the sign of the four(那四个的记号)-第25章
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they knew that they would have their throats cut for their pains。 Besides；
it was my life or his when once he was in the fort。 If he had got out； the
whole business would come to light； and I should have been court…
martialled and shot as likely as not； for people were not very lenient at a
time like that。〃
〃Go on with your story；〃 said Holmes； shortly。
〃Well； we carried him in； Abdullah； Akbar； and I。 A fine weight he
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was； too； for all that he was so short。 Mahomet Singh was left to guard
the door。 We took him to a place which the Sikhs had already prepared。
It was some distance off； where a winding passage leads to a great empty
hall； the brick walls of which were all crumbling to pieces。 The earth
floor had sunk in at one place； making a natural grave； so we left Achmet
the merchant there； having first covered him over with loose bricks。 This
done； we all went back to the treasure。
〃It lay where he had dropped it when he was first attacked。 The box
was the same which now lies open upon your table。 A key was hung by a
silken cord to that carved handle upon the top。 We opened it； and the
light of the lantern gleamed upon a collection of gems such as I have read
of and thought about when I was a little lad at Pershore。 It was blinding
to look upon them。 When we had feasted our eyes we took them all out
and made a list of them。 There were one hundred and forty…three
diamonds of the first water； including one which has been called； I believe；
'the Great Mogul' and is said to be the second largest stone in existence。
Then there were ninety…seven very fine emeralds； and one hundred and
seventy rubies； some of which； however； were small。 There were forty
carbuncles； two hundred and ten sapphires； sixty…one agates； and a great
quantity of beryls； onyxes； cats'…eyes； turquoises； and other stones； the
very names of which I did not know at the time； though I have become
more familiar with them since。 Besides this； there were nearly three
hundred very fine pearls； twelve of which were set in a gold coronet。 By
the way； these last had been taken out of the chest and were not there when
I recovered it。
〃After we had counted our treasures we put them back into the chest
and carried them to the gate…way to show them to Mahomet Singh。 Then
we solemnly renewed our oath to stand by each other and be true to our
secret。 We agreed to conceal our loot in a safe place until the country
should be at peace again； and then to divide it equally among ourselves。
There was no use dividing it at present； for if gems of such value were
found upon us it would cause suspicion； and there was no privacy in the
fort nor any place where we could keep them。 We carried the box；
therefore； into the same hall where we had buried the body； and there；
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under certain bricks in the best…preserved wall； we made a hollow and put
our treasure。 We made careful note of the place； and next day I drew four
plans； one for each of us； and put the sign of the four of us at the bottom；
for we had sworn that we should each always act for all； so that none
might take advantage。 That is an oath that I can put my hand to my heart
and swear that I have never broken。
〃Well； there's no use my telling you gentlemen what came of the
Indian mutiny。 After Wilson took Delhi and Sir Colin relieved Lucknow
the back of the business was broken。 Fresh troops came pouring in； and
Nana Sahib made himself scarce over the frontier。 A flying column
under Colonel Greathed came round to Agra and cleared the Pandies away
from it。 Peace seemed to be settling upon the country； and we four were
beginning to hope that the time was at hand when we might safely go off
with our shares of the plunder。 In a moment； however； our hopes were
shattered by our being arrested as the murderers of Achmet。
〃It came about in this way。 When the rajah put his jewels into the
hands of Achmet he did it because he knew that he was a trusty man。
They are suspicious folk in the East； however： so what does this rajah do
but take a second even more trusty servant and set him to play the spy
upon the first？ This second man was ordered never to let Achmet out of
his sight； and he followed him like his shadow。 He went after him that
night and saw him pass through the doorway。 Of course he thought he
had taken refuge in the fort； and applied for admission there himself next
day； but could find no trace of Achmet。 This seemed to him so strange
that he spoke about it to a sergeant of guides； who brought it to the ears of
the commandant。 A thorough search was quickly made； and the body
was discovered。 Thus at the very moment that we thought that all was
safe we were all four seized and brought to trial on a charge of murder；
three of us because we had held the gate that night； and the fourth because
he was known to have been in the company of the murdered man。 Not a
word about the jewels came out at the trial； for the rajah had been deposed
and driven out of India： so no one had any particular interest in them。
The murder； however； was clearly made out； and it was certain that we
must all have been concerned in it。 The three Sikhs got penal servitude
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for life； and I was condemned to death； though my sentence was
afterwards commuted into the same as the others。
〃It was rather a queer position that we found ourselves in then。 There
we were all four tied by the leg and with precious little chance of ever
getting out again； while we each held a secret which might have put each
of us in a palace if we could only have made use of it。 It was enough to
make a man eat his heart out to have to stand the kick and the cuff of every
petty jack…in… office； to have rice to eat and water to drink； when that
gorgeous fortune was ready for him outside； just waiting to be picked up。
It might have driven me mad； but I was always a pretty stubborn one； so I
just held on and bided my time。
〃At last it seemed to me to have come。 I was changed from Agra to
Madras； and from there to Blair Island in the Andamans。 There are very
few white convicts at this settlement； and； as I had behaved well from the
first； I soon found myself a sort of privileged person。 I was given a hut in
Hope Town； which is a small place on the slopes of Mount Harriet； and I
was left pretty much to myself。 It is a dreary； fever…stricken place； and all
beyond our little clearings was infested with wild cannibal natives； who
were ready enough to blow a poisoned dart at us if they saw a chance。
There was digging； and ditching； and yam… planting； and a dozen other
things to be done； so we were busy enough al day； though in the evening
we had a little time to ourselves。 Among other things； I learned to
dispense drugs for the surgeon； and picked up a smattering of his
knowledge。 All the time I was on the lookout for a chance of escape； but
it is hundreds of miles from any other land； and there is little or no wind in
those seas： so it was a terribly difficult job to get away。
〃The surgeon； Dr。 Somerton； was a fast； sporting young chap； and the
other young officers would meet in his rooms of an evening and play cards。
The surgery； where I used to make up my drugs； was next to his sitting…
room； with a small window between us。 Often； if I felt lonesome； I used
to turn out the lamp in the surgery； and then； standing there； I could hear
their talk and watch their play。 I am fond of a hand at cards myself； and
it was almost as good as having one to watch the others。 There was
Major Sholto； Captain Morstan； and Lieutenant Bromley Brown； who
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were in command of the native troops； and there was the surgeon himself；
and two or three prison…officials； crafty old hands who played a nice sly
safe game。 A very snug little party they used to make。
〃Well； there was one thing which very soon struck me； and that was
that the soldiers used always to lose and the civilians to win。 Mind； I
don't say that there was anything unfair； but so it was。 These prison…
chaps had done little else than play cards ever since they had been at the
Andamans； and they knew each other's game to a point； while the others
just played to pass the time and threw their cards down anyhow。 Night
after night the soldiers got up poorer men； and the poorer they got the
more keen they were to play。 Major Sholto was the hardest hit。 He
used to pay in notes and gold at first； but soon it came to notes of hand and
for big sums。 He sometimes would win for a few deals； just to give him
heart； and then the luck would set in against him worse than ever。 All
day he would wander about as black as thunder； and he took to drinking a
deal more than was good for him。
〃One night he lost even more heavily than usual。 I was sitting in my
hut when he and Captain Morstan came stumbling along on the way to
their quarters。 They were bosom friends；
