Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
A Scandal in Bohemia
Ididso,andsawalarge"E"withasmall"g,"a"P,"andalarge"G"withasmall"t"wovenintothetextureofthepaper.
"Whatdoyoumakeofthat? "askedHolmes.
"Thenameofthemaker,nodoubt;orhismonogram,rather."
"Notatall.The‘G’withthesmall‘t’standsfor‘Gesellschaft,’whichistheGermanfor‘Company. ’Itisacustomarycontractionlikeour‘Co.’‘P,’ofcourse,standsfor‘Papier.’ Nowforthe‘Eg.’LetusglanceatourContinentalGazetteer." Hetookdownaheavybrownvolumefromhisshelves. "Eglow,Eglonitz—hereweare,Egria. ItisinaGermanspeakingcountry—inBohemia,notfarfromCarlsbad. ‘RemarkableasbeingthesceneofthedeathofWallenstein,andforitsnumerousglass-factoriesandpaper-mills.’ Ha,ha,myboy,whatdoyoumakeofthat?" Hiseyessparkled,andhesentupagreatbluetriumphantcloudfromhiscigarette.
"ThepaperwasmadeinBohemia,"Isaid.
"Precisely. AndthemanwhowrotethenoteisaGerman. Doyounotethepeculiarconstructionofthesentence—‘Thisaccountofyouwehavefromallquartersreceived.’ AFrenchmanorRussiancouldnothavewrittenthat. ItistheGermanwhoissouncourteoustohisverbs. Itonlyremains,therefore,todiscoverwhatiswantedbythisGermanwhowritesuponBohemianpaperandpreferswearingamasktoshowinghisface. Andherehecomes,ifIamnotmistaken,toresolveallourdoubts."
Ashespoketherewasthesharpsoundofhorses’hoofsandgratingwheelsagainstthecurb,followedbyasharppullatthebell. Holmeswhistled.