the greek interpreter-第3章

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fashion；　and　with　little　giggling　laughs　in　between；　but　somehow　he

impressed　me　with　fear　more　than　the　other。

　　〃'What　do　you　want　with　me？'　I　asked。

　〃'Only　to　ask　a　few　questions　of　a　Greek　gentleman　who　is　visiting

us；　and　to　let　us　have　the　answers。　But　say　no　more　than　you　are

told　to　say；　or…'　here　came　the　nervous　giggle　again…'you　had　better

never　have　been　born。'

　　　〃As　he　spoke　he　opened　a　door　and　showed　the　way　into　a　room

which　appeared　to　be　very　richly　furnished；　but　again　the　only　light

was　afforded　by　a　single　lamp　half…turned　down。　The　chamber　was

certainly　large；　and　the　way　in　which　my　feet　sank　into　the　carpet

as　I　stepped　across　it　told　me　of　its　richness。　I　caught　glimpses　of

velvet　chairs；　a　high　white　marble　mantelpiece；　and　what　seemed　to

be　a　suit　of　Japanese　armour　at　one　side　of　it。　There　was　a　chair　just

under　the　lamp；　and　the　elderly　man　motioned　that　I　should　sit　in

it。　The　younger　had　left　us；　but　he　suddenly　returned　through

another　door；　leading　with　him　a　gentleman　clad　in　some　sort　of

loose　dressing…gown　who　moved　slowly　towards　us。　As　he　came　into　the

circle　of　dim　light　which　enabled　me　to　see　him　more　clearly　I　was

thrilled　with　horror　at　his　appearance。　He　was　deadly　pale　and

terribly　emaciated；　with　the　protruding；　brilliant　eyes　of　a　man　whose

spirit　was　greater　than　his　strength。　But　what　shocked　me　more　than

any　signs　of　physical　weakness　was　that　his　face　was　grotesquely

criss…crossed　with　sticking…plaster　and　that　one　large　pad　of　it　was

fastened　over　his　mouth。

　　〃'Have　you　the　slate；　Harold？'　cried　the　older　man；　as　this

strange　being　fell　rather　than　sat　down　into　a　chair。　'Are　his　hands

loose？　Now；　then；　give　him　the　pencil。　You　are　to　ask　the　questions；

Mr。　Melas；　and　he　will　write　the　answers。　Ask　him　first　of　all　whether

he　is　prepared　to　sign　the　papers？'

　　〃The　man's　eyes　flashed　fire。

　　〃'Never！'　he　wrote　in　Greek　upon　the　slate。

　　〃'On　no　conditions？'　I　asked　at　the　bidding　of　our　tyrant。

　　〃'Only　if　I　see　her　married　in　my　presence　by　a　Greek　priest　whom

I　know。'

　　〃The　man　giggled　in　his　venomous　way。

　　〃'You　know　what　awaits　you；　then？'

　　〃'I　care　nothing　for　myself。'

　　〃These　are　samples　of　the　questions　and　answers　which　made　up　our

strange　half…spoken；　half…written　conversation。　Again　and　again　I

had　to　ask　him　whether　he　would　give　in　and　sign　the　documents。

Again　and　again　I　had　the　same　indignant　reply。　But　soon　a　happy

thought　came　to　me。　I　took　to　adding　on　little　sentences　of　my　own

to　each　question；　innocent　ones　at　first；　to　test　whether　either　of

our　companions　knew　anything　of　the　matter；　and　then；　as　I　found

that　they　showed　no　sign　I　played　a　more　dangerous　game。　Our

conversation　ran　something　like　this：

　　〃'You　can　do　no　good　by　this　obstinacy。　Who　are　you？'

　　〃'I　care　not。　I　am　a　stranger　in　London。'

　　〃'Your　fate　will　be　on　your　own　head。　How　long　have　you　been　here？'

　　〃'Let　it　be　so。　Three　weeks。'

　　〃'The　property　can　never　be　yours。　What　ails　you？'

　　〃'It　shall　not　go　to　villains。　They　are。'

　　〃'You　shall　go　free　if　you　sign。　What　house　is　this？'

　　〃'I　will　never　sign。　I　do　not　know。'

　　〃'You　are　not　doing　her　any　service。　What　is　your　name？'

　　〃'Let　me　hear　her　say　so。　Kratides。'

　　〃'You　shall　see　her　if　you　sign。　Where　are　you　from？'

　　〃'Then　I　shall　never　see　her。　Athens。'

　　〃Another　five　minutes；　Mr。　Holmes；　and　I　should　have　wormed　out

the　whole　story　under　their　very　noses。　My　very　next　question　might

have　cleared　the　matter　up；　but　at　that　instant　the　door　opened　and

a　woman　stepped　into　the　room。　I　could　not　see　her　clearly　enough　to

know　more　than　that　she　was　tall　and　graceful　with　black　hair；　and

clad　in　some　sort　of　loose　white　gown。

　　〃'Harold；'　said　she；　speaking　English　with　a　broken　accent。　'I　could

not　stay　away　longer。　It　is　so　lonely　up　there　with　only…Oh；　my　God；

it　is　Paul！'

　　〃These　last　words　were　in　Greek；　and　at　the　same　instant　the　man

with　a　convulsive　effort　tore　the　plaster　from　his　lips；　and　screaming

out　'Sophy！　Sophy！'　rushed　into　the　woman's　arms。　Their　embrace　was

but　for　an　instant；　however；　for　the　younger　man　seized　the　woman

and　pushed　her　out　of　the　room；　while　the　elder　easily　overpowered　his

emaciated　victim　and　dragged　him　away　through　the　other　door。　For　a

moment　I　was　left　alone　in　the　room；　and　I　sprang　to　my　feet　with　some

vague　idea　that　I　might　in　some　way　get　a　clue　to　what　this　house

was　in　which　I　found　myself。　Fortunately；　however；　I　took　no　steps；

for　looking　up　I　saw　that　the　older　man　was　standing　in　the　doorway；

with　his　eyes　fixed　upon　me。

　　〃'That　will　do；　Mr。　Melas；'　said　he。　'You　perceive　that　we　have

taken　you　into　our　confidence　over　some　very　private　business。　We

should　not　have　troubled　you；　only　that　our　friend　who　speaks　Greek

and　who　began　these　negotiations　has　been　forced　to　return　to　the

East。　It　was　quite　necessary　for　us　to　find　someone　to　take　his　place；

and　we　were　fortunate　in　hearing　of　your　powers。'

　　〃I　bowed。

　　〃'There　are　five　sovereigns　here；'　said　he；　walking　up　to　me；　'which

will；　I　hope；　be　a　sufficient　fee。　But　remember；'　he　added；　tapping　me

lightly　on　the　chest　and　giggling；　'if　you　speak　to　a　human　soul　about

this…one　human　soul；　mind…well；　may　God　have　mercy　upon　your　soul！'

　　〃I　cannot　tell　you　the　loathing　and　horror　with　which　this

insignificant…looking　man　inspired　me。　I　could　see　him　better　now　as

the　lamp…light　shone　upon　him。　His　features　were　peaky　and　sallow；　and

his　little　pointed　beard　was　thready　and　ill…nourished。　He　pushed

his　face　forward　as　he　spoke　and　his　lips　and　eyelids　were　continually

twitching　like　a　man　with　St。　Vitus's　dance。　I　could　not　help　thinking

that　his　strange；　catchy　little　laugh　was　also　a　symptom　of　some

nervous　malady。　The　terror　of　his　face　lay　in　his　eyes；　however；　steel

gray；　and　glistening　coldly　with　a　malignant　inexorable　cruelty　in

their　depths。

　　〃'We　shall　know　if　you　speak　of　this；'　said　he。　'We　have　our　own

means　of　information。　Now　you　will　find　the　carriage　waiting；　and　my

friend　will　see　you　on　your　way。'

　　〃I　was　hurried　through　the　hall　and　into　the　vehicle；　again

obtaining　that　momentary　glimpse　of　trees　and　a　garden。　Mr。　Latimer

followed　closely　at　my　heels　and　took　his　place　opposite　to　me　without

a　word。　In　silence　we　again　drove　for　an　interminable　distance　with

the　windows　raised；　until　at　last；　just　after　midnight；　the　carriage

pulled　up。

　　〃'You　will　get　down　here；　Mr。　Melas；'　said　my　companion。　'I　am　sorry

to　leave　you　so　far　from　your　house；　but　there　is　no　alternative。

Any　attempt　upon　your　part　to　follow　the　carriage　can　only　end　in

injury　to　yourself。'

　　〃He　opened　the　door　as　he　spoke；　and　I　had　hardly　time　to　spring　out

when　the　coachman　lashed　the　horse　and　the　carriage　rattled　away。　I

looked　around　me　in　astonishment。　I　was　on　some　sort　of　a　heathy

common　mottled　over　with　dark　clumps　of　furze…bushes。　Far　away

stretched　a　line　of　houses；　with　a　light　here　and　there　in　the　upper

windows。　On　the　other　side　I　saw　the　red　signal…lamps　of　a　railway。

　　〃The　carriage　which　had　brought　me　was　already　out　of　sight。　I　stood

gazing　round　and　wondering　where　on　earth　I　might　be；　when　I　saw

someone　coming　towards　me　in　the　darkness。　As　he　came　up　to　me　I

made　out　that　he　was　a　railway　porter。

　　〃'Can　you　tell　me　what　place　this　is？'　I　asked。

　　〃'Wandsworth　Common；'　said　he。

　　〃'Can　I　get　a　train　into　town？'

　　〃'If　you　walk　on　a　mile　or　so　to　Clapham　Junction；'　said　he；　'you'll

just　be　in　time　for　the　last　to　Victoria。'

　　〃So　that　was　the　end　of　my　adventure；　Mr。　Holmes。　I　do　not　know

where　I　was；　nor　whom　I　spoke　with；　nor　anything　save　what　I　have　told

you。　But　I　know　that　there　is　foul　play　going　on；　and　I　want　to　help

that　unhappy　man　if　I　can。　I　told　the　whole　story　to　Mr。　Mycroft

Holmes　next　morning；　and　subsequently　to　the　police。〃

　　We　all　sat　in　silence　for　some　little　time　after　listening　to　this

extraordinary　narrative。　Then　Sherlock　looked　across　at　his　brother。

　　〃Any　steps？〃　he　asked。

　　Mycroft　picked　up　the　Daily　News；　which　wa