Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor
MYDEARMR.SHERLOCKHOLMES:
"LordBackwatertellsmethatImayplaceimplicitrelianceuponyourjudgmentanddiscretion. Ihavedetermined,therefore,tocalluponyouandtoconsultyouinreferencetotheverypainfuleventwhichhasoccurredinconnectionwithmywedding. Mr.Lestrade,ofScotlandYard,isactingalreadyinthematter,butheassuresmethatheseesnoobjectiontoyourcooperation,andthatheeventhinksthatitmightbeofsomeassistance. Iwillcallatfouro’clockintheafternoon,and,shouldyouhaveanyotherengagementatthattime,Ihopethatyouwillpostponeit,asthismatterisofparamountimportance.
"Yoursfaithfully,
"ST.SIMON.
"ItisdatedfromGrosvenorMansions,writtenwithaquillpen,andthenoblelordhashadthemisfortunetogetasmearofinkupontheoutersideofhisrightlittlefinger,"remarkedHolmesashefoldeduptheepistle.
"Hesaysfouro’clock.Itisthreenow.Hewillbehereinanhour."
"ThenIhavejusttime,withyourassistance,togetclearuponthesubject. Turnoverthosepapersandarrangetheextractsintheirorderoftime,whileItakeaglanceastowhoourclientis." Hepickedared-coveredvolumefromalineofbooksofreferencebesidethemantelpiece. "Hereheis,"saidhe,sittingdownandflatteningitoutuponhisknee. "LordRobertWalsinghamdeVereSt.Simon,secondsonoftheDukeofBalmoral. Hum!Arms:Azure,threecaltropsinchiefoverafesssable. Bornin1846. He’sforty-oneyearsofage,whichismatureformarriage. WasUnder-Secretaryforthecoloniesinalateadministration. TheDuke,hisfather,wasatonetimeSecretaryforForeignAffairs.
