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The Sign of the Four
be friends o' yours； and yet no friends o' the master's。 He pays me well to
do my duty； and my duty I'll do。 I don't know none o' your friends。〃
〃Oh； yes you do； McMurdo；〃 cried Sherlock Holmes； genially。 〃I
don't think you can have forgotten me。 Don't you remember the amateur
who fought three rounds with you at Alison's rooms on the night of your
benefit four years back？〃
〃Not Mr。 Sherlock Holmes！〃 roared the prize…fighter。 〃God's truth！
how could I have mistook you？ If instead o' standin' there so quiet you
had just stepped up and given me that cross… hit of yours under the jaw； I'd
ha' known you without a question。 Ah； you're one that has wasted your
gifts； you have！ You might have aimed high； if you had joined the
fancy。〃
〃You see； Watson； if all else fails me I have still one of the scientific
professions open to me；〃 said Holmes； laughing。 〃Our friend won't keep
us out in the cold now； I am sure。〃
〃In you come； sir； in you come；you and your friends；〃 he answered。
〃Very sorry； Mr。 Thaddeus； but orders are very strict。 Had to be certain
of your friends before I let them in。〃
Inside； a gravel path wound through desolate grounds to a huge clump
of a house； square and prosaic； all plunged in shadow save where a
moonbeam struck one corner and glimmered in a garret window。 The
vast size of the building； with its gloom and its deathly silence； struck a
chill to the heart。 Even Thaddeus Sholto seemed ill at ease； and the
lantern quivered and rattled in his hand。
〃I cannot understand it；〃 he said。 〃There must be some mistake。 I
distinctly told Bartholomew that we should be here； and yet there is no
light in his window。 I do not know what to make of it。〃
〃Does he always guard the premises in this way？〃 asked Holmes。
〃Yes； he has followed my father's custom。 He was the favorite son；
you know； and I sometimes think that my father may have told him more
than he ever told me。 That is Bartholomew's window up there where the
moonshine strikes。 It is quite bright； but there is no light from within； I
think。〃
〃None；〃 said Holmes。 〃But I see the glint of a light in that little
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The Sign of the Four
window beside the door。〃
〃Ah； that is the housekeeper's room。 That is where old Mrs。
Bernstone sits。 She can tell us all about it。 But perhaps you would not
mind waiting here for a minute or two； for if we all go in together and she
has no word of our coming she may be alarmed。 But hush！ what is that？〃
He held up the lantern； and his hand shook until the circles of light
flickered and wavered all round us。 Miss Morstan seized my wrist； and
we all stood with thumping hearts； straining our ears。 》From the great
black house there sounded through the silent night the saddest and most
pitiful of sounds；the shrill； broken whimpering of a frightened woman。
〃It is Mrs。 Bernstone；〃 said Sholto。 〃She is the only woman in the
house。 Wait here。 I shall be back in a moment。〃 He hurried for the
door； and knocked in his peculiar way。 We could see a tall old woman
admit him； and sway with pleasure at the very sight of him。
〃Oh； Mr。 Thaddeus； sir； I am so glad you have come！ I am so glad
you have come； Mr。 Thaddeus； sir！〃 We heard her reiterated rejoicings
until the door was closed and her voice died away into a muffled
monotone。
Our guide had left us the lantern。 Holmes swung it slowly round； and
peered keenly at the house； and at the great rubbish…heaps which cumbered
the grounds。 Miss Morstan and I stood together； and her hand was in
mine。 A wondrous subtle thing is love； for here were we two who had
never seen each other before that day； between whom no word or even
look of affection had ever passed； and yet now in an hour of trouble our
hands instinctively sought for each other。 I have marvelled at it since；
but at the time it seemed the most natural thing that I should go out to her
so； and； as she has often told me； there was in her also the instinct to turn
to me for comfort and protection。 So we stood hand in hand； like two
children； and there was peace in our hearts for all the dark things that
surrounded us。
〃What a strange place！〃 she said； looking round。
〃It looks as though all the moles in England had been let loose in it。 I
have seen something of the sort on the side of a hill near Ballarat； where
the prospectors had been at work。〃
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The Sign of the Four
〃And from the same cause；〃 said Holmes。 〃These are the traces of
the treasure…seekers。 You must remember that they were six years
looking for it。 No wonder that the grounds look like a gravel… pit。〃
At that moment the door of the house burst open； and Thaddeus Sholto
came running out； with his hands thrown forward and terror in his eyes。
〃There is something amiss with Bartholomew！〃 he cried。 〃I am
frightened！ My nerves cannot stand it。〃 He was； indeed； half
blubbering with fear； and his twitching feeble face peeping out from the
great Astrakhan collar had the helpless appealing expression of a terrified
child。
〃Come into the house；〃 said Holmes； in his crisp； firm way。
〃Yes； do！〃 pleaded Thaddeus Sholto。 〃I really do not feel equal to
giving directions。〃
We all followed him into the housekeeper's room； which stood upon
the left…hand side of the passage。 The old woman was pacing up and
down with a scared look and restless picking fingers； but the sight of Miss
Morstan appeared to have a soothing effect upon her。
〃God bless your sweet calm face！〃 she cried； with an hysterical sob。
〃It does me good to see you。 Oh； but I have been sorely tried this day！〃
Our companion patted her thin； work…worn hand； and murmured some
few words of kindly wom