the sign of the four(那四个的记号)-第27节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
better chance at your trial。〃
〃Justice！〃 snarled the ex…convict。 〃A pretty justice！ Whose loot is
this； if it is not ours？ Where is the justice that I should give it up to those
who have never earned it？ Look how I have earned it！ Twenty long
years in that fever…ridden swamp； all day at work under the mangrove…tree；
all night chained up in the filthy convict…huts； bitten by mosquitoes；
racked with ague； bullied by every cursed black…faced policeman who
loved to take it out of a white man。 That was how I earned the Agra
treasure； and you talk to me of justice because I cannot bear to feel that I
have paid this price only that another may enjoy it！ I would rather swing
a score of times； or have one of Tonga's darts in my hide； than live in a
convict's cell and feel that another man is at his ease in a palace with the
money that should be mine。〃 Small had dropped his mask of stoicism；
and all this came out in a wild whirl of words； while his eyes blazed； and
the handcuffs clanked together with the impassioned movement of his
hands。 I could understand； as I saw the fury and the passion of the man；
that it was no groundless or unnatural terror which had possessed Major
Sholto when he first learned that the injured convict was upon his track。
'You forget that we know nothing of all this；〃 said Holmes quietly。
93
… Page 94…
The Sign of the Four
〃We have not heard your story； and we cannot tell how far justice may
originally have been on your side。〃
〃Well； sir； you have been very fair…spoken to me； though I can see that
I have you to thank that I have these bracelets upon my wrists。 Still； I
bear no grudge for that。 It is all fair and above…board。 If you want to
hear my story I have no wish to hold it back。 What I say to you is God's
truth； every word of it。 Thank you； you can put the glass beside me here；
and I'll put my lips to it if I am dry。
〃I am a Worcestershire man myself；born near Pershore。 I dare say
you would find a heap of Smalls living there now if you were to look。 I
have often thought of taking a look round there； but the truth is that I was
never much of a credit to the family； and I doubt if they would be so very
glad to see me。 They were all steady； chapel…going folk； small farmers；
well known and respected over the country…side； while I was always a bit
of a rover。 At last； however； when I was about eighteen； I gave them no
more trouble； for I got into a mess over a girl； and could only get out of it
again by taking the queen's shilling and joining the 3d Buffs； which was
just starting for India。
〃I wasn't destined to do much soldiering； however。 I had just got past
the goose…step； and learned to handle my musket； when I was fool enough
to go swimming in the Ganges。 Luckily for me； my company sergeant；
John Holder； was in the water at the same time； and he was one of the
finest swimmers in the service。 A crocodile took me； just as I was half…
way across； and nipped off my right leg as clean as a surgeon could have
done it； just above the knee。 What with the shock and the loss of blood； I
fainted； and should have drowned if Holder had not caught hold of me and
paddled for the bank。 I was five months in hospital over it； and when at
last I was able to limp out of it with this timber toe strapped to my stump I
found myself invalided out of the army and unfitted for any active
occupation。
〃I was； as you can imagine； pretty down on my luck at this time； for I
was a useless cripple though not yet in my twentieth year。 However； my
misfortune soon proved to be a blessing in disguise。 A man named
Abelwhite； who had come out there as an indigo… planter； wanted an
94
… Page 95…
The Sign of the Four
overseer to look after his coolies and keep them up to their work。 He
happened to be a friend of our colonel's； who had taken an interest in me
since the accident。 To make a long story short； the colonel recommended
me strongly for the post and； as the work was mostly to be done on
horseback； my leg was no great obstacle； for I had enough knee left to
keep good grip on the saddle。 What I had to do was to ride over the
plantation； to keep an eye on the men as they worked； and to report the
idlers。 The pay was fair； I had comfortable quarters； and altogether I was
content to spend the remainder of my life in indigo…planting。 Mr。
Abelwhite was a kind man； and he would often drop into my little shanty
and smoke a pipe with me； for white folk out there feel their hearts warm
to each other as they never do here at home。
〃Well； I was never in luck's way long。 Suddenly； without a note of
warning； the great mutiny broke upon us。 One month India lay as still
and peaceful； to all appearance； as Surrey or Kent； the next there were two
hundred thousand black devils let loose； and the country was a perfect hell。
Of course you know all about it； gentlemen；a deal more than I do； very
like； since reading is not in my line。 I only know what I saw with my
own eyes。 Our plantation was at a place called Muttra； near the border of
the Northwest Provinces。 Night after night the whole sky was alight with
the burning bungalows； and day after day we had small companies of
Europeans passing through our estate with their wives and children； on
their way to Agra； where were the nearest troops。 Mr。 Abelwhite was an
obstinate man。 He had it in his head that the affair had been exaggerated；
and that it would blow over as suddenly as it had sprung up。 There he sat
on his veranda； drinking whiskey…pegs and smoking cheroots； while the
country was in a blaze about him。 Of course we stuck by him； I and
Dawson； who； with his wife； used to do the book…work and the managing。
Well； one fine day the crash came。 I had been away on a distant
plantation； and was riding slowly home in the evening； when my eye fell
upon something all huddled together at the bottom of a steep nullah。 I
rode down to see what it was； and the cold struck through my heart when I
found it was Dawson's wife； all cut into ribbons； and half eaten by jackals
and native dogs。 A little further up the road Dawson himself was lying
95
… Page 96…
The Sign of the Four
on his face； quite dead； with an empty revolver in his hand and four
Sepoys lying across each other in front of him。 I reined up my horse；
wondering which way I should turn； but at that moment I saw thick smoke
curling up from Abelwhite's bungalow and the flames beginning to burst
through the roof。 I knew then that I could do my employer no good； but
would only throw my own life away if I meddled in the matter。 From
where I stood I could see hundreds of the black fiends； with their red coats
still on their backs； dancing and howling round the burning house。 Some
of them pointed at me； and a couple of bullets sang past my head； so I
broke away across the paddy…fields； and found myself late at night safe
within the walls at Agra。
〃As it proved； however； there was no great safety there； either。 The
whole country was up like a swarm of bees。 Wherever the English could
collect in little bands they held just the ground that their guns commanded。
Everywhere else they were helpless fugitives。 It was a fight of the
millions against the hundreds； and the cruellest part of it was that these
men that we fought against； foot； horse； and gunners； were our own picked
troops； whom we had taught and trained； handling our own weapons； and
blowing our own bugle…calls。 At Agra there were the 3d Bengal Fusiliers；
some Sikh
