the sign of the four(那四个的记号)-第6章
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school。〃
〃You will excuse me； Mr。 Sholto；〃 said Miss Morstan； 〃but I am here
at your request to learn something which you desire to tell me。 It is very
late； and I should desire the interview to be as short as possible。〃
〃At the best it must take some time；〃 he answered； 〃for we shall
certainly have to go to Norwood and see Brother Bartholomew。 We shall
all go and try if we can get the better of Brother Bartholomew。 He is
very angry with me for taking the course which has seemed right to me。
I had quite high words with him last night。 You cannot imagine what a
terrible fellow he is when he is angry。〃
〃If we are to go to Norwood it would perhaps be as well to start at
once；〃 I ventured to remark。
He laughed until his ears were quite red。 〃That would hardly do；〃 he
cried。 〃I don't know what he would say if I brought you in that sudden
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way。 No； I must prepare you by showing you how we all stand to each
other。 In the first place； I must tell you that there are several points in the
story of which I am myself ignorant。 I can only lay the facts before you
as far as I know them myself。
〃My father was； as you may have guessed； Major John Sholto； once of
the Indian army。 He retired some eleven years ago； and came to live at
Pondicherry Lodge in Upper Norwood。 He had prospered in India； and
brought back with him a considerable sum of money； a large collection of
valuable curiosities； and a staff of native servants。 With these advantages
he bought himself a house； and lived in great luxury。 My twin…brother
Bartholomew and I were the only children。
〃I very well remember the sensation which was caused by the
disappearance of Captain Morstan。 We read the details in the papers； and；
knowing that he had been a friend of our father's； we discussed the case
freely in his presence。 He used to join in our speculations as to what
could have happened。 Never for an instant did we suspect that he had the
whole secret hidden in his own breast；that of all men he alone knew the
fate of Arthur Morstan。
〃We did know； however； that some mysterysome positive danger
overhung our father。 He was very fearful of going out alone； and he
always employed two prize…fighters to act as porters at Pondicherry Lodge。
Williams； who drove you to…night； was one of them。 He was once light…
weight champion of England。 Our father would never tell us what it was
he feared； but he had a most marked aversion to men with wooden legs。
On one occasion he actually fired his revolver at a wooden…legged man；
who proved to be a harmless tradesman canvassing for orders。 We had to
pay a large sum to hush the matter up。 My brother and I used to think
this a mere whim of my father's； but events have since led us to change
our opinion。
〃Early in 1882 my father received a letter from India which was a
great shock to him。 He nearly fainted at the breakfast…table when he
opened it； and from that day he sickened to his death。 What was in the
letter we could never discover； but I could see as he held it that it was
short and written in a scrawling hand。 He had suffered for years from an
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enlarged spleen； but he now became rapidly worse； and towards the end of
April we were informed that he was beyond all hope； and that he wished
to make a last communication to us。
〃When we entered his room he was propped up with pillows and
breathing heavily。 He besought us to lock the door and to come upon
either side of the bed。 Then； grasping our hands； he made a remarkable
statement to us； in a voice which was broken as much by emotion as by
pain。 I shall try and give it to you in his own very words。
〃'I have only one thing；' he said； 'which weighs upon my mind at this
supreme moment。 It is my treatment of poor Morstan's orphan。 The
cursed greed which has been my besetting sin through life has withheld
from her the treasure； half at least of which should have been hers。 And
yet I have made no use of it myself；… …so blind and foolish a thing is
avarice。 The mere feeling of possession has been so dear to me that I
could not bear to share it with another。 See that chaplet dipped with
pearls beside the quinine…bottle。 Even that I could not bear to part with；
although I had got it out with the design of sending it to her。 You； my
sons； will give her a fair share of the Agra treasure。 But send her
nothingnot even the chapletuntil I am gone。 After all； men have been
as bad as this and have recovered。
〃'I will tell you how Morstan died；' he continued。 'He had suffered
for years from a weak heart； but he concealed it from every one。 I alone
knew it。 When in India； he and I； through a remarkable chain of
circumstances； came into possession of a considerable treasure。 I
brought it over to England； and on the night of Morstan's arrival he came
straight over here to claim his share。 He walked over from the station；
and was admitted by my faithful Lal Chowdar； who is now dead。 Morstan
and I had a difference of opinion as to the division of the treasure； and we
came to heated words。 Morstan had sprung out of his chair in a
paroxysm of anger； when he suddenly pressed his hand to his side； his face
turned a dusky hue； and he fell backwards； cutting his head against the
corner of the treasure…chest。 When I stooped over him I found； to my
horror； that he was dead。
〃'For a long time I sat half distracted； wondering what I should do。
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My first impulse was； of course； to call for assistance； but I could not but
recognize that there was every chance that I would be accused of his
murder。 His death at the moment of a quarrel； and the gash in his head；
would be black against me。 Again； an official inquiry could not be made
without bringing out some facts about the treasure； which I was
particularly anxious to keep secret。 He had told me that no soul upon earth
knew where he had gone。 There seemed to be no necessity why any soul
ever should know。
〃'I was still pondering over the matter； when； looking up； I saw my
servant； Lal Chowdar； in the doorway。 He stole in and bolted the door
behind him。 〃Do not fear； Sahib；〃 he said。 〃No one need know that you
have killed him。 Let us hide him away； and who is the wiser？〃 〃I did not
kill him；〃 said I。 Lal Chowdar shook his head and smiled。 〃I heard it
all； Sahib；〃 said he。 〃I heard you quarrel； and I heard the blow。 But my
lips are sealed。 All are asleep in the house。 Let us put him away
together。〃 That was enough to decide met。 If my own servant could not
believe my innocence； how could I hope to make it good before twelve
foolish tradesmen in a jury…box？ Lal Chowdar and I disposed of the
body that night； and within a few days the London papers were full of the
mysterious disappearance of Captain Morstan。 You will see from what I
say that I can hardly be blamed in the matter。 My fault lies in the fact
that we concealed not only the body； but also the treasure； and that I have
clung to Morstan's share as well as to my own。 I wish you； therefore； to
make restitution。 Put your ears down to my mouth。 The treasure is
hidden in' At this instant a horrible change came over his expression；
his eyes stared wildly； his jaw dropped； and he yelled； in a voice which I
can never forget； 'Keep him out！ For Christ's sake keep him out！' We
both stared round at the window behind us upon which his gaze was fixed。
A face was looking in at us out of the darkness。 We could see the
whitening of the nose where it was pressed against the glass。 It was a
bearded； hairy face； with wild cruel eyes and an expression of
concentrated malevolence。 My brother and I rushed towards the window；
but the man was gone。 When we returned to my father his head had
dropped and his pulse had ceased to beat。
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〃We searched the garden that night； but found no sign of the intruder；
save that just under the window a single footmark was visible in the
flower…bed。 But for that one trace； we might have thought that our
imaginations had conjured up that wild； fierce face。 We soon； however；
had another and a more striking proof that there were secret agencies at
work all round us。 The window of my father's room was found open in
the morning； his cupboards and boxes had been rifled； and upon his chest
was fixed a torn piece of paper； with the words 'The sign of the four'
scrawled across it。 What the phrase meant； or who our secret visitor may
have been； we never knew。 As far as we can judge； none of my father's
property had been actually stolen； though everything had been turned out。
My brother and I naturally associated this peculiar incident with the fear
which haunted my father during his life； but it is still a complete mystery
to us。〃
