Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Speckled Band
Ashespokehepickedupthesteelpokerand,withasuddeneffort,straighteneditoutagain.
"Fancyhishavingtheinsolencetoconfoundmewiththeofficialdetectiveforce! Thisincidentgiveszesttoourinvestigation,however,andIonlytrustthatourlittlefriendwillnotsufferfromherimprudenceinallowingthisbrutetotraceher. Andnow,Watson,weshallorderbreakfast,andafterwardsIshallwalkdowntoDoctors’Commons,whereIhopetogetsomedatawhichmayhelpusinthismatter."
Itwasnearlyoneo’clockwhenSherlockHolmesreturnedfromhisexcursion. Heheldinhishandasheetofbluepaper,scrawledoverwithnotesandfigures.
"Ihaveseenthewillofthedeceasedwife,"saidhe. "TodetermineitsexactmeaningIhavebeenobligedtoworkoutthepresentpricesoftheinvestmentswithwhichitisconcerned. Thetotalincome,whichatthetimeofthewife’sdeathwaslittleshortof1100pounds,isnow,throughthefallinagriculturalprices,notmorethan750pounds. Eachdaughtercanclaimanincomeof250pounds,incaseofmarriage. Itisevident,therefore,thatifbothgirlshadmarried,thisbeautywouldhavehadamerepittance,whileevenoneofthemwouldcripplehimtoaveryseriousextent. Mymorning’sworkhasnotbeenwasted,sinceithasprovedthathehastheverystrongestmotivesforstandinginthewayofanythingofthesort. Andnow,Watson,thisistooseriousfordawdling,especiallyastheoldmanisawarethatweareinterestingourselvesinhisaffairs;soifyouareready,weshallcallacabanddrivetoWaterloo. Ishouldbeverymuchobligedifyouwouldslipyourrevolverintoyourpocket. AnEley’sNo.2isanexcellentargumentwithgentlemenwhocantwiststeelpokersintoknots. Thatandatooth-brushare,Ithinkallthatweneed."
