《福尔摩斯探案集·红发会》第19节
“Grave enough!” said Mr. Jabez Wilson. “Why, I have lost four pound a week.” “As far as you are personally concerned,” remarked Holmes, “I do not see that you have any grievance against this extraordinary league. On the contrary, you are, as I understand, richer by some £ 30, to say nothing of the minute knowledge which you have gained on every subject which comes under the letter A. You have lost nothing by them.” “No, sir. But I want to find out about them, and who they are, and what their object was in playing this prank—if it was a prank—upon me. It was a pretty expensive joke for them, for it cost them two and thirty pounds.” “We shall endeavour to clear up these points for you. And, first, one or two questions, Mr. Wilson. This assistant of yours who first called your attention to the advertisement—how long had he been with you?” “About a month then.” “How did he come?” “In answer to an advertisement.” “Was he the only applicant?” “No, I had a dozen.” “Why did you pick him?” “Because he was handy and would come cheap.” “At half wages, in fact.” “Yes.” “What is he like, this Vincent Spaulding?”
注释摘要
在这一小段对话里，威尔逊与福尔摩斯的关注点发生了第一次明确的分岔。威尔逊刚刚讲完他的完整遭遇，他所有的愤怒与困惑都凝聚成一句话：他每周损失了四英镑。注意这个数字在故事里已经反复出现——红发会的周薪恰是四英镑。威尔逊完全从个人生计的角度丈量这件事，他觉得一个让他每周净赚四镑的差事突然消失，自己就成了受害者。福尔摩斯的回答则带着一种几乎冷酷的算术逻辑：你不仅没…