to 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.