Пригоди Шерлока Холмса
The Red-headed League
"IhavehadoneortwolittlescoresofmyowntosettlewithMr.JohnClay,"saidHolmes. "Ihavebeenatsomesmallexpenseoverthismatter,whichIshallexpectthebanktorefund,butbeyondthatIamamplyrepaidbyhavinghadanexperiencewhichisinmanywaysunique,andbyhearingtheveryremarkablenarrativeoftheRed-headedLeague."
"Yousee,Watson,"heexplainedintheearlyhoursofthemorningaswesatoveraglassofwhiskyandsodainBakerStreet,"itwasperfectlyobviousfromthefirstthattheonlypossibleobjectofthisratherfantasticbusinessoftheadvertisementoftheLeague,andthecopyingoftheEncyclopedia,mustbetogetthisnotover-brightpawnbrokeroutofthewayforanumberofhourseveryday. Itwasacuriouswayofmanagingit,but,really,itwouldbedifficulttosuggestabetter. ThemethodwasnodoubtsuggestedtoClay’singeniousmindbythecolourofhisaccomplice’shair. The4poundsaweekwasalurewhichmustdrawhim,andwhatwasittothem,whowereplayingforthousands? Theyputintheadvertisement,oneroguehasthetemporaryoffice,theotherrogueincitesthemantoapplyforit,andtogethertheymanagetosecurehisabsenceeverymorningintheweek. FromthetimethatIheardoftheassistanthavingcomeforhalfwages,itwasobvioustomethathehadsomestrongmotiveforsecuringthesituation."
"Buthowcouldyouguesswhatthemotivewas?"
"Hadtherebeenwomeninthehouse,Ishouldhavesuspectedamerevulgarintrigue. That,however,wasoutofthequestion. Theman’sbusinesswasasmallone,andtherewasnothinginhishousewhichcouldaccountforsuchelaboratepreparations,andsuchanexpenditureastheywereat. Itmust,then,besomethingoutofthehouse. Whatcoulditbe?
