Sherlock Holmes complete collection by sir arthur conan doyle

THE SIGN OF FOUR: Chapter 9 A BREAK IN THE CHAIN

IT WAS late in the afternoon before I woke, strengthened and refreshed.Sherlock Holmes still sat exactly as I had left him, save that he had laidaside his violin and was deep in a book. He looked across at me as Istirred, and I noticed that his face was dark and troubled."You have slept soundly," he said. "I feared that our talk would wakeyou.""I heard nothing," I answered. "Have you had fresh news, then?""Unfortunately, no. I confess that I am surprised and disappointed. Iexpected something definite by this time. Wiggins has just been up toreport. He says that no trace can be found of the launch. It is a provokingcheck, for every hour is of importance.""Can I do anything? I am perfectly fresh now, and quite ready foranother night's outing.""No; we can do nothing. We can only wait. If we go ourselves themessage might [129] come in our absence and delay be caused. You cando what you will, but I must remain on guard.""Then I shall run over to Camberwell and call upon Mrs. CecilForrester. She asked me to, yesterday.""On Mrs. Cecil Forrester?" asked Holmes with the twinkle of a smile inhis eyes."Well, of course on Miss Morstan, too. They were anxious to hear whathappened.""I would not tell them too much," said Holmes. "Women are never tobe entirely trusted-not the best of them."I did not pause to argue over this atrocious sentiment."I shall be back in an hour or two," I remarked."All right! Good luck! But, I say, if you are crossing the river you mayas well return Toby, for I don't think it is at all likely that we shall haveany use for him now."I took our mongrel accordingly and left him, together with a halfsovereign, at the old naturalist's in Pinchin Lane. At Camberwell I foundMiss Morstan a little weary after her night's adventures but very eager tohear the news. Mrs. Forrester, too, was full of curiosity. I told them allthat we had done, suppressing, however, the more dreadful parts of thetragedy. Thus, although I spoke of Mr. Sholto's death, I said nothing ofthe exact manner and method of it. With all my omissions, however, therewas enough to startle and amaze them."It is a romance!" cried Mrs. Forrester. "An injured lady, half a millionin treasure, a black cannibal, and a wooden-legged ruffian. They take the place of the conventional dragon or wicked earl.""And two knight-errants to the rescue," added Miss Morstan with abright glance at me."Why, Mary, your fortune depends upon the issue of this search. I don'tthink that you are nearly excited enough. Just imagine what it must be tobe so rich and to have the world at your feet!"It sent a little thrill of joy to my heart to notice that she showed no signof elation at the prospect. On the contrary, she gave a toss of her proudhead, as though the matter were one in which she took small interest."It is for Mr. Thaddeus Sholto that I am anxious," she said. "Nothingelse is of any consequence; but I think that he has behaved most kindlyand honourably throughout. It is our duty to clear him of this dreadful andunfounded charge."It was evening before I left Camberwell, and quite dark by the time Ireached home. My companion's book and pipe lay by his chair, but hehad disappeared. I looked about in the hope of seeing a note, but therewas none."I suppose that Mr. Sherlock Holmes has gone out," I said to Mrs.Hudson as she came up to lower the blinds."No, sir. He has gone to his room, sir. Do you know, sir," sinking hervoice into an impressive whisper, "I am afraid for his health.""Why so, Mrs. Hudson?""Well, he's that strange, sir. After you was gone he walked and hewalked, up and down, and up and down, until I was weary of the sound ofhis footstep. Then I heard him talking to himself and muttering, and everytime the bell rang out he came on the stairhead, with 'What is that, Mrs.Hudson?' And now he has slammed off to his room, but I can hear himwalking away the same as ever. I [130] hope he's not going to be ill, sir. Iventured to say something to him about cooling medicine, but he turnedon me, sir, with such a look that I don't know how ever I got out of theroom.""I don't think that you have any cause to be uneasy, Mrs. Hudson," Ianswered. "I have seen him like this before. He has some small matterupon his mind which makes him restless."I tried to speak lightly to our worthy landlady, but I was myselfsomewhat uneasy when through the long night I still from time to timeheard the dull sound of his tread, and knew how his keen spirit waschafing against this involuntary inaction.At breakfast-time he looked worn and haggard, with a little fleck offeverish colour upon either cheek."You are knocking yourself up, old man," I remarked. "I heard youmarching about in the night.""No, I could not sleep," he answered. "This infernal problem isconsuming me. It is too much to be balked by so petty an obstacle, whenall else had been overcome. I know the men, the launch, everything; andyet I can get no news. I have set other agencies at work and used everymeans at my disposal. The whole river has been searched on either side,but there is no news, nor has Mrs. Smith heard of her husband. I shallcome to the conclusion soon that they have scuttled the craft. But there are objections to that.""Or that Mrs. Smith has put us on a wrong scent.""No, I think that may be dismissed. I had inquiries made, and there is alaunch of that description.""Could it have gone up the river?""I have considered that possibility, too, and there is a search-party whowill work up as far as Richmond. If no news comes to-day I shall start offmyself to-morrow and go for the men rather than the boat. But surely,surely, we shall hear something."We did not, however. Not a word came to us either from Wiggins orfrom the other agencies. There were articles in most of the papers uponthe Norwood tragedy. They all appeared to be rather hostile to theunfortunate Thaddeus Sholto. No fresh details were to be found, however,in any of them, save that an inquest was to be held upon the followingday. I walked over to Camberwell in the evening to report our ill-successto the ladies, and on my return I found Holmes dejected and somewhatmorose. He would hardly reply to my questions and busied himself all theevening in an abstruse chemical analysis which involved much heating ofretorts and distilling of vapours, ending at last in a smell which fairlydrove me out of the apartment. Up to the small hours of the morning Icould hear the clinking of his test-tubes which told me that he was stillengaged in his malodorous experiment.In the early dawn I woke with a start and was surprised to find himstanding by my bedside, clad in a rude sailor dress with a pea-jacket and acoarse red scarf round his neck."I am off down the river, Watson," said he. "I have been turning it overin my mind, and I can see only one way out of it. It is worth trying, at allevents.""Surely I can come with you, then?" said I."No; you can be much more useful if you will remain here as myrepresentative. I am loath to go, for it is quite on the cards that somemessage may come during [131] the day, though Wiggins was despondentabout it last night. I want you to open all notes and telegrams, and to acton your own judgment if any news should come. Can I rely upon you?""Most certainly.""I am afraid that you will not be able to wire to me, for I can hardly tellyet where I may find myself. If I am in luck, however, I may not be goneso very long. I shall have news of some sort or other before I get back."I had heard nothing of him by breakfast time. On opening the Standard,however, I found that there was a fresh allusion to the business.With reference to the Upper Norwood tragedy [it remarked] wehave reason to believe that the matter promises to be even morecomplex and mysterious than was originally supposed. Freshevidence has shown that it is quite impossible that Mr. ThaddeusSholto could have been in any way concerned in the matter. Heand the housekeeper, Mrs. Bernstone, were both releasedyesterday evening. It is believed, however, that the police have a clue as to the real culprits, and that it is being prosecuted by Mr.Athelney Jones, of Scotland Yard, with all his well-known energyand sagacity. Further arrests may be expected at any moment."That is satisfactory so far as it goes," thought I. "Friend Sholto is safe,at any rate. I wonder what the fresh clue may be, though it seems to be astereotyped form whenever the police have made a blunder."I tossed the paper down upon the table, but at that moment my eyecaught an advertisement in the agony column. It ran in this way:LOST-Whereas Mordecai Smith, boatman, and his son Jim, leftSmith's Wharf at or about three o'clock last Tuesday morning inthe steam launch Aurora, black with two red stripes, funnel blackwith a white band, the sum of five pounds will be paid to anyonewho can give information to Mrs. Smith, at Smith's Wharf, or at221B, Baker Street, as to the whereabouts of the said MordecaiSmith and the launch Aurora.This was clearly Holmes's doing. The Baker Street address was enoughto prove that. It struck me as rather ingenious because it might be read bythe fugitives without their seeing in it more than the natural anxiety of awife for her missing husband.It was a long day. Every time that a knock came to the door or a sharpstep passed in the street, I imagined that it was either Holmes returning oran answer to his advertisement. I tried to read, but my thoughts wouldwander off to our strange quest and to the ill-assorted and villainous pairwhom we were pursuing. Could there be, I wondered, some radical flawin my companion's reasoning? Might he not be suffering from some hugeself-deception? Was it not possible that his nimble and speculative mindhad built up this wild theory upon faulty premises? I had never knownhim to be wrong, and yet the keenest reasoner may occasionally bedeceived. He was likely, I thought, to fall into error through the overrefinement of his logic-his preference for a subtle and bizarre explanationwhen a plainer and more commonplace one lay ready to his hand. Yet, onthe other hand, I had myself seen the evidence, and I had heard thereasons for his deductions. When I looked back on the long chain ofcurious circumstances, many of them trivial in themselves but all tendingin the same direction, I could not [132] disguise from myself that even ifHolmes's explanation were incorrect the true theory must be equally outreand startling.At three o'clock on the afternoon there was a loud peal at the bell, anauthoritative voice in the hall, and, to my surprise, no less a person thanMr. Athelney Jones was shown up to me. Very different was he, however,from the brusque and masterful professor of common sense who hadtaken over the case so confidently at Upper Norwood. His expression wasdowncast, and his bearing meek and even apologetic."Good-day, sir; good-day," said he. "Mr. Sherlock Holmes is out, Iunderstand.""Yes, and I cannot be sure when he will be back. But perhaps you would care to wait. Take that chair and try one of these cigars.""Thank you; I don't mind if I do," said he, mopping his face with a redbandanna handkerchief."And a whisky and soda?""Well, half a glass. It is very hot for the time of year, and I have had agood deal to worry and try me. You know my theory about this Norwoodcase?""I remember that you expressed one.""Well, I have been obliged to reconsider it. I had my net drawn tightlyround Mr. Sholto, sir, when pop he went through a hole in the middle ofit. He was able to prove an alibi which could not be shaken. From thetime that he left his brother's room he was never out of sight of someoneor other. So it could not be he who climbed over roofs and throughtrapdoors. It's a very dark case, and my professional credit is at stake. Ishould be very glad of a little assistance.""We all need help sometimes," said I."Your friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, is a wonderful man, sir," said he ina husky and confidential voice. "He's a man who is not to be beat. I haveknown that young man go into a good many cases, but I never saw thecase yet that he could not throw a light upon. He is irregular in hismethods and a little quick perhaps in jumping at theories, but, on thewhole, I think he would have made a most promising officer, and I don'tcare who knows it. I have had a wire from him this morning, by which Iunderstand that he has got some clue to this Sholto business. Here is hismessage."He took the telegram out of his pocket and handed it to me. It wasdated from Poplar at twelve o'clock.Go to Baker Street at once [it said]. If I have not returned, wait for me.I am close on the track of the Sholto gang. You can come with us to-nightif you want to be in at the finish."This sounds well. He has evidently picked up the scent again," said I."Ah, then he has been at fault too," exclaimed Jones with evidentsatisfaction. "Even the best of us are thrown off sometimes. Of course thismay prove to be a false alarm but it is my duty as an officer of the law toallow no chance to slip. But there is someone at the door. Perhaps this ishe."A heavy step was heard ascending the stair, with a great wheezing andrattling as from a man who was sorely put to it for breath. Once or twicehe stopped, as though the climb were too much for him, but at last hemade his way to our door and entered. His appearance corresponded tothe sounds which we had heard. He was an aged man, clad in seafaringgarb, with an old pea-jacket buttoned up to his throat. His back wasbowed, his knees were shaky, and his breathing was [133] painfullyasthmatic. As he leaned upon a thick oaken cudgel his shoulders heavedin the effort to draw the air into his lungs. He had a coloured scarf roundhis chin, and I could see little of his face save a pair of keen dark eyes,overhung by bushy white brows and long gray side-whiskers. Altogether he gave me the impression of a respectable master mariner who had falleninto years and poverty."What is it, my man?" I asked.He looked about him in the slow methodical fashion of old age."Is Mr. Sherlock Holmes here?" said he."No; but I am acting for him. You can tell me any message you havefor him.""It was to him himself I was to tell it," said he."But I tell you that I am acting for him. Was it about Mordecai Smith'sboat?""Yes. I knows well where it is. An' I knows where the men he is afterare. An' I knows where the treasure is. I knows all about it.""Then tell me, and I shall let him know.""It was to him I was to tell it," he repeated with the petulant obstinacyof a very old man."Well, you must wait for him.""No, no; I ain't goin' to lose a whole day to please no one. If Mr.Holmes ain't here, then Mr. Holmes must find it all out for himself. Idon't care about the look of either of you, and I won't tell a word."He shuffled towards the door, but Athelney Jones got in front of him."Wait a bit, my friend," said he. "You have important information, andyou must not walk off. We shall keep you, whether you like or not, untilour friend returns."The old man made a little run towards the door, but, as Athelney Jonesput his broad back up against it, he recognized the uselessness ofresistance."Pretty sort o' treatment this!" he cried, stamping his stick. "I comehere to see a gentleman, and you two, who I never saw in my life, seizeme and treat me in this fashion!""You will be none the worse," I said. "We shall recompense you for theloss of your time. Sit over here on the sofa, and you will not have long towait."He came across sullenly enough and seated himself with his faceresting on his hands. Jones and I resumed our cigars and our talk.Suddenly, however, Holmes's voice broke in upon us."I think that you might offer me a cigar too," he said.We both started in our chairs. There was Holmes sitting close to uswith an air of quiet amusement."Holmes!" I exclaimed. "You here! But where is the old man?""Here is the old man," said he, holding out a heap of white hair. "Herehe is-wig, whiskers, eyebrows, and all. I thought my disguise was prettygood, but I hardly expected that it would stand that test.""Ah, you rogue!" cried Jones, highly delighted. "You would have madean actor and a rare one. You had the proper workhouse cough, and thoseweak legs of yours are worth ten pound a week. I thought I knew the glintof your eye, though. You didn't get away from us so easily, you see.""I have been working in that get-up all day," said he, lighting his cigar."You see, a good many of the criminal classes begin to knowme-especially since our friend here took to publishing some of my cases:so I can only go on the war-path under some simple disguise like this.You got my wire?"[134] "Yes; that was what brought me here.""How has your case prospered?""It has all come to nothing. I have had to release two of my prisoners,and there is no evidence against the other two.""Never mind. We shall give you two others in the place of them. Butyou must put yourself under my orders. You are welcome to all theofficial credit, but you must act on the lines that I point out. Is thatagreed?""Entirely, if you will help me to the men.""Well, then, in the first place I shall want a fast police-boat-a steamlaunch-to be at the Westminster Stairs at seven o'clock.""That is easily managed. There is always one about there, but I can stepacross the road and telephone to make sure.""Then I shall want two staunch men in case of resistance.""There will be two or three in the boat. What else?" "When we secure the men we shall get the treasure. I think that itwould be a pleasure to my friend here to take the box round to the younglady to whom half of it rightfully belongs. Let her be the first to open it.Eh, Watson?""It would be a great pleasure to me.""Rather an irregular proceeding," said Jones, shaking his head."However, the whole thing is irregular, and I suppose we must wink at it.The treasure must afterwards be handed over to the authorities until afterthe official investigation.""Certainly. That is easily managed. One other point. I should much liketo have a few details about this matter from the lips of Jonathan Smallhimself. You know I like to work the details of my cases out. There is noobjection to my having an unofficial interview with him, either here in myrooms or elsewhere, as long as he is efficiently guarded?""Well, you are master of the situation. I have had no proof yet of theexistence of this Jonathan Small. However, if you can catch him, I don'tsee how I can refuse you an interview with him.""That is understood, then?""Perfectly. Is there anything else?""Only that I insist upon your dining with us. It will be ready in half anhour. I have oysters and a brace of grouse, with something a little choicein white wines.-Watson, you have never yet recognized my merits as ahousekeeper."