Chapter 7 of The Sign of the four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
Chapter 7, the episode of the barrel.
The police have brought a cab with them.
And in this is courted, Miss morstan back to her home, after
the Angelic fashion of women, she had borne trouble with a
calm face as long as there was someone weaker than herself to
support. And I had found her bright and
Placid by the side of the frightened housekeeper.
In the cab. However, she first turned faint
and then burst into a passion of weeping so sorely had she been
tried by The Adventures of the night.
She's told me since that she thought me cold and distant upon
that Journey she little guest to struggle within my breast, all
the effort of self restraint which held me back My sympathies
and my love went out to her even as my hand had in the garden.
I felt that years of the conventionalities of life, could
not teach me to know her. Sweet Brave Nature has had this
one day of strange experiences. Yeah, there were two thoughts
which sealed the words of affection upon my lips.
She was weak and helpless shaken in mind and nerve it was to take
her at a disadvantage to obtrude.
Love. Upon her.
At such a time were still. She was rich if homes.
His researchers were successful. She would be an heiress.
Was it fair? Was it honorable that a half-pay
surgeon should take such advantage of an intimacy which
chance Had brought about. Might she not look upon me as a
mere vulgar Fortune Seeker? I could not bear to risk, that
such a thought should cross her mind.
This Agra treasure intervened like an impassable barrier
between us. It was nearly 2:00 when we reach
to mrs. Cecil Foresters, the servants
had retired hours ago, but mrs. Forrester had been so interested
by the strange message which Miss morstan had received that
she had sat up in the hope of her return.
She opened the door herself, a middle-aged graceful woman and
he gave me joy to see how tenderly her arms stole around
the others waste and how motherly was the voice in which
she greeted her. She was clearly, no mere paid a
dependent but an honored friend, I was introduced and mrs.
Forrester earnestly, beg me to step in and tell her adventures,
I explained. However, the importance of my
errand and promised Faithfully to call and report any progress
which we might make with the case.
As we drove away, I stole a glance back and I still seem to
see that little group on the step, the too graceful, clinging
figures. The half-open door, the whole
light shining through stained glass, the barometer and the
bright steroids. It was soothing to catch even
that passing glimpse of a tranquil English home in the
midst of the Wild dark business, which had absorbed us, The more
I thought of what had happened. The Wilder and darker it grew.
I reviewed the whole extraordinary sequence of events
as I rattled on through the silent gas-lit streets.
There was the original problem that at least was pretty clear.
Now the death of Captain morstan the sending of the pearls, the
advertisement, the letter, we had only light upon all those
events. They had only led us her over to
a deeper and far more tragic. 3, the Indian treasure.
The Curious plan found among morstan's baggage.
The strange scene at Major sholto's death.
The rediscovery of the treasury immediately, followed by the
murder of the discoverer. The very singular accompaniments
to the crime, the footsteps remarkable weapons, the words
upon the card corresponding with those upon Captain morstan's
chart. Here was indeed a labyrinth in
which a man less singularly endowed the my fellow GE might,
well, despair of ever finding the clue.
Pinchin Lane was a row of shabby two-storied.
Brick houses in the lower quarter of Lambeth, I had to
knock for some time at number three.
Before I could make my impression at last, however,
there was the glint of a candle behind the Blind and a face
looked out at the upper window. Go on your drunken Vagabond said
the face, if you kick up any more, our I'll open the kennels
and let our 43 dogs upon you. If you'll let one out it's just
what I have come for said I go on yelled a voice so I'll be
gracious. I have a wiper in the bag and
I'll drop you on your head if you don't look it, but I want a
dog. I cried, I won't be argued with
shouted, mr. Sherman now stand clear.
When I say 3, dad goes a wiper. Mr. Sherlock Holmes, I began.
But the words are the most magical effect for the window
instantly, slammed down and within a minute, the door was
unbarred and open mr. Sherman was a lanky lean old
man. With stooping shoulders, a
stringy neck and blue tinted glasses.
A friend of Mr. Sherlock. He's always.
Welcome said he stepping sir, keep clear of the badger free B
naughty naughty, would you take a nip at the gentleman this to a
stoat which thrusts its Wicked head and red eyes Between the
Bars of its cage? No, my not sir.
It's only a slow worm. You ain't got no fangs.
So I gives it there. Another room for a Keeps The
Beatles down. He must have mind being just a
little short with you first for I'm guided.
The children and there's many a one just comes down this Lane to
knock me up. What was it mr.
Sherlock Holmes wanted sir. He wanted a dog of yours that
will be Toby. Yes, Toby was the name, Toby
lives at number 7 on the left there.
He moved slowly forward with his candle among the queer animal
family. Which he had gathered around him
in the uncertain, shadowy light. I could see dimly.
There were glancing. Glimmering eyes peeping down at
Us from every cranny and Corner. Even the rafters above.
Our heads were lined by solemn fouls who lazily shifted their
weight from one leg to the other as our voices Disturbed.
Their Slumbers Toby, proved to be an ugly long-haired.
Lop-eared creature half Spaniel and half lurcher brown and white
in color with a very clumsy waddling gait it accepted after
some hesitation a lump of sugar, which the old naturalist And it
to me and having the sealed an alliance, it followed me to the
cab and made, no difficulties about accompanying me.
It had just struck three on the palace clock.
When I found myself back once more at pondicherry lodge, the X
prize fighter McMurdo had. I found been arrested as an
accessory and both he and mr. Sholto had been marched off to
the station. Two constables guarded, the
narrow gate, but they allowed me to pass with the dog, on my
mentioning, the detectives name, Holmes was standing on the
doorstep with his hands in his pockets.
Smoking his pipe. Ah, you have him.
There said he good dog, then. Athelney Jones is gone.
We've had an immense display of energy since you left.
He is arrested. Not only friend Thaddeus, but
the gatekeeper the housekeeper and the Indian servant we have
the place to ourselves but for a sergeant upstairs, leave the dog
here and come up. We tied Toby to the hall table,
Andre ascended, the stairs. The room was, as he had left it.
Say that a sheet had been draped over the central figure a, we re
looking police Sergeant reclined in the corner.
Lend me your Bullseye sergeant said, my companion.
Now tie this bit of Card round my neck.
So, as to hang it in front of me, thank you.
Now, I must kick off my boots and stockings.
Just you carry them down with you Watson.
I'm going to do a little climbing and dip my handkerchief
into the creosote that will do. Now come up into the Garret with
me for a moment. We clambered up through the hole
Holmes, turned his light. Once more upon the Footsteps in
the dust I wish you particularly to notice these footmarks.
He said, Do You observe anything noteworthy about them?
They belong. I said to a child or a small
woman apart from their size though, is there nothing else?
I appear to be much as other footmarks.
Not at all. Look, here, this is the print of
right foot in the dust. Now, I make one with my naked
foot beside it. What is the chief difference?
Your toes are all cramped together.
The other printers each toe distinctly divided, quite.
So that is the point bear, that in mind.
Now, would you kindly step over to that flap window, and smell
the edge of the woodwork? I shall stay here as I have this
handkerchief in my hand. I did see director and was
instantly conscious of a strong tari smell.
That is where he put his foot in getting out.
If you can trace him. I should think that Toby will
have no difficulty now, run downstairs, loose, the dog and
look out for blundin. By the time that I got out into
the grounds Sherlock Holmes was on the roof and I could see him
like an enormous glow worm crawling very slowly along the
ridge. I lost sight of him behind a
stack of chimneys, but he presently reappeared and then
vanished. Once more upon the opposite
side, When I made my way around there, I found him seated at one
of the corner. Eve's, that's you Watson.
He cried. Yes, this is the place.
What is that black thing down there?
What about Errol top on it? Yes, no sign of a ladder.
No. Confound the fellow.
It's a most Breakneck place. I ought to be able to come down
where he could climb up. The water pipe feels pretty
firm. Here goes anyhow.
There was a scuffling of feet and the lantern began to come
steadily. Down, the side of the wall, then
with a light spring, he came onto the barrel and from there
to the Earth it was easy to follow him.
He said drawing on his stockings and Boots tiles, were loosened
the whole way along, and in his hurry had dropped this, it
confirms my diagnosis. As you Doctors Express it.
The object when she held up to me, was a small pocket or pouch
woven out of colored grasses, and with a few toward read,
beads strung around it, in shape and size.
It was not unlike a cigarette case inside were half a dozen
spines of dark wood sharp at one end and rounded at the other
like that, which had struck Bartholomew sholto, They are
hellish things said he look out. You don't prick yourself.
I'm delighted to have them for the chances are that they are.
All he has, there is a less fear of you, or me, finding one in
our skin before long. I would sooner face a martini
bullet myself. Are you game for a 6-mile?
Trudge Watson certainly, I answered your leg will stand it.
Oh, yes. Here you are, doggy.
Good old, Toby smell it. Toby smell it.
He pushed the creosote handkerchief under the dog's
nose, while the creature, stood with its fluffy legs separated.
And with a most comical cocteau its head, like a connoisseur.
Sniffing the bouquet of a famous vintage homes, then through the
handkerchief to a distance. Fastened, a stout cord to the
mongrels collar and led him to the foot of the water barrel.
The creature instantly broke into a succession of high
tremulous Yelps, and with his nose, on the ground, and his
tail in the air patted off upon the trail.
At a pace, which strained, his leash and kept us at the top of
our speed, the East have been gradually whitening and we can
now see some distance in the cold grey light the square.
Massive house with its black empty windows and high bare
walls towered up sad and forlorn. - I'll course LED right
across the grounds In and Out Among the trenches and pits
with, which they were scarred and intersected the whole place
with its scattered, dirt heaps, and Ill, grown shrubs.
And a blighted ill-omened look, which harmonized with the black
tragedy, which hung over it. On reaching the boundary wall,
Toby ran along, whining. Eagerly underneath, its shadow
and stopped finally in a corner screened by a young Beach.
Where the two walls, joined, several bricks have been
loosened, and the crevices left were worn down and rounded upon
the Lower Side as though, they had frequently been used as a
ladder homes. Clambered up and taking the dog
from me. He dropped it over upon the
other side. There's the print of wooden legs
hand. He remarked, as I mounted up
beside him. You see the slight smudge of
blood upon the white Plaster? What a lucky thing?
It is. We have had no very heavy rain
since yesterday. Sent will lie upon the road in
spite of their eight and twenty hours start.
I confess that I had my doubts myself.
When I reflected upon the great traffic which had passed along
the London Road in the interval, my fears were soon appeased.
However Toby never hesitated or swerved, but what'll Don in his
peculiar rolling fashion. Clearly the pungent smell of the
creosote. Rose, high above all other
contending cents. Do not imagine said, Holmes that
I depend for my success. In this case, upon the mere
chance of one of these fellows, having put his foot in the
chemical, I have knowledge now which would enable me to trace
them in many different ways. This, however, is the readiest,
and since Fortune has put it into our hands, I should be
culpable if I neglected it. It has however, prevented the
case from becoming the, pretty little intellectual problem,
which it at one time, promise to be, there might have been some
credit to be gained out of it. But for this to palpable clue,
there is credit. And to spare said, I assure you
homes, that I Marvel at the means by which you obtain your
results. In this case even more than I
did in the Jefferson, hope murder.
The thing seems to me to be deeper and more inexplicable.
How, for example, could you describe with such confidence?
The wooden-legged man for my dear boy.
It was Simplicity itself. I don't wish to be theatrical.
It is all patent and above board.
Two officers who are in command of a convict guard.
Learn an important secret as to buried treasure a map is drawn
for them by an Englishman named. Jonathan small.
You remember that we saw the name upon the chart in Captain
morstan's possession he had Find it in behalf of himself and his
associates. The sign of the four as he
somewhat dramatically called it aided.
By this chart the officers or one of them gets the treasure
and brings it to England leaving.
We will suppose some condition under which he received it.
Unfulfilled now, then why did not Jonathan small?
Get the treasure himself, the answer is obvious.
The chart is dated, at a time when In morstan was brought into
close association with convicts. Jonathan small did not get the
treasure because he and his associates were themselves
convicts and could not get away. But that's me a speculation said
I, it is more than that. It is the only hypothesis, which
covers the facts. Let us see how it fits in with
the sequel. Major sholto remains at peace
for some Years, Happy in the possession of his treasure.
Then he receives Letter from India, which gives him a great
fright. What was that a letter to say
that the men whom he had wronged have been set free.
Or had escaped. That is much more likely for.
He would have known what their term of imprisonment was, it
would not have been a surprise to him.
What does he do, then? He guards himself against a
wooden-legged man. A white man.
Mark you for he mistakes, a white Tradesman for him and
actually fires a pistol at him. Now only one white man's name is
on the chart. The others are Hindus or
mohammedans. There is no other white man.
Therefore we may say with confidence that the
wooden-legged man is identical with Jonathan.
Small, does the reasoning strike you as being faulty know, it's
clear and concise. Well, now let us put ourselves
in the place of Jonathan small. Let us look at it.
From his point of view, he comes to England with the double idea
of regaining, what he would consider to be his rights and of
having his revenge. Inge upon the man who had
wronged him, he found out where sholto lived and very, possibly,
he established Communications with someone inside the house.
There is this Butler. Lau a real whom we have not
seen. Mrs. Bernstone, gives him far
from a good character. Small could not find out.
However, where the treasure was hid for, no one ever knew, save
the major and one faithful servant who had died.
Suddenly small learns that the major is on his deathbed in a
frenzy less, the secret of the treasure died with him.
He runs the gauntlet of the guards, makes his way to the
dying man's window and is only deterred from entering by the
presence of his two sons mad with hate however against a dead
man. He enters the room that night
searches, his private papers, in the hope of discovering, some
memorandum relating to the treasure and finally leaves
Mentos Vis, visit in the short inscription, upon the card he
had doubtless planned beforehand.
That should he slay the major? He would leave some such record
upon the body as a sign. That it was not a common murder.
But from the point of view of the for associates, something in
the nature of an act of Justice Whimsical and bizarre, conceits
of this kind are common enough in the annals of crime and
usually afford valuable indications as to the criminal.
Do you follow? All this very clearly.
Now, what could Jonathan small? Do?
He could only continue to keep a secret watch upon the efforts
made to find the treasure. Possibly, he leaves England, and
only comes back at intervals. Then comes the discovery of the
Garret and he is instantly. Informed of it.
We again, trace the presence of some Confederate in the
household. Jonathan with his wooden leg is
utterly unable to reach the lofty room of Bartholomew
sholto. He takes with him, however, a
rather curious associate who gets over this difficulty, but
dips his naked foot into creosote, whence comes Toby and
a six-mile limp for a half-pay officer with a damaged tendo
Achilles, but it was the associate and not Jonathan who
committed the crime. Quite so, and rather to
Jonathan's discussed to judge, by the way, he stamped about
when he got into the room, he bore no grudge against
Bartholomew sholto and would have preferred if he could have
been simply bound and gagged, he did not wish to put his head in
a halter. There was no help for it.
However, the Savage instincts of His companion had broken out and
the poison had done its work so Jonathan small left his record.
Lowered the treasure box to the ground and followed it himself.
That was the train of events as far as I can.
Decipher them, of course, as to his personal appearance, he must
be middle-aged and must be sunburned after serving his
time, in such an oven as the andamans, his height is readily
calculated from the length of his stride.
And we know that he was bearded. His hairiness was the one point
which impressed itself upon Thaddeus sholto when he saw him
at the window, I don't know that there's anything else.
The associate are well, there is no great mystery in that but you
will know all about it soon enough.
How Sweet the morning air is see how that one?
Little Cloud floats. Like a pink feather from some
gigantic Flamingo. Now, the Red Room of the sun
pushes itself over the London, cloudbank It Shines on a good
many folk. But on non I dare bet who are on
a strange errand than you and I how small we feel with our petty
Ambitions. And Strivings in the presence of
the great Elemental forces of nature.
Are you well, up in your John? Paul fairly.
So I worked back to him through Carlisle.
That was like following the brook to the parent Lake.
He makes one curious, but profound remark.
It is that the chief proof of Man's real greatness lies in his
perception of his own smallness. It argues you see a power of
comparison and of appreciation, which is in itself.
A proof of nobility, there is much food for thought in rishta
you have not a pistol, have you? I have my stick.
It is just possible that we may need something of the sort.
If we get to their Lair, Jonathan I shall leave to you
but if the other turns nasty I shall shoot him dead.
He took out his revolver as he spoke and having loaded two of
the chamber's. He put it back into the
right-hand pocket of his jacket. We had during this time.
Been following the guidance of Toby down the half rural
Village. Aligned roads, which lead to the
Metropolis now. However we were beginning to
come among continuous streets where laborers and Doc men were
already astir and slatternly women were taking down shutters
and brushing. Doorsteps At the square top
Corner. Public houses business was just
beginning and rough-looking men were emerging rubbing their
sleeves across their beards, after their morning, wet strange
dogs sauntered up, and stared wonderingly at us as we passed.
But our inimitable Toby looked neither to the right nor to the
left, but trotted on words with his nose to the ground and an
occasional eager wine, which spoke of a hot scent.
We are traversed, streatham, Brixton camberwell, and now
found ourselves in Kennington Lane, having borne away through
the side streets, to the east of the oval, the men whom we
pursued seem to have taken a curiously zigzag road, with the
idea probably of escaping observation and never kept to
the main road. If a parallel side street, would
serve their turn at the foot of Kennington Lane, they had edged
away to the left through Bond Street and Mi Street.
Where the latter Street turns into nights Place, Toby cease to
Advanced but began to run backwards and forwards with one
ear cocked and the other drooping the very picture of
canine indecision. Then he waddled round in
circles, looking up to us from time to time as if asking for
sympathy and his embarrassment, what the juice is a matter with
the dog growled homes, they surely would not take a cab, or
golf in a balloon. perhaps they stood here for some time I
suggested It's all right, he's off again.
Said my companion in a tone of relief.
He was indeed off for after sniffing around again.
He suddenly made up his mind and darted away with an energy and
determination such as he had not yet.
Shown the sent appear to be much hotter, than, before for had not
even to put his nose on the ground, but tugged, his leash
and tried to break into a run I could see by The Gleam in homes
his eyes that he thought we were nearing the end of our journey.
Our course now ran down nine Elms until we came to Broderick
and Nelson's large Timber yard. Just passed the White Eagle
Tavern here. The dog frantic with excitement,
turned down through the side gate, into the enclosure where
the soyuz were already at work. On the dog race through sawdust
and shavings down an alley. Round a passage between two wood
piles. And finally, with a triumphant
Yelp sprang upon a large barrel which still stood upon the hand
trolley on, which it had been brought with lolling tongue and
blinking eyes, Toby stood upon The Cask looking from one to the
other of us for some sign of appreciation.
The stays of the barrel and the wheels of the trolley was
smeared with a dark liquid and the whole air was Heavy with the
smell of creosote. Sherlock Holmes, and I looked
blankly at each other and then burst simultaneously into an
uncontrollable fit of laughter. End of chapter 7.