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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　sticking…plaster　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　swiftly

to　Beckenham；　and　had　acted　as　interpreter　in　a　second

interview；　even　more　dramatic　than　the　first；　in　which

the　two　Englishmen　had　menaced　their　prisoner　with

instant　death　if　he　did　not　comply　with　their　demands。　

Finally；　finding　him　proof　against　every　threat；　they

had　hurled　him　back　into　his　prison；　and　after

reproaching　Melas　with　his　treachery；　which　appeared

from　the　newspaper　advertisement；　they　had　stunned　him

with　a　blow　from　a　stick；　and　he　remembered　nothing

more　until　he　found　us　bending　over　him。



And　this　was　the　singular　case　of　the　Grecian

Interpreter；　the　explanation　of　which　is　still

involved　in　some　mystery。　　We　were　able　to　find　out；

by　communicating　with　the　gentleman　who　had　answered

the　advertisement；　that　the　unfortunate　young　lady

came　of　a　wealthy　Grecian　family；　and　that　she　had

been　on　a　visit　to　some　friends　in　England。　　While

there　she　had　met　a　young　man　named　Harold　Latimer；

who　had　acquired　an　ascendancy　over　he　and　had

eventually　persuaded　her　to　fly　with　him。　　Her

friends；　shocked　at　the　event；　had　contented

themselves　with　informing　her　brother　at　Athens；　and

had　then　washed　their　hands　of　the　matter。　　The

brother；　on　his　arrival　in　England；　had　imprudently

placed　himself　in　the　power　of　Latimer　and　of　his

associate；　whose　name　was　Wilson　Kempthat　through

his　ignorance　of　the　language　he　was　helpless　in　their

hands；　had　kept　him　a　prisoner；　and　had　endeavored　by

cruelty　and　starvation　to　make　him　sign　away　his　own

and　his　sister's　property。　　They　had　kept　him　in　the

house　without　the　girl's　knowledge；　and　the　plaster

over　the　face　had　been　for　the　purpose　of　making

recognition　difficult　in　case　she　should　ever　catch　a

glimpse　of　him。　　Her　feminine　perception；　however；　had

instantly　seen　through　the　disguise　when；　on　the

occasion　of　the　interpreter's　visit；　she　had　seen　him

for　the　first　time。　　The　poor　girl；　however；　was

herself　a　prisoner；　for　there　was　no　one　about　the

house　except　the　man　who　acted　as　coachman；　and　his

wife；　both　of　whom　were　tools　of　the　conspirators。　

Finding　that　their　secret　was　out；　and　that　their

prisoner　was　not　to　be　coerced；　the　two　villains　with

the　girl　had　fled　away　at　a　few　hours'　notice　from　the

furnished　house　which　they　had　hired；　having　first；　as

they　thought；　taken　vengeance　both　upon　the　man　who

had　defied　and　the　one　who　had　betrayed　them。



Months　afterwards　a　curious　newspaper　cutting　reached

us　from　Buda…Pesth。　　It　told　how　two　Englishmen　who

had　been　traveling　with　a　woman　had　met　with　a　tragic

end。　　They　had　each　been　stabbed；　it　seems；　and　the

Hungarian　police　were　of　opinion　that　they　had

quarreled　and　had　inflicted　mortal　injuries　upon　each

other。　　Holmes；　however；　is；　I　fancy；　of　a　different

way　of　thinking；　and　holds　to　this　day　that；　if　one

could　find　the　Grecian　girl；　one　might　learn　how　the

wrongs　of　herself　and　her　brother　came　to　be　avenged。