«You (can) call me Count von Cramm,» he (say),«a very important person (send) me to ask for your help. I (talk) about the King of Bohemia».
«I (know), Your Majesty,» (say) Holmes. He quietly (smoke) his cigar.
«What! «the man (cry), «you (know) who I (be)!» He (pull) the mask off his face.
«You (be) right. Why I (hide) it? I (be) the King of Bohemia, Wilhelm von Ormstein. I (come) to see you myself because it (must) be a secret. You (understand)?»
«Very well, Your Majesty. Go on,» (say) Holmes.
«Five years ago I (meet) a woman called Irene Adler. I (love) her for a while. After I (leave) her, I (write) her some letters. And she (have) a photograph with us both.»
«That (be) a mistake, Your Majesty».
«I (know). But I (be) very young. Soon I (go) to marry Clotilde Lothman, daughter of King of Scandinavia. She never (marry) me if she knows about Irene But you (not/know) Irene Adler. She can be as hard as a man. She (be) angry when I (leave) her, and she (not/want) me to marry another woman. I (be) sure she (send) that photograph to Clotildas family, and there (be) a terrible scandal. We (must) get the photo before she sends it.»
«I (be) sure we (find) it», (say) Holmes. «And the address of the young woman?»
«Briony Lodge, Serpentine Avenue, St. Johns Wood, London».
«Good night, Your Majesty, (say) Holmes, «I (hope) to have some good news for you soon».
Answer the questions:
1. Who came to Sherlock Holmess house that day?
2. Why was the man wearing the mask?
3. Did Holmes believe that the man was Count von Cramm?
4.What was the Kings story?
5.Why was the photo dangerous for him?
6.Why did the King think that Irene could send the photo?
2
When I (arrive) the next day, Holmes (not/be) there. I (wait) in his room when the door (open) and a very strange servant (come) in. He (wear) old, dirty clothes, but when I (look) at him carefully
«Holmes!» I (cry).
«I (be) outside Miss Adlers house,» he (answer) with the smile, «servants (be) always ready to talk, and I (learn) a lot about the young woman. She (have) a friend, Godfrey Norton, who often (visit) her. While I (be) there, Norton (arrive). After a short time he (leave) and (jump) into the taxi.
«To the church of St. Monica, as fast as you (can)!» he (shout). Two minutes later Miss Adler (run) out of the house, (jump) into another taxi and (say),
«To the church of St. Monica, quickly!»
I (take) a taxi and (go) after them.
«Come here, now!» Mr Norton (ask) me as I (come) into the church. They (need) a witness, and a servant from the street (be) better than nobody. Well, tonight, my dear Watson, I (need) your help».
«Of course, Holmes,» I (answer).
«Later, we (go) to Briony Lodge together. When we are there, Irene (ask) me to go into her house. You must wait outside, and when I shout Fire!, you (throw) this thing into the window». And he (give) a smoke-stick. «After that wait for me at the corner of the street».
Answer the questions:
1. Why did not Watson recognize his friend when he entered the room?
2. Why did Holmes decide to look like a servant that morning?
3. What did he learn about Irene Adler?
4. Who arrived at her house soon? What happened then?
5. Where did Holmes go?
6. Why did Irene Adler and Mr Norton need Holmes at that moment?
7. What sort of help did Holmes want from Watson?
3
That evening Holmes (change) not only his clothes. He (change) his face, his hair everything. He (be) a different person. We (walk) together to Serpentine Avenue. Outside the house there (be) a lot of people. They (smoke), (talk), (laugh).
«I (be) sure that the photograph (be) in the house,» (say) Holmes.
«But where you (look) for it?»
«I (not/look). She (show) me».
Just then a taxi (arrive). Irene Norton (get) out of it. One of the men in the street (run) to the car. Another one (push) him. A fight (begin). Holmes (run) to help Irene. Suddenly he (fall) to the ground with blood running down his face. Some people (carry) him into the house. I (wait) outside the window. Then Holmes (put) up his hand, and I (throw) the smoke-stick into the room.
There (be) a loud cry «Fire!» I (walk) away and ten minutes later Holmes (come) to me.
«You (have) the photograph?» I (ask).
«I (know) where it (be). She (show) me».
«But why she (show) you?»
«It (be) easy. You (see) all those people in the street? I (pay) them. It (not/be) the real fight, and the blood (not/be) real. When people (shout) Fire!, a woman (run) to the most important thing her baby, her gold or a photo. I (not/take) it, tomorrow we (go) there with the King, who himself (take) the photograph».
While we (talk), a young man (go) past us and (say),
«Good evening, Mr Holmes!»
«I (know) that man,» (say) Holmes to me, «but who it (be)?»
Answer the questions:
1. Why did Holmes run to the car when the fight began? What happened to him?
2. What did Watson do when Holmes was outside the house?
3. Why did Irene Norton show Holmes where the photograph was?
4. Why did not Holmes take the photo?
4
The next day we (go) to Irene Nortons house with the King. An old servant (open) the door.
«Mrs Norton and her husband (leave) England in the morning. They never (come) back to this country,» he (say). Holmes (run) to the cupboard and (open) it. Inside (be) a photo, not of Irene Adler and the King, but of Irene alone. There (be) also a letter for Sherlock Holmes. We (read) it together.
My dear Sherlock Holmes,
You (do) it well. I (think) it (be) a real fire and you (be) just a kind old man. But when I (open) the cupboard, I (begin) to think. I (know) about famous Sherlock Holmes. I (know) that the King (ask) you to find the photo. So I quickly dressed as a young man and (follow) you. I (say) «good evening» to you! We (leave) England. Please, tell the King that I never (show) the photo to anybody. I (love) my husband, and he (love) me. The King can have this photo if he (like).
Irene Norton
Answer the questions:
1. What did the servant say when they three came to Irenes house the next day?
2. What was in the cupboard?
3. When did Irene begin to think that it was all a put-up job?
4. What did she promise the King?
22. «Soapys Choice» by OHenry
Vocabulary: prison тюрьма
Tenses to use: Present Simple, Past Simple, Present Continuous, Past Continuous, Future Simple.
Soapy (sit) on his seat in Madison square when a dead leaf (fall) on his arm. Winter (come) and it (be) time to go to a nice warm prison where he usually (spend) winters.
Soapy (begin) to try his first plan. «I (go) to a restaurant,» he (think). «When I (be) there, I (make) an order and (not/pay). If I (not/pay), they (call) a policeman. When the police (come), they (take) me to prison. And if I (get) to the table in the restaurant quickly enough, nobody (notice) my old shoes and terrible trousers.»
However, as soon as Soapy (go) into the restaurant, strong hands (turn) him round and (help) into the street. Now he (have) to think of something different.
Soapy (stop) in front of the shop window in a crowded street. He (pick) up a stone. «If I (break) the window, a policeman (see) it,» he (think). «He (take) me to the police station. If I (get) to the police station, I (be) in prison soon.» He (throw) the stone at the window. People (run) to see what (happen). Soupy (be) happy because the man in front (be) a policeman. «I soon (be) in prison,» Soapy (think). But the policeman (know) that people who (break) windows (not/stand) and (wait). They (run) away. Just then the policeman (see) another man who (run) to the bus and (run) after him.