the sign of the four(那四个的记号)-第26章
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hut when he and Captain Morstan came stumbling along on the way to
their quarters。 They were bosom friends； those two； and never far apart。
The major was raving about his losses。
〃'It's all up； Morstan；' he was saying； as they passed my hut。 'I shall
have to send in my papers。 I am a ruined man。'
〃'Nonsense； old chap！' said the other； slapping him upon the shoulder。
'I've had a nasty facer myself； but' That was all I could hear； but it was
enough to set me thinking。
A couple of days later Major Sholto was strolling on the beach： so I
took the chance of speaking to him。
〃'I wish to have your advice； major；' said I。
〃'Well； Small； what is it？' he asked； taking his cheroot from his lips。
〃'I wanted to ask you； sir；' said I； 'who is the proper person to whom
hidden treasure should be handed over。 I know where half a million
worth lies； and； as I cannot use it myself； I thought perhaps the best thing
that I could do would be to hand it over to the proper authorities； and then
perhaps they would get my sentence shortened for me。'
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〃'Half a million； Small？' he gasped； looking hard at me to see if I was
in earnest。
〃'Quite that； sir；in jewels and pearls。 It lies there ready for any one。
And the queer thing about it is that the real owner is outlawed and cannot
hold property； so that it belongs to the first comer。'
〃'To government； Small；' he stammered；'to government。' But he
said it in a halting fashion； and I knew in my heart that I had got him。
〃'You think； then； sir； that I should give the information to the
Governor…General？' said I； quietly。
〃'Well； well； you must not do anything rash； or that you might repent。
Let me hear all about it； Small。 Give me the facts。'
〃I told him the whole story； with small changes so that he could not
identify the places。 When I had finished he stood stock still and full of
thought。 I could see by the twitch of his lip that there was a struggle
going on within him。
〃'This is a very important matter； Small；' he said； at last。 'You must
not say a word to any one about it； and I shall see you again soon。'
〃Two nights later he and his friend Captain Morstan came to my hut in
the dead of the night with a lantern。
〃'I want you just to let Captain Morstan hear that story from your own
lips； Small；' said he。
〃I repeated it as I had told it before。
〃'It rings true； eh？' said he。 'It's good enough to act upon？'
〃Captain Morstan nodded。
〃'Look here； Small；' said the major。 'We have been talking it over； my
friend here and I； and we have come to the conclusion that this secret of
yours is hardly a government matter； after all； but is a private concern of
your own； which of course you have the power of disposing of as you
think best。 Now； the question is； what price would you ask for it？ We
might be inclined to take it up； and at least look into it； if we could agree
as to terms。' He tried to speak in a cool； careless way； but his eyes were
shining with excitement and greed。
〃'Why； as to that； gentlemen；' I answered； trying also to be cool； but
feeling as excited as he did； 'there is only one bargain which a man in my
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position can make。 I shall want yo to help me to my freedom； and to help
my three companions to theirs。 We shall then take yo into partnership；
and give you a fifth share to divide between you。'
〃'Hum！' said he。 'A fifth share！ That is not very tempting。'
〃'It would come to fifty thousand apiece；' said I。
〃'But how can we gain your freedom？ You know very well that you
ask an impossibility。'
〃'Nothing of the sort；' I answered。 'I have thought it all out to the last
detail。 The only bar to our escape is that we can get no boat fit for the
voyage； and no provisions to last us for so long a time。 There are plenty
of little yachts and yawls at Calcutta or Madras which would serve our
turn well。 Do you bring one over。 We shall engage to get aboard her by
night； and if you will drop us on any part of the Indian coast you will have
done your part of the bargain。'
〃'If there were only one；' he said。
〃'None or all；' I answered。 'We have sworn it。 The four of us must
always act together。'
〃'You see； Morstan；' said he； 'Small is a man of his word。 He does
not flinch from his friend。 I think we may very well trust him。'
〃'It's a dirty business；' the other answered。 'Yet； as you say； the
money would save our commissions handsomely。'
〃'Well； Small；' said the major； 'we must； I suppose； try and meet you。
We must first； of course； test the truth of your story。 Tell me where the
box is hid； and I shall get leave of absence and go back to India in the
monthly relief…boat to inquire into the affair。'
〃'Not so fast；' said I； growing colder as he got hot。 'I must have the
consent of my three comrades。 I tell you that it is four or none with us。'
〃'Nonsense！' he broke in。 'What have three black fellows to do with
our agreement？'
〃'Black or blue；' said I； 'they are in with me； and we all go together。'
〃Well； the matter ended by a second meeting； at which Mahomet Singh；
Abdullah Khan； and Dost Akbar were all present。 We talked the matter
over again； and at last we came to an arrangement。 We were to provide
both the officers with charts of the part of the Agra fort and mark the place
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in the wall where the treasure was hid。 Major Sholto was to go to India
to test our story。 If he found the box he was to leave it there； to send out
a small yacht provisioned for a voyage； which was to lie off Rutland
Island； and to which we were to make our way； and finally to return to his
duties。 Captain Morstan was then to apply for leave of absence； to meet
us at Agra； and there we were to have a final division of the treasure； he
taking the major's share as well as his own。 All this we sealed by the
most solemn oaths that the mind could think or the lips utter。 I sat up all
night with paper and ink； and by the morning I had the two charts all ready；
signed with the sign of four；that is； of Abdullah； Akbar； Mahomet； and
myself。
〃Well； gentlemen； I weary you with my long story； and I know that my
friend Mr。 Jones is impatient to get me safely stowed in chokey。 I'll make
it as short as I can。 The villain Sholto went off to India； but he never
came back again。 Captain Morstan showed me his name among a list of
passengers in one of the mail… boats very shortly afterwards。 His uncle
had died； leaving him a fortune； and he had left the army； yet he could
stoop to treat five men as he had treated us。 Morstan went over to Agra
shortly afterwards； and found； as we expected； that the treasure was indeed
gone。 The scoundrel had stolen it all； without carrying out one of the
conditions on which we had sold him the secret。 》From that day I lived
only for vengeance。 I thought of it by day and I nursed it by night。 It
became an overpowering； absorbing passion with me。 I cared nothing for
the law；nothing for the gallows。 To escape； to track down Sholto； to
have my hand upon his throat；that was my one thought。 Even the Agra
treasure had come to be a smaller thing in my mind than the slaying of
Sholto。
〃Well； I have set my mind on many things in this life； and never one
which I did not carry out。 But it was weary years before my time came。
I have told you that I had picked up something of medicine。 One day
when Dr。 Somerton was down with a fever a little Andaman Islander was
picked up by a convict…gang in the woods。 He was sick to death； and had
gone to a lonely place to die。 I took him in hand； though he was as
venomous as a young snake； and after a couple of months I got him all
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right and able to walk。 He took a kind of fancy to me then； and would
hardly go back to his woods； but was always hanging about my hut。 I
learned a little of his lingo from him； and this made him all the fonder of
me。
〃Tongafor that was his namewas a fine boatman； and owned a big；
roomy canoe of his own。 When I found that he was devoted to me and
would do anything to serve me； I saw my chance of escape。 I talked it
over with him。 He was to bring his boat round on a certain night to an
old wharf which was never guarded； and there he was to pick me up。 I
gave him directions to have several gourds of water and a lot of yams；
cocoa…nuts； and sweet potatoes。
〃He was stanch and true； was little Tonga。 No man ever had a more
faithful mate。 At the night named he had his boat at the wharf。 As it
chanced； however； there was one of the convict… guard down there；a vile
Pathan who had never missed a chance of insulting and injuring me。 I
had always vowed vengeance； and now I had my chance。 It was as if fate
had placed him in my way that I might pay my debt before I left the island。
He stood on the bank with his back to me； and his carbine on his shoulder。
I looked abut for a stone to beat out his brains with； but none could I see。
Then a queer thought came into my head and showed me where I could
lay my hand on a weapon。 I sat down in the darkness and unstrapped my
