the sign of the four(那四个的记号)-第26节
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heart was heavy within me。 〃I have brought you something which is
worth all the news in the world。 I have brought you a fortune。〃
She glanced at iron box。 〃Is that the treasure； then？〃 she asked；
coolly enough。
〃Yes； this is the great Agra treasure。 Half of it is yours and half is
Thaddeus Sholto's。 You will have a couple of hundred thousand each。
Think of that！ An annuity of ten thousand pounds。 There will be few
richer young ladies in England。 Is it not glorious？〃
I think that I must have been rather overacting my delight； and that she
detected a hollow ring in my congratulations； for I saw her eyebrows rise a
little； and she glanced at me curiously。
〃If I have it；〃 said she； 〃I owe it to you。〃
〃No； no；〃 I answered； 〃not to me； but to my friend Sherlock Holmes。
With all the will in the world； I could never have followed up a clue which
has taxed even his analytical genius。 As it was； we very nearly lost it at
the last moment。〃
〃Pray sit down and tell me all about it； Dr。 Watson；〃 said she。
I narrated briefly what had occurred since I had seen her last；
Holmes's new method of search； the discovery of the Aurora； the
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appearance of Athelney Jones； our expedition in the evening； and the wild
chase down the Thames。 She listened with parted lips and shining eyes
to my recital of our adventures。 When I spoke of the dart which had so
narrowly missed us； she turned so white that I feared that she was about to
faint。
〃It is nothing；〃 she said； as I hastened to pour her out some water。 〃I
am all right again。 It was a shock to me to hear that I had placed my
friends in such horrible peril。〃
〃That is all over；〃 I answered。 〃It was nothing。 I will tell you no
more gloomy details。 Let us turn to something brighter。 There is the
treasure。 What could be brighter than that？ I got leave to bring it with
me； thinking that it would interest you to be the first to see it。〃
〃It would be of the greatest interest to me；〃 she said。 There was no
eagerness in her voice； however。 It had struck her； doubtless； that it
might seem ungracious upon her part to be indifferent to a prize which had
cost so much to win。
〃What a pretty box！〃 she said； stooping over it。 This is Indian work； I
suppose？〃
〃Yes； it is Benares metal…work。〃
And so heavy！〃 she exclaimed； trying to raise it。 〃The box alone
must be of some value。 Where is the key？〃
〃Small threw it into the Thames；〃 I answered。 〃I must borrow Mrs。
Forrester's poker。〃 There was in the front a thick and broad hasp；
wrought in the image of a sitting Buddha。 Under this I thrust the end of
the poker and twisted it outward as a lever。 The hasp sprang open with a
loud snap。 With trembling fingers I flung back the lid。 We both stood
gazing in astonishment。 The box was empty！
No wonder that it was heavy。 The iron…work was two…thirds of an
inch thick all round。 It was massive； well made； and solid； like a chest
constructed to carry things of great price； but not one shred or crumb of
metal or jewelry lay within it。 It was absolutely and completely empty。
〃The treasure is lost；〃 said Miss Morstan； calmly。
As I listened to the words and realized what they meant； a great
shadow seemed to pass from my soul。 I did not know how this Agra
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treasure had weighed me down； until now that it was finally removed。 It
was selfish； no doubt； disloyal； wrong； but I could realize nothing save that
the golden barrier was gone from between us。 〃Thank God！〃 I ejaculated
from my very heart。
She looked at me with a quick； questioning smile。 〃Why do you say
that？〃 she asked。
〃Because you are within my reach again；〃 I said； taking her hand。
She did not withdraw it。 〃Because I love you； Mary； as truly as ever a
man loved a woman。 Because this treasure； these riches； sealed my lips。
Now that they are gone I can tell you how I love you。 That is why I said；
'Thank God。'〃
〃Then I say； 'Thank God；' too；〃 she whispered； as I drew her to my side。
Whoever had lost a treasure； I knew that night that I had gained one。
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CHAPTER XII The Strange Story
of Jonathan Small
A very patient man was that inspector in the cab； for it was a weary
time before I rejoined him。 His face clouded over when I showed him
the empty box。
〃There goes the reward！〃 said he； gloomily。 〃Where there is no
money there is no pay。 This night's work would have been worth a
tenner each to Sam Brown and me if the treasure had been there。〃
〃Mr。 Thaddeus Sholto is a rich man；〃 I said。 〃He will see that you are
rewarded； treasure or no。〃
The inspector shook his head despondently； however。 〃It's a bad job；〃
he repeated； 〃and so Mr。 Athelney Jones will think。〃
His forecast proved to be correct； for the detective looked blank
enough when I got to Baker Street and showed him the empty box。 They
had only just arrived； Holmes； the prisoner； and he； for they had changed
their plans so far as to report themselves at a station upon the way。 My
companion lounged in his arm…chair with his usual listless expression；
while Small sat stolidly opposite to him with his wooden leg cocked over
his sound one。 As I exhibited the empty box he leaned back in his chair
and laughed aloud。
〃This is your doing； Small；〃 said Athelney Jones； angrily。
〃Yes； I have put it away where you shall never lay hand upon it；〃 he
cried； exultantly。 〃It is my treasure； and if I can't have the loot I'll take
darned good care that no one else does。 I tell you that no living man has
any right to it； unless it is three men who are in the Andaman convict…
barracks and myself。 I know now that I cannot have the use of it； and I
know that they cannot。 I have acted all through for them as much as for
myself。 It's been the sign of four with us always。 Well I know that they
would have had me do just what I have done； and throw the treasure into
the Thames rather than let it go to kith or kin of Sholto or of Morstan。 It
was not to make them rich that we did for Achmet。 You'll find the
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treasure where the key is； and where little Tonga is。 When I saw that
your launch must catch us； I put the loot away in a safe place。 There are
no rupees for you this journey。〃
〃You are deceiving us； Small；〃 said Athelney Jones； sternly。 〃If you
had wished to throw the treasure into the Thames it would have been
easier for you to have thrown box and all。〃
〃Easier for me to throw； and easier for you to recover；〃 he answered；
with a shrewd； sidelong look。 〃The man that was clever enough to hunt
me down is clever enough to pick an iron box from the bottom of a river。
Now that they are scattered over five miles or so； it may be a harder job。
It went to my heart to do it； though。 I was half mad when you came up
with us。 However； there's no good grieving over it。 I've had ups in my
life； and I've had downs； but I've learned not to cry over spilled milk。〃
〃This is a very serious matter； Small；〃 said the detective。 〃If you had
helped justice； instead of thwarting it in this way； you would have had a
better chance at your trial。〃
〃Justice！〃 snarled the ex…convict。
