the sign of the four(那四个的记号)-第20章
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there could no longer be any question about it。 At Greenwich we were
about three hundred paces behind them。 At Blackwall we could not have
been more than two hundred and fifty。 I have coursed many creatures in
many countries during my checkered career； but never did sport give me
such a wild thrill as this mad； flying man…hunt down the Thames。
Steadily we drew in upon them； yard by yard。 In the silence of the night
we could hear the panting and clanking of their machinery。 The man in
the stern still crouched upon the deck； and his arms were moving as
though he were busy； while every now and then he would look up and
measure with a glance the distance which still separated us。 Nearer we
came and nearer。 Jones yelled to them to stop。 We were not more than
four boat's lengths behind them； both boats flying at a tremendous pace。
It was a clear reach of the river； with Barking Level upon one side and the
melancholy Plumstead Marshes upon the other。 At our hail the man in
the stern sprang up from the deck and shook his two clinched fists at us；
cursing the while in a high； cracked voice。 He was a good…sized；
powerful man； and as he stood poising himself with legs astride I could
see that from the thigh downwards there was but a wooden stump upon the
right side。 At the sound of his strident； angry cries there was movement
in the huddled bundle upon the deck。 It straightened itself into a little
black manthe smallest I have ever seenwith a great； misshapen head
and a shock of tangled； dishevelled hair。 Holmes had already drawn his
revolver； and I whipped out mine at the sight of this savage； distorted
creature。 He was wrapped in some sort of dark ulster or blanket； which
left only his face exposed； but that face was enough to give a man a
sleepless night。 Never have I seen features so deeply marked with all
bestiality and cruelty。 His small eyes glowed and burned with a sombre
light； and his thick lips were writhed back from his teeth； which grinned
and chattered at us with a half animal fury。
〃Fire if he raises his hand；〃 said Holmes； quietly。 We were within a
boat's…length by this time； and almost within touch of our quarry。 I can
see the two of them now as they stood； the white man with his legs far
apart； shrieking out curses； and the unhallowed dwarf with his hideous
face； and his strong yellow teeth gnashing at us in the light of our lantern。
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It was well that we had so clear a view of him。 Even as we looked he
plucked out from under his covering a short； round piece of wood； like a
school…ruler； and clapped it to his lips。 Our pistols rang out together。
He whirled round； threw up his arms； and with a kind of choking cough
fell sideways into the stream。 I caught one glimpse of his venomous；
menacing eyes amid the white swirl of the waters。 At the same moment
the wooden… legged man threw himself upon the rudder and put it hard
down； so that his boat made straight in for the southern bank； while we
shot past her stern； only clearing her by a few feet。 We were round after
her in an instant； but she was already nearly at the bank。 It was a wild
and desolate place； where the moon glimmered upon a wide expanse of
marsh…land； with pools of stagnant water and beds of decaying vegetation。
The launch with a dull thud ran up upon the mud…bank； with her bow in
the air and her stern flush with the water。 The fugitive sprang out； but his
stump instantly sank its whole length into the sodden soil。 In vain he
struggled and writhed。 Not one step could he possibly take either
forwards or backwards。 He yelled in impotent rage； and kicked
frantically into the mud with his other foot； but his struggles only bored
his wooden pin the deeper into the sticky bank。 When we brought our
launch alongside he was so firmly anchored that it was only by throwing
the end of a rope over his shoulders that we were able to haul him out； and
to drag him； like some evil fish； over our side。 The two Smiths； father
and son； sat sullenly in their launch； but came aboard meekly enough
when commanded。 The Aurora herself we hauled off and made fast to
our stern。 A solid iron chest of Indian workmanship stood upon the deck。
This； there could be no question； was the same that had contained the ill…
omened treasure of the Sholtos。 There was no key； but it was of
considerable weight； so we transferred it carefully to our own little cabin。
As we steamed slowly up…stream again； we flashed our search…light in
every direction； but there was no sign of the Islander。 Somewhere in the
dark ooze at the bottom of the Thames lie the bones of that strange visitor
to our shores。
〃See here；〃 said Holmes； pointing to the wooden hatchway。 〃We
were hardly quick enough with our pistols。〃 There； sure enough； just
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behind where we had been standing； stuck one of those murderous darts
which we knew so well。 It must have whizzed between us at the instant
that we fired。 Holmes smiled at it and shrugged his shoulders in his easy
fashion； but I confess that it turned me sick to think of the horrible death
which had passed so close to us that night。
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CHAPTER XI 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 net…work 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 was not to
be easily turned from his purpose。 His age may have been fifty 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
hand against Mr。 Sholto。 It was that little hell… hound Tonga who shot
one of his cursed darts into him。 I had no part in it； sir。 I was as grieved
as if it had been my blood… relation。 I welted the 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 you are 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
were climbing the rope？〃
〃You seem to know as much about it as if you were there； sir。 The
truth is that I hoped to find the room clear。 I knew the habits of the house
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pretty well； and it was the time when Mr。 Sholto usually went down to his
supper。 I shall make no secret of the business。 The best defence that I
can make is just the simple truth。 Now； if it had been the old major I
would have swung for him with a light heart。 I would have thought no
more of knifing him than of smoking this cigar。 But it's cursed hard that
I should be lagged over this young Sholto； 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 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 acts
so quickly that the man was dead before ever you reached 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 too； as he tells me； which I dare say helped to put you on
our track； though how you kept on it is more than I can tell。 I don't feel
no malice against you for it。 But it does seem a queer thing；〃 he added；
with a bitter smile； 〃that I who have a fair claim to nigh upon half a
million of money should spend the first half of my life building a
breakwater in the Andamans； and am like to spend the other half digging
drains at Dartmoor。 It was an evil day for me when first I clapped eyes
upon the merchant Achmet and had to do with the Agra treasure； which
never brought anything but a cur
