Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Speckled Band
ShortlyafterourreturntoEnglandmymotherdied—shewaskilledeightyearsagoinarailwayaccidentnearCrewe. Dr.RoylottthenabandonedhisattemptstoestablishhimselfinpracticeinLondonandtookustolivewithhimintheoldancestralhouseatStokeMoran. Themoneywhichmymotherhadleftwasenoughforallourwants,andthereseemedtobenoobstacletoourhappiness.
"Butaterriblechangecameoverourstepfatheraboutthistime. Insteadofmakingfriendsandexchangingvisitswithourneighbours,whohadatfirstbeenoverjoyedtoseeaRoylottofStokeMoranbackintheoldfamilyseat,heshuthimselfupinhishouseandseldomcameoutsavetoindulgeinferociousquarrelswithwhoevermightcrosshispath. Violenceoftemperapproachingtomaniahasbeenhereditaryinthemenofthefamily,andinmystepfather’scaseithad,Ibelieve,beenintensifiedbyhislongresidenceinthetropics. Aseriesofdisgracefulbrawlstookplace,twoofwhichendedinthepolice-court,untilatlasthebecametheterrorofthevillage,andthefolkswouldflyathisapproach,forheisamanofimmensestrength,andabsolutelyuncontrollableinhisanger.
"Lastweekhehurledthelocalblacksmithoveraparapetintoastream,anditwasonlybypayingoverallthemoneywhichIcouldgathertogetherthatIwasabletoavertanotherpublicexposure. Hehadnofriendsatallsavethewanderinggypsies,andhewouldgivethesevagabondsleavetoencampuponthefewacresofbramble-coveredlandwhichrepresentthefamilyestate,andwouldacceptinreturnthehospitalityoftheirtents,wanderingawaywiththemsometimesforweeksonend. HehasapassionalsoforIndiananimals,whicharesentovertohimbyacorrespondent,andhehasatthismomentacheetahandababoon,whichwanderfreelyoverhisgroundsandarefearedbythevillagersalmostasmuchastheirmaster.
