the greek interpreter-第2节

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glanced　across　at　me　and　smiled。　Mycroft　took　snuff　from　a

tortoise…shell　box　and　brushed　away　the　wandering　grains　from　his　coat

front　with　a　large；　red　silk　handkerchief。

　　〃By　the　way；　Sherlock；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　had　something　quite　after

your　own　heart…a　most　singular　problem…submitted　to　my　judgment。　I

really　had　not　the　energy　to　follow　it　up　save　in　a　very　incomplete

fashion；　but　it　gave　me　a　basis　for　some　pleasing　speculations。　If　you

would　care　to　hear　the　facts…〃

　　〃My　dear　Mycroft；　I　should　be　delighted。〃

　　The　brother　scribbled　a　note　upon　a　leaf　of　his　pocket…book；　and；

ringing　the　bell；　he　handed　it　to　the　waiter。

　　〃I　have　asked　Mr。　Melas　to　step　across；〃　said　he。　〃He　lodges　on

the　floor　above　me；　and　I　have　some　slight　acquaintance　with　him；

which　led　him　to　come　to　me　in　his　perplexity。　Mr。　Melas　is　a　Greek　by

extraction；　as　I　understand；　and　he　is　a　remarkable　linguist。　He　earns

his　living　partly　as　interpreter　in　the　law　courts　and　partly　by

acting　as　guide　to　any　wealthy　Orientals　who　may　visit　the

Northumberland　Avenue　hotels。　I　think　I　will　leave　him　to　tell　his

very　remarkable　experience　in　his　own　fashion。〃

　　A　few　minutes　later　we　were　joined　by　a　short；　stout　man　whose　olive

face　and　coal　black　hair　proclaimed　his　Southern　origin；　though　his

speech　was　that　of　an　educated　Englishman。　He　shook　hands　eagerly　with

Sherlock　Holmes；　and　his　dark　eyes　sparkled　with　pleasure　when　he

understood　that　the　specialist　was　anxious　to　hear　his　story。

　　〃I　do　not　believe　that　the　police　credit　me…on　my　word；　I　do　not；〃

said　he　in　a　wailing　voice。　〃Just　because　they　have　never　heard　of

it　before；　they　think　that　such　a　thing　cannot　be。　But　I　know　that　I

shall　never　be　easy　in　my　mind　until　I　know　what　has　become　of　my　poor

man　with　the　sticking…plaster　upon　his　face。〃

　　〃I　am　all　attention；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。

　　〃This　is　Wednesday　evening；〃　said　Mr。　Melas。　〃Well；　then；　it　was

Monday　night…only　two　days　ago；　you　understand…that　all　this　happened。

I　am　an　interpreter；　as　perhaps　my　neighbour　there　has　told　you。　I

interpret　all　languages…or　nearly　all…but　as　I　am　a　Greek　by　birth　and

with　a　Grecian　name；　it　is　with　that　particular　tongue　that　I　am

principally　associated。　For　many　years　I　have　been　the　chief　Greek

interpreter　in　London；　and　my　name　is　very　well　known　in　the　hotels。

　　〃It　happens　not　unfrequently　that　I　am　sent　for　at　strange　hours

by　foreigners　who　get　into　difficulties；　or　by　travellers　who　arrive

late　and　wish　my　services。　I　was　not　surprised；　therefore；　on　Monday

night　when　a　Mr。　Latimer；　a　very　fashionably　dressed　young　man；　came

up　to　my　rooms　and　asked　me　to　accompany　him　in　a　cab　which　was

waiting　at　the　door。　A　Greek　friend　had　come　to　see　him　upon　business；

he　said；　and　as　he　could　speak　nothing　but　his　own　tongue；　the

services　of　an　interpreter　were　indispensable。　He　gave　me　to

understand　that　his　house　was　some　little　distance　off；　in　Kensington；

and　he　seemed　to　be　in　a　great　hurry；　bustling　me　rapidly　into　the　cab

when　we　had　descended　to　the　street。

　　〃I　say　into　the　cab；　but　I　soon　became　doubtful　as　to　whether　it　was

not　a　carriage　in　which　I　found　myself。　It　was　certainly　more　roomy

than　the　ordinary　four…wheeled　disgrace　to　London；　and　the　fittings；

though　frayed；　were　of　rich　quality。　Mr。　Latimer　seated　himself

opposite　to　me　and　we　started　off　through　Charing　Cross　and　up　the

Shaftesbury　Avenue。　We　had　come　out　upon　Oxford　Street　and　I　had

ventured　some　remark　as　to　this　being　a　roundabout　way　to

Kensington；　when　my　words　were　arrested　by　the　extraordinary　conduct

of　my　companion。

　　〃He　began　by　drawing　a　most　formidable…looking　bludgeon　loaded

with　lead　from　his　pocket；　and　switching　it　backward　and　forward

several　times；　as　if　to　test　its　weight　and　strength。　Then　he　placed

it　without　a　word　upon　the　seat　beside　him。　Having　done　this；　he

drew　up　the　windows　on　each　side；　and　I　found　to　my　astonishment

that　they　were　covered　with　paper　so　as　to　prevent　my　seeing　through

them。

　　〃'I　am　sorry　to　cut　off　your　view；　Mr。　Melas；'　said　he。　'The　fact　is

that　I　have　no　intention　that　you　should　see　what　the　place　is　to

which　we　are　driving。　It　might　possibly　be　inconvenient　to　me　if　you

could　find　your　way　there　again。'

　　〃As　you　can　imagine；　I　was　utterly　taken　aback　by　such　an　address。

My　companion　was　a　powerful；　broad…shouldered　young　fellow；　and；　apart

from　the　weapon；　I　should　not　have　had　the　slightest　chance　in　a

struggle　with　him。

　　〃'This　is　very　extraordinary　conduct；　Mr。　Latimer；'　I　stammered。

'You　must　be　aware　that　what　you　are　doing　is　quite　illegal。'

　　〃'It　is　somewhat　of　a　liberty；　no　doubt；'　said　he；　'but　we'll　make

it　up　to　you。　I　must　warn　you；　however；　Mr。　Melas；　that　if　at　any　time

to…night　you　attempt　to　raise　an　alarm　or　do　anything　which　is　against

my　interest；　you　will　find　it　a　very　serious　thing。　I　beg　you　to

remember　that　no　one　knows　where　you　are；　and　that；　whether　you　are　in

this　carriage　or　in　my　house；　you　are　equally　in　my　power。'

　　〃His　words　were　quiet　but　he　had　a　rasping　way　of　saying　them；　which

was　very　menacing。　I　sat　in　silence　wondering　what　on　earth　could　be

his　reason　for　kidnapping　me　in　this　extraordinary　fashion。　Whatever

it　might　be；　it　was　perfectly　clear　that　there　was　no　possible　use

in　my　resisting；　and　that　I　could　only　wait　to　see　what　might　befall。

　　〃For　nearly　two　hours　we　drove　without　my　having　the　least　clue　as

to　where　we　were　going。　Sometimes　the　rattle　of　the　stones　told　of　a

paved　causeway；　and　at　others　our　smooth；　silent　course　suggested

asphalt；　but；　save　by　this　variation　in　sound；　there　was　nothing　at

all　which　could　in　the　remotest　way　help　me　to　form　a　guess　as　to

where　we　were。　The　paper　over　each　window　was　impenetrable　to　light；

and　a　blue　curtain　was　drawn　across　the　glasswork　in　front。　It　was　a

quarter　past　seven　when　we　left　Pall　Mall；　and　my　watch　showed　me　that

it　was　ten　minutes　to　nine　when　we　at　last　came　to　a　standstill。　My

companion　let　down　the　window；　and　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　low；　arched

doorway　with　a　lamp　burning　above　it。　As　I　was　hurried　from　the

carriage　it　swung　open；　and　I　found　myself　inside　the　house；　with　a

vague　impression　of　a　lawn　and　trees　on　each　side　of　me　as　I

entered。　Whether　these　were　private　grounds；　however；　or　bona…fide

country　was　more　than　I　could　possibly　venture　to　say。

　　〃There　was　a　coloured　gaslamp　inside　which　was　turned　so　low　that

I　could　see　little　save　that　the　hall　was　of　some　size　and　hung　with

pictures。　In　the　dim　light　I　could　make　out　that　the　person　who　had

opened　the　door　was　a　small；　mean…looking；　middle…aged　man　with

rounded　shoulders。　As　he　turned　towards　us　the　glint　of　the　light

showed　me　that　he　was　wearing　glasses。

　　〃'Is　this　Mr。　Melas；　Harold？'　said　he。

　　〃'Yes。'

　　〃'Well　done；　well　done！　No　ill…will；　Mr。　Melas；　I　hope；　but　we　could

not　get　on　without　you。　If　you　deal　fair　with　us　you'll　not　regret　it；

but　if　you　try　any　tricks；　God　help　you！'　He　spoke　in　a　nervous；　jerky

fashion；　and　with　little　giggling　laughs　in　between；　but　somehow　he

impressed　me　with　fear　more　than　the　other。

　　〃'What　do　you　want　with　me？'　I　asked。

　〃'Only　to　ask　a　few　questions　of　a　Greek　gentleman　who　is　visiting

us；　and　to　let　us　have　the　answers。　But　say　no　more　than　you　are

told　to　say；　or…'　here　came　the　nervous　giggle　again…'you　had　better

never　have　been　born。'

　　　〃As　he　spoke　he　opened　a　door　and　showed　the　way　into　a　room

which　appeared　to　be　very　richly　furnished；　but　again　the　only　light

was　afforded　by　a　single　lamp　half…turned　down。　The　chamber　was

certainly　large；　and　the　way　in　which　my　feet　sank　into　the　carpet

as　I　stepped　across　it　told　me　of　its　richness。　I　caught　glimpses　of

velvet　chairs；　a　high　white　marble　mantelpiece；　and　what　seemed　to

be　a　suit　of　Japanese　armour　at　one　side　of　it。　There　was　a　chair　just

under　the　lamp；　and　the　elderly　man　motioned　that　I　should　sit　in

it。　The　younger　had　left　us；　but　he　suddenly　returned　through

another　door；　leading　with　him　a　gentleman　clad　in　some　sort　of

loose　dressing…gown　who　moved　slowly　towards　us。　As　he　came　into　the

circle　of　dim　light　which　enabled　me　to　see　him　more　clearly　I　was

thrilled　with　horror　at　his　appearance。　He　was　deadly　pale　and

terribly　emaciated；　with　the　protruding；　brilliant　eyes　of　a　man　whose

spirit　was　greater　than　his　strength。　But　what　shocked　me　more　than

any　signs　of　physical　weakness　was　that　his　face　was　grotesquely

criss…crossed　with　sticking…plaster　and　that　one　large　pad　of　it　was

fastened　over　his　mouth。

　　〃'Have　you　the　slate；　Harold？'　cried　the　older　man；　as　this

strange　being　fell　rather　than　sat　down　into　a　chair。　'Are　his　hands

loose？　Now；　then；　give　him　the　pencil。　You　are　to　ask　the　questions；

Mr。　Melas；　and　he　will　write　the　answers。　Ask　him　first　of　all　whether

he　is　prepared　to　sign　the　papers？'

　　〃The　man's　eyes　flashed　fire。

　　〃'Never！'　he　wrote　in　Greek　upon　the　slate。

　　〃'On　no　conditions？'　I　asked　at　the　bidding　of　our　tyrant。

　　〃'Only　if　I　see　her　married　in　my　presence　by　a　Greek　priest