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"On entering the house, however, I examined, as you remember, the sill and
framework of the hall window with my lens, and I could at once see that some
one had passed out. I could distinguish the outline of an instep where the wet
foot had been placed in coming in. I was then beginning to be able to form an
opinion as to what had occurred. A man had waited outside the window, some one
had brought the gems; the deed had been overseen by your son, he had pursued
the thief, had struggled with him, they had each tugged at the coronet, their
united strength causing injuries which neither alone could have effected. He
had returned with the prize, but had left a fragment in the grasp of his
opponent. So far I was clear. The question now was, who was the man, and who
was it brought him the coronet?
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En entrant dans la maison, j’avais examiné, à
la loupe, vous vous le rappelez, le rebord et la
boiserie de la fenêtre du vestibule. Je pus distinguer
le contour d’un pied humide, rentrant. Je
pouvais dès lors me former une opinion sur ce
qui s’était passé. Un homme s’était posté à la
fenêtre, quelqu’un lui avait apporté le diadème ;
votre fils avait entendu du bruit et, ayant vu ce
qui se passait, avait poursuivi le voleur ; il avait
lutté avec lui, chacun tirant de son côté sur le
joyau de toutes ses forces, c’est ainsi qu’ils avaient
pu réussir à le briser. Ensuite, votre fils était
revenu avec sa prise, mais non sans en laisser
un fragment entre les mains de son adversaire.
Jusque-là rien de plus clair. Restait à savoir qui
était l’homme, et qui lui avait apporté le diadème ?
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