the greek interpreter-第4章

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　　〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Holmes　suddenly。

　　We　all　stood　still　and　listened。　A　low　moaning　sound　was　coming　from

somewhere　over　our　heads。　Holmes　rushed　to　the　door　and　out　into　the

hall。　The　dismal　noise　came　from　upstairs。　He　dashed　up；　the　inspector

and　I　at　his　heels；　while　his　brother　Mycroft　followed　as　quickly　as

his　great　bulk　would　permit。

　　Three　doors　faced　us　upon　the　second　floor；　and　it　was　from　the

central　of　these　that　the　sinister　sounds　were　issuing；　sinking

sometimes　into　a　dull　mumble　and　rising　again　into　a　shrill　whine。

It　was　locked；　but　the　key　had　been　left　on　the　outside。　Holmes

flung　open　the　door　and　rushed　in；　but　he　was　out　again　in　an　instant；

with　his　hand　to　his　throat。

　　〃It's　charcoal；〃　he　cried。　〃Give　it　time。　It　will　clear。〃

　　Peering　in；　we　could　see　that　the　only　light　in　the　room　came　from　a

dull　blue　flame　which　flickered　from　a　small　brass　tripod　in　the

centre。　It　threw　a　livid；　unnatural　circle　upon　the　floor；　while　in

the　shadows　beyond　we　saw　the　vague　loom　of　two　figures　which　crouched

against　the　wall。　From　the　open　door　there　reeked　a　horrible　poisonous

exhalation　which　set　us　gasping　and　coughing。　Holmes　rushed　to　the　top

of　the　stairs　to　draw　in　the　fresh　air；　and　then；　dashing　into　the

room；　he　threw　up　the　window　and　hurled　the　brazen　tripod　out　into　the

garden。

　　〃We　can　enter　in　a　minute；〃　he　gasped；　darting　out　again。　〃Where

is　a　candle？　I　doubt　if　we　could　strike　a　match　in　that　atmosphere。

Hold　the　light　at　the　door　and　we　shall　get　them　out；　Mycroft；　now！〃

　　With　a　rush　we　got　to　the　poisoned　men　and　dragged　them　out　into　the

well　lit　hall。　Both　of　them　were　blue…lipped　and　insensible；　with

swollen；　congested　faces　and　protruding　eyes。　Indeed；　so　distorted

were　their　features　that；　save　for　his　black　beard　and　stout　figure；

we　might　have　failed　to　recognize　in　one　of　them　the　Greek　interpreter

who　had　parted　from　us　only　a　few　hours　before　at　the　Diogenes　Club。

His　hands　and　feet　were　securely　strapped　together；　and　he　bore　over

one　eye　the　marks　of　a　violent　blow。　The　other；　who　was　secured　in　a

similar　fashion；　was　a　tall　man　in　the　last　stage　of　emaciation；

with　several　strips　of　stickingplaster　arranged　in　a　grotesque　pattern

over　his　face。　He　had　ceased　to　moan　as　we　laid　him　down；　and　a　glance

showed　me　that　for　him　at　least　our　aid　had　come　too　late。　Mr。

Melas；　however；　still　lived；　and　in　less　than　an　hour；　with　the　aid　of

ammonia　and　brandy；　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　him　open　his

eyes；　and　of　knowing　that　my　hand　had　drawn　him　back　from　that　dark

valley　in　which　all　paths　meet。

　　It　was　a　simple　story　which　he　had　to　tell；　and　one　which　did　but

confirm　our　own　deductions。　His　visitor；　on　entering　his　rooms；　had

drawn　a　life…preserver　from　his　sleeve；　and　had　so　impressed　him

with　the　fear　of　instant　and　inevitable　death　that　he　had　kidnapped

him　for　the　second　time。　Indeed；　it　was　almost　mesmeric；　the　effect

which　this　giggling　ruffian　had　produced　upon　the　unfortunate

linguist；　for　he　could　not　speak　of　him　save　with　trembling　hands

and　a　blanched　cheek。　He　had　been　taken　swiftly　to　Beckenham；　and

had　acted　as　interpreter　in　a　second　interview；　even　more　dramatic

than　the　first；　in　which　the　two　Englishmen　had　menaced　their　prisoner

with　instant　death　if　he　did　not　comply　with　their　demands。　Finally；

finding　him　proof　against　every　threat；　they　had　hurled　him　back

into　his　prison；　and　after　reproaching　Melas　with　his　treachery；　which

appeared　from　the　newspaper　advertisement；　they　had　stunned　him　with　a

blow　from　a　stick；　and　he　remembered　nothing　more　until　he　found　us

bending　over　him。

　　And　this　was　the　singular　case　of　the　Grecian　Interpreter；　the

explanation　of　which　is　still　involved　in　some　mystery。　We　were　able

to　find　out；　by　communicating　with　the　gentleman　who　had　answered

the　advertisement；　that　the　unfortunate　young　lady　came　of　a　wealthy

Grecian　family；　and　that　she　had　been　on　a　visit　to　some　friends　in

England。　While　there　she　had　met　a　young　man　named　Harold　Latimer；　who

had　acquired　an　ascendency　over　her　and　had　eventually　persuaded　her

to　fly　with　him。　Her　friends；　shocked　at　the　event；　had　contented

themselves　with　informing　her　brother　at　Athens；　and　had　then　washed

their　hands　of　the　matter。　The　brother；　on　his　arrival　in　England；　had

imprudently　placed　himself　in　the　power　of　Latimer　and　of　his

associate；　whose　name　was　Wilson　Kemp…a　man　of　the　foulest

antecedents。　These　two；　finding　that　through　his　ignorance　of　the

language　he　was　helpless　in　their　hands；　had　kept　him　a　prisoner；

and　had　endeavoured　by　cruelty　and　starvation　to　make　him　sign　away

his　own　and　his　sister's　property。　They　had　kept　him　in　the　house

without　the　girl's　knowledge；　and　the　plaster　over　the　face　had　been

for　the　purpose　of　making　recognition　difficult　in　case　she　should

ever　catch　a　glimpse　of　him。　Her　feminine　perceptions；　however；　had

instantly　seen　through　the　disguise　when；　on　the　occasion　of　the

interpreter's　visit；　she　had　seen　him　for　the　first　time。　The　poor

girl；　however；　was　herself　a　prisoner；　for　there　was　no　one　about

the　house　except　the　man　who　acted　as　coachman；　and　his　wife；　both

of　whom　were　tools　of　the　conspirators。　Finding　that　their　secret

was　out；　and　that　their　prisoner　was　not　to　be　coerced；　the　two

villains　with　the　girl　had　fled　away　at　a　few　hours'　notice　from　the

furnished　house　which　they　had　hired；　having　first；　as　they　thought；

taken　vengeance　both　upon　the　man　who　had　defied　and　the　one　who　had

betrayed　them。

　　Months　afterwards　a　curious　newspaper　cutting　reached　us　from

Budapest。　It　told　how　two　Englishmen　who　had　been　travelling　with　a

woman　had　met　with　a　tragic　end。　They　had　each　been　stabbed；　it　seems；

and　the　Hungarian　police　were　of　opinion　that　they　had　quarrelled

and　had　inflicted　mortal　injuries　upon　each　other。　Holmes；　however；

is；　I　fancy；　of　a　different　way　of　thinking；　and　he　holds　to　this

day　that；　if　one　could　find　the　Grecian　girl；　one　might　learn　how

the　wrongs　of　herself　and　her　brother　came　to　be　avenged。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。