按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
haggard and merry。 Like all human kind； they flitted from the gloom into
the light； and so back into the gloom once more。 I am not subject to
impressions； but the dull； heavy evening； with the strange business upon
which we were engaged； combined to make me nervous and depressed。 I
could see from Miss Morstan's manner that she was suffering from the
same feeling。 Holmes alone could rise superior to petty influences。 He
held his open note…book upon his knee； and from time to time he jotted
down figures and memoranda in the light of his pocket…lantern。
At the Lyceum Theatre the crowds were already thick at the side…
entrances。 In front a continuous stream of hansoms and four… wheelers
were rattling up； discharging their cargoes of shirt… fronted men and
beshawled； bediamonded women。 We had hardly reached the third pillar；
which was our rendezvous； before a small； dark； brisk man in the dress of
a coachman accosted us。
〃Are you the parties who come with Miss Morstan？〃 he asked。
〃I am Miss Morstan； and these two gentlemen are my friends；〃 said
she。
18
… Page 19…
The Sign of the Four
He bent a pair of wonderfully penetrating and questioning eyes upon
us。 〃You will excuse me； miss；〃 he said with a certain dogged manner；
〃but I was to ask you to give me your word that neither of your
companions is a police…officer。〃
〃I give you my word on that；〃 she answered。
He gave a shrill whistle； on which a street Arab led across a four…
wheeler and opened the door。 The man who had addressed us mounted
to the box； while we took our places inside。 We had hardly done so
before the driver whipped up his horse； and we plunged away at a furious
pace through the foggy streets。
The situation was a curious one。 We were driving to an unknown
place； on an unknown errand。 Yet our invitation was either a complete
hoax；which was an inconceivable hypothesis；or else we had good
reason to think that important issues might hang upon our journey。 Miss
Morstan's demeanor was as resolute and collected as ever。 I endeavored
to cheer and amuse her by reminiscences of my adventures in Afghanistan；
but； to tell the truth； I was myself so excited at our situation and so curious
as to our destination that my stories were slightly involved。 To this day
she declares that I told her one moving anecdote as to how a musket
looked into my tent at the dead of night； and how I fired a double…barrelled
tiger cub at it。 At first I had some idea as to the direction in which we
were driving； but soon； what with our pace； the fog； and my own limited
knowledge of London； I lost my bearings； and knew nothing； save that we
seemed to be going a very long way。 Sherlock Holmes was never at fault；
however； and he muttered the names as the cab rattled through squares and
in and out by tortuous by…streets。
〃Rochester Row；〃 said he。 〃Now Vincent Square。 Now we come
out on the Vauxhall Bridge Road。 We are making for the Surrey side；
apparently。 Yes； I thought so。 Now we are on the bridge。 You can
catch glimpses of the river。〃
We did indeed bet a fleeting view of a stretch of the Thames with the
lamps shining upon the broad； silent water； but our cab dashed on； and
was soon involved in a labyrinth of streets upon the other side。
〃Wordsworth Road；〃 said my companion。 〃Priory Road。 Lark Hall
19
… Page 20…
The Sign of the Four
Lane。 Stockwell Place。 Robert Street。 Cold Harbor Lane。 Our quest
does not appear to take us to very fashionable regions。〃
We had； indeed； reached a questionable and forbidding neighborhood。
Long lines of dull brick houses were only relieved by the coarse glare and
tawdry brilliancy of public houses at the corner。 Then came rows of two…
storied villas each with a fronting of miniature garden； and then again
interminable lines of new staring brick buildings；the monster tentacles
which the giant city was throwing out into the country。 At last the cab
drew up at the third house in a new terrace。 None of the other houses
were inhabited； and that at which we stopped was as dark as its neighbors；
save for a single glimmer in the kitchen window。 On our knocking；
however； the door was instantly thrown open by a Hindoo servant clad in a
yellow turban； white loose… fitting clothes； and a yellow sash。 There was
something strangely incongruous in this Oriental figure framed in the
commonplace door…way of a third…rate suburban dwelling…house。
〃The Sahib awaits you；〃 said he； and even as he spoke there came a
high piping voice from some inner room。 〃Show them in to me；
khitmutgar；〃 it cried。 〃Show them straight in to me。〃
20
… Page 21…
The Sign of the Four
CHAPTER IV The Story of the
Bald…Headed Man
We followed the Indian down a sordid and common passage； ill lit and
worse furnished； until he came to a door upon the right； which he threw
open。 A blaze of yellow light streamed out upon us； and in the centre of
the glare there stood a small man with a very high head； a bristle of red
hair all round the fringe of it； and a bald； shining scalp which shot out
from among it like a mountain…peak from fir…trees。 He writhed his hands
together as he stood； and his features were in a perpetual jerk； now smiling；
now scowling； but never for an instant in repose。 Nature had given him a
pendulous lip； and a too visible line of yellow and irregular teeth； which
he strove feebly to conceal by constantly passing his hand over the lower
part of his face。 In spite of his obtrusive baldness； he gave the
impression of youth。 In point of fact he had just turned his thirtieth year。
〃Your servant； Miss Morstan；〃 he kept repeating； in a thin； high voice。
〃Your servant；