Спогади Шерлока Холмса
The Yellow Face
"
"Andwhoistheblackmailer?"
"Well,itmustbethecreaturewholivesintheonlycomfortableroomintheplaceandhasherphotographabovehisfireplace.Uponmyword,Watson,thereissomethingveryattractiveaboutthatlividfaceatthewindow,andIwouldnothavemissedthecaseforworlds."
"Youhaveatheory?"
"Yes,aprovisionalone.ButIshallbesurprisedifitdoesnotturnouttobecorrect.Thiswoman’sfirsthusbandisinthatcottage."
"Whydoyouthinkso?"
"Howelsecanweexplainherfrenziedanxietythathersecondoneshouldnotenterit?Thefacts,asIreadthem,aresomethinglikethis:ThiswomanwasmarriedinAmerica.Herhusbanddevelopedsomehatefulqualities,orshallwesayhecontractedsomeloathsomediseaseandbecamealeperoranimbecile?Shefliesfromhimatlast,returnstoEngland,changeshername,andstartsherlife,asshethinks,afresh.Shehasbeenmarriedthreeyearsandbelievesthatherpositionisquitesecure,havingshownherhusbandthedeathcertificateofsomemanwhosenameshehasassumed,whensuddenlyherwhereaboutsisdiscoveredbyherfirsthusband,or,wemaysuppose,bysomeunscrupulouswomanwhohasattachedherselftotheinvalid.Theywritetothewifeandthreatentocomeandexposeher.Sheasksforahundredpoundsandendeavourstobuythemoff.
