Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Man with the Twisted Lip
There’splentyofthread,nodoubt,butIcan’tgettheendofitintomyhand. Now,I’llstatethecaseclearlyandconciselytoyou,Watson,andmaybeyoucanseeasparkwhereallisdarktome."
"Proceed,then."
"Someyearsago—tobedefinite,inMay,1884—therecametoLeeagentleman,NevilleSt.Clairbyname,whoappearedtohaveplentyofmoney. Hetookalargevilla,laidoutthegroundsverynicely,andlivedgenerallyingoodstyle. Bydegreeshemadefriendsintheneighbourhood,andin1887hemarriedthedaughterofalocalbrewer,bywhomhenowhastwochildren. Hehadnooccupation,butwasinterestedinseveralcompaniesandwentintotownasaruleinthemorning,returningbythe5:14fromCannonStreeteverynight. Mr.St.Clairisnowthirty-sevenyearsofage,isamanoftemperatehabits,agoodhusband,averyaffectionatefather,andamanwhoispopularwithallwhoknowhim. Imayaddthathiswholedebtsatthepresentmoment,asfaraswehavebeenabletoascertainamountto88pounds10s.,whilehehas220poundsstandingtohiscreditintheCapitalandCountiesBank. Thereisnoreason,therefore,tothinkthatmoneytroubleshavebeenweighinguponhismind.
"LastMondayMr.NevilleSt.Clairwentintotownratherearlierthanusual,remarkingbeforehestartedthathehadtwoimportantcommissionstoperform,andthathewouldbringhislittleboyhomeaboxofbricks. Now,bythemerestchance,hiswifereceivedatelegramuponthissameMonday,veryshortlyafterhisdeparture,totheeffectthatasmallparcelofconsiderablevaluewhichshehadbeenexpectingwaswaitingforherattheofficesoftheAberdeenShippingCompany. Now,ifyouarewellupinyourLondon,youwillknowthattheofficeofthecompanyisinFresnoStreet,whichbranchesoutofUpperSwandamLane,whereyoufoundmeto-night.
