Chapter 11 of the sign of the four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
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Chapter 11, the great Agra treasure, our captive sat in the
cabin, opposite to the iron box, which he had done so much and
waited so long to gain. He was a sunburned Reckless eyed
fellow with a network of lines and wrinkles all over his
mahogany features which told of a hard open-air life.
There was a singular prominence about his bearded chin, which
marked a man who is not to be easily turned from his purpose.
His age may have been 50 or thereabouts for his black.
Curly hair was thickly shot with gray.
His face in Repose was not an unpleasing.
One though, his heavy brows and aggressive chin, gave him.
As I had lately, seen a terrible expression when moved to anger.
He sat now with his handcuffed hands upon his lap and his head
sunk upon his breast. While he looked with his Keen
twinkling eyes at the box, which had been the cause of his ill
doings. It seemed to me that there was
more sorrow than anger in his rigid and contained,
countenance, once he looked up at me with a gleam of something
like humor, in his eyes, Well, Jonathan small said, Holmes,
lighting a cigar. I am.
Sorry that it has come to this. And so am I sir?
He answered frankly, I don't believe that I can swing over
the job. I give you my word on the book
that I never raised a hand against mr.
Sholto it was that little hellhound tongo who shot one of
his cursor, darts into him. I had no part in it.
Sir, I was as grieved as if it had been my blood relation.
I welded a little devil with the slack end of the Rope for it,
but it was done and I could not undo it again.
Have a cigar said, Holmes and you had best take a pull out of
my flask for your very wet. How could you expect so small
and weak. A man, as this black fellow to
overpower mr. Sholto and hold him.
While you are climbing the Rope. You seem to know as much about
it as if you were there. Sir, the truth is, I hope to
find the room. Clear, I knew the Abbot's of the
house, pretty well and it was a time when mr.
Sholto usually went down to his supper, I shall make no secret
of the business. The best defense that I can make
is just a simple truth. Now, if it had been the old
major, I would have swung through him with a light heart.
I would have thought no more of knife in him than, of smoking
the cigar. But it's cursed hard that I
should be lagged over this young Scholl Toe with whom.
I had no quarrel whatever you are under the charge of mr.
Athelney Jones of Scotland Yard. He is going to bring you up to
my rooms and I shall ask Ask you for a true account of the
matter, you must make a clean breast of it for, if you do.
I hope that I may be of use to you.
I think I can prove that the poison act so quickly that the
man was dead before ever, you reach the room that he was Sir,
I never got such a turn in my life, as when I saw him grinning
at me with his head on his shoulder, as I climbed through
the window. It fairly shook me, sir, I'd
have half killed Tonga for it if he had not scrambled off.
That was how he came to leave his club and some of his darts
to as he tells me which I daresay help to put you on our
track. Know how you kept on.
It is more than I could tell. I don't feel No Malice against
you for it, but it does seem a queer thing.
He added with a bitter smile, who died you have a fair claim
to know upon Arthur million of money?
Should spend the first half of my life building a Breakwater
and he andamans and I'm like to spend the other half digging
drains at more. It was an evil day for me.
When I first clapped eyes upon the merchant, Ahmed and had to
do with the Agra treasure, which never bought anything but a
curse yet upon the man who owned it to him.
It brought murder two major sholto.
It brought fear and guilt to me as meant slavery for life at
this moment. As only Jones thrust his broad
face and heavy shoulders into the tiny cabin, Quite a familiar
party. He remarked I think I shall ever
pull that flask ohms. Well, I think we may all
congratulate each other. Pity we didn't take the other
alive. There was no choice, I say
homes. You must confess to you.
Cut it, rather fine was all we could do to overall.
All is well, that ends well said, Holmes.
But I certainly did not know that.
The Aurora was such a clipper Smith says, she's one of the
fastest Launches on the river. And if he had another man to
help him with the engines, we should never have caught her.
He swears, he knew nothing of this Norwood business.
Neither did he tried our prisoner?
Not a word, I chose is launched because I heard that she was a
flyer. We told him nothing but we paid
him well and he was to get something handsome.
If we reached our vessel the Esmerelda at Gravesend Outward
Bound for the Brazil's Well, if he's done no wrong, we shall see
that. No wrong comes to him.
If we are pretty quick and catching our men, we are not so
quick. In condemning them was amusing
to notice how the consequential Jones was already.
Beginning to give himself, airs on the strength of the capture,
from the slight smile, which played over Sherlock Holmes's
face. I could see that the speech had
not been lost upon him. We will be at Vauxhall Bridge,
presently said, Jones, And she'll land you, dr.
Watson with the treasure box. I need hardly.
Tell you that. I'm taking a very grave
responsibility upon myself in doing this.
It is most irregular but of course, an agreement is an
agreement. I must however, as a matter of
Duty send an inspector with you since you have.
So valuable a charge, you will drive no doubt.
Yes, I shall Drive. He is a Pity, there is no key.
That we may make an inventory. First, you'll have to break it
open. Where is the key?
My man. At the bottom of the river said
small shortly hon. There was no use you given this
unnecessary trouble. We have had work enough already
through you. However, doctor I need not warn
you to be careful. Bring the box back with you to
the Baker Street rooms. You'll find us there on our way
to the station. They landed me at Vauxhall with
my heavy iron box and with a bluff, genial inspector as my
companion, a quarter of an hour's Drive, brought us to mrs.
Cecil Foresters the servant seem surprised at.
So later visitor, mrs. Cecil Forrester was out for the
evening, she explained and likely to be very late.
Miss morstan, however, was in the drawing room.
So, to the drawing room, I went box in hand leaving the
obliging, inspector in the cab. She was seated by the open
window dressed in some sort of white, diaphanous material with
a little touch of scarlet, at the neck and waist the soft
light of a. Shaded lamp fell upon her as she
leaned back in the basket. Chair playing over her sweet
grave face and tinting with a dull metallic.
Spark. The rich coils of her luxuriant
hair one, white arm and hand drooped over the side of the
chair. Her and her whole pose and
figure spoke of an absorbing Melancholy at the sound of my
footfall. She sprang to her feet.
However, and a bright flush of surprise, and of pleasure
colored, her pale cheeks. I heard a cab driver.
She said, I thought that mrs. Forrester had come back very
early but I never dreamed that. It might be you.
What news have you brought me? I have brought you something
better than news said. I putting down the box of The
table and speaking jovially. And boisterously though, my
heart was Heavy within me. I've brought you something which
is worth all the news in the world.
I have brought you a fortune. She glanced at the 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 10,000 pounds,
they 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, she said I owe it to you.
No, no, I answered not to me but 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 homes.
Is new method of search. The discovery of the Aurora, the
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. Alright again it was a shock to
me to hear that. I've 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. But 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. Banaras metalwork and so heavy.
She exclaimed trying to raise It.
The Box alone must be of some value.
Where is the key? Small, throw it into the Thames.
I answered. I must borrow mrs.
Forrest as poker. There was in the front a thick
and Broad hasp wrought in the image of her sitting butter.
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 ironwork 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 they
within it it was absolutely and completely empty.
To treasure is lost said Miss morstan calmly as I listen to
the words and realized what they meant, a great Shadow seemed to
pass from my soul. I did not know how this Agra
treasure had weighed me down until now that it was finally
removed, it was selfish, no doubt, disloyal wrong that I
could realize nothing say 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 Why I said thank God.
Then I say thank God to she whispered, as I drew her to my
side. Whoever had lost a treasure.
I knew that night that I had gained one end of chapter 11.
Whoever had lost a treasure. I knew that night that I had
gained one end of chapter 11.