Приключения Шерлока Холмса / The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

“�I am sure, you will excuse me for taking a precaution.’ With those words he seized my hair in both his hands, and pulled until I cried with pain. �I think that all is as it should be. But we have to be careful, for we have twice been deceived by wigs and once by paint,’ said he as he released me. He went to the window and shouted at the top of his voice that the vacancy was filled.

“�My name,’ said he, �is Mr. Duncan Ross. Are you a married man, Mr. Wilson? Have you a family?’

“I answered that I had not.

“His face fell.

“�Dear me[8 - Dear me! – Боже мой!]!’ he said, �that is very serious indeed! I am sorry to hear you say that. The league was founded for the propagation of the red-headed men. It is very bad that you are a bachelor.’

“My face fell at this, Mr. Holmes, for I thought that I would not have the vacancy after all; but after thinking it over for a few minutes he said that it would be all right.

“�We cannot lose a man with such a head of hair as yours.

“�Well, I have a business already,’ said I.

“�Oh, never mind about that[9 - never mind about that – не беспокойтесь об этом], Mr. Wilson!’ said Vincent Spaulding. �I am able to look after that for you.’

“�What will be the working hours?’ I asked.

“�Ten to two.’

“A pawnbroker’s business is mostly done in the evening, Mr. Holmes, especially Thursday and Friday evening, which is just before pay-day; so it suited me very well to earn a little in the mornings.

“�That will suit me very well,’ said I. �And the pay?’

“�It is 4 pounds a week.’

“�And the work?’

“�Very simple.’

“�What do you call very simple?’

“�Well, you have to be in the office the whole time. If you leave, you will lose your position.

“�It’s only four hours a day, and I shall not leave,’ said I.

“�Neither sickness, nor business, nor anything else will excuse you,’ said Mr. Duncan Ross; �you must stay there, or you lose your position.’

“�And the work?’

“�You are to copy out the Encyclopaedia Britannica. You must find your ink, pens, and paper, but we give you this table and chair. Will you be ready tomorrow?’

“�Certainly,’ I answered.