be of a rare and of considerable value. Your statement is most interesting. - Where are you going?.. - Watson. Watson. This is my friend, Dr. Watson. Like your father he was an officer in an Indian regiment. And he is very brave. Your pearl, miss Morstan. Has anything else occurred to you? This morning I received this letter. - Read it. - The envelope, too, please. Post-mark, London, S. W. Date, September 7. Man's thumb-mark on corner. Probably postman. Best quality paper. Envelopes at sixpence a packet. No address. ''Be at the left pillar outside the Lyceum Theatre If you are distrustful bring two friends. You are a wronged woman and shall have justice. Do not bring police. If you do, all will be in vain. Your unknown friend.'' - What do you intend to do? - To meet the unknown friend. And which two friends you shall choose? You and Dr. Watson. Would you come? I was so happy to see him here. I thought you had been here alone. I do not have any friends here whom I could rely on. I agree to come with you. I do not know about Dr. Watson. Would you come, doctor? If I can be of any service. If I am here at six it will do, I suppose? We had better pick you up. Wait for us at six o'clock. Good bye. Good bye. What a very attractive woman! Is she? I did not observe. It is of the first importance, Watson, not to allow your judgment to be biased by personal qualities. The most winning woman I ever knew was hanged for poisoning three little children for their insurance-money. and the most repellent man of my acquaintance is a philanthropist who has spent nearly a quarter of a million upon the London poor. The exceptions prove the rule. And what about Irene Adler? Irene Adler was a good lesson for both of us. I have just found, on consulting the back files of the Times, that Major Sholto, of Upper Norwood, late of the Thirty-fourth Bombay Infantry, died six years ago. I may be very obtuse, Holmes, but I fail to see what this suggests. No? Look at it in this way, then. Captain Morstan comes to England and disappears. The only person in London whom he could have visited is Major Sholto. Major Sholto denies having heard that he was in London. Four years later Sholto dies. Within a week of his death Captain Morstan's daughter receives a valuable present, which is repeated from year to year during six years. Six years, I emphasize. And now culminates in a letter which describes her as a wronged woman. What wrong can it refer to except this deprivation of her father. And why should the presents begin immediately after Sholto's death unless it is that Sholto's heir knows something and desires to make compensation? But what a strange compensation! Good evening. Good evening. A curious paper was found in Papa's desk. It is paper of native Indian manufacture. The diagram upon it appears to be a plan of part of a large building. In the left-hand corner is a small cross done in red ink. And above it is '3.37.' In the left-hand corner is a curious hieroglyphic. It is written 'The sign of the four' and some names: Mahomet Singh, Jonathan Small, Abdullah Khan, Dost Akbar. I confess that I do not see how this bears upon the matter. Preserve it carefully, then, Miss Morstan, for it may prove to be of use to us. Are you the parties who come with Miss Morstan? I am Miss Morstan, and these two gentlemen are my friends. You will excuse me, miss, but give me your word that neither of your companions is a police-officer. I give you my word on that. Cold Harbour Lane. Now we come out on the Vauxhall Bridge Road. Our quest does not appear to take us to very fashionable regions. We are making for the Surrey side apparently. Yes, I thought so. Miss Morstan. Miss Morstan. Pray step into my little sanctum. A small place, but furnished to my own liking. An oasis of art in the howling desert of South London. Mr. ------------------------------ Читайте также: - текст Роксана на английском - текст Странствия сердца на английском - текст Интервенция на английском - текст Планета Бурь на английском - текст Дракула Брэма Стокера на английском |