Пригоди Шерлока Холмса

           "Ah,butIwasrecommendedtoyou." 

           "Whoby?" 

           "ThelandlordoftheAlpha." 

           "Oh,yes;Isenthimacoupleofdozen." 

           "Finebirdstheywere,too.Nowwheredidyougetthemfrom?" 

           Tomysurprisethequestionprovokedaburstofangerfromthesalesman. 

           "Now,then,mister,"saidhe,withhisheadcockedandhisarmsakimbo,"whatareyoudrivingat?Let’shaveitstraight,now." 

           "Itisstraightenough.IshouldliketoknowwhosoldyouthegeesewhichyousuppliedtotheAlpha." 

           "Wellthen,Ishan’ttellyou.Sonow!" 

           "Oh,itisamatterofnoimportance;butIdon’tknowwhyyoushouldbesowarmoversuchatrifle." 

           "Warm!You’dbeaswarm,maybe,ifyouwereaspesteredasIam. WhenIpaygoodmoneyforagoodarticlethereshouldbeanendofthebusiness; butit’s‘Wherearethegeese?’and‘Whodidyousellthegeeseto?’and‘Whatwillyoutakeforthegeese?’ Onewouldthinktheyweretheonlygeeseintheworld,tohearthefussthatismadeoverthem." 

           "Well,Ihavenoconnectionwithanyotherpeoplewhohavebeenmakinginquiries,"saidHolmescarelessly. "Ifyouwon’ttellusthebetisoff,thatisall. ButI’malwaysreadytobackmyopiniononamatteroffowls,andIhaveafiveronitthatthebirdIateiscountrybred."