Приключения Шерлока Холмса: Союз Рыжих / The Red-Headed League

But, after all, if he is satisfied, why should I put ideas in his head?[5 - why should I put ideas in his head? – зачем я стану внушать ему вредные для меня идеи?]”

“Why, indeed? You seem most lucky to have an assistant for half wages. Your assistant is as remarkable as your advertisement.”

“Oh, he has his faults, too,” said Mr. Wilson. “He is very much interested in photography. He slips away with a camera when he ought to be working, and then dives down into the cellar like a rabbit into its hole to develop his pictures.

“He is still with you, I presume?”

“Yes, sir. He and a girl of fourteen, who does simple cooking and keeps the place clean – that’s all I have in the house, for I am a widower. We live very quietly, sir, the three of us.

“Spaulding, he came into the office eight weeks ago, with this paper in his hand and said:

“�I wish, Mr.

“�Why?’ I asked.

“�Here’s a vacancy on the League of the Red-headed Men,’ said he. �It’s worth a little fortune to any man who gets it, and I understand that there are more vacancies than there are men.’

“�Why, what is it?’ I asked. You see, Mr. Holmes, I am a very stay-at-home man, and, as my business came to me instead of my going to it,[6 - as my business came to me instead of my having to go to it – так как мой клиент сам идет ко мне вместо того, чтобы мне бегать за ним] I often stayed in for several weeks.

“�Have you never heard of the League of the Red-headed Men?’ he asked with his eyes open.

“�Never.’

“�Why, how strange, for you are eligibile yourself for one of the vacancies.’

“�And what are they worth?’ I asked.

“�Oh, a couple of hundred a year, but the work is easy, and you can do some other work at the same time.’

“Well, the business has not been very good for some years, and an extra couple of hundred would be 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 can apply.