuttoning, examining, while his eyes wore the same far-away expression which I have already remarked upon. So swiftly was the examination made, that one would hardly have guessed the minuteness with which it was conducted. Обследование было проведено так быстро, что трудно было догадаться, с какой тщательностью оно было проведено. Finally, he sniffed the dead man's lips, and then glanced at the soles of his patent leather boots. Наконец, он понюхал губы мертвеца, а затем взглянул на подошвы своих лакированных ботинок.

“He has not been moved at all?” he asked.

“No more than was necessary for the purposes of our examination.”

“You can take him to the mortuary now,” he said. “There is nothing more to be learned.”

Gregson had a stretcher and four men at hand. At his call they entered the room, and the stranger was lifted and carried out. As they raised him, a ring tinkled down and rolled across the floor. Lestrade grabbed it up and stared at it with mystified eyes.

“There's been a woman here,” he cried. “It's a woman's wedding-ring.”

He held it out, as he spoke, upon the palm of his hand. We all gathered round him and gazed at it. There could be no doubt that that circlet of plain gold had once adorned the finger of a bride.

“This complicates matters,” said Gregson. “Heaven knows, they were complicated enough before.”

“You're sure it doesn't simplify them?” observed Holmes. “There's nothing to be learned by staring at it. What did you find in his pockets?”

“We have it all here,” said Gregson, pointing to a litter of objects upon one of the bottom steps of the stairs. “A gold watch, No. 97163, by Barraud, of London. Gold Albert chain, very heavy and solid. Gold ring, with masonic device. Gold pin—bull-dog's head, with rubies as eyes. Russian leather card-case, with cards of Enoch J. Drebber of Cleveland, corresponding with the E. J. D. upon the linen. Картон из русской кожи с картами Еноха Дж. Дреббера из Кливленда, переписывающихся с EJD на полотне. No purse, but loose money to the extent of seven pounds thirteen. Pocket edition of Boccaccio's ‘Decameron,' with name of Joseph Stangerson upon the fly-leaf. Two letters—one addressed to E. J. Drebber and one to Joseph Stangerson.”

“At what address?” "По какому адресу?"

“American Exchange, Strand—to be left till called for. «Американская биржа, Стрэнд - оставить до востребования. They are both from the Guion Steamship Company, and refer to the sailing of their boats from Liverpool. It is clear that this unfortunate man was about to return to New York.”

“Have you made any inquiries as to this man, Stangerson?”

“I did it at once, sir,” said Gregson. “I have had advertisements sent to all the newspapers, and one of my men has gone to the American Exchange, but he has not returned yet.”

“Have you sent to Cleveland?”

“We telegraphed this morning.”

“How did you word your inquiries?”

“We simply detailed the circumstances, and said that we should be glad of any information which could help us.”

“You did not ask for particulars on any point which appeared to you to be crucial?”

“I asked about Stangerson.”

“Nothing else? Is there no circumstance on which this whole case appears to hinge? Нет ли обстоятельств, от которых, кажется, зависит все это дело? Tüm bu davanın dayandığı bir durum yok mu? Will you not telegraph again?”

“I have said all I have to say,” said Gregson, in an offended voice.

Sherlock Holmes chuckled to himself, and appeared to be about to make some remark, when Lestrade, who had been in the front room while we were holding this conversation in the hall, reappeared upon the scene, rubbing his hands in a pompous and self-satisfied manner. Sherlock Holmes kendi kendine kıkırdadı ve bir $eyler söyleyecek gibiydi ki, biz salonda bu konu$mayı yaparken ön odada bulunan Lestrade, kendini beğenmi$ bir tavırla ellerini ovu$turarak yeniden sahneye çıktı.

“Mr. Gregson,” he said, “I have just made a discovery of the highest importance, and one which would have been overlooked had I not made a careful examination of the walls.” Грегсон, - сказал он, - я только что сделал чрезвычайно важное открытие, которое было бы упущено из виду, если бы я не внимательно осмотрел стены. Gregson," dedi, "az önce çok önemli bir keşifte bulundum ve duvarları dikkatle incelememiş olsaydım gözden kaçacaktı."

The little man's eyes sparkled as he spoke, and he was evidently in a state of suppressed exultation at having scored a point against his colleague.

“Come here,” he said, bustling back into the room, the atmosphere of which felt clearer since the removal of its ghastly inmate. «Иди сюда», - сказал он, суетливо возвращаясь в комнату, атмосфера которой стала более ясной после того, как из нее удалили ужасного сокамерника. “Now, stand there!”

He struck a match on his boot and held it up against the wall. Udeřil sirkou na botu a přiložil ji ke zdi.

“Look at that!” he said, triumphantly.

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. Убийца написал это своей кровью. See this smear where it has trickled down the wall! That disposes of the idea of suicide anyhow. To každopádně zbavuje myšlenky sebevraždy. 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. "И что это значит теперь, когда вы его нашли?" - пренебрежительно спросил Грегсон.

“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. Помните мои слова, когда дело дойдет до выяснения обстоятельств, вы обнаружите, что женщина по имени Рэйчел имеет к этому какое-то отношение. It's all very well for you to laugh, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Вам хорошо смеяться, мистер Шерлок Холмс. You may be very smart and clever, but the old hound is the best, when all is said and done.” Вы можете быть очень умным и умным, но старая собака - лучшая, 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. «Я очень прошу прощения!» - сказал мой товарищ, взбесивший маленького человечка взрывом смеха. “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. «Вы, безусловно, имеете честь быть первым из нас, кто это выяснил, и, как вы говорите, на нем есть все признаки того, что он был написан другим участником тайны прошлой ночи. I have not had time to examine this room yet, but with your permission I shall do so now.” У меня еще не было времени осмотреть эту комнату, но с вашего разрешения я сделаю это сейчас.

As he spoke, he whipped a tape measure and a large round magnifying glass from his pocket. Говоря это, он вытащил из кармана рулетку и большое круглое увеличительное стекло. With these two implements he trotted noiselessly about the room, sometimes stopping, occasionally kneeling, and once lying flat upon his face. S těmito dvěma nástroji nehlučně klusal po místnosti, občas se zastavil, občas poklekl a jednou si lehl na obličej. 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 настолько поглощен своим занятием, что, казалось, забыл о нашем присутствии, потому что все время болтал себе под нос, поддерживая пламя восклицаний, стонов, свистков и маленьких криков, наводящих на мысль об ободрении и надежде. . 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. Когда я наблюдал за ним, я непреодолимо вспомнил чистокровную, хорошо обученную гончую, которая мчится вперед и назад через укрытие, скуля от нетерпения, пока не натолкнется на утерянный запах. 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. «Говорят, что гений - это безграничная способность прилагать усилия», - заметил он с улыбкой. “It's a very bad definition, but it does apply to detective work.”

Gregson and Lestrade had watched the manoeuvres 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. «Это лишило бы вас авторитета в этом деле, если бы я решился помочь вам», - заметил мой 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. «У вас сейчас так хорошо получается, что было бы жаль, если бы кто-нибудь вмешался». Когда он говорил, в его голосе звучал мир сарказма. “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.