Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Five Orange Pips
"TheletterarrivedonMarch10,1883. Hisdeathwassevenweekslater,uponthenightofMay2d."
"Thankyou.Prayproceed."
"WhenmyfathertookovertheHorshamproperty,he,atmyrequest,madeacarefulexaminationoftheattic,whichhadbeenalwayslockedup. Wefoundthebrassboxthere,althoughitscontentshadbeendestroyed. Ontheinsideofthecoverwasapaperlabel,withtheinitialsofK.K.K.repeateduponit,and‘Letters,memoranda,receipts,andaregister’writtenbeneath. These,wepresume,indicatedthenatureofthepaperswhichhadbeendestroyedbyColonelOpenshaw. Fortherest,therewasnothingofmuchimportanceintheatticsaveagreatmanyscatteredpapersandnote-booksbearinguponmyuncle’slifeinAmerica. Someofthemwereofthewartimeandshowedthathehaddonehisdutywellandhadbornethereputeofabravesoldier. OtherswereofadateduringthereconstructionoftheSouthernstates,andweremostlyconcernedwithpolitics,forhehadevidentlytakenastrongpartinopposingthecarpet-bagpoliticianswhohadbeensentdownfromtheNorth.
"Well,itwasthebeginningof’84whenmyfathercametoliveatHorsham,andallwentaswellaspossiblewithusuntiltheJanuaryof’85. OnthefourthdayafterthenewyearIheardmyfathergiveasharpcryofsurpriseaswesattogetheratthebreakfast-table. Therehewas,sittingwithanewlyopenedenvelopeinonehandandfivedriedorangepipsintheoutstretchedpalmoftheotherone. Hehadalwayslaughedatwhathecalledmycock-and-bullstoryaboutthecolonel,buthelookedveryscaredandpuzzlednowthatthesamethinghadcomeuponhimself.
"‘Why,whatonearthdoesthismean,John?’hestammered.
"Myhearthadturnedtolead. ‘ItisK.K.K.,’saidI.
