the greek interpreter-第4节

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give　us　time　we　must　have　them。〃

　　〃But　how　can　we　find　where　this　house　lies？〃

　　〃Well；　if　our　conjecture　is　correct　and　the　girl's　name　is　or　was

Sophy　Kratides；　we　should　have　no　difficulty　in　tracing　her。　That　must

be　our　main　hope；　for　the　brother　is；　of　course；　a　complete

stranger。　It　is　clear　that　some　time　has　elapsed　since　this　Harold

established　these　relations　with　the　girl…some　weeks；　at　any

rate…since　the　brother　in　Greece　has　had　time　to　hear　of　it　and　come

across。　If　they　have　been　living　in　the　same　place　during　this　time；

it　is　probable　that　we　shall　have　some　answer　to　Mycroft's

advertisement。〃

　　We　had　reached　our　house　in　Baker　Street　while　we　had　been

talking。　Holmes　ascended　the　stair　first；　and　as　he　opened　the　door　of

our　room　he　gave　a　start　of　surprise。　Looking　over　his　shoulder；　I　was

equally　astonished。　His　brother　Mycroft　was　sitting　smoking　in　the

armchair。

　　〃Come　in；　Sherlock！　Come　in；　sir；〃　said　he　blandly；　smiling　at　our

surprised　faces。　〃You　don't　expect　such　energy　from　me；　do　you；

Sherlock？　But　somehow　this　can　attracts　me。〃

　　〃How　did　you　get　here？〃

　　〃I　passed　you　in　a　hansom。〃

　　〃There　has　been　some　new　development？〃

　　〃I　had　an　answer　to　my　advertisement。〃

　　〃Ah！〃

　　〃Yes；　it　came　within　a　few　minutes　of　your　leaving。〃

　　〃And　to　what　effect？〃

　　Mycroft　Holmes　took　out　a　sheet　of　paper。

　　〃Here　it　is；〃　said　he；　〃Written　with　a　J　pen　on　royal　cream　paper　by

a　middle…aged　man　with　a　weak　constitution。



　　〃SIR　＇he　says＇：

　　　　〃In　answer　to　your　advertisement　of　to…day's　date；　I　beg　to　inform

you　that　I　know　the　young　lady　in　question　very　well。　If　you　should

care　to　call　upon　me　I　could　give　you　some　particulars　as　to　her

painful　history。　She　is　living　at　present　at　The　Myrtles；　Beckenham。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yours　faithfully；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃J。　DAVENPORT。



　　〃He　writes　from　Lower　Brixton；〃　said　Mycroft　Holmes。　〃Do　you　not

think　that　we　might　drive　to　him　now；　Sherlock；　and　learn　these

particulars？〃

　　〃My　dear　Mycroft；　the　brother's　life　is　more　valuable　than　the

sister's　story。　I　think　we　should　call　at　Scotland　Yard　for

Inspector　Gregson　and　go　straight　out　to　Beckenham。　We　know　that　a　man

is　being　done　to　death；　and　every　hour　may　be　vital。〃

　　〃Better　pick　up　Mr。　Melas　on　our　way；〃　I　suggested。　〃We　may　need

an　interpreter。〃

　　〃Excellent；〃　said　Sherlock　Holmes。　〃Send　the　boy　for　a　four…wheeler；

and　we　shall　be　off　at　once。〃　He　opened　the　table…drawer　as　he

spoke；　and　I　noticed　that　he　slipped　his　revolver　into　his　pocket。

〃Yes；〃　said　he　in　answer　to　my　glance；　〃I　should　say；　from　what　we

have　heard；　that　we　are　dealing　with　a　particularly　dangerous　gang。〃

　　It　was　almost　dark　before　we　found　ourselves　in　Pall　Mall；　at　the

rooms　of　Mr。　Melas。　A　gentleman　had　just　called　for　him；　and　he　was

gone。

　　〃Can　you　tell　me　where？〃　asked　Mycroft　Holmes。

　　〃I　don't　know；　sir；〃　answered　the　woman　who　had　opened　the　door；

〃I　only　know　that　he　drove　away　with　the　gentleman　in　a　carriage。〃

　　〃Did　the　gentleman　give　a　name？〃

　　〃No；　sir。〃

　　〃He　wasn't　a　tall；　handsome。　dark　young　man？〃

　　〃Oh；　no；　sir。　He　was　a　little　gentleman；　with　glasses；　thin　in　the

face；　but　very　pleasant　in　his　ways；　for　he　was　laughing　all　the

time　that　he　was　talking。〃

　　〃Come　along！〃　cried　Sherlock　Holmes　abruptly。　〃This　grows

serious；〃　he　observed　as　we　drove　to　Scotland　Yard。　〃These　men　have

got　hold　of　Melas　again。　He　is　a　man　of　no　physical　courage；　as　they

are　well　aware　from　their　experience　the　other　night。　This　villain　was

able　to　terrorize　him　the　instant　that　he　got　into　his　presence。　No

doubt　they　want　his　professional　services；　but；　having　used　him；

they　may　be　inclined　to　punish　him　for　what　they　will　regard　as　his

treachery。〃

　　Our　hope　was　that；　by　taking　train；　we　might　get　to　Beckenham　as

soon　as　or　sooner　than　the　carriage。　On　reaching　Scotland　Yard；

however；　it　was　more　than　an　hour　before　we　could　get　Inspector

Gregson　and　comply　with　the　legal　formalities　which　would　enable　us　to

enter　the　house。　It　was　a　quarter　to　ten　before　we　reached　London

Bridge；　and　half　past　before　the　four　of　us　alighted　on　the

Beckenham　platform。　A　drive　of　half　a　mile　brought　us　to　The　Myrtles…a

large；　dark　house　standing　back　from　the　road　in　its　own　grounds。　Here

we　dismissed　our　cab　and　made　our　way　up　the　drive　together。

　　〃The　windows　are　all　dark；〃　remarked　the　inspector。　〃The　house　seems

deserted。〃

　　〃Our　birds　are　flown　and　the　nest　empty；〃　said　Holmes。

　　〃Why　do　you　say　so？〃

　　〃A　carriage　heavily　loaded　with　luggage　has　passed　out　during　the

last　hour。〃

　　The　inspector　laughed。　〃I　saw　the　wheel…tracks　in　the　light　of　the

gate…lamp；　but　where　does　the　luggage　come　in？〃

　　〃You　may　have　observed　the　same　wheel…tracks　going　the　other　way。

But　the　outward…bound　ones　were　very　much　deeper…so　much　so　that　we

can　say　for　a　certainty　that　there　was　a　very　considerable　weight　on

the　carriage。〃

　　〃You　get　a　trifle　beyond　me　there；〃　said　the　inspector；　shrugging

his　shoulders。　〃It　will　not　be　an　easy　door　to　force；　but　we　will

try　if　we　cannot　make　someone　hear　us。〃

　　He　hammered　loudly　at　the　knocker　and　pulled　at　the　bell；　but

without　any　success。　Holmes　had　slipped　away；　but　he　came　back　in　a

few　minutes。

　　〃I　have　a　window　open；〃　said　he。

　　〃It　is　a　mercy　that　you　are　on　the　side　of　the　force；　and　not

against　it；　Mr。　Holmes；〃　remarked　the　inspector　as　he　noted　the　clever

way　in　which　my　friend　had　forced　back　the　catch。　〃Well；　I　think

that　under　the　circumstances　we　may　enter　without　an　invitation。〃

　　One　after　the　other　we　made　our　way　into　a　large　apartment；　which

was　evidently　that　in　which　Mr。　Melas　had　found　himself。　The　inspector

had　lit　his　lantern；　and　by　its　light　we　could　see　the　two　doors；

the　curtain；　the　lamp；　and　the　suit　of　Japanese　mail　as　he　had

described　them。　On　the　table　lay　two　glasses；　an　empty

brandy…bottle；　and　the　remains　of　a　meal。

　　〃What　is　that？〃　asked　Holmes　suddenly。

　　We　all　stood　still　and　listened。　A　low　moaning　sound　was　coming　from

somewhere　over　our　heads。　Holmes　rushed　to　the　door　and　out　into　the

hall。　The　dismal　noise　came　from　upstairs。　He　dashed　up；　the　inspector

and　I　at　his　heels；　while　his　brother　Mycroft　followed　as　quickly　as

his　great　bulk　would　permit。

　　Three　doors　faced　us　upon　the　second　floor；　and　it　was　from　the

central　of　these　that　the　sinister　sounds　were　issuing；　sinking

sometimes　into　a　dull　mumble　and　rising　again　into　a　shrill　whine。

It　was　locked；　but　the　key　had　been　left　on　the　outside。　Holmes

flung　open　the　door　and　rushed　in；　but　he　was　out　again　in　an　instant；

with　his　hand　to　his　throat。

　　〃It's　charcoal；〃　he　cried。　〃Give　it　time。　It　will　clear。〃

　　Peering　in；　we　could　see　that　the　only　light　in　the　room　came　from　a

dull　blue　flame　which　flickered　from　a　small　brass　tripod　in　the

centre。　It　threw　a　livid；　unnatural　circle　upon　the　floor；　while　in

the　shadows　beyond　we　saw　the　vague　loom　of　two　figures　which　crouched

against　the　wall。　From　the　open　door　there　reeked　a　horrible　poisonous

exhalation　which　set　us　gasping　and　coughing。　Holmes　rushed　to　the　top

of　the　stairs　to　draw　in　the　fresh　air；　and　then；　dashing　into　the

room；　he　threw　up　the　window　and　hurled　the　brazen　tripod　out　into　the

garden。

　　〃We　can　enter　in　a　minute；〃　he　gasped；　darting　out　again。　〃Where

is　a　candle？　I　doubt　if　we　could　strike　a　match　in　that　atmosphere。

Hold　the　light　at　the　door　and　we　shall　get　them　out；　Mycroft；　now！〃

　　With　a　rush　we　got　to　the　poisoned　men　and　dragged　them　out　into　the

well　lit　hall。　Both　of　them　were　blue…lipped　and　insensible；　with

swollen；　congested　faces　and　protruding　eyes。　Indeed；　so　distorted

were　their　features　that；　save　for　his　black　beard　and　stout　figure；

we　might　have　failed　to　recognize　in　one　of　them　the　Greek　interpreter

who　had　parted　from　us　only　a　few　hours　before　at　the　Diogenes　Club。

His　hands　and　feet　were　securely　strapped　together；　and　he　bore　over

one　eye　the　marks　of　a　violent　blow。　The　other；　who　was　secured　in　a

similar　fashion；　was　a　tall　man　in　the　last　stage　of　emaciation；

with　several　strips　of　stickingplaster　arranged　in　a　grotesque　pattern

over　his　face。　He　had　ceased　to　moan　as　we　laid　him　down；　and　a　glance

showed　me　that　for　him　at　least　our　aid　had　come　too　late。　Mr。

Melas；　however；　still　lived；　and　in　less　than　an　hour；　with　the　aid　of

ammonia　and　brandy；　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　seeing　him　open　his

eyes；　and　of　knowing　that　my　hand　had　drawn　him　back　from　that　dark

valley　in　which　all　paths　meet。

　　It　was　a　simple　story　which　he　had　to　tell；　and　one　which　did　but

confirm　our　own　deductions。　His　visitor；　on　entering　his　rooms；　had

drawn　a　life…preserver　from　his　sleeve；　and　had　so　impressed　him

with　the　fear　of　instant　and　inevitable　death　that　he　had　kidnapped

him　for　the　second　time。　Indeed；　it　was　almost　mesmeric；　the　effect

which　this　giggling　ruffian　had　produced　upon　the　unfortunate

linguist；　for　he　could　not　speak　of　him　save　with　trembling　hands

and　a　blanched　cheek。　He　had　been　taken　swi