Приключения Шерлока Холмса
The Red-headed League
Theportlyclientpuffedouthischestwithanappearanceofsomelittleprideandpulledadirtyandwrinklednewspaperfromtheinsidepocketofhisgreatcoat. Asheglanceddowntheadvertisementcolumn,withhisheadthrustforwardandthepaperflattenedoutuponhisknee,Itookagoodlookatthemanandendeavoured,afterthefashionofmycompanion,toreadtheindicationswhichmightbepresentedbyhisdressorappearance.
Ididnotgainverymuch,however,bymyinspection. OurvisitorboreeverymarkofbeinganaveragecommonplaceBritishtradesman,obese,pompous,andslow. Heworeratherbaggygrayshepherd’schecktrousers,anotover-cleanblackfrockcoat,unbuttonedinthefront,andadrabwaistcoatwithaheavybrassyAlbertchain,andasquarepiercedbitofmetaldanglingdownasanornament. Afrayedtop-hatandafadedbrownovercoatwithawrinkledvelvetcollarlayuponachairbesidehim. Altogether,lookasIwould,therewasnothingremarkableaboutthemansavehisblazingredhead,andtheexpressionofextremechagrinanddiscontentuponhisfeatures.
SherlockHolmes’squickeyetookinmyoccupation,andheshookhisheadwithasmileashenoticedmyquestioningglances. "Beyondtheobviousfactsthathehasatsometimedonemanuallabour,thathetakessnuff,thatheisaFreemason,thathehasbeeninChina,andthathehasdoneaconsiderableamountofwritinglately,Icandeducenothingelse."
Mr.JabezWilsonstartedupinhischair,withhisforefingeruponthepaper,buthiseyesuponmycompanion.
"How,inthenameofgood-fortune,didyouknowallthat,Mr.Holmes?"heasked.
