Приключения Шерлока Холмса
A Scandal in Bohemia
By-the-way,sinceyouareinterestedintheselittleproblems,andsinceyouaregoodenoughtochronicleoneortwoofmytriflingexperiences,youmaybeinterestedinthis. "Hethrewoverasheetofthick,pink-tintednote-paperwhichhadbeenlyingopenuponthetable. "Itcamebythelastpost,"saidhe. "Readitaloud."
Thenotewasundated,andwithouteithersignatureoraddress.
"Therewillcalluponyouto-night,ataquartertoeighto’clock,"itsaid,"agentlemanwhodesirestoconsultyouuponamatteroftheverydeepestmoment. YourrecentservicestooneoftheroyalhousesofEuropehaveshownthatyouareonewhomaysafelybetrustedwithmatterswhichareofanimportancewhichcanhardlybeexaggerated. Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived. Beinyourchamberthenatthathour,anddonottakeitamissifyourvisitorwearamask."
"Thisisindeedamystery,"Iremarked. "Whatdoyouimaginethatitmeans?"
"Ihavenodatayet. Itisacapitalmistaketotheorizebeforeonehasdata. Insensiblyonebeginstotwistfactstosuittheories,insteadoftheoriestosuitfacts. Butthenoteitself. Whatdoyoudeducefromit?"
Icarefullyexaminedthewriting,andthepaperuponwhichitwaswritten.
"Themanwhowroteitwaspresumablywelltodo,"Iremarked,endeavouringtoimitatemycompanion’sprocesses. "Suchpapercouldnotbeboughtunderhalfacrownapacket. Itispeculiarlystrongandstiff."
"Peculiar—thatistheveryword,"saidHolmes. "ItisnotanEnglishpaperatall. Holdituptothelight."
