Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Five Orange Pips
Onreceivingthisthevictimmighteitheropenlyabjurehisformerways,ormightflyfromthecountry. Ifhebravedthematterout,deathwouldunfailinglycomeuponhim,andusuallyinsomestrangeandunforeseenmanner. Soperfectwastheorganizationofthesociety,andsosystematicitsmethods,thatthereishardlyacaseuponrecordwhereanymansucceededinbravingitwithimpunity,orinwhichanyofitsoutragesweretracedhometotheperpetrators. ForsomeyearstheorganizationflourishedinspiteoftheeffortsoftheUnitedStatesgovernmentandofthebetterclassesofthecommunityintheSouth. Eventually,intheyear1869,themovementrathersuddenlycollapsed,althoughtherehavebeensporadicoutbreaksofthesamesortsincethatdate."
"Youwillobserve,"saidHolmes,layingdownthevolume,"thatthesuddenbreakingupofthesocietywascoincidentwiththedisappearanceofOpenshawfromAmericawiththeirpapers. Itmaywellhavebeencauseandeffect. Itisnowonderthatheandhisfamilyhavesomeofthemoreimplacablespiritsupontheirtrack. YoucanunderstandthatthisregisteranddiarymayimplicatesomeofthefirstmenintheSouth,andthattheremaybemanywhowillnotsleepeasyatnightuntilitisrecovered."
"Thenthepagewehaveseen—"
"Issuchaswemightexpect. Itran,ifIrememberright,‘sentthepipstoA,B,andC’—thatis,sentthesociety’swarningtothem. ThentherearesuccessiveentriesthatAandBcleared,orleftthecountry,andfinallythatCwasvisited,with,Ifear,asinisterresultforC. Well,Ithink,Doctor,thatwemayletsomelightintothisdarkplace,andIbelievethattheonlychanceyoungOpenshawhasinthemeantimeistodowhatIhavetoldhim. Thereisnothingmoretobesaidortobedoneto-night,sohandmeovermyviolinandletustrytoforgetforhalfanhourthemiserableweatherandthestillmoremiserablewaysofourfellowmen."
