the sign of the four(那四个的记号)-第36章
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always act together。'
〃'You see； Morstan；' said he； 'Small is a man of his word。 He does
not flinch from his friend。 I think we may very well trust him。'
〃'It's a dirty business；' the other answered。 'Yet； as you say； the
money would save our commissions handsomely。'
〃'Well； Small；' said the major； 'we must； I suppose； try and meet you。
We must first； of course； test the truth of your story。 Tell me where the
box is hid； and I shall get leave of absence and go back to India in the
monthly relief…boat to inquire into the affair。'
〃'Not so fast；' said I； growing colder as he got hot。 'I must have the
consent of my three comrades。 I tell you that it is four or none with us。'
〃'Nonsense！' he broke in。 'What have three black fellows to do with
our agreement？'
〃'Black or blue；' said I； 'they are in with me； and we all go together。'
〃Well； the matter ended by a second meeting； at which Mahomet Singh；
Abdullah Khan； and Dost Akbar were all present。 We talked the matter
over again； and at last we came to an arrangement。 We were to provide
both the officers with charts of the part of the Agra fort and mark the place
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in the wall where the treasure was hid。 Major Sholto was to go to India
to test our story。 If he found the box he was to leave it there； to send out
a small yacht provisioned for a voyage； which was to lie off Rutland
Island； and to which we were to make our way； and finally to return to his
duties。 Captain Morstan was then to apply for leave of absence； to meet
us at Agra； and there we were to have a final division of the treasure； he
taking the major's share as well as his own。 All this we sealed by the
most solemn oaths that the mind could think or the lips utter。 I sat up all
night with paper and ink； and by the morning I had the two charts all ready；
signed with the sign of four；that is； of Abdullah； Akbar； Mahomet； and
myself。
〃Well； gentlemen； I weary you with my long story； and I know that my
friend Mr。 Jones is impatient to get me safely stowed in chokey。 I'll make
it as short as I can。 The villain Sholto went off to India； but he never
came back again。 Captain Morstan showed me his name among a list of
passengers in one of the mail… boats very shortly afterwards。 His uncle
had died； leaving him a fortune； and he had left the army； yet he could
stoop to treat five men as he had treated us。 Morstan went over to Agra
shortly afterwards； and found； as we expected； that the treasure was indeed
gone。 The scoundrel had stolen it all； without carrying out one of the
conditions on which we had sold him the secret。 》From that day I lived
only for vengeance。 I thought of it by day and I nursed it by night。 It
became an overpowering； absorbing passion with me。 I cared nothing for
the law；nothing for the gallows。 To escape； to track down Sholto； to
have my hand upon his throat；that was my one thought。 Even the Agra
treasure had come to be a smaller thing in my mind than the slaying of
Sholto。
〃Well； I have set my mind on many things in this life； and never one
which I did not carry out。 But it was weary years before my time came。
I have told you that I had picked up something of medicine。 One day
when Dr。 Somerton was down with a fever a little Andaman Islander was
picked up by a convict…gang in the woods。 He was sick to death； and had
gone to a lonely place to die。 I took him in hand； though he was as
venomous as a young snake； and after a couple of months I got him all
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right and able to walk。 He took a kind of fancy to me then； and would
hardly go back to his woods； but was always hanging about my hut。 I
learned a little of his lingo from him； and this made him all the fonder of
me。
〃Tongafor that was his namewas a fine boatman； and owned a big；
roomy canoe of his own。 When I found that he was devoted to me and
would do anything to serve me； I saw my chance of escape。 I talked it
over with him。 He was to bring his boat round on a certain night to an
old wharf which was never guarded； and there he was to pick me up。 I
gave him directions to have several gourds of water and a lot of yams；
cocoa…nuts； and sweet potatoes。
〃He was stanch and true； was little Tonga。 No man ever had a more
faithful mate。 At the night named he had his boat at the wharf。 As it
chanced； however； there was one of the convict… guard down there；a vile
Pathan who had never missed a chance of insulting and injuring me。 I
had always vowed vengeance； and now I had my chance。 It was as if fate
had placed him in my way that I might pay my debt before I left the island。
He stood on the bank with his back to me； and his carbine on his shoulder。
I looked abut for a stone to beat out his brains with； but none could I see。
Then a queer thought came into my head and showed me where I could
lay my hand on a weapon。 I sat down in the darkness and unstrapped my
wooden leg。 With three long hops I was on him。 He put his carbine to
his shoulder； but I struck him full； and knocked the whole front of his skull
in。 You can see the split in the wood now where I hit him。 We both
went down together； for I could not keep my balance； but when I got up I
found him still lying quiet enough。 I made for the boat； and in an hour
we were well out at sea。 Tonga had brought all his earthly possessions
with him； his arms and his gods。 Among other things； he had a long
bamboo spear； and some Andaman cocoa…nut matting； with which I make
a sort of sail。 For ten days we were beating about； trusting to luck； and
on the eleventh we were picked up by a trader which was going from
Singapore to Jiddah with a cargo of Malay pilgrims。 They were a rum
crowd； and Tonga and I soon managed to settle down among them。 They
had one very good quality： they let you alone and asked no questions。
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〃Well； if I were to tell you all the adventures that my little chum and I
went through； you would not thank me； for I would have you here until the
sun was shining。 Here and there we drifted about the world； something
always turning up to keep us from London。 All the time； however； I
never lost sight of my purpose。 I would dream of Sholto at night。 A
hundred times I have killed him in my sleep。 At last； however； some
three or four years ago； we found ourselves in England。 I had no great
difficulty in finding where Sholto lived； and I set to work to discover
whether he had realized the treasure； or if he still had it。 I
