The Red-Headed League by Arthur Conan Doyle (2)

TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: On account of the bequest of the late Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now another vacancy open which entitles a member of the League to a salary of 4 pounds a week for purely nominal services. All red-headed men who are sound in body and mind and above the age of twenty-one years, are eligible. Appiy in person on Monday, at eleven o'clock, to Duncan Ross, at the offices of the League, 7 Pope's Court, Fleet Street.

"What on earth does this mean?" I ejaculated after I had twice read over the extraordinary announcement.

Holmes chuckled and wriggled in his chair, as was his habit when in high spirits. "It is a little off the beaten track, isn't it?" said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch and tell us all about yourself, your household, and the effect which this advertisement had upon your fortunes. You will first make a note, Doctor, of the paper and the date."

"It is The Morning Chronicle of April 27, 1890. Just two months ago."

"Very good. Now, Mr. Wilson?"

"Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said Jabez Wilson, mopping his forehead; "I have a small pawnbroker's business at Coburg Square, near the City. It's not a very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than just give me a living. I used to be able to keep two assistants, but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but that he is willing to come for half wages so as to learn the business."

"What is the name of this obliging youth?" asked Sherlock Holmes.

"His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, either. It's hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter assistant, Mr. Holmes; and I know very well that he could better himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But, after all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?"

"Why, indeed? You seem most fortunate in having an employee who comes under the full market price. It is not a common experience among employers in this age. I don't know that your assistant is not as remarkable as your advertisement."

"Oh, he has his faults, too," said Mr. Wilson. "Never was such a fellow for photography. Snapping away with a camera when he ought to be improving his mind, and then diving down into the cellar like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his main fault, but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice in him."

"He is still with you, I presume?"

"Yes, sir. He and a girl of fourteen, who does a bit of simple cooking and keeps the place clean--that's all I have in the house, for I am a widower and never had any family. We live very quietly, sir, the three of us; and we keep a roof over our heads and pay our debts, if we do nothing more.

"The first thing that put us out was that advertisement. Spaulding, he came down into the office just this day eight weeks, with this very paper in his hand, and he says:

"'I wish to the Lord, Mr. Wilson, that I was a red-headed man.'

"'Why that?' I asks.

"'Why,' says he, 'here's another vacancy on the League of the Red-headed Men. It's worth quite a little fortune to any man who gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than there are men, so that the trustees are at their wits' end what to do with the money. If my hair would only change color, here's a nice little crib all ready for me to step into.'

"'Why, what is it, then?' I asked. You see. Mr. Holmes, I am a very stay-at-home man, and as my business came to me instead of my having to go to it, I was often weeks on end without putting my foot over the door-mat. In that way I didn't know much of what was going on outside, and I was always glad of a bit of news.

"'Have you never heard of the League of the Red-headed Men?' he asked with his eyes open.

"'Never.'

"'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible yourself for one of the vacancies.'

"'And what are they worth?' I asked.

"'Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight, and it need not interfere very much with one's other occupations.'

"Well, you can easily think that that made me prick up my ears, for the business has not been over-good for some years, and an extra couple of hundred would have been very handy.

"'Tell me all about it,' said I.

"'Well ' said he, showing me the advertisement, 'you can see for yourself that the League has a vacancy, and there is the address where you should apply for particulars. As far as I can make out, the League was founded by an American millionaire, Ezekiah Hopkins, who was very peculiar in his ways. He was himself red-headed, and he had a great sympathy for all red-headed men; so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous fortune in the hands of trustees, with instructions to apply the interest to the providing of easy berths to men whose hair is of that color. From all I hear it is splendid pay and very little to do.'

"'But,' said I, 'there would be millions of red-headed men who would apply.'

"'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is really confined to Londoners, and to grown men. This American had started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the old town a good turn. Then, again, I have heard it is no use your applying if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but real bright, blazing, fiery red. Now, if you cared to apply, Mr. Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be worth your while to put yourself out of the way for the sake of a few hundred pounds.'

"Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves, that my hair is of a very full and rich tint, so that it seemed to me that if there was to be any competition in the matter I stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might prove useful, so I just ordered him to put up the shutters for the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing to have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for the address that was given us in the advertisement.

To be continued...

The Red-Headed Leaguetby Arthur Conan Doyle (2) (с подсказками)

Союз рыжих. Артур Конан Дойл

TO THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE: On account of (по) the bequest [bI'kwest] (завещанию) of the late Ezekiah Hopkins ['hPpkInz], of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U. S. A., there is now another vacancy ['veIkqnsI] (вакансия) open which entitles (дает право) a member of the League to a salary ['sxlqri] (жалованье) of 4 pounds a week for purely ['pjuqlI] (чисто) nominal ['nPmIn(q)l] (номинальную) services. All red-headed men who are sound (здоровые) in body and mind and above the age of twenty-one years, are eligible ['elIGqbl] (имеют право подать заявление). Apply (обращаться) in person on Monday, at eleven o'clock, to Duncan ['dANkqn] Ross [rPs], at the offices of the League, 7 Pope's [pqups] Court, Fleet [fli:t] Street.

"What on earth does this mean?" I ejaculated [I'GxkjuleItId] (воскликнул) after I had twice read over the extraordinary [Ik'strLd(q)n(q)ri] (необычайное) announcement [q'naunsmqnt] (объявление).

Holmes chuckled [CAkld] (беззвучно засмеялся) and wriggled ['rIg(q)ld] (съежился) in his chair, as was his habit ['hxbIt] (привычка) when in high spirits (в веселом настроении). "It is a little off the beaten track, isn't it?" said he. "And now, Mr. Wilson, off you go at scratch ['skrxC] () and tell us all about yourself, your household (доме), and the effect which this advertisement [qd'vE:tismqnt] (объявление) had upon your fortunes ['fLCHnz] (судьбе). You will first make a note, Doctor, of the paper and the date."

"It is The Morning Chronicle ['krPnIk(q)l] of April 27, 1890. Just two months ago."

"Very good. Now, Mr. Wilson?"

"Well, it is just as I have been telling you, Mr. Sherlock Holmes," said Jabez Wilson, mopping ['mPpIN] (вытирая) his forehead ['fLrId] (лоб); "I have a small pawnbroker's ['pLn"brqukqz] (ссудная касса) business at Coburg Square, near the City. It's not a very large affair, and of late years it has not done more than just give me a living. I used to be able to keep two assistants [q'sIstqnts], but now I only keep one; and I would have a job to pay him but that he is willing ['wIlIN] (согласен) to come for half wages (жалованье) so as to learn the business."

"What is the name of this obliging [qb'laIGIN] (услужливого) youth [ju:T] (юноши)?" asked Sherlock Holmes.

"His name is Vincent Spaulding, and he's not such a youth, either. It's hard to say his age. I should not wish a smarter ['smRtq] (более расторопного) assistant [q'sIstqnt], Mr. Holmes; and I know very well that he could better himself and earn twice what I am able to give him. But, after all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?"

"Why, indeed? You seem most fortunate ['fLtSnIt] (повезло) in having an employee who comes under the full market price. It is not a common experience among employers in this age. I don't know that your assistant is not as remarkable [rI'mRkqbl] (удивительный) as your advertisement [qd'vE:tismqnt]."

"Oh [qu], he has his faults [fLlts] (недостатки), too," said Mr. Wilson. "Never was such a fellow ['felqu] for photography [fq'tPgrqfI] (Я никогда не встречал человека, который бы так увлекался фотографией). Snapping ['snxpIN] away (щелкает) with a camera ['kxmqrq] (аппаратом) when he ought to (должен) be improving his mind, and then diving ['daIvIN] (ныряет) down into the cellar ['selq] (подвал) like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures. That is his main fault [fLlt] (недостаток), but on the whole he's a good worker. There's no vice [vaIs] (порока) in him."

"He is still with you, I presume [prI'zjHm] (полагаю)?"

"Yes, sir. He and a girl of fourteen, who does a bit of simple cooking ['kukIN] (стряпает) and keeps the place clean -- that's all I have in the house, for I am a widower ['wIdquq] (вдовец) and never had any family. We live very quietly ['kwaIqtli] (тихо), sir, the three of us; and we keep a roof over our heads and pay our debts, if we do nothing more.

"The first thing that put us out (выбило нас из колеи) was that advertisement [qd'vE:tismqnt] (объявление). Spaulding, he came down into the office just this day eight weeks, with this very paper in his hand, and he says:

"'I wish to the Lord, Mr. Wilson, that I was a red-headed man.'

"'Why that?' I asks.

"'Why,' says he, 'here's another vacancy ['veIkqnsI] (вакансия) on the League of the Red-headed Men. It's worth quite a little fortune ['fLCHn] (состояние) to any man who gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies ['veIkqnsiz] (вакансий) than there are men, so that the trustees [trAs'tJz] (душеприказчики) are at their wits' end (ломают голову) what to do with the money. If my hair would only change color, here's a nice little crib [krIb] (кормушка) all ready for me to step into.'

"'Why, what is it, then?' I asked. You see. Mr. Holmes, I am a very stay-at-home man, and as my business came to me instead of my having to go to it, I was often weeks on end without putting my foot over the door-mat ['dL-mxt] (коврик возле двери). In that way I didn't know much of what was going on outside, and I was always glad of a bit of news.

"'Have you never heard of the League of the Red-headed Men?' he asked with his eyes open.

"'Never.'

"'Why, I wonder at that, for you are eligible ['elIGqbl] (имеете право) yourself for one of the vacancies ['veIkqnsiz].'

"'And what are they worth?' I asked.

"'Oh, merely a couple of hundred a year, but the work is slight [slaIt] (пустяковая), and it need not interfere [Intq'fIq] (мешать) very much with one's other occupations ["Pkju'peISqnz] (занятиям).'

"Well, you can easily think that that made me prick [prIk] up (навострить) my ears, for the business has not been over-good for some years, and an extra (дополнительные) couple of hundred would have been very handy ['hxndI] (кстати).

"'Tell me all about it,' said I.

"'Well ' said he, showing me the advertisement [qd'vE:tismqnt], 'you can see for yourself that the League has a vacancy ['veIkqnsI], and there is the address where you should apply (обратиться) for particulars [pq'tIkjulqz] (подробностями). As far as I can make out, the League was founded ['faundId] (основан) by an American millionaire ["mIljq'neq], Ezekiah Hopkins, who was very peculiar [pI'kjHliq] in his ways (со странностями). He was himself red-headed, and he had a great sympathy ['sImpqTi] (сочувствие) for all red-headed men; so when he died it was found that he had left his enormous [I'nLmqs] (огромное) fortune ['fLCHn] (состояние) in the hands of trustees [trAs'tJz] (душеприказчиков), with instructions to apply the interest (тратить проценты) to the providing of easy berths [bE:Ts] (работу) to men whose hair is of that color. From all I hear it is splendid ['splendId] (великолепная) pay and very little to do.'

"'But,' said I, 'there would be millions ['mIljqnz] of red-headed men who would apply.'

"'Not so many as you might think,' he answered. 'You see it is really confined [kqn'faInd] (ограничено) to Londoners ['lAndqnqz], and to grown men. This American had started from London when he was young, and he wanted to do the old town a good turn (облагодетельствовать). Then, again, I have heard it is no use (бесполезно) your applying (обращаться) if your hair is light red, or dark red, or anything but real bright, blazing ['bleIzIN] (ослепительный), fiery ['faIqrI] (огненный) red. Now, if you cared to apply, Mr. Wilson, you would just walk in; but perhaps it would hardly be worth your while to put yourself out of the way (отвлекаться от основного занятия) for the sake [seIk] (ради) of a few hundred pounds.'

"Now, it is a fact, gentlemen, as you may see for yourselves [jq'selvz] (сами), that my hair is of a very full and rich tint [tInt] (цвета), so that it seemed to me that if there was to be any competition in the matter I stood as good a chance as any man that I had ever met. Vincent Spaulding seemed to know so much about it that I thought he might prove useful, so I just ordered him to put up the shutters ['SAtqz] (ставни) for the day and to come right away with me. He was very willing ['wIlIN] (не против) to have a holiday, so we shut the business up and started off for the address that was given us in the advertisement [qd'vE:tismqnt].

До встречи!

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