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things？ She was a unit； a factor；nothing more。 If my future were
black； it was better surely to face it like a man than to attempt to brighten
it by mere will…o'…the…wisps of the imagination。
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The Sign of the Four
CHAPTER III In Quest of a
Solution
It was half…past five before Holmes returned。 He was bright； eager；
and in excellent spirits；a mood which in his case alternated with fits of
the blackest depression。
〃There is no great mystery in this matter；〃 he said； taking the cup of
tea which I had poured out for him。 〃The facts appear to admit of only
one explanation。〃
〃What！ you have solved it already？〃
〃Well； that would be too much to say。 I have discovered a suggestive
fact； that is all。 It is； however； VERY suggestive。 The details are still to
be added。 I have just found； on consulting the back files of the Times；
that Major Sholto； of Upper Norword； late of the 34th Bombay Infantry；
died upon the 28th of April； 1882。〃
〃I may be very obtuse； Holmes； but I fail to see what this suggests。〃
〃No？ You surprise me。 Look at it in this way； then。 Captain
Morstan disappears。 The only person in London whom he could have
visited is Major Sholto。 Major Sholto denies having heard that he was in
London。 Four years later Sholto dies。 WITHIN A WEEK OF HIS
DEATH Captain Morstan's daughter receives a valuable present； which is
repeated from year to year； and now culminates in a letter which describes
her as a wronged woman。 What wrong can it refer to except this
deprivation of her father？ And why should the presents begin
immediately after Sholto's death； unless it is that Sholto's heir knows
something of the mystery and desires to make compensation？ Have you
any alternative theory which will meet the facts？〃
〃But what a strange compensation！ And how strangely made！ Why；
too； should he write a letter now； rather than six years ago？ Again； the
letter speaks of giving her justice。 What justice can she have？ It is too
much to suppose that her father is still alive。 There is no other injustice
in her case that you know of。〃
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The Sign of the Four
〃There are difficulties； there are certainly difficulties；〃 said Sherlock
Holmes； pensively。 〃But our expedition of to…night will solve them all。
Ah； here is a four…wheeler； and Miss Morstan is inside。 Are you all ready？
Then we had better go down； for it is a little past the hour。〃
I picked up my hat and my heaviest stick； but I observed that Holmes
took his revolver from his drawer and slipped it into his pocket。 It was
clear that he thought that our night's work might be a serious one。
Miss Morstan was muffled in a dark cloak； and her sensitive face was
composed； but pale。 She must have been more than woman if she did not
feel some uneasiness at the strange enterprise upon which we were
embarking； yet her self…control was perfect； and she readily answered the
few additional questions which Sherlock Holmes put to her。
〃Major Sholto was a very particular friend of papa's；〃 she said。 〃His
letters were full of allusions to the major。 He and papa were in command
of the troops at the Andaman Islands； so they were thrown a great deal
together。 By the way； a curious paper was found in papa's desk which no
one could understand。 I don't suppose that it is of the slightest
importance； but I thought you might care to see it； so I brought it with me。
It is here。〃
Holmes unfolded the paper carefully and smoothed it out upon his
knee。 He then very methodically examined it all over with his double
lens。
〃It is paper of native Indian manufacture；〃 he remarked。 〃It has at
some time been pinned to a board。 The diagram upon it appears to be a
plan of part of a large building with numerous halls； corridors； and
passages。 At one point is a small cross done in red ink； and above it is
'3。37 from left；' in faded pencil… writing。 In the left…hand corner is a
curious hieroglyphic like four crosses in a line with their arms touching。
Beside it is written； in very rough and coarse characters； 'The sign of the
four；Jonathan Small； Mahomet Singh； Abdullah Khan； Dost Akbar。' No；
I confess that I do not see how this bears upon the matter。 Yet it is
evidently a document of importance。 It has been kept carefully in a
pocket…book； for the one side is as clean as the other。〃
〃It was in his pocket…book that we found it。〃
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The Sign of the Four
〃Preserve it carefully； then； Miss Morstan； for it may prove to be of
use to us。 I begin to suspect that this matter may turn out to be much
deeper and more subtle than I at first supposed。 I must reconsider my
ideas。〃 He leaned back in the cab； and I could see by his drawn brow and
his vacant eye that he was thinking intently。 Miss Morstan and I chatted
in an undertone about our present expedition and its possible outcome； but
our companion maintained his impenetrable reserve until the end of our
journey。
It was a September evening； and not yet seven o'clock； but the day had
been a dreary one； and a dense drizzly fog lay low upon the great city。
Mud…colored clouds drooped sadly over the muddy streets。 Down the
Strand the lamps were but misty splotches of diffused light which threw a
feeble circular glimmer upon the slimy pavement。 The yellow glare from
the shop…windows streamed out into the steamy； vaporous air； and threw a
murky； shifting radiance across the crowded thoroughfare。 There was； to
my mind； something eerie and ghost…like in the endless procession of faces
which flitted across these narrow bars of light；sad faces and glad；
haggard and merry。 Like all human